(TibetanReview.net, Feb25, 2015) – A reception was held in the US State Department for the first time in honour of Losar, the Tibetan New Year, on Feb 23, for an invited gathering of Americans, diplomats, State Department officials and other dignitaries, said Washington-based International Campaign for Tibet (ICT). This can be seen as a recognition of Tibetan American culture and its contribution to American society, according to ICT’s Vice President Mr Bhuchung Tsering.
Losar began this year on Feb 19.
The reception was apparently hosted by Under Secretary of State Ms Sarah Sewall who is also the US Special Coordinator for Tibetan Issues. She welcomed everyone and shared her experience of interacting with the Tibetan community during her trip to India and Nepal last year and being able to see the different aspects of Tibetan culture then.
Mr Lodi Gyari, the Dalai Lama’s former special envoy, saw the reception as the US Government’s implementation of its policy “to assist in preserving the distinct religious, cultural and linguistic heritage of Tibetan people.”
And Ms Rigdhen Dolma, President of Capital Area Tibetan Association, saw the reception as another significant event in the lives of the Tibetan American community which came on the heels of the Dalai Lama’s recent participation in the National Prayer Breakfast in Washington, DC.