Founded in 1988, ICT is the world's largest Tibet-related NGO, with several thousand members and strong bases of support in North America and Europe.

On March 15, 2018, the ICT completed 30 years of service to the Tibetan community and received a video message from the Dalai Lama.

[3] An event was also held in the United States Congress on March 6, 2018 to mark the event with Congressional leaders Nancy Pelosi, Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, Jim McGovern, ICT Chairman Richard Gere,[4] Representative Ngodup Tsering and ICT Board Member Tempa Tsering making remarks.

Additional advocacy efforts are focused on achieving the release of Tibetans imprisoned for their political or religious beliefs.

The award itself is a simple Tibetan butter lamp, symbolizing the extraordinary light that each recipient has drawn to the Tibet issue.