Guests: Chussang (visiting from Tibet) and Losang Rabgey
Opening Joke: Charlie Currie
Announcements: Next week is student of the Month: a student will be coming to tell us about her trip to Denmark
Next Week Duties November 2:
Sgt. at Arms: Sharon Chambers and Marcus Tully
Greeter/Prize: Marlene Morrison Nicholls
Thanker/Fine Master: Dan Donaldson
Door Prize: Won by Gary Traill
FineMaster: Cathy Danbrook
Charlie – 66th anniversary
Marlene – welcome our guests
John Hagerty – return from Austria, Poland and Israel for a Holicaust Awareness trip
Blair – granddaughter’s baptism
Bernie – Jay’s done and it was a great year
Sharon – group that had a table of 10 at the LEX fashion show
Lynda – cultural event at Showcase, Bubble Guppies
Erin – Ron James to celebrate BIL birthday, cousin’s wedding, celebrated Scottish heritage
John Hunter – apology for not having the door prize
Dan – in memory of a Michael Burgess, happy about last weeks election results, return tax from golfing in south Carolina
Jason – son won hockey tournament last weekend. Enjoyed hunting in the bush
John Bennett – Friday Oct 30 – Phantom of the Organ, Cambridge United Church
Al Cripps – Kawartha Lakes Food Source, Hockey Helps Hunger, Friday Nov 7, Adults $25, kids $15, some “old” Leafs will be coming out.
50/50 Ticket Winner: Our Guest Chussang
Guest Speaker: LOSANG RABGEY
Introduction: Dr Losang Rabgey holds a PhD in gender and anthropology from the University of London School of Oriental and African Studies where she was the first Tibetan to become a Commonwealth Scholar.
Born in a Tibetan refugee camp in India, raised in Canada, Losang Rabgey has found her life's work in remote Tibetan villages of farmers, seminomads, and nomads.
An anthropologist specializing in contemporary Tibetan culture and gender relations, Rabgey explains, "I believe that whatever kind of theoretical, research-based work you do, it must be grounded in local knowledge. It's critical to have a hands-on understanding of what life looks like and feels like to the people you work with."
Her passion to bring practical improvements to rural Tibet also led Losang and her sister, Dr Tashi Rabgey co-founded Machik, whose mission is to incubate social innovation for Tibet. "With good support from local government, they emphasize community-based, sustainable initiatives that promote education, environmental protection, women's empowerment, and economic development."
In addition to her creative development of Machik work, Losang is a board member of Mechak , the first online gallery of contemporary Tibetan art.
In another area, where the literacy rate is very high, Rabgey's group built the first community library, which has now expanded to include a computing center, local history museum, a lecture series, and English classes. A support program has also been created there, providing high school and college education for low-income women and girls.
In 2006, Losang was recognized by the National Geographic Society as one of eight Emerging Explorer from around the world for her innovative work in gender equality and bridging cultural divides.
She also serves on the Steering Committee of the National Geographic Society's Genographic Legacy Fund.
She is a frequent public speaker and has presented at the Nobel Forum, Yale University, Harvard University, and among others, and gave the Noble Peace Forum Lecture.
Her current research interests include social entrepreneurship, women's empowerment and conservation in Tibet. Born in India and raised in Lindsay Ontario, Losang first returned to Tibet with her family in 1987.
Locally, Losang’s family have brought the Machik Dinner to our community offering an amazing bazaar of beautiful Tibetan artistry and an amazing dinner of their cuisine. It is a window into a culture that we would probably not even know about.
Notes:
Dr. Losang Rabgey
-Born in India, raised in Lindsay, first Tibetan to become a commonwealth scholar, founded Mechet Dinner, promote education, environmental protection, women’s empowerment and economic development.
-Rabgey’s group built the first library,
-Rabgey’s parents have lived in Lindsay for 42 years.
-The dinner brings her family together every year.
-In 1987 she went to Tibet for the first time to meet her cousins. They were illiterate yet so smart. Rabgey was struck that they had to do something. In 1988 an unexpected letter arrived from a group of parents who had a school that the Chinese authorities had built but it was a failure and poorly built. They asked if they would please help to build a school. Rabgey’s father made the first financial donation to help pay for the school. The community of Chungba now offers many programs and has grown to over 700 students attending a multi-building school place from kindergarden to college. The school is now in its 13th year. Change is being inspired and the next generation is ready to learn.
-Chussang is the leading driver for HIV/Aids education for change in Tibet and he travels around and gives presentations in different areas around the world.
-Losang showed a video about the new project being developed beside the school. A centre for community and social enterprise, it will help to incubate business and provide education and training. It is hoped that this will become a model for other regions the way the school has influenced other schools in the region.
-Chussang spoke to the group about his life, and education and his first exposure to english in college.
-He teaches local people about HIV/Aids. How to prevent it and provide palliative care.
Cathy Danbrook thanked Chussang and Dr. Losang Rabgey.
Thought for the Week: If you line up all the economists of the world, from end to end, it would not reach a conclusion.
