APPEALS

The Tibetan Alliance Blue Book Project

Tibetans have a living culture that is slowly dying. Tibet’s unique culture and religion is systematically being destroyed, and is in danger of being lost forever.

This is a crucial and promising time for the people of Tibet. The release of major motion pictures about Tibet, the Tibetan Freedom Concerts and the Tibetan Folklife Festival, as well as the newly established and expanded Tibet support groups throughout the world have increased awareness of their plight. The knowledge that others are firmly committed to their peaceful struggle, and that together they are raising their voices in protest, is an important source of strength for the Tibetan people.

Ultimately though, the survival of the Tibetans as a people and Tibet as a nation depends on the strength of the Central Tibetan Administration (CTA) in India, headed by HH the Dalai Lama. The CTA was established in 1959 to serve the needs of Tibetan refugees - from health care and education, to the establishment and maintenance of the settlement camps. Through the years the CTA has expanded and developed a strong and thorough infrastructure, with many departments to cover the various requirements of the refugee community and Tibet s a whole. This strong infrastructure allows the CTA to give Tibetans an institution they can look to for support and strength.

However, the continuous expansion of the Tibetan refugee community is placing a major strain on the CTA, and it is now facing grave financial difficulties.

One can find the essence of Tibetan religion and culture only in the exiled refugee community. Without this community, the traditions and culture of Tibet will be lost. Because of the CTA, Tibetans have a voice and a united community. Without a strong Central Tibetan Administration, Tibetans will scatter and their culture will die. Without a strong CTA there is no hope for Tibet.

To save the living Tibetan culture from dying, it is absolutely necessary to support and strengthen the CTA in any way possible. We must all join together to do this - both Tibetans and their supporters. This is why the Tibetan Solidarity Alliance (the Blue Book project) has been formed.

The Tibet Fund is the parent organization of the Tibetan Solidarity Alliance (TSA), a group of Tibet supporters who have joined to bolster the vision and works of HH the Dalai Lama and the Central Tibetan Administration. The Blue Book project was developed as a vehicle for members of the Tibetan Solidarity Alliance to directly support the Tibetan struggle.

The Blue Book is patterned after the Tibetan Green Book, through which Tibetans make a voluntary contribution to the CTA. Tibetans living outside the Indian subcontinent currently donate $96 a year to the CTA through their Green Book. Money received through the Blue Book project has been used to benefit the lives of Tibetan living in exile. It supports the rehabilitation of refugees, health care, education, promotion of democracy and human rights, and helps to preserve the unique culture of the Tibetan people. The Blue Book project has its own, separate bank account, and 100% of funds received for this project directly benefit the CTA.

To join the Tibetan Solidarity Alliance and become a holder of the Blue Book, please send your inquiry to:

The Tibet Fund Blue Book Project
Att. Caroline Finnegan
241 East 32^nd Street
New York, NY 10016

Please make all checks payable to the Tibet Fund, and note on your check that the funds are to be used for the Blue Book project.

When we receive this, we will issue you a personalized Blue Book, validated with stamps depicting traditional Tibetan art. With each future contribution you make to the Blue Book project, we will send you validation stamps to place in your personal Blue Book. The Blue Book itself is a bound booklet with a blue finish cover with the seal of Tibet stamped in gold. Inside, there is space for your photograph and address. It is a very attractive book, and a proud symbol of your commitment to preserving the culture and heritage of Tibet.

The Blue Book is one of the most effective ways for an individual to support the Tibetan people. It is a symbol of the donor's solidarity with the Tibetan struggle, and a firm commitment to improving the lives of Tibetan refugees.

Please visit our webpage at www.tibetfund.org for further information about the Tibet Fund, or to make a donation using your credit card. Please make checks payable to the Tibet Fund. The Tibet Fund was established in 1981, with the guidance of HH the Dalai Lama, and is dedicated to supporting and strengthening the Tibetan communities, both inside Tibet and in exile, through programs in health, education, and economic and community development. Since its inception, Tibet Fund has grown into the principal fundraising organization for the Tibetan people. The Tibet Fund is a non-profit 501(c)(3) charitable rganization. Accordingly, all contributions are tax deductible to the extent allowed by law.