Source : Tibet.net

Dharamshala: The three-day training for trainers on the Middle Way Approach, organised by the Department of Information and International Relations, Central Tibetan Administration (CTA) concluded yesterday.

The workshop began this Tuesday and participants included representatives from various Tibetan organisations including International Tibet Network, Tibetan Women’s Association, Tibetan People’s Movement for the Middle Way, Active Nonviolence Education Center and Gu-Chu-Sum Movement Association of Tibet and Stories of Tibetans, as well as staff of the Department of Information and International Relations, CTA.

The concluding session of the workshop was talk on Middle Way Approach by Tenzin Lekshay, Additional Secretary of the Department of Information and International Relations. He spoke about the Middle Way Approach as the official policy of the Central Tibetan Administration to secure genuine autonomy for Tibet through dialogue with the Chinese government.

Additional Secretary Lekshay explained that the Middle Way Approach was first conceived by His Holiness the Dalai Lama and unanimously approved by the Tibetan Parliament, following a public referendum in support of the policy. Thus, becoming CTA’s policy through democratic process. He also expressed optimism that such workshops will help create more awareness on the policy as these workshops were specifically designed to train leaders and activists and urged them to take more responsibility on the Sino-Tibet conflict.

Participants of this three day training engaged in interactive sessions and learning activities on Middle Way Approach. The trainers were Ms. Jaimala Iyer and Kavita Arora who also covered a session on communication. During the feedback session before the training concluded, some of the participants shared their opinions about the training and what they learnt in the three days in the feedback form. A participant wrote, “I learnt about Umaylam” and “learnt what and why Umaylam is important.” Another said, “I was able to clear so many thing which I was not aware of. Most importantly the Middle Way Approach is the best solution for Tibetans and Chinese well being,” while one participant said, “learnt important factors to keep in mind when facilitating a training, some of the very important Do’s and Don’ts to be mindful of when facilitating. The training involved excellent engagement from the participants where participants expressed their improvement in facilitation skills and also more clarity on Umaylam.”