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.