Brussels: Tibetans in Belgium celebrated Losar – Water-Tiger – with much joy and fanfare. The main celebration took place in Antwerp on March 5, third day of Losar. Organised by the Tibetan Community in Belgium, it saw an impressive participation by the public.
The event was attended by Representative Tashi Phuntsok, Office of Tibet, Brussels, the ICT Brussels’ policy and advocacy officer Mélanie Blondelle and other distinguished guests including Manager of the Schoten Buddhist Institute M. De Herdt, Johan and other Tibetans Associations in Belgium.
Tibetan community President Palden Tsering in his opening remark said that the success of the community activities is largely because of Tibetan public support and also the support of TSGs. He listed numerous activities that the Tibetan community has carried out during the last seven months after their assumption on duty, comprising green book campaign, boycott of Beijing winter Olympic campaign etc.
He also highlighted some major upcoming activities, organising His Holiness the Panchen Lama’s Birthday Celebration in April, Tibet Festival at the coastal areas of Oostende in May and Celebration of His Holiness the Dalai Lama’s Birthday in July.
Chief Guest Representative Tashi Phuntsok addressed the gathering and reminded that His Holiness the Dalai Lama’s supreme leadership and strong central Tibetan Administration has enabled the Tibetans to remain strong and steadfast in their struggle for freedom.
He appealed for the Tibetans to persevere to preserve Tibetan unique soft power of generating and presenting kindness, love, and tolerance. These qualities have become examples of Tibetan character.
ICT Brussesl’s policy and advocacy officer Mélanie Blondelle and Johan of Schoten Buddhist Institute highlighted about the recent self-immolation instance by the Tibetan singer Tsewang Norbu in Lhasa, Tibet and appreciated the Tibetan unique qualities respectively.
Thinley Wangdue, Secretary of Office of Tibet, Belgium accompanied Representative Tashi Phuntsok to the function.
Besides the formal ceremony, the day-night-long community get-together was followed by a lion’s dance and series of other cultural dances presented by the parents and students of Sherab Nangje School.
