About Songtsen
A white lotus, the emblem of the Buddha of compassion symbolizing purity and compassion
Songtsen is a non profit organization, dedicated to the rescue, preservation and accessibility of Tibetan culture and wisdom, and to helping communities in difficulty, particularly Himalayan populations. Inspired from the extraordinary compassion of Kangyur Rinpoche, renown as one of the greatest Tibetan lamas of the last century, Songtsen represents more than 30 years of aid projects and cultural activities initiated by a group of Tibetans and Westerners.
Since 1975, Songtsen has been helping to preserve Tibetan culture and to make its vast resources and spiritual knowledge accessible to all those interested. Maintaining the vision of Kangyur Rinpoche, in addition to helping to preserve Tibetan culture and traditions, Songtsen is also dedicated to assisting and protecting impoverished peoples, particularly the sick, the young, and the elderly – in essence those who are helpless to care for or to defend themselves. This assistance is unrestricted, extending not only to the Tibetan people, but to all disadvantaged communities, principally the poorest Himalayan regions and other Asian countries, who are among the world’s deprived populations, but effectively wherever help is especially needed.
Songtsen is based in Dordogne, France (see location), with affiliations throughout Europe (including Finland, Germany, Holland, Portugal, Switzerland and the U.K.) as well as in Asia, and the U.S.A. Songtsen’s project organizers and volunteers are also based in India, Nepal, and Tibet. Songtsen's international activities are supported by its various foundations, registered as non-profit charities in France, Portugal, Switzerland, the U.K., and the U.S.A, who share similar goals.
(For more information about Songtsen's directors and organizers, please see who we are).
Songtsen’s vision is to preserve Tibet’s cultural and spiritual heritage to bring peace and harmony in the world.
Songtsen is dedicated to humanitarian service through the cultivation of wisdom and compassion. Our main objectives are:
- To help Tibetan communities - both those in exile and in Tibet - to preserve their identity and uphold the unique living traditions of Tibetan culture, by creating the needed infrastructure and by operating programmes in education, cultural preservation, health, environment, and economic development.
- To provide care for poor or orphaned children, offers support to impoverished people in Asia and in particular the Himalayan regions, as well as Tibetan monastic institutes in India, Bhutan, and Nepal.
- To support the publishing and distribution of Tibetan books, and provides assistance to Tibetan scholars who are endeavoring to preserve and translate rare or endangered texts.
- To make Tibetan traditions available in the West, by organizing various lectures, seminars, and training for scholars and interested individuals, and offering retreat facilities for the intensive study of Buddhist philosophy.
Songtsen’s activities are divided into four departments:
Padmakara: The preservation, translation, publication and distribution of Tibetan texts, both ancient and modern.
Association du Centre d'Études de Chanteloube (ACEC): The study and practice of Tibetan Buddhism, including the organization of lectures, seminars, courses and retreats.
Siddhartha: Support for Himalayan children, in particular to young Tibetan refugees, through either regular or one-off donations to schools and monasteries in India, Nepal, Bhutan and Tibet.
KRF Development: Cultural and economic development for mainly Himalayan and Tibetan communities.
Other helpful links