Tenzin Nyidon
DHARAMSHALA, Oct. 28: The President of the Tibetan government in exile, known officially as the Central Tibetan Administration Penpa Tsering began his official visit to the United States on Monday with a series of engagements on Capitol Hill, following the conclusion of his second official visit to Mexico earlier this month.
Despite the ongoing U.S. government shutdown, the CTA President held meetings with members of Congress, key Senate committees, and senior staffers to strengthen bipartisan support for Tibet, according to tibet.net, the official portal of the CTA. During these engagements, he advocated for continued U.S. assistance for Tibetan programs, including funding initiatives and legislative priorities aimed at promoting the welfare of Tibetan communities in exile and protecting Tibet’s unique cultural and religious identity under China’s repressive rule.
President Tsering was accompanied by Representative Namgyal Choedup from the Office of Tibet, Washington, D.C., along with Ryan Fioresi and Franz Matzner from the International Campaign for Tibet (ICT). His meetings in Washington, D.C. are part of a broader international outreach aimed at reinforcing global awareness and action on Tibet’s political, human rights, and environmental challenges.
Earlier this month, the Tibetan political leader concluded a significant official visit to Mexico, his second to the country, where he met with national and state legislators, civil society leaders, Indigenous representatives, and academic institutions to raise awareness about Tibet’s political, environmental, and human rights situation. His engagements included meetings with members of the Mexican Chamber of Deputies, including Deputies Corina Villegas Guarneros and Mónica Herrera Villavicencio, as well as with lawmakers from the Jalisco and Nayarit State Congresses. Through these interactions, he highlighted the resilience of the Tibetan people and the urgent need to counter China’s authoritarian policies and expansionist ambitions.
In Mexico City and Guadalajara, he addressed students and faculty at prestigious universities, including El Colegio de México (Colmex), ITESO University, and the University of Guadalajara. He spoke about the global environmental significance of the Tibetan Plateau, known as the “Third Pole,” and warned that China’s large-scale exploitation of Tibet’s natural resources poses severe ecological risks not only to Asia but to the world at large.
The CTA President also met with the Indigenous Wixarika community, long-time Tibet supporters, and members of Casa Tibet Mexico and Casa Tibet Guadalajara. In all these forums, he shed light on China’s colonial-style boarding schools that aim to assimilate Tibetan children, the continued suppression of religious and cultural freedoms, and the exploitation of Tibet’s environment.
Building on the momentum of his visit to Mexico, the Tibetan leader’s engagements in Washington, D.C. mark the continuation of his global outreach efforts to strengthen international advocacy for Tibet. Over the coming days, he is set to hold additional meetings and interviews aimed at ensuring sustained U.S. support for Tibetan democracy, environmental preservation, and the protection of human rights in Tibet.
