90th Birthday Tribute to His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama School Outreach Program: Fostering compassion and Emotional Intelligence

Project/Program Name: School Outreach Program (SOP)
Date of Activity: 11th – 28th June 2025, Monday
Venue: Eight Tibetan Schools
Reported by: Ngawang Paldon (Project Officer)
Total Participant/Beneficiaries: 1591 students

Objective of the Program:
As His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama’s reaches his 90th, Tibetans and followers of His Holiness around
the globe are celebrating the year 2025 as the year of compassion. Therefore, ANEC in response to the
growing need for emotional intelligence and empathy in today’s world, endorsed by HH as the need of
the hour, will be implementing School Outreach Program, a school-based initiative designed to nurture
nonviolence, compassion, and emotional awareness among students in grades 6 to 8. Facilitated by
trained educators, the program seeks to equip young minds with practical tools for managing emotions
and developing empathy—laying the foundation for a more compassionate, respectful, and peaceful
society.

Resource Persons:
Ngawang Paldon (Project Officer)
Tenzin Lhamo (Intern)

Activity Overview:

 An introduction of the organization given by the Project Officer with our “intro video”.
 An ice-breaking activity ‘clap for fun’ session to break the ice of unfamiliarity and hesitancy
between the facilitators and the participants to lay a strong foundation for an interactive session.
 The session followed with the Presentation on the ‘Emotional Intelligence’ beginning with a
quick check-in activity of emotional status.
 A journaling session was led by the intern on reflecting the destructive emotions and how to
evaluate and understand these feelings.
 A team game on ‘conflict resolution’ where the participants were given a scenario to find the
most suitable and peaceful solution to it.
 The final activity, “The Compliment Circle,” was particularly well received. Students enjoyed
sitting in a circle and writing kind, encouraging messages on colored paper for the peers beside
them. It created a warm and joyful atmosphere, reinforcing the theme of compassion in a simple
yet powerful way.

Methodology:
 Ice-breaking session: Participants were divided into 7-8 groups, each guided by school teachers,
to ease into the session with a fun and interactive activity.
 Presentation on Emotional Intelligence: A PowerPoint presentation was delivered with
engaging activities such as Popcorn Time, Violence or Nonviolence, and Read Aloud.
 Reflective Journaling: Students explored their destructive emotions by responding to eight
reflective questions designed to enhance emotional awareness.
 Team Game – Conflict Resolution: Students were divided into 15 groups, each presented with a
scenario to collaboratively find a peaceful solution.
 Compliment Circle: To conclude the session on a positive note, students were seated
comfortably in a circle and invited to write kind words for the peers sitting beside them on
colored paper, fostering empathy and positive peer connection.
Lesson learned or Challenges Encountered:
 The workshop proceeded smoothly, largely due to our proactive approach of arriving at each
school an hour before the scheduled start time. This early arrival allowed for thorough
preparation and ensured timely commencement of activities.
 We were pleased to find that the students were well-mannered and attentive, contributing
positively to the workshop environment. The encouragement and support from the school
teachers further enhanced the experience, fostering a collaborative and welcoming atmosphere.
 The most significant challenge we encountered was the extensive travel required to visit
multiple schools without overnight stays. This rigorous schedule was compounded by minor
issues such as intermittent electricity shortages in some schools, which occasionally disrupted
our sessions.
 Despite these challenges, the Project Officer and intern successfully visited nine different
Tibetan schools. The warmth, support, and enthusiastic participation we received at each
location were truly heartening, reinforcing our commitment to the project’s objectives and
inspiring us to continue our efforts with renewed dedication.

Number of students at different schools:
1. Mewon Tsuglag Petoen School – 129 students
2. TCV Chauntra – 151 students
3. TCV Suja – 125 students
4. TCV Gopalpur – 172 students
5. Upper TCV – 640 students
6. STS Herbertpur – 30 students
7. STS Mussoorie – 125 students
8. STS Shimla – 113 students
9. STS Dholanji – 106 students

Total number of students: 1591 students