HomeMy WebLinkAbout2025 May 4 Rivers and 6 Ranges Day DayCOLUMBIA HEIGHTS
PROCLAMATION
Four Rivers Six Ranges Day - May 3, 2025
The feature film Four Rivers Six Ranges documents the historic Chushi Gangdruk resistance
group, which was formed in 1958 by ordinary Tibetans united in their devotion to their
homeland and their Buddhist faith. Against overwhelming military occupation, they
courageously secured the safe passage of His Holiness the Dalai Lama into exile in 1959.
In 2025, we honor the 90th birthday of His Holiness the Dalai Lama — a global symbol of peace
and compassion —who has spent 66 years in exile while steadfastly advocating for the rights,
dignity, and cultural survival of the Tibetan people through nonviolent resistance.
Inside occupied Tibet, the spirit of peaceful resistance continues. Despite decades of
repression, religious persecution, and cultural erasure, Tibetans have preserved their
language, spiritual traditions, and identity with unwavering strength.
Created by Tibetans in exile, Four Rivers Six Ranges tells a story of survival, dignity, and
resistance that transcends borders and calls upon all of us to stand up for human rights and
justice.
Columbia Heights has been chosen by the film's director, Shenpenn Khymsar, to host the
historic world premiere of Four Rivers Six Ranges at The Heights Theater on May 3, 2025, at
12:30 p.m. This momentous event is both a significant cultural milestone and a powerful act of
witness and solidarity.
More than 6,000 Tibetan refugees call Minnesota home, including many in Columbia Heights.
They enrich our city with their heritage, resilience, and enduring commitment to preserving a
culture under threat.
Therefore, I, Amada Marquez Simula, Mayor of Columbia Heights, proclaim May 3, 2025,
as "4 Rivers 6 Ranges Day: A Tribute to Tibetan Defiance and Dignity" in recognition of the
Tibetan people's ongoing struggle for freedom, justice, and cultural preservation.
Let this day serve as a reminder of our shared responsibility to stand with those who resist
injustice with courage, compassion, and hope.
�
A ada MaG
rquez Sim la, Mayor
April 28, 2025