Tibetan Community In The Netherlands | Tibetaanse Gemeenschap Nederland

Tibetan community is a non-political and non-profit organisation, with the main goal to save Tibetan unique culture and environment. We also hope to help Tibetans in Tibet through continuing education, health care and social
awareness to resolve the hardships of Tibetan"s in need.

Early in the year 2000 a total of 15 Tibetans came to Holland. At this time they created the smallest immigrant group in the country. Between the years 2000-2006 approximately 150 Tibetans came to settle in Holland. They began adjusting and settling into to this new way of life in this multicultural country which is now their home. As the assimilation into Holland began, the Tibetans realized an increasing need to also sustain their own culture and heritage within their new country. To facilitate this goal in 2006 they formed an organization called, "Stichting Tibetaanse Gemeenschap Nederland" (Tibetan Community of the Netherlands). On May 23rd, 2006, the STG was formally registered and incorporated under the Chamber of Commerce act (Kamer van koophandel) as a non-profit organization in Holland. STG is open to everyone, regardless of race, ancestry, colour, creed, place of origin, citizenship, gender, sexual orientation, age, marital status, family status, ability, income, political affiliation, criminal record or level of literacy.

As a community based, not for profit organization, the mission of the STG Nederland is to promote the rights of all individuals, in particular, those of Tibetan Dutch and to encourage their full and equal participation in Dutch society; to create an environment in this country in which the rights of individuals are fully recognized and protected; to promote understanding and cooperation between Tibetan Dutch and all other ethnic, cultural and racial groups; to encourage and develop in persons of Tibetan descent, a desire to know and respect their history and culture; and to develop community resources through voluntary participation and community networking.

In today’s increasingly diverse and multicultural Dutch society, the goal of the Stichting Tibetaanse Gemeenschap is to promote cross-cultural understanding and friendship between the Tibetan community and other cultural groups in Holland. This will be achieved through education and awareness projects; networking to build friendships; and through shared community ethnic/heritage events and festivals.

These cross-cultural experiences will foster and enhance mutual respect and tolerance between other cultural groups and the Tibetan community. Also, in having a facility with a learning centre and a place to share common interests, the STG Nederland will not only help Tibetan refugees adjust to the culture, heritage, and lifestyle in Holland, but we will also promote and nurture Tibetan culture and arts within the Tibetan community and with other cultural individuals and groups, thereby creating multicultural harmony and understanding.

As newly arrived Tibetans settle to Holland, many find adjusting to their new way of life is not an easy task. Challenges such as language barriers, cultural differences and feelings of uneasiness or uncertainly are just some of the experiences faced by newcomers to this country. For many individuals upon arrival they do not know where to go to access information or services. As a volunteer based organization, we seek to develop community and outreach resources through voluntary participation and community networking to help newcomers in these areas of concern. We will achieve this through the provision of a broad range of assistance including information, facilities, goods and services in both Tibetan and Dutch in order to ensure that a new refugee"s adaptation into one"s new home goes as smoothly as possible. Tibetan community is a non-political and non-profit organisation, with the main goal to save Tibetan unique culture and environment. We also hope to help Tibetans in Tibet through continuing education, health care and social awareness to resolve the hardships of Tibetan"s in need.