The Centrex Executive Members of the Tibetan Youth Congress (TYC) held a meeting with representatives from six non-governmental organizations (NGOs) from Taiwan at the TYC Centrex Office, Dharamshala.
The meeting commenced with an introduction to the Tibetan Youth Congress, presented by TYC Vice President Mr. Tashi Targyal accompanied by TYC General Secretary Mr, Tenzin Lobsang. He briefed the delegation on TYC’s role as the largest and most active Tibetan organization, led by young Tibetans, TYC also leads other Tibetan civil society groups when organizing large-scale events and joint protests.
Following this, Mr. Tsang Hsun Ho, Founding President of Taiwan Citizen Participation, introduced the Taiwanese delegation representing six different civil society organizations.
He mentioned “The situation of Tibetans self-immolating was a matter of great concern to me. When i saw the second individual who self immolated, The detail that really struck me, I saw him engulfed in flames and the black smoke escaping his mouth. This sight touched me deeply, and the fact that it occurred on my birthday made it an extremely profound experience.”
During the session, Mr. Tsang presented his calligraphy artwork on the conference table, which featured the names of all Tibetan martyrs as a gesture of solidarity and respect.
On the table were displayed portraits and memorabilia of the first Tibetan self-immolator, Martyr Thupten Ngodup, and Martyr Jamphel Yeshi, along with the calligraphy artwork symbolizing the sacrifices of all Tibetan martyrs. The TYC Vice President expressed deep gratitude, stating, “We held a prayer session for four of our Tibetan martyrs at the same table where your calligraphy was placed a work representing all Tibetan martyrs. In that moment, we felt the presence of their noble souls among us. With a heavy heart, I thank you for creating this profound moment.”
Although initially scheduled for half an hour, the meeting extended to two hours due to the deep sense of mutual understanding, shared values, and common purpose that emerged during the discussion. Both sides exchanged views on civil society engagement, advocacy for human rights, and the importance of youth-led movements in promoting freedom and democracy.
The session concluded with a mutual commitment to continued dialogue and cooperation between Tibetan and Taiwanese civil society organizations.
Jamyang Losal, 22
Date: March 18, 2017