ICT President Matteo Mecacci addressing the participants.
The International Campaign for Tibet (ICT) hosted a roundtable discussion on July 17, 2014 in Washington, D.C. with Chinese writers and democracy advocates on the issue of Tibet to discuss how to strengthen outreach to Chinese society.
They discussed the present state of understanding of the Tibetan issue by the Chinese people in China and what steps the Chinese democratic community can take under the existing legal and administrative channels, to help redress Tibetan grievances be it social, environmental, judicial, political.
They discussed ways to counter the constant disinformation of the Chinese government on matters such as the Middle Way Approach proposal to resolve the Tibetan issue and on the concept of “Greater Tibet”. Many of them were of the opinion that if the Chinese people were informed correctly and became aware of the Middle Way Approach, they would not have any reason not to support it.
They also stressed the importance of pooling together available informational resources in Chinese language on Tibet to facilitate consultation and information, and of strengthening their general outreach to Chinese people with proper information and message on Tibet.
The participants include Zhang Boshu, Hu Ping, Li Jianglin, Ding Yifu, Chen Pokong, Yang Jianli, Han Lianchao, Xia Yeliang, Xia Ming, Guozhen Xiao, Bei Feng, Qin Weiping, Menglang, Chen Kuide, and Li Weidong. The Tibetans who attended the roundtable were Kunga Tashi from the Office of Tibet, Rinchen Tashi, Pema Wangyal, Tencho Gyatso, and Bhuchung K. Tsering from the International Campaign for Tibet.
ICT President Matteo Mecacci welcomed the participants and said Chinese engagement was one of the crucial programs at ICT and that we would extend our support for their outreach.
Following the roundtable, the Office of Tibet hosted a dinner reception during which Representative Kaydor Aukatsang spoke to the participants about the work of his office.
Group photo of the participants.