About Us : Department of Information and International Relations

International affairs and information of the Central Tibetan Administration (CTA) are handled by the Department of Information and International Relations. The Department has its origin in Chisee Khang (the Foreign Relations Office), which was re-established in exile in 1959, after the Chinese occupation of Tibet. In March 1969, the international relations section of Chisee Khang was placed under the Bureau of His Holiness the Dalai Lama in New Delhi. However, soon the Tibetan Administration was faced with a growing demand from the international community for information on Tibet. The Administration also felt the need to instil political, human rights and environmental consciousness among the Tibetans. Thus, in 1971, the information section was expanded with the inclusion of Sheja Publication and renamed Information and Publicity Office. On 4 April 1988, the Office was expanded and the international relations section of the Bureau in Delhi was made a part of it again. It was thus that the Office came to be renamed the Department of Information and International Relations (DIIR).

 

The Department educates the Tibetans and international public opinion on the political, human rights and environmental conditions in Tibet. Towards this end, it publishes both print and video materials on Tibet. The periodicals come out in three languages: Tibetan, English and Chinese.

 

The DIIR serves as a protocol office of the CTA and liaises with the international media and Tibet Support Groups throughout the world.

 

Under the DIIR are the CTA's foreign missions in 11 countries. They function as the official agencies of the CTA and are based in New Delhi, Kathmandu, Geneva, New York, Tokyo, London, Moscow, Brussels, Canberra, Pretoria and Taipei.

 

The Narthang Press and Tibetan Computer Resource Centre (TCRC) also fall under the direct supervision of the DIIR. While the Narthang Press handles the printing responsibilities of the CTA, the TCRC provides computer and Internet services to all the departments of the Tibetan administration.

 

The DIIR is divided into following divisions and sections:

  Information Division
  International Relations Division
  Administrative Section
  Branch Sections

 

Information Division of CTA

The Information Division of the DIIR primarily works towards disseminating information about the political, human rights and environmental conditions in Tibet to Tibetans and the world community at large, and to keep the Tibetan issue alive. Under this Division there are four sections:

 

Print Media and Website

The section has further three sub-sections:

 

Tibetan

 

Sheja:

A monthly journal in Tibetan, first published in 1968, it aims to educate Tibetans about Tibet and the activities of the CTA. The readers are mostly concentrated in India, Nepal, Bhutan, Switzerland, the United States and Canada.

 

Tibetan Freedom:

Tibetan Freedom is the first Tibetan official newspaper published in exile. Now published weekly, it features news items on Tibet and the activities of the CTA. Like Sheja, its main readers are Tibetan-speaking people.

 

English

 

Tibetan Bulletin:

First published in 19 , Tibetan Bulletin is a bimonthly news magazine with sections on Tibet, international and CTA news. It aims to bring out information on His Holiness the Dalai Lama, CTA, Tibet Support Groups and Tibetan people inside and outside Tibet.

 

Web Site

TibetNet, the official website of the CTA, located at http://www.tibet.net, is a trilingual website in Tibetan, English and Arabic languages. A specially developed "dynamic font" for Tibetan script makes it possible for Web surfers from anywhere to download the pages in Tibetan automatically. The site acts as a window to the departments and offices of the CTA, Tibetan settlements, schools and institutes.

 

Audio Visual Section

The Section is further divided into Video, Museum and Web TV segments.

 

Audio Visual

The Audio Visual produces video materials on Tibet, teachings of His Holiness the Dalai Lama, and the activities of the CTA.

 

Tibet Museum

The Tibet Museum was established in 1998 to serve as a remembrance of the loss of Tibetan culture and lives; to collect photographs and life histories of Tibetans; to present the hopes and aspirations of the Tibetan people.

The Museum aims to:

Present Tibet's modern history, with an emphasis on the period of Chinese occupation, by establishing the "Tibet Museum", housing permanent and temporary special exhibitions, lectures, special events, and by the development of travelling museum kit, exhibitions and educational activities;

Strengthen the Tibetan spirit and collective pride through its presentations and publications on Tibet's rich history and culture, the struggle for Tibet and hopes for its future;

Collect and archive documents, photographs, objects and first hand accounts relating to Tibet and Tibetan issues

For information on the current activities of the Tibet Museum,
click here: http://www.thetibetmuseum.org/

 

Web TV

The Official WebTV Station of Central Tibetan Administration was launch on 3 August 2006. The WebTV is webcasting the activities of the Central Tibetan Administration. The WebTV will be made available at www.tibetonline.tv

 

Arabic Desk

The main functions of the Desk are to:

 

Disseminate Tibet related information to the Arabic-speaking people;
Update and maintain official website in Arabic language: www.tibet.net/ar/. The website provides current news and general information on Tibet and Tibetan community in exile.
Translate and publish books and other materials on Tibet into Arabic language.

 

Translation and Publication Section

This Section translates relevant materials between English and Tibetan for all DIIR publications. It produces books, booklets and pamphlets in Tibetan, English and Hindi on various aspects of the Tibetan issue.

 

Media Co-ordinator Section

Among the duties of this Section are:

 

To receive and help international and national (India) media personnel in gathering information on Tibetans and Tibet;
To supply reference materials like books, video footage and still photographs to media personnel and writers;
To arrange interviews between them and Tibetans who can speak on the subject of the researcher's choice;
To act as interpreters, whenever requested, between Tibetan interviewees and interviewers;
To arrange audiences with His Holiness the Dalai Lama for media persons;
To distribute press releases.