17 June 2026 | GATPM

The Passing of a Great Tibet Scholar and Activist

The Global Alliance for Tibet and Persecuted Minorities expresses its profound sadness at the passing of Professor Robert Thurman, who died peacefully on Tuesday morning, 16 June 2026, at his home in Woodstock, New York, at the age of 84. 

One of the most influential scholars and public advocates of the modern era, Professor Thurman spent more than half a century serving as a powerful voice for the Tibetan people and a passionate defender of their right to cultural, spiritual, and political survival. 

His departure leaves a void in the international movement for Tibet, yet his extraordinary legacy as a scholar activist ensures that his work will continue to inspire generations of campaigners fighting for justice, freedom, and human dignity.

For many within the Tibetan solidarity movement and our wider global alliance, Professor T...