International day of dissapeared

International Day of the Disappeared International Day of the Disappeared In May 1995, Chinese occupying forces abducted the six year-old Panchen Lama from his home in Tibet. No one there has seen or heard from him since - he and his family remain disappeared. Sunday 30th August is the International Day of the Disappeared; a day when people from across the globe remember those who have been forcibly disappeared. This August please keep in your thoughts over 1,000 Tibetans who following protests last Spring disappeared. To this day, over a year later, they are still unaccounted for. Free Tibet has grave concerns for the welfare of the missing Tibetans who are at serious risk of torture. This tragedy extends to the fathers, mothers and friends who wait each day for news of their loved ones. Message for Tibet To mark the International Day of the Disappeared we are asking Tibet supporters from all over the world to send us their messages of solidarity which we will put onto traditional prayer flags and hang in Dharamsala India, the heart of the Tibetan exile community. In keeping with the Tibetan prayer flag tradition, these messages will be carried on the wind to reach the thousands of Tibetans and their families, who remain disappeared . Please send your message today and show the world that we have not forgotten those who remain missing! Picture of prayer flags hanging in Dharamsala with Free Tibet supporters messages on. How to send your own personal message * We ask for a donation to support our campaigns (£5 minimum). * You can then leave your message in the PayPal delivery instructions or email it to messagefortibet@freetibet.org * Once received the messages will then be transferred to the prayer flags and hung in Dharamsala. History of Tibetan Prayer Flags One of the most iconic images associated with Tibet is that of colourful Tibetan prayer flags fluttering in the wind. Dar Cho, the Tibetan for prayer flags, means to 'increase life and fortune for all sentient beings.' Each flag is inscribed with a Buddhist prayer and symbol, and the blessing contained on each flag is carried on the wind to everyone the wind touches. Each of the five colours represents a different element: blue is space; white is air; red is fire; green is water; and yellow is earth. There are numerous designs, one of the most common being the Wind Horse, representing good fortune. The tradition of prayer flags is thought to be over 2,000 years old. The practice of hanging the flags has sadly declined in Tibet as a result of China's occupation: although the flags are allowed to be hung in Tibet, many unique designs have been destroyed.