By Tsering Tashi
LONDON, December 11 – The UK Students for a Free Tibet (SFT) yesterday marked here the awarding of the Noble Peace Prize 15 years ago to His Holiness the Dalai Lama by screening the interfaith lecture that the Tibetan spiritual and temporal leader gave in May at the Westminster Central Hall. His Holiness was given the world’s most coveted prize in 1989 for leading the non-violent Tibetan struggle for freedom and for his efforts at promoting world peace and the environment.
After the screening of the film at the School of African and Oriental Studies (SOAS), the SFT invited Mrs. Kesang Y. Takla, Representative of His Holiness the Dalai Lama based here at the Office of Tibet, to answer questions from the largely university student audience that also included Chinese students. She updated them on the current situation of Tibet and explained how the Tibetan administration in exile was engaging in a dialogue with China to resolve the issue of Tibet in the interest of both the Tibetan and Chinese peoples.
“I was able to explain the current Tibetan situation and how we are trying to resolve the issue of Tibet through non-violence and dialogue. I was also inspired by the positive response of the few Chinese students who were there among the audience,” Mrs. Takla recalled.
Mrs. Takla said the efforts that the UK Students for a Free Tibet are making in raising more awareness and support for the just cause of Tibet through various programmes they organise at colleges and universities was admirable.
Accordingly to Bram Taylor, one of the student coordinators, last month the SFT showed the film on Tibet titled, “Cry of the Snow Lion” at SOAS. The film he said was attended by many Chinese students.
“We are already planning to show more films on Tibet and lectures by His Holiness next season,” said Bram.
The UK Students for a Free Tibet has been founded with the aim to “raise political, economic, environmental, and social issues that affect Tibetans living in Tibet and in exile to the government and the public in the UK.” The SFT brochure states: “As a network of young people around the world, we campaign for fundamental right of Tibetans to independence. We believe that young people can and must take responsibility to change our world for the better.”
