Washington DC: The month of May commenced with an important meeting between Sikyong Penpa Tsering and Senator Paul Grove. Their exchange focused on the challenges stemming from the suspension of foreign aid and the broader effort to elevate the Tibetan issue within the international policy landscape. Senator Grove provided his perspectives, describing the current geopolitical environment as akin to an earthquake, where all parties are striving to find a stable ground.
In addition to engagements with sitting members of Congress, Sikyong and his delegation have extended their outreach to include congressional staff, particularly in cases where lawmakers were unavailable. This comprehensive approach reflects the delegation’s resolve to make every moment in the United States count toward advancing the Tibetan cause.
As part of this effort, the delegation met with staff from the offices of Senator Todd Young and Senator Pete Ricketts. Both discussions proved productive, with staff expressing keen interest in conditions on the ground and a readiness to contribute to policy efforts that keep the Tibetan issue visible and relevant.
Sikyong then sat down for an interview with NDTV before heading to the International Campaign for Tibet, where he met informally with Kelley Currie, former U.S. Ambassador-at-Large for Global Women’s Issues. Currie offered insight into how recent shifts within the U.S. administration may impact advocacy efforts, and shared strategic recommendations drawn from her policy experience.
On 2 May 2025, Sikyong appeared live on NorthEast Live, where he spoke on his ongoing official visit and the matter of the succession of His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama. Later that day, he participated in a closed-door meeting with members of the National Security Council, joined by Namgyal Choedup, Representative of the Office of Tibet in Washington, D.C.
The day concluded with a substantive exchange with Ambassador Paula Dobriansky, former Under Secretary of State and former U.S. Special Coordinator for Tibetan Issues at the office of International Campaign for Tibet (ICT). Drawing on her diplomatic expertise, Ambassador Dobriansky offered her guidance. Representative Namgyal Choedup of the Office of Tibet, Washington, D.C. and Bhuchung Tsering of ICT were present at the meeting. This was followed by an informal meeting with Todd Stein, senior staff director of the Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission, which is co-chaired by Representative Jim McGovern. Stein contributed by offering his assessment of the current landscape, outlining possible scenarios ahead, and suggesting thoughtful approaches to the evolving challenges.
Sikyong with Ambassador Paula Dobriansky.
Sikyong with staff of Senator Todd Young.
SIkyong with Todd Stein.
