Published by: World Tibet Network News Thursday - October 9, 1997

By Tsewang Rinzin, Tibet House Foundation, Budapest

BUDAPEST, October 6 - A two-week long Tibetan Cultural events in Warsaw, Poland, is being organized by the Polish Tibetan Friendship Associatio, in close cooperation with the Polish Parliamentary Forum for Tibet, The Helsinki Foundation for Human Rights and the Office of the Representative of His Holiness the Dalai Lama for Central Eastern Europe and the Baltic States.

There are four Monks from Gyuto Monastery, Bomdila, India; two monks from Namgyal Monastery, Dharamsala, India and one thanka painter from Library of Tibetan Works and Archives, Dharamsala, who are taking part in the exhibition. This is believed to be the first of this scale although there has been sand mandala and butter scupture exhibitions in this region before.

The Tibetan Spiritual artists are holding live exhibition on sculpture with butter by the four Gguto monks, Mandala painiting with sand by the two Namgyal monks and traditional painting by the Thanka Painter in the Center of Modern Art in Warsaw. Members of Parliamentary Forum for Tibet were present at the Inaugural function of the exhibition on 27th September 1997.

Popular interest by the media and the general pulic in these unique Tibetan arts is said to be enormous. This great interest is partly feuled by the fact that the artists were granted Polish visa at the last minute and there were tremendous pressure from the press and human rights groups for the visa. Chinese pressure to the Polish Foreign Ministry was widedly blamed for the none clearance of visa till the last moment for the Tibetan artists who were coming from Dehli, India. They are all travelling on travel documents issued by the government of India for refugees resideing in India.

When asked why the Tibet days, Adam Koziel, the main organizer, desk officer for Tibet at the Helsinki Founation for human rights, and a founding member of the Polish Tibetan Friendship Association said: Since Tibetans under the leadership of His Holiness the Dalai Lama oppose any form of violence in their struggle for freedom, dignity and rights from the communist China, besides truth and justice, the unique culture and religion are the only weapon left for Tibetans. This kind of exhibition is, therefore, for raising international public awarenesss, specially our press and politicians on the effort of His Holiness the Dalai Lama. Although beauty, harmony and the Buddhist message through butter sculpture, sand-manda and sacret painting is important in itself, from our point of view the whole event is first of all, a cry for help for the culture and the nation of Tibet that are ruthlessly persecuted by the Chinese government. If we do not act now, the beauty and wisdom of Tibet , that has tremendous potential

to befefit so many levels, so many beings can be soon lost.

Mr. Adam Koziel disclosed their plan to invite two Tibetans who have served many years in Chinese prisons in Tibet, Ven. Palden Gyatso and Ms Adhi Tape, to tell their story of suffering to the Polish people as part of the Tibet days programme.

Chope Paljor Tseing, Representative of His Holiness the Dalai Lama for this region, will take part in the closing ceremony of the exhibition on 11th Octobert 1997. He is expected to meet memberf the Polish Parliamentary Forum for Tibet and all other friends to discuss future cooperation.