Tibet in eyes of French writer

PARIS - "I have been to Tibet for two times, where I got to know a different image from what Western media had described, and I hope to go back again," Sonia Bressler, French philosopher and writer said Tuesday at a symposium on Tibet.

"I knew a lot of reality through my two tours to Tibet," Bressler, author of the book Journey to the Heart of Tibet published in 2014, told a visiting Chinese delegation of Tibet cultural exchange at the symposium attended by French cultural circles.

Bressler visited many places in 2007 and 2012, including Lhasa, Gyants, Shigatse, Tingri and Everest, and talked with people from different walks of life, such as farmers, herdsmen, officials, entrepreneurs, educators, and students.

Through these experiences, she took down her personal experiences and the ordinary Tibetans' thinking in vivid and delicate writing, demonstrating a new look of Tibet from the aspects of economy and politics, society, culture and ecological environment.

"During the three-day visit, we exchanged views with people from all walks of life, including politicians, officials, non-governmental officials on Tibetan history and culture, religious belief, environmental protection, climate change and social development," said Wang Nengsheng, head of the delegation.

"The two sides put forward many proposals on how to increase cultural exchanges and enhance mutual trust," said Wang, also the deputy secretary general of the Tibet Association for Cultural Exchange with Foreign Countries.

Some French attendees of the symposium said France and other Western countries know not enough about Tibetan history and current situation, which caused a lot of misunderstanding.

"Though some Western people lack understanding on Tibet, even with much misunderstanding, gratifying changes have taken place with the increase of bilateral communication," Wang said.

"Since the founding of the Tibet Autonomous Region 50 years ago, especially the convening of the 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, Tibet has seen a fast development in economy, progress in social undertaking, improvement of people's livelihood, and social stability," he said.

During the tour, the delegation visited Amboise city in central France and held talks and activities with overseas Chinese in France to introduce social, economic and cultural development in Tibet to Western people.