The Italy chapter of Students for a Free Tibet (SFT) successfully held its founding anniversary celebration in Milan. Among the 630 SFT chapters worldwide, the Italy chapter is one of the youngest and has a newly-elected executive board.
The special guests on the occasion, Mrs. Jetsun Pema, president of the Tibetan Children Village schools and Kungoe Tempa Tsering, Representative of H.H. the Dalai Lama at the New Delhi Bureau gave brief speeches and interacted with the Tibetans gathered there. Tibetans from all over Italy attended the celebration despite the bad weather condition.
Mr. Chomphel Gelek, the national corrdinator of SFT Italy in his speech at the beginning of the program said it was very important for the Tibetans to be optimistic and determined in their struggle even in tha face of greatest hardships. “We accept that it is not at all easy to win over the brutal Chinese regime in few days and some even believe, it isn’t going to work but it is not impossible. It requires a huge determination and we have that and we will fight, fight until Tibet is free; even if it enters into the battle of generations, we are ready for it.”
The occasion also saw the formal launch of SFT Italy football team and their team dress. The team will participate in the “Trungkar (Dalai Lama’s birthday) Tournament” in Switzerland from July 6. S.F.T Itlay’s board member, Mr choesang introduced the S.F.T team and their sponsors.
Mr Giuseppe, a representative of the SOYOMBO (Mongolian) association presented a Mongolian painting to S.F.T as a gesture of friendship and goodwill.
Other guests present at the function were Mr Fausto Sporacino, president of the Spartrek Association and the representative of Italia-Tibet association; Mr Piero verni, writer and a journalist who represented the Association solidarity campaign with the Tibetan people and Mrs Deborah Haschke, director of the Tibet House Switzerland.
(With inputs from SFT Italy)
