22–23 June 2022, Washington, D.C
- The Washington DC Declaration
- 8th World Parliamentarians’ Convention on Tibet ACTION PLAN
- 8th WPCT Washington DC,Program
The Washington DC Declaration
8th World Parliamentarians’ Convention on Tibet 22–23 June 2022, Washington, D.C
Parliamentarians from 28 countries participated in the 8th World Parliamentarians’ Convention in Washington D.C. from 22 to 23 June 2022 in person and virtually, to review and discuss the situation in Tibet and efforts to resolve the Sino-Tibetan conflict, caused by the PRC’s invasion of Tibet in 1950 and its illegal occupation since then. They thanked their hosts in the US Congress and commended them for the pathbreaking legislation adopted in recent years on Tibet.
The meeting took place as the war in the Ukraine, caused by Russia’s invasion of that independent country on February 24, was about to enter its fourth month and triggered striking comparisons to Tibet’s invasion decades earlier. These invasions, constituting flagrant violations of the most fundamental norms of international law, highlight the urgent need to enforce international law and prioritize safeguarding the rule of law and the promotion of freedom, democracy, self-determination and human rights throughout the world above short-term economic gain.
The participants committed to take action to ensure collaboration among parliaments and with the Tibetan Parliament in Exile on matters related to Tibet. This includes collaboration with the Inter-Parliamentary Alliance on China and with other interparliamentary organizations and bodies. The International Network of Parliamentarians on Tibet (INPaT) will be revived, and where possible parliamentarians will create parliamentary groups in countries where they do not yet exist.
The participants call on parliaments to adopt legislation, resolutions or motions, hold hearings and investigations at national and sub-national levels to advance the Tibetan cause in line with this declaration.
The participants call on all parliaments to take coordinated action, and to hold their governments accountable for upholding international law in regard to Tibet, including by fulfilling their States’ obligations and responsibilities under international law to
The participants call on parliaments to take coordinated action to affirm and endorse the exclusive right of the Dalai Lama and the Gaden Phodrang, the Tibetan people, and the Tibetan Buddhist community to select and appoint the incarnation of the next Dalai Lama and other senior Lamas and firmly reject the PRC’s declared intention to do so as a violation of religious freedom.
The participants reject the false historical narratives propagated by the PRC and CCP, which claim that Tibet has been a part of China since ancient times, to attempt to justify the PRC’s invasion of Tibet and current occupation of Tibet. They call on parliamentarians and parliaments to take coordinated action to expose and counter these false narratives.
The participants call on parliaments to take coordinated action to prohibit corporations from benefiting from forced labor and the exploitation of the natural environment of the Tibetan plateau.
The convention noted the massive environmental degradation occurring on the Tibetan plateau because of mining resulting in toxic waste, water pollution, deforestation and the destruction of mountains. Further, more than two million Tibetan nomads have been removed from their traditional lands to allow for this exploitation and resettled in culturally destructive villages.
The impacts of environmental mismanagement in Tibet extend far beyond Tibet itself with over 50 mega-dams planned on the 10 major rivers that rise on the Plateau, threatening the water supplies of over 1.5 billion people in countries downstream.
Tibet’s situation as the world’s Third Pole results in global heating occurring at rates more than twice the world average, which will result in the majority of the glaciers on the plateau gone by 2050, with global repercussions.
The participants express solidarity with the Uyghurs and Southern Mongolians under PRC rule, the people of Hong Kong and the people of Taiwan under PRC threat, as well as with the Chinese democracy movement, all of whom seek common ground to face common challenges.
The Participants expressed their continuing support for the democratic achievements of the Tibetans, their commitment to non-violence and their efforts to seek a resolution of the conflict with the PRC through the Middle Way Approach.
8th World Parliamentarians’ Convention on Tibet
ACTION PLAN
The members of parliament attending the 8th World Parliamentarians Convention on Tibet committed themselves to the following action plan:
Reaffirm the declarations adopted at the previous seven World Parliamentarians Convention on Tibet
Establish all party parliamentary groups on Tibet in the Parliaments which currently do not have such groups as a way to provide a platform for Tibet-related initiatives
Re-activate the International Network of Parliamentarians on Tibet (INPat) to promote greater coordination between parliamentary groups, share best practices, and be sufficiently supported in the international advancement of our objectives outlined in this declaration (increase collaboration between the Inter-Parliamentary Alliance on China and the Tibetan Parliament in Exile on Tibet related matters.)
Make statements and pass resolutions and motions in our parliaments mandating our governments not to accept the Chinese government’s interference in the Tibetan Buddhist practice, including on the reincarnation system, with specific reference to that of His Holiness the Dalai Lama’s reincarnation
Pass legislations calling on our governments to promote substantive negotiations between the Chinese government and the representatives of the Dalai Lama toward a meaningful resolution of the Tibet issue
Pass resolutions and motions in our parliaments highlighting the illegality of the Peoples Republic of China’s (PRC) invasion and occupation of Tibet and reaffirming the inalienable right of the Tibetan people to self- determination
Utilize inter-parliamentary bodies to propose initiatives on Tibet. Virtually all Parliamentarians are ex-officio members of international parliamentary associations — such as the Inter-Parliamentary Union, the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association, etc.
Commend the United States Congress for passing pivotal laws like the Tibetan Policy & Support Act of 2020 and related legislations in the United States, and work to pass similar resolutions and motions in all parliaments to institutionalize support for Tibet
Pass legislations encouraging our governments to explore multinational mechanisms to work collaboratively on the challenges of climate change in Tibet, including with the direct participation of Tibetan stakeholders.
Encourage parliaments at the provincial and other levels to also initiate similar actions on Tibet
8th WORLD PARLIAMENTARIANS’ CONVENTION ON TIBET
WASHINGTON DC, USA
June 22-23, 2022
PROGRAM
| Time | Event / Details |
|---|---|
| Tuesday June 21, 2022
Arrival at Sheraton Pentagon City |
|
| 2:00pm | Registration at Main Lobby |
| 7:00pm-10:00pm | Reception and Welcome Dinner at Galaxy Ballroom (16th Floor) by Tibetan Parliament-in-Exile (TPiE) |
| Wednesday June 22, 2022 | |
| 6:00am-8:00am | Breakfast at Concourse Room |
| 8:15am | Departure to Capitol Hill |
| 9:30am to 11:00am | Inaugural Session at Senate Dirksen Building, Capitol Hill
MC: Mr. Bhuchung K. Tsering, Interim President, International Campaign for Tibet (ICT) * Welcome and Introductory Remarks by the Hon. Speaker Khenpo Sonam Tenphel of the Tibetan Parliament-in-Exile (8mins) |
| 11:00am-11:30am | Tea Break |
| 11:30am- 1:00pm | US Congressional Initiatives on Tibet
Chaired by: Mr. Carl Gershman, Former President, NED (Intervention by Parliamentarians on initiatives towards Tibetan issue in their respective Parliaments) |
| 1:00pm – 2:00pm | Return to Hotel |
| 2:00pm-3:00pm | Lunch at Concourse Room Chaired By: Hon. Senator André Gattolin, France |
| 3:00pm-3:10pm | Keynote Remarks by Hon. Sikyong Penpa Tsering, Central Tibetan Administration |
| 3:10-4:00pm | Democracy: Relevance and Challenges in Today’s World |
| 3:10pm-3:40pm | Screening of Democracy: The Gift of His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama to Tibet |
| 3:40pm-3:45pm | Remarks by Hon. Senator Janet Rice, Australia |
| 3:45pm-3:50pm | Remarks by Hon. Member of Parliament Uldis Budrikis, Latvia |
| 3:50pm- 3:55pm | Remarks by Hon. Member of Parliament Arif Virani, Canada |
| 4:00pm-4:30pm | Tea Break |
| 4:30pm- 5:30pm | Sharing Experiences, Collaborations, Networking & Action Plans amongst like-minded countries (Part I)
Chaired by: Hon. Consiglio Di Nino, Former Senator of Canada Speakers: |
| 7:00pm-10:00pm | Dinner reception at Galaxy Ballroom hosted by ICT |
| Thursday June 23, 2022 | |
| 7:00am-8:30am | Breakfast at Concourse Room |
| 9:00am-10:30am | Significance of Asia & Tibet in Global Warming and Climate Change
Chaired by: Hon. Tenzing Jigme, Member of Tibetan Parliament-in-Exile Speakers: *9:00am-10:30am Tibet: Barriers to Settling an Unresolved Conflict: Congressional hearing on Tibet in the U.S Capitol by Congressional-Executive Commission on China. (Attendance by invite only) |
| 10:30am-11:00am | Tea Break |
| 11:00am-12:30pm | Narratives on Tibet: The Need for Change
Chaired by: Hon. Kalon Norzin Dolma, DIIR, CTA Speakers: (Intervention by Parliamentarians) |
| 12:30pm-2:00pm | Lunch at Concourse Room |
| 2:00pm-3:00pm | Sharing Experiences, Collaborations, Networking & Action Plans amongst like-minded countries (Part II)
Chaired by: Hon. John Tennant Wright Sol, Member of Parliament, El Salvador Speakers: (Intervention by Parliamentarians) |
| 3:00pm-3:30pm | Tea Break |
| 3:30pm-4:30pm | Common Ground to Face Common Challenges
Chaired by: Hon. Tenzin Jigdal, Member of Tibetan Parliament-in-Exile Speakers: (Intervention of Parliamentarians) |
| 4:30pm-4:40pm | Revival of International Network of Parliamentarians on Tibet (INPaT) by Hon. Deputy Speaker Dolma Tsering Teykhang, Tibetan Parliament-in-Exile |
| 4:40pm-5:15pm | 8th WPCT 2022 Washington DC Declaration and Action Plan
Presented By: Prof. Michael Van Walt Praag, President, Kreddha – a conflict resolution organization & Senior Fellow at the Sompong Sucharitkul Center for Advanced International Legal Studies of Golden Gate University Law School, San Francisco Adoption of the 8th WPCT 2022 Washington DC Declaration |
| 5:15pm-5:30pm | Closing Ceremony
Vote of Thanks by Hon. Deputy Speaker Dolma Tsering Teykhang, Tibetan Parliament-in-Exile |
| 7:00pm-10:00pm | Closing Dinner at the Concourse Room hosted by Tibetan Parliament-in-Exile |
| Friday June 24, 2022 | |
| 7:00am-9:00am | Breakfast at the Concourse Room |
| 12:00pm | Check Out from the Hotel |
***End of the Program***