MW3 2009
On the weekend of November 20, 2009, the third annual Machik Weekend was held in the historic U Street Corridor of Washington DC. The event brought together the growing community of Machik supporters and partners and provided a space for the DC area community to learn more about our work and about Tibet. The event comprised a diverse community of people who share the Machik vision for community service and social engagement on the Tibetan plateau. The weekend consisted of various events: a welcome dinner, a Tibetan market, roundtable discussions, Saturday night dinner, and a send off brunch. The Saturday Tibetan market included a number of local Tibetan vendors who kindly donated 10% of the days’ proceeds. There were also activities for young children and their families: pin the tail on the yak, a reading corner, face painting, and a doll-making table. While the market took place upstairs, we simultaneously hosted roundtable discussions on important topics concerning engagement on the Tibetan plateau. This year the three roundtable discussions focused on Machik’s Summer Enrichment Program (SEP), Social Business Initiative (SBI) and Youth Leadership. The roundtables included moderators and panelists of varying backgrounds. The SEP roundtable discussion was moderated by John Flower from Sidwell Friends School. Panelist included Ian Anderson, the main coordinator for SEP 2009; Cecil Esquivel-Obregon of Columbia University, and Sonia Jarrett and Jenny Zhang from Cornell University. Christina Nelson, who had recently led a summer program in China through Duke University, also contributed to the conversation. The discussion reflected on the challenges and successes of the 2009 SEP and looked ahead to partnerships and collaborations in years to come. The Machik Social Business Roundtable opened with a discussion of various ways of approaching social business. The roundtable included presentations from noted social entrepreneur Robert Eggers, founder and executive director of DC Central Kitchen; Dondrup, a young Tibetan social entrepreneur from Tibet studying in the US; Machik Canada president and successful businessman, KC Choong; Machik Intern and SBI coordinator, Tashi Tenzin; Machik Intern, Alan Webb; Machik operations director, Bradley Aaron ; and SBI initiative committee co-chair and Harvard Business School MBA candidate, Tenzing Tekan. The roundtable sought to engage the audience in questions concerning the possibilities of creating business models design to directly contribute to the social good. The roundtable also introduced the audience to the Machik-Tibet Sustainable Governanc Program's 2010 Social Business Initiative, which will bring together emerging and established Tibetan entrepreneurs in Tibet with socialbusiness leaders in North America to provide training and an open forum for the discussion of social business on the Tibetan plateau. The roundtable also included an unprecedented youth leadership discussion moderated by Machik intern Pema McGuinness. The panelists included James Liao, a UVA student who founded the first ever Machik campus chapter; Tenzin Dolker, Machik’s outreach coordinator who directed Machik Camp; Jigdel, an engineering student from the University of Toronto who founded a youth tutoring and mentoring program, and Thupgon from Bard College, who shared his inspiring story of growing up in a nomadic family. The roundtable discussion was centered on the themes of engagement and commitment to service, two core values of Machik and two principles that are central to bringing about meaningful, sustainable change in Tibet, China and the rest of the world. The four panelists shared their personal stories of what motivates them to engage in their communities and serve. The inspiring discussion ended with a call to action and the reading of sections from the Charter for Engagement . |
A special thanks to all the participants and volunteers who helped make Machik Weekend a success:
Event coordination
Tenzin Drolker - Chair, Malina Keutel, Zomkey Namling
Dinner
Ngodup Namling, Lochoe Phuntsok, Tashi Keyzom, Tenlhun, Tenchoe Namling, Michaela Borghese, Marianne Bowes, Xiaopo Huang, DC Central Kitchen, Robert Egger & Ama Blankson-Wood, Au Bon Pain, Greg of Bruegger’s Bagels
Volunteers & interns
Alan Webb, Angie Das, Barbara Kelley, Dawa Samphel, Desmond Lim, Dondrup Hangjie, Elizabeth Morris, Gewang Topgyal, Isabella Herold, Lily Markey, Lisa Reed, Logan Hamilton, Malina Keutel, Michael Herrick, Nawang Samphel, Pamela Leonard, Patrick Hamilton, Pema McGuinness, Quentin Devers, Rigzin Taring, Susan Mulhall, Taten Tengyal, Tenzin Kunsang Tashi, Tenzin Lahdon, Tenzin Mochoe, Tenzin Rabga, Trinlae Choedron, Tsering Lhamo, Tsewang Yangzom
Silent Auction items
Jimmy Chin, Tsering + Pencho Rabgey, Gordon Wiltsie, Steve Winter
Performers
John Flower, Danny Knicely, Tara Lindhardt, Tsering Rabgey, Ngawang Samphel
In-kind donation
Jampa (Prayer Flags ), Rebecca Martin - Friday Welcome Dinner
Vendors
Dondup Dighang, Tenzin Jigme, Dechen, Tashi Keyzom, Tsering Rabgey, Dorjee Tseten, Lobsang Yeshi, Diki Nyendak, Tencho Gyatso, Tenzin Lhundup
Raffle
Kesang Marstrand - CDs, Techung - CDs, Jampa - Prayer Flags, Jigme - Scarves, Dhondup- jewelry, Tsering- notebooks
Venues
Public Welfare Foundation, especially Sylvia Woods
Thurgood Marshall Centre for Service and Anthony Browder, Chair Rental
Housing
Xiaopo Huang, Joe & Julia Hutter, Mrs Liao, Susan Mulhall, Locho + Jamphel Phuntsok, Tseten Wangchuk + Tashi Rabgey, Losang Rabgey, Bradley Aaron
Event coordination
Tenzin Drolker - Chair, Malina Keutel, Zomkey Namling
Dinner
Ngodup Namling, Lochoe Phuntsok, Tashi Keyzom, Tenlhun, Tenchoe Namling, Michaela Borghese, Marianne Bowes, Xiaopo Huang, DC Central Kitchen, Robert Egger & Ama Blankson-Wood, Au Bon Pain, Greg of Bruegger’s Bagels
Volunteers & interns
Alan Webb, Angie Das, Barbara Kelley, Dawa Samphel, Desmond Lim, Dondrup Hangjie, Elizabeth Morris, Gewang Topgyal, Isabella Herold, Lily Markey, Lisa Reed, Logan Hamilton, Malina Keutel, Michael Herrick, Nawang Samphel, Pamela Leonard, Patrick Hamilton, Pema McGuinness, Quentin Devers, Rigzin Taring, Susan Mulhall, Taten Tengyal, Tenzin Kunsang Tashi, Tenzin Lahdon, Tenzin Mochoe, Tenzin Rabga, Trinlae Choedron, Tsering Lhamo, Tsewang Yangzom
Silent Auction items
Jimmy Chin, Tsering + Pencho Rabgey, Gordon Wiltsie, Steve Winter
Performers
John Flower, Danny Knicely, Tara Lindhardt, Tsering Rabgey, Ngawang Samphel
In-kind donation
Jampa (Prayer Flags ), Rebecca Martin - Friday Welcome Dinner
Vendors
Dondup Dighang, Tenzin Jigme, Dechen, Tashi Keyzom, Tsering Rabgey, Dorjee Tseten, Lobsang Yeshi, Diki Nyendak, Tencho Gyatso, Tenzin Lhundup
Raffle
Kesang Marstrand - CDs, Techung - CDs, Jampa - Prayer Flags, Jigme - Scarves, Dhondup- jewelry, Tsering- notebooks
Venues
Public Welfare Foundation, especially Sylvia Woods
Thurgood Marshall Centre for Service and Anthony Browder, Chair Rental
Housing
Xiaopo Huang, Joe & Julia Hutter, Mrs Liao, Susan Mulhall, Locho + Jamphel Phuntsok, Tseten Wangchuk + Tashi Rabgey, Losang Rabgey, Bradley Aaron