Article | November 12, 2026
Young Tibet advocates engage EU policymakers, call for stronger action on Tibet at ICT’s Tibetan Empowerment Days 2026
Young Tibetans and Tibet activists from across Europe gathered in Brussels from November 2 to 5 for ICT’s 2026 Tibetan Empowerment Days, bringing their concerns over China’s policies in Tibet directly to European policymakers and calling for stronger EU action on Tibet.
The program, joined this year by ICT President Tencho Gyatso, brought together ten participants from eight European countries — Belgium, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Portugal, Sweden, the United Kingdom and Switzerland — to the heart of European decision-making, where they strengthened their advocacy skills and engaged with Members of the European and Belgian Parliaments.
The event opened with a training day at ICT’s Brussels office, where participants deepened their understanding of the European Union, EU-China relations and the situation in Tibet, with contributions from Rigzin Genkhang, Representative of His Holiness the Dalai Lama to EU, Western Europe & the Maghreb; and Lhadon Tethong of the Tibet Action Institute. They also took part in practical advocacy and communications exercises, learning to craft compelling messages and to speak confidently in their own voices, drawing on personal stories and experiences.
Over the following days, participants met with Members of the European Parliament from across the political spectrum to highlight the impact of China’s policies on the Tibetan people’s identity and fundamental freedoms. Among the key concerns raised were the increasing transnational repression targeting Tibetans in exile – which China’s new so-called ‘Law on Promoting Ethnic Unity and Progress’ risks further intensifying; the devastating impact of the boarding school system and other assimilation policies on Tibetan children, as well as on the Tibetan language, culture and religion; and the importance of the Tibetan Plateau’s fragile environment for the wider region.
Tenzin Tsering Murphy, a participant from Germany, said, “The Tibetan Empowerment Days hosted and organised by ICT Brussels was not only a fantastic opportunity to gain valuable advocacy and communications skills, but a wonderful chance for young Tibetans in Europe to network, share knowledge, and speak up for Tibet at a meaningful level. I would recommend this to any young Tibetan.”
Tashi Tsering from Switzerland added, “It is an opportunity to learn, raise awareness, develop leadership skills, and contribute to the cause of Tibet through peaceful advocacy. Every young voice can make a difference in raising awareness about Tibet.”
Beyond raising awareness, the young Tibetan advocates called for concrete parliamentary action on Tibet. Welcoming the European Parliament’s longstanding support for Tibet, they urged their lawmakers to go further, including through initiatives such as a parliamentary question to follow-up on the Parliament’s 2023 resolution on the boarding schools system or a joint MEPs letter calling for sanctions against Chinese officials responsible for implementing the ethnic unity law.
Members of the European Parliament’s Tibet Friendship Group also welcomed the young advocates at a meeting convened on this occasion by MEP Danuše Nerudová (Czech Republic, EPP), who praised their engagement and stressed their vital role in carrying forward the fight for Tibet’s freedom and preserving Tibetan language and culture.
The group was also invited for an exchange with the Committee on Foreign Affairs of the Belgian Chamber of Representatives, organised by its Chair Ms. Els Van Hoof and attended by several other Members of the Parliament, extending their advocacy efforts to the Belgian national level. Members of the Parliament showed particular interest in the issue of transnational repression as well as on how Tibetan communities in Europe are preserving their culture and ensuring the transmission of their language to younger generations.
The program allowed participants to learn more about European democracy, its history and functioning, and to gain first-hand insight into how the European Parliament addresses human rights issues around the world. It was also an opportunity to reflect on the European Union as a model of peaceful coexistence, reconciliation and cooperation – a model the Dalai Lama has often praised.
Launched by ICT in the US almost 20 years ago as the ‘Tibet Lobby Days’, the initiative has since been held several times in Brussels, empowering a new generation of European Tibetans and Tibet supporters to sharpen their skills, build networks and gain the confidence to turn their commitment to Tibet into action in their own countries and communities. This year’s edition was once again organised with the support of the International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH).
