Torch relay for Tibetan Olympics 2008 kicks off

Dharamshala, Mar 26: The torch relay for the Tibetan Olympics slated to be held May this year began on Tuesday in Dharamshala. Countering the Beijing Olympics slogan of 'One World, One Dream', the exiled Tibetans are all set to host an Olympic event of their own with the slogan 'One World, Many Dreams', in Dharamsala.

Conducted under the patronage of Tibetan Youth Congress (TYC), the torch relay would travel to Chandigarh from where it will go to New Delhi and then will travel towards the United States. The TYC said the torch relay was to protest against the Beijing torch relay through Tibet. "This Tibet independent torch relay is to highlight the historic fact that Tibet was an independent nation until the Chinese invasion in 1949 and to protest the Beijing Olympics and most importantly to protest the Beijing torch relay through Tibet," said Tsewang Yeshi, President, TYC.

Scheduled to be held from May 15-25, the Tibetan Olympics is an initiative to offer a platform for Tibetans to speak out and draw international attention and awareness to China's continuing abuse of Tibetans and denial of human rights of the people there.

ANI