Tibet conference in Nepal pushed online amid government pressure claims

An international academic conference on Tibet, originally planned to be held in Nepal, has been abruptly moved online. Organizers cited a request from the Nepalese government not to host the event, a development they called "worrying." However, Nepal's government has denied issuing any such orders, stating the conference organizers postponed it themselves.

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We are proceeding with the conference, but it will take place online.

The conference, organized by the International Association for Tibetan Studies (IATS), was expected to gather scholars in Kathmandu to discuss Tibetan history, culture, religion, and society. IATS acting president Francoise Robin expressed regret over the shift, calling it "very regrettable and worrying."

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We had been planning this conference for a long time, but we received a request from the government not to hold it, so we are not doing it.

Organizers at Kathmandu University, the local host, confirmed they received a government request to withdraw from hosting. "The government told us that this is not an appropriate time to conduct this conference," said convener Sagar Raj Sharma. Despite these claims, Hem Raj Aryal, spokesperson for the prime minister's office, asserted that no official instructions, verbal or written, were given to cancel or stop the event.

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The government told us that this is not an appropriate time to conduct this conference.

Nepal's relationship with China is sensitive, particularly concerning Tibet. Beijing, which considers Tibet an integral part of China, opposes international activities perceived as challenging its sovereignty. China is also Nepal's second-largest trading partner. IATS, founded in 1979, states it has no political affiliations.

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Nepal’s government has not given any instructions to cancel it. Neither have we sent a letter nor given verbal instructions to stop it. They postponed it on their own.