AMHERST — Tibetan activist and writer Tenzin Tsundue, who’s been arrested and jailed multiple times for his activism, is coming to the Valley for a series of talks and to introduce his newest collection of poetry.

Tsundue was born in 1975 in India to Tibetan parents who had fled their country in 1959, fearing arrest by Chinese officials. For much of his life he has championed non-violent resistance and advocated for Tibetan freedom.

According to his website, this included making a trek by foot across the Himalayas at age 22 to see Tibet for the first time; he was arrested by Chinese border police and spent three months in prison.

On March 5 at 6 p.m., Tsundue will give a public talk in Franklin Patterson Hall at Hampshire College, and on March 6 at 5:30 p.m. he’ll come to Room N111 in the Integrative Learning Center, the University of Massachusetts Amherst, for a talk on “Writing and Resistance.”

At the latter event, hosted by UMass Students for a Free Tibet, Tsundue will discuss his experiences as a writer and activist and offer insights into the importance of literature and language in promoting social justice.

UMass Professor of Sociology Stellan Vinthagen will deliver the opening remarks.

Tsundue’s writing, which includes four books, has been translated into several languages and been published in forums such as International PEN, Outlook, and The Times of India.

On March 7 at 7 p.m., he’ll introduce his newest poetry collection, “Nowhere to Call Home,” at the Odyssey Bookshop in South Hadley and sign copies.

He is also scheduled to meet with U.S. Rep. Jim McGovern, at a date to be announced, to discuss human rights violations in Tibet and explore avenues for U.S. support for the Tibetan cause.

Steve Pfarrer can be reached at spfarrer@gazettenet.com.

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