Paris [France], October 20 : The Harvard Club of France hosted a talk featuring Lobsang Sangay, the former President of the Central Tibetan Administration (CTA), on Thursday, despite facing numerous refusals from French institutions. This event is regarded as a bold response to China's growing influence across the globe, according to a report by Phayul.
Stephanie Mareva Failloux, President of the Harvard Club of France, noted that organising the event was challenging due to hesitance from institutions, schools, and companies regarding hosting the Tibetan leader.
"After months of trying, we were unable to find a single institution that would host us. We approached numerous venues, all of which refused," she stated on Facebook, as reported by Phayul.
Around one hundred attendees participated in the event, which was held in a "historic and spiritual venue" thanks to the support of Ghislaine Bouillet-Cordonnier, a graduate of Harvard Law School.
The former Tibetan political leader delivered a speech that Failloux described as "powerful, moving, and profoundly relevant." Failloux reflected on the struggle to host the event as an enlightening experience regarding the extent of Chinese soft power and the "subtle and widespread influence of fear" that stifles open discussions about Tibet.
"The apprehension of deviating from the norm, the anxiety of standing out, and the trepidation of voicing one's opinion made us feel discouraged, and we were even advised to give up," she remarked, concluding that the successful evening ultimately celebrated "courage, truth, and the commitment to uphold both," highlighted in the Phayul report.
Failloux also highlighted the presence of young Tibetan students who attended the event, praising their "courage and conviction" in preserving their culture amid adversity. "Despite the pressure, they are carrying forward his legacy and the fight for their culture's survival," she wrote.
Following her post, Lobsang Sangay responded with words of appreciation and admiration for Failloux's efforts. "Indeed, Stephanie was very brave and determined to secure a venue, even after dozens of rejections, whether under self-imposed or external pressure. She was truly a warrior and is now an honorary member of the Tibetan freedom movement," he wrote on Facebook. "I want to thank the Harvard Club of France for hosting me, and thank each one of you for showing your support and interest in the issue of Tibet."
"After a dozen venues refused to host the talk, #stephaniemarevafailloux, the president of the Harvard Club of France, persisted, and I was finally able to give the talk. In clear defiance of Chinese pressure, more than a hundred Harvard alumni and young Tibetans attended and actively contributed to the discussion," he shared on Instagram, as noted by Phayul report.
The hesitation of French institutions to accommodate Sangay reflects a wider trend of yielding to Chinese sensitivities. In September, the UN Special Rapporteur on Cultural Rights expressed concern about Beijing's increasing influence in the elimination of the term "Tibet" from exhibits in French museums. Although the Musee du quai Branly ultimately restored the term "Tibet" in its catalogues and exhibition labels for Tibetan artefacts after public backlash, Yannick Lintz, the director of the Musee Guimet, declined to change the title of its exhibition to "Himalayan World" to more accurately reflect "Tibet," Phayul reported.
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