Queensland, Australia: The Tibetan community of Queensland celebrated the 34th Anniversary of the conferment of the Nobel Peace Prize to HH the 14th Dalai Lama on 10 December at Wynnum Community Centre, Brisbane.  Tibetan Parliamentarian Tenzin Phuntsok Doring was amongst the host of guests invited to the event including  Belinda Ellis, Greens candidate for Wynnum Manly for the upcoming 2024 council election. Other guests include Namgyal Tsering (OAM), Vietnamese Community of Australia (QLD) president, Cuong Bei, who is also a supporter of the Tibetan freedom struggle, long-term Tibetan supporters and ATC members, Kay and Rose, Geshi Tsultrim and his staff from Chenrizig Buddhist institute in Sunshine Coast.

MP Doring in his speech emphasised and explained to the foreign guests the need for further support to the Tibetan cause by understanding and finding convictions on the issues faced by Tibetans.  He also introduced to foreign guests and audiences the numerous means of supporting the Tibet cause including opportunities to become ‘Friends of Tibet’ by applying to be a member of the Blue Book, taking part in and becoming members of the Australia Tibet Council. He also reminded the audience of His Holiness’s visit to Australia ten times in the past, out of which Queensland was visited over three times. To the Tibetans in the gathering, MP Doring emphasised the need for unity and integrity. He reminded the state Tibetan community of the need to join the V-TAG Australia, and commence the lobby undertakings at both local and state levels.

The Tibetan community’s president Lobsang Nyima spoke on the importance of the day and focused on how members contribute further in preserving Tibetan culture and language. The Vice president of the community presented words of thanks to the guests, members who assisted in ensuring the smooth running of the function and the audience while the community presented all the invited foreign guests with a token of gratitude gifts.

QLD is one of the states of Australia which houses around 200 Tibetans most of whom are residents of Brisbane, Gold Coast, Sunshine Coast and Logan regions. The community is currently run by its 9th executive members who are duly elected for a two-year term this year in September in conjunction with Tibetan Democracy Day.

-Report filed by Tibetan Parliamentary Secretariat