The UP Asian Center will be hosting the onsite lecture "Beyond the Roof of the World: Exploring Tibetan Culture and Heritage" on 27 August 2026, 2 PM, PHT, at the Seminar Room, UP Asian Center. The event is free and open to the public, but online registration is recommended due to limited slots. 

    I WILL ATTEND! (ONSITE)  

ABOUT THE LECTURE

Tibet possesses a distinctive and historically rich cultural heritage shaped by centuries of religious traditions, philosophical thought, literature, language, art, folklore, and social practices. Its cultural traditions have developed within a broader Asian historical context and have contributed significantly to the intellectual and cultural diversity of the region. The study of Tibetan culture provides an opportunity to examine how history, religion, language, folklore, and cultural traditions shape the identity and heritage of a people. It also offers a broader understanding of the connections between Tibetan civilization and the diverse cultural traditions of Asia.

The University of the Philippines Asian Center, as an institution committed to interdisciplinary scholarship on Asia, seeks to provide students, faculty members, researchers, and the general public with opportunities to engage with scholars and practitioners who possess extensive knowledge and experience in Asian history and culture. In line with this commitment, the UP Asian Center is organizing a public lecture featuring Dr. Tsewang Gyalpo Arya, Representative of the Liaison Office of His Holiness the Dalai Lama for Japan and East Asia (Tibet House Japan). With his academic background in Buddhist Studies, Japanese Studies, Economics, and Asian history and culture, as well as his research and publications on Tibetan civilization, religion, myths, and history, Dr. Arya is well positioned to provide an informed and interdisciplinary discussion of Tibetan cultural heritage. The lecture will focus primarily on Tibetan culture, civilization, history, religion, folklore, and cultural heritage, providing participants with an opportunity to learn about Tibet beyond contemporary political discussions.

ABOUT THE SPEAKERS

TSEWANG GYALPO ARYA, Ph.D.
Liaison Office of H.H. the Dalai Lama for Japan and East Asia, Central Tibetan Administration

Dr. Tsewang Gyalpo Arya is the Representative of the Liaison Office of H.H. the Dalai Lama for Japan and East Asia. He is a senior bureaucrat at the Central Tibetan Administration (CTA) currently located in India, where he served in various capacities, including the Secretary of the Office of Tibet, Japan, and the Bureau of H.H. the Dalai Lama in New Delhi. He is the former Secretary of the Department of Information and International Relations (DIIR) and former Director of the Tibet Policy Institute (TPI), the official think tank of the CTA. In May 2020, he was appointed the Representative of the Office of Tibet for Japan and East Asia.

T.G. Arya obtained his BA from Panjab University; MA in Economics from Annamalai University; MA Japanese Studies from Delhi University; and a diploma in International Trade and economics from Chiyoda College of Business, Tokyo. He earned his Ph.D. from the Department of Buddhist Studies, University of Delhi. His research interests are on Tibetan and Asian history, culture, and religion.

His major published work includes the English-Japanese-Tibetan Conversation Handbook; Harnessing the Dragon`s Fume – Challenging the Chinese Communist Party`s Distorted Tibet Narratives; and The Ancient Tibetan Civilization – Studies in Myths, Religion, and History of Tibet. He authored and translated several Tibetan and Japanese folktales and contributed articles and op-eds on issues on Tibet in various academic journals and media outlets.

ABOUT THE ORGANIZERS

The public lecture is organized by the UP Asian Center. For inquiries, please contact us at  This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or call 891-8500 loc. 3586.