Salt Lake City, Utah: On 4 November 2025, Sikyong Penpa Tsering held a meeting with the staff of the International Campaign for Tibet (ICT) at their office in Washington, D.C. The International Campaign for Tibet and the Office of Tibet, Washington, D.C., work in close coordination, jointly advancing advocacy efforts for the Tibetan cause on Capitol Hill.
Later in the day, Sikyong met with officials from the U.S. Administration, including the National Security Council (NSC), followed by a meeting at the U.S. Department of State. In the evening, Sikyong, who was conferred the NED Democracy Service Medal in 2024, attended the 2025 Democracy Awards ceremony of the National Endowment for Democracy (NED), hosted by NED President Damon Wilson. This year, His Serenity the 11th Panchen Lama, Gedun Choekyi Nyima, was honoured with the Democracy Medal while he has remained forcibly disappeared since 1995. The award was received on behalf of the 11th Panchen Lama by Zeekyab Rinpoche, Abbot of Tashi Lhunpo Monastery. This recognition underscored the PRC’s persistent violations of human rights and religious freedom, reaffirmed the Tibetan people’s right to choose their spiritual leaders free from external interference, and solemnly marked 30 years since the forced abduction of the 11th Panchen Lama.
The following day, Sikyong traveled to Salt Lake City, Utah, to attend the 90th birthday celebration of His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama. Organised by the Utah Tibet Foundation in collaboration with International Campaign for Tibet (ICT), the event brought together Representative Namgyal Choedup of the Office of Tibet, Washington, D.C.; Tencho Gyatso, President of the International Campaign for Tibet; Pema Chagzoetsang, former member of the Tibetan Parliament-in-Exile; Karen Hale, member of the Utah Tibet Foundation Board and former Utah State Senator; Ben McAdams, former U.S. Representative for Utah; and other long-time friends and supporters of Tibet.
Although Utah Governor Spencer Cox and Mayors Erin Mendenhall of Salt Lake City, Cherie Wood of South Salt Lake, and Jenny Wilson of Salt Lake County were unable to attend in person, they sent proclamations declaring 5 November as the “Day of Compassion” in Utah to commemorate the 90th birthday of His Holiness the Dalai Lama. During the celebration, Pema Chagzoetsang, former member of the Tibetan Parliament-in-Exile, read a message from His Holiness encouraging everyone to use this occasion as an opportunity to help others and cultivate compassion. Sikyong was then invited on stage to present the “Compassion in Action” Award to individuals who embody and promote the values of compassion and service.
Addressing the gathering, Sikyong expressed his gratitude to the friends and supporters of the Tibetan cause and spoke about the Four Principal Commitments of His Holiness the Dalai Lama, emphasising the importance of compassion, nonviolence, and inter-religious harmony.
