Conversations about Tibet with engaging thinkers, leaders, activists and artists
Conversations about Tibet with engaging thinkers, leaders, activists and artists
PAST TALKS
ICT is proud to present Tibet Talks, a series of live conversations about Tibet with engaging thinkers, leaders, activists and artists. If you can’t watch our Tibet Talks, you can hear them on our podcast. Listen to the latest episode here or learn more at www.savetibet.org/pod »
ICT is proud to present Tibet Talks, a series of live conversations about Tibet with engaging thinkers, leaders, activists and artists. If you can’t watch our Tibet Talks, you can hear them on our podcast. Listen to the latest episode here or learn more at www.https://savetibet.org/pod »
VIDEO ARCHIVE
May 30, 2024
HRW’S MAYA WANG ON TIBETAN RELOCATION
The Chinese government has been displacing rural Tibetans on a large scale for more than two decades. What has been the experience of Tibetans who have been displaced under the various relocation programs? Are these relocations violating international human rights standards?
Human Rights Watch’s recent report on forced relocations in Tibet is the culmination of years of meticulous research and analysis, drawing from over 1,000 official Chinese media sources and academic studies.
In this episode of Tibet Talk, Maya Wang, Interim China Director of Human Rights Watch, sheds light on the scale of China’s relocation programs in Tibet that displaces Tibetans from their traditional lands.
April 18, 2024
THE TIBETAN SIKYONG (PRESIDENT) ON TIBET TALKS
Penpa Tsering is the Sikyong (President) of the Central Tibetan Administration. He is the democratically elected leader of Tibetans in exile.
In this chat with ICT, Sikyong Tsering will discuss the role of the CTA, the importance of US support for Tibet and more.
March 21, 2024
DERGE DAM PROTESTS
Last month, Chinese police reportedly arrested over 1,000 Tibetans after mass protests broke out in eastern Tibet. The Tibetans of Derge (Chinese: Dege) county were trying to stop a hydropower dam project that would force residents of two villages to abandon their homes. The dam would also reportedly destroy six Tibetan Buddhist monasteries containing religious murals that are centuries old.
In this live Tibet Talk, ICT Research Analyst Tenzin Norgay and President Tencho Gyatso will answer your questions about the Derge dam protests. Together they’ll explain what the protests mean, how the international community has responded and where we go from here.
February 29, 2024
NEXT STEPS FOR THE RESOLVE TIBET ACT
By now, you might have heard that the Promoting a Resolution to the Tibet-China Dispute Act passed the US House this month. But what will this bill do to shine a light on CCP propaganda and help resolve China’s decades-long occupation of Tibet? And how can we get it passed by the Senate and signed into law?
In this Tibet Talk, your questions about the Resolve Tibet Act will be answered live by ICT President Tencho Gyatso and Director of Government Relations Franz Matzner. These ICT leaders will also discuss the upcoming Tibet Lobby Day in Washington, DC and other efforts to mark 65 years of Tibetan resilience and resistance against China’s occupation of Tibet.
January 18, 2024
CHINA’S UN UNIVERSAL PERIODIC REVIEW
It’s not often that China is held to account for its human rights violations. But that’s exactly what will happen this month during China’s Universal Periodic Review at the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva, where governments around the world will question and demand answers from Beijing about its abysmal human rights record.
ICT Germany Executive Director Kai Mueller will be there in Geneva to monitor the UPR and to help organize a side event spotlighting China’s human rights abuses against Tibetans. In this Tibet Talk, we’ll speak to Kai about the UPR, the state of human rights in Tibet and the ability of the international community to pressure China into changing its policies.
November 30, 2023
CHINA’S BOARDING SCHOOLS IN TIBET
Over 1 million Tibetan children have been separated from their families, language and culture at China’s state-run boarding schools in Tibet. These schools target the most vulnerable and impressionable minds and seek to make them loyal followers of the CCP. The goal is to sever the Tibetan way of life and cement China’s control over Tibet.
In this Tibet Talk, we’ll speak to Lhadon Tethong, director of Tibet Action Institute, an organization that has been raising awareness about the boarding schools. In conversation with ICT President Tencho Gyatso, Lhadon will discuss the impact of these schools on Tibetan families, the response from the global community and what needs to happen next.
October 26, 2023
THE RIVERS OF TIBET
In this Tibet Talk, we’ll speak to author Amy Yee about the 15-year journey that led her to write “Far from the Rooftop of the World: Travels among Tibetan Refugees on Four Continents.” Along the way, we’ll discuss her life-changing interaction with the Dalai Lama, the Tibetans she got to know in exile and the warmth they showed her as a Chinese American.
September 28, 2023
THE RIVERS OF TIBET
In August 2023 ICT was proud to co-sponsor a panel on Himalayan water security convened by the US State Department in partnership with the International Water Management Institute. This month, ICT’s Government Relations Director Franz Matzner caught up with two of the panelists: Tsechu Dolma, founder of the Mountain Resiliency Project, and Lobsang Yangtso, senior researcher at the International Tibet Network. In this conversation, the two Tibetan experts in exile discuss Tibet’s rivers, water security in the region and the need for urgent international action.
August 24, 2023
THE DALAI LAMA AND THE REVIVAL OF INDIA’S CIVILIZATIONAL HERITAGE, ITS VALUE TO TODAY WITH RAJIV MEHROTRA
In our final episode on His Holiness’ Four Principal Commitments, we’ll discuss the Dalai Lama’s commitment to reviving India’s civilizational heritage and its value to today with Rajiv Mehrotra, an acclaimed Indian former TV host and the secretary and trustee of the Foundation For Universal Responsibility of His Holiness The Dalai Lama, which was started with seed money from His Holiness’ Nobel Peace Prize award. Mehrotra has been a student of the Dalai Lama for over 40 years.
August 17, 2023
THE DALAI LAMA AND THE PRESERVATION OF TIBETAN CULTURE WITH MR. TENZIN NAMGYAL TETHONG
In our third episode on His Holiness’ Four Principal Commitments, we’ll discuss the Dalai Lama’s efforts to preserve Tibetan culture and strive for Tibet’s cause with Tenzin Namgyal Tethong, His Holiness the Dalai Lama’s Representative to North America (1973-86), former Kalon Tripa (Minister and Chair of the Cabinet) of the Central Tibetan Administration, as well as the founding President of ICT.
August 10, 2023
THE DALAI LAMA AND THE PROMOTION OF RELIGIOUS HARMONY WITH PROFESSOR SIDDIQ WAHID
In our second episode on His Holiness’ Four Principal Commitments, we’ll discuss his commitment to religious harmony with Professor Siddiq Wahid, a senior fellow at the Centre for Policy Research. Professor Wahid traces his family to the Tibetan Muslim community in Lhasa, Tibet, and his father was one of the last caravanners bringing the official tributes from the people of Ladakh to the Dalai Lama at a time when there was peace and harmony in the Himalayas. Professor Wahid has been involved in numerous interfaith engagements and conferences organized by the Dalai Lama, including with Muslim leaders.
August 3, 2023
THE DALAI LAMA AND THE PROMOTION OF HUMAN VALUES WITH DR. RICHIE DAVIDSON
In our first episode on His Holiness’ Four Principal Commitments, we’ll discuss his commitment to human values with Dr. Richie Davidson, a neuro-scientist known for his groundbreaking work in the study of emotion and the brain. Dr. Davidson is a University of Wisconsin–Madison professor and the founder of the Center for Healthy Minds. After meeting His Holiness in 1992, Dr. Davidson started focusing his research and work toward studying kindness and compassion.
Learn more about Center for Healthy Minds early childhood Kindness Curriculum »
June 16, 2023
REMEMBERING PEMA TSEDEN
Tibet’s premier filmmaker has died. By writing and directing movies that won acclaim across the globe, Pema Tseden put Tibetan cinema on the map. And through showing modern-day Tibet on the big screen, he allowed audiences around the world to see the tragic evisceration of Tibetan culture under Chinese rule.
Following Pema Tseden’s death last month at age 53, we will reflect on his legacy with Tibetan exile filmmaker Tenzing Sonam, who will explain how Pema Tseden captured the clash of modernity and tradition in Tibet, crafted a distinct directorial style and empowered other Tibetans to find their own voice as film artists.
May 25, 2023
PRESS FREEDOM IN TIBET
The media have a vital role to play in telling the world Tibet’s story. But the Chinese government makes it nearly impossible for foreign journalists to enter Tibet and report on China’s human rights abuses against the Tibetan people. In fact, a Washington Post reporter said in 2016 that the so-called Tibet Autonomous Region, which spans roughly half of Tibet, is harder to visit as a journalist than even North Korea.
In honor of this month’s 30th anniversary of World Press Freedom Day, we speak to Sarah Cook, Senior Advisor for China, Hong Kong and Taiwan at Freedom House, about China’s restrictions on press freedom in Tibet. We also discuss how journalists at Radio Free Asia, Voice of America and other outlets still find information about what’s happening in Tibet, as well as what governments, civil society groups and ordinary citizens can do to push back on China’s policies.
In 2018, the US government passed the Reciprocal Access to Tibet Act, which pressured the Chinese government to give American journalists, diplomats and tourists access to Tibet. Find out more about the law at www.savetibet.org/reciprocity.
April 27, 2023
RESOLVE TIBET
When Xi Jinping took over as China’s top leader in 2012, there were hopes that his reputation as a moderate and his father’s relationship with the Dalai Lama would lead to a softening of policies. Instead, Xi has proven to be a hardliner whose indefinite rule began this past month, unforeseen a decade ago.
To mark Xi’s decade in charge, ICT is publishing a new report, “10 Years of Xi Jinping: Sinification and Securitization of Tibetans for the Chinese Nation-State.” In this Tibet Talk, we’ll speak to the report’s author, ICT Research Analyst Tenzin Norgay, about Xi’s impact on Tibet and what the future holds.
March 30, 2023
RESOLVE TIBET
At ICT, we just wrapped up our 2023 Tibet Lobby Day. It was a record-setting event that brought over 150 Tibetan Americans and Tibet supporters to Washington, DC to build Congressional support for the Promoting a Resolution to the Tibet-China Conflict Act.
Also known as the Resolve Tibet Act, this bill is a major goal for Tibet supporters. But what does it actually do, and how can we get it passed? To find out, we’ll discuss with Namgyal Choedup, Representative of His Holiness the Dalai Lama and the Central Tibetan Administration to North America, and ICT’s own Franz Matzner.
February 23, 2023
CELEBRATING LOSAR
Losar Tashi Delek! That’s the greeting Tibetans will use next week when they celebrate Losar, the Tibetan New Year. And on this episode of Tibet Talks, you can celebrate this beautiful holiday with ICT.
Join us for an exploration of Losar’s history, traditions and significance with Professor Tenzin Dorjee of California State University, Fullerton, who was the first Tibetan American chair of the US Commission on International Religious Freedom. We’ll also hear from ICT staff members Tencho Gyatso, Rinchen Tashi and Tenzin Norgay about what Losar means to them.
January 26, 2023
“HEART TO HEART” WITH PATRICK McDONNELL
At the Dalai Lama’s residence in India, an unusual visitor has arrived: a troubled Giant Panda who has traveled from many miles away. Welcoming him as a friend, His Holiness invites the Panda on a walk through a cedar forest. There, in the shadow of the Himalayas, surrounded by beauty, they discuss matters great and small.
This is the warm, whimsical, wise story of a new book featuring words by the Dalai Lama and illustrations from the creator of “Mutts.” “Heart to Heart: A Conversation on Love and Hope for Our Precious Planet” calls for a compassionate revolution, elegantly and decisively conveying a message of joy, hope and change. In this Tibet Talk, we have our own heart to heart with the illustrator, Patrick McDonnell, about what inspired him to collaborate with His Holiness the Dalai Lama to create this timely gem of a book.
December 15, 2022
LODI GYARI’S MEMOIRS
Tibet’s fate is one of tragedy and hope. Because of China’s illegal occupation, the people of Tibet have lost the right to determine their own destiny. But forced into exile, the Dalai Lama has become a compassionate leader for the world and a source of endless inspiration to resolve the Tibet-China conflict.
In this final Tibet Talk of 2022, we’ll speak to the authors of two new books that exemplify these two sides of the Tibetan story: Warren Smith, author of “Tibet’s Fate,” and Ginger Chih, author of “The Dalai Lama: Leadership and the Power of Compassion.”
November 3, 2022
LODI GYARI’S MEMOIRS
In the history of Tibetans in exile, Lodi Gyari holds a special place. As the late President and Executive Chairman of the International Campaign for Tibet, Mr. Gyari helped build lasting support for Tibet from governments around the world. And as the Special Envoy of His Holiness the Dalai Lama, he was assigned to be the lead interlocutor in the dialogue process with the Chinese leadership to find a resolution to the Tibet-China conflict through the Middle Way Approach. Accordingly, between 2002 and 2010, he led 10 rounds of talks with Chinese representatives, including presenting the Chinese side with a written memorandum outlining the issues to be addressed concerning the Tibetan people.
Although Mr. Gyari passed away in 2018, his legacy goes on, and his book, “The Dalai Lama’s Special Envoy: Memoirs of a Lifetime in Pursuit of a Reunited Tibet,” was just released by Columbia University Press. In this Tibet Talk, ICT will discuss the book with two people who knew Lodi Gyari from different perspectives: Greg Craig, the first US Special Coordinator for Tibetan Issues, and Tenzin Tethong, the first President of ICT and a former Chairman of the Cabinet of the Central Tibetan Administration in Dharamsala.
October 17, 2022
DALAI LAMA CONGRESSIONAL GOLD MEDAL ANNIVERSARY
Fifteen years ago, on Oct. 17, 2007, the Dalai Lama received the Congressional Gold Medal, the highest civilian honor in the United States. The award ceremony brought together the President, Congressional leaders, human rights activists and many others. It was one of the clearest signs yet that Americans love the Dalai Lama.
As we celebrate the 15th anniversary of that special day, we’ll speak to former Congresswoman Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, who introduced the House version of the bill (together with Congressman Tom Lantos) that bestowed His Holiness with the Gold Medal. We’ll also hear from all of you about what the Dalai Lama means to you.
September 1, 2022
A READING AND CONVERSATION WITH AUTHOR TSERING YANGZOM LAMA
Tsering Yangzom Lama’s debut novel, “We Measure the Earth with Our Bodies,” has become an international bestseller and been longlisted for the Center for Fiction’s First Novel Prize. The book provides an intimate glimpse into the experience of Tibetan exiles, as it follows three generations of a Tibetan family over a span of 50 years, beginning in 1960, as they are forced to leave their homeland following China’s occupation of Tibet. It is a vivid human story of the refugee experience that deals with colonization, displacement and the loss of homeland in a deeply personal way.
July 27, 2022
RESOLVING THE TIBET-CHINA CONFLICT
China’s government has illegally occupied Tibet for over 60 years. It has refused to negotiate with Tibetan leaders for more than a decade. But a new bill in Congress will pressure China’s officials to get back to the negotiating table. It’s called the Promoting a Resolution to the Tibet-China Conflict Act, and it was introduced on July 13 by Reps. Jim McGovern, D-Mass., and Michael McCaul, R-Texas.
In this Tibet Talk, we speak to ICT’s Interim President Bhuchung K. Tsering and Director of Government Relations Franz Matzner to discuss what the bill does, why it matters and what you can do to help make it law.
May 26, 2022
“FRACTURED HIMALAYA” WITH AMBASSADOR NIRUPAMA RAO
For ages, Indians saw the Himalayas as a wall that protected them. But when China’s Communist army invaded Tibet over 70 years ago, an Indian diplomat said, “The Chinese have entered Tibet. The Himalayas no longer exist.” From that, Indian former Ambassador Nirupama Rao drew the title of her book, “The Fractured Himalaya: India, Tibet, China 1949-62.” The book untangles the complex early years of the India-China relationship, with the still-unresolved issue of Tibet closely woven in.
In this Tibet Talk, Rao—who served as India’s Ambassador to China, Foreign Secretary and Ambassador to the United States—speaks to ICT Board Member Ellen Bork about why Indians have an “enormous emotional attachment” to Tibet, what China’s control of Tibet has meant for India’s security, and how the Indian government can push for a resumption of dialogue between Chinese and Tibetan leaders.
March 17, 2022
MISSION: JOY
On Dec. 26, the world lost Archbishop Desmond Tutu, an iconic leader of South Africa’s anti-apartheid movement and a beloved friend of His Holiness the Dalai Lama. In a moving documentary that debuted last year called, “Mission: Joy — Finding Happiness in Troubled Times,” the two spiritual brothers and Nobel Peace laureates chat, laugh and even dance together.
In this Tibet Talk, we speak to Geshe Thupten Jinpa, a Buddhist scholar and the primary English translator for His Holiness, who is one of the principal interviewees in the film. Join us for this conversation on the making of “Mission: Joy” and the continuing mission to spread joy.
Learn more about “Mission: Joy,” including how to watch the film, at www.missionjoy.org.
February 17, 2022
THE SEED OF COMPASSION
Planting a seed for a more compassionate world with a sense of the oneness of humanity—this is the message of His Holiness the Dalai Lama, which he shares in his first children’s book, “The Seed of Compassion: Lessons from the Life and Teachings of His Holiness the Dalai Lama.”
In this Tibet Talk, we speak to Namrata Tripathi, editor of “The Seed of Compassion,” about how the book came to be and the beautiful lessons it offers for children. We also talk with Professor Lobsang Negi, who has been spearheading work at Emory University to bring compassion into the education system through the SEE (Social, Emotional and Ethical) Learning program, based on the Dalai Lama’s vision. We hear how both our guests interacted with His Holiness to shape their projects, and we learn how all of us can plant a seed of compassion for a better world.
Purchase “The Seed of Compassion” from our ICT store at: www.savetibetstore.org
January 21, 2022
THE OLYMPICS AND TIBET
Enes Kanter Freedom is an NBA player and activist who sent shock waves through the sports world when he spoke out against China’s brutalization of the Tibetan people. Dhondup Wangchen is a Tibetan filmmaker who endured years of imprisonment and torture after he made a documentary about China’s repression in Tibet leading up to the 2008 Beijing Olympics. And Wangpo Tethong is the executive director of ICT-Europe who unfurled a pro-Tibet banner in China’s Tiananmen Square in 2006, right next to the Olympic countdown clock.
With the Olympics about to return to China for the 2022 Winter Games—which begin Feb. 4 in Beijing—these three experts on sports and human rights join us to discuss what the Olympics mean for Tibet, and what the international community should do about it. Enes also reveals how the Dalai Lama inspires him to become a better person—and how much he loves Tibetan “momos.”
Learn more about Enes Kanter Freedom’s support for Tibet: www.savetibet.org/chinas-nba-enes-kanter-response-raises-olympics-concerns
Watch #MyOlympicOath from Dhondup Wangchen: www.myolympicoath.org
Watch “Leaving Fear Behind,” the documentary Dhondup Wangchen made about repression in Tibet before Beijing 2008: vimeo.com/50220285
Read how China’s oppression in Tibet has escalated since the last Beijing Olympics: www.savetibet.org/olympics2022
December 9, 2021
RIMA FUJITA
Rima Fujita is a fine artist and a descendant of Japan’s last samurai whose creative aesthetic was strongly influenced by both Bushido and Buddhism. Her work has been exhibited internationally to wide acclaim, but Rima’s life passion also lies in her philanthropic efforts. In 2001, she established Books for Children, an organization that creates children’s books and donates them to Tibetan refugees. Rima has created six picture books, two of them in collaboration with Tibetan communities in exile.
In this episode of Tibet Talks, Rima speaks with us about her latest book, “The Extraordinary Life of His Holiness the Fourteenth Dalai Lama, An Illuminated Journey.” We also discuss her work focused on the Tibetan environment, identity and cultural awareness.
Buy Rima’s new book at www.savetibetstore.org.
November 18, 2021
DECODING THE CCP
Have you come across the terms “common prosperity,” “ecological civilization” or “picking quarrels and stirring up trouble?” Tibetans in Tibet have been bombarded with such slogans every day of their lives over more than 60 years of Beijing’s rule in Tibet. However, China’s slogans are new to the global community. Many find them intriguing; some dismiss them as mere propaganda. We think it’s time to audit the slogans.
In this Tibet Talk, we invite Australia-based veteran Tibet observer Gabriel Lafitte and researcher and translator Tsering Dorje to discuss the Tibetan Centre for Human Rights and Democracy’s latest publication, “Decoding CCP,” a glossary and analysis of slogans from the Communist Party of China. In this conversation, Gabriel and Tsering provide an overview of sloganeering in China and its effects on Tibetans and the global community at large. This discussion is cohosted by the Tibetan Centre for Human Rights and Democracy.
Decode the CCP’s slogans at www.decodingccp.org.
November 4, 2021
“THIS FRAGILE PLANET” WITH MICHAEL BUCKLEY
As daunting as the climate challenge is, it’s important to know what we’re trying to conserve—and it’s vital to find the inspiration to do so. In this episode of Tibet Talks, we have the perfect guest to help with that. Michael Buckley is the editor of the new book, “This Fragile Planet,” a collection of 80 inspiring quotes about the environment from His Holiness the Dalai Lama, matched with 120 eye-catching photos and visuals from a dozen professional photographers.
In this conversation, Michael, who’s been researching and writing about Tibet for over 35 years, speaks to Franz Matzner, our director of government relations and a veteran of environmental advocacy. You’ll learn about the climate crisis in Tibet, how the Chinese government uses its control of Tibet’s rivers to threaten neighboring countries, and what the Dalai Lama and Tibetan culture can teach us about environmental sustainability.
Purchase Michael’s books, “This Fragile Planet” and “The Snow Leopard’s New Friend” at www.savetibetstore.org. While you’re there, pick up ICT’s 2022 calendar: “Rivers of Tibet: Life Waters of Asia.”
October 14, 2021
THE IMPACT AND PASSAGE OF THE 1991 TIBET IMMIGRATION BILL
In 1991, the US Congress passed the Tibetan Immigration Act of 1990, which provided 1,000 immigrant visas for natives of Tibet in India or Nepal. As a result of this one act, we now have thriving Tibetan American communities in more than 27 states across the country. They are established as part of the fabric of American society, contributing to its wellbeing, but also knowing well the plight of their homeland and carrying the teachings of His Holiness the Dalai Lama in their daily lives.
In this Tibet Talk, you’ll learn more about the passage and impact of this legislation with Tenzin Tethong, our founding president, Rinchen Dharlo, the Dalai Lama’s representative at the time, and Ngawang Dolkar and Tenzin Jigme, whose family members were part of the original 1,000 Tibetans who came to the US through this program.
September 23, 2021
TOWN HALL WITH ICT LEADERS
Join us for this special ask-me-anything edition of Tibet Talks! Three of our leaders—Bhuchung K. Tsering, interim president of ICT, Kai Mueller, executive director of ICT Germany, and Vincent Metten, ICT’s EU policy director—kick off the show with updates from their offices. Then they answer questions from ICT members and Tibet supporters across the globe. (This was truly a multinational event, as Bhuchung spoke live from Washington, DC; Kai was in Berlin; and Vincent was in Brussels.)
Throughout the conversation, you can hear these ICT leaders discuss the situation in Tibet, the work of ICT and the plans of the organization.
August 19, 2021
SERA MONASTERY: A CONVERSATION WITH AUTHORS PENPA DORJE AND PROF. JOSE CABEZON
Penpa Dorje and Jose Cabezon are the authors of Sera Monastery, a definitive history of one of Tibet’s greatest monastic universities, located just north of the Tibetan capital, Lhasa. Founded in 1419, Sera Monastery was one of three great seats of learning in the Geluk tradition of Tibetan Buddhism, at one time holding more than 9,000 monks from across the Tibetan Buddhist world. Along the way, Sera also played an important role in Tibetan religion, culture, and politics. Today, Sera monastery under Chinese rule has just a few hundred monks, but the exile branch of Sera in India is flourishing amid all of the changes of the 21st century.
In this conversation with ICT, Dorje and Cabezon, former Sera monks themselves, will speak about their book and share perspectives on the historical, political, economic, and diplomatic aspects of this important religious institution.
July 22, 2021
MICHAEL VAN WALT VAN PRAAG AND ELLEN BORK
The new book Tibet Brief 20/20 by Michael van Walt van Praag & Miek Boltjes is a call to action for governments to rethink their stance on Tibet. Based on 10 years of collaborative research, analysis and engagement with scholars of Chinese, Mongolian, Tibetan and Manchu historical sources, this book presents an in depth examination of Tibet’s historical relations with the dominant empires in the region. This continues to be an issue of relevance to this day as the PRC continues to base its entitlement to Tibet solely on allegation that Tibet is an integral part of China since antiquity.
In this conversation with ICT, Author Michael van Walt van Praag, will be joined by Asia expert and ICT Board member Ellen Bork, to discuss the implications, findings and what it means for policy makers, civil society advocates and Asia specialists.
June 17, 2021
THE AMBASSADOR’S DOG
Scott DeLisi spent 35 years as an American diplomat, including US Ambassador to Eritrea, Uganda and Nepal. He says Nepal touched his heart more than any other assignment. It’s also where he had a serendipitous meeting with a small blue-eyed Tibetan mastiff puppy in the ancient region of Lo-Monthang on Nepal’s border with Tibet.
DeLisi then collaborated with ICT member and award-winning American artist Jane Lillian Vance to create a beautiful illustrated book called “The Ambassador’s Dog.” In this conversation with ICT, they will discuss Tibet, Nepal and the heartwarming story behind “The Ambassador’s Dog.”
May 20, 2021
TENZIN GEYCHE TETHONG
Blessed by the Dalai Lama himself, Tenzin Geyche Tethong’s new biography of His Holiness features previously unpublished photos and unparalleled insights into the Dalai Lama’s leadership, compassion and gentle humor. Born in 1943 in Lhasa, Tethong first joined the Tibetan administrative service in the early 1960s and served in the Private Office of the Dalai Lama until 2007.
In this discussion, Tethong tells us about his book, “His Holiness the Fourteenth Dalai Lama: An Illustrated Biography,” and his 40 years as a close aide to the Dalai Lama.
April 29, 2021
TIBETAN ELECTIONS 2021
Tibetans in exile have a borderless democratic governance system. Tibetans in exile living in over 30 countries go to the polls every five years to elect the sikyong, their political leader, and the 45 members of their parliament in exile. They have a two-stage election system, the primary one to determine candidates, followed by the main elections. This year, the primary elections took place on Jan. 3, 2021 and final elections on April 11, 2021.
In this two-part conversation, you will hear about this Tibetan democratic experience from Thomas Mann, former German Member of the European parliament and leader of the 2016 Tibetan Election Observation Mission that ICT was involved with; and Tsering Norzom Thonsur, former member of Tibetan Parliament in exile, in conversation with Tencho Gyatso.
March 11, 2021
REMEMBERING THE 1959 TIBETAN UPRISING
On March 10, 1959, thousands of Tibetans took to the streets of their capital city, Lhasa. Although their uprising was eventually crushed—with the Chinese government killing thousands of Tibetans in the process—they succeeded in keeping their struggle alive, including by helping their leader, the Dalai Lama, escape to safety in neighboring India.
In this episode of Tibet Talks, we honor the 62nd anniversary of the Tibetan Uprising with a trio of great guests: Tseten Wangchuk, a Tibetan journalist and Sino-Tibetan commentator in Washington, DC; Li Jianglin, an independent scholar and writer who specializes in post-1950 Tibetan history; and Tsewang Rigzin, a fellow at the Columbia Population Research Center and a social policy and policy analysis doctoral candidate at Columbia University.
February 25, 2021
TIBET IN CHAINS
In the early 1990s, China’s notorious prisons in Tibet’s capital of Lhasa held hundreds of political prisoners. Among them was a group of 14 young nuns, mostly from Garu nunnery, who were imprisoned in the dreaded Drapchi Prison. On account of their comradery and solidarity—including in recording songs in praise of His Holiness the Dalai Lama and Tibet—they came to be known as the Drapchi 14 or the singing nuns. In this special edition of Tibet Talks, you’ll get to hear from two of the formerly imprisoned nuns, listen to readings from the “Tibet in Chains” and learn more about the plight of Tibetan political prisoners.
December 10, 2020
GESHE THUPTEN JINPA
His Holiness the Dalai Lama was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize on Dec. 10, 1989 as “A Buddhist Advocate for Peace and Freedom.” The Nobel Committee emphasized that he “based his Buddhist peace philosophy on reverence for all living things and the idea of a universal responsibility that embraces both man and nature.”
On Thursday, Dec. 10, 2020, ICT will host a special conversation with Geshe Thupten Jinpa, Buddhist scholar and principal English translator to the Dalai Lama. We’ll take a journey to hear his recollections of that glorious day in Oslo, Norway and learn about the Dalai Lama’s main commitments, teachings, philosophy, inspiration, and how he has shaped a message of peace and compassion to benefit not only Tibet but the entire world.
November 19, 2020
ASST. SECRETARY ROBERT A. DESTRO FEATURING TIBETAN-AMERICAN YOUTH
Assistant Secretary Robert A. Destro was appointed the new special coordinator for Tibetan issues in the US State Department on Oct. 14, 2020.
In this conversation, Destro joins ICT to speak directly to Tibetan American youth. Three alumni of ICT’s Tibetan Youth Leadership Program take part in the discussion, along with several other young Tibetans.
Afterward, Aftab Pureval, clerk of the courts for Hamilton County, Ohio, and Dawa Lokyitsang, a PhD student at the University of Colorado, Boulder, speak on a panel about pathways to success for Tibetan American youth.
October 22, 2020
SHARON SALZBERG
A first encounter with Buddhism as a college student in 1969 sparked an interest that took Sharon Salzberg on a journey to India for intensive study of meditation. Returning to the United States five years later, she began to teach. In 1976, she co-founded the Insight Meditation Society in Barre, MA, and 13 years later, she co-founded the Barre Center for Buddhist Studies.
Sharon offers a variety of teachings around the globe and is the author of 11 books, including “Lovingkindness,” a New York Times bestseller. A longtime ICT member and friend of Tibet, Sharon taught a regular monthly meditation class at ICT’s office in Washington, DC for many years. In this conversation, she discussed her latest book, “Real Change,” on how to embody fundamental principles of mindfulness practice toward creating social change and a better world for all.
October 8, 2020
DR. STEPHAN RECHTSCHAFFEN
In 1973, Stephan Rechtschaffen was finishing medical school when he traveled to northern India and provided care to Tibetan refugees, especially many elderly monks. He recalls feeling the intense hardships of their escape across the Himalayas —but also being struck by their extraordinary stillness, presence and deep reverence.
Almost 50 years later, Rechtschaffen is a dedicated practitioner of Tibetan Buddhism, nationally recognized holistic doctor and original founder of the Omega Institute and of Blue Spirit in Costa Rica. He’s also been a member of ICT for more than two decades, and in this conversation, he shares why he wishes other people knew more about Tibet and explain why “Taking care of Tibet is taking care of the whole body of humanity.”
October 1, 2020
ADRIAN ZENZ
Scholar Adrian Zenz published a groundbreaking study revealing a mass coerced labor program that enlisted more than half a million rural Tibetans in just seven months. Since then, several major newspapers have written about his findings, parliamentarians across the globe have demanded urgent action—and the Chinese government has denounced him.
In this special episode of Tibet Talks, Zenz talks to ICT about his new report, “Xinjiang’s System of Militarized Vocational Training Comes to Tibet,” and describe how the Chinese government is trying to eliminate Tibet’s unique and ancient culture.
September 24, 2020
CONGRESSMAN ANDY LEVIN
Congressman Andy Levin, elected in 2018 to represent Michigan’s 9th District, may be a new member of Congress, but he is not new to Tibet. He holds a BA in Religion from Williams College and a master’s degree in Asian Languages and Cultures from the University of Michigan. He studied at the Central Institute for Higher Tibetan Studies in Sarnath, India in 1981-82, where he first met His Holiness the Dalai Lama. He traveled to Tibet (the regions of Kham and Amdo) in 1989 and soon after interviewed His Holiness, resulting in newspaper and magazine articles when His Holiness won the Nobel Peace Prize that year. His experiences in India, Tibet and China are one of the reasons Levin sought a seat on the House Foreign Affairs Committee and its Asia subcommittee.
September 10, 2020
ILEANA ROS-LEHTINEN
During three decades in Congress, Ileana Ros-Lehtinen was an outspoken supporter of Tibet and helped lead the effort to award the Dalai Lama the Congressional Gold Medal. In this discussion for ICT’s Tibet 2020 campaign, Ros-Lehtinen who was the first Cuban American woman elected to Congress, will explain how the advocacy of ordinary Americans and of the Tibetan American community can help the Tibetan people – and can do so again this election year.
August 13, 2020
BARBARA DEMICK
Author of “Eat the Buddha: Life and Death in a Tibetan Town”
Barbara Demick’s new book puts the spotlight back on the issue of Tibet. The New York Times describes her book as “a brilliantly reported and eye-opening work of narrative nonfiction.” Spanning decades of history, “Eat the Buddha: Life and Death in a Tibetan Town” tells the story of Ngaba, now tragically known for having the highest number of Tibetan self-immolations. By focusing on the lives of several Tibetans from the region, Demick illuminates the nature of the Tibetan-Chinese relationship, and what it’s like to be Tibetan in the 21st century.
August 6, 2020
MR. GREG CRAIG
On August 6 ICT hosted its second conversation aimed at raising awareness about Tibet for the American public as part of its Tibet 2020 campaign. Mr. Gregory Craig, Former Director of Policy Planning and Special Coordinator for Tibetan Issues (1997-1998) was joined for a conversation by ICT President Matteo Mecacci.
Mr. Craig, who served as White House Counsel under President Obama and the State Department’s Policy Planning Director in the Clinton Administration, was the first US official appointed to the position of Special Coordinator for Tibetan Issues. Craig helped make Tibet a priority at the highest level of the US government for the first time and on the world stage.
July 30, 2020
AMBASSADOR PAULA DOBRIANSKY
On July 30th ICT hosted a special episode of Tibet Talks with Ambassador Paula Dobriansky, former Under Secretary of State for Global Affairs and Special Coordinator for Tibetan Issues, in conversation with ICT President Matteo Mecacci.
Their conversation focused on why American support for Tibet continues to be crucial in the context of worsening US-China relations and the upcoming US presidential election.
July 16, 2020
A CONVERSATION ON TIBET, CLIMATE CHANGE AND CLIMBING
The Tibetan Plateau is the tallest and largest plateau on Earth, as well as perhaps its most beautiful. Exploring and preserving it are passions for Conrad Anker, a master alpinist, climber and Rowell Fund for Tibet board member.
In this hour-long conversation, Anker will describe his love for Tibet’s natural wonders and its people with ICT Board Member John Ackerly.
July 6, 2020
CELEBRATE THE DALAI LAMA’S 85TH BIRTHDAY
ICT’s founding President Tenzin Tethong, who served as the Dalai Lama’s representative to North America from 1973-86 and special representative in Washington, DC from 1987-90, will describe the Dalai Lama’s first trips to the US.
Eight ICT members will also share stories of how the Dalai Lama changed their lives.
June 30, 2020
ICT CHAIRMAN RICHARD GERE TESTIFIES IN THE US SENATE
Gere testified about Chinese censorship at a Senate subcommittee hearing on June 30, 2020. Afterward, ICT President Matteo Mecacci discussed Gere’s testimony live with ICT members.
June 25, 2020
DR. ELENI TOUSIMIS
Chief of Breast Surgical Oncology, Medstar Georgetown University Hospital
What being the Dalai Lama’s doctor on call taught me about peace, passion and purpose
June 18, 2020
ELIOT PATTISON
Edgar Award-winning author
The “Inspector Shan” mystery series and why I write about Tibet
June 11, 2020
SOPHIE RICHARDSON
China Director, Human Rights Watch
The importance and challenges of researching in Tibet for one of the leading global human rights organizations
June 3, 2020
AMBASSADOR SAM BROWNBACK
United States Ambassador-at-Large for International Religious Freedom
CONGRESSMAN JIM McGOVERN
Chair of the Congressional-Executive Commission on China and Co-Chair of the Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission
Due to the restrictions imposed by the COVID-19 pandemic, ICT was unable to organize our annual Tibetan Youth Leadership Program in Washington, DC. In lieu of this, we hosted this live online conversation with US leaders and Tibetan American youth leaders.
May 28, 2020
DR. RICK HANSON
Psychologist and Author of “Buddha’s Brain”
Gratitude makes you strong – How Tibet has inspired me
May 21, 2020
PROFESSOR LOBSANG TENZIN NEGI
Executive Director, Center for Contemplative Science and Compassion-Based Ethics, Professor of Pedagogy, Dept. of Religion, Emory University
Reflecting the Dalai Lama’s vision to bring compassion into the education system through SEE Learning™ (Social, Emotional and Ethical Learning)
May 14, 2020
MATTEO MECACCI AND BHUCHUNG K. TSERING
ICT President and Vice President
The Tibetan Policy and Support Act and how to keep Tibet high on Congress’ agenda
May 7, 2020
PROF. TENZIN DORJEE
US Commission on International Religious Freedom
Why Tibetan religious freedom matters and my role on USCIRF
