“Rangzen is our innate responsibility”
The sixth day of the Tibetan Youth Leadership Training began early in the morning to a mist-engulfed Delhi. After five whole days of intensive mental and physical training contributing towards the upbringing of a complete leader, the last day symbolized the occasion to reflect back on the training and more importantly to look forward to future activism and commitment.
Representatives of the five groups of participants took center stage and presented the ideas and plans as endorsed by their respective groups after days exhaustive debate and discussions 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.’ With minds of more that hundred bright and dedicated youths put to work, it was not a surprise that various plans for generating employment, building relations with Tibetans inside Tibet, and constructing a whole new Tibetan city with all basic amenities such as schools, corporative banks and shopping malls came up and were deliberated upon. Many of the ideas and plans, as evident had surfaced for the first time in our community and there was indeed much to be gained and achieved should those plans were transpired into real action.
An open debate and discussion session was also conducted which saw many of the participants raise relevant issues of particular concern in our community. With the participants hailing from various backgrounds of livelihood, education and region, the issues that were raised ranged from the imminent need of developing our settlements to the pros and cons of the stupendous increase in immigration of Tibetans to western countries.
Mr. Kalsang Phuntsok, President of TYC, upon popular demand, chaired a special session to address the queries of the participants, related chiefly on the stand of TYC for complete independence. “Rangzen is not only the birthright of every Tibetan but also an innate responsibility and a sacred duty that every Tibetan is born with an obligation to accomplish”, retorted the President. He stressed upon the need of the hour that demands a great degree of commitment and sacrifice from the youths of Tibet. “In the struggle for a free Tibet you have to be prepared to sacrifice your homes, sacrifice your careers, sacrifice your children, sacrifice your parents, and if the situation demands, even sacrifice your lives for your country”, said Mr. Kalsang Phuntsok to the future leaders of Tibet.
The last session of the day was dedicated towards brining in constructive improvements in the future Tibetan Youth Leadership Trainings through feedbacks of the participants. Many valuable and relevant ideas were put forward for further improvement in the training, while many requested that such trainings should be held two to three times a year at different places like Nepal and the north eastern regions of India.
In a commendable gesture, the participants themselves initiated a campaign and mobilized funds for the relief work currently going on for the victims of the Tsunami that struck the southern coasts of India resulting in the loss of innumerable lives.
As the hall settled down to a livid evening, the closing ceremony of the Tibetan Youth Leadership Training began with Mr. Karma Yeshi, former Vice-President and member of parliament as the chief guest of the ceremony. In accordance with the ritual of TYLTs, the closing ceremony was an occasion to offer an oath infront of the portrait of H.H. The Dalai Lama, making a pledge of commitment to oneself with the lighting of a lamp of devotion and placing it on the majestic map of Tibet.
The beckoning light of a lonely golden lamp lit in front of HH The Dalai Lama’s portrait guided the participants through the dark hall, showing them the path of allegiance to place their lamp of devotion on the map of Tibet. As the participants took their oaths, gradually the radiance of the lonely lamp lit infront of the portrait of HH The Dalai Lama multiplied into numerous lamps of individuals pledging to struggle for the cause of Tibet, illuminating into an incandescent aura the grim darkness that had engulfed the hall. The lamps killing the outer darkness and the inner ignorance burning bright on the map of Tibet, laid our rightful claim over our own country.
Like the radiance of the single golden lamp that multiplied into a bright glow illuminating the whole of auditorium, the participants pledged to work and commit themselves to the cause of Tibet, eliminating the turmoil of Tibetans with the glow of a free Tibet.
