Tsering Dhundup
DHARAMSHALA, Sept. 11: The Tibetan Women’s Association (TWA) celebrated the 40th anniversary of its re-establishment in exile at the Tibetan Institute of Performing Arts in the exile Tibetan capital, Dharamshala on Tuesday.
Sikyong Penpa Tsering, the president of the Central Tibetan Administration who attended the event as chief guest called TWA an important pan-Tibetan women’s organization representing all Tibetan women. He praised TWA’s work over 40 years in support of the Dalai Lama and exile administration, promoting Tibet’s cause and serving Tibetan society in areas like health, education and social welfare.
The democratically elected political leader of Tibet attributed TWA’s continued success to the Dalai Lama’s guidance, dedication of past and present executive members, and support from general members and encouraged TWA to take greater responsibility in nurturing more women leaders in Tibetan society.
He noted TWA’s firm belief in the Middle Way Approach policy and its alignment with the Dalai Lama’s vision and CTA’s work while suggesting TWA hold regular strategy meetings with experts on Tibet, China and international affairs to develop effective approaches to resolving the Tibet issue, Tibet-China dialogue, engage with China and other countries, and respond to political changes in Tibet and China.
Special guest Rinchen Khando, TWA’s founding member, advisor and former minister of the exile Tibetan government, said, “Tibetans may not have been well-acquainted with the wider world, but their commitment to defending their homeland was unwavering. They faced immense sacrifice, with over a thousand lives lost and many choosing self-immolation in their struggle. Such acts of courage and sacrifice should always be remembered and honoured in our hearts and minds through events like this.”
She further stressed TWA’s role in preserving Tibetan identity, rich culture, language and religion through younger generations, and called on TWA to lead Tibetan women in following the Dalai Lama’s guidance and continuing the struggle for Tibet’s just cause.
In 1959, when China occupied Tibet, killing over a million Tibetans and destroying Tibetan religion and culture, thousands of Tibetan women from all three provinces of Tibet rose up and resisted Chinese oppression on March 12 that year. To commemorate the first anniversary of the Tibetan Women’s Uprising in Tibet, TWA was founded on March 12, 1960, in Tibet. It was later re-established in exile on September 10, 1984, following the Dalai Lama’s advice. TWA now has 58 regional chapters and over 20,000 members.
