(TibetanReview.net, Feb26’24) – A three-day conference of over 170 members representing “Tibet support Groups” from 44 countries concluded in Belgium’s capital Brussels on Feb 25, reported the Central Tibetan Administration (CTA), which facilitated the event, on its Tibet.net website. The conference held three plenary sessions and a message from HH the Dalai Lama for the occasion was read out. A set of seven action plans was adopted.
The inaugural address at the 9th International Conference of Tibet Support Groups was given by Dr Hans Gert Pottering, former president of the European Parliament, following a welcome address by the President of Tibet Interest Group, Mikulas Peksa, from the European Parliament.
A video message from the Vice President of the European Parliament, Heidi Hautala, was played during the inaugural event.
Also, a message from His Holiness the Dalai Lama was read by Kalon (Minister) Norzin Dolma of the CTA’s Department of Information and International Relations (DIIR). In it, the exiled spiritual leader of Tibet expressed confidence that the friends and supporters of the Tibetan community will continue to assist and support the leadership of the CTA in meeting the aspirations of the Tibetan people.
The CTA’s executive head, Sikyong Penpa Tsering, delivered the keynote address, vowing the exile administration’s full commitment to follow “His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama’s wisdom, whether it’s to do with politics or … the welfare of the exile community.”
Three plenary sessions were held on the inaugural day. The first was moderated by John Jones from the Free Tibet Campaign, and addressed by Dukthen Kyi (head of DIIR’s Tibet Advocacy Section), Tenzin Dalha (researcher from CTA’s Tibet Policy Institute), Tibetan activist Dr Gyal Lo, and Dr Martin Mills on issues of current Human Rights Situation in Tibet, surveillance and security in Tibet, Colonial Boarding Schools Inside Tibet and Ecological Changes and Destructions in Tibet, respectively.
The second plenary session, moderated by Dr Martin Bursik from Czech Support for Tibet, focused on political advocacy and support for Tibet. It was addressed by Tencho Gyatso, President of International Campaign for Tibet; RK Khrimey, National Convenor of Core Group for Tibet Cause, India; Representative Rigzin Genkhang from the Office of Tibet, Brussels; Dr Zoe Bedford from Australia Tibet Council; Sherab Tharchin from Canada Tibet Committee; and Andrea Ngombet, Sassoufit Collective.
And the third plenary session discussed “Global Advocacy against CCP: Prospects and Challenges”. The speakers were Dolkun Isa, a prominent Uyghur activist; Enghebatu Togochog, the Director of Southern Mongolian Human Rights Information Center; and human rights activist Joey Siu from Hong Kong.
The sessions ended with an open forum with Sikyong Penpa Tsering.
The conference’s concluding event was addressed by Speaker Khenpo Sonam Tenphel of the Tibetan Parliament in Exile, Kalon Norzin Dolma of DIIR, and Senator Eustache-Brinio, Chair of the French Parliamentary Group for Tibet.
The conference adopted seven action plans, with main focus on the issue concerned with the imperative to oppose China’s meddling in the determination of the Dalai Lama’s future reincarnation, reported the vot.org Feb 26.
The conference was organised by the Tibet Interest Group from the European Parliament in partnership with the Belgium office of International Campaign for Tibet in the Thon Hotel. The Office of Tibet-Brussels and the DIIR facilitated the conference, which was funded by the Tibet House Trust, London.
(Source: Tibet.net, Feb 23, 25, vot.org Feb 26, 2024)