Home > News Archive > Younger generation's time to come forward: Rinpoche

Younger generation's time to come forward: Rinpoche

By Lobsang Wangyal | Tibet Sun

Prime Minister of the Tibetan government-in-exile put his hands on his head to make a horn gesture teasing photographers as the French senator Jean Francois Humbert speaks during the function to celebrate the 49th Tibetan Democracy Day in Dharamshala, India, on 2 September 2009.Tibet Sun/Lobsang Wangyal/India

Younger generation Tibetans who are equipped with both traditional and modern education should come forward to take responsibility for Tibetan affairs, said the prime minister of the Tibetan government-in-exile.

“A time has now come for the third generation young Tibetans in exile, who are equipped with both traditional and modern education, to be able to take up political responsibilities. The Kashag (executive) believes that they will be more responsible than ever before in the political and administrative affairs of our society,” prime minister Samdhong Rinpoche said, speaking on the 49th Tibetan Democracy Day in Dharamshala.

Rinpoche encouraged Tibetans to have better education, intellectual freedom and tolerance of various viewpoints, positions and ideologies for Tibetans to have a thriving and a higher level of democracy.

Cultural shows by various groups were presented to a several thousand Tibetans and supporters gathered at the Tsuglakhang temple to celebrate the day.

Three French senators — Jean Francois Humbert, Thierry Repentin and Jacquelin Panis — were the guests for the occasion. In a press conference later in the afternoon, they said that they have come here to study and understand the Tibetan situation.

“We will tell our colleagues and people what we have learned here,” said Jacquelin Panis.

To a query on the Tibetan political issue, Humbert said that what the Dalai Lama has proposed to the Chinese government in the memorandum he submitted last year is just and reasonable.

“It’s unfortunate that the Chinese government has no wisdom in accepting the proposal,” Humbert said through a translator.

After coming into exile in 1959, Tibetans espoused democracy after the system was propounded by the Dalai Lama in an effort to transform the Tibetan society into a modern one.

Copyright © 2009 Tibet Sun

Published in Tibet Sun