‘Always remember you are a Tibetan’, Kalon Tripa tells Tibetan children living overseas Wednesday, 29 July 2009, 5:24 p.m.

Kalon Tripa Prof Samdhong Rinpoche speaks to a group of Tibetan students living in the US, Canada and Europe who are currently in Dharamsala, India, for their summer camp.

Dharamshala:
Kalon Tripa Prof. Samdhong Rinpoche on Tuesday afternoon spoke with a
group of children from western countries who have come to Dharamsala,
the seat of the Central Tibetan Administration. These
children have been attending summer camp at Tibetan Children’s Village
school, which began on 3 July. This camp is organised by the TCV School
with the help of the Office of Tibet in New York. There are
73 students, coming from North America, Canada, France, Switzerland,
Belgium and Germany. They are six to eighteen years of age.
The Kalon Tripa said that although they were born in America, Canada,
or in India ” they should always remember that they are Tibetan.”
Tibetans in Tibet have to live under oppression because there is no
freedom, he said.  He added that youngsters are the future of the
struggle as older generations are passing away. He also said that as Tibetans, they must speak in Tibetan, especially when they are in their home with their parents. 
The Kalon Tripa emphasized that the students should preserve Tibetan
religion and culture, which is the responsibility of a Tibetan.

Kalon Tripa Prof Samdhong Rinpoche speaks to a group of Tibetan students living in the US, Canada and Europe who are currently in Dharamsala, India, for their summer camp.

Children
who came for summer camp were quick to question to the Kalon Tripa,
when he let the students speak after the talk. Students eagerly asked
questions, and even after the round of applause, some still had their
hands raised in an unobtrusive manner.  While the Kalon
Tripa addressed them in Tibetan, most of the students asked their
questions in English.  The first was, “Where in Tibet Kalon Tripa is
from?” He replied, “From Kham”. The next question was, “How
long has the Kalon Tripa has been working as Kalon Tripa?” To this he
replied that it’s his eighth year and second term, which will end in
August 2011. “How can we attain Free Tibet?” was the third
question.  The Kalon Tripa answered that Tibetan people are pursuing
genuine autonomy within the frame of the Constitution of the People’s
Republic of China. He added, perhaps China will become freer and we can
achieve genuine autonomy; perhaps in the future they may struggle for
freedom as freedom is loved by all and is the basic human right.
The last question was about the Kalon Tripa’s job, which he explained
is to take care of the welfare of exiled Tibetans and to talk with the
Chinese government about the Tibet issue. The summer camp
will end on 7th of August. In this camp they are taught Tibetan
language, culture, history, and the basic principles of Buddhism. To
enable the child to understand the Tibetan spirit, and to maintain
their Tibetan identity in exile, with a better sense of understanding
and appreciation of the Tibetan cause and aspirations are the main
objectives of the camp, according to the Tibetan Children’s Village
school website.