Leh, Ladakh: On 9 July 2024, as part of the ongoing official visit in Ladakh, Sikyong Penpa Tsering of the Central Tibetan Administration (CTA) paid visits to monasteries under the jurisdiction of Department of Religion and Culture (CTA) and SOS Tibetan Children’s Village School (TCV) and its branch schools in Choglamsar, along with the latter’s affiliate Old People’s Home. Sikyong was also honoured with a dinner reception at the Triksey Monastery hosted by Venerable Triksey Rinpoche.

Beginning from the Shewatsel Phodrang Gapheling, Sikyong paid obeisance to sacred icons in Leh-based Monastereis, namely Karma Drupgyu Choeling, Sheten Youngdrung Lhatse Bon Monastery, and Rutok Lhundup Choeling, as part of his second-day itinerary. At the same time, Sikyong held a brief meetings with the respective monastic administrations to discuss on necessities crucial for their sustenances.

Thereafter, Sikyong headed towards TCV Menlha and Agling branch schools to inspect education facilities over there. Likewise, Sikyong toured premises of Sonamling main TCV school, including its affiliate Old People’s Home.

Sikyong later addressed the students and teachers of Ladakh TCV at its auditorium to apprise the gathering on the geo-political and strategic significance of the Tibetan plateau and its environment that has immense potential to bring harmony in the region, the imperativeness of maintaining the unique cultural and linguistic heritage of Tibet amidst intensifies restrictions and systematic annihilations of Tibetan identity in Tibet under CCP, and benefits of the Tibetan Buddhist culture in bringing about global peace. Given the CCP’s continued repression and manipulation over these matters, Sikyong underscored CTA’s policy of the Middle Way Approach that is pragmatically actionable and has the potential to resolve the longstanding Tibet-China conflict. In light of this, Sikyong briefly touched on the passage of the Resolve Tibet Act in both houses of the United States with unanimous bipartisan support. Hence, to strengthen and continue the Tibetan freedom struggle, Sikyong implored teachers to educate students on these issues during class and advised students to enhance their knowledge of Tibet’s current status.

Following Sikyong’s address, a Q&A session was held with students in which he delved into an array of issues concerning the Tibet cause as well as student’s education.

Additionally, Sikyong conducted an inspection of the housing projects currently underway in Choglamsar where he toured the project site and interacted with the residents of Maque and Chushul, who are about to relocate to the project site area after its completion.

Later in the evening, Sikyong attended a dinner reception hosted by Triksey Rinpoche. It was also joined by the honourable Chairman of the Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council, Shri Tashi Gyaltson, and Deputy Chair Tsering Angchuk, along with Councillors and prominent officials of Ladakh UT.

Throughout these programmes, Sikyong was accompanied by Chief Representative Officer Dhondup Tashi and Joint Secretary Tashi Dickey from the Department of Home (CTA).