September 18, 2026
A group of Tibetans and supporters began a six-day, roughly 200-mile walk from New York toward Washington on September 17, ahead of Chinese leader Xi Jinping’s planned visit to the United States.
Voice of America Chinese reported that participants departed from outside United Nations headquarters in New York on Thursday evening and expect to reach Washington on September 23. The group plans a final segment on September 24 from the Chinese Embassy toward the White House.
Participants told VOA that the walk is intended to draw attention to conditions in Tibet, including concerns about Tibetan-language education, boarding schools and cultural assimilation. They also called for Tibet and human-rights issues to be raised during Xi’s U.S. visit.
A continuing protest
The action also invokes the memory and demands of Tibetan activist Lobga Rangzen, who died after self-immolation outside the United Nations in July, according to VOA.
The International Campaign for Tibet separately called this week for President Donald Trump to raise Tibet, the Panchen Lama and human rights during meetings with Xi.
Free China will follow the march as it progresses toward Washington and record material developments as separate factual updates.
Sources
Voice of America Chinese, September 18, 2026; International Campaign for Tibet, September 16, 2026.