By Phuntsok Yangchen
DHARAMSHALA, May 21: The Tibetans living in Canada last week conferred upon the Tibetan Prime Minister Dr Lobsang Sangay the “Canadian Tibetan Association of Ontario (CTAO) Gyatoen Award” in recognition of his “strong leadership, unwavering support and commitment to the vision of His Holiness the Dalai Lama.”
The Tibetan PM was invited to the celebration of 8th Annual Gala Event organised by the Tibetan Canadian Cultural Centre (TCCC) in Toronto, Canada. Also present at the event were Kaydor Aukatsang, Representative of His Holiness the Dalai Lama to North America and dignitaries including Canadian MP Cheri DiNovo, former Senator DiNino, and MP Bernard Trottier. The Canadian leaders assured their continued support to Tibet and the Tibetan people in their addresses to the gathering.
The Canadian Tibetan Association of Ontario dedicated this year’s Annual Gala event to the Tibetan spiritual leader His Holiness the Dalai Lama on turning eighty.
For Tibetans the world over, the Dalai Lama’s birthday is one of the most important and auspicious occasions in a year. Tibetans both inside and outside Tibet are planning to celebrate the 80th birthday (Gyatoen) of His Holiness the Dalai Lama with grand festivity in traditional Tibetan way.
His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama of Tibet, Tenzin Gyatso, was born Lhamo Dhondub to a peasant family in a small village called Taktser in Amdo (Ch: Qinghai) Province, north-eastern Tibet on 6 July, 1935.
From his exile hometown Dharamshala, he travels extensively around the world and occasionally meets with world leaders to present the case of Tibet and, also to promote human values and religious harmony, describing them as the main commitments of his life.
The Dalai Lama advocates a “middle way approach” calling for a “real and meaningful” autonomy for Tibet within the framework of Chinese Constitution and an end to what he has said are widespread human rights violations against his people.
The Dalai Lama was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1989 for his relentless non-violent movement for the peaceful resolution of Tibet’s issue through dialogue with the Chinese leadership.
