(TibetanReview.net, Nov03’19) – Some 180 political leaders (including Members of Parliaments and policymakers), long-time Tibet supporters, democracy activists, and intellectuals, including Chinese scholars, from 42 countries have gathered at Dharamsala for a three day conference beginning Nov 3 to discuss ways to carrying forward the movement for the resolution of the Tibet issue.
This is the 8th International Conference of Tibet Support Groups organized or facilitated by the Central Tibetan Administration (CTA) and it will deliberate on galvanizing global Tibet advocacy, said the CTA on its Tibet.net website Nov 3.
The report described it as the largest global convention on Tibet.
The report said the conference will seeks ways to consolidate efforts on “how to steer the Tibet issue on the forefront, build a conducive environment for multilateral coalitions on proactive Tibet campaigns and to further the Central Tibetan Administration’s Middle Way Policy with the view to renewing the Sino-Tibet dialogue.”
The main focus was stated to be on seeking ways to optimize engagement with the Chinese authorities on the Tibet issue.
This Conference is being convened by the Core Group for the Tibetan Cause, India, under the facilitation of the CTA’s Department of Information and International Relations and had Skyong Lobsang Sagnay as the keynote speaker at its inauguration.
Other who spoke were stated to included Mr RK Khrimey, National Convener for Core Group for Tibetan Cause and a former minister in Arunachal Pradesh Government; Speaker Pema Jungney of the Tibetan Parliament-in-Exile; Martin Bursik, former Deputy Prime Minister and former Environment Minister of the Czech Republic; Michael Van Walt, Executive President of Kreddha, USA; Surendar Kumar, National Co-Convener of the Core Group for Tibetan Cause; Ben Shuei Kobayashi, Japan Committee for Tibet; Gunther Cologna, International Tibet Network, Co-Chair, South Tyrol; Axel Holger Grafmanns, Executive Director of the Tibet Initiative Deutschland, Germany; Marco Antonio Karam, Director, Casa Tibet Mexico; Ajai Singh, President, Indo Tibet Friendship Society; Tenzin Jigdal and Mandie Mckeown from the International Tibet Network.
Panel speaker during the three-day conference were stated to include Mkhuleko Hlengwa, MP, Inkatha Freedom Party, South Africa; Joseph Cheng, activist, Hong Kong; Zumretay Airken, World Uyghur Congress; Chong Yi Feng, Professor at the University of Technology, Sydney; Fu-Te Ford Liao, Director, Taiwan Foundation for Democracy; Olhunud Daichin, Chairman, South Mongolia Congress; and Michael Danby, former MP and former Co-Chair of Australia Parliamentary Support Group for Tibet.