Singh Vikash Kumar (second right) and Michael Crook (second left), cofounder of the Western Academy of Beijing and also a member of the delegation, pose for a picture with local Tibetan teenagers during their visit to Tibet in May 2023. [Photo courtesy of Singh Vikash Kumar]

When people think about Tibet, the first thing that springs to mind is that it is the "roof of the world." Having heard of the title since I was a child, I always wanted to climb to the roof of the world for a panoramic view. However, that dream gradually faded away until 2007 — when I traveled to China for the first time, my interest in Tibet was rekindled.

Dream trip comes true

I worked for China Radio International for two years and developed a habit of following news about Tibet and the Tibetan people.

Tibet is an integral part of China in terms of geography, history and culture. Prior to its peaceful liberation in 1951, Tibet was under theocratic feudal serfdom and ruled by three major stakeholders — officials, aristocrats and higher-ranking lamas. These people and their agents made up about 5% of the population but owned almost all of the land, pastures and livestock. Serfs and slaves, who accounted for 95% of the local population, had no means of production or freedom of their own; instead, they were subjected to high taxes, heavy labor and usury.