Archive of Past Events

TRAS Kick Off to Summer Social – May 8th, 2014

TRAS members caught up on the latest projects, met 3 recently arrived Tibetans, and enjoyed delicious  Indian food at the New India Buffet and Restaurant.  Overall a successful event to kick off the summer!

An evening of adventures with Kevin Vallely

Date: Friday January 31, 2014

Sutherland Social Justice hosted a wonderful evening with adventurer Kevin Vallely.  The evening included Kevin’s inspirational stories, a delicious home-cooked South Asian meal and a Nepalese crafts market.  The event raised funds for TRAS to support our overseas partner, Buddha Academy Boarding School.

TRAS 51st Annual General Meeting

Date: September 4, 2013 – Langara College

Kick Off to Summer Social – June 4th, 2013

Date: Tuesday June 4, 2013

TRAS’s “Kick Off to Summer Social” included delicious Nepali food at Gurkha Himalayan Kitchen, Vancouver’s newest Nepali restaurant. The Nepali restaurant owners donated $5 for every guest who attended and $1 for every alcoholic beverage sold, with the funds going to READI Nepal to educate village children in Humla.

50th Anniversary Gala Event

Date: Saturday November 3, 2012

The evening was a resounding success. The room was packed, the Indian food was superb, the entertainers were delightful, and the speeches were excellent.  Jennifer Hales, TRAS President, gave a fascinating overview of the history of TRAS, from the Woodcocks’ first encounter with the Tibetans in 1961 to the work our current partners are doing today.

Gala Entertainment included the Tibetan Youth Musical Ensemble, and dancing by the Jawani Bhangra Team and Jawani Bhangra, a 13-year old Nepali dancer.  To round off the evening Tsering Shakya charmed us with his personal story of the Tibetan Homes Foundation.                              

Trans-Himalaya: Tibet, Nepal, India – A photography exhibit by Marion Tipple

A month-long exhibit showcasing TRAS Director Marion Tipple’s stunning photographs of the Himalayan region

Dates: September 1 – 28, 2012 Location: Moat Gallery, Vancouver Public Library Central Branch. Cost: Free

Tibet Fest 2012

Date: Saturday August 18, 2012

Talented artists demonstrated Tibetan Thangka painting, sacred sand mandala art, and beautiful butter sculptures.  Delicious Tibetan food, arts, music, dance and movies. There was something for everyone: families, young and old.

TRAS 50th Annual General Meeting

Date: Wednesday June 6, 2012

TRAS President Jennifer Hales recently returned from India and Nepal where she visited a number of TRAS partners and project sites. After a brief business meeting, Jennifer shared stories and photos of these exceptional organizations and the way your donations made a difference.

Musical Evening and Nepali Meal

Date: Wednesday, May 9, 2012

An evening of live music with local musicians and a delicious Nepali dinner at Vancouver’s wonderful Café Kathmandu. Warmly welcomed by Abi Sharma, the owner, and surrounded by the glories of Daniel Henshaw’s stunning scenic photographs of Nepal, our guests were in for a treat.  Add in Abi’s wonderful cooking and the skill of three young Vancouver musicians: this was an evening to remember!

Nepali Film Night Featuring “Sherpas – the True Heroes of Mount Everest”

Date: Wednesday, April 11, 2012

Sherpas – the True Heroes of Mount Everest showcased the work, hardships and life of the Sherpas at Mount Everest. The film followed the expedition of the Swiss mountain guide Kari Kobler and his European climbers as they climbed the highest mountain in the world, a feat un-imaginable without the support and guidance of their hired Nepali Sherpas. Hosted by Reel Causes

Tibetan Singing Bowl Concert

Date: Wednesday, March 14, 2012

Megha Shakya, master of Tibetan singing bowl therapy, demonstrated the ancient form of healing for the body and mind by performing the ethereal and healing music of ancient Tibet.

Co-sponsored by Banyen Books and Sound.

Momo-Making Demo and Tibetan Meal

Date: Tuesday February 28, 2012

Vancouver Tibet Kitchen specializes in authentic Tibetan cuisine and spicy Indian-style Chinese food.  The evening involved Tsering Norbu’s unique demo on how to make momos and Tibetan butter tea, followed by a sit-down delectable Tibetan meal!

The Tibetan Refugees’ Dilemma: between Exile and Accommodation

Date: Wednesday, January 25, 2012

A Lecture by Dr. John Conway, Professor Emeritus of History at UBC and former TRAS President.  Dr. John Conway’s talk focused on the fifty years of Tibetan refugee life, the continuous dilemmas faced by exiles, and the question of what this community will do when the present Dalai Lama is no longer there to lead them.  All proceeds went to the Tuting Adult Literacy Project.

2nd Annual Tibet Fest!

Date: Saturday August 27, 2011

A vibrant and exciting day celebrating Tibetan music, dance, food, art and more!

49th TRAS AGM

Date: Monday June 20, 2011

Filmmakers and TRAS members, Daniel Henshaw and Brenda Kyle, returned from Nepal where they visited TRAS partners Buddha AcademyDhaka Weaves and directors from READI Nepal. Through a striking blend of film and photography, Daniel and Brenda shared stories of these exceptional organizations and the way your donations make a difference.

Lecture Series on Tibet

Dates: May 30 – June 3, 2011

Dr. John Conway, Professor Emeritus of History at UBC and former TRAS President, gave five lectures on the theme of “The Tragedy of Tibet” for the UBC Continuing Education’s Ageless Pursuits program.

Nepali Film Festival

Date: Sunday April 3, 2011

This one-day festival featured inspiring and thought-provoking films by Nepali filmmakers as well as a Himalayan market where many treasures can be found. All proceeds from the festival went to TRAS-supported projects in Nepal.

Banff Mountain Festival World Tour

Date:  Saturday December 4, 2010

The Banff Mountain Festival World Tour brings Banff to audiences around the globe. TRAS was on-site with a display of our various projects and with wonderful handicrafts from the Himalayas available for purchase.

Christmas at Hycroft

Date: Sunday, November 21, 2010

TRAS was very excited to participate in the 38th Annual Christmas at Hycroft craft fair. The year’s theme was Winter Wonderland. We had lots of new items for sale, perfect for holiday gift giving.

Benefit Event for Tibetan Nuns Project

Date: Monday October 25, 2010

Empowerment in Exile – Twenty Years of Transforming Lives through Education.

This event was sponsored by the Tibetan Nuns Project.  See this flyer (PDF) for more details.  For more information, the Project’s website is http://www.tnp.org/

Celebrating Survival: Tibetan Cultural Festival in Support of Earthquake Relief in Yushu

Date: Sunday July 11, 2010

On April 14, 2010, a devastating magnitude 6.9 earthquake struck Jyekundo, also known as Yushu Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, Qinghai Province, China. According to China’s Xinhua News Agency, 2 220 are confirmed dead and 12 135 injured. Unofficial eye witness accounts indicate that the death toll may be thousands higher. At least 80% of homes were destroyed, and survivors are struggling to rebuild amidst the devastation.

The Tibetan Cultural Society of British Columbia (TCS) and Tsengdok Rinpoche (head of Tsengdok Monastery, Vancouver) were in the midst of planning a public festival to celebrate and share Tibet’s vibrant culture, as it lives within Tibetans of BC. On hearing news of the earthquake they immediately redirected their intention, deciding that all proceeds would be directed to relief efforts.

48th Annual General Meeting

The 48th Annual General Meeting of the Trans-Himalayan Aid Society was held at Langara College in Vancouver, on Wednesday June 9, 2010. A short business meeting was followed by a talk by TRAS member Brian Sheffield about his recent trek around the Manaslu area in Nepal.