TEAM Honours Wild Life with Pillar and New Books

29th Dec. 2007, Dharamsala: Today Jado Rinpoche, the former abbot of Namgyal Monastery, inaugurated a special 14 feet-tall pillar at the Lhagyal Ri near His Holiness the Dalai Lama's temple, to remember all the wildlife who had lost their lives for human consumption and to acknowledge with honour those Tibetans who burned their possessions made from endangered species pelts after His Holiness' appeal. Tesi Environmental Awareness Movement (TEAM) built the memorial pillar with the financial support from the Rowell Fund of the International Campaign for Tibet. This granite and marble pillar with inscriptions in both Tibetan and English contains within it 1,008 tsa tsa (votive tablets) made of clay mixed with ground parts of donated endangered species products such as skins of tiger, leopard, otter, fox, lynx, and ivory.

The Chief Guest at the function, Mr. Karma Yeshi, a Tibetan Parliamentarian, in his speech stressed that "Earth doesn't belong just to human beings and we all should give up our superiority complex over rest of the inhabitants of this planet". He also released TEAM's two new books-- the Tibetan translations of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) and the Citizens' Guide to the World Commission on Dams (WCD). CBD is an international treaty that was adopted in Rio de Janeiro in June 1992 and entered into force on this day in 1993. The Citizens’ Guide to the WCD is a book by the International Rivers Network for people affected by dams and for environmental activists as introduction to the WCD and the WCD Report.

The inauguration ceremony included the lighting of 108 butter-lamps, propitiation of the deities of the four realms (earth, water, air, and fire) through incense ritual by the monks of the Namgyal Monastery, singing of Ridak Kyolu, a traditional Tibetan song on behalf of wildlife, consecration of the pillar by Jado Rinpoche, performance of the Council of All Beings by TCV students, speeches from the Chief Guest and TEAM's head and finally Tibetan traditional sweet rice and butter tea will be served to everyone at the function. As well TEAM presented its first ever Environmental Service Award to Ama Karlo, currently a resident of the Tibetan Elderly Peoples' Hostel in McLeod Ganj, for her lifelong dedication and commitment for a healthy environment. (for Karlo's biography, go to www.ecotibet.org/awards/karlo.html

Ms. Tsering Yangkey, TEAM's Head said, "The words of His Holiness the Dalai Lama have inspired many Tibetans to a new understanding and care for biological diversity. This environmental awakening is truly an historical event that TEAM hopes will set a precedent for greater dedication from communities and authorities all over the world to enforce stricter protection of endangered species". She added, "This pillar stands there to inspire and motivate all those who have the opportunity to read it while circumambulating His Holiness' residence and the main temple".

TEAM is a non-profit Tibetan environmental organisation established with a mission to revive the ecological consciousness of the Tibetan people. One of its core aims is to educate Tibetans about the plight of endangered species and to put an end to the Tibetan people’s use of endangered species products.