The Dalai Lama, leader of the Tibetan people, will be the guest of honour later this week in Edinburgh at the World Parliamentarians’ Convention on Tibet.
Last night at a reception at the Scottish Parliament Chris Ballance, the Green Party MSP, welcomed 130 delegates from 30 countries to the two-day event.
It is expected the convention will discuss the Scottish form of devolution as a potential model to help resolve the conflict between the Tibetan and Chinese peoples.
Mr Ballance, convener of the parliament’s cross-party group on Tibet, said Scottish devolution was not perfect but “was a start”. He added: “It demonstrates that a nation may have cultural autonomy and self-government within a wider context.”The MSP said the Dalai Lama provided spiritual leadership on peace and justice across the world.
He added: “All of us are here because we have been touched by the sufferings of the Tibetan people, the abuses of human rights, the lack of religious freedom, and the environmental crimes and cultural genocide committed by the Chinese. “It is our duty as parliamentarians to put justice, peace and compassion into practice because that is what our peoples want.”
The convention will conclude with a declaration which is expected to stress the desire of the Tibetan people to negotiate a devolved settlement with China.
The Dalai Lama, leader of the Tibetan people, will be the guest of honour later this week in Edinburgh at the World Parliamentarians’ Convention on Tibet.
Last night at a reception at the Scottish Parliament Chris Ballance, the Green Party MSP, welcomed 130 delegates from 30 countries to the two-day event.
It is expected the convention will discuss the Scottish form of devolution as a potential model to help resolve the conflict between the Tibetan and Chinese peoples.
Mr Ballance, convener of the parliament’s cross-party group on Tibet, said Scottish devolution was not perfect but “was a start”. He added: “It demonstrates that a nation may have cultural autonomy and self-government within a wider context.”
The MSP said the Dalai Lama provided spiritual leadership on peace and justice across the world.
He added: “All of us are here because we have been touched by the sufferings of the Tibetan people, the abuses of human rights, the lack of religious freedom, and the environmental crimes and cultural genocide committed by the Chinese.
“It is our duty as parliamentarians to put justice, peace and compassion into practice because that is what our peoples want.” The convention will conclude with a declaration which is expected to stress the desire of the Tibetan people to negotiate a devolved settlement with China.
The Dalai Lama, leader of the Tibetan people, will be the guest of honour later this week in Edinburgh at the World Parliamentarians’ Convention on Tibet.
Last night at a reception at the Scottish Parliament Chris Ballance, the Green Party MSP, welcomed 130 delegates from 30 countries to the two-day event.
It is expected the convention will discuss the Scottish form of devolution as a potential model to help resolve the conflict between the Tibetan and Chinese peoples.
Mr Ballance, convener of the parliament’s cross-party group on Tibet, said Scottish devolution was not perfect but “was a start”. He added: “It demonstrates that a nation may have cultural autonomy and self-government within a wider context.”
The MSP said the Dalai Lama provided spiritual leadership on peace and justice across the world.
He added: “All of us are here because we have been touched by the sufferings of the Tibetan people, the abuses of human rights, the lack of religious freedom, and the environmental crimes and cultural genocide committed by the Chinese.
“It is our duty as parliamentarians to put justice, peace and compassion into practice because that is what our peoples want.”
The convention will conclude with a declaration which is expected to stress the desire of the Tibetan people to negotiate a devolved settlement with China.
