23 Oct:47th Founding Anniversary of TCV School Dharamsala
Tibetan Children's Village Dharamsala Cantt. Celebrated its 47th Founding Anniversary with great joy and jubilation to mark the conferment of the US Congressional Gold Medal to His Holiness the XIV Dalai Lama on the 17 Oct 2007 at the US Capitol Rotunda.
The Anniversary was blessed by the Kalon for Department of Finance Mr. Tsering Dhondup and other respectable ministers and dignitaries of the Tibetan Government in Exile, the Heads of various Non Governmental Organizations and TCV School Heads. Besides, thousands of people-locals, Tibetans as well as westerners gathered to enjoy the momentous and colourfully entertaining occasion.
The TCV Schools Class V and VIII Common Exam toppers were awarded their excellence prizes, and 23 TCV Staff from various branch schools were awarded with Thangka for their 20 years of service and dedication to this organization. Also invited during the Anniversary were the TCV Alumni (1982 Class-X Batch).
Mr. Tsewang Yeshi, President of TCV Schools welcomed the guests, the public, Indian Government and all its supporters all over the world and thanked them for their undying support for over 5 decades. TCV was established on 17 May 1960 as a nursery school with over 51 children, has today became a thriving and integrated educational community for destitute Tibetan children in exile, as well as for hundreds of those escaping from Tibet every year. Till date, the school has given education to a total of 49,376 students since its inception and presently they are 16, 178 children under its care.
Chief Guest Kalon Tsering Dhondup lauded the TCV for its continued commendable work primarily educating the destitute and newly arrived Tibetan children for more that 5 decades. While Mr Pema Jungney, member of Tibetan Parliament-in-Exile, urged the students to excel in their studies and also to avoid the temptation of abuse of intoxicating substances.
Later staff and children of TCV performed cultural dances and calisthenics display by students in the morning followed by an opera performance "Choegyal Norsang" by the Tibetan Institute of Performing Arts (TIPA).
In the evening, the final Inter-TCV Schools Tibetan Debate competition was held between the TCV School Suja and Chauntra. The theme of the debate was "Science is better than Religion" and though both the opposing teams gave their best, TCV School Suja outshined the Chauntra and lift the winner's trophy.
On the second day, 23rd Inter-House Athletics Meet took place with the Mr. Dharlong, Director of the Liaison Office, Dharamsala as Chief Guest. He gladly opened the Athletics Meet and more than 12 different sports events took place during the day. In the evening, there was traditional Tibetan Song and Dance performance by Tethong Choekyi and Ensemble. The students and staff had really enjoyed the evening program.
On the third day morning, we had Sang-sol and prayer the school temple followed by the traditional Tibetan group dance to mark the celebration and jubilation. Later that night, Talent Nite competition was held amongst the students of all ages and prizes were awarded to the winners.
17 Oct: TCV Upper School Junior Section grandly held their prestigious Annual Tibet Our Country Project on theme "The Unique Tibetan Games for Children" on the 17th October morning. The occasion was well praised by Mr. Tsewang Yeshi, the President of Tibetan Children's Village and all other heads as well as the staff and children.
The Dynamic and Unique Children's Game show hosted by Junior Section was aimed at highlighting the diversities of the Tibetan art and culture, the crafts involved in these games and most importantly those that involve active song and dance activities. World over, the best way to impart knowledge children is through various co curricular activities like song, dance, games, etc. Some of the Children's Games played were individual Tug-O-War, Skipping, Cross leg jump dance, one leg jump, circle dances, chain dances, etc.
Besides, this theme on Children's Games bring into limelight the importance of such active and interesting games for the children especially that which is in Tibetan medium. With such efforts, it further helps improve and maintain our unique culture and tradition of Children's Games.
They also prepared wonderful art and crafts presenting the Children are Games and were displayed in the TCV Culture Centre for the public.
9 Oct:Legal Awareness Talk for the students and staff by Tibetan Justice Commission
Under the Section 66 of the Tibetan Code of Judiciary, Mr. Namgyal Tsering, the Chief Justice Commissioner of the Tibetan Supreme Justice Commission, Tibetan Government in Exile has taken the pleasure to introduce and impart a sound and relevant information on the justice systems and practice in the Tibetan community in Exile on the 9 October 2007.
All the Staff and Senior Students of the TCV Schools and Villages except TCV Ladakh had benefited from the Legal Awareness Program. The program was appreciated and the audience patiently listened to the talk highlighting the Tibetan Justice Systems in Exile, its present activities and future plans. After the talk, an active discussion and question-answer session took place between the Chief Justice Commissioner and the collective of students and staff.
4 Oct: 15 member delegations including 5 MPs of UK Parliament visited Dharamsala and met with the His Holiness the Dalai Lama, Prime Minister Prof. Samdhong Rinpoche, Deputy Speaker Dolma Gyari and Sonam Tsering, Member of Parliament in Exile from Europe, etc. The team comprised of Harry Cohen (Chairman of all Party Parliamentary Group for Tibet), Norman Baker (President of Tibet Society) UK, Fabian Hamilton and Richard Younger Toss (Members of Foreign Affairs Select Committee) and Julie Morgan (Member of Constitutional Affairs Select Committee).
The visit is part of an ongoing exchange program to share parliamentary experience between the British Parliament and the Tibetan Parliament in Exile, to discuss ways in which the members can give support to Tibet's non-violent campaign for freedom and self-determination.
Besides touring the Dharamsala and meeting various non governmental organizations, the team also visited TCV School and met with the President as well as the students. They further made a trip to Chauntra Settlement, Schools and Monasteries before they return.
2 Oct: In the evening of the 2 October, there was a special screening of a documentary called "Prayers Answered" by Gelek Palsang and His Holiness the Kyabche Ling Rinpoche was the Chief Guest. The students above the class VI and staff attended the screening.
The documentary powerfully portrays a touching yet optimistic and significant journey into one of the most far flung human livelihood at the elevated edge of Indian Subcontinent, in Indo-Pakistan border region of Turtuk.
Every year, His Holiness visits Ladakh and in the year 2005, His Holiness made it to visit the Turtuk village, happen to be one of the remote Muslim villages yet had the Tibetan origin-its culture and speak Tibetan language.
During his visit to Turtuk, His Holiness conversed with a large gathering of Muslims and said that "he knew a lot about the way of life of Muslims in Ladakh and was pleased to find that behaviour of Muslims in Ladakh and elsewhere in the country was quite different. He stressed them to maintain the same feelings of communal amity, brotherhood and universal love."
His Holiness also promised to take selected children to study in the Tibetan Children's Village (TCV), Ladakh. In the following year in 2006, under the directives from TCV Head Office, 15 children of the poorest Muslim families living in the far-flung border area of Turtuk in the Nubra Valley of Leh District, were given admission into the Children's Village at Choglamsar. Accommodation for them is arranged in a separate facility with a home mother from their own community so that while the children receive a good education, they could also grow up in their own tradition and culture in the home and impart Arabic language in the school.
Tibetan spiritual leader Dalai Lama has always stressed for maintaining universal love by cultivating a desire of altruism to work for all human beings. This documentary strongly emphasis on the importance of secularism, the strength of unity and believing and practicing one's own culture and faith. It also stresses the creation of an atmosphere of love, brotherhood, communal harmony and shares the same with each other.
At the end of the screening, His Holiness the Kyabche Ling Rinpoche was requested to say few lines and His Holiness showed his strong appreciation as much as the audience applauded for the documentary. His Holiness said that these days many movies or documentaries were being produced but it he strongly pleaded the producers and aspiring documentary directors to go for the qualitative work. More over, he instigates of highlighting the Tibetan issue and cause and of course the principle of universal truth, love and compassion as His Holiness always wishes. He further told the students to study hard while they were in school and make the best use of the opportunity.
2 Oct: The 138th Birthday of Mahatma Gandhi was marked as "International Day of Non Violence" and was even remembered in the United Nations Assembly-calling him one of the most outstanding leaders of this century professing for peace and non violence.
In view of his contribution and impact for the betterment of humanity, it was considered very important to celebrate his Birthday. The Tibetan Government in Exile also called it a day and formal function was organized at the Central Cathedral where thousands of Tibetans, local Indians, tourists and TCV School students and staff took part in the celebration.
Like wise, TCV Schools all over India also grandly celebrated the Birth Anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi with lots of activities like the most the Inter-House Marathon Competition.
