One of the major predicaments that Tibetan student activists confront while organizing various activities is the lack of practical knowledge in the techniques of handling and facing media effectively, be it print, radio or television. The TYLTs have always striven to prepare and familarise the mechanisms of dealing effectively with media to the students, so that they can communicate their message more persuasively and ascertain that the energy they have committed into an activity doesn’t go unnoticed and unheralded.
The fourth day of the TYLT was committed to serve the empirical purpose of addressing the fundamental requirement of knowledge and expertise on handling media and maintaining public relations.
After a full hour of physical exercises and spiritual talk, the first session of the day was taken by well known journalist and long time Tibet supporter Mr. Vijay Kranti, on the topic ‘Introduction to Media Mechanism’. With his extensive knowledge and experience in the fields of all branches of journalism, and media and public relations, Mr. Vijay Kranti furnished the participants, most of whom are leaders of their respective chapters and organizations, with valuable tips on dealing with media personnel. He stressed on the need of maintaining personal relationship and individual association with media personnel and imparting full time commitment to public relations. Being a staunch supporter of complete independence for Tibet, Mr. Vijay Kranti dwelled passionately on the importance to keep the struggle of ‘Rangzen’ alive and expressed his conviction to the participants that, ‘Freedom for Tibet is going to happen’. He retorted that China has to undo the sin it committed against Tibet and aired his opinion on the priority of Tibet getting independence first and the China getting democratic later. Following the eager questions, Mr. Vijay Kranti clinically presented his analysis on the given topic of deliberation and reflecting upon his lifetime experience and active involvement in the Tibetan movement, rekindled the flame of freedom struggle in the youths.
TYC remains an organization that has always looked forward to the future with strong visions, prioritized chiefly by the indispensability of continuing the freedom struggle barring howsoever complications and impediments that may arise, planning and preparing to face any eventualities. “Such preparations demand a certain degree of independence and immunity from present norms and applied dogmas, which can only be brought about through controlled transformation”, said Mr. Kalsang Phuntsok, President of TYC while sharing his views on the topic “organizational transformation”. Mr. Kalsang Phuntsok warned that in a post Dalai Lama period, responsibilities and duties of the various non-governmental organizations would increase considerably. “We should prepare ourselves for such eventualities and the platform of our organizations should be able to offer us with the opening to act according to the situation. Crisis management is the question to address and ideas and views of transforming our organizations should come from the people and especially from the educated youths of Tibet”, he told a pensive crowd.
Continuing with the emphasis laid on the importance of media and public relations, former Kalon and ex central member of TYC, Mr. Tenpa Tsering convened the third session of the day on the topic, ‘Tibet and the World’. Mr. Tenpa la through his deep insight of the past and present factors governing world polity and its relationship with Tibet, offered a meticulous and systematic account of Tibet and its relations with the world and the importance of public relations involved in enhancing the radius of Tibet’s influence in the world. His experience of serving at various departments of the Tibetan government in exile provided the students with a wonderful opportunity to satisfy their queries about the nitty-gritty of the functioning of TGIE.
The Tibetan Youth Leadership Training endeavours to empower the youths with an all round understanding and future scopes of engaging ones skills into practice. The last session of the day was conducted by Mr. Alan Clements, Chairman of Tibet Relief Fund, UK and Youth Opportunity Trust Asia, on ‘Youth Empowerment’. Mr. Alan, himself being a successful businessman and a person having profound and in depth understanding of the economical and unemployment problems being faced by the Tibetans, interacted with the participants and tendered numerous propositions of staring new businesses and improving upon an established business. Having extensively traveled to Tibetan settlements in India, Mr. Alan Clements suggested alternatives on refining the existing sources of income and introduced to the students the projects that his organization had helped start in the settlements. Mr. Alan Clements, through his organization, Youth Opportunity Trust Asia, pledged to furnish micro loans to Tibetan students boasting of definite proposals to start a new business. Concluding his remarks, Mr. Clements promised to associate his organization and himself with such youth leadership trainings in the future, giving special focus and attention on the problems and preparations regarding the starting of a new business and on the prerequisite of being thoroughly professional in a world of cut throat competition.
