Known as the Land of Snows, Tibet is an ancient civilisation with its own rich cultural and religious past. Tibet and China have a long history and for short periods of time over the last 2000 years Tibet has come under the rule of China. At other times both states were ruled by the Mongol empire. In 1949 China claimed Tibet as part of the ‘motherland’ despite distinct differences in culture, language, identity, government, and legal status. The occupation of Tibet represents brutal repression, colonial occupation, and military domination.

Tibet is far away, and other countries have their own fears and troubles. We can well understand that there may be a tendency to let the events in Tibet drift back into history. Yet Tibet is on this very earth; Tibetans are human; in their way they are very civilised; certainly they are sensitive to suffering. I would dare to say that no people have suffered more since the Second World War; and their sufferings have not ended, they are continuing every day, and they will continue until the Chinese leave our country, or until Tibetans have ceased to exist as a race or as a religious community.

- The Dalai Lama, My Land and My People