The Tibetan settlement of Majnu ka Tilla was lit up with sound and lights as the Tibetan Youth Congress celebrated the 110th anniversary of the 13th Dalai Lama’s proclamation of reaffirmation of Tibet’s independence with the Rangzen (Freedom) Concert.
The concert saw performances by both Indian and Tibetan artists, with the latter performing in their native Lhasa and Bhodi dialects.
Rangzen has been celebrated across the world since 1996. It is mostly organised to drum up support for the cause of Tibetan independence. It is also an opportunity for the people of the host town to witness Tibetan culture and traditions.
“Tibetans showcase their independent lifestyle and freedom they enjoy while being outside of Tibet as compared to the lifestyle of Tibetans in occupied Tibet,” Gonpo Dhundup, president of the Tibetan Youth Congress, said.
“The programme focuses on Tibetan culture and their aspiration for independence,” he said.
Talking about the details, Dhundup told The New Indian, “This is the first time the Tibetan Youth Congress has organised the Rangzen concert. It has a rich history across the world. This festival had six artist groups from Dharamshala and Ladakh and also some college students.”
“The festival is organised to commemorate the historic moment of January 1913, when the 13th Dalai Lama declared that Tibet was an independent nation,” Dhundup explained.
In 1949, Communist China occupied Tibet. The freedom concert is a way to remember the revolt, the loss of lives, the destruction of monasteries and the Tibetans who have been imprisoned.
The Tibetan Youth Congress, is a worldwide organisation of Tibetans united in a common struggle for the restoration of complete independence for the whole of Tibet, which includes the traditional three provinces of U-Tsang, Do-toe, and Do-med.
An independent organisation, with a written constitution and its own plans and programs, the Tibetan Youth Congress has emerged as the largest and most active non-governmental organisation of Tibetans in exile. It has more than 38,000 members worldwide.