In January 2006, H.H. The 14th Dalai Lama gave his 31st Kalachakra empowerment at an important Buddhist holy place called Amravati, Andhra Pradesh, in South India. There were over 100,000 devotees who came to have an audience with His Holiness and receive the holy teaching.  There were people from exile, Tibet, Himalayan regions, and several other Buddhists from all the corners of the world. His Holiness not only preached the Kalachakra empowerment, but also talked on how to preserve the peaceful and respectful characteristics of the Tibetan people and made a strong statement on immediate discontinuation of the meaningless and unwise widespread fashion among Tibetans to wear clothing which is often embroidered by wildlife skins of tigers, leopards and otters from Tibet. 

During the Kalachakra empowerment, some NGOs organized public awareness campaigns on endangered wildlife species and environmental issues. Especially, with support from Environmental International Agency (EIA), Wildlife Protection Society of India (WPSI) and The Fund for the Tiger, Khawa Karpo Tibet Culture Centre organized a huge program called HELP TO STOP SLAUGHTER, DO NOT BUY OR WEAR SKINS. In order to raise the general public awareness of the program, people were provided detailed oral and written explanations along with colored posters and a large colored photo exhibition. Also, we distributed hundreds of H.H. the Dalai Lama’s speeches recorded in audio tapes, documentary films, thousands of colorful leaflets with wildlife information to the devotees gathered there, and especially to the new-comer Tibetans from Tibet. We later heard that many leaflets, audio tapes, videos and posters that we distributed freely during Kalachakra also reached several places in Tibet.

During the Kalachakra teaching, His Holiness gave an effective speech to the Tibetans who wear clothing made up of the endangered wildlife skins such as tiger, leopard, and otter and urged them to stop wearing such cloths. A repeated speech was given by His Holiness and continuous programs launched by NGOs in exile Tibetan communities were widely broadcasted by different radio stations and it had a strong impact on the Tibetans inside Tibet.  Therefore, many people in the Kham and Amdo regions of Tibet burned skins of tigers, leopards, otters, and fox with or without obstructions from the Chinese government.  The program of burning skins of the endangered wildlife was started in Tibet just after a few days of the speech given by H..H. the Dalai Lama and campaigns of the NGOs. 

Tibetans in Tibet didn’t exactly know the reason behind the existence of the current fashion and habit of wearing wildlife skins and the existing conditions of the endangered wildlife species. After H. H. the Dalai Lama’s several requests and informative speeches on the misuse of wildlife skins, many Tibetans in Tibet destroyed their expensive cloths made from the wildlife skins, which cost them several thousands of Chinese currency. Many Tibetans were happy to forsake their expensive clothing even though the Chinese authorities placed strong restrictions against the burning, and Tibetan people showed their strength to protect the endangered animals by disregarding the Chinese authority.

Utilization of large quantities of tiger's and leopard's skins in Tibet has broken the National and International law of Wildlife Protection. Tibetan’s habit of using such clothing has not benefited them but has caused much harm to the Tibetan people in so many ways. Presently, the Chinese government stands against the destruction of the clothes made from the wildlife skins in Tibet. Beside this, the Chinese government has detained many Tibetans who are involved in the destruction of such clothing. There are several incidents where the Chinese authorities paid the Qinghai TV Presenter in Amdo province to wear the clothing made of wildlife skins during their TV presentations. Nowadays, all the Tibetans in Tibet consider wearing wildlife skin as a shameful and a bad deed. This is all because of the speeches given by His Holiness and other awareness campaigns being carried out by the NGOs.  Therefore, it is a great hope from all of us that the wildlife skins should never be used again.

So, Wildlife Protection Society of India continues to organize the Wildlife Awareness Campaign for Tibetan for the wildlife protection by organizing campaigns in collaboration with Khawa Karpo Tibet Culture Centre with financial assistance from Sacharuna Foundation. Wildlife Awareness Campaign for Tibetans was organized with a workshop presentation,  movie show and distribution leaflets at the main temple's courtyard at Mcleodganj on September 21, 2006. There were more than 500 people gathered there and many leaflets and posters were distributed.

From October to December 2006, we have organized Wildlife Awareness Campaigns in Tibetan communities in Himachal Pradesh and Uttaranchal. In total there are 13 Tibetan settlements, 15 schools and 11 monasteries including two nunneries. The Campaign organized workshops, presentations, movie shows, and distribution of colored leaflets and posters including information and photos about the Tibetan Antelope or Chirus and skin burning campaigns in Tibet. We have distributed 12,700 leaflets copies.

Wildlife Awareness Campaign for Tibetans was organized at Bylakuppe Tibetan settlement on 11 Jan 2007 and we made presentations and showed movies. There were more than 8500 people gathered, which was an unbelievable number and definitely a great event. We also distributed 13,000 copies of brochures during the Dalai Lama's last day of the Long Life Puja on 12 Jan 2007.   After that, we went to Hunsur and Kollegal Tibetan Settlements and distributed brochures accordingly.

On 22 Jan 2007, we organized a campaign at Mundgod Tibetan Settlement and gave a presentation, showed a film and distributed brochures. There were more than 3000 people gathered. During the south India awareness campaign, we organized and distributed brochures and posters to five secondary schools, five of the largest Buddhist monasteries, two nunneries and four of the biggest Tibetan settlements.

During the Dalai Lama's teaching from March 7 to 14 2007, we organized the Wildlife Awareness campaign in Dharamsala. We distributed thousands of brochures, posters and also shohtoosh (wool of the antelope) brochures.

On May 2, 2007,  which was the Buddha’s birthday celebration, we organized the Wildlife Awareness campaign for Tibetans at stupa circle Boudhnath in Nepal, and there were more than 20,000 Tibetans and Himalayan people gathered. During the campaign we distributed 5500 brochures, and 200 posters and antelope brochures. At that time, we sent around 300 brochures into Tibet through Tibetan merchants and traders. We also organized awareness campaigns in other Tibetan settlements and schools in Nepal.

From 15 to 24 July we campaigned and organized in four of the largest Tibetan monasteries, two high secondary schools, one middle school, and three Tibetan communities in West Bengal and the Sikkim area. On 24^th July we went to several Tibetan hotels, shops and a monastery in the Siliguri Area where we distributed brochures.  In total we distributed 2600 brochures and 55 posters in this area.

From 16 to 20 August 2007, we organized a Wildlife Awareness campaign at Ladhak-based Tibetan settlement and schools. At three different times there were presentations, movies, and distribution of 4000 brochures and 200 antelope brochures. Those brochures hopefully reached the Indo-Tibet border area and also Tibet because thousands of brochures were taken by Chang Tang Tibetan nomads. From 15 to 23  February I have organized Wildlife Awareness campaigns at Orissa and Mainpat Tibetan Settlements and distributed more than 2000 leaflets and posters. From January 2006 to February 2008 I organized and created Awareness campaigns to nearly hundred thousands of Tibetans and people from Himalayan regions.

During the campaign, people showed great interest and support to the organizers of the campaign. The local leaders, the head lamas of the monasteries, and administrators of the schools all extended their great support to the campaign. Dignitaries and officials of the Tibetan Government-in-Exile have also been supporting our initiative and also issued the required supporting letters. I hope to bring strong awareness about endangered wildlife species among the general public. Such awareness campaigns are always being supported and admired by the people.