Tibetan Govt-in-exile launches ‘Nat’l Identity Preservation Week’ amid concerns over Chinese assimilation policies

DHARAMSHALA: Sikyong Penpa Tsering of the Central Tibetan Administration (CTA) on Wednesday proclaimed the first annual observance of “Tibetan National Identity Preservation Week”, calling on Tibetans and supporters worldwide to strengthen efforts to preserve Tibetan language, culture and national identity.

The observance, approved by the 11th session of the 17th Tibetan Parliament-in-Exile, will be held annually from the fourth Wednesday of September through the following Wednesday. The CTA said the initiative is intended to raise awareness about what it describes as systematic policies by the Chinese government aimed at assimilating Tibetan identity.

At a press conference in Dharamshala, Tsering particularly criticised what the CTA referred to as China’s recently enacted “Law on Promoting Ethnic Unity and Progress”, alleging that the legislation facilitates the assimilation of ethnic and national identities.

The Sikyong also referred to China’s December 2025 revision of its law governing the national common language and script, claiming that the changes strengthen the use of Mandarin in education, government offices and public spaces.

Tsering said the CTA’s campaign would seek to counter what it described as state-sponsored assimilation and propaganda initiatives. He cited previous resolutions, statements and diplomatic appeals issued by the Tibetan Parliament-in-Exile and the Kashag on the issue.

The proclamation also referred to statements and resolutions from governments and international institutions concerning China’s policies in Tibet. According to the CTA, governments including the United States, Germany, Canada, the United Kingdom, Australia, Japan and the Czech Republic, as well as the European Union and UN human rights officials, have raised concerns regarding the implications of the Chinese legislation.

The CTA also announced the launch of its Principles and Guidelines for the Preservation of the Tibetan Language, recently adopted by the Kashag. An awareness video explaining the guidelines is expected to be released shortly.

Calling on Tibetan families, schools, community organisations, activists and supporters to participate in the observance, Tsering urged the younger generation to treat the initiative as a long-term commitment rather than a week-long campaign.

He called for greater efforts to preserve Tibetan identity through language, culture and non-violent engagement, while urging Tibetans to remain committed to the values of compassion and responsibility associated with the vision of the Dalai Lama.