CALGARY, September 14 – Eight branches of the Canada Tibet Committee met for the National board meeting in Kananaskis, Alberta (site of the 2002 G8 Summit) from September 3-5 2004.
This was the largest gathering of the board in Canada Tibet Committee’s history. The board reaffirmed Canada Tibet Committee’s important role in seeking solutions for the future of Tibet.
Mr. Thubten Samdup, the founding President of the Canada Tibet Committee resigned after 17 years, in voluntary service, as the head of the national office. Most recently Mr. Samdup led a team of volunteers and paid staff to host a very successful visit by His Holiness the Dalai Lama to Ottawa in April, 2004. The visit resulted in the first ever personal meeting between a Canadian Prime Minister and His Holiness the Dalai Lama. The National board created a position of Board Member Emeritus, and invited Mr. Samdup as the first incumbent in the position. Board Member Emeritus is an honourary, ambassadorial position that has no regular board responsibilities. Mr. Samdup will be invited to important organizational functions and to be part of delegations or other special groups involved in awareness or influencing activities. Mr. Samdup will continue to be associated with Canada Tibet Committee through WTN News and TSG-L.
The CTC National board is composed of two representatives from each branch chapter. Currently, there are 9 branches across Canada. In a new position different from the role of President, founding member of CTC Victoria and former Kalon Mr. T.C. Tethong, has been elected as the Chair of the Board. Mr. Tethong brings distinguished experience from his services with the Tibetan Government in Exile since 1959. His most recent role with the Tibetan Government in exile was of the Minister of Information and International Relations during 1997-2001. As the chair of the board, Mr. T.C. Tethong will direct the board in its functions to sustain the work of Canada Tibet Committee for Tibet.
The Board also decided that the Canada Tibet Committee will establish a staffed permanent national office. Toronto, Montreal and Ottawa are being considered as the location of this office. Decision of the location and staffing will be announced shortly by the board.
Canada Tibet Committee was established in 1987 and has branch chapters in nine Canadian cities. The Canada Tibet Committee (CTC) is an independent non-governmental organisation of Tibetans and non-Tibetans living in Canada, who are concerned about the continuing human rights violations and lack of democratic freedom in Tibet. It seeks to stop the ongoing destruction of the Tibetan culture, to alleviate the suffering of the Tibetan people and to restore Tibet to its status as an independent state within the family of nations. The Canada Tibet Committee is committed to the principle of non-violence and opposes the use of violence as a means of resolving conflict. The Canada Tibet Committee recognizes the Tibetan Government-in-exile as the legitimate representative of the Tibetan people. Canada Tibet Committee publishes daily e-newsletter on Tibet through World Tibet Network News and has archives of over 25,000 news articles on Tibet at its website. Canada Tibet Committee has established and maintained discussion forums for the Tibet Support Groups and Tibet scholars worldwide.
