Dharamshala — The Tibetan writers' group, Tibet Writes, organised a three-day Tibetan Artists Festival in Dharamsala, which was attended by 30 Tibetan writers and musicians from all over the world. Bhuchung D Sonam, the festival's organiser, said the festival aimed to bring together Tibetan artists living in different countries with different cultures to discuss what art can do for Tibet and to celebrate Tibetan creativity and culture.
The first ever festival of Tibetan artists kicks off with 30 Tibetan artists from all over the world, on November 29, 2024 at Bhagsu Lawn Hotel, Mcleodganj. About 100 Dharamshala Tibetans including Tibetan MPs, officers of the Central Tibetan Administration (CTA), writers, musicians and lovers of Tibetan art and music attended the inaugural ceremony of the festival. The festival is organised by Tibet Write with the support of the Tibet Fund.
To launch the festival of Tibetan artists, Sonam Dolma, a Tibetan singer, performed a Tibetan song, and then Tenzin Tsuedue, a Tibetan writer and activist, led the opening ceremony. Tsuedue explained that Tibet Writes was created by a group of Tibetan writers, originally from Tibet and born in exile. The aim is to bring together the poetry and writings of Tibetans and make them accessible to Tibetans around the world.
TibetWrites is core group of writers and poets writing in English and now includes translators fluent in Chinese, English and Tibetan, filmmakers, artists, cartoonists, scriptwriters and researchers - some of whom have received a privileged education in Beijing, Lanzhou, Lhasa, the United States, Canada, England and India.
Bhuchung D Sonam introduced the first ever festival of Tibetan artists and said that it had been his dream for five years, he wanted all Tibetan writers and artists to come together to talk about Tibetan literature and music. First of all, he expressed his solidarity with all Tibetans living under the Chinese government's regime, in particular with the Tibetan writers, musicians and artists who have been arrested and imprisoned for exercising their freedom of expression and writing about the Tibetan cause.
Writer Sonam said, "Why do the Chinese authorities restrict Tibetan artists? Because literature has the power, the power to change society, the power to overthrow the government, therefore, China oppresses Tibetan artists, for example, the poet Terang was imprisoned for four years, the writer Go Sherab Gyatso was imprisoned for ten years and is still in prison, the writer Gartse Jigme was imprisoned, and there are many Tibetan singers who have been imprisoned, and the Tibetan singer Tsewang Norbu, self-immolated in February, 2022. Therefore, our Tibetan Artists' Festival is dedicated to our Tibetan brothers and sisters, especially Tibetan artists in Tibet."
The Tibetan writers and musicians from various countries gathered in Dharamshala as part of the three-day festival of Tibetan artists are: the singer Tenzin Choegyal, the writer Tsering Yangzon Lama, the singer Sonam Dolma, the writer Tsering N. Khortsa, the singer Tenzin Nyima, the writer Nyima Tso, the writer Ten Phun, the writer Kunchok Rabten, the singer Kelsang Chukle, the singer Jhola Techung, the singer Kharag Penpa, the singer Nyima Dhondup and the Tibetan artists Karma Sichoe, Tashi Nyima, Tashi Tsering, Tsering Paljor, Phuntso, Yeshe, Jamyang, Tsering Paldon, JJI Exile Brothers, Yeshe, K. Kush, Gtashi, Rytha, Ugen Norbu, Tenzin Choeying and many more.
On November 30 2024, from 10am to 11.30am, Tibetan writers Tsering Yangzon Lama, Tsering N. Khortsa and Tenzin Nyima will talk on The Language of the Homecoming: Tibetan Novels. BhuChung will moderate the session. On the same day, from noon to 1.30pm, Tibetan writers Tenzin Tsundue, Nyima Tso, Ten Phun and Kunchok Rabten will be talking about Literature and Identity, with Jamyang Phuntsok moderating the session. In the evening, 18 Tibetan artists will perform songs, with Sonam Palden moderating.
On the final day, December 1, 2024, in the morning session, same time above, Kharag Penpa, Seishul Rabtse, Ugen Norbu, Tenzin Choeying will talk on the Wearing Many Hats: Music-Lyrics-Record-Publish with Tenzin Tsundue moderating. On the same day, from noon to 1.30pm, Kelsang Chukle, Gtashi, Tsering Paljor and Phuntso will talk on From Nangma to Rap and Tenzin Sangmo will moderate the session. Tenzin Choegay, Dege Kelsang, Yeshe, Janyang will talk on Langugae, Music Collaboration and Tenzin Sheyi will moderate the sesion. Then Tsering Yangzom Lama, Seishul Rabtse, Techung, Bhuchuang Sonam will be talk on Art, Politics and Society, Tenzing Sonam will moderates the session. On the evening, close ceremony, there will more than 15 artists will perform songs.
