The 2025 TLYP participants.
The International Campaign for Tibet (ICT) is pleased to announce the completion of the 2025 Tibetan Youth Leadership Program (TYLP). From July 12 to 19, ICT welcomed 12 Tibetan American college students from across the United States to Washington DC. The 12 participants, from 7 different states and 10 institutions, had the opportunity to learn about the American political system and the roles that activists, lobbyists, think tanks and journalists serve in foreign policy.
This year, TYLP saw the highest number of applications in its 25-year history.
The in-person program included meetings with staffers from congressional offices, interaction with leaders of civil society organizations and Tibetan leaders, workshops on advocacy and communications, and sessions with TYLP alumni who have served or are serving in federal agencies or Congress.
The aim of TYLP is to give these promising students the political skills they need as they develop into the next generation of Tibetan American leaders.
“The training of the next generation of Tibetan-American leaders is critical to advancing U.S. and international support for the Tibetan cause and promoting human rights and dignity for Tibetans everywhere,” ICT Executive Director Ryan Fioresi said. “I was honored to engage with this impressive group and was inspired by their energy and optimism for the future of the Tibetan movement. ICT is proud to continue supporting this impactful initiative and is excited to see each of the TYLP participants realize their immense potential in their future careers.”
The 12 participants in the Tibetan Youth Leadership Program are:
- Lhamo Tsering (University of Connecticut)
- Sontri Jorkhang (University of Washington, Seattle)
- Tenzin Choezom (University of California, Berkeley)
- Tenzin Youdon (Yale University)
- Dylan Khangsar (Stanford University)
- Tenzin Tsetan (University at Albany)
- Tenzin Kunsang (Cornell University)
- Pema Zidig (Amherst College)
- Tenzin Yingsal (University at Albany)
- Tenzin Samphel Palden (University of Washington)
- Tenzin Tselha (Williams College)
- Maya Tenzin Nyima (Kenyon College)
With the incoming class, The Tibetan Youth Leadership network now includes over 200 members. Many of the TYLP alumni are trailblazing in a numerous fields and industries, tackling critical issues all around the world.
The program’s unique combination of advocacy, cultural immersion, and personal and professional development equips TYLP participants with a well-rounded understanding of Tibet’s significance in the world, a key aspect to leadership in any field in the 21st century.
About the Tibetan Youth Leadership Program
The Tibetan Youth Leadership Program is part of ICT’s Lodi Gyari Tibetan Empowerment Program, which includes several initiatives to help Tibetans practice their traditions, protect their heritage and speak up for their rights.
Tibetan American activism is crucial as China expands its repression in Tibet, which the Chinese government took control of more than 60 years ago.
Thanks in part to advocacy by Tibetan Americans, the US government has responded to China’s rights violations in Tibet by passing last year’s Resolve Tibet Act, which further expands US support for Tibetans, including empowering the State Department to counter the CCP’s disinformation campaign.
The US also passed in 2018 the Reciprocal Access to Tibet Act, which led the State Department to ban Chinese officials from entering the US over their refusal to allow American diplomats, journalists and ordinary citizens to visit Tibet.