Kathmandu: Representative Tsepri Lopan Tulku Ngawang Chokdup from the Office of Tibet (formally known as Tibetan Refugee Welfare Office) in Nepal attended the opening ceremony of the 13th Jang-Gun-Choes, the extensive winter debate, as chief guest on 25 September 2023. 

The inaugural of the 15-day winter debate session was also attended by prominent religious figures representing the government of Nepal, lamas and tulkus (spiritual masters and reincarnates), Khenpos (heads of monasteries), and monastic teachers from various Gelug (yellow hat school) monasteries based in Nepal. The secretary of the Office of Tibet, Nepal; Tibetan Settlement Officers; Local Tibetan Assembly members; representatives from local Tibetan Freedom Movements; Director of the Snow Lion Foundation; Principals of local Tibetan schools; and representatives from Kathmandu-based Tibetan NGOs also made their presence at the event organised by Nepal Buddhist Gelug Association. 

Following the opening remarks from Venerable Geshe Ngawang Thardoe, the Director of Nepal Buddhist Gelug Association, the guests addressed the gathering in succession, including the chief guest Representative Tsepri Lopan Tulku Ngawang Chokdup. 

In his talk, the Representative lauded members of Nepal Buddhist Gelug Association for putting their devotion to studying Buddhist texts per the directions of His Holiness the Dalai Lama, which is evident in the yearly rise of monks who completed Rabjampa degree (equivalent to a doctorate in Buddhist texts). At the same time, he beseeched Himalayan communities in Nepal who speak Bhoti language to regularly employ it to preserve the language that was devised by Thönmi Sambhota centuries ago. 

The 13th Jang-Gun-Choes was also participated by monks from other Buddhist schools and lay students. 

-Report filed by OoT Kathmandu