Eilsabeth Gick on Tibet: out loud at the library tomorrow

12 Jan Eilsabeth Gick on Tibet: out loud at the library tomorrow

[click to hear Elisabeth Gick on Tibet]

Elisabeth Gick first came to Telluride in September of 1979, like so many of us, an “accidental tourist.”

“The beauty of the valley sucked me right in and has not let go yet.”

Gick’s children, now adults, went through school here, and she started a very satisfying landscaping business, Outer Spaces, while also becoming deeply involved in a number of non-profits, including Mountainfilm and the Out Loud lecture series.

“I consider myself incredibly lucky to be living here.”

A few years ago, Elisabeth caught the travel bug, visiting interested Nepal in 1999, Vietnam and Cambodia in 2002, India for three months in 2005, India again for three months in 2006-2007.

In fall 2007, she finally made her way to Tibet, Mt. Kailash and Lhasa, fulfilling an old, old dream.

Last year was a tumultuous, emotion-laden and ultimately very frustrating year for Tibetans inside and outside the homeland.

In March, just after their lunar New Year’s celebration Tibetan monks and laypeople took to the streets in over 100 towns throughout their vast country to call attention to 59 years of Chinese misrule. The occupier reacted with brutal force, killing almost 200 mostly peaceful demonstrators, jailing 2000, while another 1000 “disappeared.”

Later, at a conference of Tibetan leaders, the Dalai Lama acknowledging that decades of peacefully pursuing the “Middle Way” had not yielded any improvements for the Tibetans in Tibet: the present situation is actually reminiscent of the darkest years of China’s Cultural Revolution.

 
Monks’ quarters, Manigango

At this point in time, a few months before the 60th anniversary of the start of the Chinese invasion and the 50th anniversary of the Dalai Lama’s flight into exile world leaders and world citizens need to stand up for peace, human rights, autonomy and environmental protection on the roof of the world. Our economic woes are no excuse for turning a blind eye to martial law imposed on monks and nuns, to genocide and environmental rape.

“Tibet captured me almost as much as Telluride. I went back this past fall wanting to figure out a way to stay involved with the land and the people for many years to come. Tibet is my
love; Tibet needs our help; Tibetans should be our teachers. We have to do everything in our power to preserve their culture.”

On January 12, 6 p.m., at the Wilkinson Library, Elisabeth is conducting a Show & Tell on her favorite subject, “Tibet: The Return to Darkness.” For a preview of what she has to say, listen to her podcast.