Sikyong Penpa Tsering Meets President Kompatscher; the Latter Assures to Lead Parliamentary Initiatives to Spotlight Tibet’s Deteriorating Situation
Sikyong Penpa Tsering on Thursday met with President of the Autonomous Province of Bolzano, South Tyrol, marking his second official visit to the Autonomous Province of Bolzano, South Tyrol. Sikyong last met President Kompatscher in October 2021 on his first formal visit to South Tyrol.
Lasting an hour, their discourse focused on the dire situation in Tibet, where the political, socio-cultural, and economic rights of Tibetan people have significantly deteriorated, ranking Tibet as the least free country on earth alongside South Sudan and Syria.
Sikyong addressed the alarming reality of China’s state-run colonial boarding schools in Tibet, which have forcibly separated over a million Tibetan children from their families and their cultural roots as part of China’s policy of sinicisation.
Despite these challenges, Sikyong highlighted the resilience of the Tibetan spirit, drawing inspiration from the successful autonomy model exemplified in South Tyrol which he deemed a profound contribution to humanity and particularly meaningful for the Tibetan people. Sikyong also extended an invitation to President Kompatscher to visit the Central Tibetan Administration in Dharamshala as part of a forthcoming event being organized by the CTA, which the President graciously accepted.
Responding to Sikyong’s specific appeals, President Kompatscher assured to lead parliamentary initiatives to spotlight the deteriorating situation inside Tibet. Furthermore, he committed to furthering collaborations between South Tyrol and Tibet, as part of which the President unveiled plans for a new Provincial Library in Bolzano, ensuring representation for Tibet and the Tibetan movement in the Library’s Documentation Center for the Protection of Minorities and Autonomy. Sikyong was accompanied by Representative Thinlay Chukki and Dr. Guther Cologna to the meeting.
While in Bolzano, Sikyong also met with the local Tibetans over a dinner gathering, attended by Dr. Gunther Cologna and other longstanding friends of Tibet.
At the esteemed EURAC Research Center, Sikyong engaged with resident researchers, discussing the relevance of the CTA’s Middle Way Approach in today’s tumultuous world and advocating for Tibet’s historical status in support of the Middle Way. The researchers expressed eagerness to enhance collaboration between EURAC and CTA.
Sikyong later gave interviews to the Communications team of EURAC and three prominent news media outlets, including ORF Austrian TV.
Prior to his visit to Bolzano, Sikyong visited the Tibetan community in Milan, Italy on Wednesday, 1 May. Led by the President and Vice-President of the Tibetan community Italy, the Milan Tibetan community hosted a rousing reception in honour of the Sikyong’s second official visit. The reception held at Ghe Pel Ling Institute for Tibetan Buddhist Studies was joined by Filippo Scianna, President of the Italian Buddhist Union, among other longtime friends of Tibet.
Following the community engagement, Sikyong proceeded to Trentino to visit the ‘Ice Stupa Zanskar’ exhibition at the invitation of Roberto Pinter, a former councillor of Trentino and president of Trentino For Tibet. At the exhibition, Sikyong was warmly welcomed by the Vice Mayor of Trento and local Tibetans in Trento. The total population of Tibetans across Italy is estimated at approximately 198.
