New York, USA: In a landmark initiative, the first-ever cultural competition among weekend schools under the North America Tibetan Associations (NATA) was successfully held on 4 April 2026 at the Phuntsok Dishe Community Hall of the New York and New Jersey Tibetan Community. The event was organised jointly by the Office of Tibet and the North America Tibetan Associations, in line with a resolution adopted during NATA’s 23rd General Assembly.
The event was attended by distinguished guests, including the personal interpreter of His Holiness the Dalai Lama, Geshe Thupten Jinpa; Representative Dr. Namgyal Choedup; and Lama Tsewang Rinpoche, Executive Director of the Himalayan Cultural Centre and Danang Foundation. Also present were leaders of Tibetan associations, religious representatives, retired officials, and members of the public.
The main objectives of the competition were to honour and respond to the decision made by the 16th Kashag to observe the Year of Compassion globally on the occasion of His Holiness’ Birthday; to encourage greater interest among Tibetan youth in Tibetan language and culture through competition; to boost the morale of students, teachers, and parents of weekend schools in North America; and to showcase the achievements of these schools to the wider public.
The programme commenced at 9:00 AM with an opening announcement by Tibetan Liaison Officer Kunga Tashi. This was followed by welcome remarks from the chief and special guests, after which a ceremonial offering of white scarves was made before the sacred portrait of His Holiness. Students from Losal Kyetsal School performed the Tibetan national anthem. In his remarks, the chief guest expressed his happiness at seeing such a large gathering of students and parents, noting that the competition reflected years of dedication and collective effort by students, parents, and teachers under the guidance of Tibetan community associations.
In his opening address, Representative Dr. Namgyal Choedup highlighted concerns over China’s recently enacted policies aimed at promoting “national unity,” stating that Tibetans must recognise the underlying intention of cultural assimilation. He emphasised that learning and preserving the Tibetan language and script is essential and recalled His Holiness the Dalai Lama’s recent guidance on the importance of the Tibetan language, urging renewed commitment and effort.
The competition, coordinated by Kalsang Tsering, President of the New York and New Jersey Tibetan Community Association, brought together over 300 students, teachers, and parents from ten locations across North America. Participants competed in six categories: Quiz (covering language, history, biography of His Holiness the Dalai Lama, grammar, and general knowledge), Debate (forth and against on the topic “Diligence is more important than intelligence”), Elocution Contest on the themed “Ghoton celebration,” Group song, and Group dance.
The event remained lively and engaging throughout, running from 9:00 AM on Saturday until 2:00 AM on Sunday. Audience participation continued to grow both in person and online, reflecting an unusually high level of interest. Judges also shared a unified positive impression, with some expressing their observations publicly on social media platforms.
The panel of judges for the daytime competitions included Ngawang Tenzin Norbu, Executive Director of the Tibetan Arts and Literature Initiative (TALI); writer and historian Chamdo Sherab; and Forner MP Mogru Tenpa. Evening competitions were judged by artist Tenzin Norbu, Former Secretary of Education Dzongkar Tobgyal Tsering, and former Director of TCV School Suja, Pema Tsultrim.
Ten schools participated in the competition: Losal Kyetsal School (New York & New Jersey), Lugnyi Phuntsok Gatshal (Minnesota), Capital Area Tibetan School, Jamtse Sabon School (Ithaca), Gangjong Tibetan Language & Culture School (Canadian Tibetan Association of Ontario), Rignay Kyetsal Ling (Boston), Namchoe Kyeltsal (Northern California), Naden Rigpai Dumra (Portland), Chicago Weekend School, and Philadelphia Sunday School.
After observing the entire competition, Geshe Thupten Jinpa stated, “Students performed exceptionally well in the elocution contest, the debate competition was both for and against in their spoken Tibetan. I felt deeply encouraged and uplifted. This is truly an offering of practice to His Holiness Dalai Lama. I would like to take this opportunity to express my heartfelt gratitude to the teachers and parents.”
He further added, “As the Chinese government continues to implement policies aimed at eradicating the Tibetan language inside Tibet, Tibetans living in free countries must never forget that it is our constant responsibility to preserve our language and identity. However, safeguarding the language requires tireless effort and unwavering dedication from all sides.”
Geshe Thupten Jinpa also urged teachers, saying, “The Tibetan language and script are extremely rich, and teachers must give due attention to teaching students how to read and write in the Tibetan language.” He further added, “Tibetans living in larger communities should maintain harmony among themselves. In particular, it is important to ensure that the younger generation does not fall prey to regional divisions and that the strong sense of unity as one Tibetan people is preserved. This is my hope.”
At the end of the competition held over six categories, 18 prizes, including first, second, and third place from each category, was distributed among seven schools. When the percentages of all six categories were combined, the top prize of this year’s cultural competition was awarded, Namchoe Kyeltsal School of Northern California secured first place, followed by Rignay Kyetsal Ling of Boston in second place, and Chicago Weekend School in third place.
In his closing remarks, Liaison Officer Kunga Tashi emphasised that while rankings are part of any competition, the most important aspect was the confidence and enthusiastic participation shown by the students. He also expressed his gratitude to Losal Kyetsal School and its Parent Association for organising a welcome gathering for over 300 participants, including teachers, parents, and students who took part in the competition.
The organisers expressed their sincere gratitude to all those who contributed to the success of the event, including the Representative of Office of Tibet for his guidance; the Tibet Fund; Phunrab Tenzin Kalsang, owner of Om Voc Tibetan Restaurant; and Deki Shukla for financial support, as well as the teachers, students, parents, volunteers, and staff of the New York and New Jersey Tibetan Community Association.
The competition concluded on a high note, receiving widespread praise and appreciation for its success in promoting Tibetan language, culture, and unity among the Tibetan community in North America.
–Filed by the Office of Tibet, Washington, DC
