UPDATE: The iwalk4tibet team did it again in Sydney’s City2Surf

ATC thanks the iwalk4tibet team who made quite an impact for the second time in City2Surf last Sunday. The wet, overcast weather did not dampen the spirit of the team of 26 Tibetans and Tibet supporters who crossed the finish line hand in hand after walking 14 km from the city to Bondi.

In what has almost become a team tradition, huge banners of “Free Tibet” and the Dalai Lama’s portraits, hanging at the bend of the finish line, greeted the 85,000-strong contingent of the iconic Sydney event this year too.

The team raised over $3000 to fund the first Tibetan Film & Arts Festival to be held later this year and support campaigns by ATC.

Brisbane-based Tibetan musician Tenzin Choegyal shares his experience of the day: “It was a great joy to be part of the iwalk4tibet. I returned from my Japan tour in time to take part in this year’s walk. Our team was made up of people from all walks of life from Sydney, Canberra, Central Coast, Blue Mountains and so on. There were even two from England. We had a lot of fun walking together for a common cause. Seeing our team black t-shirt with I WALK FOR TIBET written on it, a lot of people came to chat with us along the way. The best part of it all was seeing those giant banners of His Holiness’ pictures and “Free Tibet” in Bondi and knowing that the 85,000 people who walked past them have unmistakably seen them too.”

A big thank you to our friends at the Tibet Effect, Dalai Lama in Australia Ltd and SFT Australia for their support and Rob Keldoulis for those big banners!
View some images from the day

On 14 August 2011 a team of 26 Tibetans and Tibet supporters will join the 80,000 walkers and runners in Sydney’s City2Surf to raise funds for action on Tibet.

The iwalk4tibet team raised $7000 last year (view photos from the 2010 walk). This year, the team’s goal is to raise funds for the first Tibetan Film & Arts Festival to be held in Sydney later this year and to support political campaigns by Australia Tibet Council.

The team members and their reasons for taking part in the walk for Tibet are listed below. They now need your financial support to help them meet their goals.

The team is supported by Tibet Effect, Dalai Lama in Australia Ltd, Student for Free Tibet - Australia, and Australia Tibet Council.

Tenpa Dugdak of the Tibet Effect, an organiser of the upcoming Tibetan Film & Arts Festival, said, “We want to shed light on the remarkable expression of Tibetan culture and identity taking place in Tibet and enable people in Australia to gain a deeper understanding of the Tibet issue.” He hopes the festival will also offer a platform for young and budding Tibetan filmmakers to explore film as a means of creative expression.

Tenzin Choegyal
“This year as part of City2Surf, I decided to walk for TIBET. I heard that it’s a 14km walk. My charity is ATC so please visit the site and donate. Love and thank you for your kindness.”

Nyima Samdup
“I am walking for Tibet as I couldn’t do so in my country.”

Tenpa Dugdak
“I walk for Tibet to join in spirit with Tibetans in Tibet doing their daily ‘Kora’ under the clutches of Chinese regime with the hope that one day freedom will shine upon Tibet.”

Kunchok Damchoe
“Your support for Tibet will make a significant difference in Tibet’s step towards freedom. With your support, I believe that we will achieve a free Tibet.”

Nell
“I walk for Tibet every time I take a step….”

Tsewang Thupten
“I’m doing the City2Surf to raise money for the ATC and draw attention to the Tibet issue.”

Choedon Coventry
“I am walking for those who do not have the freedom to walk in a free, democratic country.”

Cathy Green
“I am walking for Tibet because I support the Tibetan people’s right to self-determination.”

Julian Gray
“I’m walking for Tibet in order to keep the issue in the public eye.”

Cuong Nguyen
“I am walking for Tibet because everyone has the right to live in their own country.”

Merrill Atlas & Gillian Arnold
“We want to help raise money for ATC and awareness about the injustice in Tibet. We’re standing up for freedom because Tibetan people can’t.”

Leona Kieran
“I’m walking for Tibet because I’m free to do this, and at the same time we can raise funds for ATC and the Tibetan Film and Arts festival.”

Tineke Werner
“My hope is that through the hearts of all people, Tibet will never disappear.
Walking for Tibet, I will hope, I can make a difference.”

Ines Vansevenant
“I’m inspired by the spirit of the Tibetan people. My every step is a mantra, for freedom to shine upon Tibet and it’s people.”

Karen Collier
“I am walking to remind the people of Tibet that they are never forgotton.”

Katie Mason
“I walk for Tibet to show my support for Tibetan people in their struggle to maintain their dignity, human rights and freedom.”

Tenzin Rigchok
“I am walking to support the continued struggle for freedom by Tibetans in Tibet.”

Jan Watson
“I am walking to raise awareness of the Tibet issue.”

Tsering Tsering
“I walk for peace in Tibet. I walk for justice in Tibet. I walk for human rights in Tibet. I walk for Tibet to defy the inhumane treatment of the Tibetan people. I walk to protest against the cultural genocide in Tibet. All in all, I walk to express exile Tibetans’ solidarity with the Tibetans in Tibet.”

Lynn Bain
“His Holiness, the Tibetan people and Tibet are in my heart - how can I not walk for Tibet?”

Aileen Barry
“The situation in Tibet is an example for all of humanity - their freedom is ours. We need to contribute to enable it to happen.”

Yeshi Palmo

Katerina Blahova

Kirra Givanni

Sendy C

Thank you for supporting the iwalk4tibet team and ATC.