Sikyong Penpa Tsering of the Central Tibetan Administration (CTA) spoke at the talk event titled “India-Tibet: Ancient Ties and Current Bonds” in Melbourne to place emphasis on centuries-old relation between the two Himalayan countries on 22 June 2023.
The session was organised by Australia-India Institute, a Melbourne-based leading centre working to strengthen ties between Australia and India, arranged the session and Lisa Singh, the institute’s chief executive officer, served as the event’s moderator.
In his remarks on ancient ties, Sikyong Penpa Tsering stressed the arrival of Tibet’s first king from India, which marked the beginning of Tibet’s Yarlung dynasty and successive Tubo dynasty. He further highlighted the derivation of the Tibetan writing system from India’s Devanagari script and the introduction of Buddhism into Tibet from the same origin while adding the latter’s monumental contribution to the revival of Buddhism during the phase of Tibet’s restoration of Buddhism.
The head of the Central Tibetan Administration also emphasised India’s generous support rendered to Tibetans following the People’s Republic of China’s illegal annexation of Tibet and, subsequently, how His Holiness the Dalai Lama-led Tibetan refugee community established a robust community in exile to preserve and promote everything that the Communist Party of China attempts to obliterate inside Tibet.
Later in the evening of the same day, Sikyong addressed the Tibetan community of Melbourne to apprise them of the 16th Kashag’s commitments, reiterating its adherence to the guidance of His Holiness the Dalai Lama. He also spoke on Kashag’s dedicated efforts in sustaining the Tibetan settlements in India amidst the multiple challenges and allocation of housing facilities to Tibetans who have come from Tibet lately. The issues concerning Chatrel (Tibetan voluntary contribution to CTA) were also addressed during the public talk.
Besides, Sikyong implored Tibetans in the region to get acquainted with Tibet’s factual history, given its significance in justifying the Tibetan freedom struggle movement while asserting the Kashag’s endeavour to seek maximum support from the international communities and governments in resolving the Sino-Tibet conflict through advocating the current dire situations inside Tibet and propagating Tibet’s historical status.
Several former Tibetan parliamentarians and civil servants of CTA were also in the audience during the talk.
Following the public address, Sikyong was invited to a luncheon by a group of Chinese Pro-democracy activists in Melbourne.
(L-R) Representative Karma Singey, Tibet Information Office-Canberra; Sikyong Penpa Tsering, CTA; and Lisa Singh, CEO of Australia-India Institute.
Sikyong Penpa Tsering addressing the Tibetan community in Melbourne.
Representative Karma Singey talking to Tibetans in Melbourne.