Tibetan students undergo special leadership programme in Dharamsala

Over fifty Tibetan students are undergoing a special leadership programme based on democratic principles and the situation in Tibet in Dharamsala.

Tenzin Tsundue, one of the participants, said, "Actually, this is a great opportunity. We all are college students here and every (year) during summer vacations this workshop is held. It is a great platform for students specially to get to know about the departments of the Tibetan parliament in exile and to see the changes."

The nine-day workshop organized by the Tibetan Parliamentary and Policy Research Centre conclude today.

The annual workshop was first started in 2001-2002 which slowly gained in momentum.

Experts and scholars taught the students, the need of democracy and values of international support for Tibetan cause.

Yeshi Phunstok, a lawmaker of the Tibetan parliament in-exile said that it was important to impart such training so that the young Tibetans would have a better understanding of democracy, language and culture.

Beijing considers Nobel peace laureate the Dalai Lama, who fled from Tibet in 1959 after an abortive uprising against Chinese rule, a violent separatist.

On his part, the Dalai Lama says he is merely seeking greater autonomy for his Himalayan homeland.