Dharamshala — The first-ever Tibetan Cultural Festival begins on May 28, 2026 at the police ground in Dharamshala. There will be traditional Tibetan dance performances, Tibetan art and craft displays, Tibetan medicine consultation, photography exhibition, screenings of documentaries about His Holiness the Dalai Lama in Hindi, children's activities, food stalls selling a variety of Tibetan dishes, live music performances, and variety books to sell.
The three-day festival (May 28 to 30) is organised by the Department of Information and International Relations (DIIR) and the Tibetan Settlement Office in Dharamshala, the Central Tibetan Administration, to celebrate the Year of Compassion, marking the 90th birthday of His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama.
The festival aims to raise awareness of Tibetan culture and cuisine among local Indians, as well as tourists from other parts of India and beyond. Visitors will also have the opportunity to watch films about His Holiness the Dalai Lama in Hindi.
The festival was inaugurated by Sikyong Penpa Tsering at 11:30 am, on May 28, 2026, the police ground in Dharamshala. The inaugural ceremony was graced by several dignitaries, including Shri Sudhir Sharma, Member of the Legislative Assembly of the Himachal Pradesh government, MP Kerry McCarthy of the Labour Party and former Government Minister, MP Wera Hobhouse of the Liberal Democrats and APPG Tibet Member, from Latin America, Deputy Luis Fabian Mala from Chile and Deputy Jose Francisco of El Salvador, former Indian military officers, members of the Indo-Tibetan Friendship Association based in Dharamshala.
Representing the Central Tibetan Administration were the Speaker of the Tibetan Parliament in Exile, Khenpo Sonam Tenphel, Chief Justice Commissioner Yeshi Wangmo, and secretaries from various departments of the CTA.
In his opening speech, Sikyong Penpa Tsering noted that Himachal Pradesh has been home to His Holiness the Dalai Lama and the Central Tibetan Administration for the past 65 years. He expressed gratitude to the Indian government for its unparalleled humanitarian support of Tibetans over the years, and emphasised that under His Holiness the Dalai Lama's leadership, Tibetans have achieved considerable progress, becoming the only exile community in the world to have a fully functioning democracy.
Sikyong also urged Tibetans in India to raise greater awareness about Tibet for among the young generation of India, noting that earlier generations who witnessed His Holiness the Dalai Lama’s arrival in India had a deeper understanding of the Tibetan issue than the younger generation today. He emphasised that the changing generations in the country make it essential to renew awareness and engagement on Tibet. He also expressed hope that, in the coming year, the festival and its exhibitions could be taken to different Indian cities to raise awareness about Tibetan culture.
