Paris, France December 12 – The municipality of Carrieres sous Poissy, about 20 kilometres west of Paris, is organizing a special Tibet exhibition highlighting Tibetan culture and the peaceful struggle of the Tibetan people. The exhibition is housed at the municipality complex itself. The French Tibet Support Group named Committee of Support to the People of Tibet is a partner in this event. The exhibition showcases traditional Tibetan arts and religious artefacts of Tibet. It also demonstrates the contemporary political and human rights situation inside Tibet. Hundreds of students from the town visited the exhibition and learned about Tibet and its culture.
Carrieres sous Poissy has a total population of 13000 which do not include those people living in the peripheral areas.
Coinciding with the International Human Rights Day and the day of His Holiness the Dalai Lama’s acceptance of the Nobel peace prize, a reception was organized by the Mayor Mr. Daniel Schalk.
Mr Wangpo Bashi, Acting Representative from the Bureau du Tibet, Paris, and Mayor of Verneuil sur Seine which also organized similar events in January 2005, were present on the occassion. Mr. Schalk expressed his support to the just and peaceful struggle of the Tibetan people, and appreciated the rich culture of Tibet. Wangpo Bashi thanked the Mayor and his municipal council for taking initiative to organize the event. He urged everyone to continue rendering support to the Tibetan cause. He stated that in a country like France, where democratic set-up is strong and the citizens can exercise their rights and voice their opinion, there is a way to democratically voice and rally support for the Tibetan people’s peace initiative and resolve the issue of Tibet.
After the reception, a peace message collected by the school children of Carreres sous Poissy was officially transmitted to Wangpo Bashi to be forwarded to His Holiness the Dalai Lama. This peace message campaign is a part of the educational program of the middle school children of the town and is conducted under the patronage of the French President Mr. Jacques Chirac in collaboration with Unesco, Unicef, education board of the district of Yvelines and the District government of Yvelines. Carriers sous Poissy is situated in the Yvelines district.
“Tibet, history of tragedy” , a documentary film on Tibet, was screened to the public who also got to watch slide photographs recently taken in and around Lhasa with commentary by Mr. Jean Paul Ribes, President of the CSPT. A question-answer session then followed during which both Jean Paul Ribes and Wangpo Bashi explained how citizens of France can help the Tibetan people in various capacities, humanitarian aid, technical aid and financial aid and political support.
report sent by Wangpo Bashi, Oot, Paris
