Dharamshala — Central Tibetan Administration celebrated the 66th Tibetan Democracy Day in Dharamshala on Wednesday. Sikyong said,"As the Chinese communist government systematically targets Tibetan culture and language to eradicate our identity, Tibetans both inside Tibet and in exile must strive to speak Tibetan, read the Tibetan script, and introduce the compassionate teachings of Tibetan Buddhism in our households."
Central Tibetan Administration celebrated the 66th Tibetan Democracy Day at the Tibetan Main Temple (Tsuglakhang) Dharamshala, on September 2, 2026. The top leaders and staff of the Central Tibetan Administration (CTA) presented the celebration and Wang Dan, the founder of Dialogue China and Tiananmen Square crackdown survivor was the distinguished guest at the event, it was joined by Tibetans, students, and representatives of Tibetan civil society from Dharamshala.
The event began with the rendition of the Tibetan and Indian national anthems, followed by the theme song for Tibetan Democracy Day.
Then Sikyong Penpa Tsering read out the statement of the Kashag on the 66th Tibetan Democracy Day and said, "On the 66th anniversary of Tibetan democracy in exile, we offer our deepest gratitude to His Holiness the Dalai Lama. His Holiness’ visionary leadership established a democratic system and inspired Tibetans to embrace democracy. We also express our heartfelt appreciation to the older generation of Tibetans. Their dedication and support made His Holiness’ vision a lasting reality. We extend our greetings to our esteemed guests and community members present at this official celebration.
"One of the most prominent international struggles today is the conflict between free democratic systems and authoritarian rule. The Chinese Communist Party, alongside other authoritarian states, actively promotes authoritarian governance to challenge and compete with democratic nations. Since the Tibetan freedom struggle has become a part of this global contest between freedom and authoritarianism, the practice of genuine democracy is our most powerful defiance against authoritarianism.
"Reflecting on the past 66 years, we have learned that respecting democratic principles and upholding a democratic system remain the foundation of societal progress and our best defence against the adversary. Democracy is not merely rule by the people; fundamentally, it is the rule of law as determined by the people’s representatives. We must clearly understand that alongside the individual fundamental rights protected by the Charter, each of us also bears the duty and responsibility to safeguard society’s security and protect our common cause.
"Since the occupation of Tibet, the Chinese Communist government has continuously pursued policies aimed at eradicating the Tibetan people. This genocidal campaign, which has intensified blatantly over the past decade, has been thoroughly documented in successive reports by the United Nations and other international bodies citing severe violations of international law. On our part, it is not enough merely to declare opposition and protest; we must expose and confront these malicious policies based on a well-informed understanding. We therefore urge all Tibetans to join the Central Tibetan Administration in these vital efforts.
"As the Chinese communist government systematically targets Tibetan culture and language to eradicate our identity, Tibetans both inside Tibet and in exile must strive to speak Tibetan, read the Tibetan script, and introduce the compassionate teachings of Tibetan Buddhism in our households. We must preserve our customs and rituals, observe traditional festivals, integrate traditional attires and arts in our day-to-day life, and actively participate in institutional initiatives that sustain our language and heritage. This cultural movement cannot be driven by any external force; parents must take up the responsibility of being their children’s primary educators.
"Since 2009, 157 Tibetans inside Tibet and 11 Tibetans in exile—including the late Lobga Rangzen—have self-immolated for the cause of Tibet. Hundreds of political prisoners, including the 11th Panchen Lama, Tenzin Gedhun Yeshi Trinley Phuntsok (Gedhun Choekyi Nyima), remain imprisoned in Tibet. Tibetans who peacefully advocate for the protection of their environment, language, and culture continue to face arbitrary detention, interrogation, property confiscation, and various forms of humiliation. This systemic abuse stands as clear evidence that the Chinese Communist government operates with complete disregard for the international community, actively trampling upon basic human decency and inherent rights."
Speaker Dolma Tsering Teykhang read out the statement of the Tibetan Parliament-in-Exile on the Commemoration of the 66th Tibetan Democracy Day and she said, "In this connection, it bears recalling the events on the 3rd of February in 1960, when lay and monastic people from all the exile Tibetan communities that had been set up throughout the subcontinent congregated at the sacred Buddhist site of Bodh Gaya and There, they offered a long-life ceremonial prayer to His Holiness the Dalai Lama and presented a solemn written oath of allegiance. On that occasion, His Holiness stated: “Unlike in the past, the government of Tibet must be based on a democracy informed by political and spiritual principles. We should establish a parliament whose deputies represent the broad Tibetan public, elected by majority vote. For the present, this parliament will consist of one deputy from each of the four major religious schools and three deputies from each of the three provinces of Tibet. Upon returning to your communities, you must submit lists of candidates chosen by learned, capable, patriotic, and selfless individuals who earn the trust of their constituencies.” In compliance with this directive, candidates were nominated across the exile settlements, comprising three representatives from each of the three provinces and one from each of the four major schools of Tibetan Buddhism. Appointed under the signature of His Holiness, they formed the first Tibetan Parliament-in-Exile. At 9:00 AM on September 2, 1960, these members took their oath of office before His Holiness the Dalai Lama, marking the official founding of the Tibetan people’s democratic government.
"In order that the Tibetan struggle would not need to depend on a single individual, as well as by taking into consideration a multitude of immediate and long-term concerns, His Holiness in 2011 transferred to the elected leaders of the Tibetan people the entirety of his political authority over the whole of Tibet that had been held for nearly four hundred years till then by his Gaden Phodrang institution. His Holiness thereby very graciously ensured that the entire framework of the Tibetan administrative setup became a fully functioning democracy in every respect. Apart from that, His Holiness has ensured that leaders of the Central Tibetan Administration in exile are elected entirely on the basis of their knowledge, capability, and experience without being encumbered by extraneous considerations based on one’s race or ancestry, state of wealth, power, and so forth. His Holiness has also ensured that the rule of law, not the power of an individual, prevails in all public affairs. These lend great value and dignity to the Tibetan democratic system in exile.
"In stark contrast, for our Tibetan brethren living under Chinese rule in Tibet, enjoying the benefits of a democratic system remains entirely out of reach. The Chinese Communist government continues to deprive them of their most basic rights, denying fundamental freedoms of religion, movement, speech, and expression, as well as the right to preserve and transmit their linguistic heritage. Following its armed invasion in 1949 and full military occupation in 1959, Beijing has spared no effort to exploit Tibet’s mineral resources across all three traditional provinces. The rampant clearing of virgin forests, south-to-north river diversions, and widespread damming for massive hydroelectric power stations have inflicted devastating environmental destruction on Tibet’s fragile ecosystem.
"Furthermore, China’s persistent campaign to erase Tibet’s unique religious, cultural, and linguistic identity has subjected the Tibetan people to grave atrocities, resulting in the loss of more than 1.2 million lives. Today, Tibetans inside Tibet remain deprived of basic freedoms and face constant threats of arrest, arbitrary detention, imprisonment, and execution. In response to this unrelenting oppression, peaceful protests calling for freedom and the return of His Holiness the Dalai Lama have continued unabated. Tragically, since 2009, a total of 157 Tibetans inside Tibet—driven by profound anguish—have set themselves on fire in protest, a fully verified figure representing the devastating reality on the ground.
"On July 1, 2026, China began enforcing its “Law on Promoting Ethnic Unity and Progress”—a blatant stratagem designed to erase the ethnic identity of Tibetans and other non-Chinese peoples under the euphemism of “unity and progress.” Just a day later, on July 2, a brave Tibetan patriot named Rangzen Lobga set himself on fire in front of the United Nations Headquarters in New York City, protesting Chinese Communist rule and calling for the restoration of Tibetan independence. This tragic act filled us all with profound grief."
Wang Dan, the founder of Dialogue China and Tiananmen Square crackdown survivor said, “The Chinese Communist Party relies on violence, lies, and control. The Tibetan community in exile, in contrast, relies on the recognition of its people, democratic legitimacy, and a coalition of its institutions. It is obvious that this democratic system has brought together the Tibetan people across the world,” thereby ensuring that the Tibetan voice will never be silenced by the Chinese government.
“We hope to bring democratic practices belonging to the Chinese people, accumulate experience for China’s future democratic transition, and contribute to constitutional development,” he said. He added that the Tibetan Parliament in Exile could serve as a valuable model for this endeavour.
Pointing to the lack of democratic institutional representation within the Chinese democracy movement, Wang stated that China could learn a great deal from the Tibetan democratic experience. He emphasised that a future democratic China should never replicate the Chinese Communist government's policies of repression and assimilation. Instead, it should respect Tibetan religion, culture, language, and national identity, thereby creating the conditions for a respectful dialogue on an equal footing.
After that, Sikyong presented two CTA staff members who have completed 25 years of service with the Central Tibetan Administration were presented with recognition certificates in appreciation of their dedicated service.
The Sikyong and the Speaker also presented a cash award of 20,000 rupees to seven doctoral students in recognition of their academic achievements. Ten Class XII students—from the Science, Commerce, and Arts streams—received the Gaden Phodrang Award for achieving the best results in board examinations among Tibetan students across India. Among them, four students who secured an average of at least 95% were further honored with an Award for Excellence.
The event also witnessed the launch of several publications. These included a compilation of articles addressing the People’s Republic of China’s lack of rights to intervene in the matter of His Holiness the Dalai Lama’s reincarnation; a compilation of His Holiness’s speeches delivered to the Tibetan Parliament-in-Exile; the third volume of The Evolution of Tibetan Democracy in Exile; a translated work by former Tibetan Parliamentarian and Representative Lobsang Shastri, titled The Chronicle of Tibet’s Foreign Relations and Policy (7th–21st Century); and a publication by the Tibet Policy Institute documenting the history of relations between Tibet and its neighbouring nations.
As part of the commemoration, students from the Upper Tibetan Children’s Village, the TCV Day School in McLeod Ganj, Gangkyi Petoen School, Yongling Nursery and Kindergarten, and the Tibetan Institute of Performing Arts presented cultural dances.
