| In 1911, a revolution overtook China. The movement | | | | Dharamsala, high in the Indian Himalaya mountains, |
| went across the country. By the next year, they had | | | | Tibetan Buddhists across India are fighting to be able |
| moved into neighbouring countries, such as Tibet. By | | | | to return to a free Tibet. Meanwhile, they are also |
| 1913, Tibet had sent the Chinese back to their own | | | | working to keep their own unique identity while being |
| country and His Holiness the 13th Dalai Lama returned | | | | surrounded by much larger Indian Hindu communities. |
| to Lhasa. For the next 30 years, Tibet enjoyed | | | | Within that remote government, the department of |
| freedom. | | | | Religion and Culture is trying to preserve Tibetan |
| But since China entered Tibet in 1949, the situation | | | | identity through religious education. For example, they |
| got worse. The Tibetan people became oppressed | | | | provide Buddhist teachers to schools operating |
| by the invading Chinese. Residents have been fleeing | | | | outside Tibet. This way, the younger generation |
| into neighboring India for over 50 years now, claiming | | | | learns about their religion, language and traditions |
| repressive policies and severe human rights abuses. | | | | from well trained experts. Over 200 monasteries now |
| The total number of refugees has now topped | | | | operate in India, Nepal, and Bhutan. |
| 80,000. | | | | Lobsang Wangyal uses his position as an independent |
| Around 1983, China targeted Tibet for mass | | | | photojournalist to help educate the world about the |
| immigration offering Han Chinese extra money if they | | | | reality in Tibet. In addition to his writings and images, |
| were willing to emigrate. In 1984 more than 100,000 | | | | Wangyal also works on artistic and cultural events |
| Han Chinese took advantage of the incentives. But | | | | within the Tibetan community. Art projects help |
| no money was given to Tibetans, so they were | | | | connect the people with their culture and even |
| more interested in following the Dalai Lama to India, | | | | demonstrate their quest for freedom. According to |
| even if making the trip was dangerous to them. | | | | Wangyal, "Tibetan artists through their art form |
| Mountaineers would report finding bodies of | | | | show that... they want to go back to their own |
| unprepared Tibetan refugees, frozen to death while | | | | country, which is now occupied by China.... They |
| trying to escape the Chinese. | | | | display all this through their media." |
| In 1986 Tibet was opened to foreign visitors. So | | | | Now he is planning a new event called "Sing For |
| when the Chinese attacked demonstrators in 1987, | | | | Tibet" to keep the issue high in the public view. This |
| tourists were able to witness for themselves the | | | | is an international performance, to be held on |
| tragic situation there. China learned from this and now | | | | October 10, 2010 in Brussels and New York. There |
| does not let much information about the abuses | | | | are no celebrities or speeches planned - the audience |
| leave Tibet. But now that the truth has been | | | | will perform the "Sing For Tibet" song together, |
| exposed to the world, His Holiness the 14th Dalai | | | | without any kind of amplification. Wangyal hopes that |
| Lama had become a prominent international figure, | | | | people in Europe and the United States who say |
| working tirelessly from his government in exile's base | | | | they care about the Tibet will take this chance to |
| in India to win back their freedom from China. | | | | come out and show the world how much they want |
| Working through their government-in-exile in | | | | freedom for the Tibetan people. |