{{Short description|Tibetan movement organization}} {{Use dmy dates|date=June 2021}} {{Infobox organization | name = Tibet Action Institute | image = | image_size = | formation = 2009 | owners = | leader_title = Director | leader_name = Lhadon Tethong | headquarters = | editor = | website = {{URL|https://tibetaction.net}} | circulation = | political = }} thumb|261x261px|Lhadon Tethong leads a workshop for the Tibet Action Institute on 22 April 2010 The '''Tibet Action Institute''' is an organization that uses digital communication tools and strategic nonviolent action to strengthen the capacity and effectiveness of the Tibet movement in the digital era, co-founded by Lhadon Tethong and Nathan Fretias (also founder and director of Guardian Project) in 2009.<ref name="democracy2019">{{cite web|url=https://www.ned.org/defenders-of-human-and-religious-rights-in-china-to-receive-2019-democracy-award-on-30th-anniversary-of-tiananmen-massacre/|title=DEFENDERS OF HUMAN AND RELIGIOUS RIGHTS IN CHINA TO RECEIVE 2019 DEMOCRACY AWARD ON 30TH ANNIVERSARY OF TIANANMEN MASSACRE|date=21 May 2019|accessdate=6 May 2020|website=National Endowment for Democracy}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=2019 DEMOCRACY AWARD RECIPIENT: TIBET ACTION INSTITUTE|url=https://www.ned.org/2019-democracy-award/tibet-action-institute-tai/|access-date=2021-08-28|website=NATIONAL ENDOWMENT FOR DEMOCRACY|language=en-US}}</ref> The organization helps to identify, trace, and resist malware and other online attacks launched against Tibetan activists.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://editors.cis-india.org/raw/civil-society-organisations-and-internet-governance-in-asia-open-review|title=Civil Society Organisations and Internet Governance in Asia – Open Review|date=19 August 2015|accessdate=6 May 2020|website=Centre for Internet and Society (India)|author=Sumandro Chattapadhyay}}</ref>
==Activities== [[File:Students for a Free Tibet Honors Beijing Olympics Activists at Victory Party in New York 自由西藏-圖博學生運動在紐約慶功宴嘉許參與北京奧運行動人士.jpg|thumb|261x261px|Students for a Free Tibet Honors Beijing Olympics Activists at Victory Party in New York City on 19 February 2009 with special guest Palden Gyatso in robes, standing in center|alt=]] In 2012, Lhadon Tethong, director of the Tibet Action Institute, explained self-immolations in Tibet as a response to escalating repression from the Chinese government.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/asia_pacific/china-powerless-to-prevent-rising-tide-of-tibetan-self-immolations/2012/10/30/e3149830-22ac-11e2-8448-81b1ce7d6978_story.html|title=China powerless to prevent rising tide of Tibetan self-immolations|date=30 October 2012|accessdate=6 May 2020|newspaper=The Washington Post|author=Simon Denyer}}</ref>
In 2013, Citizen Lab collaborated with the Tibet Action Institute to hold public awareness events in Dharamshala, India, for the exiled Tibetan community on cyber espionage campaigns.<ref>{{cite web | title = Tibet Action Institute: Safe Travels Online Tech Meet | date = 12 June 2013 | url = https://cyberstewards.org/2013/06/public-awareness-program-on-internet-security-and-a-talk-on-targeted-threats-against-the-tibetan-community/|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20140325174023/https://cyberstewards.org/2013/06/public-awareness-program-on-internet-security-and-a-talk-on-targeted-threats-against-the-tibetan-community/|archivedate=25 March 2014|via=Internet Archive}}</ref>
In 2018, Lhadon Tethong said there was a "crisis of repression unfolding across China and territories it controls." and that "it is shocking to know that Google is planning to return to China and has been building a tool that will help the Chinese authorities engage in censorship and surveillance." She further noted that, "Google should be using its incredible wealth, talent, and resources to work with us to find solutions to lift people up and help ease their suffering — not assisting the Chinese government to keep people in chains."<ref>{{cite web|url=https://theintercept.com/2018/12/10/rights-groups-pressure-google-on-china-censorship-ahead-of-congressional-hearing/|title=RIGHTS GROUPS TURN UP PRESSURE ON GOOGLE OVER CHINA CENSORSHIP AHEAD OF CONGRESSIONAL HEARING|date=11 December 2018|accessdate=6 May 2020|website=The Intercept|author=Ryan Gallagher}}</ref>
The organization published a report titled "Separated from their families, hidden from the world"<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |date=2024-06-05 |title=Separated From Their Families, Hidden From The World – Tibet Action Institute |url=https://tibetaction.net/colonial-boarding-school-report/ |access-date=2024-06-07 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240605170540/https://tibetaction.net/colonial-boarding-school-report/ |archive-date=5 June 2024 }}</ref> in 2021. This report documents China's vast system of colonial boarding schools inside of Tibet.
The report reveals that roughly 800,000 Tibetan children from age six to 18 – 78% of Tibetan students – are living in Chinese colonial boarding schools, separated physically from their families, communities, and culture. Children leave their families to live on-site at these schools, their classes are taught primarily in Chinese, and the curriculum presented is "highly politicized" that is "intended to make [the students] identify as Chinese, instead of Tibetan.<ref name=":0" />
== Recognition == In 2019, the group received the Democracy Award from the National Endowment for Democracy.<ref name="democracy2019" /> In 2024, it was again nominated for this award.<ref>{{Cite web |title=2024 Democracy Award |url=https://www.ned.org/2024-democracy-award/ |access-date=2024-06-07 |website=NATIONAL ENDOWMENT FOR DEMOCRACY |language=en-US}}</ref>
For her work exposing China's network of colonial boarding schools in Tibet, Tethong received the International Campaign for Tibet's Snow Lion Human Rights Prize in 2024.<ref>{{Cite web |last=says |first=Ten Lhamo |date=2024-03-20 |title=Tibetan activist awarded Snow Lion Human Rights Prize |url=https://www.phayul.com/2024/03/20/49983/ |access-date=2024-06-07 |website=Phayul |language=en-US}}</ref>
==References== {{reflist}}
==External links== * [https://www.youtube.com/user/tibetactioninstitute Tibet Action Institute] {{in lang|bo}}
Category:Tibet Category:Tibetan independence movement Category:Human rights organizations