The Chyssem Project

Chyssem Project is organizing this fundraiser.

Donation protected

The ‘Chyssem Project’ is a grassroots community effort to create a permanent archival record about the first Tibetans who arrived in Canada in the early 1970s. To mark the 50th anniversary of Tibetan immigration to Canada in 2021, the Project will facilitate the inclusion of the Tibetan immigration story as part of the Canadian Museum of Immigration at Pier 21 collection. The Project will also create an e-book containing individual stories and photographs.

For more information visit our website.

The first wave of Tibetans who immigrated to Canada are part of the last generation born in Tibet prior to Chinese occupation. Their journey to Canada was preceded by years of hardship due to war, forced exile, and life as a refugee in India. Their stories are part of our collective history and shared sense of identity. Oral stories remain the only personal connection between new generations of Tibetans born in Canada and those who were born in a free Tibet. In order to preserve that connection to Tibet, a permanent and public record of those individual stories must be created for future generations to access.

All funds raised will be used for:

- translation of e-book to English to French, English to Tibetan
- e-book editing
- printing of the e-book for participating families
- website maintenance and hosting

The Chyssem Project is run by a small team of dedicated volunteers. Your support makes it possible for us to collect the stories of the first Tibetan Canadians for future generations.