The TCCNC Committee has established a Program Committee to address the needs of the Bay Area Tibetan community and to provide a structure and a space for our existing pilot programs. The Program Committee's first effort was to transform a small office space in Berkeley being used by the various Tibetan organizations in the Bay Area into a more community-friendly space. On October 7, 2006, TCCNC and TANC, which shares the space, held a formal inauguration of the Interim Community Center. Monks from Gyuto Buddhist Center blessed the space with special prayers, and special guest Kriss Worthington from the Berkeley City Council spoke in support of the community center project and emphasized the need for putting effective programs in place. See a slideshow of some of our children's programs.

• Toddler Program
• Tibetan Language
• Prayer Sessions
• Music Classes
• Info Sessions
• Annual Report

The Program Committee met with several local Tibetan parents to discuss ways to develop a regular learning program that would meet the needs of Tibetan children. 20-25 toddlers and their parents now meet every Sunday afternoon from 2 to 4 pm with Nordon (Norbu Dolma) of Berkeley, a former Montessori-trained teacher, who teaches Tibetan language to the toddlers pro bono. The children also enjoy drawing. The parents provide food and moral support, and sometimes teach the class in the absence of Nordon. One or two members of the Program Committee are always there to provide help to the teachers and children. The committee continually assesses the program, tailoring it to address the needs of the children.

Prayer Sessions
Since Buddhism is an essential part of Tibetan culture, we have established a Saturday afternoon prayer session. Prayer recital materials were specially ordered from India.

Music Classes
One of the primary missions of the TCCNC is to preserve the cultural identity of Tibetans. By providing classes in traditional Tibetan music and dance, we hope to not only keep our culture alive but also to share our culture with the rest of the world.

Semshug Punda, a local Tibetan music and dance group, has generously offered to give classes in both traditional music and dance. The class will start with lessons on musical instruments like Dranyen (Tibetan Mandolin) and Lingbu (Flute). The class is open to both adults and children. If you are interested, please contact the Program Committee at program_committee@tccnc.net The schedule can be found here: See program schedule.

Info Sessions
The purpose of the informational sessions is to present topics of relevance and interest to the Tibetan community by inviting guest speakers and performers. The session is monthly and the TCCNC Program Committee works to match each month's session with relevant Tibetan events. For example, the April birthday of the Panchen Lama, who is being held in captivity, will be matched with a lecture on the history and significance of the Panchen Lama.

Some topics we have covered include:

• UC admissions and scholarships
• Tibetan medicine and the importance of a balanced diet
• Financial education with Wells Fargo Bank
• Exile Tibetan Government and the History of Tibetan National Uprising Day

If you have any questions or recommendations about the informational sessions, please contact us via email at programcommittee@tccnc.net The schedule can be found here: See program schedule.

Dhonyo Tenzin (Program Director)
Chimmy Choera
Dolma Chuteng
Kalsang Yangzom Tashi
Karma T. Ngodup
Tenzin Tsephel
Dhondup Tsering
Sonam Thunden