Dolma Gyari wins 2025 'Spirit of Freedom Award' for promoting Tibetan democracy, resisting Chinese oppression

Dharamshala (Himachal Pradesh) [India], June 13 (ANI): The Independent Federation of Chinese Students and Scholars (IFCSS) named Dolma Gyari the 2025 "Spirit of Freedom Award" recipient in honour of her services to democratic development and Tibetan struggle in exile.
According to a report by the Central Tibetan Administration (CTA), Dolma Gyari is currently the Security Minister in the 16th Kashag of the CTA. Her decades-long leadership has made her a lasting symbol of female empowerment, reform, and tenacity within the Tibetan community.
In its statement, IFCSS praised Dolma Gyari for her accomplishments and for symbolising the Tibetan exile community's larger democratic goals.
According to CTA, the Federation emphasised that the award honours more than 100,000 Tibetans living abroad and shows support for the six million Tibetans living in Tibet who are still subjected to political and religious persecution by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP).
The statement emphasised IFCSS's shared grief and empathy for Tibet's suffering by highlighting the terrible repression that Tibetans have endured, particularly the heartbreaking acts of self-immolation committed by over 150 people in recent years.
The CTA report also recognised the advancements made in exile under the direction of His Holiness the Dalai Lama, particularly in establishing democratic institutions.
The IFCSS said, "Dolma Gyari is a pioneer who sets an example for Tibetans, especially women, even though this road is not smooth and still needs to be explored and developed."
The group added that by paying tribute to Gyari, it seeks to advance a shared democratic future in post-CCP China and to build understanding between the Tibetan and Han people, who have both suffered under CCP oppression. According to the CTA report, the statement said, "We hope this award will be a bridge for Han-Tibetan friendship after the CCP collapses."
The IFCSS has stated its support for the Dalai Lama's Middle Way Approach, which seeks genuine autonomy for Tibet within the framework of the People's Republic of China.
Dolma Gyari, born in 1964 in Kalimpong, India, has had a significant impact on the Tibetan exile community's political and democratic institutions. Her political career began early, as a member of the Tibetan Youth Congress and advisor to the Tibetan Women's Association from 1986 to 1991, according to a CTA report. She graduated from Punjab University and Delhi University's Law School. (ANI)