Below is an article published by the Central Tibetan Administration:

Tibetan Parliament Speaker Penpa Tsering has said the younger generation of Tibet would have to take the responsibility to keep alive the struggle for freedom.

“The elder generation of Tibetans had hoped to return quickly to Tibet after coming into exile, but they had to remain in exile for over fifty years. The issue of Tibet might remain unresolved for many years, and in such an event the responsibility of sustaining the Central Tibetan administration and the freedom struggle would certainly devolve on the younger generation,” Speaker Penpa Tsering said at the opening session of a 9-day workshop for Tibetan students at lower TCV school in Dharamsala on Tuesday (25 December). 

“The Tibetan polity has undergone a generational transition with many Tibetans brought up in exile such as Sikyong, parliament speaker, and staff taking over the role to lead the Central Tibetan Administration. The younger generation will have to take the responsibility both in keeping alive our freedom struggle, and in rebuilding and administering when a solution is found to the issue of Tibet,” he said.

“Having better education facilities and opportunities, the younger generation of Tibetans are empowered to work better for our cause,” he added. 

He said the Tibetan youths should develop a clear understanding of the issue of Tibet, including the Chinese government’s policies of political repression, cultural assimilation, economic marginalization, and environmental destruction in Tibet.

Class XI students from Tibetan schools in India and Nepal at the workshop in Dharamsala

124 participants comprising 105 class XI students and 18 teachers from 21 Tibetan schools in India and Nepal are attending the workshop. It is 9th workshop organised by the Tibetan Parliamentary and Policy Research Centre (TPPRC).

Over 30 resources comprising of Sikyong Dr Lobsang Sangay and senior officials of the Central Tibetan Administration, and experts in Tibetan political, cultural and educational affairs will speak to the participants, said Acharya Yeshi Phuntsok, a member of Tibetan Parliament and senior official of TPPRC.

The resource persons will speak on a wide range of issues such as political situation in Tibet and exile; culture, language and religion of Tibet, Tibet issue in the international arena, efforts and contribution of His Holiness the Dalai Lama towards resolving the issue of Tibet, and democratisation of Tibetan polity in exile, Acharya Yeshi Phuntsok said.

The participants will visit educational, cultural and religious institutions and NGOs in Dharamsala during the workshop, he said.