Bolzano, 27 February: Kalon Tripa Dr. Lobsang Sangay arrived early this morning at Milan International Airport from New York. He is visiting Italy at the invitation of the Presidents of Italian Autonomous Region of South Tyrol and Trento.

President Luis Durnwalder¹s Chief of Cabinet received Kalon Tripa at Bolzano, the capital of South Tyrol. After lunch he had a series of media interviews. Mr. Matteo Mecacci, the President of the Tibet Group in the Italian Parliament especially came from Rome to meet Dr. Lobsang Sangay.

The Italian Tibet Support Group South Tyrol branch organized a public talk at the European Research Academy in Bolzano. The hall was completely full and many people had to stand. Dr. Günther Cologna moderated the public talk.

Kalon Tripa said it was the long term cherish goal of His Holiness the Dalai Lama to hand over the Dalai Lama¹s political authority to a democratically elected Tibetan leader. He said His Holiness had done this willingly, happily and proudly.

Speaking about the present situation in Tibet, Dr. Lobsang Sangay said no foreign journalist or tourists were allowed into Tibet. Instead, thousands of Chinese security forces are being sent into Tibet to repress Tibetans.

Since February 2009, 23 self-immolations have taken place in Tibet. As the political leader of the Tibetan people, he said that he is expected to make their cry for freedom in Tibet, religious freedom and return of His Holiness the Dalai Lama to Tibet a reality.  ³This is a challenge Tibetans and the Tibetan leadership is facing,² he said.

Despite the tragic situation in Tibet, Kalon Tripa said that Tibetan spirit and solidarity will unit Tibetans both inside and in exile one day. He said that restoring freedom and the return of His Holiness the Dalai Lama to Tibet, and improving the education of exiled Tibetans were his top priorities.

He thanked the Italian people and the Parliament for their support. Recently, the Italian Parliament passed a resolution on Tibet.

Report sent by Office of Tibet, Geneva