As the Olympic torch makes its way to Australia's capital city of Canberra in preparation for this summer's Olympic Games in Beijing, k.d. lang has offered her support to the people of Tibet. In an open letter published today in The Age newspaper out of Melbourne, where she is in the midst of a three-day residency at Hamer Hall, k.d. writes: "It is unfortunate the Olympic Games are being impacted by this situation, but it presents a rare opportunity to bring focus to the heart-breaking situation of the Tibetan and Chinese people who have suffered serious human rights abuses. Oppression should be stopped."

In her letter, she includes specific suggestions for opening the dialogue between the Dalai Lama and the Chinese government and concludes:

The Tibetan culture is part of our global heritage. Its original personality and purity needs to be kept intact. I urge the world community to focus their efforts to protect the Tibetan culture, so that it can continue to be a source of inspiration for the rest of the world.

To read the full text, visit theage.com.au.