Brussels: On October 11, 2023, Olivier Deleuze, Mayor of Watermael-Boitsfort, hosted Representative Rigzin Genkhang for a meeting in his office.

During the meeting, Representative Genkhang expressed gratitude to the Mayor for hoisting the Tibetan national flag, banned in Tibet, at his town hall on 10 March every year in a show of solidarity with Tibet and the Tibetan people. The Representative briefed the Mayor on the critical situation in Tibet with China’s repressions against Tibetans to eradicate their unique cultural and religious identity; including the separation of nearly one million Tibetan children from their families and forcing them in Chinese state-run boarding schools as part of their efforts to assimilate them. The Representative also informed the Mayor about the recent enforcement of Order No. 19.

The two also discussed His Holiness the Dalai Lama’s visit to Belgium in the past, the environmental issues in Tibet and displacement of nomads. The Mayor expressed concern regarding the deteriorating situation in Tibet and reaffirmed continued support.

Representative Genkhang presented the Mayor a book on Panchen Rinpoche and another book published by the Office of Tibet, Brussels as a token of gratitude.

Deleuze is a former Minister of Energy in the Federal government and the founding member of Ecolo, the Belgian green party. He has been the Mayor of his municipality since 2012.

Watermael-Boitsfort is one of the 19 municipalities of the Brussels-Capital Region located in the southeast of Brussels with 25,187 inhabitants. According to records available to us, 55 municipalities in Belgium of which 5 are located Brussels-Capital Region hoist the Tibetan national flag on 10 March every year.