A Four-Day, Ladakh-Centric Conference Held in NYC
Last week, two of the American co-founders of Siddhartha School, Laura Kozaitis and Gray Tuttle, held a four-day education conference at Columbia University called New Approaches in Himalayan Education: Learning in Ladakh (NAHE). The conference connected educators, scholars, and university students with the goal of addressing topics including social and emotional learning (SEL), trends in digital technology, and contemporary cultural programming.
Photo: (above) Sir Eshay Tondup, a Siddhartha School board member from Ladakh, presents at the conference.
The Siddhartha School Partnership sponsored a kick-off reception at Tibet House US, where people from Ladakh, Tibet, Mumbai (Bombay), Canada, and America came together to enjoy food and films. The event screened Stanzin Dorjai Gya’s touching film Grandir Au Ladakh (Growing Up in Ladakh),a story that documents the pilgrimage of two young sisters who trek the physically demanding 2.5-hour journey to attend school. It was a glimpse into both the personal life and school rigors and obstacles common to so many children in Ladakh. The director, Stanzin Dorjai Gya, the founder of the Himalayan Film House in Leh, delivered remarks about the film and addressed questions from the audience.
Photo: (above) Siddhartha School co-founder Laura Kozaitis makes opening remarks at Tibet House US.
The impressive panel of speakers included an array of international perspectives and featured educators from Siddhartha School, including Principal Dechen Wangmo and SSP’s Ladakhi board member Sir Eshay Tondup. The presentations spurred informative and impactful conversations for the next generation of leaders. It is our hope that through these exchanges, all who attended will return to their schools and educational work with renewed passion and inspiration.
Photos: (below, top to bottom) Khensur Rinpoche, Sir Eshay Tondup, and Principal Dechen Wangmo; the scribe’s notes from the conference discussion; Danielle Marquis, Principal Dechen, and Sophie Langri talk about social and emotional learning.
NAHE 2023 was co-sponsored by the Department of East Asian Languages and Cultures at Columbia University and the following generous community partners: Siddhartha School Partnership, the Tibetan Classics Translators’ Guild of New York, Global Family Travels, Tibet House US, the Columbia University School of the Arts, and the US-Ladakh Skitsdug Tsokspa Association.
