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The third General Meeting convened by the Kashag [Cabinet] and the Tibetan Parliament-in-exile (TPiE) began on October 3 at Gangchen Kyishong, the base of the headquarters of the Tibetan government-in-exile. The three-day meeting focused on two themes: the Five Fifty Vision and the relationship between the lineage of His Holinesses the Dalai Lama and the Tibetan people. Around 340 Tibetan community leaders and representatives from 24 different countries participated in the meeting, including India, Europe, USA, Canada, Australia, Taiwan, Nepal and Bhutan.

The opening ceremony was attended by the heads of the three pillars of democratic Tibetan administration in exile, the former Prime Minister, former Ministers, Ministers, Secretaries, and additional Secretaries of various departments and members of the TPiE. Speaker of TPiE, Mr Pema Jungney, spoke about the leadership of the Central Tibetan Administration (CTA) and the Five Fifty Vision for the sustenance of Tibetan culture, religion and identity in the exile Tibetan communities in his inaugural speech.

The CTA agreed a statement to reject China’s interference in Tibetan reincarnation; Sikyong Lobsang Sangay, President of the CTA, said that China is “brazenly meddling with the reincarnation of His Holiness the Dalai Lama” by implementing Order No 5, which states that reincarnation of tulkus and lamas must be approved by the Chinese government for them to retain a legal and valid position.

On the first day of the meeting there was extensive discussion on the Five Fifty Vision and this was followed on the second day by extensive discussion on the relationship between the lineage of His Holinesses the Dalai Lama and the Tibetan people. Presentation on these two key themes by committee members followed the discussions.

The meeting concluded on October 5 with Tibetan representatives from across the world unanimously declaring the earnest prayers of the six million Tibetan for His Holiness the Dalai Lama to reincarnate according to the Tibetan Buddhist tradition, and outrightly rejected the China’s interference in the institution of Tibetan reincarnation. The day after the meeting His Holiness granted a special audience to the meeting delegates, along with CTA staff members, at Tsuglakhang – the main temple in Dharamshala.