In a powerful display of defiance against China’s growing transnational repression, the Harvard Club of France hosted a talk with Dr. Lobsang Sangay, the former President of the exile Tibetan government known officially as the Central Tibetan Administration (CTA). The event, held on Thursday after months of institutional refusals, underscores how Tibetans in exile continue to face Beijing’s influence even in democratic societies.
Stéphanie Mareva Failloux, President of the Harvard Club of France, shared that the organizing team faced months of obstacles as institutions, schools, and companies declined to host the Tibetan leader. “Despite months of effort, we couldn’t find a single institution willing to host us. We knocked on dozens of doors — all remained closed,” she wrote in a statement on Facebook.
Thanks to the determination of Harvard Law School alumna Dr. Ghislaine Bouillet-Cordonnier, the event was finally held in what Failloux described as a “historic and spiritual venue.” Around one hundred participants — including Harvard alumni, French scholars, and young Tibetans — attended the gathering, where Dr. Sangay delivered what was described as a “powerful, moving, and profoundly relevant” address.
Failloux said the experience revealed “the quiet and pervasive power of fear” created by Chinese soft power in the free world. “The fear of not conforming, the fear of standing out, the fear of speaking up — we were even encouraged to give up,” she wrote. “But this evening was ultimately a celebration of courage, truth, and the conviction to stand for both.”
For Dr. Sangay, who has long represented Tibet’s democratic movement in exile, the experience is part of a broader reality. Tibetans living in freedom must still navigate China’s transnational influence — from university campuses to global institutions — where Beijing’s political and economic leverage often silences discussions on Tibet. “Stéphanie was very brave and determined to secure a venue, even after dozens of rejections, whether under self-imposed or external pressure,” he wrote on Facebook. “She was truly a warrior and is now an honorary member of the Tibetan freedom movement.”
He later added on Instagram, “After a dozen venues refused to host the talk, Stéphanie persisted, and I was finally able to give the talk. In clear defiance of Chinese pressure, more than a hundred Harvard alumni and young Tibetans attended and actively contributed to the discussion.”
Failloux also highlighted the presence of young Tibetans in the audience, praising their resilience and conviction. “Despite the pressure, they are carrying forward his legacy and the fight for their culture’s survival,” she wrote.
The refusal of French institutions to host the Tibetan leader reflects a larger pattern of deference to Chinese sensitivities. In September, the UN Special Rapporteur on Cultural Rights voiced concern over Beijing’s growing influence in France’s cultural sector, including the removal of the term “Tibet” from museum exhibits. While the Musée du quai Branly reinstated the term after public outcry, the Musée Guimet still avoids labeling Tibetan artefacts explicitly.
Against this backdrop, the Harvard Club of France’s decision to proceed with Dr. Sangay’s talk stands as an act of moral courage — and a reminder that China’s reach extends far beyond its borders, shaping discourse even within the free world. As Failloux concluded, invoking Harvard’s motto Veritas (truth): “Peace and justice will never be achieved unless we have the courage to stand by our values.”
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