About the Event
As repression in Tibet intensifies, the urgency to resolve the Sino-Tibet conflict grows. With two Tibetan self-immolations reported just last month, the newly elected President (Sikyong) of the Tibetan government-in-exile faces increasing pressure to find a solution to the six-decade-long conflict. The Sikyong must accept the challenging task of negotiating with a rising China that shows no willingness to discuss any aspect of its rule in Tibet.
In response, the Sikyong is recalibrating his administration’s China strategy. In his first in-person public talk in the U.S. since taking office, the Sikyong reflected on his first year in office, including lessons that the Tibetan struggle may offer other democracy movements in exile. The Sikyong shared his administration’s new foreign policy vision and priorities while exploring the complexities of the Sino-Tibet conflict, the current geopolitical developments in the region, and their implications for the Tibetan democracy movement.
About the Speakers
Penpa Tsering is the sikyong of the Central Tibetan Administration. He completed his B.A. from Madras Christian College and was a member of the Tibetan Parliament-in-Exile for four consecutive terms – serving as speaker for two of those terms. President Tsering also served as the executive director of the Tibetan Parliamentary and Policy Research Centre (TPPRC) and representative of His Holiness the Dalai Lama at the Office of Tibet in Washington, DC.
Brian Joseph is vice president of programs at the National Endowment for Democracy. He has over 20 years of experience working to advance democracy and human rights. Prior to assuming his current job, Brian served as the senior director for Asia and global programs at the Endowment for eight years. Brian has spoken widely and written about Burma, Pakistan, Thailand, human rights in Asia, and advancing democracy in closed societies.
Damon Wilson is the president and chief executive officer of the National Endowment for Democracy. Prior to joining NED, Mr. Wilson was the executive vice president of the Atlantic Council, worked at the National Security Council (NSC) as the director for Central, Eastern, and Northern European Affairs from 2004 to 2006, special assistant to the president and senior director for European affairs at the NSC from 2007 to 2009, and as the executive secretary and chief of staff at the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad.
