Tibetan activists staged a demonstration outside the United Nations headquarters in New York on Friday, demanding international support for Tibet’s independence and urging China to withdraw from the region.
Protesters chanted slogans such as “Free Tibet, China out, China out of Tibet now,” drawing attention to Beijing’s continued control over the region.
Speaking at the rally, Tashi Tundup, Vice President of the Regional Tibetan Youth Congress (RTYC) of New York and New Jersey, appealed to world leaders: “We are here to request the United Nations representatives and global leaders to support Tibet, for Tibetan independence.”
The RTYC, part of the larger Tibetan Youth Congress (TYC), is one of the most prominent pro-independence organisations in exile, with over 30,000 members worldwide. Since its founding in 1970, the TYC has campaigned actively for Tibet’s independence and has organised numerous protests and awareness movements.
The protest coincided with the 80th session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), where global leaders convened to deliberate on pressing international issues. On the same day, China’s Premier Li Qiang addressed the assembly on behalf of President Xi Jinping, calling for stronger cooperation against protectionism while defending China’s economic policies.
