Distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen,
Allow me to extend greetings to all of you on behalf of the Minister Jan Lipavský. Minister´s meetings with the Head of the Tibetan Government in exile Mr. Pempa Tsering this year clearly shows how closely the Czech diplomacy follows developments in Tibet.
On 6th July we celebrated birthday of His Holiness Dalai Lama. His Holiness visited the Czech Republic many times as a close friend of the late President Václav Havel. I am proud that the Czech Government places great emphasis on President Havel's legacy, following his calls on China to grant Tibet a wider, genuine autonomy.
Developments in Tibet suggest that persistent problems have not yet been solved, though the China´s authorities claim contrary. Concerns of the loss of the Tibetan identity are valid due to insensible attitude of the non-democratic regime in Beijing towards the Tibetan community. Imposed religious constraints eliminate the very essence of the Tibetan way of life with its unique spirituality and cultural heritage.
The Tibetan issue, however, cannot be viewed as a clash between the Tibetans and the ethnic Chinese majority. Both cultures are deeply based on traditional principles of peaceful and tolerant coexistence.
The Tibetan problem, however, represents an underlying problem of contemporary China, i.e. a clash of liberal notions with intolerant patterns. On the one hand there is a traditional cultural heritage of Tibet and whole of China that comprises conceptions and notions of harmony, tolerance and empathy. On the other hand stands the illiberal social engineering based on class hatred and intolerance towards otherness.
The core of the Tibetan question lies in an effort to recover traditional moral norms and ethical values, i.e. to re-discover the roots of traditional cultural heritage, which in turn directly threatens the legitimacy of the authoritarian rule over China.
To this end, the Czech Republic has systematically raised its concerns over Tibet not only bilaterally but also in international fora, such as the UN Human Rights Council or the UN Third Committee. In October we cosponsored a side event of the 51st Session of the Human Rights Council on the Geopolitics of Reincarnation.
Our efforts in this regard will continue, just like our commitment to support the Tibetans to enjoy full protection of the human rights and fundamental freedoms, including the right to freedom of religion or belief.
Thank you.
The speech was held on 14 November 2022 at a conference organized by the Czech Senate with the title "What can the Czech Republic and the European Union do to address the crisis in Tibet?".