Dharamshala: The Tibet–Himalaya Relations Conference, a landmark five-day gathering held from 3 to 7 September 2025 at Sikyong Hall in Dharamshala, concluded successfully today. Organized by the Tibet Policy Institute (TPI) in collaboration with the Dalai Lama Institute for Higher Education, Sarah College for Higher Tibetan Studies, and Monlam Charitable Trust, the conference brought together nearly 100 scholars, royal descendants, historians, and researchers from across the Himalayan region.
Inaugural Session
The conference opened on 3 September with Sikyong Penpa Tsering of the Central Tibetan Administration as Chief Guest, and Speaker Khenpo Sonam Tenphel of the Tibetan Parliament-in-Exile as Special Guest Speaker. Dawa Tsering, Director of TPI, welcomed the participants and outlined the objectives of the gathering.
In his keynote address, Sikyong Penpa Tsering highlighted the conference’s aim of examining the centuries-old historical, cultural, and commercial ties between Tibet and the Himalayan region, and emphasized the need to safeguard these connections in light of the profound changes that followed the Chinese occupation of Tibet in the 1950s.
In his address, Speaker Khenpo Sonam Tenphel reflected on Tibet’s imperial past under rulers such as Songtsen Gampo and Trisong Detsen, and underlined the importance of accurate, distortion-free historiography. He further cited fossil findings in Ngari and Toelung as evidence of Tibet’s deep human and cultural legacy.
A written message from His Holiness the Dalai Lama was also read out during the opening session, in which His Holiness urged participants to preserve the Tibetan language, religion, literature, and history. He encouraged participants to uphold historical truth and resist distorted narratives. The inaugural ceremony concluded with Tempa Gyaltsen Zamlha, Deputy Director of TPI, expressing a vote of thanks to the dignitaries and participants.
The five-day conference featured more than 20 panel sessions on various historical subjects, including language, religion, rock art, royal lineages, historical figures, geographical shifts, trade, and climate.
Audience with His Holiness
On 6 September, the participants were granted an audience with His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama at his residence. The interaction added a deeply personal and spiritual dimension to the academic and cultural deliberations of the conference.
Closing Session
The conference concluded on 7 September 2025 with remarks from the organizers: Director Dawa Tsering of TPI, Principal Passang Tsering of Sarah College for Higher Tibetan Studies, and Principal Dr. Tenzin Passang of the Dalai Lama Institute for Higher Education. The Conference Coordinator, Dr. Tsewang Dorji of TPI, delivered the vote of thanks, while Dr. Tenzin Lhadon served as the master of ceremonies.
A significant highlight of the closing ceremony was passing of a resolution by the participants and the the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the Tibet Policy Institute and the Namgyal Institute of Tibetology, represented by Dr. Passang D. Phumpu of NIT and Director Dawa Tsering of TPI, to promote future research collaborations.
Over the course of five days, the conference provided a rare and meaningful platform for dialogue, historical understanding and knowledge exchange. Participants expressed deep appreciation for the successful organization of the event and unanimously called for its continuation in the years ahead.
