Archive · 6 Sep 2026
Spirit of Tibet Festival Preserves Culture Through Art and Memory
A festival in New Delhi is celebrating Tibetan culture.
It also teaches people why preserving Tibetan history is important.
Monks are showing visitors how to write Tibetan letters.
Visitors can ask them to write their names in Tibetan.
Artists are displaying paintings, games and other creative work.
Craftspeople are making wood carvings and traditional carpets.
Young volunteers are helping people remember Tibetans who protested and died.
The festival shows how Tibetan traditions continue through writing, art, crafts and community activities.
The three-day Spirit of Tibet festival at New Delhi’s India International Centre combines cultural celebration with efforts to preserve Tibetan history.
Central Tibetan Administration head Sikyong Penpa Tsering highlighted Tibet’s cultural and spiritual ties with India and called for their preservation.
Young Tibetan volunteers used messages, names and artwork to remember Tibetans who have self-immolated in protest.
Monks demonstrated Tibetan calligraphy, while artists presented paintings, digital games and traditional crafts.
The festival also featured carpets, wood carving and natural-paint artwork created through Tibetan cultural institutions and community groups.
- Who
- Tibetan monks, artists, craftspeople, youth volunteers, cultural organizations and visitors, along with Sikyong Penpa Tsering.
- What
- A three-day Spirit of Tibet festival celebrating Tibetan culture while highlighting efforts to preserve its history, language, arts and crafts.
- When
- The festival was taking place over three days and was scheduled to end on Saturday; Penpa Tsering spoke at its inauguration, and Lobga Rangzen died the following day.
- Where
- The festival was held at the Kamala Devi Centre of the India International Centre in New Delhi, India.
- Why
- Organizers aimed to celebrate Tibetan culture and compassion, preserve Tibetan identity and traditions, and remember Tibetans who have protested or died in connection with Tibet-related political issues.
- Festival venue
- India International Centre’s Kamala Devi Centre, New Delhi
- Festival duration
- Three days, ending on Saturday
- Festival tagline
- Celebrating Culture and Compassion
- Calligraphy demonstration
- Ven Karma Wangdak demonstrated 119 Tibetan scripts
- Norbulingka Institute
- Founded in 1955 to preserve Tibetan identity in exile through classical arts, crafts and literature
- Self-immolations
- The International Campaign for Tibet said more than 170 Tibetans have self-immolated over the years, most of them dying
- Traditional carpets
- Carpets displayed by the Tibetan Women’s Centre can take a month or more to make