Historic Visit of Czech President to the Dalai Lama

Czech President Petr Pavel with the Tibetan spiritual leader H.H. the Dalai Lama and CTA President Penpa Tsering during his visit to Leh, Ladakh on July 27, 2025 (Photo/OHHDL)

Historic Visit of the Czech President to the Dalai Lama

Yesterday, the President of the Czech Republic, Petr Pavel, was received by His Holiness the Dalai Lama in a special audience in Leh. He also held meetings with Sikyong Penpa Tsering of the Central Tibetan Administration (CTA) and other members of his cabinet.

Strong Bond Between the Tibetan and Czech Peoples

President Pavel’s visit marks the first time a foreign head of state has travelled to India to meet both the Dalai Lama and the Tibetan government in exile. President Pavel spoke about the strong bond between the Tibetan and Czech peoples, despite the geographical distance and cultural differences. Although this is the first meeting of a Czech head of state in India, the Dalai Lama himself has visited the Czech Republic eleven times since his first meeting and long-standing friendship with Václav Havel.

Decades of Support from Czech Leaders for Human Rights and Tibet

“This meeting is an important reminder of the historic friendship between the Czech and Tibetan peoples. The fact that President Pavel has travelled to India to meet His Holiness the Dalai Lama demonstrates their shared commitment to human rights, self-determination and justice — for the Tibetan people and for all who are oppressed worldwide,” said Tsering Jampa, chair of the Tibet Support Group Netherlands. “We are deeply grateful for the support of the Czech people and for the strong engagement of President Pavel and other Czech leaders who have stood alongside the Tibetan people for decades.”