Brussels: A commemorative meeting was held in Brussels, the capital of Belgium, to mark the 37th anniversary of the Tiananmen Square Massacre (also called June 4th Incident), the day in 1989 when Chinese students who had taken to the streets demanding democratic reforms were met with a brutal crackdown by the Chinese government. The event was co-organised by Sino Euro Voices and the Chinese Liaison Officer Sangay Kyab.

The meeting, titled “Inheriting the Spirit of 1989, Promoting Democracy, Commemorating the 37th Anniversary of the June 4th Incident Globally,” brought together more than 30 activists, intellectuals, and democracy advocates from across the world, including participants from the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, France, Germany, Belgium, the United States, Japan, and Australia.

Among the notable attendees were Taiwanese Ambassador to Belgium and the European Union Shieh Jhy-wey, along with Sangay Kyab, Chinese Liaison Officer for European countries; Jamyang Tsering, Editor in Chief of the Central Tibetan Administration’s (CTA) Chinese Desk; and Sakar Tashi, a social media activist for the Tibetan cause. Activists and intellectuals from Chinese, Uyghur, and Taiwanese communities were also in attendance. Sikyong Penpa Tsering, the elected leader of the Central Tibetan Administration, had been scheduled to join online but was unable to attend due to prior commitments.

The meeting was chaired by Sangay Kyab. In his remarks, he drew a direct historical parallel between the June 4th Incident and the Chinese government’s earlier massacre of Tibetan protesters in Lhasa, noting that Tibetan students had themselves taken part in the 1989 pro-democracy movement across China. He recalled that His Holiness the Dalai Lama had immediately and publicly condemned the crackdown and expressed solidarity with the students, and that the Central Tibetan Administration has stood in support of China’s pro-democracy movement ever since.

He also reflected on the lasting bond between Tibetan and Chinese communities forged in exile after 1989. “After the incident, many Chinese came into exile, and from then on there was an opportunity for exchange of ideas between the Tibetan and Chinese peoples, one that has been maintained until today,” he said. “Now we not only exchange ideas, but actively support one another.” He emphasised that this deepening solidarity made the 37th commemoration especially meaningful.

Later that evening, a dinner was hosted by the Taiwanese Embassy and was attended by Representative Rigzin Choedon Genkhang of the Office of Tibet in Brussels, Secretary Tashi Wangdue, Tibetan Liaison Officer Dhondup Gyalpo, Sangay Kyab, Sakar Tashi, and several Chinese pro-democracy activists.

As part of the broader commemorative activities, a protest was held in front of the Chinese Embassy in Basel on 4 June.

-Report filed by Office of Tibet, Brussels