New York, October 17 – Mrs. Jetsun Pema, President of the Tibetan Children’s Villages, successfully concluded a two-week speaking tour of Mexico, Chile, Argentina and Brazil.
The tour was organized by the exile Government’s Liaison Officer for Latin America, Mr. Tsewang Phuntso, in collaboration with the Casa Tibet Mexico, Coporacion Cultural Tibetana Chile, Kagyu Tekchen Choling and Dongyuling Drukpa Kagyu Center of Argentina and Association Palas Athena of Brazil. Mr. Tsewang Phuntso accompanied Mrs. Pema during her Latin American tour.
Mrs. Pema started her tour in Mexico City on October 3. During her three-day stay in Mexico City, she gave talks to two very important public universities [National Autonomous University of Mexico and Universidad Autonoma Metropolitana]. She also gave four other public talks. Her talks in Mexico City were attended by more than 1,500 people.
She also gave exclusive interviews to Mexico’s fur national television channels, Televisa, TV Azteca, Monitor and Channel 22.
Apart from the talks and media interviews, she also met with the wife of the Governor of Mexico State, Mrs. Monica Pretelini, National Director of SOS Children’s Village of Mexico, Mrs. Fernanda Illescas Herrera, and Director and executive members of the Foundation of Mexico Children, Foundation Tarahumara Jose A. Llaguno, and Foundation for Peace.
In the Capital of Chile, Santiago, Mrs. Jetsun Pema gave a talk at the School of Social Science of the University of Chile, School of Integral Formation (which helps students to develop integrated development of spiritual, cultural and physical aspects) of the University of Americas and Culture Center of Providencia. Her talks at the three different venues were attended by over 700 people.
Mrs. Pema also gave exclusive interviews to the “El Mercurio”, Chile’s conservative national daily which enjoys the largest circulation, and “Uno Mismo”, a monthly journal circulated simultaneously in Chile and Argentina.
Mrs. Pema visited one of the SOS Children Villages of Chile located in Macul in the outskirts of Santiago City; and also had a informal gathering with the leaders of the Buddhist community of Chile.
In Buenos Aires, the Capital of Argentina, Mrs. Jetsun Pema gave two talks at the Fundacion Navarro Viola organized by three organizations, Proyecto 3 milenio, Mil Milenios de Paz and the Foro del Sector Social, for the educators and the leaders of the NGOs involved with the education of underprivileged children in Argentina. She also addressed a gathering organized by the Buddhist Community of Buenos Aires. She gave another talk at the Foundation Martinez Bouquet.
Mrs. Pema gave an exclusive interviews to the Television Infinito, “La Nacion”, a biggest national daily of Argentina, and People Magazine.
In Sao Paulo, the biggest city of Brazil, Mrs. Pema gave a talk to 500 teachers, social workers and social program coordinators of Sao Paulo at the City Hall. The talk was jointly organized by the Municipality of Sao Paulo in collaboration with the Association Palas Athena.
Another talk given was to a group of 400 teachers, social workers, and social program coordinators of Region of Cotia and Caucaia do Alto, in the outskirts of Sao Paulo City, and teachers and staff members of Universidad Livre Budista (Free Buddhist University) affiliated with Zu Lai Temple, the biggest Chinese Mahayana Buddhist Monastery in Brazil. She also visited Sithardha School run by the Zu Lai Temple and met with Rev. Sinceridade and Dr. Chang Sheng Kai of the Temple.
Mrs. Pema and Tsewang Phuntso returned to New York on the morning of October 16, 2005.
“Educating Underprivileged Children: Tibetan Experience”, “A Tibetan Approach to Wholesome Child Development,” and “Educating Tibetan Children” were the three themes of her speaking tour.
