(TibetanReview.net, May15’19) – The Tibetan flag was raised for the sixth year in a row in Nipponzan Myohoji Buddhist temple in Milton Keynes, a large town in Buckinghamshire located 50 miles northwest of London, on May 12, with this year’s event being dedicated to the 60th anniversary of the Dalai Lama’s escape into exile from Tibet.
The event was held by local resident Ms Catherine Mostyn Scott and her team of dedicated volunteers in the presence of its first citizen Councillor Martin Petchey, the Mayor of Milton Keynes, who raised the flag amid singing of the Tibetan national anthem. The ceremony began with prayers from Sister Maruta from the temple and Buddhist monk Ven. Rigzin from Sheffield.
Ms Scott has welcomed the more than 80 people gathered for the event and briefly explained how the annual flag raising event had come about. She has said how her presence at one of the Tibet flag raising events at Northampton, organised by a local resident there Ms Caroline Scattergood, inspired her to do the same at Milton Keynes.
Citing the 2019 Freedom House report, which ranked Tibet as the second least free country in the world for the fourth year in a row with only Syria considered to be less free, Ms Scott has said it was up to people in the free world with moral conscience to make the plight of the Tibetans known to the international community and to fly the Tibet flag with pride and without any fear.
In his brief address Mayor Petchey has said his presence at the event was meant to send a message of solidarity with the Tibetan people. He has called the Dalai Lama an emblem of world peace and harmony, and someone who had great concern for environment, fate of the world and climate change. “Tibetan culture is centered on humanity. It is that culture and spirit that I will celebrate today when I raise the Tibet flag.” He has said.
