Washington, D.C. July 7th, 2017.
On Wednesday, July 5th, Gyalwang Karmapa Rinpoche visited the Office of Tibet during his three-day visit to Washington, D.C. This trip to Washington follows his one-month visit to Canada.
The afternoon visit to the Office of Tibet was informational. Representative Penpa Tsering updated him on various OoT activities, programs and issues of importance in Washington, while Kungo Tenzin Tethong, Director of Radio Free Asia, Tibetan Service and former Representative of His Holiness to North America, and Thinley Nyendak, Voice of America Tibetan Service, informed him of their organization’s history and activities. Gyalwang Karmapa Rinpoche was also given progress updates on the political and support activities carried on by the International Campaign for Tibet (ICT) and Office of Tibet. ICT President Matteo Mececci gave a detail briefing on their lobbying efforts and the current political climate in Washington DC regarding human rights in the current administration.
Gyalwang Karmapa Rinpoche listened closely and with a great interest in these updates, both in English and Tibetan, asking a few of questions and expressing his awareness of the political situation concerning Tibetans, both inside and outside of Tibet.
Both staff members of OoT and ICT were happy to receive him and his blessings, and wished him safe travels as he leaves for Europe.