By Tendar Tsering
DHARAMSHALA, October 12: The Tibetan Institute of Performing Arts (TIPA), cancelled its annual inter-house cultural competition Yarkyi owing to the deteriorating human rights condition in Tibet.
The annual competition, which is considered the highlight of the institution’s excellence, was supposed to be held yesterday.
The invited guests and staff and students of the institution observed a minute’s silence and recited prayers for those dead and suffering under the Chinese regime in Tibet.
Speaking to Phayul, Sonam Choephel, the director of TIPA said that the preparations had gone on till the 11th hour but were cancelled in light of the spate of self-immolations inside Tibet.
“We received instructions from the Department of Religion and Culture to forgo with this years Yarki and we most willingly obliged,” Choephel said.
The Tibetan Parliament-in-Exile, in a press release yesterday had urged Tibetans and supporters worldwide to launch peaceful campaigns “in accordance with the law of the land” to highlight the urgent situation inside Tibet.
Located in the exile headquarters of Dharamshala, TIPA is the only official organisation in the exile community catering to the preservation and promotion of Tibetan performing arts. The institution travels widely around the globe showcasing Tibet’s unique culture and traditional arts.
