A farewell and welcome to His Holiness the Dalai Lama’s representatives in London[Thursday, 20 August 2009, 3:04 p.m.]

Mr Thubten Samdup, Representative of His Holiness the  Dalai Lama to London (1st R) with outgoing  representative, Mr Tsering Tashi (3rd R) and Mongolian  Ambassador (4th R) during a farewell-cum-welcome  reception in London on 17 August 2009

London:
A warm reception was hosted by the Office of Tibet and Tibetan
Community in Britain at the Tibet House on Monday evening, to bid
farewell to the outgoing Representative of His Holiness the Dalai Lama,
Mr. Tsering Tashi, and to welcome his successor, Mr. Thubten Samdup.  The
reception was attended by nearly 100 specially invited guests from
various embassies, non- governmental organisations and academic
institutions, including diplomats, parliamentarians, scholars,
journalists, local Tibetan leaders, British Buddhist community,
Tibet-related organisations and members of Tibetan Community in
Britain. In his farewell speech, Mr. Tsering Tashi, who has
served at the office of Tibet since 2001, initially as
Secretary/Information and Press Officer and later as His Holiness the
Dalai Lama’s Representative for Northern Europe, said, “As most of you
will be aware, I have served the Office of Tibet for over eight years
now, with the last almost two and half years as the Representative of
His Holiness the Dalai Lama, which indeed has been a great honour, but
at the same time extremely challenging especially in the face of
limited resources and manpower.”Many of you will remember that
last year when Tibet hit the international news headlines, we were only
two staff in the office. Nevertheless, by working long hours and even
on weekends we managed to not only come out successfully with His
Holiness’ May visit to London, Nottingham and Oxford, but also take
care of all the other official responsibilities and respond to the
overwhelming approaches received from the UK and international media as
the primary source and commentator on issues affecting the Tibetan
people.”

Former Representative Phuntsok Wangyal thanking  outgoing representative Tsering Tashi

Currently,
the Office Tibet is staffed by three Tibetans, who also run its
charitable wing, Tibet House Trust. The outgoing representative, a
trained journalist, who had previously served in the office of His
Holiness the Dalai Lama as his press officer, appealed for continued
cooperation to his successor. He said: “From experience I know the
challenges that lie ahead for the Office of Tibet. I therefore request
you and all concerned governments, Tibet-related NGOs, fellow Tibetans
and our friends and supporters to also extend your cooperation,
friendship and support to the new Representative Mr. Thubten Samdup in
the fulfilment of his heavy responsibilities.”While
congratulating his successor, outgoing representative Tsering Tashi,
who will take up his new role at the Department of Information and
International Relations (DIIR) in Dharamsala, concluded his speech with
a positive note and said, “Here I must say that the level of
understanding and support shown by the UK Foreign Office, Foreign
Ministries of related European countries, various UK-based and other
Tibet Support Groups, the Tibetan Community in Britain and other
Tibetan Communities, Tibet-related NGOs, Tibetan Buddhist Centres,
individual supporters and well-wishers all proved to be a source of
much encouragement and helped to fuel our determination to work still
harder. To all of them, many represented here today, I wish to take
this opportunity to once again extend my Thanks for all the kind
understanding, practical support and warm words of advice and
encouragement.” Pempa Lobsang, Chairman of Tibetan Community
in Britain, paid tribute to the outgoing representative saying,
“Tsering Tashi la has been a credit to the Tibetan government, an
example of a man for the people, ever present within the community and
always ready to do his part … his commitment to the cause was second
to none, his ability undoubted. He has also brought about real change
in the way we work and encouraged not only our Tibetan members but our
western supporters and various government officials in Europe including
Great Britain. We particularly admire and appreciate your kind advice,
guidance and encouragement that the present and former Council Members
have received over the past many years. I say this on behalf of the
entire Tibetan Community in Britain, it has been a great privilege to
have worked with you.”

The chairman of Tibetan Community in Britain welcoming new representative Thubten Samdup

While
extending warm welcome to His Holiness the Dalai Lama’s new
Representative, he said, “The community, represented by its council
members will continue to work closely with the Office of Tibet under
Thubten la’s leadership and we look forward to a long and successful
partnership.” After bidding a personal farewell and welcome,
Philippa Carrick, CEO of Tibet Society, the world’s oldest Tibet
support group, echoed Pempa’s sentiments, saying “I am very sad to see
Tsering Tashi leave. I greatly respect and admire his untiring work, he
has been very effective in raising the Tibet issue with governments
across northern Europe, forging many new connections. He also reached
out and was available to the Tibetan Community in Britain and has done
a lot to encourage many new ideas and initiatives. He engenders much
warmth and affection with all of us who have been privileged to work
with him. On a personal level I will miss his patience, good humour …
and wisdom, which I always greatly appreciated. Thubten Samdup has a
hard act to follow! But he is another remarkable man so I know he will
develop the connections Tsering forged and I greatly look forward to
working with him.” The new Representative for Northern Europe
is Mr. Thubten Samdup, a former member of the Tibetan parliament in
exile representing the Tibetans in North America, and who has many
years experience of Tibet-related work, including founding and serving
as the President of Canada Tibet Committee from 1987-2004 amongst many
other innovative campaigning and outreach initiatives.

Philippa Carrick, CEO of Tibet Society, greets Representative Thubten Samdup

Concerned
people including the Tibetans and Tibet Support Groups in the UK are
looking forward to working with The Dalai Lama’s new emissary based at
The Office of Tibet in London, who said,  “I want to make difference in
my new role” for the Tibetan struggle. –Report by Tsering Passang, General Secretary of Tibetan Community in Britain