Tibet Bureau Geneva to Organize Panel Discussion on China’s Abduction of 11th Panchen Lama
Geneva: The Tibet Bureau Geneva will be organizing a virtual panel discussion on 17 May coinciding with the 26th year of the enforced disappearance of Tibet’s 11th Panchen Lama Gedhun Choekyi Nyima. The panel discussion will be broadcasted live on Tibet Bureau Geneva Facebook page from 7:30 pm to 8:30 pm- India Time (Washington DC and New York time- 10:00 to 11:00 am; Brussels Time- 4:00- 5:00 pm). Live questions will be accepted via the comments section.
Soon after his recognition as the reincarnation of the 10th Panchen Lama by His Holiness the Dalai Lama on 14th May 1995, 11th Panchen Lama Gedhun Choekyi Nyima was abducted by the Chinese authorities on 17th May 1995. He was six years old then, making him the world’s youngest political prisoner. It has been 26 years since and China continues to deny access to him, refusing to divulge any information on his whereabouts.
The speakers for the panel discussion include Ven. Arjia Rinpoche, Tencho Gyatso and Mr. Mikulas Peksa and it will be moderated by Thinlay Chukki from Tibet Bureau Geneva.
Ven. Arjia Rinpoche is one of the revered Tibetan lamas who have been forced to escape into exile. He was recognized as a reincarnate lama by the 10th Panchen Lama. He is currently the Director of the Tibetan Mongolian Buddhist Cultural Center, USA and has authored important books including “Surviving the Dragon” in which he discusses the circumstances leading to the abduction of 11th Panchen Lama Gedhun Choekyi Nyima as well as installation of a communist party members’ son as Panchen Lama by China.
Tencho Gyatso la is Interim Vice-President and Director-of-Outreach, at International Campaign for Tibet (ICT). She has also served as an elected member of the Tibetan Parliament-in-exile for two terms (1991 – 1997) and contributed towards strengthening of the Tibetan democratic system in exile and advocated for Tibet at international level. Continuing her work in the US, she later joined ICT at its headquarters in Washington DC in 2008 and has worked tirelessly to bring the issue of Tibet at the forefront in the US often advocating with the US Congress.
MEP Mr. Mikulas Peksa is a Czech biophysicist, political activist, and an elected member of the European Parliament. His work falls under the Committees on Industry, Research and Energy, as well as Budgetary control, Economic and Monetary Affairs and Tax matters. He started his political career with the Czech Pirate Party where he was elected to the Chamber of Deputies of the Czech Parliament. Mr. Peksa also chairs the European Pirate Party. In 2019, Mr. Peksa has been elected the chair of the Tibet Interest Group in the European Parliament.