Episodes

Over 1 million Tibetan children have been separated from their families, language and culture at China’s state-run boarding schools in Tibet. These schools target the most vulnerable and impressionable minds and seek to make them loyal followers of the CCP. The goal is to sever the Tibetan way of life and cement China’s control over Tibet. In this Tibet Talk, we’ll speak to Lhadon Tethong, director of Tibet Action Institute, an organization that has been raising awareness about the boarding sch...

As a result of China’s invasion and occupation of Tibet, over 100,000 Tibetans now live outside “the rooftop of the world”—their homeland of Tibet. For many people, these Tibetans are merely an abstraction; they’re either mystical monks or the faceless victims of China’s oppression. But a new book shows there is a lot more to the lives of Tibetan exiles. In this Tibet Talk, we speak to Amy Yee, author of the new book, “Far from the Rooftop of the World: Travels among Tibetan Refugees on Four Co...

Tibet’s rivers are beautiful, but they’re also life-sustaining. And not just for people in Tibet, but for nearly 2 billion people across Asia who depend on the rivers’ flow. But China’s large-scale water diversion projects and hydropower development are having a dangerous effect on these rivers, imperiling downstream countries, furthering China’s agenda of regional control and threatening the Tibetan way of life. Last month, ICT was proud to co-sponsor a panel on Himalayan water security conven...

The Dalai Lama’s Four Commitments: a Tibet Talks Special Series As a self-described “son of India,” the Dalai Lama is committed to reviving awareness of the value of ancient Indian knowledge. He is convinced the ancient Indian understanding of the mind and emotions—as well as techniques of mental training like meditation—are of great relevance today. In fact, India, he believes, is specially placed to combine ancient and modern ways of knowing. In our final episode on His Holiness’ Four Princi...

The Dalai Lama’s Four Commitments: a Tibet Talks Special Series As a Tibetan, the Dalai Lama is the focus of the Tibetan people’s hopes and aspirations both inside Tibet and in exile. He is committed to endeavoring to preserve the Tibetan language and culture while also speaking up for Tibet’s environment. His Holiness often refers to himself as an independent spokesperson for Tibetan people, and he has put forward the Middle Way Approach to peacefully resolve the Tibet-China conflict. In our ...

The Dalai Lama’s Four Commitments: a Tibet Talks Special Series As a Buddhist monk, the Dalai Lama is committed to encouraging harmony among the world’s religious traditions. Despite their philosophical differences, he believes all major religions have the same potential to create good human beings. Therefore, it’s important for all religious traditions to respect one another and the value of each tradition. In our second episode on His Holiness’ Four Principal Commitments, we’ll discuss his c...

The Dalai Lama’s Four Commitments: a Tibet Talks Special Series As a human being, the Dalai Lama is concerned about finding ways to promote human values like compassion, forgiveness, tolerance, contentment and self-discipline. He wants people to know that if their minds are upset, mere physical comfort will not bring them peace. But if their minds are at peace, even physical pain will not disturb their calm. He emphasizes that all human beings are the same, wanting happiness and not suffering, ...

Human values. Religious harmony. The preservation of Tibet’s culture. And the revival of India’s ancient wisdom. Join us every Thursday in August for a special series celebrating the four principal commitments of His Holiness the Dalai Lama. Thursday, Aug. 3: The Dalai Lama and the Promotion of Human Values with Dr. Richie Davidson Thursday, Aug. 10: The Dalai Lama and the Promotion of Religious Harmony with Professor Siddiq Wahid Thursday, Aug. 17: The Dalai Lama and the Preservation of Tib...

Tibet’s premier filmmaker has died. By writing and directing movies that won acclaim across the globe, Pema Tseden put Tibetan cinema on the map. And through showing modern-day Tibet on the big screen, he allowed audiences around the world to see the tragic evisceration of Tibetan culture under Chinese rule. Following Pema Tseden’s death last month at age 53, we reflect on his legacy with Tibetan exile filmmaker Tenzing Sonam, who explains how Pema Tseden captured the clash of modernity and trad...

The media have a vital role to play in telling the world Tibet’s story. But the Chinese government makes it nearly impossible for foreign journalists to enter Tibet and report on China’s human rights abuses against the Tibetan people. In fact, a Washington Post reporter said in 2016 that the so-called Tibet Autonomous Region, which spans roughly half of Tibet, is harder to visit as a journalist than even North Korea. In honor of this month’s 30th anniversary of World Press Freedom Day, we speak ...

When Xi Jinping took over as China’s top leader in 2012, there were hopes that his reputation as a moderate and his father’s relationship with the Dalai Lama would lead to a softening of policies. Instead, Xi has proven to be a hardliner whose indefinite rule began this past month, unforeseen a decade ago. To mark Xi’s decade in charge, ICT is publishing a new report, “10 Years of Xi Jinping: Sinification and Securitization of Tibetans for the Chinese Nation-State.” In this Tibet Talk, we’ll spe...

At ICT, we just wrapped up our 2023 Tibet Lobby Day. It was a record-setting event that brought over 150 Tibetan Americans and Tibet supporters to Washington, DC to build Congressional support for the Promoting a Resolution to the Tibet-China Conflict Act. Also known as the Resolve Tibet Act, this bill is a major goal for Tibet supporters. But what does it actually do, and how can we get it passed? To find out, we’ll discuss with Namgyal Choedup, Representative of His Holiness the Dalai Lama an...

Losar Tashi Delek! That’s the greeting Tibetans will use next week when they celebrate Losar, the Tibetan New Year. And on this episode of Tibet Talks, you can celebrate this beautiful holiday with ICT. Join us for an exploration of Losar’s history, traditions and significance with Professor Tenzin Dorjee of California State University, Fullerton, who was the first Tibetan American chair of the US Commission on International Religious Freedom. We’ll also hear from ICT staff members Tencho Gyats...

At the Dalai Lama’s residence in India, an unusual visitor has arrived: a troubled Giant Panda who has traveled from many miles away. Welcoming him as a friend, His Holiness invites the Panda on a walk through a cedar forest. There, in the shadow of the Himalayas, surrounded by beauty, they discuss matters great and small. This is the warm, whimsical, wise story of a new book featuring words by the Dalai Lama and illustrations from the creator of “Mutts.” “Heart to Heart: A Conversation on Love...