The International Campaign for Tibet (ICT) will hold the Tibetan Empowerment Days – a programme aimed at empowering Tibetans and Tibet supporters across Europe to advocate for Tibet at the European level – from 23-26 September in Brussels.
See the call for application below.
Tibetan Empowerment Days 2024:
Become an advocate for Tibet at the EU level!
23-26 September 2024 – Brussels, Belgium
Are you a young Tibetan or a Tibet supporter from Europe who would like to contribute to advocating for Tibet within European circles? Then you may be one of our next Tibetan Empowerment Days participants!
The Tibetan Empowerment Days training in Brussels, the heart of the European Union, aims at empowering Tibetans and Tibet supporters across Europe by providing them tools and tips to become effective advocates of the Tibetan cause at the European level and in their respective countries of residence. Participants will have the opportunity to engage with EU policymakers, share their stories and push for stronger support for Tibet within European institutions.
This edition will be particularly important, as the human rights situation in Tibet has dramatically deteriorated since the event was last held in 2021 (online due to the Covid pandemic). It will be all the more crucial as it directly follows the 2024 European Election, which will bring many newcomers to the European Parliament. As part of the EU4Tibet campaign by Tibet Supports Groups and VTAG members across Europe, over 100 candidates have signed the “Pledge for Tibet”, by which they commit to support the peaceful struggle of the Tibetan people for human rights and to fight against Chinese interferences in Europe if elected. The Tibetan Empowerment Days will focus on ensuring that these pledges are transformed into concrete actions – notably the re-establishment of the European Parliament’s Tibet Intergroup, which is pivotal in ensuring that Tibet remains a priority for the European Parliament.
Join us in Brussels to make your voice heard and help us send a strong message to the European Union that it must take concrete action on Tibet!
Program
The programme will start with a day-long training on EU policies towards China and Tibet, human rights, recent developments in Tibet, advocacy and communications techniques; participants will have the opportunity to engage in discussions with professionals working in these different fields, and will expand their understanding of the role of activists, lobbyists, NGOs and the media in influencing foreign policy at European level.
Participants will then be able to get a direct exposure to the EU political scene, by taking part in meetings with Members of the European Parliament where they will have the opportunity to raise awareness about the situation in Tibet and advocate for the reestablishment of the Tibet of the Tibet Intergroup in the European Parliament and for EU action on China’s transnational repression and interference to democracy, amongst others.
Practical Information
- Dates: 23-26 September 2024
- Location: Brussels, Belgium
- Eligibility: Applicants must be citizens or permanent residents of one of the European Union Member States and be available for the full duration of the program. As the program will be conducted mostly in English, proficiency in this language, at least at a conversational level, is required.
- Cost: ICT will cover the participants’ travel costs to and from Brussels as well as their accommodation from Sunday 22 September to Thursday 26 September (4 nights) and public transportation costs for the duration of the programme.
Application Process
Interested Tibetan and Tibet activists, and in particular (but not limited to) those with a background in Political Science, European Studies, International Relations, Human Rights or another relevant discipline, are encouraged to send their application (CV and brief statement of interest) by 15 July 2024 31 July 2024 to melanie.blondelle@savetibet.eu together with their complete contact information, including address, phone number and email. Successful applicants will be contacted by 31 July.
EDIT: The deadline for applications has been extended – do not hesitate to apply before 31 July!
