CTA wraps up Tibetan language, dialectics workshops amid China’s growing cultural clampdown

Dharamshala (Himachal Pradesh) [India], July 2 (ANI): The Department of Education successfully wrapped up two workshops on June 26, 2025, focusing on Buddhist Dialectics (Riglam) for secondary Tibetan teachers and a Tibetan Language Proficiency Workshop intended for primary teachers and Trained Graduate Teacher (TGT) Social Science instructors from Sambhota Schools, as reported by the Central Tibetan Administration (CTA).

The workshops concluded with a ceremony held at the College for Higher Tibetan Studies (CHTS) in Sarah, after ten days of sessions from June 16 to June 26, 2025. Tibetan Education Officer Ngodup Tenpa presided over the closing ceremony, where he provided a summary of the objectives of both workshops and detailed the daily activities conducted during the sessions, according to the CTA report.

Afterwards, Sarah College Vice-Principal Geshe Jigme Lodoe acknowledged the Department of Education for offering teachers significant opportunities to improve their expertise in Buddhist Dialectics and the Tibetan language. He also praised the substantial involvement of teachers in the training. Geshe Jigme Lodoe urged educators to maintain their motivation and hope, despite the limited recognition often associated with the teaching profession. He stated, “Language is the lifeline of a nation," emphasising that the survival, promotion, and continuation of Tibetan religion and culture rely heavily on the strength of the Tibetan language. He pointed out that while there used to be a hospitable environment for the Tibetan language’s growth, recent restrictive measures from the Chinese government have made the situation increasingly precarious, as noted in the CTA report.

Conversely, some Tibetan children born to Tibetan parents in foreign countries find themselves only able to utter a handful of words in Tibetan. The Vice-Principal further highlighted the necessity of prioritising the Tibetan language and paying attention to its importance. Likewise, understanding Buddhist Dialectics and the logical reasoning within Tibetan traditions is equally essential. He referenced inspirational quotes from Je Tsongkhapa that speak to the significance and advantages of Buddhist Dialectics.

Secretary Jigme Namgyal underscored the necessity of implementing the knowledge acquired from the workshops into classroom practices and future educational projects. He pointed out that teachers and school staff hold a significant responsibility in shaping the youth of Tibetans, who represent the future of the Tibetan community. With His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama aging, he emphasised that the elder generations must transfer this accountability to ensure the protection of Tibetan identity and values through education. In his final remarks, he highlighted that teachers have a pivotal role in fostering a robust sense of cultural identity and patriotism in students from a young age, as highlighted in the CTA report. (ANI)

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