Washington, D.C.: On 3 February 2026, Sikyong Penpa Tsering of the Central Tibetan Administration addressed the International Religious Freedom Summit (IRF Summit 2026) during a special session titled “Tibetan Moment.” The session also featured longtime champion for Tibet, Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi, who read a message from His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama and introduced a short clip from Wisdom of Happiness, a documentary featuring His Holiness.
His Holiness, in his message, emphasised, “In the 21st century, humanity must move beyond all divisions, and we are not only to work together but to live together. Cooperation among different faiths and cultures is no longer optional.” Building on this vision, Sikyong underscored the importance of safeguarding the rights of Tibetan people. Sikyong urged a declaration akin to the Prague Declaration adopted by the Article 18 Alliance, specifically addressing the succession of His Holiness the Dalai Lama and reaffirming the Tibetan people’s right to religious freedom.
Later that afternoon, Sikyong participated in a candid discussion hosted by the Atlantic Council, titled “Tibetan Democracy in Exile: Religious Freedom through Political Empowerment,” and moderated by Adva Saldinger. Sikyong highlighted that the Tibetan Government-in-Exile remains the only government-in-exile with a fully functioning democratic polity.
On 4 February 2026, Sikyong, accompanied by Representative Namgyal Choedup and Chinese Liaison Officer Tsultrim Gyatso of the Office of Tibet, Washington, D.C., as well as President Tencho Gyatso and Executive Director Ryan Fioresi of the International Campaign for Tibet, engaged in high-level meetings with Chairman Brian Mast, Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi, Congresswoman Young Kim, Congresswoman Dina Titus, and Representative Michael McCaul, thereby reaffirming the enduring bipartisan support for the Tibetan cause.
Subsequently, Sikyong addressed students at Georgetown University on the geopolitical significance of Tibet and engaged in an interactive question and answer session afterward. His interaction with the youth emphasised the importance of education, awareness, and continued advocacy for Tibet on the global stage.
