The 28th Gyalyum Chenmo Memorial (GCM) Gold Cup football tournament is set to start today at Upper TCV School in Dharamshala, India, marking the commencement of the Tibetan community's largest sporting event in exile. The tournament will run from June 1st to June 11th, 2023. Sixteen Tibetan football teams are set to compete, including teams from Europe, Australia, and Nepal.
The GCM is a perennial football tournament held by the Tibetan diasporic community since the year 1981 in memory of the late mother of His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama. Hence, the name of the tournament Gyalyum Chenmo Memorial Gold Cup echoes this very sentiment with Gyalyum Chenmo meaning ‘The Great Mother’ in Tibetan.
After passing away of the great mother of H .H the 14th Dalai Lama in January 1981 at Dharamsala, Mr. Joe Tsering, former Chief Accountant of TCV took the initiative of organizing a football tournament after her name. He is accredited as the founder of the GCMGC Football Tournament. Then an organizing committee was formed in August 1981 most of the members were TCV staffs. The first GCMGC Football Tournament was held at TCV ground in Oct. 1981. All participating teams were from Dharamshala area and TCV team won the tournament.
The 28th Gyalyum Chenmo Memorial (GCM) Gold Cup, not only showcases exhilarating football matches, but also serves as a platform to foster unity among Tibetans in exile. This tournament plays a crucial role in bringing together Tibetan youth from various settlements in India, providing them with an opportunity to connect, bond, and celebrate their shared heritage. Through the power of sports, the GCM Gold Cup strengthens the sense of community and solidarity among Tibetans, reinforcing their resilience and spirit. Live broadcast will be shown on TibetTV social media channel.
Edited and collated by Team TRC