What should we ask for during Tibet Lobby Day? Lobby day meetings with elected representatives are likely to be only 10 – 15 minutes long, so it will be important to develop a really concise list of things to ask for. The International Tibet Network, in consultation with Member groups in other countries, can help you draft this list of “asks” nearer the date of your lobby day(s). In 2012 we recommend a major focus on the root causes of the series of self-immolations in eastern Tibet. See page 10 for some examples of ‘Key Asks’ for Tibet Lobby Day 2012.
What do we need to do to organise a Tibet Lobby Day Let the Network know that you want to take part in Tibet Lobby Day by contacting campaigns@tibetnetwork.org. We will let you know if any other groups from your country have shown an interest and we can help you join together to make more of an impact with your lobby day. The next thing to do is to check the regulations for lobbying at your national Parliament, Congress or Senate. Each and every country has their own specific rules concerning how individuals can lobby their elected representative. What is allowed in one country may not be allowed in another. For example, if constituents are not permitted entry to national parliament buildings, you may need to plan your Tibet Lobby Day differently, and ask your supporters to arrange meetings with their elected representatives in constituency offices instead. Once you have found out the regulations and assured yourselves that it is possible to hold a lobby day it is time to decide a suitable date. In 2012, the Network recommends that groups hold their Tibet Lobby Day(s) during March, with the Tibetan Uprising Anniversary on 10 March as a key date to reference your demands. However, if March is not a suitable time for your groups/country, choose when you believe would be most beneficial and set your date around your regional preferences. We will provide guidelines and template materials for you to use to inform supporters about taking part, arranging meetings, ‘Key Asks’ and feeding back responses from representatives.
Tips for a successful lobby day meeting • Set the date for your lobby day in good time to allow you to organise well. • Ensure you have good background materials to familiarise lobbyists about what to do and say to their representatives. • It is highly recommended that Tibet groups hold a Tibet Lobby Day briefing session with lobbyists to ensure that individuals know what their meeting will entail. This briefing can either be held prior to Tibet Lobby Day or on the day itself. This briefing session will help your lobbyists be clear about what they should discuss and what the Key Asks of Tibet Lobby Day are. It will also let you ensure that they have the correct briefing papers to give to their representative. • Meetings with elected representatives will be short, likely taking no more than 15 minutes. With this in mind lobbyists need to plan in advance what they want to say making sure that they are concise and have the most important points to raise at the top of their list. • It is advisable to take notes during lobby meetings so that lobbyists can advise you of what was discussed and alert you to anything that they or your Tibet group need to follow up with i.e anything that they promised to do or find out, or any significant comments that the elected representative made. • Make sure that everyone going to a lobby meeting has a Lobby Pack (see pages 9 – 11 for example materials) that they can leave with their elected representative or one of their staff.
Tibet Lobby Day