60th Anniversary of the Tibetan National Uprising Day

10th March 2019, Zürich

Despite having many Tibetans from Switzerland has left for Brussels-Belgium to take part in the rally organized by Tibetan communities in Europe to commemorate 60th anniversary of the Tibetan National Uprising Day under the motto "Europe Stands with Tibet", some 1000 Tibetans and Tibet friends took to the streets of Zürich to protest the Chinese annexation of Tibet in 1959.

10th March 1959 was a day of great importance for Tibetan history, it was on that day Tibetans in mass carried out the first peaceful uprising against the Chinese occupation their homeland in Lhasa-Tibet. Thus, every year, Tibetans in exile world over observe this historic day to protest against communist China.

The protest action was organized by the Tibetan community of Switzerland and Liechtenstein (TCSL). It started in the afternoon at 15 o'clock, by gathering at Bürkliplatz followed by prayer service, a minute of silence for the martyrs who died for Tibet, speeches from representatives* from various organizations and shouting slogans on the way to the Chinese Consulate in Zürich.

About 100 meters away from the building of Chinese Consulate, the march halted in front of barriers erected by the town Police. The gathered people continued with their slogan shoutings, which in between was interrupted by more speeches from other speakers, Uprising song from Tibetan Folklore ensemble of TCSL and prayers led by monks from the Tibet-institute Rikon.

The Memorandum letter to the Chinese Consulate was also dropped inside the letterbox of the Chinese Consulate by Mr. Lobsang Shitsetsang, board member of the TCSL and the anniversary ended with a vote of thanks from him.

* List of speakers
Mrs. Rosmarie Quadranti, Member of the Swiss Parliament
Mrs. Doris Fiala, Member of the Swiss Parliament
Mr. José Amrein-Murer, Board member of the Swiss Tibetan Friendship Association
Mr. Christoph Wiedmer, Co-Director of the Society for Threatened Peoples
Mr. Fabian Molina, Member of the Swiss Parliament
Mr. Jigme Adotsang, Co-President of the Tibetan Youth Association in Europe
Mrs. Norzom Jordhenkangsar, Vice President of the Tibetan Women’s Organization Switzerland
Golog Jigme Gyatso, Ex-Political Prisoner of Tibet
Mrs. Namgyal Dolkar Lhagyari, Member of the TPIE, President of Guchusum Movement of Tibet

Reporter: Tsarma