Rally and March for Tibet in Brussels on Tibetan Uprising Day March 10, 2017.

Tibetans and Tibet supporters all over the world marked the 58th anniversary of the 1959 Tibetan uprising against Chinese rule on March 10. The Tibetan Parliament and Cabinet leaders spoke at a function in Dharamsala (with Dr Arno Kompatscher, President of South Tyrol, Italy, as the chief guest) that was also attended by ICT President Matteo Mecacci. In his statement, Sikyong Lobsang Sangay declared that 2017 would be a year of campaign for Tibet.

Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi, Representative Jim McGovern, President Thomas Mann of the Tibet Interest Group in the European Parliament issued statements reiterating their continued support for the Tibetan people on this anniversary.

In Washington, D.C. ICT Vice President Bhuchung Tsering spoke at a rally (organized by the Capital Area Tibetan Association and the Tibetan Youth Congress) at the Chinese Embassy. The demonstration moved later to the White House.

In the Netherlands, ICT joined around 200 Tibetans and Tibet supporters for a peace march and rally at the Chinese Embassy. ICT Europe Executive Director Tsering Jampa addressed the gathering. A video of the rally can be watched here.

In Brussels, ICT joined around 500 participants at Le Parc du Cinquentenaire where several statements were delivered by the Tibetan community as well as by ICT’s Mélanie Blondelle. Thereafter, they marched up to the Chinese Embassy located on the avenue de Tervuren.

Details of all the anniversaries are provided in this report uploaded to ICT’s website.

Separately, in Geneva, to during the ongoing 34th UN Human Rights Session in Geneva, as requested by the Tibet Bureau, the Society for Threatened Peoples organized a briefing on the situation in Tibet, formally entitled ‘Human rights in China.

Vincent Metten, International Campaign for Tibet (ICT) Brussels and Kai Müller, ICT Germany were the invited as speakers, unfortunately Kai could not attend due to flight problem in Berlin.

The briefing, “Human Rights in Tibet-2016” began with a brief introduction by the moderator Ngawang Choephel who also touched upon the historical importance of the Tibetan National Uprising Day of 10 March, in the history of Tibet. The event thereafter screened HBO’s recent TV report that concludes with an interview with the Dalai Lama by John Oliver, the host of “Last Week Tonight”.

Vincent Metten presented an overview of the EU-China Human Rights Dialogue and introduced briefly ICT’s latest counter terrorism report.

The moderator touched about the human rights situation inside Tibet, including the situation that confronts Larung Gar, a case which has been addressed by six UN Special Procedure Mandate-holders. In the conclusion, video reportage compiled on Larung Gar’s situation by the Central Tibetan Administration was screened.

The briefing was attended by around 30 participants composed of diplomats, including from the Permanent Mission of the People’s Republic of China, UN officials and NGOs.