Where there is more than one candidate, they are listed alphabetically. Cast your vote (only in your region) by emailing mail@tibetnetwork.org by WEDNESDAY 22 July. You may have as many votes as there are seats in your region.

WESTERN EUROPE (3 seats)

Günther Cologna – nominated by Associazione Italia Tibet

Dr Günther Cologna is a Director and former President of Associazione Italia Tibet. He has been involved in the Tibet issue for well over 20 years. He would bring to the Steering Committee many years of experience of working on Tibet, superb language skills, and longstanding relationships with key personnel in the Central Tibetan Administration, where he has conducted and facilitated many training courses as a result of his profession. He is the Head of Education at EURAC (European Academy); an applied research centre in South Tyrol that works on the protection of minorities and multilingualism, investigates climate change, draws up sustainable development plans through the use of renewable energy, and contributes to the health of the community by conducting biomedical studies. Günther is a writer and has translated a number of books by His Holiness into German. 

Migmar Dolma Dhakyel – nominated by Students for a Free Tibet

[Statement from Tenam] “Etudiants pour un Tibet Libre – France, or Students for a Free Tibet, France would like present Migmar Dolma Dhakyel, as our nomination to the post of Streering Committee member for Western Europe. She is a former board member of Tibetan Youth Association, Switzerland and the current vice-president of the Tibetan National Congress. She is a natural born leader with formidable skill in public speaking – fluent in English, German, Tibetan and French. There is a rumour that she also speaks Ewoks.” She is currently studying at the University of Geneva’s Global Studies Institute and can be recently seen in the media protesting China’s presentation to the IOC in Lausanne. See http://www.voatibetanenglish.com/content/article/2817114.html

Ling Lhamo (Branislava Katic)* – nominated by UNFFT

English: I am honoured to be the official candidate for the Network Steering Committee from UNFFT. French speaking candidate, but also English, Tibetan, Russian and Serbo-Croatian interpreter, UNFFT France’s Ling Lhamo (Branislava Katic) dedicates 20-30 hours per week to Tibet since 2010, and is editor on the main page of UNFFT, as well as administrator of French, UK, Tibet, Nepal and other UNFFT specific pages. Ling Lhamo is also filmmaker and translator, whose work is followed by some 1300 subscriber on Youtube channel “Ling Lhamo”, consecrated to Tibet. She also created many pages and groups on Facebook: “Tibet Justice”, “Ling Gesar”, “Ling Lhamo’s channel”… She studied journalism in Belgrade and worked as journalist in former Yugoslavia and in France (RFI, program in serbo croatian) till her age of 35.  After her masters of political science at Sorbonne in Paris, she assisted the president of the group France-Bosnia in French Parliament, then she became French civil servant within the Ministry of labour and employment, were she still works now.

French: Je ai eu un grand honneur d’être nommée par l’UNFFT comme le candidat pour siéger au Comité directeur du ITN (Réseau International pour le Tibet). On m’a demandé de faire connaître ma candidature auprès des électeurs. Donc, voici ma brève présentation:
Candidate francophone, mais aussi interprête d’anglais, tibétain, russe et serbo-croate, Ling Lhamo (Branislava Katic) de UNFFT France consacre 20-30 heures par semaine au Tibet depuis 2010 et est éditeur sur la page principale de l’UNFFT, ainsi que administrateur de la langue française, Royaume-Uni, le Tibet, le Népal et d’autres pages spécifiques de l’UNFFT. Ling Lhamo est également cinéaste et traductrice, dont le travail est suivi par quelque 1 300 abonnés sur la chaine Youtube “Ling Lhamo”, consacrée au Tibet. Elle a également créé de nombreuses pages et des groupes sur Facebook: “Tibet Justice”, “Ling Gesar», «Ling Lhamo’s Channel” … Elle a étudié le journalisme à Belgrade et a travaillé comme journaliste en ex-Yougoslavie et en France (RFI, programme en serbo croate) jusqu’à l’âge de 35 ans. Après sa Maîtrise en Sciences politiques à la Sorbonne à Paris, elle a aidé le Président du groupe France-Bosnie au Parlement français, puis elle est devenue fonctionnaire français au sein du Ministère du travail et de l’emploi, où elle travaille encore aujourd’hui “. En espérant que ma candidature sera utile pour les Tibétains, Cordialement.

Baptiste Vallon* – nominated by France Tibet

EASTERN EUROPE (1 seat)

Younten Phuntsok – nominated by SFT.

I have been associating with SFT both in India and Poland since 2009. I am pursuing for Master’s degree in International Relations from the University of Warsaw. I am determined to work harder for the Tibet Movement in future and I am sure I could be able to participate actively in ITN as as Steering Committee member.

SOUTH ASIA (1 seat)

Dhardon Sharling – nominated by Tibetan Women’s Association

Dhardon is one of most dynamic young leaders in Tibetan community today. Elected to the Tibetan Parliament in Exile in 2011, Dhardon become the youngest parliamentarian. She has earned BA degree in English literature, MA in Communication and MSc in Counselling Studies. Previously she has worked at the Tibetan Women’s Association as its Research and Media Officer. She is currently the Chair of the Steering Committee. 

REST of ASIA (1 seat)

Lee Penghsuan – nominated by Taiwan Friends of Tibet

[Nomination statement from Wang Hsing Chung] Penghsuan has been working with the Taiwan Friends of Tibet and the Students for a Free Tibet Taiwan Chapter for years. She worked at the Tibet Center for Human Rights and Democracy as an intern for six months in 2014-15. She is now graduate student at the National Taiwan University, majoring political science and international relations. She is a buddhist, experianced activist and telanted young scholar. I believe that she will contribute to the Network a lot in the future.

AUSTRALASIA (1 seat)

Kyinzom Dhongdue – nominated by Australia Tibet Council

Kyinzom is the Communications and Government Relations Manager with Australia Tibet Council, an organisation that campaigns for the human rights and freedoms of the Tibetan people. Kyinzom grew up in Dharamsala in India and was schooled in the Tibetan Children’s Village. After studying at Delhi University, Kyinzom worked as a journalist for the Times of India and The Asian Age. She moved to Australia in 2006. She has served on the Steering Committee since 2013 and was Co Chair from 2013 – 2014.

CANADA (1 seat)

Bhutila Karpoche – nominated by Canada Tibet Committee

Bhutila Karpoche lives in Toronto, Canada where she has been actively involved within the Tibet movement for over a decade.  For the past 2 years, she served on the Board of Directors of the Canadian Tibetan Association of Ontario, the largest Tibetan association in Canada.  Bhutila received her BSc from the University of British Columbia and her MPH from the University of Toronto. She’s currently a PhD candidate in Policy Studies and works in the office of Cheri DiNovo, a Member of the Ontario Legislature.

USA (2 seats)

Wangchuk Shakabpa

Wangchuk was born in Kalimpong, India and is the grandson of noted Tibetan historian, Tsepon W.D. Shakabpa. Wangchuk grew up in the United States and graduated with a law degree from Georgetown University Law Center in 1992. Wangchuk served two years on the Board of Directors of Students for a Free Tibet (SFT) and is currently a board member of U.S.-Tibet Committee (USTC) and Tibet Justice Center (TJC). Recently, Wangchuk has been serving as a co-editor of Tibetan Political Review, an online forum for critical discussions of Tibetan politics. He has served on the Network Steering Committee since 2011.

Only one nomination was received by the deadline. We will re-open nominations for this seat after this election is completed.

LATIN AMERICA (1 seat)

Sandra Erickson – nominated by Rangzen Free Tibet Natal

Portuguese: Sinto-me grandemente inspirada por Tereluz Flores a participar do movimento de resistência contra a ocupação colonial e violenta da China sobre o Tibete. Acredito firmemente que o Tibete será livre e que o mundo inteiro já é um lugar melhor graças a esse extraordinário movimento de libertação sob os princípios da não-violência pregados por Sua Santidade, XIV Dalai Lama. As estratégias do movimento são fortes! Poderosa! E cada vez mais tocam corações, mentes e falas. Me sinto honrada de ser parte dessa história de amor à liberdade e a paz. Quero fazer o melhor que eu possa para que o amado Tibete re-conquiste sua liberdade. Todavia eu não julgo inapropriada qualquer ação que tenha por fim libertar o Tibete da presente extrema opressão do brutal regime chinês que qualquer Tibetano possa ou venha a realizar. Toda pessoa tem o direito e mesmo o dever de lutar contra a opressão e o sofrimento dos seres. Tibete: Pàtria Livre! Juntos Haste la vitoria final: Venceremos!

Spanish: He sido inspirada en gran medida por Tereluz Flores a participar en este movimiento de resistencia contra la ocupación colonial y violenta de China sobre el Tíbet. Creo firmemente que el Tíbet será libre y que todo el mundo ya es un lugar mejor gracias a este extraordinario movimiento de liberación bajo los principios de la no violencia difundidos por Su Santidad el XIV Dalai Lama. ¡Las estrategias del movimiento son fuertes! Poderosas! Y cada vez cuenta con más corazones, mentes y discursos. Me siento honrada de ser parte de esta historia de amor a la libertad, y la paz. Quiero hacer lo mejor que puedo para que nuestro añorado Tíbet vuelva a tener libertad. Sin embargo no juzgo inapropiada ninguna acción que cualquier tibetano pueda llevar a cabo y que pretenda liberar al Tíbet de esta opresión extrema y del brutal régimen chino. Toda persona tiene derecho e incluso el deber de luchar contra la opresión y el sufrimiento de los seres. ¡Tíbet: Patria Libre! Juntos hasta la victoria final ¡Venceremos!

English: I have been inspired largely by Tereluz Flores to participate in the resistance movement against colonial and violent occupation of China over Tibet. I firmly believe that Tibet will be free and that now the world it’s a better place because of this extraordinary liberation movement under the principles of non-violence spread by His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama. The strategies of the movement are strong! Powerful! And that the hearts, minds, and talks are increasing on this topic. I am honored to be part of this story of love, freedom, and peace. I want to do the best I can for our longed Tibet again be free. However i do not judge improperly any action that any Tibetan can perform and that seeks to free Tibet from this extreme oppression and brutal Chinese regime. Everyone has the right and even the duty to fight against oppression and suffering of beings. Tibet: Free Country! Together until the final victory, We’ll be victorious!