An eight member delegation led by Public Relations Officer of Tibetan Youth Congress represented Tibet at the South and South-East Asian Youth Conference held on 4th, 5th and 6th January 2006 in Mumbai. The conference which was organised by the World Organisation of Students and Youth with the theme “GLOBAL FUTURE – ASIAN VISION”, saw the participation of around 115 delegates from 21 different countries including students and youth delegates from almost all SAARC and ASEAN countries, observer delegates from Mauritius, Afghanistan, UK, USA etc. The participation of the Tibetan delegates involved a high drama as some Chinese students objected to their inclusion, but the organisers were not swayed by such pressures and went forth with their earlier decision and invited TYC and TWA members. What is more, the organisers even included Tibetan national flag in their posters and banners, a symbol of Tibetan sovereignty.
The conference was kick-started by Mr. Vijaypath Singhania, The sheriff of Mumbai and Mr. Dilip Walse Patil, Hon. Education Minister of Maharashtra. During the three-day conference, the delegates made extensive deliberation on various topics such as Globalisation, Education, Development, Culture, Terrorism and Democracy. The delegates also got benefited from the expert presentation, theme speech, multimedia presentations, panel discussions etc. Tibetan delegates also made their presentation and dealt in great detail how a whole nation of Tibet is reeling to a slow death under china’s tyrannical rule. China aims to wipe the whole race of Tibetans from the face of this earth by adopting various inhuman policies of ‘cultural genocide’. With tens of thousands of Tibetans tortured to death and thousands more still languishing in prisons for peacefully practicing their fundamental human rights as enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, how can the world remain as a mute spectator?
Various materials and a report entitled, “Tibet: the Last Gulag” describing the Tibetan issue were distributed among the delegates, so as to gain their support for our rightful struggle of restoring independence. The concluding function held at the KC college auditorium was presided over by Prof. Samdhong Rinpoche, the Prime Minister of the TGIE. While addressing the hall packed gathering Honarable PM stressed on the need to preserve the rich Asian culture by not getting influenced by the western thoughts and their way of living. The representation of Tibetan delegates is a indication to China that a new world is being created where “Instead of Might being the Right, Right will be the Might”.
