Take Action on the 19th birthday of the Panchen Lama April 25, 2008
Gedhun Choekyi Nyima
was kidnapped by the Chinese authorities just 2 months after he was
officially recognized in 1995 as the 11th Panchen Lama, one of Tibet's most
important religious leaders. On Friday, April 25th,
2008 he will turn 19 years old. His birthday will be
marked by another year spent under Chinese detention.
ACTION IDEAS
Join a protest for the Panchen Lama's release. Join a protest in your community. Contact kala@studentsforafreetibet.org for details on a protest near you. To have your event posted on the SFT Website please email your information to kala@studentsforafreetibet.org.
Ask people in your community to send birthday greetings to the Panchen Lama. Buy a batch of cards and ask people to add personal messages or supply the materials for people to make their own cards. Please send cards to the Chinese embassy or consulate nearest you or mail them c/o China's Ambassador to the United Nations Wang Guangya
Display posters of the Panchen Lama in your city or town.Raise awareness of his plight by plastering his image everywhere, especially near Chinese embassies and consulates.
Click here to download 'Free the Panchen Lama' poster (colour)
Click here to download 'Free the Panchen Lama' poster (black and white)
Panchen Lama Viral Image Action. Make the Panchen Lama image your Facebook/Myspace/Hi-5 profile image and “Post a Note” calling for China to immediately release him on your Facebook page. Make sure to ask all your Facebook friends to do the same.
After the Dalai Lama, the Panchen Lama is widely considered to be the most important religious figure in Tibetan Buddhism. Historically, the Panchen Lama has played a pivotal role in identifying the reincarnation of the Dalai Lama, and vice versa. The Panchen Lama, Gendhun Choeyki Nyima, was only 6 years old at the time of his abduction by the Chinese government, which installed another young boy – Gyaltsen Norbu – in his place. The Chinese government continues to meddle ruthlessly in Tibetan Buddhist affairs in an attempt to exert political and social control over Tibetans through the religious institutions at the center of Tibetan life. Tibetans nonetheless refuse to acknowledge China's impostor "Panchen Lama" as their religious leader. To date, China has denied all requests from the international community to see Gendhun Choeyki Nyima, the real Panchen Lama; his whereabouts remain unknown.
