First, on behalf of everyone at Bay Area Friends of Tibet,
Losar la Tashi Delek! Happy New Year!
Best wishes for the new Iron Tiger Year!
Please take the Tibetan New Year, which starts on February 14, to enjoy your freedoms and raise the Tibetan flag. Also, the White House recently announced that President Obama will be meeting with the Dalai Lama in Washington DC next week on February 18. See the message below from the International Tibet Support Network and please take the time to send President Obama a letter or postcard at this new beginning time!
Again, best wishes,
Giovanni, Barbara, Diane, Benina, Jamyong, Tsering, Dave, & Jamyang
BAFoT
www.Friends-of-Tibet.org
Dear Friends,
As you will have no doubt seen, yesterday the White House confirmed that the meeting between the Dalai Lama and US President Obama will take place on February 18.
We would like to let you know that letters and postcards to President Obama can be downloaded from a new website www.ihearttibet.org. (Click on the Dalai Lama to meet President Obama link, or go to http://ihearttibet.org/?page_id=78). On this page people can also leave a message for President Obama.
www.ihearttibet.org is a very simple, non-branded website which is a dedicated on line space for all Tibet groups and their supporters to share thoughts, messages and pledges on why they support Tibet. Currently the site includes information, writings and musings on the uniqueness and strength of Tibetan identity, a message board for Tibetans and supporters to pledge their support for Tibet.
If you would like us to add a link to your own website please do let us know by emailing campaigns@tibetnetwork.org
Whatever you have decided to do for Losar, please take action for His Holiness' meeting with President Obama, and please encourage all your friends, supporters and members of the public to sign a petition for Tenzin Delek Rinpoche. (email jigme@tibetnetwork.org if you want petition sheets, or the petition can be signed online at http://www.freetibetanheroes.org/home.php/profiles/tenzin-delek-rinpoche/petition.
ITSN Secretariat.
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The International Tibet Support Network (ITSN) is a global coalition of Tibet-related non-governmental organisations. Its purpose is to maximise the effectiveness of the worldwide Tibet movement, which is dedicated to ending human rights violations in Tibet and to working actively to restore the Tibetan people's right under international law to determine their future political, economic, social, religious and Cultural status.
ITSN pursues its goals by working to increase the capacity of individual Member Organisations, through the coordination of strategic campaigns and by increased cooperation among organizations, thereby strengthening the Tibet movement as a whole. See www.tibetnetwork.org for more information.
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ALSO from the local Northern California Tibetan Community:
The Bay Area Tibetan community invites Tibet supporters to join with them in observing Losar, the start of the Iron Tiger Year 2137. Traditional ceremonies and a vegetarian potluck will be hosted by the Tibetan Association of Northern California.
WHERE: Berkeley Adult School, on 1701 San Pablo (between Virginia & Delaware), Berkeley, CA 94701 - (moved from Marina due to bad weather forecast on Sunday)
WHEN: 10:00AM sharp, Sunday, February 14th
WHAT: Traditional Losar rituals and ceremonies (TANC will serve traditional desi, khapseys and tea), followed by a vegetarian potluck and signing Losar Pledge Cards.
In light of the ongoing struggle and suffering inside Tibet today, we invite supporters to join our local TIbetan community members and Tibetans around the world in making a Losar Pledge. Each individual will have the opportunity to make a pledge specifying a weekly or daily action that they will take on behalf of Tibet.
For example:
“This Losar 2137, I pledge to honor my Tibetan heritage and wear chuba once every week. It will be my "Tibetan Wednesday", my day of remembrance of my culture, my people, and our struggle.”- Tenzin Dolkar
We will also distribute Losar postcards to be signed and sent to our local representatives and to President Obama, encouraging them to take concrete action for Tibet. This is especially important now, as the President prepares to meet with His Holiness the Dalai Lama on February 18th at the White House.
Now, more than ever, TIbetans must come together as a community to renew our Tibetan identity and our struggle for freedom....We need your support!