Dharamshala: - His Holiness the 17th Gyalwa Karmapa Ugyen Trinley Dorjee addressed the "Bodh Dharama-Vishva Shanti" summit, a large gathering of Indian and Tibetan Buddhists at Dharamshala on Wednesday. His Holiness thanked the Government of Himachal Pradesh and its people for their assistance and hospitality to the Tibetan people.
"I think, Himalaya is an origin of Indian culture heritage, religion and history and Tibet is bounded by the Himalayan mountain ranges," His Holiness the Karmapa told the gathering.
"A good relationship at every level has been shared between Himalaya and India, as well as between Tibet and Himalaya based on great cultural heritage, religion and history," His Holiness stated.
"The Himalaya is important place, where we strongly unite and maintain a good friendship by understanding the historical and cultural background. It is also very important for the future and for our own future generations," the 17th Karmapa Rinpoche added.
"The spiritual leader of Tibet, His Holiness the Dalai Lama fled into exile in India, and he was followed into exile by many Tibetans, many of whom settled in the Himachal Pradesh; it has been the second home for those Tibetans. " he further added.
"Since then the Himachal State has kindly hosted the Central Tibetan Administration and provided shelter to Tibetan refugees including His Holiness the Dalai Lama," Karmapa Rinpoche said.
"We are always grateful and remember the kindness and hospitality of Himachal Pradesh and its people for creating an environment to preserve and protect our culture and religion. I especially pray that this relationship will continue over many thousands of years," Karmapa Rinpoche told the gathering while thanking the hospitality of the state.
"We are gathered here today, because of we have shared feeling in neighbours, friends and families, therefore, I am very happy to see our gathering again as one family," His Holiness the Karmapa concluded his speech at the Himalachal summit.
Dolma Gyari, Kalon for Home Department of CTA said, "Until Tibet is not safe, the Himalayas will remain in danger, If Mt. Kailash is not safe, how can the Himalayas be safe. If Tibet is not safe, how can the Himalayas be safe," she added.
Dolma urged Vice Chancellor of the Himachal Pradesh University, A. D. N. Bajpai, to have special research on Mt. Kailash given its importance as the source of the Asia's major rivers.
Indresh Kumar, vice president of Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangha said Tibet was never a part of China and denounced the ongoing violation of basic human rights inside Tibet. "Tibetans' setting themseves on fire to protest against Chinese rule is neither an act of self-immolation nor violence, because they do not set themselvs for personal motives," he added.
"During the violent crackdown on the pro-democracy student uprising in China in 1989, which was crushed in the brutal "Tiananmen Massacre" hundreds of students were killed." Indresh continued, "if they can do such inhuman things to their own people, why not to the Tibetans."
Vice Chancellor Bajpai, and representives of Tibetan NGOs based in Dharamshala also attended the day-long event.
The Bodh Dharama-Vishva Shanti programme was organized by Himalaya Pariwar. The group aims to help people in the Himalayan Region, working to assist them overcome the challenges of communalism, regionalism, linguism, intruism, pollution, corruption, poverty, unemployment and to awaken and unite them.
