Dharamshala: The Associazione per i Diritti Umani e la Tolleranza(Association for Human Rights and Tolerance),A noted human rights group from Italy,has awarded ,Former Minister Jetsun Pema, who is famously known as "Ama la" the prestigious Human Rights Award 2010 for her unwavering love and dedication to the cause for education for the Tibetan children in exile.
At the award ceremony held at Milan's Grand Hotel Villa Torretta on 27 May,the president of the association, Mrs. Fiorella Cerchiara said that "Mrs. Pema is an extraordinary international example of someone who has a deep respect for human rights and the unquestionable concreteness as to how they should be enforced. For us it is a tremendous honour to help give a voice to those who don't have one".
While accepting her award ‘Ama la' said that" This award is a true inspiration for the whole humanity and particularly to us living in exile. Our brave brethren who are still undergoing great hardships in Tibet and in exile deserve this award, which I humbly accept on their behalf".
Mrs Pema has worked endlessly and unselfishly for the past 42 years, since she took up the mantle and responsibility from her late sister Tsering Dolma in May 1964 to work towards the rehabilitation and education of hundreds of mal-nourished, orphaned and semi-orphaned Tibetan children that stream into India almost daily while fleeing from the oppression in Tibet. She has worked and strived to make TCV what it is today, an internationally reputed organisation for child welfare and education in the exiled Tibetan community in India.
Recently to strengthen the school's management, ‘Ama la' handed over the post of the President of TCV to Mr. Tsewang Yeshi,who was appointed by the school governing council in august 2006.this was done to fashion a more democratic system of functioning involving the younger generation.
