NEWSLETTERS
Tibet Update – June 2025
INSIDE:
ICT Chairman Richard Gere shares warm greetings at Dalai Lama birthday celebration
—
This year’s Tibet Lobby Day culminated in a joyous celebration of the Dalai Lama’s 90th birthday hosted by Congressmen Michael McCaul (R-TX) and Jim McGovern (D-MA) and attended by Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi (D-CA), Congresswoman Nicole Malliotakis (R-NY) and Congressman Michael Baumgartner (D-WA). Other hosts included The Office of Tibet, the Capitol Area Tibetan Association, and ICT. ICT’s Chairman Richard Gere had a special message via video, which we’re sharing with you here.
This week, ahead of the Dalai Lama’s 90th birthday on July 6, 2025, hundreds of Tibet supporters convened at the US Capitol to take their message on Tibet to their elected representatives. Tibet Lobby Day included more than 200 people, representing 25 states plus the District of Columbia and visited more than 100 congressional offices.
Chinese sentences pair of Tibetan monks to years in prison
—
Radio Free Asia reports that two senior Tibetan monastic leaders have been sentenced to years in prison for their roles in 2024 public protests against a planned Chinese hydropower dam project.
Matching resolutions in House and Senate recognize Dalai Lama’s birthday as “Day of Compassion”
—
New bipartisan resolution introduced in the Senate and House congratulates the Dalai Lama on his upcoming 90th birthday and recognizes his “outstanding contributions to peace, non-violence, human rights, and mutual respect within and across faiths.”
Call on your senators and representative to cosponsor a new resolution supporting the Dalai Lama!
We need to build support for a pair of matching bipartisan resolutions in the House and Senate commemorating the Dalai Lama’s birthday as a ‘Day of Compassion’. Please sign this petition calling on your members of Congress to cosponsor them; when the resolutions pass, a copy will be presented to the Dalai Lama by Congress as a sign of esteem and respect.
Ask your members of Congress to cosponsor the resolution today!
EU reiterates call for China not to interfere in the succession of the Dalai Lama
—
On the occasion of the 40th EU-China Human Rights Dialogue, held on 13 June in Chongqing, China, the European Union has reaffirmed that the selection of religious leaders should happen without government interference and in accordance with religious norms – including for the succession of the Dalai Lama. The EU also demanded that China provides “transparent and reliable information” about the 11th Panchen Lama, who has been missing for 30 years.
Tibetans inside Tibet face severe risks in celebrating birthday of Dalai Lama
—
As the 14th Dalai Lama approaches his 90th birthday, Tibetans, Tibetan Buddhists, and supporters around the world are preparing to celebrate the life and legacy of the exiled spiritual leader. While most living in exile can honor him freely and publicly, Tibetans inside Tibet face severe risks for doing the same.
China persists in blocking access to Tibet, US State Department reports
—
US government officials, journalists, and others are still blocked from entering Tibet, according to the US State Department’s latest report to Congress on access to Tibetan areas. The report, published on May 29, is the seventh annual report mandated by the 2018 Reciprocal Access to Tibet Act.
9th WPCT concludes, celebrating the Dalai Lama and calling for Resolve Tibet Act-style legislation
—
The 9th World Parliamentarians’ Convention on Tibet concluded on June 4 in Japan’s capital Tokyo, capping two days dedicated to advancing global solidarity for Tibet, countering Chinese influence, and advancing coordinated legislative efforts.
International Campaign for Tibet announces 2025 Lodi Gyari Fellows
—
ICT is pleased to announce the 2025 cohort of Lodi Gyari Fellows, six years since its establishment in honor of ICT’s former executive chairman and president Lodi Gyari. In 2025, two Tibetan-Americans, hailing from Chicago and Oregon, will receive the prestigious opportunity to intern with congressional offices on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC.
Tribeca Festival hosts rare screening of “Kundun” featuring remarks by Director Martin Scorsese
—
Earlier this month the International Campaign for Tibet and the Office of Tibet joined Tribeca Festival and Martin Scorsese to host a screening of Scorsese’s epic “Kundun” on the second day of the Festival. The first time that the film has been screened on 35mm in many years.
- ICT Chairman Richard Gere shares warm greetings at Dalai Lama birthday celebration
- More than 200 Tibetan Americans and supporters join in Tibet Lobby Day and celebration of Dalai Lama’s birthday
- Chinese sentences pair of Tibetan monks to years in prison
- Matching resolutions in House and Senate recognize Dalai Lama’s birthday as “Day of Compassion”
- Encourage your representatives to support resolution honoring Dalai Lama’s birthday as “Day of Compassion”
- EU reiterates call for China not to interfere in the succession of the Dalai Lama
- Tibetans inside Tibet face severe risks in celebrating birthday of Dalai Lama
- China persists in blocking access to Tibet, US State Department reports
- 9th WPCT concludes, celebrating the Dalai Lama and calling for Resolve Tibet Act-style legislation
- International Campaign for Tibet announces 2025 Lodi Gyari Fellows
- Tribeca Festival hosts rare screening of “Kundun” featuring remarks by Director Martin Scorsese
- BLOG: Celebrating the Dalai Lama’s 90th birthday focusing on his impact on the people
- ICT’s 2025 Wall Calendar … Now just $5!
- Smart Giving: A savvy choice to make a big impact during periods of financial unpredictability
BLOG
Celebrating the Dalai Lama’s 90th birthday focusing on his impact on the people
By: Bhuchung K. Tsering
—
As the observed July 6 birthday of H.H. the Dalai Lama nears, his well-wishers throughout the world have already begun their own respective ways to organize events or launch initiatives to recall his impact on the community.
I wanted to dwell on three such initiatives today. June 6, 2025 saw the special screening of the iconic 1997 film “Kundun” at the Tribeca Film Festival in New York City, in partnership with the International Campaign for Tibet (ICT). What made the screening special was that Director Martin Scorsese was personally there to introduce the film and to put it in context. Scorsese mentioned the film’s strong spiritual impact on him and highlighted the message of oneness of humanity of the film, even in its production, saying that it is a story of a Buddhist, being made in an Islamic country (it was shot in Morocco), by a director who is “an Italian-American Roman Catholic from New York.” He mentioned how his film on “Supreme Holiness” as he reverently referred to the Dalai Lama was an effort “to embody His Holiness’ spiritual evolution”.
SUPPORT TIBET
ICT’s 2025 Wall Calendar … Now just $5!
—
ICT’s 2025 calendar, The Heart of Compassion | Honoring the 90th Year of His Holiness the Dalai Lama is now on sale for just $5 plus shipping! We are overjoyed to have worked in collaboration with Tenzin Geyche Tethong and his book, His Holiness the Fourteenth Dalai Lama: An Illustrated Biography in creation of this special edition calendar celebrating the 90th birthday of His Holiness the Dalai Lama.
Smart Giving: A savvy choice to make a big impact during periods of financial unpredictability
—
From climate change to the survival of democracy, Tibet is at the heart of the biggest challenges facing our world. That’s why we’re thrilled to share financially smart ways to give that will promote human rights and democratic freedoms for the people of Tibet:
- Stock: When you donate appreciated stock, you can save on two types of taxes by avoiding capital gains tax and often getting a full deduction for the value of your gift.
- IRA gifts: If you’re 70.5 or older, donations from your IRA reduce your taxable income and can help meet a Required Minimum Distribution (RMD) if you must take one.
- Donor-Advised Funds: With a grant recommendation from your Donor-Advised Fund, you can give from the money you’ve already set aside without spending an additional cent!
- Crypto: A donation of appreciated cryptocurrency can help you avoid capital gains taxes and get a big tax deduction.
We hope you consider the donation option(s) best for you, and together, we can shift the balance toward compassion and kindness.
When you give these types of gifts, please use the tools linked above so we can track your gift, send you the right receipt and ensure you get the tax savings you deserve.