Tibetan Flag Hoisted by Blue Mountains City Council during Tibetan Youth Advocacy Training

Canberra: The two-day Australian Tibetan Youth Leadership and Advocacy Training, organised by the Tibet Information Office, concluded successfully on 13 February 2025 at the Karuna Retreat Centre in Katoomba, Blue Mountains.  

Focused on key areas such as Tibetan human rights, grassroots advocacy, and the broader Tibetan movement, the workshop was led by esteemed trainers including Tenzin Lekshay, Spokesperson for the Central Tibetan Administration; Tsering Tsomo, former executive director of the Tibetan Centre for Human Rights and Democracy; Kyizom Dhongdue, former Tibetan parliament member; and Dr. Zoe Bedford, executive director of the Australia Tibet Council. The training equipped participants with updated insights on human rights issues and advocacy strategies, empowering them to effectively promote Tibetan causes at local and national levels. Dawa Sangmo, Chinese Liaison Officer also introduced the participants to the CTA’s Chinese outreach program. 

In conjunction with the event, the Blue Mountains Tibetan Community, with the support of the Blue Mountains City Council, raised three Tibetan flags in the heart of the Blue Mountains. The flags proudly flew for three days, symbolising local support for the Tibetan cause.  

On the second day of the workshop, participants were divided into regional groups to discuss and adopt action plans for 2025 and 2026. These plans are designed to increase youth involvement in the Tibetan cause and enhance their advocacy efforts within their regions, with a renewed focus on raising awareness of Tibetan issues inland. The workshop concluded with the election of new regional and national coordinators. A total of 30 participants from across Australia attended the training session.  

-Report filed by Tibet Information Office, Canberra