Sept.29,2019 -- Tibetan girls display ethnic costume.(photo by Liu Zhongjun)
 

Sept.29,2019 -- A Tibetan cultural delegation, organized by the State Council Information Office of China and led by Zhang Yun, director of the Institute of History of China Tibetology Research Center, visited Sweden from Sept.25^th to Sept.26^th. During the visit, the delegation met with officials of the Swedish Ministry of Foreign Affairs, scholars from the Institute for Security and Development Policy (ISDP) and the Stockholm University.

 

When meeting with officials of Swedish Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Zhang said that this year marks the 60th anniversary of the democratic reform in Tibet, which is an important page in the history of human rights in China as well as in the world. Sweden has become a developed country through continuous development. On the road to modernization, China is making continuous progress in various aspects including human rights.

 

Berikovister, director of the East Asia Section of the Asia Pacific Department of Swedish Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said it is meaningful for the delegation to shed some light on Tibet’s human rights development from the perspective of history and reality.

 

Tibet has made tremendous achievements in traditional culture protection and freedom of religious belief. The west should look at the whole picture of Tibet’s human rights progress, Zhang said.

 

During the 60 years of democratic reform in Tibet, local people's lives have undergone tremendous changes. The proportion of residents in Tibet who receive education has increased from 5 percent to 100 percent, and the average life expectancy has increased from 35.5 years to 70.6 years. 

 

During the visit, the two sides exchanged views on the localization of religion. Zhang said that the localization of religion is very important for a religion to integrate into society and realize its own development.

 

Sweden was the last stop of the delegation's visit. The delegation had just concluded its visit to Denmark and Finland.