Tibetans Hold Photo Exhibition in Taiwan to Celebrate Democracy[Tuesday, 21 September 2010, 3:26 p.m.]

Taiwanese visitors flock to Tibet exhibition at Kaohsuing Museum of History in southwestern Taiwan/Photos by Sonam Dorji

Taipei:
This year completes 50 years since His Holiness the Dalai Lama
introduced democracy in the exile Tibetan community in 1960 and
promulgated the Charter of the Tibetans-in-Exile. The first
elected representative body in the exile polity, the Commission of
Tibetan People’s Deputies (CTPD) took office on September 2, 1960 (now
called Tibetan Parliament in exile) and the Tibetan community in exile
observes this historic date as “Democracy Day”.

“We offer
our immense gratitude and obeisance to His Holiness the Dalai Lama for
his extraordinary efforts to transform the Tibetan polity into a
genuine democracy,” the Tibet Religious Foundation of His Holiness the
Dalai Lama based in Taipei said in a statement today on the opening day
of a photo expo to mark the achievement.The exhibition being
held at Kaohsuing Museum of History will last until 28 November.
Kaohsuing is the second largest city located in southwestern of Taiwan
and this city is the most densely populated with a population around
1.5 million.The event showcases the Tibetan refugees’ accomplishments in community-building, education and cultural preservation.  A
total of 72 panels are on display which portray the life of His
Holiness the Dalai Lama and Tibetans in exile, the past and present
situation inside Tibet and the implementation and development of
democratic system of Tibetan government in exile. It also showcases
Tibetan paper money and coins, Tibetan postal stamps and traditional
costumes of the three provinces of Tibet.Other highlights of the event include series of lectures on Tibet and screening of 22 Tibet-related documentary films.

This event
provides an opportunity for Taiwanese people to understand more about
Tibetan issue and also the changes ushered in the exile community
through the democratic governance.Although all panels carry
detail narrations in Chinese language, but there will be also
volunteers who will guide and explain about the panels particularly for
group visitors. The ongoing exhibition is the fifth among the
series of similar events which were held in four different cities in
Taiwan since July 2009.The
Tibet Religious Foundation of His Holiness the Dalai Lama extended its
gratitude to Kaoshuing Museum of History for their generous help for
rendering the exhibition hall at 3rd floor of this landmark building
which was built in 1938.    -Report filed by Kalsang Lhundup, Tibet Religious Foundation of His Holiness the Dalai Lama