Minnesota: The Tibetan American Foundation of Minnesota hosted a celebration to mark the the13th-anniversary of the conferment of the US Congressional Gold Medal on His Holiness the Dalai Lama where Parliamentarian Tsewang Rigzin highlighted the wishes and vision of His Holiness.
He emphasised the younger generation, in particular, to never forget the kindness and gratitude bestowed by His Holiness and meanwhile, he encouraged Tibetans around the world to implement His Holiness’s preachings into practice by protecting Tibetan’s unique identity of distinct language and culture and by nurturing and moulding younger generation into Tibetans with virtue and morality. As the year of 2020 has been marked as ‘the Gratitude Year’ to His Holiness by the Central Tibetan Administration, he suggested Tibetan association organise projects related to it and at the same time thanked the US government and its citizens for conferring the Congressional Gold Medal on His Holiness the Dalai Lama. In addition, he also expressed his gratitude to the US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and the US government for the designation of US Special Coordinator for Tibetan Issues.
Addressing the recent event involving the arrest of a Chinese spy in New York, Parliamentarian Rigzin advised the Tibetans to be vigilant of external influences targetted to disrupt unity within Tibetans.
He also offered his heartfelt condolences on the demise of former political prisoner Tanak Jigme Sangpo and to all the Tibetan martyrs.
The TAFM then presented a token of gratitude to real estate agent Ms Kelsang Kyoh for her immense contribution in purchasing a new community hall for the TAFM.
TAFM ‘s Vice President Samten Choedon and former President Tsewang Ngodup gave a brief bio of Senator Carolyn Laine of Minnesota who is also a longtime Tibet supporter. The senator was honoured with an award by the chief guest Tsewang Rigzin.
Special guests include Abong Rinpoche and representatives from dharma centres, representatives of NGOs, former executive committee members of the TAFM.
-Filed by the Tibetan Parliamentary Secretariat