Representative Genkhang of the Office of Tibet, Belgium, visited Jamyang Lophel Sunday School in Brussels on 20 January 2024. She was accompanied by Secretary Thinley Wangdue.
On her arrival, the Representative was received by the Director and Education Director of Choerig Zinkyong Khang which runs the school and the Vice-President of Parent-Teacher Association. She was then offered scarves by the two prefects of the school.
During the classroom visits, Representative Genkhang met pupils aged between three-and-half and 15 and engaged in interaction with them. She briefly introduced the CTA and the work of the Office of Tibet, Brussels, to the older students and stressed the importance of excelling in school while continuing to preserve our own language. She reminded them of the privileges they have compared to children of their age in Tibet who are forcibly separated from their parents and forced into state-run Chinese boarding schools. Representative Genkhang also urged the students to reflect on His Holiness the Dalai Lama’s advice of becoming a compassionate human being.
This was followed by a meeting with the school administrators, teachers and Vice-President of the Parent-Teacher Association. During the hour-long meeting, Representative Genkhang highlighted the crucial role of the Sunday school in the promotion and preservation of Tibetan language and culture. She acknowledged the self-less contribution of the teachers and the school administrators who serve on a voluntary basis and extended her heartfelt appreciation. She also commended the important role played by the parents.
The School management thanked the Representative for her visit and requested for similar visits to other schools in the future.
Choerig Zinkyong Khang runs weekend schools in 6 different locations in Belgium and boasts several hundred students.
