A three-day gathering titled “Tibet in Global Climate Conversation: A Strategic Planning and Advocacy Workshop” was held at the International Youth Centre (Vishwa Yuvak Kendra) in New Delhi from 20-22 August 2024. The gathering focused on environmental and climate advocacy.
Hosted by the Tibet Policy Institute of the Central Tibetan Administration, the workshop brought together representatives from several Tibetan organizations, including the Tibetan Youth Congress, Tibetan Women’s Association, Students for Free Tibet, Tibet Advocacy Section of DIIR, V-TAG India, the Clean Upper Dharamshala Program, India-Tibet Coordination Office, and the Environment Desk of the Tibet Policy Institute. The event was funded by the Friedrich Naumann Foundation for Freedom, South Asia.
The workshop was structured into two segments each day. Mornings featured detailed presentations from expert speakers on relevant issues, while afternoons were dedicated to in-depth discussions among participants to strategize future actions.
On the first day, the session opened with a welcome address by Tempa Gyaltsen Zamlha, Deputy Director of the Tibet Policy Institute, and an introduction to the workshop’s goals by Dechen Palmo, Research Fellow at the Tibet Policy Institute and the coordinator of the meeting. The keynote address was delivered by Jigme Jungney, Representative of His Holiness the Dalai Lama in Delhi. The day’s discussions aimed to establish a five-year vision for environmental and climate advocacy. Keynote speakers included Yash Marwah, Founder of Let India Breathe, who discussed creating successful environmental campaigns; Ayesha Dsouza, South Asia Program Coordinator at International Rivers, who spoke on crafting compelling environmental narratives; and K.Venkatramana, Associate Fellow from TERI, who addressed Third Pole Environmental Advocacy.
The second day focused on developing strategies based on the previous day’s vision. Jaimon Uthup and Soumya Guha of UNDP India presented on the UN’s 16 Sustainable Development Goals. This was followed by Dr. Medha Bisht, Associate Professor at South Asian University, who spoke on Water Governance and Diplomacy, and Tempa Gyalten Zamlha, who discussed the challenges and achievements of Tibetan global environmental and climate advocacy.
The third
day was dedicated to formulating specific actions for both immediate and long-term goals. The expert speakers included Dr. Jigme Yeshi, Assistant Professor at Kolkata University, who discussed Tibetan Identity and Indigenous Status; Jyotsna Sara George, Independent Consultant and Facilitator, who spoke on Effective Campaign Planning and Strategy Development; and Dr. Lobsang Yangtso, Programme and Environmental Coordinator of International Tibet Network, who addressed the intersection of human rights and climate change.
Overall, the workshop aimed to define objectives and strategize tasks for the next five years of environmental and climate advocacy, emphasizing a unified goal, collaborative approach, and effective coordination among participating Tibetan NGOs and institutions.
The three-day meeting concluded with expression and agreement for need of more such coordination and collaboration in the future, for a more effective advocacy on various issues related to Tibet, particularly with Tibet’s environmental and climate campaigns.