Tibetans Celebrate The 109th Anniversary Of Their Independence Day

15.02.2022

Mandakini Jathavethan

Tibet and Human Rights Researcher,

Global Human Rights Defence.

The date of 13 February 2022 marked the 109th anniversary of the proclamation of the Tibetan Independence Day. The sovereignty of Tibet was restored in 1913 after a failed invasion by the Manchu army (controlled by the erstwhile-Japanese Empire). Following this event, the 13th Dalai Lama proclaimed 13th February as the Tibetan Independence Day, as it is still celebrated. 

To commemorate the day, Students for a Free Tibet (SFT) in India organised a talk on “History of Proclamation of Tibetan Independence” at Dharamsala, the site of the exiled 14th Dalai Lama. SFT commented, “In occupied countries, the observation of Independence Day is a powerful expression of a people's desire for freedom” (SFT-India).

SFT-France held a protest at Bastille Square in Paris, France to mark the occasion. Tibetan flags were raised and demands to free Tibet from Chinese occupation were made. A copy of the Shimla Convention of 1914 between then-representatives of United Kingdom (through British-India), China and Tibet on the status of Tibet was also displayed.

A car rally was held in Toronto, Canada to celebrate the Day. Prominently displaying Tibetan flags and banners, the cars started from a Tibetan residential locality in Toronto and ended at the Chinese Consulate. 

Tibetan Independence Day celebrations around the world were held amid the Winter Olympics 2022 hosted by China in Beijing. 

Sources and further reading:

Dolma, Y. (2022, February 13). Tibetans Commemorate 109th anniversary of Tibetan Independence Day. https://www.thetibetpost.com/en/news/3-exile/7227-tibetans-commemorate-109th-anniversary-of-tibetan-independence-day

Asian News International (2022, February 14). Car rally held in Toronto to celebrate 109th Tibetan Independence Day. https://www.aninews.in/news/world/europe/car-rally-held-in-toronto-to-celebrate-109th-tibetan-independence-day20220214133038/

Asian News International (2022, February 14). Tibetan student body protests in Paris to mark 109th anniversary of Tibetan Independence Day. https://theprint.in/world/tibetan-student-body-protests-in-paris-to-mark-109th-anniversary-of-tibetan-independence-day/830685/

SFT-India (Undated). Feb 13 - Tibetan Independence Day. https://www.sftindia.org/campaign/13th-february/