London: The Tibetan Community in Britain (TCB) marked the 36th anniversary of the conferment of the Nobel Peace Prize on His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama with a meaningful and vibrant celebration at the Asian Community Centre in south-east London on Saturday, 13 December 2025.

Held during the Ghoton – the Year of Compassion – the event celebrated the living practice of compassion through a thoughtfully curated programme that brought together reflection, culture and community spirit.

Representative Tsering Yangkey graced the occasion as Chief Guest, while BBC broadcast journalist and author Rani Singh joined as Special Guest. Singh is the author of An Officer and His Holiness, which documents the historic first moments of His Holiness the Dalai Lama’s arrival in India in March 1959 and the role played by her late uncle, Padma Shri Har Mander Singh, the Indian official who received His Holiness.

Other distinguished guests included Lelung Tulku Rinpoche; former Representative Sonam Frasi; the Secretary and staff of the Office of Tibet, London; representatives of NGOs; former TCB chairpersons; and long-time Tibet supporters.

The celebrations opened with a moving musical performance by students and parents of the London School of Tibetan Language & Culture together with the TCB Dance Group. They sang the Nobel Peace Prize song accompanied by traditional instruments including the dra-nyen, yangqin and flute, setting an uplifting and reverential tone for the evening.

In his welcome address, TCB Chairperson Phuntsok Norbu highlighted the significance of the anniversary and called on everyone to make individual efforts to further the Four Principal Commitments of His Holiness the XIV Dalai Lama.

Representative Tsering Yangkey read out in full the Kashag’s Statement on the occasion. In her subsequent address, she stressed the critical importance of promoting moral human values and preserving and strengthening the Tibetan language, culture and identity within the diaspora. Addressing Tibetan parents in particular, the Representative urged them to use Tibetan as much as possible at home when communicating with their young children, noting that this was one of the most effective responses to the Chinese government’s deliberate assimilationist policies aimed at erasing Tibetan identity inside Tibet.

In keeping with the Ghoton theme of celebrating the life and contributions of His Holiness the Great XIV Dalai Lama, selected video clips of His Holiness speaking on universal responsibility, environmental protection and the importance of basic human values were screened, holding the rapt attention of the more than 300 people gathered at the venue.

A unique initiative by the Voluntary Tibet Advocacy Group (V-TAG UK) further brought the Year of Compassion to life through the creation of a ‘Compassion Tree’. Audience members were invited to write personal commitments to compassion on green, leaf-shaped paper and attach them to the tree. Young children showed particular enthusiasm, offering heartfelt and hopeful messages such as: “In this year of compassion, I will compliment friends and family and share my snacks”; “I will speak more Tibetan”; and “One day, Tibet will be free. Never lose hope.”

Meanwhile, the Office of Tibet, London, organised a digital exhibition highlighting the Four Principal Commitments of His Holiness the Dalai Lama, reinforcing the central theme of the evening.

In her address, Special Guest Rani Singh shared the journey of writing An Officer and His Holiness and recounted touching anecdotes from her interviews with His Holiness and with her late uncle. She also presented a copy of the book to Representative Ms Tsering Yangkey.

The celebration was further enriched by a series of vibrant Tibetan cultural performances by community members, including performances by Tibetan schoolchildren from Bournemouth, as well as a special Tibetan fashion show presented by students of the London School of Tibetan Language & Culture. These were followed by an engaging quiz competition on His Holiness the XIV Dalai Lama’s Ghoton and Nobel Peace Prize, led by a young quiz master and enthusiastically participated in by the audience.

The spirit of compassion extended into the community kitchen, where a fully vegetarian three-course dinner, prepared by the Hounslow Tibetan group, was served, delighting all present.

The celebrations continued late into the night, with community members of all ages joining in the traditional Tibetan gorshey (circle dance), bringing the evening to a joyful close and reaffirming collective appreciation for the immeasurable contributions of His Holiness the Dalai Lama to Tibet and to humanity at large.

-Report filed by Office of Tibet, London