Tibet Exhibition in Indonesia Draws Many
Jakarta, Indonesia,14 April 2005: Tenzin P. Atisha, Representative of His Holiness the Dalai Lama to Australia based in Canberra,Australia,inaugurated the first exhibition on Tibet called TIBET DI OTAK at Gallery Taksu in Jakarta, Indonesia. Mr. Astisha also released a book written by a group of six young Indonesians. Yori Antar, Jay Subyakto, Krish Suharnoko, Enrico Soekarno, Raudia Kepper and Ella Ubaidi went to Nepal and Tibet in 2003 and have jointly brought out the book.
Their journey through the Himalayas from Kathmandu to Lhasa has left a significant impression on them. The uncompromising beauty of the surrounding mountains, the rich cultural heritage as well as the majestic architectural landmarks, cultural genocide and marginalisation of Tibetans under occupation by the Chinese have encouraged them to write the book to inform the Indonesian public and the world.
The book of 228 pages is published by the largest publisher in Indonesia and is dedicated to the Tibetan people. It is beautifully designed by Enrico Soekarno and written with essays and diaries with more then 160 high quality photographs that represent Tibetan landscapes, culture and sufferings of the Tibetan people. The book contains both Indonesian and English texts.
In the foreword to the book His Holiness the Dalai Lama wrote, “…I am confident that this book that will be published in Indonesian language will make a significant contribution to increasing awareness of Tibet, her people and their way of life in Indonesia….”
The exhibition is open to the public from 14 to 23 April and has now been extended till 1 May because of popular demand. It features drawings, photographs and paintings by the six authors of the book, interfaith dialogues and discussions.
Over 500 guests walked past the giant oil painting of His Holiness the Fourteenth Dalai Lama and other photographs and paintings.
Kalsang Dorjee Rinpoche chanted prayers as the enthusiastic guests in the already packed room struggles to get a closer look at the Tibetan lama.
The six authors of the book were each given a copy of the book by the publishers. They gave the books to Representative Tenzin Phuntsok Atisha, as a dedication to the Tibetan people and received traditional Tibetan scarves from him in return as a token of gratitude from the Tibetan people. Mr. Atisha thanked them on behalf of the Tibetan people for their support.
On 16 April an Interfaith discussion on “Tibetan Spirituality in a Globalised World” was held at the Gallery. Romo Mudji Surisno, SJ, a Catholic priest who had studied Zen Buddhism and a teacher at the Driyarkara Institute of Philosophy, Kautsar zhari Noer, a Muslim scholar and a teacher at the Syarif Hidayatullah Islamic University, Kalsang Dorjee Rinpoche, Bhiksu Dharmavimala of Buddhayana Council of Indonesia and Tenzin Phuntsok Atisha took part in it. Madia, a Society for Inter-Religious Dialogue, coordinated it.
On 29 April a discussion with students will take place at the gallery which is expected to be packed with students from various schools and universities of Indonesia.
Report courtesy – Oot, Australia