Democratically elected leader of Tibet's government-in-exile to speak at Club, Oct. 18

Sikyong Penpa Tsering, the democratically elected political leader of the Tibetan government-in-exile (formally known as the Central Tibetan Administration) addresses the National Press Club at a Headliners Newsmaker event on Wednesday, Oct. 18, at 2 p.m. in the Zenger Room.

This Newsmaker event is open to credentialed media and Club members. Registration is essential. Click here to sign up.

Penpa Tsering is scheduled to speak about Tibet's geopolitical relevance, its spiritual and cultural impact, and the effects of Chinese President Xi Jinping's "One China" policy, which threatens to extinguish Tibetan identity. Freedom House has designated Tibet, alongside Syria, the world's "least free" country.

 Tsering, who has held the office of sikyong, or political leader, since May 27, 2021, was born in a Tibetan refugee settlement in Southern India. He joined the Tibetan freedom movement in college and was elected to Tibet's parliament-in-exile in 1996. He served as speaker of the parliament from 2008 to 2016. He subsequently served as the representative of the Dalai Lama and the Tibetan government-in-exile in North America, engaging with Congress and top administration offices to resolve the Sino-Tibet conflict.

To submit a question for the speaker, please email [email protected] and put TIBET in the subject line. The deadline for submitting questions in advance is 11 a.m. on the day of the event.