His Holiness Dalai-Lama about festival “TIBET” in Moscow

In October 2004 under the patronage of His Holiness Dalai Lama a first international festival “ TIBET : traditions, art, philosophy” took place in Moscow . The same year the organizer of the festival founded “Tibet House Moscow”.

The festivals of Tibetan culture with participation of famous artists, and Tibetan lamas for many years and with great success take place in many European countries and in the USA . In Russia festival “TIBET” has become the first large-scale event, which according to the idea of the organizers, gave the Russian auditorium, familiar with Tibet mainly through books and films, the opportunity of direct contact with the unique culture of the Snow Country.

His Holiness Dalai-lama blessed the idea of the festival “ TIBET ” and addressed festival participants and guests through his representative in Russia and Mongolia mister Tashi, who offered a comprehensive support to the organizers of the festival.

«I always feel a special enthusiasm, -he says in his appeal, - when people, not limiting themselves to the words of support, do undertake active steps for the world to know about Tibet , its people and culture… Centuries-old ties exist between Tibet and three Buddhist republics of Russia – Kalmykia, Buryatia and Tuva. Russia also used to have heart relations with my predecessor, XIII Dalai-lama. I'm sincerely happy to recall and renew these existing between us historical bonds… I'm sure that the festival with such a wide range of cultural programs, exhibitions and concerts will allow us to find many new friends, who could deeply understand and appreciate at its true value what a Tibetan culture is.”

The circle of friends of Tibet really appeared to be very wide. Trustee council of the festival, headed by the president of Kalmykia republic Kirsan Ilyumjinov, includes also Zurab Tsereteli and Anatoly Vasilyev, Natalya Andreichenko and Alena Sviridova. The idea of the festival was supported by Boris Grebenschikov and Andrey Makarevitch. More than thirty thousands of Muscovites and guests from different cities and countries of the world took part in the festival events, which took place on the most prestigious venues of Moscow – Zurab Tsereteli Art Gallery , Anatoly Vasilyev theatre and Moscow Performance and Art Centre. Visitors of the exhibitions especially liked the interactive character of festival programs: the opportunity to communicate with Tibetan lamas of Gyudmed monastery, who presented incredible butter sculptures and sand mandala Guhyasamaji on the festival; to get the blessing of the sacred relics from a rare collection of Lama Zopa Rimpoche; to watch the work of the artists - thang-ka painter and carver; to get a consultation of Tibetan doctor and astrologist from Tibetan medicine and Astrology Institute (“Men-tsi-khang”)

Hollywood star Richard Gere and Professor Robert Thurman - fathers-founders of the famous Tibet House New York were invited to take part in the festival. Richard Gere presented his personal photo-exhibition from the series “Pilgrim”, which he made during his travels in Tibet , India and Nepal . Robert Thurman gave lectures on Buddhism, which were of great interest to public. Richard Gere's and Robert Thurman's participation in the festival is deeply symbolic: these people, close friends and students of His Holiness Dalai-lama, have opened to the western world a rare treasure, which culture and philosophy of the Snow Country is.

Festival completed with the grand gala-concert in Moscow Performance and Art centre, where Tibetan Gyudmed lamas, splendid dancing group from Kalimpong “Gandjong Doeghar”, musicians-nomads from Amdo province, Moscow theatre of Tibetan mystery “Lung-ta” and a special guest Loten Namling (White Crane of Tibet) took part.

In November 2004 during Dalai-lama's visit to Kalmykia, the organizers of the festival told His Holiness about the work they performed. On the audience in Elista the president of Tibet House Moscow Elena Vrublevskaya, honorable chairmen of the festival mister Tashi and ngagrampa (doctor of tantra) Lobsang Tsering, vice-presidents Sergey Zolotarev and Yulia Jironkina, art-director Igor Yancheglov, personnel director Galina Kubareva and the Gyudmed monks' sponsor Andrian Melnikov were present. His holiness asked in details about festival's participants and the public reaction; he was sincerely happy that the festival gave all ranks of the society the opportunity to know truth about Tibet ingeniously from the culture bearers. “I think it is in the humanity's interest to know true facts, - he noticed,- Now in Western Europe , America , Canada and to some extent in Africa the knowledge of Tibet is on a good level. Unfortunately, in your country it's different. In spite of tight interaction between Tibetan and Russian tsars before the revolution, during the last 70 year the relations between us were totally stopped… In this respect your festival is well-timed and useful”.

Examining the photographs of the exhibition pieces of the festival, His Holiness paid attention to ritual masks, made by the Murmansk artist Sergey Pancheshnyi. These masks of Cham ceremony became the talking point about the great meaning of true checked information. His Holiness said: “In the West, even so called “tibetologists” used to give such a description of Tibetan Buddhism, that didn't square with reality at all. Nowadays a new generation of western tibetologists appeared who understand rather profoundly the essence of Tibetan Buddhism. Take for example, this mask. If we don't know the philosophy standing behind it, it looks rather strange. One can think that Tibetan Buddhism with its wrathful deities and different stories manipulates the human fear. But it is far from it… Buddhism is the religion of compassion, peace and kind heart. That is why it is so important to give people true information.”

Just that very task the organizers of festival “TIBET” in Moscow challenged: besides the concerts and exhibitions, festival program included documentary and feature films about Buddhism and Tibet, series of lectures by Tsering Dhondup ( culture and religion consultant of Tibet center of culture and information in Moscow) and ngagrampa Lobsang Tsering (Gyudmed monastery); bright lectures of Robert Thurman and fire and fury speech of Richard Gere in support of Tibet.

In conclusion of the meeting His Holiness suddenly said: “I would like to express you my gratitude on behalf of six millions Tibetans. For more than thousand years we were building our culture and spirituality, Tibetan people have brought these values through ages. I thank you on behalf of this thousand-year civilization.” These words are the source of inspiration and huge responsibility for us, for they were said by the spiritual leader of Tibet .

Julia Jironkina