Central Tibetan Administration launches annual identity preservation week

Sikyong Penpa Tsering of the Central Tibetan Administration (CTA) has officially proclaimed the annual observance of ‘Tibetan National Identity Preservation Week’. Following a resolution by the 17th Tibetan Parliament-in-Exile, the observance is set to begin on 23 September 2026. The week will be observed every year from the fourth Wednesday of September through the following Wednesday.

The proclamation serves as the launch of a global campaign intended to counter policies by the Chinese Communist Government that the CTA claims are aimed at eradicating Tibetan identity. Specifically, the CTA cited the recently implemented ‘Law on Promoting Ethnic Unity and Progress’ as a mechanism that intensifies assimilation under the guise of law. The campaign seeks to preserve and strengthen Tibetan language, culture, religion, values, and heritage in response to what Tsering described as state-sponsored assimilation and re-education efforts.