Prague, Czech Republic, 11 November 2025: After completing her official tour of Hungary, Slovakia, and Austria, Thinlay Chukki, Representative of His Holiness the Dalai Lama at the Office of Tibet, Geneva, along with Phuntsok Topgyal, UN Advocacy Officer, visited Prague to coordinate and participate in the Global Interfaith Dialogue Conference.

Prior to the conference, Representative Thinlay Chukki was invited by Anglo-American University (AAU) in Prague to deliver a special lecture on “Geopolitics and the Central Tibetan Administration (CTA) in Exile.” The event was held at AAU’s main auditorium and drew a large audience comprising university leadership, faculty members, and over 100 undergraduate and graduate students from the School of International Relations and Diplomacy.

The session was attended by Anna Hudakova, CEO of Anglo-American University; Dr George Hays II, Dean of the School of International Relations and Diplomacy; and Magda, Dean’s Assistant, who welcomed the guests and introduced the speaker.

In her address, Representative Thinlay Chukki presented a comprehensive overview of Tibet’s geopolitical importance, highlighting its environmental and humanitarian significance within the broader Asian context. She emphasised Tibet’s vital role as the “Water Tower of Asia,” noting that the Tibetan Plateau is the source of many of Asia’s major rivers — including the Brahmaputra, Mekong, Indus, and Yangtze — which sustain nearly 1.5 billion people across several downstream nations.

Expressing concern over the accelerating impact of climate change, Representative Thinlay Chukki explained that Tibet’s glaciers, often called the “Third Pole of the World,” are melting at an alarming rate, exacerbated by unsustainable Chinese development projects. She warned that environmental degradation and dam-building activities in Tibet are not isolated issues, but carry serious implications for regional stability, ecological balance, and global climate security.

Addressing the sensitive issue of the reincarnation of His Holiness the Dalai Lama, Representative Thinlay Chukki explained that the Chinese government’s attempts to interfere in Tibetan religious traditions are deeply inappropriate. She reaffirmed that the CTA firmly upholds that decisions regarding reincarnation belong solely to the Tibetan Buddhist tradition, free from political manipulation.

Representative Thinlay Chukki further elaborated on the democratic structure of the CTA, describing its three branches of governance; legislative, executive, and judiciary and how they function effectively in exile with a commitment to transparency, accountability, and democratic values. She emphasised that the CTA represents the aspirations of Tibetans both inside and outside Tibet and continues to pursue international advocacy through peaceful and diplomatic engagement.

She went on to discuss the Middle Way Approach, a policy envisioned by His Holiness the Dalai Lama and endorsed by the Tibetan Parliament-in-Exile, which seeks genuine autonomy for the Tibetan people within the framework of the People’s Republic of China. “We Tibetans do not regard the Chinese people as enemies,” she said. “We consider them as counterparts in dialogue — partners with whom we seek understanding and peaceful coexistence based on mutual respect.”

Responding to questions about China’s rapid infrastructure expansion in Tibet, Representative Thinlay Chukki remarked that many of these projects have come at the expense of Tibet’s fragile environment. She urged the academic community and future global leaders to view Tibet not only through the lens of human rights but also as a critical global environmental issue that affects the stability and sustainability of the entire planet.

The lecture concluded with an engaging Q&A session, during which students posed thoughtful questions regarding the practice of compassion in leadership, the role of youth in supporting Tibet’s cause, and the challenges of garnering international support in light of global economic dependence on China. Representative Thinlay Chukki encouraged the students to remain informed, compassionate, and committed to promoting truth and justice in global affairs.

Later in the evening, Representative Thinlay Chukki and UN Advocacy Officer Phuntsok Topgyal accompanied Sikyong Penpa Tsering at a book launch event, followed by their participation in the Global Interfaith Dialogue Conference in Prague.

-Report filed by Office of Tibet, Geneva