Staff Reporter
July 8, 2022
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Washington DC: The Office of Tibet-DC, International Campaign for Tibet (ICT) and Capital Area Tibetan Association (CATA) jointly celebrated His Holiness the Dalai Lama’s 87th birthday at the Office on the evening of July 6th. The birthday celebration, also auspiciously referred to as Trunglha Yarsol in Tibetan, is a day celebrated by Tibetans, friends of Tibet and the followers of His Holiness all over the world.
U.S Special Coordinator for Tibetan Issues Under Secretary Uzra Zeya was the chief guest of the event. Czech Ambassador Hynek Kmonicek and Kasur Kriti Rinpoche are other guests of honor. Offering her greetings on the occasion, Under Secretary Zeya recalled her recent meeting with His Holiness the Dalai Lama and expressed her commitment to the human rights and religious freedom of the Tibetan people. Czech Kmonicek highlighted the deep connection and support the Czech people have for the Tibetan people because of similar historical experiences of living next to a big neighbour and recalled his own personal connection to His Holiness the Dalai Lama through diplomatic interactions when he was the ambassador in India. Kasur Kirti Rinpoche thanked the Under Secretary and others for their support to the Tibetan cause and urged everyone for their continued support to realise the dream of Tibetan people inside Tibet to reunite with His Holiness the Dalai Lama.
Representative Namgyal Choedup welcomed all the guests, offered greetings on the occasion, and spoke about the ever growing relevance of His Holiness’s message of oneness of humanity, cultivation of warmheartedness and mindfulness.
The evening birthday reception was also attended by other special guests Kasur Tenzin Tethong from VoA Tibetan Services, Shingsa Rinpoche from Ragya Mahayana Buddhist Center, Virginia, U.S Senate Committee on Foreign Relation Senior Official Michael Schiffer, United States Agency for International Development’s Head of Asia Anjali Kaur, staffers from the Hill and State Department, and many friends of Tibet.
ICT Deputy Interim President Tenchoe Gyatso emceed the event. Former TIPA artist Karma Gyatso from Capital Area Tibetan Association and singer Dawa Rinchen from New York performed songs dedicated to His Holiness.
-Report filed by Office of Tibet, Washington-DC
U.S Special Coordinator for Tibetan Issues Under Secretary Uzra Zeya
Kasur Kriti Rinpoche
Czech Ambassador Hynek Kmonicek
Representative of His Holiness the Dalai Lama to North America Namgyal Choedup
