Lindsay residents honoured by Governor General

Upfront

By Lindsay Advocate

Dr. Tashi Rabgey, Pencho Rabgey, Tsering Rabgey, and Dr. Losang Rabgey were awarded the Meritorious Service Cross by Governor General Mary Simon on Dec. 7. Photo: MCpl Matthieu Racette, Rideau Hall © BSGG, 2023.

Lindsay’s Pencho and Tsering Rabgey, with daughters Dr. Losang Rabgey and Dr. Tashi Rabgey, were presented with the Meritorious Service Cross by the Right Honourable Mary Simon, Governor General of Canada, at a ceremony at Rideau Hall, in Ottawa, on Dec. 7, 2023.

The Meritorious Service Cross (civilian division) was formally created by Her Late Majesty Queen Elizabeth II in 1991 to recognize Canadians for exceptional deeds that bring honour to the country. The Rabgeys fit this criteria, having devoted many decades to promoting cross-cultural understanding and public education.

Originally from Tibet, the family came to Canada as refugees in 1971 and subsequently settled in Lindsay in 1974. Machik, the non-governmental group whose work began with the Rabgeys in 1998, has been promoting civic engagement, gender equity, and social innovation for a quarter of a century, and in 2002 established the regionally impactful Chungba Primary and Middle Schools in the mountains of rural Tibet. Since then, Machik has become a bridge between Tibetans inside and outside of Tibet, and to the global public.

“We are truly honoured to receive the Meritorious Service Cross,” said Losang Rabgey. “Machik’s work is only possible with the support of a global community and the Lindsay area community has long been at the heart of this community of care. Our gratitude to everyone as we push forward with Machik’s mission.”

For more information about Machik, please visit www.machik.org.

4 Comments

  1. Heather Horn says:

    How wonderful to see the Rabgey family honoured for their consistent hard work supporting quality education and understanding of the Tibetan culture globally. They have impacted so many lives with their kindness and dedication to a cause close to their own hearts, instilling enthusiasm in others to follow a path of global justice for marginal groups who need a larger collective voice to support their causes. We would be living in a better world today if their ideology was followed by others giving every human being the respect deserved to live on this planet in Peace.

    • Unyong Kim says:

      This is so beautifully said! As someone who has followed their journey and been inspired by the portal they create for us who are lucky to call them friends, thank you so much.

  2. Timothy Ward says:

    Isn’t it remarkable that the children of two refugees not only both obtained doctorates, but went on to devote their lives to the service of the people living today in modern Tibet, and as a result have affected countless lives in a part of the world that seems so remote and far away to most of us, and all too easily forgotten? The Rabgey family gives us a powerful example of how to care beyond the walls of your home, and to transcend the artificial boundaries of nations.

  3. Rebecca Martin says:

    The Rabgeys so richly deserve this very special recognition! They have devoted decades of their lives giving back to Tibetan communities and have produced remarkable and inspirational results.

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