Leh, Ladakh — President Petr Pavel of the Czech Republic met with His Holiness the Dalai Lama and the political leader of Tibet, Sikyong Penpa Tsering in Leh, Ladakh on Sunday. President Pavel extended his warm congratulations to His Holiness on the occasion of his 90th birthday and he also expressed his support for the Tibetan cause and freedom for Tibetans.
President Petr Pavel of the Czech Republic visited Leh, Ladakh along with Dr Eliska Zigova, the Ambassador of the Czech Republic to India, Kateřina Petersen, the Deputy Head of Mission at the Embassy of the Czech Republic in New Delhi and others to meet with His Holiness the Dalai Lama, the spiritual leader of Tibet.
President Petr Pavel met with His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama in the morning of July 27, 2025, at Shiwa Tsel Phodrang in Leh, Ladakh, UT, India. During the meeting, President Pavel offered his warm congratulations to His Holiness on the occasion of his 90th birthday.
President Petr Pavel also visited the Sonamling Tibetan Settlement in Leh and attended a gathering showcasing cultural performances at the Sonamling Tibetan Community Hall after meeting with His Holiness the Dalai Lama.
The Central Tibetan Administration (CTA) leadership held a warm reception for the President of the Czech Republic at Thiksey Monastery in Leh, Ladakh, India, on July 27, 2025. His Excellency Petr Pavel, the President of the Czech Republic, arrived with Dr Eliska Zigova, the Ambassador of the Czech Republic to India, Kateřina Petersen, Deputy Head of Mission at the Embassy of the Czech Republic in New Delh. They were received by Sikyong Penpa Tsering; Dolma Gyari, the Minister of the Department of Security, CTA, Norzin Dolma, Minister of the Department of Information and International Relations; Palden Dhondup, Secretary of the Department of Home; Jigme Jungney, Representative of the Bureau of His Holiness the Dalai Lama in Delhi; and Tashi Dhondup, Chief Representative Officer of Ladakh.
At the reception event, Sikyong Penpa Tsering delivered welcome remarks, stating, "On behalf of my colleagues, the Cabinet of the Central Tibetan Administration, and all the leaders from the Leh area, it’s a privilege and honour for us to receive Your Excellency, the President of the Czech Republic.”
"In fact, His Holiness has visited many countries—starting in 1973 in Europe, 1979 in the United States, and many other countries—and met with many heads of states and nations. But this is perhaps the first time that we have a head of a nation visiting His Holiness and spending some time with us, and also with the Ladakh population here. So thank you very much for your presence and for gracing us. Your presence itself shows your support for Tibet," Sikyong concluded.
His Excellency Petr Pavel said while addressing at the event, "We came from the Czech Republic—a country so distant, in the centre of Europe, a country so different in culture, history, and even the present. But what we have in common is that we are all human beings who want to live decent, enjoyable lives and prepare the best possible future for our children. And we came to meet His Holiness the Dalai Lama to show him our support for your cause—that is, for you to have something that may seem luxurious, but is actually a basic right: the freedom to use your language, practice your religion, and preserve your culture."
During an interaction with media personnel at the reception, His Excellency stated, “For me, it’s a great pleasure and honour to visit the Dalai Lama because he visited my country eleven times, so it’s a great pleasure to reciprocate at least once.” In an expression of support for the Central Tibetan Administration’s efforts for a swift resolution of the Tibet-China conflict through a mutually beneficial approach envisioned by His Holiness the Dalai Lama, His Excellency emphasised, “He (His Holiness) is not calling for an independent Tibet. He understands the Middle Way very well, and he only wants freedom of religion, freedom of expression, and freedom of language for his own people. And I think we should all support that.”
During his interaction with the media at the reception, His Excellency stated, "It is a great pleasure and honor for me to visit the Dalai Lama because he has visited my country eleven times, so it’s a great pleasure to reciprocate at least once."
Expressing support for the Central Tibetan Administration’s efforts to swiftly resolve the Tibet-China conflict through a mutually beneficial approach envisioned by His Holiness the Dalai Lama, His Excellency emphasized, "His Holiness is not calling for an independent Tibet. He understands the Middle Way very well and only wants freedom of religion, expression, and language for his people. I think we should all support that."
