An outsider visiting the Tibetan Youth Leadership Training will most certainly not be able to guess that the warm circle of students interacting and sharing their views candidly had met just five days back, in most cases for the first time in their lives. But, it is an easy guess that they will be meeting in the future, time and again on the road to a Free Tibet.
The morning routine, of getting up early, doing stretches and exercises followed by the half an hour of spiritual talks were conducted as usual on the fifth day of the TYLT.
Mr. Karma Yeshi, former Vice President of TYC and presently member of parliament spoke on the topic, ‘Tibetan Democracy and its Critical Evaluation’ during the morning session. In his capacity as a member of parliament and a responsible Tibetan citizen, Mr. Karma Yeshi outlined a number of challenges being faced by Tibetan democracy and offered his own views on ways of successfully overcoming those challenges. Being himself in words and deed, a strong supporter of complete independence for Tibet, Mr. Karma Yeshi reminded the participants that the reason why all Tibetans came into exile, was and is still, to go back to a free Tibet. An intensive question answer session followed, which saw a number of participants raise their doubts on various fields of concern and interest.
The participants at the TYLT were truly fortunate to have their knowledge enhanced by the expertise of Prof. Bharat Karnad, security expert and researcher at the Policy Research Centre and member of the first national security advisory board, taking a session on ‘Strategic Analysis of India, China and Tibet Relations’. Having command over various aspects of defence strategies, border issues and diplomatic relations and tensions existing in Asia, Mr. Bharat Karnad in a precise and succinct manner touched upon all the major factors influencing the politics of the world in general and Asia in particular, with relation to Tibet. Taking proof from the dynamism of geo-politics in Asia Prof. Bharat Karnad said, “China is on the defensive in central Asia and with India controlling the major choke points and sea routes to China, India is as powerful if not more militarily advanced than China”. He stressed upon the need of keeping alive the Tibetan consciousness and nationhood in the face of a keenly expantionist China. “Tibet should get its independence back. Without freedom the future becomes murky”, Mr. Karnad said while remarking that India and Asian countries would definitely support a strong movement for a Free Tibet. “Even peaceful people have to defend their peace. Its another 30 years for the breaking of China and Tibet should be prepared to fill up the vacum”, Mr. Bharat Karnad told a deeply engrossed crowd. The participants benefited much from the question answer session during which queries ranging from a wide range of topics were put forward for elucidation.
Public speaking is more of an art than an inborn talent. An art that can be learned and refined only through practice. TYLTs have always been a strong platform for the future leaders of Tibet to practice and cultivate their skills of public addressing. At the TYLTs, TYC makes sure that sufficient time is committed towards providing the participants with the opportunity to face the crowd and realise their potentials of communicating with the masses effectively. Two sessions were dedicated to the future leaders to air the views and ideas as proposed by their groups on the topics, ‘Activities and Roles that Tibetan youth can play in bringing about a positive and progressive development in the lives of the Tibetans living inside Tibet’ and ‘Individual Initiatives that can be taken by Tibetan youth to sustain and strengthen the Tibetan community in exile.’ After five days of intensive discussions on the topics, the five groups came up with varied ideas and presentation, which were followed by a healthy exchange of questions and answers.
As the penultimate day ended to the amusement and entertainment of interactive sessions, the participants slept with heavy hearts to wake up to the last day of the Tibetan Youth Leadership Training.
