Tenzin Nyidon
DHARAMSHALA, Oct. 12: The exile Tibetan government, officially known as the Central Tibetan Administration’s (CTA) President Penpa Tsering urged Tibetans in Switzerland and Germany to establish dedicated ‘Tibet Lobby Day’, modelled on the advocacy initiative in the United States, to strengthen engagement with lawmakers and politicians and advance Tibet-related concerns through direct political outreach.
Addressing the Tibetan community at the Zurich Marriott Hotel in Switzerland on Saturday, the CTA President called on Tibetans to organise regular meetings with Swiss parliamentarians in Bern, the seat of the Swiss federal government and parliament, emphasising the need for a coordinated and sustained approach to political advocacy.
Noting that Switzerland is home to an estimated 7,000 to 8,000 Tibetans, he said the community should mobilise its collective strength to establish a structured lobbying initiative by bringing together Tibetan organisations, support groups and civil society networks.
He proposed collaboration among the Voluntary Tibet Advocacy Group (V-TAG), the Office of Tibet, Tibet support groups and Tibetan non-governmental organisations, including the Tibetan Women’s Association (TWA), Tibetan Youth Congress (TYC) and Students for a Free Tibet (SFT), to facilitate meetings with Swiss lawmakers and raise issues concerning Tibet directly with elected representatives.
Drawing a parallel with the United States, where more than 200 Tibetans and supporters participate in dedicated lobbying initiatives to engage members of Congress, he stressed the importance of institutionalising similar efforts in European countries, where coordinated political outreach could help sustain parliamentary attention on Tibet.
He also called for a Tibet Lobby Day in Germany, noting that no such initiative had previously been organised there. Describing Germany as one of Europe’s most influential countries, he highlighted the importance of engaging German lawmakers and making better use of the political rights available to Tibetans with German citizenship.
He emphasised that Tibetan citizens with voting rights could exercise greater influence by engaging their elected representatives, building relationships with parliamentarians and ensuring that Tibet-related concerns remain on the political agenda.
Tibet Lobby Day is a form of organised political advocacy in which community members and supporters meet elected officials and parliamentary staff to present concerns, seek policy support and encourage legislative action. In the United States, the initiative has brought Tibetan Americans and Tibet supporters into direct contact with congressional offices to discuss human rights, religious freedom and other issues affecting Tibet.
