Tsering Dhundup
DHARAMSHALA, Jan. 24: The New York City Council has unanimously passed legislation to suspend Alternate Side Parking (ASP) on Losar, the Tibetan Buddhist New Year, marking an important recognition for the city’s Tibetan community’s cultural traditions on Thursday.
Council Member Julie Won (D-Queens), who represents the 26th Council district in Western Queens, sponsored the bill, which received support from 40 co-sponsors. The legislation, known as Intro 100, will provide ASP relief on Losar, which is the first day of the first month of the Tibetan lunar calendar, which falls on February 28 this year.
“At least 61,000 New Yorkers in my district and across New York City celebrate Losar, the Tibetan Buddhist New Year. My bill to suspend Alternate Side Parking will allow our neighbors to focus on celebrating the new year without disruption or fear of getting towed,” said Council Member Julie Won. “This historic bill is the first ASP holiday that is specific for Buddhists. I am honored to celebrate this milestone with our Tibetan and Himalayan community and honor their sacred traditions and time with their families.”
In a letter from the Office of Tibet, Namgyal Choedup Representative of His Holiness the Dalai Lama and Central Tibetan Administration to North America said, “The suspension of Alternate Side Parking in a city of 8.8 million people in honor of Losar marks the most significant recognition of Tibetan Americans by a municipality in the United States. We extend special thanks to the New York City Council and Council Member Julie Won, the prime sponsor of Intro. 100, for passing this historic legislation.”
Tsering Kelsang, President of the Tibetan Community of New York and New Jersey, while speaking to local media, expressed gratitude for the bill’s passage. “Tibetans came to New York as refugees, and today our most important holiday was recognised by the largest city in America,” Kelsang said. “To see Losar, our Tibetan New Year, recognised by the City of New York is a profound recognition of the tens of thousands of Tibetan New Yorkers.”
The bill’s journey began on Aug. 2, 2024, when Council Member Julie Won first introduced the bill in the city council, and on September 28, around 25 representatives from Tibetan and Himalayan community organisations testified before the City Council. Organisations including the Tibetan Community of New York and New Jersey, the United Sherpa Association, Lo Nyamship Association, and the Walung Community of North America played crucial roles in advocating for the legislation. More than 1,000 Himalayan New Yorkers sent their written testimonies in support.
Tenzin Dorjee, a Columbia University lecturer and Tibet activist, testified that the bill represents more than a parking holiday and is a gesture of respect and inclusion for a community that contributes to the city’s cultural diversity. “By declaring Losar a street cleaning holiday, we are acknowledging the contribution of a diverse community that has given so much to the city,” he stated.
Alternate Side Parking, a street cleaning mechanism in New York City, typically requires residents to move their vehicles on designated days. The new legislation provides an exemption for Losar, allowing community members to celebrate the holiday with their families without worrying about parking restrictions.
The new law adds Losar to the list of holidays where alternate side parking rules are suspended, joining other religious and cultural observances such as Christmas, Eid Ul-Fitr, and Diwali.
