(TibetanReview.net, Jun13’26) – The Sikyong (executive head) of the Central Tibetan Administration (CTA), based in Dharamshala, India, has met with the Chairman of Germany’s Parliamentary Group on Freedom of Religion or Belief and also taken part in the opening ceremony of the International Uyghur Forum as he arrival in the German Capital Berlin on Jun 11.
The Tibetan Sikyong, Mr Penpa Tsering, was stated to have given a comprehensive briefing to Mr Thomas Rachel, the Chairman of the parliamentary group, in his meeting which took place in the Bundestag building.
Mr Penpa Tsering has briefed Mr Rachel on the issue of Tibet, ranging from its historical status as an independent country to its current situation under Chinese occupation rule marked by gross and systematic human rights violations that critically threaten the very survival of the Tibetan identity.
The Tibetan Sikyong has also elaborated on the CTA’s commitment to the Middle Way Approach, which seeks a peaceful and mutually beneficial resolution to the Sino-Tibetan conflict through dialogue and negotiations, said the CTA on its Tibet.net website Jun 12.
He has also briefed Mr Rachel on the health of Tibet’s exiled spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama, who just had a successful left knee replacement surgery in New Delhi, after the one on the right knee that he had in Jun 2024 in New York City.
Later in the evening, the Tibetan Sikyong has participated in the opening ceremony of the International Uyghur Forum, a gathering of political leaders, parliamentarians, human rights advocates, and representatives of communities that are victims of the Communist Party of China-state.
Mr Penpa Tsering was stated to have called for greater coordination among communities affected by Beijing’s policies, including a more strategic and united approach among Tibetans, Uyghurs, Mongolians, Hong Kongers, and Taiwanese.
“The time has come to move beyond periodic meetings and develop coordinated strategies to address common challenges,” he was quoted as saying.
He has also called on democracies to work together to defend freedom, human rights, and cultural diversity in the face of China’s current assimilation policies in Tibet, East Turkestan, and Southern Mongolia.
He has stressed that concerns about China’s policies extend beyond Tibet, Uyghurs, and other affected communities and increasingly involve broader questions about global governance, civil liberties, and democratic values.
The Tibetan Sikyong is currently visiting Berlin and Frankfurt in Germany, and will travel to Washington, DC, on Jun 15 before heading back to India on Jun 22.