Page 34 - The Indian EYE 051526

South The Indian Eye

AMERICANNewsline

34 MAY 15, 2026
Q&A WITH JIGME TSERING

“Tibetan Cultural Diplomacy Has Been a Core

Component of Our Activities Across Latin America”

igme Tsering assumed office as Representative Sand Mandala tour across Argentina, Colombia,
of the Office of Tibet for Latin America on and Brazil. Geshe Dorjee Damdul, Director of Ti-
JMarch 3, 2020, in São Paulo, Brazil, following a bet House, New Delhi visited Brazil in 2023, while
formal handover from his predecessor, Mr. Tsewang Geshe Lobsang Tenzin Negi also visited for teach-
Phuntso, in the presence of senior officials of the ing engagements that year. Geshe Ngawang Phende
Central Tibetan Administration (CTA). During his participated in the Mystical Arts of Tibet delegation
tenure, the Office of Tibet in Latin America under- in 2024. Lama Glenn Mullin, Lama Rinchen Khy-
took a broad range of activities aimed at strength- enrab, Lama Padma Samten, Lama Karma Tartchin,
ening diplomatic engagement, institutional part- Lama Lodro Lhamo, Dr. Louis Héber, Ilana Gor-
nerships, and the promotion of Tibetan culture and ban etc also came to Tibet House Brasil and shared
values across the region. In São Paulo, he also served their knowledges.
as Executive Director of Tibet House Brasil (THB), During the Covid pandemic, Tenzin Choegyal
an organization dedicated to preserving Tibetan cul- and Dr. Tenzin Dorjee conducted online classes. Bra-
ture in Latin America. zilian Tibetan Buddhist lamas like and board mem-
Tsering is a veteran Tibetan official with three bers also delivered talks and meditation sessions.
decades of experience in media, technology, admin- What steps did you take for parliamentary diploma-
istration, and public service. His work has focused cy and political engagement in the region?
on promoting Tibetan heritage, spirituality, and cul- The Office placed sustained emphasis on en-
tural identity through institutional leadership and gagement with national legislatures, government
digital innovation. Jigme Tsering (left) with the famous Brazilian nun Monja Coen institutions, civil society organizations, and Tibet
Previously, he served as Secretary of the Tibetan (centre) and Lia Diskin of Palas Athenas at the Tibet House Brasil support groups throughout Latin America.
Public Service Commission cum Election Commis- One major achievement was the establishment
sion from 2016 to 2019, overseeing human resourc- bia, Costa Rica, Argentina, and Mexico with a group of the Mexican Parliamentary Group of Friends of
es, recruitment, and training while promoting gover- of five monks. Tibet, which institutionalized legislative support for
nance rooted in Buddhist ethics and Tibetan cultural His Holiness the 42nd Sakya Trizin visited Tibet Tibet within the Mexican Congress. This initiative
values. House Brasil and consecrated the new office prem- was facilitated through coordinated engagement
From 2005 to 2016, he was Director of TibetOn- ises in October 2023. Yongey Mingyur Rinpoche de- between parliamentarians and Tibet support organi-
lineTV and Editor-in-Chief of the CTA Audio Visu- livered two formal teachings under the auspices of zations, with the Office providing strategic guidance
al Department, managing cultural and educational Tibet House Brasil. and liaison support.
programming and producing documentary archives. Tenzin Namgyal Rinpoche visited Tibet House As part of these efforts, members of legislatures
Earlier, he led the Tibetan Computer Resource Brasil and delivered a public lecture in 2024. Khen- in Costa Rica, El Salvador, Chile, and Mexico sub-
Center, supervising IT systems, networking, and Ti- po Samdup and Lama Pema Dorjee also visited and mitted letters of support to His Holiness the Dalai
betan-language technological development, includ- conducted meditation sessions and spiritual retreats. Lama and the Kashag in 2021, 2022, 2023, and 2025.
ing Tibetan script applications and digital tools. Mr. Losang Samten and his wife carried out a The letters reaffirmed respect for the Tibetan peo-
Between 2020 and 2026, the Office of Tibet for ple’s religious freedom and the Tibetan Buddhist
Latin America implemented a coordinated program community’s exclusive right to determine matters
of parliamentary diplomacy, cultural outreach, ed- concerning the reincarnation of His Holiness.
ucational initiatives, and high-level engagements. Parliamentarians from the region also signed
These efforts strengthened institutional support for appeals calling for the immediate release of the 11th
Tibet and deepened relationships with governments, Panchen Lama, Gedhun Choekyi Nyima, who was
legislatures, academic institutions, civil society organi- taken into custody by Chinese authorities with his
zations, and spiritual communities across the region. family at the age of six and has remained out of pub-
In an exclusive interview with the Indian Eye, lic view since then.
Tsering spoke about his years in São Paulo and the In October 2023, the Mexican Parliament hosted
activities organized by Tibet House Brasil across the official visit of Sikyong Penpa Tsering. The visit
Latin America. Excerpts: resulted in a parliamentary communiqué expressing
What were the main events and activities organized support for Tibet and reaffirming the importance of
by THB since you assumed office as Executive Director safeguarding Tibetan cultural, religious, and linguis-
in 2020? tic heritage. The Office of Tibet coordinated the en-
Since 2020, around 180 events and programs gagement in line with CTA policy priorities.
have been organized. In November 2022, the Representative under-
The Tibetan Medical and Astro Institute con- took an official visit to Chile to strengthen engage-
ducted three official visits to Brazil and Argentina ment with members of the Chilean Congress, mu-
through delegations of doctors and astrologers. The nicipal authorities, and Friends of Tibet Chile. The
Mystical Arts of Tibet ensemble undertook two Jigme Tsering with a Tibet supporter In Argentina meetings enhanced parliamentary understanding of
multi-country tours covering Brazil, Chile, Colom- Continued on next page... >>

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