Forewords by H.H. The Dalai Lama
The natural world is our home; it is after all where we live. Therefore it is in our interest to look after it. The Himalayan region lies at the heart of Asia. Several of the continent's great rivers rise there, so it is source of life, sustaining hundreds of millions of people in many lands, extending down to the distant surrounding oceans. Therefore, Tibet's fragile natural environment has an impact on the broader region involving millions of people downstream.
In this colourful book for children, Save the Himalaya, Rima Fujita focuses on the importance of the Himalaya region and the various threats it faces. Since it is written in Tibetan, English and Japanese, I hope it will reach a wider audience of readers and that, as more people become aware of the situation, greater efforts will be made towards conservation in the region.
The Dalai Lama
May 18, 2011
Introduction by Richard Gere
I vividly remember my last trip to the Tibetan Plateau in 1993. Under Tibet's infinite sky and surrounded by the most brilliant mountains I'd ever seen, the plateau's vast environmental richness was as evident as its extraordinary beauty. Shortly after my visit, I was banned from being allowed to return so I hold the image of Tibet's beauty in mind to this day.
However, the plateau is changing. Excessive deforestation, industrialization and mining have damaged Tibet's pristine land and some of Asia's most valuable headwaters- the Amu Darya, Indus, Ganges, Brahmaputra, Irrawaddy, Salween, Mekong, Yangtse, Yellow, and Tarim- are threatened, leaving the region at tremendous risk.
Considering that one-fifth of the world's population directly benefit from watersheds whose sources stem from the plateau, nearly 1.4 billion people stand to be impacted by climate change in the region.
I hope Save the Himalaya will inspire you to find ways you and your friends can help protect one of Earth's most precious resources, the great Land of Snows, the Tibetan Plateau.
Richard Gere
March 2011
New York