The Central Tibetan Administration (CTA) on Wednesday launched the first Tibetan National Identity Preservation Week, with Sikyong (President) Penpa Tsering calling on Tibetans worldwide to make preservation of their language, culture and identity an enduring commitment rather than a week-long campaign.Addressing a press conference in Dharamsala, Tsering said the observance, beginning September 23 and continuing until next Wednesday, was proclaimed in response to what the CTA described as China’s increasing efforts to assimilate Tibetan identity.He said the initiative followed a resolution passed by the Tibetan Parliament-in-Exile after China adopted its so-called Ethnic Unity and Progress on March 12, 2026. The CTA, he said, had declared the fourth week of September as Tibetan National Identity Preservation Week.“The international community should also be wary of what China’s global ambitions are,” Tsering said, alleging that the new law gives a legal framework to policies implemented in Tibet for years to assimilate Tibet’s religion, language and culture.He said Tibetans inside Tibet continued to preserve their identity despite “very difficult circumstances” and urged Tibetans living across the world to support those efforts.The Sikyong said the campaign would seek to counter what he described as China’s “state-sponsored assimilation, propaganda and re-education campaigns”. He cited concerns raised by governments, lawmakers, UN experts and international organisations over the Chinese law, while expressing gratitude to international supporters of the Tibetan cause.As part of the week, a screening of The Man of Peace has been scheduled at a theatre in Dharamsala on Thursday, while the Tibetan Institute of Performing Arts (TIPA) will stage a drama focusing on the impact of the Ethnic Unity and Progress Law.Tsering said the drama would subsequently be taken to Tibetan settlements and communities. He emphasised that the observance should extend beyond cultural programmes.“Wear Tibetan, eat Tibetan, dress Tibetan, speak Tibetan and talk about Tibet,” he said, stressing that cultural activities should also help people understand the meaning behind Tibetan songs, dances and traditions.He said this year’s programme had deliberately given Tibetan settlements and communities worldwide the flexibility to organise activities according to their own initiatives. The CTA plans to expand the programme in subsequent years, with greater participation of younger Tibetans and a stronger focus on language, culture and religion.The Sikyong also announced the release of the Principles and Guidelines for the Preservation of the Tibetan Language, recently adopted by the Kashag. The guidelines will be made available in written and audio formats, along with an awareness video.Appealing particularly to younger Tibetans born outside traditional Tibetan settlements, Tsering urged them to follow the guidelines and take responsibility for preserving the Tibetan language and identity.He said the observance should not be treated as a temporary annual exercise but as an enduring pledge to preserve Tibetan national identity and uphold the principles of nonviolence and compassion associated with the vision of the Dalai Lama.