Rome, Italy: Continuing his whirlwind tour, Sikyong Penpa Tsering made a brief halt in Rome, Italy on Thursday to meet with Parliamentary Intergroup Italia Tibet. This visit follows his packed itinerary spanning Berlin, Munich (Germany), Innsbruck (Austria), Bolzano, Trento, Milan (Italy), Paris (France), and Zurich (Switzerland) starting 28 April. Accompanied by Representative Thinlay Chukki and Phuntsok Topgyal from the Tibet Bureau Geneva, Sikyong Penpa Tsering and the delegates were warmly received in the Italian senate chambers.
While on that day, the Italian Senate was bustling with various party conventions and also hosting visits from the Italian president, the MPs accorded utmost significance to their meeting with Sikyong Penpa Tsering and the Tibetan delegates. They engaged in an in-depth discussion with the Sikyong, deliberating on the current situation in Tibet and devising actionable future plans to deter China’s intensified repression of the Tibetans in Tibet.
Sikyong Penpa Tsering, in his remarks, underscored the deep historical ties between Italy and Tibet, dating back to the late 16th century when Jesuit missionaries ventured into Tibet. Recognising Italy as the first European nation to engage with Tibetans on the roof of the world, he highlighted the significance of Italy’s longstanding support for the Tibetan people and the cause. Sikyong also extended an invitation to the Parliamentary Intergroup Italia Tibet, led by President Senator De Priamo Andrea, to spearhead a high-level parliamentary delegation to Dharamshala in the near future.
The members present included: President of Parliamentary Intergroup Italia Tibet – Senator De Priamo Andrea; Vice President and member of Chamber of Deputies On. Ilenia Malavasi members of the Intergroup Senator Terzi di Sant´Agata Giulio who is also a former Minister for Foreign Affairs, Senator Domenica Spinelli, President of the Italia Tibet Association Mr. Claudio Cardelli, President of Tibetan community Italy Tseten Lunghini, and Matteo Angioli, general secretary of Global Committee for the Rule of Law, also represents Radio Radicale.
Building on his advocacy in Germany and the other nations he visited the past two weeks, Sikyong urged the intergroup to spearhead parliamentary initiatives spotlighting some of the most critical issues threatening the survival of the Tibetan culture and Buddhist traditions, including China’s unprecedented sinicization of the Tibetan Buddhist traditions, and Tibetan language.
As part of his asks, Sikyong implored the MPs to push for an official policy affirming that the authority of decisions concerning the reincarnation of His Holiness the Dalai Lama rests solely with His Holiness the Dalai Lama himself, and to reject any governmental inferences. Sikyong also rallied for swift parliamentary intervention to hold China accountable on its operation of colonial style boarding schools in Tibet.
Senator De Priamo Andrea and the MP delegates stressed the urgent need to intensify support for Tibet and briefed Sikyong on ongoing initiatives by the intergroup focusing on the crackdown on the peaceful protests by Tibetans in Derge and the colonial boarding schools in Tibet.
Senator Terzi echoed concerns about China’s attempts to divide the European Union and emphasised the importance of coordinated action in countering China’s transnational repression.
Sikyong further warned of the economic implications of Europe’s trade deficit with China, underlining how China’s foreign exchange surplus fuels its aggressive pursuits, including space technology investments and expanding debt economies in regions like Africa and South Asia. He called for a coordinated multilateral strategy to push back against what he called China’s economic colonialism.
Following the meeting, Sikyong spoke to Radio Radicale, and held meetings with longtime friends of Tibet, as well as members of the Tibetan community.
During the discussion, Sikyong proposed a collaborative project documenting the early relations between Italy and Tibet, which received positive feedback from the members. Discussions further ensued on the yearlong celebration of His Holiness the Dalai Lama’s 90th birthday in 2025, which will be marked as the Year of Peace.
In the evening, Sikyong departed for Vienna, Austria.
Sikyong with long time Italian friends of Tibet and members of Tibetan community post the meeting.
Group photo with the Intergroup
Group photo with the present members
Sikong’s interview in session with Radio Radicale
