Tenzin Nyidon
DHARAMSHALA, Sept. 29: The 7th Peace Rally Marathon for Tibet reached its fifth day on Sunday, with a five-member team continuing its 450-kilometre journey from Ottawa to Toronto to raise international awareness of the situation in occupied Tibet and garner international support for the Tibetan cause.
Organised by the Toronto Pemakoepa Youth Association, the peace run began on September 23 outside the Chinese Embassy in Ottawa. The campaign is scheduled to conclude on October 1 outside the Chinese Consulate General in Toronto, coinciding with China’s National Day.
According to the organisers’ latest update, the fifth day of the run began in Kaladar and ended near Belleville. The runners were welcomed along the route by local Tibetan residents as well as non-Tibetan supporters.
The five-member team comprises runners Pema Kunga, Dechen Wangdi and Gyurme Tsultrim, with Kalden Wangchuk serving as navigator. Dawa Norbu Dayab is serving in a triple capacity as driver, coordinator and runner.
The campaign is centred on three demands. The organisers are calling for the repeal of China’s “Ethnic Unity and Progress Law,” which they say threatens Tibet’s religion, culture and language; greater international awareness and protection of the Tibetan Plateau and its fragile environment, which they describe as the “Third Pole”; and the unconditional release of Tibetan political prisoners.
The organisers have also been using the journey to engage members of the public and political representatives. Along the route, the participants have distributed informational leaflets on Tibet to raise awareness among foreign nationals and others.
Before beginning the journey from Ottawa, the delegation held a demonstration outside the Chinese Embassy and met Canadian Members of Parliament James Maloney and Karim Bardeesy at Parliament Hill. The team presented its petition and urged the lawmakers to raise issues concerning Tibet in Parliament during the ongoing session. The organisers said the delegation also distributed more than 200 informational brochures across the national capital region.
The peace run was first launched in 2020 and has been organised by young Tibetans from the Miao Choepheling Tibetan Settlement in Arunachal Pradesh, northeastern India.
During the current campaign, the participants are also scheduled to meet Canadian parliamentarians and government officials in Ottawa to discuss possible support for the Tibetan cause.
The runners are expected to continue towards Toronto over the next few days, with the 450-kilometre peace run set to conclude on October 1 outside the Chinese Consulate General, where they will join members of the local Tibetan community and Tibet supporters for a peaceful demonstration marking China’s National Day.
