Italy Honours Ama Jetsun Pema With Prestigious Human Rights Award[Monday, 31 May 2010, 11:53 a.m.]

Kasur Jetsun Pema (C) receives this year’s Human Rights Award in Milan, Italy, on 27 May 2010/Photos by Gelek Yakar

Dharamshala: An Italian human rights organisation has conferred the prestigious Human Rights Award 2010 (Eroe per i diritti umani) upon Kasur Jetsun Pema, who is famously known as “Ama la” owing to her love and unwavering dedication to the education of Tibetan children in exile. The award is an initiative of the Associazione per i Diritti Umani e la Tolleranza (Association for Human Rights and Tolerance), which strives to advocate the principles of the United Nation’s Universal Declaration of Human Rights adopted in 1948. Ama Jetsun Pema la received the honour for “her absolute dedication to the cause of peace, tolerance and love towards children and future generation of Tibetans.”

Ama Jetsun Pema la (4th from L in front row) with the members of the organiser which honoured her with the prestigious rights award in Italy

Mrs. Fiorella Cerchiara, president of the association, presented the award to Ama la at an evening ceremony in Milan’s Grand Hotel Villa Torretta on 27 May.“Mrs. Pema is an extraordinary international example of someone who has a deep respect for human rights and the unquestionable concreteness as to how they should be enforced. For us it is a tremendous honour to help give a voice to those who don’t have one,” Mrs. Cerchiara said in her address.In her acceptance speech, Ama Jetsun Pema la said: “This award is a true inspiration for the whole humanity and particularly to us living in exile. Our brave brethren who are still undergoing great hardships in Tibet and in exile deserve this award, which I humbly accept on their behalf.”Under the direction of His Holiness the Dalai Lama, Ama Jetsun Pema la took the pivotal role from her elder sister late Tsering Dolma in May 1964 in the rehabilitation and education of hundreds of mal-nourished, orphaned and semi-orphaned Tibetan children that came into exile in almost on a daily basis from Tibet.

Local Tibetans present cultural performance to thank the organisation for honouring Ama la

Selfless and dedicated, with wisdom and courage, Ama la worked resolutely for over 42 years to accomplish what TCV is today – an internationally reputed organisation for child welfare and education in the exiled Tibetan community in India.In further strengthening of TCV school’s management in a democratic system of functioning involving the younger generation, Ama la handed over the post of the President of TCV to Mr. Tsewang Yeshi, who was nominated and appointed by the school governing body in its meeting on 15 August 2006. She said she could now devote more time to our children and mothers and be at the grass root level.Earlier in 2000, Ama la received the “2nd Edition of the Education and Peace International Award” from the Italy based NGO Opera Nazionale Montessori.–Based on report sent by Gelek Yakar