New Delhi: Hundreds of Tibetans at Bodh Gaya after watching the film “Say no to wildlife products” produced by Wildlife Trust of India (WTI) said they will not use wildlife products and would prevent others from buying it.
Tibetans from India and neighbouring countries – Bhutan, Nepal, and Tibet were participating in the annual Monlam teachings from December 27 to January 3.
“The occasion gave an opportunity to present the conservation message of His Holiness the Dalai Lama among the Tibetans” Tenzin Norsang of WTI who organized the screening said.
Thousands of Buddhist devotees from various countries gather each year in Bihar in Eastern India to receive the Kagyu teaching from His eminence, Orgyen Trinley, the 17th Karmapa.
WTI had screened the film repeatedly during the programme to reach out to the Tibetans to highlight the plight of endangered animals – killed for their body parts, which is being used in traditional medicines and attires in Tibet and elsewhere.
Film CDs and literatures were also distributed among the public.
“Tibetan settlements, schools and monasteries in the country are also being covered as part of the Tibetan Conservation Awareness Campaign.” Pasang Lhamu, Programme Officer of WTI said.
In the year 2005, His Holiness the Dalai Lama launched this campaign in conjunction with WTI and the Care for the Wild International (CWI) asking the Tibetans to abandon products made from endangered animals.
One of the Tibetans who came from the Amdo region in Tibet said that Chinese fur traders are collecting back fur from people, whom they had sold earlier.
The traders are hoping that the business would revive soon and they would be able to sell fur at higher prices later.
Recently, a Tibetan school student who volunteered to go to Nepal during his vacation to spread awareness among the Tibetans said about 200 children in Nepal are ready to volunteer in the campaign.
