By Tsering Tashi
LONDON, 17 June – A rare visual exhibition of contemporary Tibetan history sponsored by The Amaryllis Fleming Foundation and The Prince’s Trust, UK, opened here yesterday at The Art Gallery at 32 Dover Street, amid the soothing chanting of Tibetan Buddhist prayers and performance of lively Tibetan songs and dances by the performing group of the Tibetan Community in UK. The exhibition will last until 27 June (Monday-Friday from 10 am to 6 pm and Saturday from 10 am to 5.30 pm).
The exhibition titled “A Long Look Homeward – Beyond Borders,” consists of photographs, detailed narrative text, and video clips of a journey through Tibet’s history, including the Chinese invasion and occupation, as narrated by eleven members of the Tibetan community in exile. The personal stories, including those of His Holiness the Dalai Lama, who was awarded the Nobel Prize for Peace in 1989 for leading the non-violent Tibetan struggle for freedom, are interwoven with the story of their nation.
“We are lucky to have the monks from the Drepung Loseling Monastery bless the occasion. The idea of this exhibition is intended to provide opportunity for the people to have a better awareness of the Tibetan situation,” said the London Office of Tibet-based Mrs. Kesang Y. Takla, Representative of His Holiness the Dalai Lama for Northern Europe, while addressing a largely mixed audience of English and Tibetan guests.
The group of nearly half a dozen monks from the Tibetan monastery in India arrived UK the previous day to give a series of performances and create the sand Mandala in London and Manchester as a part of their global tour to heal the world, create awareness about the Tibetan cause and raise funds for the monastery.
Mrs. Takla said that under the leadership of His Holiness the Dalai Lama, the Tibetans have continued to follow the path of non-violence to regain their freedom. She appealed for more support to resolve the issue of Tibet especially in the light of the developments following the recently concluded second visit of His Holiness’ representatives to China to hold talks with the Chinese leadership.
“In the face of all the violence in the world and their negative consequences, it is time to give support to the non-violent Tibetan struggle for freedom,” said Mrs. Takla, who also is the chairperson of the Tibet House Trust that together with the Dharamsala-based Tibet Museum has organized this exhibition.
The exhibition is the travelling version of “A Long Look Homeward – Beyond Borders,” permanently housed in the Tibet Museum (Demton Khang) in Dharamsala in northern India, headquarters of the Tibetan government in exile. The development of four travelling exhibitions, all entitled “A Long Look Homeward” was made possible with the generous support from Sarah Ferguson, The Duchess of York, who this morning during an interview with GMTV also took the opportunity to inform the TV programme and viewers about the ongoing exhibition and of her support for the Tibet House Trust.
Speaking on the occasion, Mr. Geoff Richards, Managing Director of the Amaryllis Fleming Foundation, gave some moving and interesting account of Amaryllis Fleming who died on 27 July 1999 and had great regard for His Holiness.
“Debilitated by a stoke in 1993 she turned from Bach to Buddhism and promptly charmed His Holiness the Dalai Lama into giving her a silk scarf and his blessing,” he said of Amaryllis Fleming who following her Prom debut in 1953 became the most celebrated female soloist of the decade and was related to Ian Fleming of ‘James Bond’ fame.
He said that the Amaryllis Fleming Foundation is a charitable trust primarily aimed at supporting the works of His Holiness the Dalai Lama and “in particular supporting the education of Tibetan children in exile and helping to raise awareness of the struggle of the people of Tibet.”
Mr. Dorjee Thinley, Director of Tibet Museum, who had come all the way from India to participate in the exhibition, being shown in UK for the first time, described the contents of the exhibits which he said should be of concern not only to the Tibetan people but also of all mankind.
“The fabric of symbols, visuals and narratives found in this exhibition weave together a collective consciousness of memory, commemoration and hope. Together these combined elements reveal the darkness of invasion and the destruction and horror or oppression. It also sheds light on Tibet’s magnificent past while expressing hopes for its future,” he said.
Mrs. Lobsang C. Samten, Secretary of the Tibet House Trust, thanked the sponsors, staff, volunteers and Mr. Dorjee Thinley for making the exhibition a possibility.
The Tibet House Trust is the official Tibetan charity inaugurated by its patron, His Holiness the Dalai Lama in September 1994. It supports the Tibetan refugees by assisting them with rehabilitation, health, education and developmental works and also promotes projects that facilitate in preserving Tibetan identity and culture. The Tibet Museum (Demton Khang) was established in June 1998 by the Department of Information & International Relations (DIIR) of the Tibetan Government in exile, with the aim of presenting Tibet’s history and visions for its future mainly through texts, photographs and videos. It was officially opened in April 2000 by His Holiness the Dalai Lama, and has since attracted visitors from different parts of India and the world.
