Zurich: Sikyong Penpa Tsering, the democratically elected leader of the exile Tibetan people, embarked on his five-nation tour starting with Zurich on 28 April 2024. Led by Representative Thinlay Chukki, Tibet Bureau Geneva and its staff, and Presidents and Vice-Presidents of Tibetan communities in Switzerland and Liechtenstein, the community extended a warm welcome to Sikyong as he arrived on his second round of official visits there.
Sikyong Penpa Tsering’s first engagement was at the Tibet Institute Rekon, where he held a meeting with Dr. Karma Dolma Lobsang, President of Rikon, Managing Director Peter Oberholzer, Ven. Lama Tenzin Jottotshang, Representative of the Monastic Community and Ven. Abbot Geshe Tenzin Jangchup along with Representative of Tibet Bureau Geneva and President of Tibetan Community of Switzerland and Liechtenstein.
Later, Sikyong engaged with the Tibetan community at Dietikon, including a brief interaction with the teachers and heads of the Weekend Tibetan language school.
In his address to the Tibetan community, Sikyong emphasised everyone to remember and appreciate the dedicated contributions of His Holiness the Dalai Lama and elder Tibetans for setting up this unparalleled exile community with well established democratic system to maintain Tibetan freedom struggle while imploring the newer generations to uphold their legacies.
Highlighting the importance of the continued existence and relevance of the Central Tibetan Administration in Tibetans’ pursuit of freedom, the Tibetan political leader said, “Since we are unsure if someone with His Holiness’ level of influence and impact will take the helm, it is crucial that this institution must endure in order to safeguard the Tibetan freedom movement going forward.”
Sikyong further apprised the gathering of 16th Kashag’s official undertakings to capacitate and strengthen the operations of the Central Tibetan Administration. And, with regard to the recent comment made by Chinese Foreign Ministry’s spokesperson on back-channel communication between the Central Tibetan Administration and the People’s Republic of China, the Tibetan political leader stressed, “Negotiation is the only way forward for resolving the Tibet-China conflict and the Central Tibetan Administration would continue making appeals to the government and international community to urge the Chinese government to resume the dialogue.”
In this connection, Sikyong urged the Chinese government to start enacting constructive reforms within Tibet instead of giving His Holiness the Dalai Lama and Tibetan leaders instructions on what to do or not.
On 29 April, Sikyong is set to meet with Swiss parliamentarians in the capital city of Bern.
