Sikyong Penpa Tsering and DIIR Kalon Norzin Dolma with DIIR staff during the virtual meeting. Photo/Tenzin Jigme /CTA

Dharamshala: The Department of Information and International Relations (DIIR) of the Central Tibetan Administration held a virtual two-day annual meeting of the Representatives of His Holiness the Dalai Lama based in the various Offices of Tibet (OOT) from 19 -20 January.

The virtual meeting began in the afternoon of 19 January. The meeting was presided by Sikyong Penpa Tsering with DIIR Kalon Norzin Dolma, DIIR Secretary Karma Choeying, and Additional Secretaries Tenzin Lekshay and Namgyal Tsewang. The meeting was also attended by DIIR administrator Tashi Phuntsok.

Representative Dongchung Ngodup (OOT Delhi), Representative Namgyal Choedup (OOT DC), Tsultrim Gyatso (Coordinator for Tibetans in Nepal), Representative Chhimey Rigzin (OOT Geneva), Representative Tsewang Gyalpo Arya (OOT Tokyo), Representative Sonam Tsering Frasi (OOT London), Representative Tashi Phuntsok (OOT Brussels), Representative Karma Singey (OOT Canberra), Representative Telo Tulku Rinpoche (OOT Moscow), Representative Kelsang Gyaltsen Bawa (OOT Taiwan), Representative Ngodup Dorjee (OOT Pretoria), Representative Jigme Tsering (OOT South America), and Coordinator Namgyal Samdup (OOT Paris) attended the meeting virtually.

The two-day meeting began with introductory remarks from DIIR Secretary Karma Choeying followed by a welcome address by DIIR Kalon Norzin Dolma. In his keynote address, Sikyong Penpa Tsering briefed the Representatives on the objectives of the Offices of Tibet, underscoring the need to study the relationship between their host countries and Beijing, and to perform their responsibilities accordingly. He further stressed on the importance of building effective communication among the various Representatives, and the need to forge an effective resistance against baseless criticisms of His Holiness the Dalai Lama and the Tibetan people.

Following the inaugural session, the meeting discussed six formulated agendas to strengthen Tibetan political and administrative capacities.

The two-day annual meeting of Representatives concluded on January 20 with concluding remarks from Kalon Norzin Dolma who encouraged the Representatives to update their respective host country’s policy towards China to DIIR. She also persuaded them to regularly attend events organised by the local officials to garner support for Tibet.

Virtual interaction between Sikyong Penpa Tsering and Representatives of OOTs. Photo/Tenzin Jigme /CTA