Kelsang Phuntsok Jungney* dwells on his qualifications as a North and South Americas candidate for election to the upcoming, 18th Tibetan Parliament in Exile, and his agenda if elected.
After a community event in Seattle, a friend shared a short video clip of comedian Jimmy Carr reflecting on the need for “less debate and more deliberation.” He noted how closely that sentiment resembled the ideas I had shared that evening. I appreciated the observation because it captured my intention precisely: before we argue over solutions, we must first reach a shared understanding of what our actual problems are. Only by identifying common ground can we move forward with the clarity, courage, and determination required to deliberate on concrete, actionable plans.
After holding community events across eight cities, it became clear that these concerns resonate widely. While time and resource constraints prevented further travel, my resolve has only grown stronger. The encouragement I received reflects a deep and widespread desire to heal our community, strengthen our movement, and secure a lasting Tibetan heritage.
This candidacy is not the product of personal ambition or convenience. It arises from a sobering realization that our community—spanning Tibet, India, Nepal, and the global diaspora—stands at a critical crossroads. We face a generational crisis that threatens our cultural continuity, the sustainability of our institutions, and the unity of our movement.
A Sobering Wake-Up Call
The immediate catalyst for my candidacy came during last year’s Losar, when I visited my birthplace in Bylakuppe and other Tibetan settlements. Beneath the surface of vibrant celebrations and newly built homes sustained by overseas remittances, I saw unmistakable signs of systemic decline.
The data is telling. One of my former schools now serves only 130 students. Other schools report even lower enrollments, with several Tibetan Children’s Villages operating at roughly half capacity. Our monasteries and nunneries are struggling to attract novices; one nunnery my daughter visited had only three Tibetan nuns, two of whom had recently arrived from California.
At the institutional level, applications for Central Tibetan Administration (CTA) civil service positions have reportedly declined sharply. Across India and Nepal, settlement populations continue to shrink due to sustained outward migration. Behind the appearance of material progress lies a slow-motion crisis of sustainability. If the next generation feels disconnected from our governance structures or cannot find meaningful pathways within our educational and cultural institutions, the future of our movement becomes deeply uncertain.
Disunity and the Reality of Intergenerational Trauma
This uncertainty has intensified our community’s long-standing vulnerabilities, amplifying collective trauma and deepening disunity. Calls for unity are everywhere, yet unity remains elusive. As a mental health professional, I approach this challenge through a clinical lens: lasting unity cannot be achieved without first addressing the trauma we collectively carry.
Across our community, I see clear signs of unhealed intergenerational trauma. Disagreements escalate quickly into hostility. Unresolved pain manifests as reactivity, withdrawal, negativity, and deep mistrust of institutions and leadership. Over time, this has fostered a culture of fear. The threat of accusation, character assassination, and public shaming has discouraged many capable, educated, and ethical Tibetans from stepping forward to serve. Participation declines, talent retreats, and cynicism takes root. Such an environment benefits no one—except those who wish to see our community weakened.
These internal fractures do not exist in isolation; they are also actively exploited by external forces.
External Pressure and Our Opportunity
Compounding our internal struggles is China’s transnational repression. Through surveillance, intimidation, and disinformation, Beijing exploits our collective trauma to sow fear and suspicion. Tibetans are increasingly targeted by smear campaigns designed to discredit leadership and discourage civic participation. By effectively halting the flow of new refugees, China seeks to weaken our exile institutions and erode our long-term viability.
Yet within this crisis lies an opportunity—to redirect our collective energy toward healing and rebuilding. While much of the pain we carry originated from Chinese occupation and policies, failing to heal from that pain would ultimately become our own responsibility. The good news is that we are a resilient people, and our Buddhist traditions offer profound resources for healing and recovery—if we choose to engage them consciously and collectively.
As His Holiness the Dalai Lama enters a period of offering fewer public teachings, his life of ceaseless service remains our moral compass. At this moment in our history, service to our people is not optional; it is a sacred responsibility.
Leadership Beyond Rhetoric
Drawing on my experience as a youth leader, educator, and community builder, I am prepared to shoulder this responsibility. Effective leadership is not defined by slogans, but by foresight, humility, ethical clarity, and the willingness to listen deeply while acting decisively. As a Chithue, I fully recognize the limits of the legislative role. While Chithues do not initiate executive action, they play a vital role in shaping policy discourse, providing legislative oversight, and ensuring accountability. Within these constraints, my responsibility is to ensure that these existential issues remain central to parliamentary deliberation and receive sustained attention from the executive branch.
My Priorities Include:
● Strengthening the movement through rigorous legislative review, strategic policy engagement, and global advocacy—particularly to draw sustained international attention to the increasingly dire conditions inside Tibet, where religious repression, cultural erasure, and mass surveillance continue to intensify. I am committed to ensuring that the voices and realities of Tibetans inside Tibet remain central to our parliamentary agenda.
● Updating our exile charter in accordance with the evolving realities of our community and the democratic principle of equality, ensuring that our governance remains fair, inclusive, and responsive to all Tibetans.
● Empowering youth by expanding professional internships and civic education initiatives, such as Model TPiE, to build a leadership pipeline for the CTA.
● Preserving our heritage by professionalizing and supporting weekend Tibetan schools across Canada and the United States.
● Promoting holistic healing through collaboration among the Departments of Health and Religion, Men-Tsee-Khang (TMA), and modern mental health professionals.
A Call for Collective Responsibility
I call upon all educated, capable, and committed Tibetans—especially professionals, parents, and youth—to come forward and serve with integrity. Leadership requires courage, and courage grows when good people stand together.
This campaign is not about me. It is an invitation—to deliberate, to listen, and to exchange ideas about the future we wish to build together. As children of His Holiness the Dalai Lama, we share a responsibility to uphold his legacy and serve our brothers and sisters inside Tibet.
The Central Tibetan Administration, under His Holiness’s guidance, has given us an extraordinary opportunity to live with dignity and freedom in exile. For that, we owe deep gratitude. But gratitude must be matched with responsibility. If we remain strong and united, we will be better positioned to serve those inside Tibet who cannot speak freely for themselves.
Unity does not mean uniformity. A healthy democracy requires disagreement and debate—but within a shared commitment to our core principles: respect for His Holiness the Dalai Lama, adherence to the Tibetan Charter, and faith in democratic institutions. We must be able to deliberate about our future without fear of retribution or coordinated character assassination. Let us come together—not to debate endlessly, but to deliberate wisely, with humility and courage—for the sake of our children, our culture, and the legacy entrusted to us.
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* Kelsang Phuntsok Jungney is a mental health professional (RN), educator, and community leader dedicated to empowering Tibetan communities in exile. He has served as President of the Tibetan Association of Northern California, Principal of its weekend school, and President of the regional Tibetan Youth Congress, Bangalore. A candidate for the 2026 Chithues representing North and South Americas, he advocates for strong institutions, youth engagement, preservation of the Tibetan language and culture, the rights of Tibetans inside Tibet, and greater unity across the diaspora.
** The views expressed in this article reflect the author’s personal reflections as a Tibetan in exile, informed by his professional background in mental health and engagement with Buddhist psychological frameworks. This piece is offered in the spirit of dialogue, collective responsibility, and service to the Tibetan people at a critical moment in our shared history.