A change of direction for the Tibetan cause says Dalai Lama's Rep.

The following detail was released to the press on 30 November 2010 and summarizes the Bath 27th November event

A message of peaceful engagement with the Chinese on a personal level was given to over 50 people who attended a talk by Thubten Samdup at Manvers St. Baptist Church, Bath on 27th November. Mr Samdup, who is the representative of the Tibetan Government in Exile and the Dalai Lama in Europe, stated that there may be as many as 20,000 Chinese students in the UK which provides an opportunity for constructive dialogue.He related his experience to the audience of over 30 years as a non-violent protester in Canada where he shouted "Free Tibet, China out, until I was blue in the face!" which he said achieved great sympathy and support amongst ordinary people but little political change in China. He said that time is running out for the Tibetans as some of the 150,000 refugees are third generation and that meaningful change needs to be achieved in the next 15 years.

"Tibet has many friends in the West..." he said, ".. but since 2002 there have been 9 rounds of talks between the exiled Tibetans and the Chinese Government which have not produced results because the Chinese Government are not interested." In the past,Mr Samdup has faced audiences in the UK that are overwhelmingly Chinese but has been able to initiate debate that fosters sincere understanding. "When ordinary Chinese are engaged on a personal level,they are shocked at their government's response." He went on to say, "The Chinese Students in the UK today will be the politicians and business leaders of tomorrow in China, it's vital that they are made more aware of the issues". He explained that ordinary Chinese are being contacted by the Exiled Tibetan Governmentusing online chat rooms based in China as well as using other web technology. He further stated it's in the interests of the rest of the world that a non-violent peaceful resolution is found that allows exiled Tibetans to return to Tibet.

Mr Samdup was questioned for more than an hour by the audience who raised topics as diverse as using sport to promote the Tibetan cause, to possible legal actions in the courts. The meeting was jointly Sponsored by The Tibet Society in London and the Bath District Tibet Support Group. You can see the full filmed meeting on bathdisttibet.blogspot.com

Thubten Samdup talk on YouTube 27 Nov 2010 Bath UK

The Introduction




The Talk



Questions & Answers

Where are we today and where do we need to go?

Mr. Thubten Samdup

H.H. Dalai Lama’s representative

in London will be speaking in Bath

On Saturday 27th November 7:30pm

Manvers St. Baptist Church

Mr Samdup with the Dalai Lama

Bath District Tibet Support Group and the Tibet Society UK are jointly organising the talk in Bath by Mr Thubten Samdup, the London-based Representative of His Holiness the Dalai Lama and the Central Tibet Administration (CTA) for Northern Europe, Poland and the Baltic States.
Mr Samdup will be talking on the present human rights, environmental and socio-cultural situation in Tibet. He will also cover the positive work being done by the CTA based in Dharamsala, India, under the guidance of His Holiness the Dalai Lama towards a peaceful resolution to the issue of Tibet.
Mr Samdup brings with him great experience and insight. He has been the former member of the parliament in exile representing Tibetans in North America. He also founded and served as the President of the Canada Tibet Committee from 1987 – 2004. There will be an opportunity for supporters and interested citizens to gain information, meet other people in the community, discussion and also a question and answer session.
The location of the event is at Manvers Street Baptist Church, Bath, BA1 1JW, near to the Bath Railway Station. The talk by Mr Sampdup will be on Saturday 27th November 2010 at 7.30 pm. 

Admission is £4.00 [concession rate of £3.00 for age under 18 and over 60].

More donations to the Earthquake Appeal

The successful showing of 2 films, "Compassion in Exile" and "Leaving Fear Behind" on the 21st July at Gastard Village Hall raised £91.

We have therefore decided to donate £100 to Tibet Relief Fund's Emergency Earthquake Appeal.  We take this opportunity to thank all those people who have supported the group.

We are now looking forward to late November when we will have H. H. Dalai Lama's representative in Britain speak on Tibetan issues.  Look out for this forthcoming event which will be held in Bath.  

H H Holiness Dalai Lama Birthday 6th July 2010

It is the 6th July 2010. It is H H Holiness Dalai Lama's birthday today. The Bath District Tibet Group wishes H H Dalai Lama a very happy birthday. We pray and wish for his long life, health and happiness for the benefit of all beings. We thank him for all the kindness and continuing inspiration in promoting world peace.

Donations to Tibet Society and Earthquake Appeal

We have recently donated £150 to Tibet Society and £150 the the Tibet Relief Fund's Emergency Earthquake Appeal.  The money was raised during A talk on Ladakh and a vigil for Panchen Lama as well as other donations. 

We take this opportunity to thank all those people who have supported the group. 

Vigil Held outside Bath Abbey for Panchen Lama

Sunday 25th April

A dignified vigil was held by over 20 supporters outside Bath Abbey to mark the 21st birthday of Gedhun Chokyi Nyima, the Panchen Lama of Tibet, who was abducted by the Chinese authorities 15 years ago. 

Nearly 30 messages were received from supporters and displayed at the vigil. The messages, for Gedhun and Chinese Minister Du Qinglin, were written on colourful windhorses and strung together to flutter in the wind. The windhorse messages will now be posted to Minister Du.

£90 was collected during the Vigil that will be sent to Tibet Earth Quake appeal.

Other Vigils were held in Manchester and London outside the Chinese Embassy.  See
Tibet Society  for details
  

Vigil for the Panchen Lama at Bath Abbey on Sunday 25th APRIL 6 - 8 pm

On 14th May 1995, three days after he was named as the 11th reincarnation of the Panchen Lama, the second most important figure in Tibetan Buddhist tradition six year old Gedhun Choeki Nyima and his family were abducted by the Chinese government agencies. He became the youngest political prisoner and as yet in spite of repeated international agencies and UN calls, has not been released. Nor has assurance or access been provided to UN representatives.  The Chinese government have instated their own Panchen Lama. Panchen Lama is also one of the important figures that will recognise the next reincarnation of the Dalai Lama - hence the Chinese government hope to exercise control by naming their own candidates. However the Tibetan people do not recognise the Panchen Lama instated by the Chinese government, only under duress.

There will be a vigil on the April 25^th 2010 outside the Bath Abbey from 6 pm to 8 pm in support of the Tibetan peaceful struggle and to demand the release of the Panchen Lama, who is 21 this year and has been a political prisoner of the Chinese government from the age of 6 years.

This vigil is in solidarity with the vigil organised by the Tibet Society UK outside the Chinese embassy in London on the 25^th April.

£200 raised by 'ACROSS TIBET ON HORSEBACK'

THANKYOU To all who attended Roland Alford’s: Across Tibet On Horseback talk in February.  A total of £200! was made.  Half of this has gone to Tibet Society and the other half went to fund stipends for elderly Tibetans in the Lodrik region of Nepal.  These are elderly Tibetans - former freedom fighters who tried to resist the Chinese invasion in the 1950's and 1960's, fled to Mustang in Nepal and have faced great hardships in Nepal from the collapse of the carpet weaving industry they had subscribed to and most recently the withdrawal of another major charity providing stipends. Tibet Relief Fund is looking to cover extra thousands needed for their survival. The funds we raised will help these elderly people. So many thanks!

 see http://www.tibetrelieffund.co.uk/home/stipends-for-the-elderly-in-lodrik-settlements/.

A Reflection on the Ancient Buddhist Culture of Ladakh

SATURDAY 10th APRIL  - 7.30pm

The high altitude desert of Ladakh is situated on the old Silk route, in the midst of the Himalayan mountains - a landscape more barren than that of Tibet.

In 2009 we spent a month on Pilgrimage in this extraordinary place, visiting    monasteries and villages with Ven.Geshe Damcho Yonten, a Tibetan monk who was returning for the first time in 45 years.

We will be sharing our photographs, memories and insight into this special place at  

St. Aldhelm’s church, Corsham

on Pickwick Road. - opposite The Tynnings.

£2.50 on the door

Tibet Relief stall will have a variety of information and goods.

We look forward to seeing you there

Paul Kirby and Caroline McCookwier