by KYW's Hadas Kuznits

Tibetans around the world are trying to raise awareness about oppression in Tibet.  Folks from Philadelphia's Tibetan community are among those now passing a "Freedom Torch" around the world, in the fashion of the Olympic Torch.

On Wednesday, the white, electric-powered torch was raised aloft by Philadelphia's oldest Tibetan monk (above).

Tsering Wangdi, president of the Tibetan Association of Philadelphia, says Philadelphia is only one of 50 cities through which the electric Freedom Torch will pass:

"It started from Olympia, Greece, and it's going to end up in Tibet. But I don't know whether we can make it inside Tibet or not. But we definitely want to reach the border."

Wangdi adds that his group wants to bring attention to the plight of the Tibetan people during the upcoming Beijing Olympics:

"They oppress the people, they sentenced a lot of people."

Wangdi says on the one hand it's fortunate that the Olympics are to be held in China, because it raises awareness:

"But the thing is, if you don't have basic human rights -- basic beliefs for your religion, what you want to speak -- if you don't have all this basic rights, it's not a good thing."

He hopes that one day allow Tibetan athletes will be allowed to participate independently in the Olympics:

"We would like to have the international community put pressure with China to have a meaningful dialogue with his holiness the Dalai Lama regarding Tibet."

(Photo by KYW's Hadas Kuznits)