Tibet Support Group – Ireland   Tibet Support Group – Ireland was founded on 8th August 1988 by Neil Steedman and Anthony O Brien and works actively on behalf of Tibet and the Tibetan people in a variety of ways, including political lobbying in Ireland and providing direct assistance to Tibetans in Tibet and in exile. In 1993 TSG-Ireland arranged for His Holiness the Dalai Lama to meet with President Mary Robinson, in Dublin. We were also called in to brief An Taoiseach Bertie Ahern before his State visit to China in 1998, which resulted in his suggestion to the Chinese leadership that the Northern Ireland Peace Agreement might be used as a model to reconcile Tibet and China. In January 2005, we arranged for the Dalai Lama’s Representative, Mrs Kesang Y. Takla – prior to Taoiseach Bertie Ahern's second visit to China – to meet three of the senior civil servants travelling with him, while TSG-Ireland briefed them on Envoy Kelsang Gyaltsen's assessment of the Envoys' third visit to China and Tibet and prospects for further visits and dialogue between the Tibetan and Chinese Governments. (A seventh meeting is being held in Beijing on 3rd May 2008.) TSG-Ireland also promoted the formation of the All-Party Oireachtas Group for Tibet, which includes TDs and Senators from all parties. The group is currently chaired by Chris Andrews TD of Fianna Fail, E-mail: chris.andrews@oireachtas.ie. Neil Steedman helped to form the International Tibet Support Network, which co-ordinates major campaign activities of more than 150 Tibet Support Groups worldwide. Anthony O Brien helped to form the international environmental movement, Eco-Tibet. In 2003, following representations by TSG-Ireland and Mrs Kesang Y. Takla, the then Minister of State for Overseas Development and Human Rights, Tom Kitt TD, announced an Irish Government grant of €200,000 to the charitable foundation run by Tibet House in London for projects among the Tibetan refugee community in India over a three-year period. HOW TO JOIN If you would like to join us, or have any questions / suggestions, please contact: Neil Steedman, Tibet Support Group-Ireland, Whitepark, Arklow, Co Wicklow, E-mail: tibetire@indigo.ie.

STING, DAMIEN RICE, DAVE MATTHEWS, JOHN MAYER AND OTHER TOP ARTISTS SEND A MUSICAL MESSAGE OF SUPPORT TO TIBET AND THE DALAI LAMA “SONGS FOR TIBET” SET FOR RELEASE 5TH AUGUST IN TIME FOR THE OLYMPICS US-based The Art of Peace Foundation has announced that over a dozen of the world’s top musical artists, including Sting, Damien Rice, Dave Mathews, John Mayer, Suzanne Vega, Rush, Imogen Heap, Garbage, Moby, Underworld, Duncan Sheik and many more have come together for an album entitled “Songs for Tibet – The Art of Peace”. The project is the artists’ expression of peace and support for Tibet and the Dalai Lama. The album features acoustic songs recorded by the artists that are proactive celebrations of our shared humanity and common search for happiness. The songs themselves reflect the sublime beauty and vulnerabilities experienced in pursuit of happiness, peace and freedom. The album will release on Tuesday 5th August 2008, three days before the opening of the Olympics in Beijing. The album will be distributed by Bodywisdom Media and available for download through most music download sites, including iTunes and The Art of Peace Foundation’s website, www.ArtofPeaceFoundation.org. The CD will be also sell through major retailers, including Amazon. With the Beijing Olympics just around the corner, the world is focused on the Chinese involvement in Tibet and the plight of the Dalai Lama and his people. This Olympics may be the best – and perhaps last – opportunity for the world to focus its attention on the Tibetan people and the survival of their culture under Chinese rule. “We started this project in May after the Olympic torch came to the United States,” said Michael Wohl, Art of Peace Foundation Executive Director. “The support and enthusiasm by the artists has been incredible. Within one week we began receiving tracks and commitments from top-musicians.” The concept immediately attracted legendary music producer, Rupert Hine, who signed on to produce the CD. “The commitment and enthusiasm from such a wide group of artists has been astonishing and truly heartfelt,” said Hine. “It has been exciting orchestrating such an historic project.” Besides raising awareness and support for Tibet and the Dalai Lama at this critical moment in history, proceeds that the Foundation receives from the sale of the album will support projects important to the Dalai Lama for promoting peace. About The Art of Peace Foundation: The Art of Peace Foundation is a 503.1(C) non-profit founded on the Dalai Lama’s belief of ‘Universal Responsibility’. The Foundation’s mission is to engage the world in a proactive way while remaining grounded in the Dalai Lama’s vision of nonviolence. The Foundation fosters individual action by asking people to support projects that are meaningful to them to unify like-minded people across the world. Besides raising awareness of areas of conflict around the world, the funds the Foundation raises are distributed with the Dalai Lama’s guiding principles for peace-related projects that are dear to him. To learn more, visit www.ArtOfPeaceFoundation.org. About Rupert Hine: Rupert’s career spans more than 30 years and 120 albums. His entry in the definitive reference work on music producers, Billboard’s 'The Encyclopedia Of Record Producers', states: “Few producers have worked with as wide a stylistic range of gold and platinum-selling artists as Hine, including Tina Turner, The Fixx, Howard Jones, Chris de Burgh, Rush, Bob Geldof, Stevie Nicks, Thomson Twins, The Waterboys, Kate Bush, Suzanne Vega and Duncan Sheik.” Rupert's “One World, One Voice” was produced by the BBC in 1990. The 2-hour television programme was viewed by 650 million people around the planet on the same night. The project took the form of a musical ‘chain-letter’ involving 300 artists in 26 countries on 5 continents (including Sting, Peter Gabriel, Chrissie Hynde, etc). About Meridian Trust: The Art of Peace Foundation also works with their UK partner, Meridian Trust, www.Meridian-Trus.org, to preserve Tibetan cultural traditions. Meridian Trust’s patron is the Dalai Lama, who has asked them to raise the awareness of Tibetan cultural traditions. About Bodywisdom Media: Bodywisdom Media is a top-producer and distributor of yoga/holistic living programming in North America. Innovative productions with progressive marketing campaigns have established them as a top holistic living lifestyle brand. As Meridian Trusts’ North American distributor, Bodywisdom Media produced “A Path to Happiness”, one of the top-selling Dalai Lama DVDs of all time. A follow-up DVD entitled “The Art of Peace” will release August 2008. BACKGROUND FOR “THE ART OF PEACE – SONGS FOR TIBET” Over the past 50 years, Tibetan culture has fed a spiritual renaissance in the West. The Dalai Lama’s universal message of compassion, tolerance, non-violence and self-awareness has become a profound spiritual inspiration for countless millions of people worldwide. In 1950, the Chinese invaded Tibet and the Dalai Lama fled in exile to India in 1959. Since then, the Communist Chinese government has set out to systematically suppress and destroy Tibetan Buddhism and culture within Tibet. In recent years, the Chinese government has embarked on a Chinese resettlement programme within Tibet. Several million Han Chinese have been moved to Tibet. Tibetans are becoming an ethnic and cultural minority in their own land. As this tragedy unfolds, the global economic and political might of the Chinese government continues to grow. Even the most powerful nations are hesitant to confront the Chinese meaningfully on human rights issues. This is a critical point in history with the impending loss of one of the world’s great cultural treasures. Overt support for Tibet has been systematically suppressed. Athletes are threatened that they will be kicked out of the Olympics and out of China if they express support in any way. The Beijing Olympics may be the last major opportunity to show support for Tibet’s cause and for it to be heard on the world stage.