Tibetan Independence Movement - Celebrity Support and Freedom Concerts

Celebrity Support and Freedom Concerts

The Free Tibet movement is fashionable among members of the Hollywood set, such as Richard Gere and Paris Hilton.

British comedian Russell Brand also occasionally mentions his support for the movement on his BBC Radio 2 show. Richard Gere is one of the most outspoken supporters of the movement and is chairman of the Board of Directors for the International Campaign for Tibet. Actress Sharon Stone caused significant controversy when she suggested that the 2008 Sichuan earthquake may have been the result of "bad karma," because the Chinese "are not being nice to the Dalai Lama, who is a good friend of mine."

Steven Seagal has been an active supporter of Tibetan independence for several decades and makes regular donations to various Tibetan charities around the world. He has been recognized by Tibetan Lama Penor Rinpoche as the reincarnation of tulku Chungdrag Dorje, the treasure revealer of Palyul Monastery. He also claims to have the special ability of clairvoyance; in a November 2006 interview, he stated: "I was born very different, clairvoyant and a healer".

With the release of the Beastie Boys album Ill Communication in 1994, the Milarepa Fund was born. The organization was named after Milarepa, the revered 11th-century Tibetan yogi, who used music to enlighten people. Originally designed to disburse royalties from Ill Communication to benefit Tibetan monks who were sampled on two songs, it took off when Milarepa Fund organizers joined the Beastie Boys as they headlined the 1994 Lollapalooza Tour. During the tour, the idea of staging a Live Aid-style concert for Tibetan independence was born.

Organized in June 1996, the first concert (in San Francisco) opened with Icelandic singer Björk and featured acts such as Radiohead, The Smashing Pumpkins, Cibo Matto, Rage Against the Machine, Red Hot Chili Peppers, and De La Soul. The concerts continued for three more years, generating public awareness about Tibetan independence, particularly amongst young people. This helped spur the growth of pro-Tibet organisations such as Students for a Free Tibet and Free Tibet Campaign worldwide.