Thank You Europe for Hoisting the Tibetan Flag reminds rich history of Tibet

Representative Tashi Phuntsok with MEP Thomas Mann and Vincent Metten, EU Policy Director, ICT releasing the book. Photo: Brussels OOT

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Brussels, Belgium— A pictorial book, with over 80 pictures, focusing on the hoisting of Tibetan flag in Europe was released in Brussels, Belgium, on June 19, 2018.

The 104-page book commemorates the solidarity of the European towns and cities that hoist Tibetan flag. Nearly 2000 of them have become the guardians of Tibetan flag in the free world. Over the last 30 years these towns have kept the Tibetan flag aflutter while it is banned in Tibet.

​"The book presents snapshots of the towns hoisting Tibetan flag and presents it with maps. Number of towns hoisting Tibetan Flag in European countries. Each flag of Tibet indicates a town in Austria, which hoists Tibetan flag," according to a report by the Office of Tibet, Brussels.

"Tibetan flag has a rich history and has undergone changes as the geo-political situation changed. The 13th Dalai Lama transformed the once military banner into a National flag. Even Mao Tse-Tung was not averse to the Tibetans keeping their flag," it said, adding: "One chapter also deals about the ban of the flag in Tibet. It records the various arrests and tortures that have been inflicted upon the Tibetans for raising the flag in any form."

In its heyday during its reign Tibetan flag flew high across the Tibetan plateau. The National Geographic also gave a high place for Tibetan flag in its 1934 publication.

Published by the Office of Tibet, Brussels, this book “Thank You Europe for Hoisting the Tibetan Flag – Banned in Tibet but Celebrated in the free world” is an attempt to pay the heartfelt tribute to the individuals, groups and officials of the municipalities, past and present, who have promoted the gesture of solidarity (The book lists the entire 2000 towns that hoist the Tibetan flag).