Tibet.Net
London: The formal ceremony of the Tibet national flag-raising event was held on Sunday, 24th April 2022, inside the Nipponzan Myohoji Buddhist temple in Milton Keynes, located 50 miles northwest of London. This is the ninth year in a row that the Tibet national flag-raising event is observed by a local resident Ms Catherine Mostyn Scott and her team of dedicated volunteers.
Ms Catherine Mostyn Scott hosted more than 80 people inside the temple for the event, in the presence of its first citizen Councillor, Mohammed Khan, the Mayor of Milton Keynes, and briefly explained the importance of the annual flag-raising event, citing the 2022 Freedom House report, which ranked Tibet as the world's least free country, with the lowest freedom score when compared to Syria and other countries in the world.
Representative Sonam Tsering Frasi, Mayor and Mayoress of Milton Keynes, Tenzin Zeydhan, Office of Tibet employees, sister Maruta, a temple nun, Tenzin Kunga and Namgyal Tarab from Free Tibet, Catherine's family, and local citizens in MK attended the occasion.
Representative Frasi addressed the ceremony, thanking the Mayor and Mayoress, Catherine's family, sister Maruta, and other participants for their presence and support, and urged them to keep it up.
He drew a parallel between what happened in Ukraine this year and what happened in Tibet in 1950, claiming that the crises were strikingly similar.
“Holding this flag-raising event is such a huge inspiration for Tibetans inside Tibet and for the continuation of Tibetans identity for the generations to come. As we believe that the truth should prevail in the end. The national identity symbolised by this flag will carry on with the Tibetans”, the Representative added.
The Mayor of MK expressed his gratitude for being invited and, in the meantime, conveyed his personal narrative as a Bangladeshi and the challenges his people had endured in their quest for independence.
“Fighting for freedom and having your flags standing tall is one of the best things in the world one can have,” he said and further added, “many occupations happening in the world and as the first citizen of MK where 75 different languages are being spoken and with every people living side by side so peacefully, I like to state to all the occupying countries that freedom is there for everyone”.
He expressed his gratitude for the opportunity to support and stand in a calm location in a peaceful demonstration as the mayor of MK, and he pledged his continued support.
During the event, Tenzin Kunga from Free Tibet addressed the gathering on the current situation in Tibet and also highlighted about 11th Panchen Lama’s 33rd birth anniversary and his enforced disappearance.
Sister Maruta in her address said “civilisation is not about having electric lights or Aeroplanes or nuclear bombs, Civilisation is not to kill people, not destroy things and not making war. Civilisation is to hold mutual affection and respect each other. Today we stand together to honour the civilisation of Tibet, the spirit of Tibet and the identity of Tibet”.
Office of Tibet, London presented the Mayor and Catherine a book on the 11th Panchen Lama titled “Tiber’s Stolen Child” to spread awareness about the 11th Panchen Lama.
(Information Supplied by Tibet.net)
By Team TRC