The 10^th December was the 23^rd anniversary of His Holiness receiving of the Nobel Peace Prize. 

In recognition and appreciation of His Holiness efforts to encourage religious harmony and promotion of peace in the world, he was given a special award by the monastery. Indian religious and political dignitaries, along with member of the Tibetan government in exile gave speeches. The new president of the Tibetan people gave a wonderful speech on the situation within Tibetan today which unfortunately is not good. He informed us that to date 82 people have self immolated to protest the Chinese occupation and demand freedom in Tibetan and the return of His Holiness to Tibet. Unfortunately the self immolations are quickly growing in number and Time magazine reported that these desperate and  horrific acts of protest against oppression have been the most unreported issue of 2012 and 2011.

http://www.time.com/time/specials/packages/article/0,28804,2101344_2100858_2100859,00.html

http://www.savetibet.org/resource-center/maps-data-fact-sheets/self-immolation-fact-sheet

 http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/asia_pacific/activists-say-tibetan-teenager-has-become-8th-child-to-self-immolate-to-protest-chinese-rule/2012/12/10/7c128c60-4344-11e2-8c8f-fbebf7ccab4e_story.html

His Holiness and the Tibetan Government have repeatedly asked Tibetans not to self immolate as it is  not only against Buddhist teachings of seeing human life as precious but is a very violent and painful way to die  and causes great suffering to loved ones and the Tibetan people as a whole.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w6MaE9-ADtU

 However, Tibetan do pray for those who martyr themselves for the Tibetan cause so a candle light vigil was held to highlight what is presently happening in Tibet. Thousand of monastic’s and lay people met in a huge field out of town in front a temporary alter with butter lamps and posters of those who have self immolated. At sunset, after an hour of prayers and a moment of silence, this somber crowd proceeded through the various camps chanting the prayer of wishing the altruistic mind of love and compassion to arise in the mind of all people. I stood by the side of the road as a sea of maroon robes and flickering candles passed by and trailed off miles down the road into the distance. Quite a spectacle but so very, very sad that so many Tibetans have, in desperation  sacrificed their own lives to bring the worlds attention to Tibet in the hope of order of ending the occupation and human rights abuses; only to be ignored by the world media.

Candle light vigil tent