Bengaluru: A three-day youth capacity building and advocacy training for Tibetan youths in South India concluded today on 18 October 2024. The training was held at the Dalai Lama Institute for Higher Education and organised by the Department of Information and International Relations (DIIR) in collaboration with V-TAG India. The event, designed to empower Tibetan youth with increased knowledge and skills essential for Tibet advocacy skills, brought together 35 young participants from different cities in South India, who exhibited strong determination to contribute towards the Tibet cause. 

On 17 October, the second day of the training, Dukthen Kyi, head of the Tibet Advocacy Section at DIIR, led sessions focused on crucial aspects of advocacy, including preparation for Tibet advocacy, effective tactics, and key areas of focus in Tibet advocacy efforts, and shared about CTA’s efforts in Tibet advocacy at the United Nations. She also emphasised the vital role that Tibetan youth must own in the Tibet movement, stressing the importance of their involvement and leadership in order to carry forward and strengthen Tibet advocacy efforts. The interactive sessions saw active participation from the participants throughout the day. 

The day continued with a talk session by Parliamentarian Choephel Thupten, Member of the 17th Tibetan Parliament-in-Exile and former South Zone Chief Representative Officer of the Central Tibetan Administration (CTA). He shared valuable insights on the scope, challenges, and tactics for advocacy in South India, drawing from his extensive experience. He encouraged the youth to focus on building networks with Indian peers and emphasised the importance of learning regional languages for more effective advocacy. The session concluded with an engaging Q&A, where Thupten addressed participants’ concerns and queries, further enriching the learning experience. 

In the afternoon, Parliamentarian Lobsang Gyatso Sither, Director of Technology at Tibet Action Institute and Member of the 17th Tibetan Parliament-in-Exile, led a session on social media advocacy and digital security. He provided practical guidance on effectively using various social media platforms and tools for advocacy, highlighting the advantages of social networks in promoting the Tibet cause. Sither also stressed the importance of tailoring social media use to target audiences and covered crucial digital security measures for social media users. 

The day’s program also included an introduction to the Voluntary Tibet Advocacy Group (V-TAG) initiative by Tseten Dolma and Rinchen from Tibet Advocacy Section, DIIR. The speakers highlighted V-TAG as a platform provided by the current Kashag for especially Tibetans youth to advocate for their cause, emphasising the principle of “Tibetans for Tibet.” The participants were also introduced to the activities and projects carried out by V-TAG India team, where Ngawang Choedhen, the National Coordinator of V-TAG India stressed on greater involvement, and Lharong, former V-TAG South India Coordinator presented on past projects undertaken in South India in 2023-2024.  

On 18 October, the final day of the training was dedicated to future work and planning, and formulating practical, realistic and doable action plans. The participants engaged in this with practical application of their newly acquired knowledge. Divided into regional groups, they discussed in depth in the allotted time with specific plans to undertake advocacy activities in their respective areas in the near future. The day ended with reflection and feedback sharing. 

The three-day Advocacy and Youth Capacity Building program represents a significant step in CTA’s ongoing efforts to build the capacity of Tibetan youth for Tibet advocacy and strengthen the global Tibet movement. The training participants will also take part in a panel discussion in the evening on “Why Tibet Matters” organised jointly by DIIR and the Dalai Lama Institute of Higher Education where Dechen Palmo, Environment Research at Tibet Policy Institute and Dukthen Kyi will be speaking to spread awareness about ongoing, severe issues in Tibet. 

-Report filed by Tibet Advocacy Section, DIIR, CTA