| Tsering Dolma Gyaltong | |
|---|---|
| Born | 1929[1] Lhasa, Tibet |
| Known for | Member of International Council of 13 Indigenous Grandmothers, revived the Tibetan Women's Association |
| Religious beliefs | Tibetan Buddhist |
Tsering Dolma Gyaltong is a Tibetan spiritual leader who lives in exile in Toronto, Canada.[2] Tsering has been active in being an Founding Member of the Tibetan Women's Association and re-establishing it again in 1984.
She has been active in her open criticism of China's treatment of Tibetans - causing others to become vocal.
Tsering gained international recognition as a healer and resides on the International Council of 13 Indigenous Grandmothers - a group of spiritual elders, medicine women and wisdom keepers.[3]
Due to the Invasion of Tibet by the Chinese and the ongoing treatment of the Tibetans. On the 17th of March 1959, the day that the Dalai Lama began his escape from the Norbulingka Palace, The Tibetan Women’s Association, of which Tsering was a Founding Member carried out a street demonstration with 500 of its members. Due to this, Tsering is said to have been 'instrumental' in creating the diversion to get Dalai Lama out of Tibet in 1959.[4]
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Tsering's husband job in 1959 was to get support for Tibet from other governments. Because of being implicated in this work, Tsering and her children had to leave Chinese occupied Tibet.[5] Tsering followed the Dalai Lama into exile in India.[6]
Tsering moved with her family to Canada in 1972. She now lives in Toronto, Canada.[7]
In 1984, Tsering came back to India to reinstate the central Tibetan Women's Association. Tsering took on many roles on the Executive Committee - spanning 10 years; Vice President from 1985–1988, Special Assistant from 1988–1991, Vice President from June–October in 1992 and President from 1993-1994.[8]
Tsering and two other Canadian Tibetan Refugees were joined by Tibetan delegates from Australia, Norway, Sweden, the United Kingdom, and the United States in order to attended the Fourth World Women’s Conference which, in 1985, was held in Beijing, China. Here, Tsering and her fellow delegates bravely criticised China's treatment of Tibetans, especially women.[9]
Due to the heavy-handedness of Chinese security, and Tsering's outspokenness and the publicity actions of other members of the Tibetan Women's Delegation, the event was seen as a public relations disaster for China.
Another success was that they were able to meet with hundreds of other international female delegates, they were able to network and get their message heard internationally.[10]
In 2004, Tsering was approached by The Center for Sacred Studies to serve on the International Council of 13 Indigenous Grandmothers. These thirteen Grandmothers are internationally known Keepers of Wisdom, Medicine Women and Shaman and come from all four directions of the world.[11]
The Council has been active in protecting indigenous rights and medicines, promoting ancient wisdom. The Grandmothers have also petitioned the Roman Catholic Church to revoke a 15th Century Papal bull and related edicts which brought about a culture of 'rape and run' culture when new lands have been discovered. The Grandmothers have visited the Vatican City in order to hand-deliver their request. However, these medieval decrees still yet to be revoked.[12]