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Sonam Lankar

Acknowledging the extraordinary growth of Toronto’s Tibetan community, which in 1970 had  a  population  of only  300 souls, Sonam Lankar, President of the  Canadian Tibetan Association of Ontario, welcomesallinto the humble premises of the Tibetan Canadian Cultural  Centre.  Many  of  the  100,000  Tibetans  living  in  Toronto  attend  festivities, cultural events and  Buddhist  prayers  at  the  centre.  From  humble  beginnings,  the cultural centre will soon be expanding, and its 50-year-old leader is proud to display the scale model depicting the expansion development. In fact, the project was the subject of an  audience  Sonam  had  with  His  Holiness  the  Dalai  Lama  in  August  2018.  A  man of many   talents,   Sonam   and   the   organization   he   runs so successfully   hosted   the Etobicoke/Mississauga Interfaith Festival in 2017 and 2018. This festival brings together leaders and members of the Christian, Jewish, Buddhist, Hindu and Muslim faiths.   
Raised in  a  Tibetan  refugee  community  in  the  barley-growing  region  of  Bylakuppe, India,  Sonam  finished  his  high  school  studies  in  Bangalore.  Before  the  age  of  30,  he emigrated  to  California  to  join  his  brother.  He  spent  four  years  working  menial  jobs including a stint as a kitchen helper in a hospital. In 1998, he moved his young family to join the  Tibetan  community  of  Parkdale  in  Toronto.  Sonam  later  become  the  owner  of Tibet  Kitchen  and  Om  restaurants.  Amid  Toronto’s  sea  of  multiculturalism,  the preservation of the Tibetan identity, culture and language became Sonam’s life mission, and  he  is  recognized  as  a  leader  in  these  efforts.  Considering  the  minority  status  of Tibetans  in  India  and  in  the  Tibet  Autonomous  Region,  Sonam  believes  it  is  of paramount importance to support Tibetans in Canada and throughout the world. A real estate  agent by  vocation,he  is  a  community  organizer  who is  committed  to  creating  a place  to  gather,  worship  and  host  spiritual  and  cultural  activities. Observing the  ethnic diversity  of  the  centre’s visitors, it is clear that the Tibetan community has forged tight bonds with Canadians from various cultures. Adapting to a host country is the challenge facing  most immigrants,  as  it  has  been  for  Sonam’s  high  school-aged  son  and  his daughter, a York University student. 
Sonam espouses with  sincerity  that  Canada,  through  its  leaders  and  policies,  is  a constitutional  state  and  a  haven  of  peace.  Sharing,  altruism,  equality  between  all citizens and the respect of human rights are predominant values. Many Tibetans believe that giving back to your community is one of the cardinal virtues of Buddhism. Our friend Sonam is the very embodiment of that virtue. 
  • Last modified
    2019-12-10

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