OSLO: Sikyong arrived at the Oslo airport, Norway from Frankfurt on May 12th evening. He was received at the airport by Mr. Thubten Samdup, Representative of His Holiness the Dalai Lama for the UK (based in London) and Chitue Chungdak Koren (based in Norway). Mrs. Tsomo, the newly elected chairwoman of the Norwegian Tibet Committee and a section of Tibetan community in Norway were also at the airport to receive the Sikyong.
Sikyong was invited to the 5th Oslo Freedom Forum (OFF) to deliver a talk on the subject “Democracy in exile” as part of the plenary session titled “The Assymetric Activist”. http://www.oslofreedomforum.
The evening of his arrival in Oslo the organizers of OFF arranged a welcome reception-cum-dinner for the participants. Sikyong was able to network extensively among the participants during this reception.
On 13 May, Sikyong addressed a press conference organised by OFF. Global media organisations such as BBC and CNN covered the press conference. The media asked Sikyong about the current status of Tibet in the backdrop of the increasing number of self-immolations there.
After the press conference, Sikyong headed to Civita (think tank) office where he was invited by the Director Mrs. Kristin Clemet, former Education Minister. Civita is co-organizer of Oslo Freedom Forum. Sikyong discussed with Mrs. Kristin and her two colleagues about the situation inside Tibet and about the Central Tibetan Administration. He stated that Civita and Tibet Policy Institute (Tibetan think tank) could work together in the near future. Civita website www.civita.no/en/
Sikyong then visited the Nobel Institute where he was received by Mr. Geir Lundestag, Executive Director / Secretary General of the Norwegian Nobel Committee. During the course of the hour- long interaction in the Nobel Committee meeting room, Sikyong thanked the Nobel Committee for their support all along, particularly for awarding the Nobel Peace Prize to His Holiness in 1989. Sikyong also extended an open invitation to the Executive Director and all the Committee members of the Nobel Committee to visit Dharamshala as CTA’s official guests. He also discussed some events that can be planned for 10th Dec. 2014, twenty five years since His Holiness was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize.
Sikyong’s visit to the Nobel Institute was followed by a brief interview for the Voice of Tibet radio at Norwegian Tibet Committee office. Later, he addressed more than 70 members of the Norwegian Tibet Committee and also had an interactive session with them for almost an hour.
Sikyong gave an interview for Ny Tld weekly magazine and Aften Posten, one of th main newspapers of Norway, during the course of the day.
May 14, 2013
Sikyong’s second day in Oslo began with a BBC World Service radio interview for about ten minutes.
Then he proceeded to the venue of the OFF where he spoke on the subject “Democracy in exile” at the plenary session of the OFF. Among the other three speakers at the plenary session was Chinese activist Chen Guangcheng – who spoke on the inevitability of China’s transformation.
“I have never been to Tibet and never seen Tibet, but I am proud to be born a Tibetan. I have committed myself to the Tibetan cause.” Sikyong said in his speech. Elaborating on the functioning of the Central Tibetan Administration he said “The Tibetan administration in exile could be a model for many of you here fighting for your basic rights.” He sent a signal to the global audience and said “Tibet is a litmus test for the international community and China.”
After the talk Sikyong headed to Norwegian Tibet Committee office to meet with two Chinese scholars; and also gave an interview for the Committee’s magazine.
Sikyong then gave interviews to The Atlantic magazine and the Newsweek magazine.
Following the interviews, he addressed about 40 Tibetans who had gathered at the community office. He praised the community members for paying dhanglang cha-ngul regularly and for the distinction of being the Tibetan community abroad that has the highest number of contributors to the Green Book. He expressed confidence on the state of Tibetan diaspora in general and Central Tibetan Administration in particular. The Norwegian Tibet Committee then hosted a dinner in honor of the Sikyong, where most of the Tibetan community members joined.
Today – May 15, 2013 – the third and final day of Sikyong’s stay in Norway, he began his day by meeting Mr. Anders Tunold of Norwegian Church Aid – during which Sikyong thanked NCA for their assistance to the Tibetan community. Sikyong will then be attending the first session of the Freedom Forum and then will be heading to Stockholm, Sweden, accompanied by Mr. Thubten Samdup.
All of Sikyong’s programs in Oslo, Norway has been arranged by Chitue Chungdak Koren, who attended the plenary session of the OFF and also accompanied the Sikyong all along during this visit. She will represent the Tibetan side and continue to attend the OFF conference after Sikyong and team leave for Sweden.
