-Report filed by Tibetan Parliamentary Secretariat-
Mundgod: The Speaker of Tibetan Parliament-in-Exile, Pema Jungney attended the 13th Tibetan College Students’ conference at Drepung Losel Ling, Mundgod on 28 February 2019 and talked about “ Impact of social media and responsibilities of Tibetan college students”.
Since it is the era of social media and the Internet. Teachers, students, doctors, and politicians etc. have to depend on the Internet and social media to keep updated with the pace of time.
Social media is not only influencing our society, but also the politics of powerful countries. It influences religion, politics, finance, health, and education of society. So, it is extremely important to use the Internet and social media wisely to take full advantage of social media. He elucidated disadvantages due to misuse of social media by giving examples.
He then spoke about the responsibilities of Tibetan college students. Unlike other college students, Tibetan college students have a special responsibility. Even though Tibetan students are very few in Indian colleges, each Tibetan student is Tibetan representative and a future seed of Tibet and should spread awareness of Tibetans and Tibet issue to other students who are also future seeds of their respective countries. He talked about the importance of taking responsibility by each Tibetan student and answered questions asked by the attendees.
He lauded and thanked Drepung Losel Ling Monastery and the organising committee of the 13th Tibetan College Students’ Conference.
He further talked about the power of unity to resolve the issue of Tibet and advised Tibetan students to be a good person with good moral, study diligently and use time wisely. He also spoke about the importance of the Tibetan language, advised them to take special responsibility regarding the preservation of the Tibetan language and finally awarded certificates to the attendees.
Tibetan College Students’ conference was held from 23 February to 1 March. Total of 113 lay students and monks irrespective of religious schools attended the conference from various Indian colleges and Buddhist institutes.
The Speaker also visited Drepung Losel Ling, Drepung Gomang, Ratoe and Kagyu Monastery on 28 February. After the closing ceremony of the conference, he visited other monasteries like Gaden Shartse and Jangtse, Nyingma Monastery, Nunnery etc arranged by the settlement office of Mundgod. He also talked with Local Tibetan Assembly (LTA) for 2 hours and 45 minutes, followed by a question and answer session.