As the only recognized descendent of Songtsen Gampo, the first Dharma King of Tibet (617-698 AD), 16-year-old Namgyal Wangchuk Trichen Lhagyari carries the unique responsibility of representing Tibet’s unbroken history and heritage. Yet, as a teenager, he also represents a new generation of young Tibetans who are caught today between the peaceful traditions of Tibetan Buddhism and a desperate desire to fight for the freedom of their people. These young Tibetans speak about the slow obliteration of their very identity – their livelihoods, their right to choose where they live, their ability to be educated in their languages – and the stark choice they face of either remaining in Tibetan areas under these constraints or seeking to flee to other countries.
