New York — Hundreds of Tibetans, particular Tibetan youth (Gen Z) gathered outside of UN Headquarters in New York on Thursday and protested against Chinese government's ongoing occupation of Tibet, it's repressive policies and genocidal policies, paid tribute to the Tibetan martyr Lobga Rangzen, and given powerful speeches by over 10 Tibetan youth and pledged to continue their struggle for a free and independent Tibet and bring His Holiness the Dalai Lama back to Tibet.
Hundreds of Tibetans from various places in USA and Canada gathered outside of UN headquarters in New York, on August 12, 2026, to commemorate Tibetan martyr Lobga Rangzen, who passed away following self-immolating outside the UN, to protest against the Chinese government’s oppressive regime in Tibet and demand restoration of Tibetan independence.
Then they marched toward Chinese consulate from UN headquarters in New York, and shouted slogans: “Free Tibet, China out of Tibet now, we want human rights in Tibet, we want a free Tibet, shame on the Chinese government, China is guilty, guilty of genocide, wake up, world leaders, world leaders, are you deaf? We want justice, justice for Lobga Rangzen, Lobga Rangzen set himself on fire for a free Tibet, Tibet belongs to the Tibetans, Tibet has never been part of China, long live the Dalai Lama, China lies, people die, China lies, Tibetans die."
The Tibetan Gen Z movement was organised by the Regional Tibetan Youth Congress (NYNJ); total 12 young Tibetans spoke candidly, sharing their feelings with tears in their eyes, they spoke about the current situation in Tibet and the final words of the Tibetan martyr Lobga Rangzen, spoken outside UN headquarters in New York on August 12 (local time), 2026, and pledged to continue their struggle for a free and independent Tibet.
On August 13, 2026, marking the sixth week since Tibetan martyr Lobga Rangzen self-immolated, in protest against Chinese government's ongoing occupation of Tibet, its repressive policies and genocidal policies in Tibet and demanded for a free and independence Tibet.
At the event, young Tibetan Tenzin Tashi passionately spoke about remembering Pawo Lobga Rangzen and the impact he had on him. He said, “Today I wanted to talk about someone who had a big impact on my life; Uncle Lobga Rangzen (weeping). I have to look at him more than 10 years since I was little child and he was part of my life, he is like teacher to me, he told me why he believe in freedom and independence of Tibet, he cares about Tibetan people. He always spoke with kindness and wanted us to understand his beliefs. He was just a very kind person. And whenever he traveled, he would always bring back small gifts, those gifts made me happy. What I remember most is that he's a man who did not give up on what he fought for. His decisions always stayed the same. He always brought attention to the struggles of the Tibetan people. While many people have different views about his actions, I remember this as a caring, selfless person who gave everything for the Tibet to be free. I feel grateful that I had the chance to know him, and I will always remember his kindness and the lessons he taught me, the way he cared for others.
“He and other Tibetans, who took the act of protesting by self-immolation, not only do this for their freedom and their nation, but they also did it for the younger Tibetan generation, so that in the future, they can have a place to call home. The sacrifice is a direct call to action for all of us. As the youth, we hold the future of Tibet in our hands and we must find the courage to stand up, speak out, and proudly preserve our language and keep our rich culture alive every single day. And continue the fight for our country's freedom. We will never forget where we come from and will never stop fighting for our homeland. Free Tibet, victory for Tibet.”
Tsewang Dolma (13), said, "Today, I am standing here outside the United Nations because I am a Tibetan child. And I have something important to say. The day before Lobga Rangzen passed away, I was fortunate enough to have met him casually outside my house along with my mother. He told me to be kind. He told me to respect others. He told me to listen to my mother. But there was one thing he told me that I will never forget. He told me, "Never forget that you are Tibetan." Those words have stayed with me. I am only 13 years old, but I understand that being Tibetan is more than just having a Tibetan name. It is our language. It is our culture. It is our history. It is our identity. And today, Tibetan children inside Tibet are facing a future where that identity is being taken away from them. Children my age are being separated from their families and placed in boarding schools under policies described as promoting ethnic unity and progress law. But I have a simple question. What kind of progress makes a child lose their language and culture? What kind of unity requires children to grow up away from their families and communities? “I am lucky that I can speak Tibetan. I am lucky that I can learn about my culture. I am lucky that I can stand here today and say proudly that, I am Tibetan. But Tibetan children in Tibet deserve that same right. They deserve to speak their own language. To preserve their own history, they deserve to know their culture and they deserve to grow up with their families. This is why Lobga Rangzen's word means so much to me. Some people have called him crazy or stupid. Even the New York Post called him a "lunatic". But before judging him, I want people to ask: Why did he feel that he had to sacrifice everything just to make the world listen to Tibet? I am not here to say that losing a life is the answer. I want to live. I want to grow up. I want to go to school, laugh with my friends, and have a future. And I want Tibetan children in Tibet to have that same future. A future where they can be Tibetan without fear. A future where they can speak their own language. A future where they can learn their own history and culture. A future where children do not have to lose their lives for the world to listen.
“Lobga Rangzen wanted the world to hear about Tibet. And today, we are here because we heard him. We must not let his voice disappear. We must not forget him. And we must not forget the more than one hundred Tibetan individuals who have lost their lives through self-immolation while calling attention to the situation in Tibet. Every child deserves the right to know who they are. And no policy called unity or progress should erase a child's language, culture, or identity. So today, standing here outside the United Nations, I ask the world: Please listen to Tibet. Please listen to Tibetan children. Please protect our language, our culture, and our identity. And most importantly, please do not forget Lobga Rangzen. He told me, "Never forget you are Tibetan." I promise, I will remember. And I hope all of you will remember too. Free Tibet, Victory for Tibet."
Tenzin Minkyi said, “I have seen this with my own eyes, but I have been attending protests ever since I can remember and I will continue to do so. I knew Lobga Rangzen personally as he was a good family friend and was very kind to me growing up. He has always been a freedom fighter and his sacrifice would not go in vain. And to the United Nations, you have a responsibility to humanity. You have a responsibility to protect the people in this world and defend human rights. How can you turn a blind eye when the world once said, "Never again" after the Holocaust? We must not allow history to repeat itself. When human rights are violated, the international community has a responsibility to speak up. We need to wake up, you need to wake up, and hold China accountable for the mountains upon mountains of human rights violations inflicted upon the Tibetan people. We cannot remain silent. We cannot look away. Tibet deserves freedom, dignity, and the right to determine its own future."
Tenzin Dolkar said, “Since 2009, more than 170 Tibetans have self-immolated, giving up their lives to free Tibet. Tibetans are being silenced in Tibet, how can the CCP and their supporters remain indifferent to our existence? So why can't we, the people who are living in countries where immigration is permitted, speak up a bit of our time to contribute to a free Tibet? In Tibet, the CCP has set up colonial boarding schools where cultural erasure is enforced. The recent implementation of the ethnic unity law has made cultural genocide even more vast and prominent across Tibet. Once we lose our culture, we lose our history, and all the sacrifices previously made go to vain. We have to make sure that we uphold our culture and traditions, because we have the freedom to do so, unlike those in Tibet. We should be held accountable, as Tibetans living in countries where we can use our voices, to utilize these rights and fight for the freedom of our country. As we get older, it is our responsibility as the youth to start to take initiative and fight for Tibet's independence.
“Pawo Lobga Rangzen has achieved the freedom that every Tibetan is still fighting for. He moved to America where he was free from CCP oppression and could have lived a peaceful life. But he decided to sacrifice his life, right here, to fight for Tibet's freedom. Before he had sacrificed his life, he had told us to unite and understand that we have one common goal, a free Tibet. We need to fight now more than ever, with the sacrifice that our Pawo Lobga Rangzen has made, because we are responsible for fighting for our free Tibet. Victory for Tibetan independence.”
Tenzin (young woman) said, “Do not mourns for me. But we should truly mourn is the loss of our country. Do not remain in grief. If you must grieve, then I ask each one of you to continue fighting for the just cause of the Tibetan independence movement. These were the dying wishes of Lobga Rangzen (crying)... these were the super requests he made of us. Six weeks later, we stand here, not just to remember him, but to ask: When will the world hear our pleas? When will they acknowledge our call to justice? How long will they turn a blind eye to our suffering? We stand before the United Nations. The very institution created to defend all human rights and our human dignity. And yet, six weeks later, after Lobga Rangzen’s protest here, we are still demanding for Tibet to be heard. Our struggle did not begin six weeks ago. For generations, Tibetans have watched their political freedoms, religious freedoms, language, and culture be threatened under Chinese rule. Tibetan language and education faces increasing restrictions. Tibetan borders are tightly controlled. Expressions of support for His Holiness the Dalai Lama, can invite punishment. Peaceful expressions can resort into tension.
"So, if Tibetans inside in Tibet cannot decide, cannot speak freely, we must. If they cannot protest freely, we must. And if they cannot stand here, in front of the United Nations, then we must stand here for them. My generation, Gen Z, this is our responsibility. Our parents, our grandparents, carried this movement for decades. They marched; they organized, they taught our language, the justice in our traditional clothing. Brought us to protest and refused to allow Tibet to disappear from our hearts. But they cannot carry this movement forever. So, we will be the organisers. We will march into government offices, demanding action. We will teach the next generation what Tibet means. Our time is now, use your phones to amplify this voice; educate people, share the valuable information,attend protests, learn about Tibetan history, preserve our culture, contact elected officials and this is a support group and organisations. Talk about Tibet, even if Tibet is not trending, into the leaders who can hear us. Make Tibet a serious part of your foreign policy. Hold the Chinese government accountable for human rights abuses. Do not allow economic interests from them to ignore Tibet's suffering. The United Nations, right behind me, do not stay silent. If you stand for human rights, then Tibetan human rights must matter. If you stand for the right to speak, then Tibetan religious freedom must matter. And if you stand for the protection of culture, then Tibetan culture must matter. And if you stand for people whose voices are unheard, and then listen to Tibet. I have got on the ask us to not remain in grief, but to continue the cause he believed in. We honor that message by choosing to live, organise, educate, advocate, preserve Tibetan culture and refuse to be silent. To every young Tibetan in here, this is our generation now. To everyone else, you do not have to be Tibetan to stand against injustice. And to every leader who can hear us, how many more voices must cry out before you listen? We are here, we are speaking and we are not giving up. And we will continue to stand for the Tibet and fight the Tibetan freedom. I have lived my whole life in Chicago. And I have no longer fear in my life, for those whose voices have been silenced. My Tibetans may not be perfect. I still have my unconditional love, my language, my culture, and my freedom. I am here. I am showing up. And I am learning. And I am ready to fight for Tibetan independence and for the future of my people. My whole life, I questioned whether I was Tibetan enough. I don't question that anymore. I am proud of where I come from. I am proud to carry Tibet with me. And I will never, ever be afraid to say, "I am Tibetan.” Free Tibet and Victory for Tibet.”
Tenzin Wangyal said, “Pawo Lobga Rangzen’s love for his nation, his desire for Tibetan independence was stronger than anything you could imagine. Our parents fled Tibet across the freezing dangerous terrain. Our parents built lives in strange countries, working odd jobs so that we could get this education, we could get these opportunities. And we could continue their fight. To our older generation, because of them, we have immense gratitude. My generation has learned a lot from our parents about Lobga Rangzen. But first to truly fight for our nation, our cause, we must, we must know the real facts about our history. Pawo Lobga Ranzgen said it was the best; the only path forward is independence. The only way to secure our future, our religious freedom, is independence. With the unified support of our community, I know we will win. So that we will all soon be reunited in a free and an independent Tibet.”
Tenzin Desang (16) said, "I am opening my phone to see that someone I used to see at every single rally, someone who was there when I gave my very first speech for Tibet, has set himself on fire. Pawo Lobga Rangzen was so much to so many people. If you have ever lived in New York, you knew him. He was always there, at every rally, every prayer, and every candle vigil. He was standing in the crowd right alongside us. He showed up for everyone, every time. Standing here today, the strangest hardest part is looking out at the crowd, realizing he isn't in it. There's a photo of him sitting in the exact spot where he used to stand. I still find it difficult to believe that this actually happened. For me, Pawo Lobga Rangzen's self-immolation was a wakeup call. Everywhere we look, we see Tibetans coming together. We have seen weekly protests, peace walks, hunger strikes, head-shavings, and Tibetan youth dropping everything to be there. And we must. As Tibetan youth living in exile, we have freedoms that Tibetans and Tibetans in Tibet do not. I can speak Tibetan on the street without looking over my shoulder. I can learn about my culture and Tibetan Buddhism without being afraid of getting punished for it. Every right we enjoy hearing in exile, from the flags we wave to the images of His Holiness the Dalai Lama we see, is a privilege that Tibetans inside Tibet are punished for.
“Tibet remains one of the least free places in the world. And now the Chinese government has enacted a law, "the Ethnic Unity and Progress Law," which criminalizes every aspect of Tibetan identity. Pawo Lobga Rangzen's self-immolation came just one day after the law was enacted. Every time the Chinese government talks about unity, Tibetans lose something. We lose another school that teaches our language. We lose another monastery to surveillance or the blade of a bulldozer. We lose another child forced into a colonial boarding school. We lose another Tibetan's life. And yet, against all odds, Tibetans inside Tibet are still resisting. It is our responsibility to stand behind them. Before his self-immolation, Pawo Lobga Rangzen left a final message. He said, "I don't want you to mourn me. I want you to continue the struggle for Tibetan independence." That is a call to action. Pawo Lobga Rangzen gave his life for Tibetan freedom, right here on the doorstep of the United Nations. And yet, the UN remains silent on Tibet. After his sacrifice, the only response from the United Nations was that "it's absolutely tragic and it's important that minorities are respected" and made to feel as part of a whole. It is absolutely tragic that this is all the UN has to say. Tibetans are not asking to be made to feel like part of a whole. We are asking to have our identity, our rights, our existence as a people recognized and protected. Because we are still here, we call on UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Türk, to break his silence on Tibet. Establish an independent UN investigation into China's genocidal policies in Tibet, and demand the abolition of China's colonial boarding school system, which has torn one million Tibetan children from their families.
“Here in exile, we are proud of a generation who have never stepped foot in Tibet. Many people don't remember or were not even alive for the 2008 uprisings. But we are the generation who has to watch Tibetan children online, who cannot pronounce their own names. We are the ones with more access, tools, and exposure than ever before. So we have no excuse, no right to turn even a blind eye. Freedom is our birthright, and yet we have learned the hard way that freedom will never be handed to us. It must be fought for. So when this protest ends, don't leave this energy on the sidewalk. Step out of your comfort zone. Join a Tibetan organisation or an event. Talk to one person about Tibet every day. Use your voice. Make the choice to fight back until we achieve what Pawo Lobga Rangzen lived and gave his life for. Free Tibet! Free Tibet!”
Tenzin Tsekyi said, "When I think about Tibet. I don't think about the mountains or our culture. I think about our identity. I think about our language, our traditions, and the people who worked so hard to keep them alive (weeping). To me, Rangzen means freedom. It means being able to speak to them, practice our culture, and be proud of who we are without being afraid. One of the hardest things about learning about Tibet is hearing about Tibetans who have sacrificed their lives to make the world listen. Every person who self-immolates is a real person. They have families, friends, dreams, and people who love them (weeping). Recently, we lost our Pawo Lobga Rangzen and his sacrifice has been very difficult for many Tibetans. For me, Lobga Rangzen was not just a name heard on the news. He was a Tibetan who felt strongly enough about our people's struggle to make the ultimate sacrifice. His death reminds us that the struggle for Tibet is still happening. And also reminds us that we cannot let his message disappear. We should remember him, not only through sadness, but by learning from his courage and continuing to speak about Tibet. The way Lobga Rangzen sacrificed also makes me think about what our generation can do. We can... we may not be able to change everything overnight. But we can keep his message alive. We can talk about Tibet, educate others, and make sure people know why Tibetans continue to fight for their identity and freedom.
"As young Tibetans, and as Gen Z, I think we have the responsibility to take action. We have social media, phones, and the ability to contact people from across the world. We can use these things to talk about Tibet and help other people understand what is happening. We also need to learn about things like the Ethnic Unity and Progress Law, and how it can affect Tibetan language, culture, and identity. Even though we are young, we should still care about these things because they will affect our future. Sometimes I ask myself, what will Tibet be like when our generation gets older? Will Tibetan kids still speak Tibetan? Will they know our history? And will they still be proud to say "I am Tibetan." I think that depends partly on us. We might be young, but that doesn't mean our voices don't matter. We can learn our language, learn our history, speak up, and keep Tibet in people's lives. We can honor people like Lobga Rangzen. We can make sure that their sacrifices are not forgotten. We can carry their stories forward and make sure the next generation knows why we continue to stand for Tibet. Our culture matters, our identity matters, and Tibet matters. We will remember those who sacrificed for Tibet, and we will continue to raise our voices. Free Tibet, Victory for Tibetan independence, and Victory for Pawo Lobga Rangzen.”
Tenzin Namdon said,"I remember when I first heard about all over Pawo Lobga Ranzen... I didn't know him personally (weeping), but there was a prayer for him in Minnesota. And it was only like an hour after he self-immolated, and so many people went inthe the room. And there were so many emotions that we all felt. And it made me realise that Tibetan community is so strong when we all truly together. He self-immolation is for many reasons; to spread awareness on Tibetan religion, cuture, which repressed by the Chinese government, and demand for independence of Tibet. And especially to bring awareness to the Chinese ethnic unity law. A new law which promotes all of China to make a singular Chinese national identity that aligns with the Chinese Communist Party. illegally enforces the Mandarin language as the primary language of teaching from preschool to high school, which destroys our language education. It is not only is it a way to brainwash many young Tibetans living in Tibet, it also poses a large threat to the extinction of our language, religion and culture. Without our language, Tibetans lose a vital form of communication and connection with each other, especially between the older and younger generations. Our religion, culture need to be protected so that we can connect with each other. Pass down generations worth of knowledge, experience. And most importantly, it gives us something worth fighting for. Lobga Rangzen is an inspiration for everyone here. We need to look at his lifelong actions of advocating and fighting for Tibet. And the lessons that we have to learn from.
"There have been over 171 acts of self-immolation. The first one occurring in 1998 by Thubten Ngodup, who was a Tibetan activist living in New Delhi. And the youngest having been Dorjee Tsering, a 16-year-old. younger that almost everyone here (weeping)... These people are so brave to sacrifice their lives for their country. So it should be the bare minimum for all of us to protest as much as we can and speak up against the Chinese government and their actions, no matter where we are. I believe that if we keep fighting for our rights and our independence, one day we will all be able to go back to Tibet, not China. I believe that we can go and meet our families without worrying about getting sent back. And I believe that we will be able to freely and openly express our culture and identity everywhere we go. Free Tibet, Victory Tibet and independence."
