AMSTERDAM- The Tibetan Freedom Torch will arrive on Sunday morning at 10 a.m. April 20th 2008 in front of the Olympic Stadium in Amsterdam.
Two Tibetan runners will carry the torch followed by 20 runners in a 12 kilometer Torch relay and sponsor run from the Stadium through the city of Amsterdam to the Ticket for Tibet Festival at NDSM- area in Amsterdam. The arrival of the torch is a part of the opening ceremony of the festival. Dutch, green left party politician Femke Halsema will receive the torch.
Tibetans, the Tibetan football team who is currently visiting Europe and Tibet supporters will welcome the torch at the square before the Olympic Stadium. In front of the stadium a die-inn will take place to symbolize the Tibetans who have died during the recent unrest in Tibet.
Two Tibetan runners will carry the torch followed by 20 Dutch runners through the city to the festival venue. Sadeghi, a well known Dutch TV reporter will run the last part together with Tibetan former political prisoner Dhondup and bring the Tibetan Torch to the festival.
A traditional Tibetan welcome ceremony will take place at the Ticket For Tibet festival to welcome the Freedom Torch and the runners. The torch will be handed over from Sadeghi and Dhondup to Femke Halsema, leader of the Dutch Green left Party.
The Tibetan Freedom Torch was lit in Olympia/Greece on 10th of March, commemorating the 49th anniversary of the Tibet Uprising Day. The Tibetan Freedom Torch symbolizes the hopes and aspirations of the Tibetan people for freedom and justice. The Tibetan Freedom Torch will travel to more than 50 cities around the world between March 10th and August 8th.
The Olympic torch should embody the ideals of peace and harmony for all, but this year, the Chinese government is trying to use the Olympic torch relay to cover up its brutal occupation of Tibet and abysmal human rights record, while the International Olympic Committee has refused Tibetans’ request to be represented at the Games. The Tibet Support Groep-Nederland demands the IOC to not allow the Olympic Torch to be carried to Mount Everest, Tibet, as it is an assault to the Tibetan people and it will bring them in immediate danger when they protest against this in Tibet.
The Ticket For Tibet festival is a major music festival celebrating Tibetan culture by Tibetan, Dutch and international musicians. At the festival area there will be music, soccer games by the Tibetan football team, a Tibetan village, workshops, nomadic sports, comedy, movies etc. The festival visitors will be asked to sign a petition addressed to the Dutch prime minister to ask the EU parliament to invite the Dalai Lama.
For more information, see www.ticketfortibet.com or www.tibet.nu
The torch relay in Netherland is organized by Tibet Support Groep- Nederland (TSG), www.tibet.nu
Contact director TSG-NL Lydia Stilma Lydia@tibet.nl