Samdup, President of the Tibetan Association of Melbourne, along with members of the local Tibetan community, warmly welcomed Sikyong upon his arrival in the city.

Later that evening, Sikyong addressed the community and officially launched the new website of the Tibetan Community of Melbourne.

During his public address, Sikyong remarked, “Since assuming the responsibilities of Sikyong, I pledged to visit all Tibetan settlements and communities twice during my tenure, as Tibetans are now spread across 27 different countries. Due to other pressing priorities and time constraints, I am not able to visit only about half a dozen of the smaller communities so far, and to them, I extend my sincere apologies.”

Continuing his address, Sikyong provided an overview of the recent grand Ghoton celebration – the official commemoration of His Holiness the Dalai Lama’s 90th birthday – held at Tsuglagkhang in Dharamshala. The event attracted significant coverage from both international and national media outlets. Sikyong noted that the 90th birthday of His Holiness has been eagerly anticipated since the 2011 announcement and that, according to some observers, this year’s Ghoton, along with His Holiness’ reaffirmation of the continuity of the Dalai Lama institution, may have drawn even more global media attention than the momentous occasion of receiving the Nobel Peace Prize in 1989.

Sikyong also expressed deep gratitude to His Holiness for a recent statement clarifying the matter of his reincarnation, a subject that could otherwise become increasingly complicated due to the People’s Republic of China’s illegitimate attempts to interfere.

Sikyong said, “Over the years, we have compiled declarations and resolutions from various bodies – including associations of Tibetan Buddhist followers from the Himalayan regions, ethnic Mongol regions, overseas Buddhist communities, as well as Tibetan Buddhist and Bon religious communities, especially those from the Tibetan Religious Conferences – and presented them to His Holiness ahead of the Ghoton. We will continue advocating for such statements in support of non-interference in His Holiness’ reincarnation. At the conclusion of the Year of Compassion, a compilation will be published as a record for the future.”

Sikyong also noted that the compilation will include key legislative and official documents, such as the Resolve Tibet Act and the recent joint statement by Human Rights Ambassadors from France, Germany, the Netherlands, the UK, Lithuania, Estonia, and Iceland, which address concerns over the reincarnation of His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama and firmly reject any external interference.

“In the lead-up to the Ghoton, the Kashag also highlighted each of His Holiness’ four principal commitments during four major official events organised by the Central Tibetan Administration,” Sikyong added. He emphasised that these efforts aim to further promote and build public awareness on His Holiness’ noble commitments. Sikyong then elaborated on the four principal commitments of His Holiness and went on to highlight initiatives such as SEE Learning, as well as His Holiness’ books on political life: My Land and My People, Freedom in Exile, and Voice for the Voiceless.

Sikyong further delved into critical topics, including the PRC’s ongoing internal political and socio-economic challenges, the Chinese government’s position within the shifting global geopolitical landscape, the implications of its actions for other nations, and the evolving status of the Tibetan freedom struggle in this complex context.

The address concluded with a Q&A session with the audiences.

On 17 July, Sikyong returned back to India and then to Dharamshala on 18 July via Delhi.