|
Sunday, 20 July 2008 |
Tibetan leader: at WYD, pope is calling young people "to make humanity better"
Nirmala Carvalho , AsiaNews.it, Italy , 16 July 2008
The prime minister of the Tibetan government-in-exile talks about WYD, and the contribution of the pope, "a great defender of religious freedom and of rights". And he recounts how Tibetans are seeking to preserve their culture from the genocide practiced by Beijing.
"Pope Benedict XVI is asking the youth of the world to go against the currents that are sweeping away values and human dignity. My prayer is that people understand his advice and implement it, because it will make a difference in the world and help to bring about a civilisation of love". Professor Samdhong Rinpoche, the Kalon Tripa (prime minister) of the Tibetan government-in-exile, in an exclusive interview with AsiaNews, talks about the significance of World Youth Day.
"I understand that more than 50,000 youth from all continents are attending WYD. For me this is a big sign that the pope is the moral compass for the youth of the world. Youth are the future of humanity, and the pope is infusing them with values and principles of faith and morality. This can be the starting point to change the future of humanity, because only the power of youth can change humanity for the better".
"I greet His Holiness the pope on this WYD. The pope is a very respected person, and a great defender and promoter of human rights and dignity and religious freedom. We have great affection for him, and we appreciate the pope's efforts for these fundamental values".
Rinpoche is preparing to travel to the United States, where he will participate in a symposium on the "Celebration of Tibetan Culture", and in the presentation of his book: "Uncompromising Truth for a Compromised World: Tibetan Buddhism and Today's World".
"This 'Celebration of Tibetan Culture' is all the more important because a cultural genocide is taking place inside Tibet, our culture is being systematically destroyed, so we have to do everything possible to preserve and transmit Tibetan culture among Tibetans the world over. So we are trying through such channels to promote Tibetan culture wherever Tibetans live".
 |
