Snow Lion Publications

SNOW LION THE BUDDHIST MAGAZINE & CATALOG

50 Years in Exile: Tibetan Tradition at a Crossroad, Tibet Fund Organizes Year-Long Celebration

In 2009, Tibetans around the world will mark the 50th anniversary of the Tibetan diaspora, the tragic flight into exile of His Holiness the Dalai Lama and 85,000 Tibetans following the failed popular uprising against the Chinese occupation of Tibet in 1959.

With the rebuilding of more than 300 monasteries and nunneries in exile, Tibetan Buddhist and Bon philosophy and practices have been opened to the west and spread to other countries around the world. In just half a century, thousands of Tibetan Buddhist centers and scores of academic programs focused on Tibetan religious studies and modern Tibetan history have been established.

To celebrate the Tibetan refugee community's achievements and the impact of Tibetan culture and religion on the global community over the past 50 years, The Tibet Fund, a nonprofit organization dedicated to the preservation of Tibetan identity and culture, is launching "50 Years in Exile: a Celebration of Tibetan Culture," a year-long public awareness project, on March 10, 2009. This project will encompass a series of programs and events presented by The Tibet Fund and other cultural, Dharma, and academic institutions and will complement the celebration being organized by the Central Tibetan Administration in Dharamsala, India.

His Holiness the Dalai Lama in NYC, May 3, 2009
50 Years in Exile will feature "Wisdom and Compassion for Challenging Times," a dialogue with His Holiness the Dalai Lama at Town Hall in New York City on Sunday, May 3, 2009. The dialogue will provide an opportunity for His Holiness to reflect on the role of cultural and religious values in addressing the monumental problems facing humanity today. A discussion of the Tibetan refugee experi-ence will provide insight on the particular issues that displaced and marginalized people everywhere experience in sustaining identity and the cohesiveness of their communities.

Conference at Columbia University, October 2009
A Conference is planned in collaboration with Robert Barnett, Adjunct Professor of Columbia's Modern Tibetan Studies program and Professor Robert Thurman, Jey Tsong Khapa Professor of Indo-Tibetan Buddhist Studies. The Conference will bring together Tibetans who were intimately involved in the resettlement process in the early years and scholars of Tibetan studies, religion, education, history, anthropology, cultural studies, and international development.

Collaborative Programs and the Year-Long Campaign
The Tibet Fund has invited other institutions such as Tibet House and the Rubin Museum of Art in New York City to promote their programs in connection with the 50 Years in Exile project. The Rubin Museum will present "Family Day Tibet!" in May, 2009, a day-long program of workshops and performances.

The Tibet Fund has also created a dedicated website for the project—www.50yearsinexile.org—that will highlight the programs of cultural and Dharma organizations around the world. For more information, contact:

50years@tibetfund.org
Tel: 212-213-5011