Democracy in Exile: Challenges facing the Tibetan Youth Congress (TYC) and the Tibetan Freedom Struggle, was the topic of the speaking tour that TYC President Tenzing Jigme just concluded in Europe. Covering five nations in about two weeks, Jigme spoke to the youth and members of the Tibetan communities in London, Switzerland, Belgium, France and Spain. He also met with representatives and Parliament members of United Kingdom, France and Spain during this visit. The aim of this trip was firstly to hear thoughts, concerns and suggestions for TYC and the Tibetan movement from Tibetans living in Europe and; secondly, to meet with Tibetan Youth Congress regional chapters and their members; and thirdly, to lobby Tibet supporters and leaders of different countries for their support towards our cause.
President Jigme also attended the Tibet Support Group (TSG) meeting in London organized by International Tibet Network. TYC acknowledges the great activities TSG’s perform for our cause and hopes to see that continue in the future.
In London, an informal discussion/talk was organized by the Tibetan Association of UK at a local Tibetan owned establishment known as Kailash Momo restaurant. The event in Switzerland was organized by Tibetan Youth Association of Europe, while the talks in Belgium and France was organized by the Regional Tibetan Youth Congress chapters in the two regions. The Tibetan Community Association of Spain organized the event in Barcelona along with the support of Casa del Tibet Foundation. Successful meetings with Members of Parliaments were also held, namely, with Mr. Fabian Hamilton MP Labor Party UK, Mr Andre Gattoloni MP France, Spanish Senator Mr. Josep Maldonado and Greek Consulate General Fernando Turro. In these meetings, Jigme addressed about the current situation inside Tibet and urged the honorable MPs to do everything they could in their capacities to resolve the issue of Tibet. The leaders also appreciated the work TYC has been doing for Tibet over the years and wished TYC all the best in future campaigns.
On this tour, TYC President spoke about the challenges facing Tibetan Youth Congress, the aims and objectives of the organization and the importance of keeping the struggle for independence alive. He also touched upon the importance of understanding that we are a young democracy and our politics is new. With that in mind, it is important to respect each other’s views and have room for healthy debates. Question and Answer sessions were allotted after every talk where members of the community asked questions on various topics ranging from TYC’s stance for Independence, to questions regarding the direction of our movement. “The talks were very well received by the audiences and I hope most people now understand the reasons and the need for us to continue our struggle for the freedom and independence for the Tibetan people while respecting contrasting views,” said TYC President Tenzing Jigme. Donations were also made to TYC and TYC truly appreciates all those that made contributions to the organization so that we can continue to our efforts for Tibet until Tibet is free.