Tibetan language classes – Fall 2009

The language classes have started up again. We meet every second Sunday (i.e. two times per month), next class is Sunday, September 27th.

Tibetans perform at Multicultural concert in Oslo

The Tibetan Community of Norway performed at the Bjerke Mela on August 30th, together with participants from the Indian, Tamil, Nigerian and Pakistani commuity among others. Food from many different countries were served. The event was covered in the local newspaper. The event was organized by Camalini, a NGO working for cultural pluralism in Oslo and received support from the City of Oslo.

Who should be the next Tibetan Prime Minister in 2011?

Eleven pre-selected candidates are all capable tibetans that have proven their inspirational and leadership skills. They live in three different continents (Asia, United States and Europe), represent three provinces of Tibet, and both lay and monastic traditions.

*Update*  Tashi Wangdi has requested to be removed from this list, he encourages everyone to support the “upcoming younger generation” of Tibetan candidates for the Kalon Tripa position. We have now removed his name from the list (he had recieved 17 votes at the time of removal). Read more about this in the comments section.

See YouTube video on the eleven pre-selected candidates (alfabetic):
Arjia Rinpoche, Buchung Tsering, Gyari Dolma, Kunga Tashi, Lhadon Tethong, Lobsang Nyandak, Lobsang Sangay, Ngapa Tsegyam, Penpa Tsering,  Tempa Tsering, Tenzin Namgyal Tethong

You can nominate/endorse candidates at the official website

HH Dalai Lamas birthday

His Holiness Dalai Lamas birthday was celebrated at the Karma Tashi Ling Buddhist Centre on Monday July 6th. It started with a prayer ceremony and putting up new prayer flags at 11 am.  In the evening was folk dancing, a second prayer ceremony, which included acoustic music by Norwegian buddhists. Dinner was served at 6 pm.

We celebrate HH Dalai Lamas birthday on our blog by playing an orchestra version of two tibetan songs; The songs are performed by students of the San José Youth Chamber Orchestra with members of the San José Chamber Orchestra. Here are some alternate versions of the same songs with lyrics; Blue Lake/Tso Ngongpo (written by Dhondrub Gyal/Chopathar W. Mache)  Snow Lion of Peace/Zhiwai Gangseng (Written by Techung).

Meeting with Chitue Sonam Frasi

On May 28th, the Tibetan Community in Norway met with Chitue Sonam Frasi (Tibetan parliament member for Europe). He informed about different issues regarding school and health among Tibetans in India. After his presentation we had a fruitful and open discussion. The community also conveyed several suggestions and ideas to the Chitue.

One of the suggestion was that Tibetan democracy could be strenghtened if the Election Commission in Dharamsala establish an official website for the final Kalon Tripa (Prime minister) candidates. The website should function as a platform for the candidates to present their candidature and views to the Tibetan people. The final candidates should also be funded over the government budget to enable them to conduct an election campaign.

Annual meeting 2009

The annual meeting was held 6.30pm on May 24th. The activities of 2008 were presented together with finances and the new plans for summer/fall 2009.

2009 membership fee of kr. 200,- can be transfered to our community’s bankaccount: 1503.0953948
(Remember to state the name(s) in the comment field when transfering by internet bank)

Tibetan in Norwegian TV program

Tenzin Kalsang, a Tibetan living in Norway is covered in the latest episode of the Norwegian TV program “Migrapolis” where the topic is about people who cannot return to their country. See news article here.

LOSAR (Tibetan New Year) is marked with prayers

Saturday, March 28th, around approx. 20 tibetans gathered at Karma Tashi Ling Buddhist Center in Oslo to hold prayers. Afterwards, a common vegatarian meal was served. Tibetans in Norway did not celebrate LOSAR, the traditional Tibetan new year, due to the sufferings of the Tibetans in Tibet in the last year. The prayer gathering was covered on the frontpage of the Norwegian newspaper, Klar Tale. The article is also available in audio (in Norwegian).

Tibetan language classes for Spring 2009

*UPDATED*

We have three types of language classes:
1. Beginners who don’t know spoken or written tibetan
2. Beginners (Children/Youth) who understand a little bit
3. Beginners (Youth/Adult) who focus on reading and writing

We also plan to have some dancing lessons by special dancing teachers! We hope you can attend!

Time: 11.00-14.00

Date:

Sunday, 01.February
Sunday, 01.March
Sunday, 05.April
Sunday, 26.April
Sunday, 07.June

If there are changes in these dates, we will send out an e-mail notification.

Place:  Kirkegaten 5, 0153 Oslo (see map) 5 minutes walk from Oslo Sentralstation.

Norwegian PEN awards 2008 Ossietzky price to Tibetan in Norway

We congratulate Chungdak Koren for receiving the Norwegian PENs Ossietzky price for 2008 on November 15th. She was awarded the price for her work for Human Rights of Tibetan people inside Tibet in Norway. Prof. Francis Sejersted also recieved the price for his work for freedom speech case,  in both institution-Free Speech foundation and the Nobel Committee.

The chairman of Norwegian PEN, Anders Heger said “The recipients of this year’s  prize have demonstrates each in its own way the importance of the free word, and shows through many years hard work on freedom of speech and have defend it”.