Dharamshala — Special International Tibet Support Groups meeting convened in Dharamsala to discuss Tibet-related issues. On the first day of the meeting, they issued a joint declaration, in which they condemned China's current repressive policies in Tibet, called for the resumption of dialogue between representatives of His Holiness the Dalai Lama and China.
The Special International Tibet Support Groups Meeting was organised by the Core Group for Tibetan Cause–India and the Department of International Relations of the Central Tibetan Administration. It brought together 106 Tibet supporters from 32 countries. The meeting began at 9 a.m. in the Sikyong Hall, Building T, Gangchen Kyishong, Central Tibetan Administration (CTA), Dharamshala, H.P., India, and will run from March 7 to 9, 2026.
After the inauguration, they issued a statement titled “Dharamsala Declaration.” Penpa Tsering, Sikyong of the Central Tibetan Administration, accompanied by Rinchen Khandu Khrimey, National Coordinator of the Core Group for Tibetan Cause (CGTC), and Kai Mueller, ICT Germany (representing participating Tibet support groups), held a press conference at Lhakpa Tsering Hall on March 7, 2026, to announce the declaration.
Kai Mueller read out the declaration and said, "We, representatives of Tibet Support Groups, convened at the Special International Tibet Support Groups Meeting from 7 to 9 March 2026 in Dharamshala, India, with over 100 participants representing 32 countries, united in our unwavering commitment to stand in solidarity with the Tibetan people in their struggle for freedom, justice, and the preservation of their distinct national identity, do hereby declare:
"In this auspicious Year of Compassion, officially designated by the Central Tibetan Administration in celebration of the 90th birthday of His Holiness the Great 14th Dalai Lama, we extend our heartfelt greetings and sincere wishes for his long life and continued good health. We reaffirm the profound significance of the Institution of the Dalai Lama, which for centuries has served as a central pillar of Tibetan Buddhism and a cornerstone of Tibetan cultural and national identity.
"That since the Chinese communist invasion and occupation of Tibet the Tibetan people have had to undergo much suffering, not only losing their country's independence but being faced with the very extinction of their identity, culture, religion and way of life. Despite this, the Tibetan people under the leadership of His Holiness the Great 14th Dalai Lama and that of the elected Tibetan leadership have continued to stick to their nonviolent approach to regain Tibetan freedom and dignity. We the supporters of Tibet gathered in Dharamsala applaud the courage and determination of the Tibetan people, express our commendation to their peaceful approach to their struggle, and call on the international community to effectively support such non-volent initiatives to avoid international crisis.
"We have taken cognizance of His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama's definitive guidance, most notably in his comprehensive statement of 2 July 2025, on the issue of Tibetan religious freedom, including on the issue of recognition of reincarnations in Tibetan Buddhism. We express our gratitude to His Holiness for reaffirming the continuation of the centuries-old Institution of the Dalai Lama, for vesting the exclusive authority to identify his reincarnation in the Gaden Phodrang Trust, acting in consultation with traditional Tibetan Buddhist spiritual authorities. We unanimously endorse His Holiness's statements, recognizing them as the exclusive and final authority regarding his reincarnation. Furthermore, we assert that any attempt by the government of the People's Republic of China PRC) to intervene in this sacred Tibetan religious tradition constitutes a grave violation of international norms and the fundamental right to freedom of religion. We remain committed to opposing and countering any such interference.
"We applaud the Tibetans in exile for their democratic governance system, as exemplified by the elected Central Tibetan Administration (CTA) leadership. We reaffirm our recognition of and support to the CTA as the sole legitimate government of the Tibetan people, representing the authentic voice of Tibetans both inside and outside Tibet. We call upon governments, international organizations, and civil societies to extend formal recognition to CTA as the Tibetan Government-in-Exile and engage with it as such.
"Finally, we deliberated on the ongoing repressive Chinese policies in Tibet and renew our unwavering commitment to the just cause of Tibet and to the pursuit of a peaceful resolution to the Sino-Tibetan conflict. We call for the resumption of direct dialogue between the representatives of His Holiness the Dalai Lama or the democratically elected Tibetan leadership, and the government of the People's Republic of China, without preconditions. We recommit to intensifying global advocacy, documenting human rights violations, and sustaining international attention on the situation in Tibet until a just and lasting resolution is achieved," he concluded.
The Dharamshala Declaration adopted unanimously on March 7, 2026 by the Special International Tibet Support Groups Meeting, Dharamshala, India.
