Dharamshala: As part of his official engagements in Toronto, Sikyong Penpa Tsering of the Central Tibetan Administration addressed the members of the Tibetan community on 6 April 2024 at the auditorium of the Tibetan Canadian Cultural Centre.

While crediting His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama for establishing the unparalleled exiled Tibetan community with full-fledged democratic institution, Sikyong Penpa Tsering said, “Although more than six decades have passed since the start of our journey into exile, Tibetans are still struggling to sort out the long-standing Tibet-China conflict with full commitment.” However, given the uncompromising policies of Chinese President Xi Jinping, the Tibetan political leader added that immediate resolution of this conflict seems unattainable at the moment and, hence, implored Tibetans to remain dedicated and pool their efforts and energies in resolving the Tibet-China conflict without falling into petty internal infightings. Sikyong further illuminated the gathering about Central Tibetan Administration’s policy of Middle Way Approach, a win-win solution that aims to seek a peaceful solution through dialogue.

In regard to the Tibet advocacy campaign, Sikyong informed that he paid special visits to countries with whom Tibet had no prior formal relationship to draw their attention to the plight of the Tibetan people and cautioned them against doing business with China. He pointed out that the current aggressive behaviour of China on the international stage has led to a negative attitude towards China in many countries and that this has led to a growing interest in the Tibetan freedom struggle.

Likewise, as the Resolve Tibet Act is currently making its way through the US House of Senators, Sikyong acknowledged that the goal of this visit is to garner support for the successful passage of this Tibet bill before concluding his talk.

On Sunday, Sikyong Penpa Tsering interacted with students and teachers of the Tibetan Weekend school and held a separate meeting with Tibetan youths to enlighten them about the geopolitical and strategic significance of the Tibetan plateau. Similarly, Sikyong also convened representatives of the Tibetan Buddhist Centres to discuss issues concerning Tibetan Buddhism, including the reincarnation of His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama.

Until 11 April, Sikyong Penpa Tsering will undertake a series of official engagements in Toronto and Montreal before heading to the United States.