Thukje-che is a Tibetan word for “thank you.” I take this opportunity to express my sincere thanks to Missouri Southern State University, friends, and colleagues who made it possible for Jessica and me to travel to Dharamasala, India, and observe first hand the education of Tibetan children in exile. There have been many questions from friends about this peace project.

I hope we have provided strong answers.

First I wish to thank Mrs. Margaret McCaleb for financial support and interest in the Tibetan Children’s Villages peace initiative.

This Tibetan Peace Project would not have been possible without the McCalebs and their personal dedication to peace in the world.

It has been a pleasure to work with Jessica I. Koch. Jessica first displayed genuine interest in the Tibetan topic in the persuasive unit in my Oral Communication class.

This interest grew larger and quickly centered on the education of the Tibetan children. A trip to the Tibetan Studies Center at the University of Indiana in Bloomington solidified our interest and motivation. As we worked together over the last two years, Jessica has matured and has done an excellent job in her research and writing.

Jessica conducted herself professionally in all the interviews in Dharamsala and handled herself well in difficult circumstances for her first international experience.

She is extremely bright and will contribute something important to the world.

I believe her strong interest in linguistics will serve her well in graduate school.

I am grateful to the following individuals for their encouragement and support of the Tibetan peace project: Dr. Allen Merriam, Dr. Chad Stebbins, Ms. Diane Turner, missionary to Nepal, Mrs. Gwen Dula, Mrs. Dorothy Stundtner and Ms. Anne Jaros.

And one extra special “thank you” goes to Barbara Broyles for keeping my feline family content while I traveled to India for the field research.

In Dharamsala, I am thankful to Secretary General of the Tibetan Villages, Thupten Dorjee, who escorted us through the Tibetan Children’s Villages, the translator and Director Mr. Ngawang Dorjee for his enthusiastic presentation of Tibetan textbook development, and of course, the Tibetan children themselves who were delightful communicators.

Further, I am grateful for the rare opportunity Jessica and I had to meet His Holiness Karma Pa, the 17th reincarnation.

The interview was inspiring and wonderful. It was a humbling experience to enter Sidh Bar, the monastery that is Karma Pa’s home at the foot of the beautiful Himalaya Mountains.

Finally, I felt we were blessed to be in the presence of His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama and to hear his peaceful thoughts on non-violence at the Tibetan Cultural Center.

Jessica and I dedicate this project to the children of Tibet in the hope their future will be happier than their past and it will be a non-violent one.