(TibetanReview.net, Jan30’25) –A support group for Tibet was launched in the European Parliament in Brussels on Jan 30 in what has been described as a significant move for bolstering support for the people of the Chinese occupied Himalayan territory.
The European Parliamentary Friends of Tibet (EP Friends of Tibet) was inaugurated with the support of more than 20 MEPs belonging to all political parties represented in the European Parliament, said the Office of Tibet, Brussels, in a Tibet.net statement Jan 30.
The launch was initiated by MEP Prof Dainius Zalimas from Lithuania, described as a long-time friend of Tibet. Introducing the group’s aims and objectives, Zalimas has expressed unwavering commitment to raising awareness about the plight of the Tibetan people and promoting their fundamental rights on the international stage.
He has said: “The establishment of the European Parliamentary Friends of Tibet marks a crucial step in our ongoing efforts to support the Tibetan cause. We are united in our commitment to advocating for the rights and freedoms of the Tibetan people and ensuring their voices are heard in the European Parliament.”
The launch was made with the participation of 7 MEPs and Parliamentary Assistants representing a dozen EU member states and took place on a busy day with the Holocaust memorial being observed around the same time, the statement said.
Representative Rigzin Genkhang of the Central Tibetan Administration (CTA) at the Office of Tibet, Brussels, has called the launch event a big day for Tibet in the European Parliament. She has presented a background briefing on the issue of Tibet and highlighted the deteriorating situation there during the inauguration.
She has spoken about the CTA’s plan to launch on Jul 6 this year a “Year of Compassion” to celebrate the 90th birthday of His Holiness the Dalai Lama and the upcoming 9th World Parliamentarians’ Convention on Tibet to be held in Tokyo in June.
The European Parliament long had a Tibet intergroup (TIG) with each new parliamentary election, beginning from 1989. It was established to promote awareness and advocate for the rights of Tibetans, including issues related to human rights, cultural preservation, and self-determination.
Intergroups are unofficial groupings of MEPs for holding informal exchanges on specific topics and promoting contact between members and the civil society. Such groups must be established at the start of each parliamentary term.