Tibet Awareness Programmes in South America/ENG

2012. április 11./CTA/TibetPress

Tibet Awareness Programmess in Chile
A series of Tibet awareness programmes was recently held from 28 March to 1 April in both Santiago, the capital of Chile, as well as in Valdivia, the capital of Chile’s Los Ríos Region in South and also home for several public and private universities including the Universidad Austral de Chile (UACh) which is one of Chile’s seven original Chilean Traditional Universities.

On the evening of 28 March, a panel discussion was held in Café Literario Balmaceda, a cultural and literary hub of Providencia neighborhood of Santiago city and the panelist included AnaMaria Clasing, Tsewang Phuntso, and Aloma Sellanes (the author of the book, “Los Latinamericanos y el Tibet”).  The panel discussion focused on the content of Aloma Sellanes book, the Latin Americans and Tibet. Aloma gave a very passionate presentation about the Tibet situation and her commitment to the Tibet issue, which won the heart of many in the audience. More than 60 people attended the event. The panel discussion was preceded by a short video presentation on the current situation in Tibet including a wave of self-immolations that occurred there.

On 29 March, another panel discussion was held at Centro de Estudios Levinia Manfredini to discuss about the current situation in Tibet. The panelists include Mr Fernando Salinas Manfredini (President ANCECE A.G), Tsewang Phuntso, and Aloma Sellanes. The panel discussion was preceded with a short power-point background presentation on the Tibet issue by Ana Maria Clasing. More than 70 people attended the panel discussion. Many in the audience took keen interest and asked many questions. At the end of the discussion, several people in the audience opinioned that the situation demands that there should be more events supporting the Tibet issue organised in Chile, particularly in Santiago City.

On 31 March, Aloma Sellanes and Tsewang Phuntso visited Valdivia City in Southern Chile and gave a presentation on the current situation in Tibet at the Universidad Austral de Chile.  This is the first time, the Tibet issue is formally discussed in this city. The event was organised by the Amigos del Tibet (Brigitte Leisinger) in collaboration with Libros Chiloe’s proprietor, Mr Jorge Castillo.

More than 35 people attended the presentation including several professors and staff members from the University. The people who attended the presentation showed keen interest on the issue and asked many questions. Mr Castillo and his assistant, Mrs Roxana Andueza, and her husband, Mr Luis Sanchez, who is the chief of cabinet of the university’s Rector, were specially moved and have assured their co-operation to organise Tibet awareness programmess in future in the city.

On 1 April, before Aloma and Tsewang left for Santiago from Valdivia, Aloma Sellanes gave a long interview with Diario Austral, the largest circulated newspaper of the Los Ríos Region and Valdivia City highlighting the content of her book, the Latin Americans and Tibet as well as current situation in Tibet. The interview was published in the newspaer on 4 April.

Tibetan Cultural Evening in Florianopolis
On 4 April 2012, a Tibetan Cultural Evening was organised in Teatro Alvaro de Carvalho of Florinopolis, the capital city of Santa Catarina state in the Southern region of Brazil, in collaboration with the Tibet Cultural Center of Florianopolis.  The programmes included photo exhibition, the presentation of Tibetan folk songs by Ogen Shak, a lone Tibetan living in Southern Brazil, and the poetry readings of Milarepa’s songs by Jorge Luiz Hoffmann and Francine Canto as well as the presentation of Indian classical dance and Sitar play by Yasmin Meera and Mit Mujalli. The evening attracted a huge crowd and filled the theater. The cultural evening was widely covered by the local media and especially Ogen Shak and Cerys Tramontini appeared the next day for exclusive TV interview in two different TV channels.