Kalon Tripa addresses Tibetans and Tibet Supporters in Zurich

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Kalon Tripa addresses Tibetans and Tibet Supporters in Zurich[Monday, 21 February 2011, 9:02 a.m.]

Kalon Tripa addresses the annual general body meeting of Swiss Tibetan Friendship Association.

ZURICH:
Kalon Tripa Prof. Samdhong Rinpoche arrived in Zurich, Switzerland on
18 February evening. The Tibetan Swiss Friendship Association and the
Tibetan Community in Liechtenstein and Switzerland invited Kalon Tripa. On
19 February morning, the council members of the Tibetan Youth
Association in Europe called on Kalon Tripa at the hotel. They thanked
Kalon Tripa for his many years of dedicated service to the Tibetan
issue. They briefed him of their activities in creating awareness
about the Tibetan elections, Tibetan language classes for their own
members and other political activities. “You all are doing tremendous work for the Tibetan issue. I appreciate your great motivation and determination,” he said. In the afternoon, Kalon Tripa addressed Tibetan Swiss Friendship Association’s Annual General Body meeting in Zurich. “I
take this opportunity to express our gratitude on behalf of 6 million
people of Tibet to all of you and through you to the international
community in general and people of Switzerland in particular,” said
Kalon Tripa. “Switzerland was the first Western country to invite a
large number of Tibetan refugees for resettlement and these settlers
have been the happiest among the Tibetan Diaspora… We will never
forget the kindness of Swiss people and government for their help
offered when we were badly in need of it.”

Kalon Tripa with the board members of the Tibetan Youth Association in Europe

Then
he spoke about the democratic system practiced by the Tibetans in exile
and contribution of the Tibet Support Groups’ to the Tibetan struggle
and their relevance in the future. The Tibetan Swiss Friendship
Association was established in 1983 to foster closer relationship
between the growing Tibetan community and the Swiss people. Kalon Tripa addressed a packed hall of Tibetan community in Liechtenstein and Switzerland members on 20 February morning. In
his opening address, Kalon Tripa thanked the Tibetan community on
behalf of the Kashag for their support. He said that the Tibetan
diaspora were living in about 55 countries across the world. As the
Tibetan community in Switzerland is largest in Europe, Kalon Tripa said
that the community has a greater responsibility and role in the Tibetan
issue. He emphasised the importance of the younger generation
speaking Tibetan language. He said that parents have a big role to play
in ensuring their children speak Tibetan language and learn Tibetan
culture. At the same time, he said he personally knows many
Tibetans who don’t speak Tibetan language, but are very patriotic and
dedicated to the Tibetan issue. However, he said able to speak Tibetan
is an added advantage. The question and answer session covered
Sino-Tibetan dialogue, Dhanglang Chatrel, Tibetan communities,
financial and education affairs of the Central Tibetan Administration. Over
450 Tibetans listened to Kalon Tripa initial address for about 20
minutes and followed by one and half ours of questions and answer
session.