NEW YORK, May 28, 2010 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- On Wednesday, June 2, 2010, Global Kids will host a special visit by the seventeen-year-old exiled king of Tibet, Namgyal Wangchuk Trichen Lhagyari, and an exclusive screening of a film he created with BYkids, My Country is Tibet, at Long Island City High School in Queens. King Namgyal is the only recognized descendent of the first Dharma King of Tibet Songsten Gampo, who died in 698 A.D. He was crowned by His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama at the age of 12 in Dharamsala, India, where he still lives in exile.
Global Kids and the Long Island City High School community is eager to welcome such an important world figure, who will share his incredible story with an audience of about 150 students and teachers.
My Country is Tibet is a story of the King's struggle not only with the responsibility of the 1000 year heritage of Tibet's Dharma Kings, but also with a new responsibility of representing and leading a generation of young Tibetans who are caught between the peaceful traditions of Tibetan Buddhism and a desperate desire to fight for their freedom. Namgyal developed the film in collaboration with BYkids, a nonprofit organization that pairs mentoring American filmmakers with youth from around the world to create short documentaries about their lives.
"We are honored to host King Namgyal at Long Island City High School, a remarkable youth who embodies the qualities and values of global citizenship that Global Kids instills in the students we work with every day," said Carole Artigiani, Executive Director of Global Kids.
Event details:
Date: Wednesday, June 2, 2010
Time: 10:30 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
Location: Long Island City High School
1430 Broadway, Long Island City, NY
Press representatives are invited to attend. Following the film screening, the King will answer questions from students, and then meet with a group of Tibetan students from the school. The film will make its festival premiere at AFI/SilverDocs in Washington later this month.
Global Kids, Inc. conducts a range of comprehensive youth development and global education programs at Long Island City High School, both during the school day and after school, which engage students in hands-on projects, academic skill-building, and leadership opportunities.
Global Kids, Inc. – www.globalkids.org
Founded in 1989, Global Kids' mission is to educate and inspire urban youth to become successful students, global citizens and community leaders by engaging them in academically rigorous, content-rich learning experiences. We educate youth about critical international and domestic issues and promote their engagement in civic life and the democratic process. Through our Online Leadership Program we provide teens with opportunities to address community needs, raise awareness about global issues, and develop 21st-century skills through the use of new media.