BRUSSELS: Kalon Pema Chhinjor of the Department of Religion and Culture arrived in Brussels on a seven day official tour of Belgium on 9th of December, 2013. He was received at the Brussels airport by the Representative Mr. Ngodup Dorjee, Mr. Thupten Phegyal, President of the Belgium Tibetan community and the presidents of the local Tibetan associations.
Kalon Pema Chhinjor was invited to join a candle light vigil on 10 December organized by the Belgium Tibetan Community in Brussels to commemorate the World Human Rights day and to express solidarity with the Tibetan brothers and sisters who have sacrificed their precious lives for the cause of Tibet.
Kalon Pema Chhinjor visited Tibetan Buddhist Institutes in Belgiumon 11 and 12 December. On 11 December, he visited Nalanda Institute, Kagyu Samye Dzong, Ogyen Kunzang Choling and Bodhicharya Center in Brussels and met with the head lama and governing members of the respective institutes. On 12, he visited Dzogchen Center of H.E. Dza Partul Rinpoche in Florrense and Yuentenling Institute of Late Lama Karta Rinpoche in Huy, Belgium.
During his two day visit to the Tibetan Buddhist Institutes, the heads of the respective centers explained the activities of their respective centers. They expressed their gratitude to Kalon for visiting their centers and pledged to work for the preservation of Tibetan Buddhism and culture.
Belgium Tibetan Community invited Kalon Pema Chhinjor on 13 December, as the chief guest for the celebration of the 24th anniversary of Nobel Peace Prize awarded to His Holiness the Dalai Lama. During the function, he gave talks on wide range of issues including current political situation inside Tibet, Middle Way Policy and the importance of preserving our rich culture and traditions. In the morning, he also visited the office of Belgium Buddhist Union and met with the president and secretary general.
On 14 and 15 December, Kalon Pema Chhinjor visited Tibetan Cultural Center in Brussels and the Tibetan language school being run by the Belgium Tibetan community in Antwerpen. He inspected the Tibetan language classes of the respective centers and appreciated their endeavours in facilitating and imparting education on Tibetan language and culture to the Tibetan Children in Belgium.
He also gave public talk to the Tibetans living in Brussels on 14 and the Tibetans living in Antwerpen on 15 December.
Kalon Pema Chhinjor will leave for Amsterdam on 17 December before heading back to Delhi on 19 December.
Report filed by: Office of Tibet, Brussels
