TCV: 55 years of education, training and rehabilitation

By Tsering Wangdue / October 25, 2015;

Tibetan Children’s Village School has celebrated its 55th anniversary and dedicated this year to His Holiness the Dalai Lama to express their gratitude to him.

Thousands of Tibetans gathered for the celebration at Upper TCV school in Dharamshala on October 23. The 17th Gyalwang Karmapa Ogyen Trinley Dorje was chief guest at the event, together with Penpa Tsering,Speaker of the Tibetan Parliament in Exile and Pema Chinjor, Kalon for religion and culture, as well as other representatives of the Central Tibetan Administration and long term supporters and sponsors of TCV.

Chief Guest Gyalwang Karmapa Ogyen Trinley Dorje
Photo:kagyuoffice.org

The guests were welcomed with a march past followed by cultural performances and a calisthenics display by the students. His Holiness the Gyalwang Karmapa thanked all the staff, teachers and students who have been a part of TCV for their selfless contribution towards preserving Tibetan identity and culture. “The importance of education is beyond question, especially in this time. Students should have an ambitious attitude towards learning and focus on improvement and excellence” said the Karmapa.

Penpa Tsering said, “ Each one of you, whether student or staff in this establishment, which had a very humble beginning, must not forget your duties and carry forth a sense of responsibility in whatever you may be involved in”. He also urged TCV alumni to support TCV to the best of their potential to make TCV a more sustainable and self-reliant organisation.

TsewangYeshi, Director of TCV, said that new initiatives have been added to the curriculum to reflect the dedication to His Holiness the Dalai Lama this year. He also presented this year’s TCV annual report.

The celebration took place over two days to incorporate an inter-house athletic meet and a TCV alumni gathering of 1990 students.

TCV is the biggest educational institution in the Tibetan exile community. It was set up in 1960 by the Dalai Lama to rehabilitate and educate destitute refugee Tibetan children in India, with 51 children in residence at the nursery. There are noweight residential TCV schools, four day schools and three vocational training centers with over 16,726 children under its care.