CHAIRMAN'S NOTE
April - May 2007
10th March: As usual, 10th March commemorations were observed throughout the county. In Auckland, Friends of Tibet and Auckland Tibetan Association members and friends held a service at the Centotaph, and as it was Saturday, we followed this with a shared picnic in the Auckland Domain.
His Holiness the Panchen Lama: On 25th April, HH the Panchen Lama will turn 18, now an adult. He has been held incommunicado by China ever since May 1995, shortly after His Holiness the Dalai Lama recognised him as the reincarnation of the 10th Panchen Lama. The international Tibet support movement has launched a campaign for his release. Please write to NZ Foreign Minister, Rt Hon. Winston Peters, expressing your concerns over the holding of this young person for so many years.
International Tibet Support Conference: As mentioned in our previous newsletter, the Fifth International Conference of Tibet Support Groups will be held in Brussels from 11-14th May this year. A big Thank you to those members who have already donated money towards my airfare. I am making a special appeal to all our members asking if you could contribute in any way. A return form is attached to this newsletter. Many thanks in advance.
His Holiness' visit:
Things are progressing well with His Holiness' visit in June, and tickets are
selling quickly. Tickets bought through Friends of Tibet for the Auckland events
have now been received and will be sent out to you over the next two weeks.
The Wellington tickets will be sent out as soon as we receive them. The response
was great. I urge you to encourage your friends and family to get their tickets
quickly so that they do not miss out on the rare opportunity to hear one of
the world's most respected and wise person speak. We are enclosing a few leaflets
for you to distribute.
With best wishes and Tashi Delek
Thuten Kesang
National Chairman