SANAJY AGGARWAL
DHARAMSHALA; In an important step to boost support for Tibet, more than 20 Members of the European Parliament have formally launched the Friends of Tibet. The event was launched at the European Parliament in Brussels, attended by 7 European Parliament Members and Parliamentary Assistants representing a dozen EU Member States, on a busy day and at the same time as the Holocaust Memorial. Prof. Jalimas, a European Parliament Member from Lithuania and a long-time friend of Tibet, introduced the aims and objectives of the group. He expressed his unwavering commitment to raising awareness of the plight of the Tibetan people and promoting their fundamental rights on the international stage.
In his speech, Prof. Jalimas said the establishment of the European Parliamentary Friends of Tibet is an important step in our ongoing efforts to support the Tibetan cause. We are united in our commitment to advocating for the rights and freedom of the Tibetan people and to make their voices heard in the European Parliament. Rigzin Genkhang, Representative of the Office of Tibet in Brussels, expressed her gratitude to all those present at the event and said that it was a great day for Tibet in the European Parliament. She then gave a brief background on the deteriorating situation inside Tibet, including the recent earthquake in Tibet.
She also spoke about celebrating the 90th birthday of the Dalai Lama as the Year of Compassion. Additionally, Representative Genkhang informed the attendees about the upcoming 9th World Parliamentarians Conference on Tibet to be held in Tokyo in June and requested European Parliament MPs to confirm their participation if they have not already done so. Other European Parliament MPs thanked the Chairperson and the Office of Tibet, Brussels for the invitation to be part of the European Parliament Friends of the Dalai Lama Conference and expressed their readiness to use all means available to bring Tibet back on the agenda of the European Parliament. The launch of the European Parliamentary Friends of Tibet is an important step and will begin its work as soon as it is ready. It is expected that it will become an important voice in the European Parliament for the promotion of peace, human rights and the preservation of Tibet's unique cultural identity.