Inter-school speaking competition held to commemorate Mahatma Gandhi’s birth anniversary

DHARAMSALA, Oct 3: An inter-Tibetan schools speaking cum presentation competition on non-violent movement and youth participation was held on Oct 2 at the community hall here in Mcleod Ganj, Dharamsala.

The event was held in honor of His Holiness the Dalai Lama’s 80th birthday and in commemoration of Mahatma Gandhi’s birth anniversary and international day of non-violence.

Joint Secretary of Central Tibetan Administration’s Education Department, Mr Tsering Samdup was the Chief Guest at the event where, a student each from six Tibetan schools located in Dharamsala and nearby areas delivered their opinion on nonviolent movement, made presentations and answered questions.

The participating schools are: Upper TCV School, Lower TCV School, TCV Gopalpur, TCV Suja, TCV Chauntra and Sambhota Tibetan School, Chauntra.

Participants spoke on the origins and significance of non-violent movement, with some opining that the founder of Jain religion, Mahavira laid the foundations for nonviolence while others stressed that the movement came into prominence and became an active tool against discrimination and repression only in the 20th century, buttressing their arguments by highlighting various non-violent actions adopted by Mahatma Gandhi, Martin Luther King Jr. and His Holiness the Dalai Lama.

After over an hour of thought provoking arguments made by the six participants, a panel of judges declared Lobsang Rabgay of Sambhota Tibetan School, Chauntra as the winner of the competition. Tenzin Dhondup from TCV Suja was the first runners up and the second runners up went to Tsezang from TCV Gopalpur.

The event was organized by Active Nonviolence Education Center, a Dharamsala-based not-for-profit educational organization established on Sept 10, 2006 to promote peace and nonviolence. The center aims to further the message of nonviolence as taught by His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama for the purpose of helping people learn the practicalities of nonviolent living and nonviolent struggle.