EXCLUSIVE The Executive Director of Tibet House Brasil and head of the Tibet Office for Latin America recounts his six-year stay in São Paulo and various events, tours and activities organized by his office during this successful and productive period
Jigme Tsering assumed office as Representative of the Office of Tibet for Latin America on March 3, 2020, in São Paulo, Brazil, following a formal handover from his predecessor, Tsewang Phuntso, in the presence of senior officials of the Central Tibetan Administration (CTA). During his tenure, the Office of Tibet in Latin America undertook a broad range of activities aimed at strengthening diplomatic engagement, institutional partnerships, and the promotion of Tibetan culture and values across the region. In São Paulo, he also served as Executive Director of Tibet House Brasil (THB), an organization dedicated to preserving Tibetan culture in Latin America.
Tsering is a veteran Tibetan official with three decades of experience in media, technology, administration, and public service. His work has focused on promoting Tibetan heritage, spirituality, and cultural identity through institutional leadership and digital innovation.
Previously, he served as Secretary of the Tibetan Public Service Commission cum Election Commission from 2016 to 2019, overseeing human resources, recruitment, and training while promoting governance rooted in Buddhist ethics and Tibetan cultural values.
From 2005 to 2016, he was Director of TibetOnlineTV and Editor-in-Chief of the CTA Audio Visual Department, managing cultural and educational programming and producing documentary archives. Earlier, he led the Tibetan Computer Resource Center, supervising IT systems, networking, and Tibetan-language technological development, including Tibetan script applications and digital tools.
Between 2020 and 2026, the Office of Tibet for Latin America implemented a coordinated program of parliamentary diplomacy, cultural outreach, educational initiatives, and high-level engagements. These efforts strengthened institutional support for Tibet and deepened relationships with governments, legislatures, academic institutions, civil society organizations, and spiritual communities across the region.
In an exclusive interview with the Indian Eye, Jigme Tsering spoke about his years in São Paulo and the activities organized by Tibet House Brasil across Latin America. Excerpts:
What were the main events and activities organized by THB since you assumed office as Executive Director in 2020?
Since 2020, around 180 events and programs have been organized. The Tibetan Medical and Astro Institute conducted three official visits to Brazil and Argentina through delegations of doctors and astrologers. The Mystical Arts of Tibet ensemble undertook two multi-country tours covering Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Argentina, and Mexico with a group of five monks.
His Holiness the 42nd Sakya Trizin visited Tibet House Brasil and consecrated the new office premises in October 2023. Yongey Mingyur Rinpoche delivered two formal teachings under the auspices of Tibet House Brasil.
Tenzin Namgyal Rinpoche visited Tibet House Brasil and delivered a public lecture in 2024. Khenpo Samdup and Lama Pema Dorjee also visited and conducted meditation sessions and spiritual retreats.
Mr. Losang Samten and his wife carried out a Sand Mandala tour across Argentina, Colombia, and Brazil. Geshe Dorjee Damdul, Director of Tibet House, New Delhi visited Brazil in 2023, while Geshe Lobsang Tenzin Negi also visited for teaching engagements that year. Geshe Ngawang Phende participated in the Mystical Arts of Tibet delegation in 2024. Lama Glenn Mullin, Lama Rinchen Khyenrab, Lama Padma Samten, Lama Karma Tartchin, Lama Lodro Lhamo, Dr. Louis Héber, Ilana Gorban etc also came to Tibet House Brasil and shared their knowledges.
During the Covid pandemic, Tenzin Choegyal and Dr. Tenzin Dorjee conducted online classes. Brazilian Tibetan Buddhist lamas like and board members also delivered talks and meditation sessions.
What steps did you take for parliamentary diplomacy and political engagement in the region?
The Office placed sustained emphasis on engagement with national legislatures, government institutions, civil society organizations, and Tibet support groups throughout Latin America.
One major achievement was the establishment of the Mexican Parliamentary Group of Friends of Tibet, which institutionalized legislative support for Tibet within the Mexican Congress. This initiative was facilitated through coordinated engagement between parliamentarians and Tibet support organizations, with the Office providing strategic guidance and liaison support.
Since 2022, the Office of Tibet for Latin America has actively engaged in advocacy and diplomatic outreach in support of the fundamental religious rights of His Holiness the Dalai Lama, particularly regarding the Tibetan Buddhist tradition of recognizing and determining his reincarnation according to established Tibetan Buddhist customs and practices.
As part of these efforts, members of legislatures in Costa Rica, El Salvador, Chile, and Mexico submitted letters of support to His Holiness the Dalai Lama and the Kashag in 2021, 2022, 2023, and 2025. The letters reaffirmed respect for the Tibetan people’s religious freedom and the Tibetan Buddhist community’s exclusive right to determine matters concerning the reincarnation of His Holiness.
Parliamentarians from the region also signed appeals calling for the immediate release of the 11th Panchen Lama, Gedhun Choekyi Nyima, who was taken into custody by Chinese authorities with his family at the age of six and has remained out of public view since then.
In October 2023, the Mexican Parliament hosted the official visit of Sikyong Penpa Tsering. The visit resulted in a parliamentary communiqué expressing support for Tibet and reaffirming the importance of safeguarding Tibetan cultural, religious, and linguistic heritage. The Office of Tibet coordinated the engagement in line with CTA policy priorities.
In November 2022, the Representative undertook an official visit to Chile to strengthen engagement with members of the Chilean Congress, municipal authorities, and Friends of Tibet Chile. The meetings enhanced parliamentary understanding of developments inside Tibet and reinforced support for the Tibetan cause.
In 2025, the Office facilitated and accompanied a Chilean parliamentary delegation to Dharamshala, enabling direct engagement with members of the Tibetan Parliament-in-Exile and further strengthening long-standing ties of friendship and cooperation.
Did you organize any high-level visits and official engagements during your tenure?
The Office of Tibet played a central coordinating role in facilitating official visits by senior CTA leadership to the region. During the Sikyong’s official visits to Brazil, Colombia, and Mexico in 2023 and 2025, the Office organized and supported a series of high-level engagements. In Brazil, these included meetings at the São Paulo State Legislative Assembly, along with interactions with academic institutions, policy forums, and cultural organizations focusing on Tibet’s current situation and its environmental significance.
In Colombia, engagements included academic dialogues at the National University of Colombia and interreligious meetings involving representatives of different faith traditions and public institutions, contributing to greater awareness and informed discussion on Tibet.
In 2025, the Office also facilitated the visit of Kalon Norzin Dolma to Chile in connection with the 90th birth anniversary commemorations of His Holiness the Dalai Lama. The visit included parliamentary meetings, public programs, and cultural events that further strengthened bilateral engagement.
What was your contribution in the area of cultural and spiritual diplomacy?
Cultural diplomacy remained a core component of the Office’s activities during this period. Tibet House Brasil organized three tours with Tibetan medicine doctors and astrologers across Brazil and Argentina between 2022 and 2024 in collaboration with Men-Tsee-Khang from Dharamshala.
The Representative participated in the “108 Hours of Peace” event held in São Paulo in 2023, which brought together Buddhist teachers, scholars, and practitioners from different traditions. The program emphasized compassion, mindfulness, and interreligious dialogue, contributing to broader public engagement with Tibetan Buddhist values.
The Office also coordinated two regional tours of the “Mystical Arts of Tibet,” featuring monks from Drepung Loseling Monastery. The programs included sand mandala creation, sacred music performances, and teachings on Buddhist philosophy, reaching audiences across several countries. One tour lasted for a month in 2024 and another for three months in 2025.
In October 2024, the Office organized the Latin American launch of the documentary Never Forget Tibet: The Dalai Lama’s Untold Story in São Paulo. The event included screenings, exhibitions, and public discussions, enhancing awareness of Tibetan history and the life and message of His Holiness the Dalai Lama.
What regional outreach and educational initiatives did you organize?
In 2023, the Office organized a month-long regional initiative titled “Connection with Compassion” to commemorate the 88th birthday of His Holiness the Dalai Lama. The program was conducted across Chile, Colombia, Mexico, Costa Rica, Argentina, Bolivia, and Brazil, and included public teachings, interfaith dialogues, and community engagement activities centered on compassion and universal responsibility.
In Brazil, the Office supported educational and outreach initiatives including lectures on Tibetan arts and culture, programs conducted by the Men-Tsee-Khang, public teachings by visiting Buddhist masters, and interreligious conferences focusing on ethics, science, and peace.
In 2022, the Representative had the honour of presenting letters of appreciation, conveyed on behalf of His Holiness the Dalai Lama, Sikyong Penpa Tsering, and Speaker Khenpo Sonam Tenphel of the Tibetan Parliament-in-Exile, to the family of the late Dr. Alfredo Martínez Moreno in El Salvador. The recognition honoured his contribution to the United Nations resolution on Tibet in 1967. The letters were received by his 90-year-old wife and daughter in the presence of former dignitaries of El Salvador associated with His Holiness the Dalai Lama.
The Office also supported commemorative events including the observance of the Nobel Peace Prize anniversary on December 10 and celebrations marking His Holiness the Dalai Lama’s birthday.
How did you promote Tibetan cultural heritage in Brazil through the activities of THB?
The Office continued to promote Tibetan cultural heritage through collaborations with distinguished Tibetan artists and practitioners.
Programs featuring sand mandala creation and ritual arts were conducted with the participation of Mr. Losang Samten, former ritual attendant to His Holiness the Dalai Lama, whose work provided audiences with insights into Tibetan spiritual traditions and cultural expression.
Online orientations in Tibetan dance and songs were conducted by Bawa Tsering Dorjee and Loten Namling.
These efforts were complemented by exhibitions and artistic presentations by Mr. Ngawang Lodoe, whose work highlighted Tibetan identity and cultural continuity through both contemporary and traditional mediums.
How were official statements of the CTA translated and disseminated?
The Office of Tibet, Latin America, ensured the timely translation, publication, and dissemination of official statements issued by the Central Tibetan Administration and the Office of His Holiness the Dalai Lama.
Key statements translated into Spanish and Portuguese included those issued by the Kashag and the Tibetan Parliament-in-Exile on the occasion of Tibetan National Uprising Day on March 10, His Holiness the Dalai Lama’s Birthday on July 6, Tibetan Democracy Day on September 2, and the commemoration of the Nobel Peace Prize on December 10.
Other important statements and messages issued by the Office of His Holiness the Dalai Lama and the CTA were also regularly translated and circulated.
All translated materials were published on the official websites of the Office of Tibet, Latin America, and Tibet House Brasil, and widely shared among Tibet support groups, partner institutions, academic networks, and civil society organizations across the region. These were further amplified through official social media platforms to ensure broader accessibility for Spanish- and Portuguese-speaking audiences.
This initiative contributed significantly to strengthening communication with regional stakeholders and ensuring that official Tibetan perspectives remained accessible to diverse linguistic communities throughout Latin America.
We have published two books in Portuguese in collaboration with Palas Athena: A Vida Extraordinária de Sua Santidade o 14º Dalai Lama: Uma Jornada Iluminada and Ver a Nós Mesmos Como Realmente Somos, both by Tenzin Gyatso.
What are the upcoming programs and events being coordinated by the Office of Tibet for Latin America and Tibet House Brasil?
The Office of Tibet for Latin America is coordinating invitations for deputies and civil society representatives from Latin America to attend and participate in the oath-taking ceremony for Penpa Tsering’s second term in Dharamshala on May 27, 2026. The delegation will also tour the structure and institutions of the Central Tibetan Administration (CTA) to gain a better understanding of its administration and activities.
At the same time, Tibet House Brasil will host a retreat on July 10, 2026, led by Lama Padma Dorjee. In addition, six collaboration program requests are currently under consideration and will be decided upon by my successor in the coming days.
