DHARAMSHALA: Sikyong Dr Lobsang Sangay today spoke to over 300 Tibetan students participating in the ongoing leadership workshop being organised by the Department of Education, Central Tibetan Administration. Sikyong was accompanied by Kalon Pema Chhinjor of the Department of Religion and Culture.
As a legal scholar trained in the art of narrative from Harvard Kennedy School, Sikyong covered the morning session of the fourth day, emphasising the importance of a powerful public narrative to garner favourable public opinion toward an issue or a personality.
Sikyong said: “Public narrative is an intrinsic part of leadership. It is the foundation on which the question of – why, what, how, and who – unravels. It is the art of translating values into action through stories, offering leaders an opportunity to develop their capacity to lead.” It is what make people into leaders and leaders into great leaders, he added.
Further engaging the students in the concept of I, We, Urgency and Action, Sikyong explained that public narrative involves learning how to tell a story of self, a story of us, and a story of now, because it engages the ‘head and the heart’. “The heart prompts people into action, and the heart inspires them,” he said, calling on the students to use such narratives to garner support for the Tibetan movement as well.
Sikyong also explained that the Central Tibetan Administration’s narrative of Political Repression, Cultural Assimilation, Environmental Destruction, Economic Marginalisation and Social Discrimination, as the main causes of the critical situation in Tibet has been corroborated by all the major Human Rights organisations, and media agencies. Whereas, even after spending lots of money on its propaganda, the worldwide response towards China’s version of the situation in Tibet has been minimal. It shows the strength of the narrative provided by the Tibetan movement, he remarked.
Following his talk on public narrative, Sikyong explained Tibetan history and the Middle Way Approach of the Central Tibetan Administration to the students in a simple and concise version.
Sikyong further urged the students to strive towards becoming a 21st century Tibetan, encouraging them to work for the sustenance of the Tibetan struggle without compromising their personal goals in life.
Sikyong also highlighted the immense contribution of His Holiness the Dalai Lama towards the Tibetan people and said that Tibetans will always be indebted to His Holiness. He denounced the misuse of freedom by several misguided individuals in their attempt to disgrace the legacy of His Holiness the Dalai Lama.
The talk was followed by a Q&A session wherein students asked Sikyong about the Tibetan movement, contemporary Tibetan politics, Chinese occupation of Tibet, etc.