Update on Kalon Lobsang Nyandak’s France Visit
Lobsang Nyandak, Kalon for Finance, Information and International Relations of the Central Tibetan Administration, Dharamsala, India, visited France from 15th July to 17th July 2005.
On 15th July 2005, the Kalon had a luncheon meeting with the concerned Foreign Ministry officials. He also gave press interviews.
On the invitation of the World Peace Centre, Verdun in eastern France, the Kalon visited Verdun on the 16th July. Verdun is related to the World War I history of France where in 1916, within a period of nine-month intensive battle, over 300000 German and French soldiers died, mostly under bombshells. Being 30 kms away form then Franco-German border, Verdun was a strategic frontier from where the German army attempted to cross into France to move forward to Paris. The world’s first air was fought in Verdun and over 60 million bombshells were pounded in the limited hilly area of Douaumont.
Accompanied by Mr Jean Luc Demandre, Director of the World Peace Centre, the Kalon visited the war memorials, cemeteries, and the battlefields. These historical sites are visited by over 130 000 visitors mostly coming from France, Germany and the then allied forces countries. The World Peace Centre of Verdun has decided to honour the non violent struggle of the Tibetan people by hoisting the Tibetan flag permanently within the reception hall of the centre. Special ceremony was organised in the presence of the Kalon. The Tibet flag was hoisted and the Tibetan anthem sung by the Tibetan present, including a group of 14 Tibetan artistes from Switzerland.
Mr Christian Namy, President of the Department of Meuse to which Verdun belongs was also present at the ceremony. In his speech, the Kalon thanked the authorities and the Peace Centre for their heartfelt gesture to honour the 46 long year of peaceful struggle of the Tibetan people. He said such highly symbolic action is welcome and is encouraging our people and will send right message to the international community. He said that the non violent struggle does not concern the Tibetan people alone but the entire world community which should give sufficient support to the peaceful solution in resolving international issues, otherwise, he warned, that in fifty or hundred years, the history will judge us severely and may consider the non-violent way of resolution of conflict as ineffective and futile. He said for the last 46 years, the Tibetan community and the exile administration under the leadership of His Holiness the Dalai Lama has consistently followed the path of dialogue and non violence to resolve our issue. He said the peaceful struggle of the Tibetan people needs continued and more international support, especially at this critical moment ties with the Chinese authorities has been re-established.
Mr Christian Namy, President of the Deparment of Meuse, in his speech, declared the Tibetan people inside and outside Tibet as friends. He thanked the Kalon for his visit and expressed strong hope that the non violent struggle of the Tibetan people will receive its due recognition and that the present sufferings of the Tibetan people would come to an end. He further added that the city of Verdun, and Department of Meuse, and France, is encouraged to work more in the direction of peace, and therefore, he requested the Kalon to convey the message of their sincere admiration to His Holiness, and also an invitation to His Holiness to visit Verdun.
Later, as a special guest, the Kalon was invited to lay a peace stone pebble on the pebble made peace dove in the garden of the World Peace Centre.
The Kalon then attended a press meeting with two journalists – one from l’Est republican, the nationally diffused daily and the locally diffused Radio Bleu.
After a reception, the Kalon was invited to visit the World Peace Centre of Verdun, which propagates peace by narrating the events of World War.
In the evening, before 2500 people, Mr Jean Luc Demandre announced the honour of having the Kalon of the Central Tibetan Administration of His Holiness the Dalai Lama and recalled the courageous non violent struggle carried out by His Holiness and the Tibetan people. The Kalon gave a brief speech in which he underlined the importance of non violence in resolving problems and he assured that despite immense suffering, the the Tibetan people and its leadership is committed to rely on peaceful method to resolve our issue. However, he said the determination of the Tibetan people to work on peace and dialogue needs stronger support and encouragement from the international community. He said that the peace initiative of the Tibetan people would set a convincing case before the world community that the conflicts and issues can be resolved by peaceful means. He finally thanked the authorities and Verdun Peace Centre for offering an opportunity to see the historical memorial sites and thanked particularly the public present for their attention.
On 17th July, the Kalon met the representatives of the Tibet Support Groups of France at the Bureau du Tibet. The Kalon clarified the policy of the exile administration, and urged the associations to support the efforts to create a conducive environment for dialogue, which he said is in a crucial stage. He also expressed his hope that as the Sino-Tibetan dialogue moves forward, it will pave the way to the resolution of Tibet issue. The Kalon then responded to questions put forward by the audience. Following the Kalon’s speech, the Tibet flag was shown with strong public applauds and then a fifteen minute film on the non violent struggle of the Tibetan people by Mr Anglade, “Spirit of Warriors”, was screened followed by a two hour sound and light theatre play by 300 actors relating the World War First events.
In the afternoon, the Kalon met the Tibetan residents of France. He emphasised the importance of working for the Tibetan people as a whole, safeguarding our language and culture, and welcomed the Tibetans to think of getting involved in educational and medical projects inside Tibet. The Kalon also spoke on the ongoing contacts with the Chinese authorities, which he said has been very encouraging. He therefore stressed the importance of efforts to create a conducive environment for dialogue. He also shed light on the introduction of the renewed version the Green Book. Finally the President of the Tibetan community in France, Mr Thupten Gyatso, thanked the Kalon for his presence despite hectic schedules, and presented a khatag and a gift of the community.
On 18th July in the morning, accompanied by the Representative Tashi Phuntsok, the Kalon Lobsang Nyandak returned to India.