Santa Barbara County celebrates Tibet Day

By ANNIKA BAHNSEN NEWS-PRESS CORRESPONDENT

Das Williams, chair of the Santa Barbara County Board of Supervisors, presented a resolution Wednesday to the Santa Barbara Friends of Tibet in honor of Santa Barbara Tibet Day, which is celebrated on Friday.

The event took place in front of the Santa Barbara County Administration building in Santa Barbara. Supervisor Williams and Thepo Tulko, a Tibetan Santa Barbara resident, spoke at the event.

Additionally, Nancy Martin, the education chairperson for the Santa Barbara United Nations Association, delivered some remarks.

Other people involved in the presentation were Emiliano Campobello, who played the flute during the ceremony, as well as a group of Tibetan monks who led a prayer.

The Tibetan flag was then raised to commemorate the holiday as well as to show Santa Barbara’s support. email: abahnsen@newspress.com

Santa Barbara Tibet Day is a holiday of celebration for local Tibetan residents supporting the Tibetan Uprising day. This holiday was created by Santa Barbara County last year in recognition of the 63rd anniversary of the uprising.

The 1959 uprising consisted of Tibetans surrounding the residence of the Dalai Lama and ordering for the withdrawal of Chinese forces. Around 87,000 Tibetan residents were killed, arrested or deported to labor camps. Still to this day, the Tibetans have struggled with their relations with China, which governs Tibet.

The Santa Barbara Friends of Tibet and Santa Barbara Summit for Tibet are two groups located in Santa Barbara County who work together to support the Tibetan people of the community.