IMMEDIATE RELEASE
13 JUNE 2023
Tibetan President to visit Australia to seek justice for Tibet, secure peace for the region
Hon. Sikyong Penpa Tsering, the democratically elected political leader of the Tibetan Government-in-Exile, formally known as the Central Tibetan Administration, will be visiting Australia from 17-25 June 2023.
This is his first visit to Australia since becoming the Sikyong, a Tibetan title for President, in 2021.
It takes place amid China’s increasing repression in Tibet and aggression overseas, particularly in the Indo-Pacific region.
Away from the gaze of the international community, China’s human rights violations in Tibet have reached an all-time high in recent years. Reminiscent of Australia’s Stolen Generations, nearly one million Tibetan children have been separated from their families and forced into a vast network of Chinese colonial boarding schools, which UN rights experts have warned is an effort to assimilate Tibetans into the majority Han Chinese culture.
Sikyong Penpa will call on the Australian Government to help end what he calls a “cultural genocide” that is taking place in Tibet at the hand of Australia’s key trading partner.
He will also call on the Australian Government to use the Magnitsky legislation to sanction Chinese leaders responsible for the human rights abuses in Tibet.
During his week-long visit in Australia, he will be meeting senior politicians including members of the Australian All Party Parliamentary Group for Tibet, human rights defenders and leading think tanks.
Media is invited to join the following events.
Earlier this month, the Chinese Embassy in Canberra had put pressure on the National Press Club to cancel the Tibetan leader’s scheduled address, labelling the exiled Tibetan government as “separatists” and calling on the press club to prevent the “disruption of the sound development of the China-Australia relations.”
Tibetans have welcomed the National Press Club defending its values and standing up against China’s undermining of democratic institutions in Australia.
The Sikyong will be joined by Karla Grant for the conversation at the NSW State Parliament, This conversation will highlight how Tibet is contributing to democracy in Exile, Penpa Tsering will share the Tibetan refugee community's experience of resilience, while Tibetan people are maintaining a culture of peaceful resistance to occupation.
For those in Melbourne, the Sikyong will be speaking at the Australia India Institute with its CEO and former Senator Hon. Lisa Singh. In their discussion, Sikyong Penpa Tsering and Lisa Singh will delve into critical subjects such as human rights and the pursuit of peace, the vibrancy of Tibetan culture and identity, and the mission of the Dalai Lama and Tibetan Government-in-Exile.
Sikyong Penpa will speak at the Festival of Tibet - experience a rare opportunity to hear firsthand about the Honourable President's vision for Tibet's education and climate crisis, as he engages in conversation with Sarah Kanowski from ABC Radio's Conversations.
The evening will also feature a moving and immersive performance by Tenzin Choegyal and friends.
Sikyong, Mr Penpa Tsering bio:
A leading figure in Tibetan politics, Penpa Tsering was a Member of Tibetan Parliament-in-Exile for 20 years,, serving his last two terms as Speaker He also served as Representative of His Holiness the Dalai Lama and the Central Tibetan Administration to North America.
In his role as the President, Sikyong Penpa has emphasised the importance of seeking a peaceful resolution of the Tibet issue.
He is a strong proponent of the Middle Way Approach, a policy proposal initiated by His Holiness the Dalai Lama and adopted by the Tibetan Government-Exile, which aims to achieve genuine and meaningful autonomy for the Tibetan people under the framework of the People’s Republic of China.
For more information and interviews, please contact:
Karma Singey or Lhawang Gyalpo
Dr Zoë Bedford
For details please visit website of the Australia Tibet Council
www.atc.org.au
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