Dharamshala: On 9 March 2026, Alice Parma, Member of the Emilia-Romagna Regional Council of Italy accompanied by Osanna Matteo visited the Tibetan Parliament-in-Exile earlier today and met with Speaker Khenpo Sonam Tenphel and Deputy Speaker Dolma Tsering Teykhang.
During their meeting, the Speakers discussed the relationship between Italy and Tibet, which has a long history of cultural exchange dating back to the 17th and 18th centuries. During that period, Italian Jesuit and Capuchin missionaries visited Lhasa, studied the Tibetan language, and created some of the earliest Tibetan-Italian dictionaries.
They also discussed the ongoing political support for the Tibetan cause by Italian lawmakers and civil society. Italy has become one of the strongest supporters of Tibet in Europe by passing numerous resolutions and motions on Tibet. The Speakers also highlighted the assistance provided by many Italians in supporting the education of Tibetan children whose parents remain in Tibet through programs run by the Tibetan Children’s Village (TCV).
Further discussions focused on the Central Tibetan Administration, which under the leadership of His Holiness the Dalai Lama initiated dialogue with the Chinese government. Nine rounds of dialogue were held between 2002 and 2010, but they did not produce substantive results. Instead, the People’s Republic of China continues to label Tibetans as separatists and imposes arbitrary arrests and restrictions under the pretext of maintaining national stability.
The visiting guests were also briefed on China’s growing control over water resources in Asia and the exploitation of the Tibetan Plateau through the construction of unprecedented dams across rivers originating in Tibet. They were also informed about the unregulated mining of Tibet’s minerals and precious metals, as well as the plight of Tibetan children in Tibet, many of whom are coerced into colonial-style boarding schools and deprived of their right to Tibetan cultural heritage.
– Report filed by Tibetan Parliamentary Secretariat
