Dharamshala : The Central Tibetan Administration (CTA) launched a Month-long Panchen Lama Awareness Program aimed at educating the Tibetan community and fostering international solidarity on the 30th anniversary of Gedhun Choekyi Nyima's forced disappearance, as reported by the CTA.
To mark the 36th birthday of Tibet's 11th Panchen Lama, Jetsun Tenzin Gedhun Yeshi Trinley Phuntsok Pal Sangpo, also known as Gedhun Choekyi Nyima, the Department of Information and International Relations (DIIR) of the Central Tibetan Administration (CTA) initiated a month-long awareness initiative. This campaign commenced on April 25, coinciding with his birthday, and concluded on May 17, 2025, signifying three decades since his enforced disappearance by Chinese authorities at the age of six.
The program encompassed various events, public activities, and international advocacy efforts to enhance global awareness regarding this enduring issue, urging the Chinese government to release verifiable information about the Panchen Lama's current status and well-being. Although Chinese authorities have consistently asserted that he is living a "normal life," they persist in denying independent access for verification, according to CTA.
In the European Parliament, seven Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) from four different political factions raised urgent inquiries directed at the European Union's High Representative, highlighting the gravity of the situation, as indicated in the CTA report.
In Germany, Michael Brand, a Member of Parliament and Chair of the Bundestag's Tibet Group, condemned the Panchen Lama's abduction forcefully, labelling it as "a crime out of fear." Likewise, in Italy, Senator Andrea De Priamo, President of the Italian Tibet Interparliamentary Group, criticised the substitution of the legitimate Panchen Lama with a government-appointed figure.
Swiss Parliamentarians from the Swiss Parliamentary Group for Tibet have urged the Swiss Government (Federal Council) to pressure China to releaseGedhun Choekyi Nyima and his family, as highlighted in the CTA report.
Support also emerged from Taiwan, where Tian Chiu-Chin of the National Human Rights Commission and the Taiwan Parliament Group for Tibet collectively condemned the ongoing repression in Tibet and reaffirmed their dedication to the Tibetan cause.
The month-long Panchen Lama Awareness Program has effectively re-energised global attention towards the continued enforced disappearance of the 11th Panchen Lama. It has also underscored the steadfast international commitment to truth and justice in the face of persistent human rights abuses. The Central Tibetan Administration reiterated its plea for the international community to pressure the Chinese government to provide credible proof of the Panchen Lama's well-being and his immediate release.