Dharamshala: A parliamentary delegation consisting of MPs Geshe Monlam Tharchin, Lhagyari Namgyal Dolkar, Tsaneytsang Dhondup Tashi, and Phurpa Dorjee Gyaldhong took part in the 2023 Open Government Partnership Summit hosted by Estonian government in its capital, Tallinn. The OGP summit will be held from 5th to 7th of September.

Upon their arrival in Tallinn, Estonia, on 4th September, the delegation from the Tibetan Parliament-in-Exile were received by Tibet Program of National Democratic Institute (NDI)’s Chief of Party Rishi Datta and Program Manager Palden Phuntsok along with Geshe Dakpa Gyaltsen, a resident of Estonia, and Tibet supporters.

On 5th September, the members of the Tibetan parliamentary delegation attended a meeting organized by the National Democratic Institute (NDI). During the meeting, the Tibetan MPs introduced themselves and exchanged ideas with the other participants.

Afternoon on the same day, the 2023 Open Government Partnership Summit commenced at Riigikogu – the unicameral parliament of Estonia. The meeting was attended by Heads of State and Government, representatives of civil society and policy makers around the world. In the opening session, the organizing committee explained the formation background, objective, and future plans of the OGP summit.

The meeting featured talks on open parliament e-network with representatives from Taiwan and Morocco speaking on ‘the Accountability in Parliamentarians’ and ‘parliament in anti-corruption policy-making’ respectively. Parliamentarian Lhagyari Namgyal Dolkar spoke on the sending of Tibetan children to colonial boarding schools by the Chinese government to destroy the very identity of Tibetan, Xi Jingping’s malicious attacks on people opposing him including even his own party members, and so forth. She also clarified follow up questions from the participants after her talk.

Members of the parliamentary delegation also had the opportunity to interact with other participants during the side-lines of the summit and briefed them on the current critical situation inside of Tibet and on the functioning of the Central Tibetan Administration. The summit was attended by more than 2000 participants from across the world. After the conclusion of the first day of the summit, the delegates visited the Estonian Parliament.