New Website and Blog!

Please visit www.SFT-Canada.org for the brand new SFT Canada Website and Blog, where you can find updates on our work, our current campaigns and ways to take action!

Lobby for Tibet this May 2nd and 3rd!

From Tibet Lobby Day in 2011 - Jigdel Kuyee, Tenzin Wangkhang and Jigme Duntak with MP David Sweet, who co-sponsored the resolution to award His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama with an Honorary Canadian Citizenship.

Lobby for Tibet this May 2nd and 3rd!

Next Month, during the 2nd and 3rd of May, Tibetans and Tibet supporters will be on Parliament Hill lobbying our representatives to take action for Tibet! We will be following a very important ‘World Parliamentarians Convention on Tibet’ in Ottawa, and therefore this is a key meeting to urge concrete action from our Parliamentarians for Tibet. If you would like to join in on the lobby, please email canada@studentsforafreetibet.org or call 647 637 1810.

The lobbying workshop to prepare for this event will take place in Toronto on April 30, Monday at 4:00 pm and headed by Harvey Cooper, a professional lobbyist, and Tenzin CK, from Rob Anders’ office. All participants are suggested to attend this important rehearsal prior to the meetings.

Lhamo Tso speaks – The trials of a political prisoner’s wife

This April the 30th at 5:30 pm, join us at Parkdale Library as we host Lhamo Tso on her Canada-wide speaking tour campaigning for the release of her husband Dhondup Wangchen. Lhamo Tso will be speaking about her life in Tibet, the events that led to Dhondup Wangchen’s arrest and the current challenges she faces in his absence, with her four children, after her escape to India.

Dhondup Wangchen was imprisoned in Tibet in March 2008 for “inciting subversion”, as Chinese authorities put it. All he did was share, through film recording, Tibetan people’s opinions and genuine concerns about the eradication of their culture and identity in their own land by the oppressive regime that is China. At the time, ahead of the Beijing Olympics, China boasted of a content populace and unprecedented development in occupied areas like Tibet.

Please attend to show support, and find out ways in which we can help secure an early release, and most importantly an early reunion for Dhondup Wangchen with his wife and four children.

Date: 30th April 2012, at 5:30 pm
Location: Parkdale Public Library, at 1303 Queen Street West
Program:  A screening of Leaving Fear Behind, followed by Lhamo Tso’s talk and Q&A
Contact: Urgyen Badheytsang, at 647 637 1810 or ugen@studentsforafreetibet.org

 

This April 28, 10 am at the Ottawa Civic Centre, there will be a public talk by His Holiness The 14th Dalai Lama, organized by the Canada Tibet Committee. We’ll see you there!

Students for a Free Tibet nominated for the 16th Annual J.S. Woodsworth Award

J.S. Woodsworth Award Nomination, signed by Andrea Horwath, Ontario New Democratic Party Leader.

Last week, on the 21st of March, the Annual J.S. Woodsworth Awards Ceremony took place on the International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination at St. Lawrence Lounge. M.P.P. Cheri DiNovo nominated Students for a Free Tibet during this event for our work, and in her words:

“This phenomenal group of young people from all nationalities… have helped make a movement for Tibetan freedom a worldwide cause and have helped organize many demonstrations at Queen’s Park and Ottawa.”

Ontario New Democratic Party Leader Andrew Horwath speaking at the J.S. Woodsworth Awards Ceremony

Tenzin Lobsang Wangkhang, the former National Director of SFT Canada, attended this event and accepted the nomination on behalf of SFT Canada. She, as the others before her, had put in tremendous hard work and effort in the past two years advocating, campaigning and leading the Student organization in our work for Tibet. Although SFT Canada didn’t win, we are honoured to have been nominated by M.P.P. Cheri DiNovo at this amazing Awards Ceremony that recognizes individuals and organizations that stand for truth, justice and freedom for all people regardless of their backgrounds, upbringing, culture or race.

Former National Director Tenzin Lobsang, and SFT members Tsering Dolma and Youdon Khangsar accept the award on behalf of SFT Canada

To read a personal account by Tenzin Lobsang Wangkhang, please read her Lhakar Diaries entry.

SFT Victoria Holds Rally for Tibet

Report from SFT Victoria by our very own Bazzi Irvine:

This year we held our annual rally in coordination with Canada Tibet Committee Victoria and the Tibetan Association of Vancouver Island. We were fortunate to have a delegation of Tibetans take the ferry over from Vancouver to join us and bolster our numbers. The event began in Centennial Square in Downtown Victoria where the ‘Runners of Compassion’ entered the square after a flag run beginning at Mile 0 of the Trans-Canada highway. By the time we had all gathered together and picked up our placards and banners, the sun had come out to greet us.

We set off down Government Street towards our destination of the BC Provincial Legislative Assembly handing out leaflets and chanting the whole way. Many tourists and locals were out enjoying the weather and lined up to see us walk past. Our numbers grew to more than 60 people and we took up a whole city block from end to end of our procession.

At the Legislature students from local Highschools and the University unfurled a giant Tibetan Flag while speeches were given. The city of Victoria declared March 10th ‘Tibet Day’, and members of government sent words for the demonstrators. Denise Savoie – NDP MP for Victoria, who for years has joined us in the March to the Legislative Assembly sent a statement of support to be read. Elizabeth May, local MP and Leader of the Federal Green Party also sent a letter to encourage everyone who came.

Speeches were made by the director of the Vancouver Tibetan Association, Journalist Terry Glavin, Bazzi from SFT and CTC Victoria head Judy Tethong.

We had a successful event with lots of students showing up to lend their support. Many of us in Victoria will be joining the Vancouver demonstration this Saturday, March 10th.

Thanks for everyone who volunteered for our Victoria event. Free Tibet!

- Bazzi Irvine

This March 10, join us in the streets for Tibet!

This March 10, Be in the Streets for Tibet!More than 25 Tibetans have self-immolated in Tibet since 2009. Monks and nuns, 18 years old to 42 years old, have sacrificed their bodies and lives for the sake of freedom in Tibet, and called for the return of the Dalai Lama his birthplace.
Tibetans inside Tibet need you now more than ever!This is a critical period in our movement. China’s response to these tragic circumstances has been to increase their brutality and oppression. Monasteries are locked down, Tibetans are indiscriminately detained and tortured; all under the cloak of secrecy as China closes Tibet to any media scrutiny.

In Vancouver

1pm – Rally at Vancouver Art Gallery, 750 Hornby Street, Vancouver (Robson Street Side/South side) – speeches, anthem, prayers, street theater
2pm – March from the Vancouver Art Gallery to Chinese Consulate at 3380 Granville St
3pm to 5pm – Rally at the Consulate

In Toronto
Join us at 9:30 am in front of Parkdale Collegiate Institute. We will begin from there, march along Queen Street West towards Yonge, and then north to Dundas Square, where we will have the remainder of the event until 4 pm.

In Calgary
Please gather in front of City hall 12:00pm , protesters will march until Chinese Consulate. City Hall – 800 Macleod Trail SE; Chinese Consulate – 100-1011 6 Ave SW

Sign the pledge online to stand up for Tibet at www.StandUpforTibet.org