"2009 Tibetan Personality of the Year" Preliminary Results Announced

Following our previous translation Tibetan Bloggers Nominate the "2009 Tibetan Personality of the Year", High Peaks Pure Earth has translated the announcement of the preliminary list of winners which was posted on the official blog of TibetCul on February 2, 2010.

Visitors to TibetCul are mostly college students based either in Tibetan areas or colleges around China. Their initial voting very much reflected their interest and concerns which seemed to be social work and contemporary/popular culture. The lists below, edited by the TibetCul webmaster do not reflect the votes cast by individuals. This is notable in the omission of Woeser who received many nominations from netizens.

For more background on the people and the poll, please see our previous post. High Peaks Pure Earth will publish the eventual winners once they are announced! 

TibetCul.com : "2009 Tibetan Personality of the Year" Preliminary Results

Who is 2009 Tibetan Personality of the Year? Let us discover together, choose together, document together and let their spirit and power warm us, inspire us and guide us.

Another year comes to an end - at the end of 2009, which Tibetans attracted widespread attention? Which Tibetans in Tibet made an outstanding contribution to society? Which Tibetans used their individual powers to expound the outstanding spirit of the Tibetan nationality? Which Tibetans in 2009 who affect our lives are we proud of?

They may already be famous or perhaps are completely unknown; some may be high-spirited and some may be awe-inspiring. In 2009, these people remain in our field of vision. Their life paths mark this era.

Therefore, at the end of December, TibetCul launched a major activity to select the "2009 Tibetan Personality of the Year", a selection which lasted over a month where netizens could make recommendations and nominations, TibetCul allowed netizens to choose anyone they wanted and, following careful investigation and consideration, the preliminary "2009 Tibetan Personality of the Year" list is announced, once again for the consideration of online users and readers of the TibetCul official blog, the consultation period is February 2, 2010 - February 11, 2010 for netizens and readers to express their views on the list. Based on this, TibetCul will release the final list on February 11, 2010.

"2009 Tibetan Personality of the Year" Preliminary List for Individuals:

Penor Rinpoche (Master of Nyingma Tibetan Buddhist teachings, passed away on March 27, 2009)

Ngapo Ngawang Jigme (Tibetan official, Vice-Chairman of the CPPCC National Committee, passed away on December 23, 2009 due to illness)

Jampel Gyatso ("Gesar" Research Centre, doctoral tutor)

Jigme Gyaltsen (Tibetan educator, Jigme Gyaltsen Welfare School)

Haxi Tashi Dorjee (environmental volunteer, Vice Secretary General of The Snowland Great Rivers Environmental Protection Association, Qinghai)

Wangchuk Tseten (Founder of TibetCul, Tibetan publisher, poet, scholar)

Pema Tseden (Tibetan director, screenwriter, filming in their mother tongue)

Karma ("King of Dzi", Tibetan businessman, environmentalist)

Gadai Tsering (young Tibetan poet, representative Tibetan figure in poetry circles)

Sonam Tashi (Tibetan singer, 2009 "Girl, I Love You", the most listened to online and downloaded Tibetan song in the country)

"2009 Tibetan Personality of the Year" Preliminary List for Groups:

All the monks of Labrang Monastery

Staff of Qinghai Tibetan TV