A being whose life is a living testimony to the strength of the human spirit, active compassion, and a deep commitment to peace, justice, and ancestral wisdom.
Born in 1954 in Kyirong, Tibet, his life took a radical turn at the age of 16: he entered the Namgyal Monastery in Dharamsala, the official residence of His Holiness the Dalai Lama, where he studied intensely Buddhist philosophy, ritual practices, meditation, Tibetan and Sanskrit languages, as well as the profound spiritual teachings of Tibetan Buddhism. For more than a decade, he trained under the direct guidance of the Dalai Lama, absorbing not only knowledge but also an ethic of universal service and commitment. In 1981, he arrived in Spain accompanying the Dalai Lama as an interpreter and assistant, and years later, driven by his desire to share the spiritual and cultural wealth of his people, and advised by the Dalai Lama, he founded the Casa del Tíbet in Barcelona in 1994, personally inaugurated by His Holiness. This center has since become an international reference for Tibetan Buddhism, as well as a space for intercultural dialogue, human rights advocacy, and the promotion of peace and harmony among peoples.
- In 2011, he was elected as a member of the Tibetan Parliament in Exile, representing the Tibetan diaspora in Europe. Since then, he has traveled to dozens of countries with campaigns such as "The Flame of Truth" and "Dialogue for Peace," seeking to open pathways of understanding between the Tibetan people and the Chinese government, promoting dialogue as a means for conflict resolution. He has also firmly advocated for animal rights, participating in actions to raise awareness and stop their exploitation. - The Venerable Thubten Wangchen has been a bridge between worlds: between East and West, between spirituality and action, between the ancestral and the contemporary. His life is an example of coherence between word and action, of humility in the service of the common good, and of serene courage in the face of injustice.
Today, from his space at the House of Tibet in Barcelona, he continues to offer lectures, retreats, training, and above all, his deep listening and compassionate presence.