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the liberation of Tibet from Chinese occupation. |
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NEWSLETTER, WINTER 2002
USM to Present Tibet Exhibit and Related Activities The USM Art Gallery will present a major exhibit of Tibetan art in Gorham from January 24 - March 9, 2002. Carolyn Eyler, Director of Exhibitions and Programs at USM, has told Maine Friends of Tibet that the exhibit, entitled "When Horses Have Wings: Tibetan Artists in Exile", features work by Tibetan artists who have fled Chinese repression in Tibet to practice their traditions in India and the West. It includes beautifully stylized prints and paintings depicting Buddhist subjects by Sonam Choephel, an artist well known in India and Nepal, as well as expressive works by some emerging artists who are his former students. For the first two weeks of the exhibit, Tibetan artist Lobsang Samten will be in the gallery making a sand mandala, an intricate design representing the universe.
The exhibition will include the following special events:
The artwork exhibited will be for sale and all proceeds will be contributed without commission to the artists and their art school. Maine Friends of Tibet has a made a significant contribution to the framing of the paintings to enhance their sale value and increase the benefit to the Tibetan artists. We encourage all those interested in Tibet to attend this important event being organized in support of the preservation of Tibetan culture. For more information regarding the exhibit and related activities, call Carolyn Eyler at 780-5008. 
Tibetan Policy Act To Be Considered by Congress With 100 congressional cosponsors, the Tibetan Policy Act ("TPA") is making its way through Congress. The TPA has been included as a separate title within the Foreign Relations Authorization Act. Final consideration of this legislative package was expected last month but the events of September 11th have resulted in delays. Key provisions of the TPA address:
It is not too late to ask our Maine congressional delegation to cosponsor or support the TPA. Just make a call to their Maine offices and urge them to vote for H.R. 1779 in the House and S.852 in the Senate. You can learn more about the TPA at www.savetibet.org/
Your Contributions Touching Tibetan Lives Except for the relatively minor costs of copying and mailing the newsletter, all the money you contribute to Maine Friends of Tibet is passed along to the few Tibetan groups we have supported for many years now. Your support is so appreciated by the Tibetans who receive it. We thought we would share with you a few of their expressions of appreciation. From Tashi Lungrig, Sponsorship Secretary at the Tibetan Children's Village, "It is really due to the support rendered by our kind supporters like you who enable us to continue with our task of caring for our less fortunate children. Please do accept our deepest heartfelt thanks on behalf of the many hundreds of needy children in the village. Wangmo, the Tibetan girl supported by MFT, sent her thanks recently, along with "lots of love, kisses and care." Wangmo loves to hear from anyone in Maine. Her address is Wangmo Two of MFT's planning group support another Tibetan girl who sent them a letter with this poem this fall. "I love you from my heart. My dear sponsors, you are neither my parent nor my sister or brother, But you two have been very kind god parents. I am your daughter from Tibet. And you give me love and favors as if I am your daughter. You are kind parents. You are compassionate parents. I love you from my heart, my dear parents from Maine." Please help us continue to reach out to Tibetans in need. Your contributions go a long way!
Greeting Cards from the Art of Tibetan Children The Friends of Tibetan Women's Association (FOTWA) started the Painting Club for Tibetan children in exile to help them heal, play and encourage their creative spirits though the international language of art. Now the colorful artwork of some of the children in the club is available in a wonderful line of greeting cards, laser prints and journals. All profits from the sale of these products are donated by FOTWA and the distributor to programs that directly support the children. For ordering information, call Great Path Publishing at 1-800-858-5063 or visit their website at www.greatpath.com.
International Campaign for Tibet Wins Victory Over China The United Nations officially accredited the International Campaign for Tibet to attend the World Conference Against Racism held in South Africa this past August and September. This was a significant defeat for China, which lobbied vigorously to deny ICT participation. Despite China's opposition, the Tibet Centre for Human Rights and Democracy also attended the conference. Consequently, there were 15 official delegates, including some form the Tibetan Government-in-Exile, representing Tibet at the conference.
MFT Fundraising Up-Date - And Request As many of you know, Maine Friends of Tibet’s fundraising efforts benefit several organizations with which we have developed special relationships over the past seven years. MFT supports the Tibetan Children’s Villages which provide a home and an education for Tibetan orphans. In addition to contributions to the Villages’ general fund, we specifically support Wangmo, MFT’s adopted "daughter." MFT also supports the Siddartha School, Lama Geshe Tsetan’s wonderful effort to promote a traditional Tibetan education to children in Ladakh. Located in Northern India, Ladakh is one of the last places on earth where Tibetan culture has been allowed to flourish without interruption. We also provide funds for nuns living in a small monastery in Dharamsala who are conscientiously studying in preparation for teaching in their home villages in Tibet. More recently, we have also been making contributions to the Gift of Sight Program which restores sight to elderly Tibetans through cataract operations. MFT will be making an additional contribution to the Tibet Poverty Alleviation Fund to help Tibetan’s living in Tibet. Your contributions enable MFT to add to the worldwide support of the Tibetan people and the preservation of the Tibetan culture
Send Your donations to: Maine Friends of Tibet,
MFT is looking for new members... to add to its core group. We meet once a month from September to June. Our basic tasks include preparing mailings, planning one event for the spring and creating new ways to spread public awareness of the Tibetan situation. We are a friendly group that approaches tasks joyfully. We believe in volunteer work being fun, not burdensome. We’d love to have you join us! Call Rebecca Wing at 294-3377
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