‘Tibet Roundabout’ opens in Warsaw to honour Tibetans[Tuesday, 26 October 2010, 9:30 a.m.]
‘Tibet
Roundabout’ opens in Warsaw to commemorate Tibetan national uprising
and awarding of Honorary Citizenship to His Holiness the Dalai Lama
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Warsaw Mayor Mrs Hanna Gronkiewicz-Waltz at the inauguration of the ‘Tibet Roundabout’ with the President of the Tibetan Community in Poland/Photo by The Other Space Foundation |
London:
In a ceremony held on Sunday 24 October in the Wola District of Warsaw
and attended by the highest officials of the city, representatives of
the Wola district authorities, Tibetan supporters, Tibetans and other
guests, the ‘Tibet Roundabout’ was formally opened in commemoration of
the Tibetan national uprising of 10 March 1959 and the awarding of
Honorary Citizenship of Warsaw to His Holiness the Dalai Lama in 2009. The
city officials taking part in the commemorative plaque unveiling
ceremony were the Mayor of Warsaw Mrs Hanna Gronkiewicz-Waltz,
Vice-Mayor Mr Wlodziemierz Paszynski, and Vice-President of the Council
of Warsaw Mrs Ligia Krajewska. Mr Henryk Wujec, former Chair of the
Parliamentary Group for Tibet and currently an advisor to the President
of Poland also took part in the ceremony. His Holiness the
Dalai Lama in his message which was read out at the opening ceremony
said: “I consider the opening of this roundabout as recognition of the
Tibetan people’s non-violent and just struggle, and our efforts in
seeking genuine autonomy for the Tibetan people within the framework of
the constitution of the Peoples’ Republic of China”. His Holiness
further added: “I deeply appreciate this further gesture of solidarity
and support for us shown by the people and leaders of Warsaw. The
dedication of this ‘Tibet Roundabout’ is another means of connecting
the city of Warsaw and the Tibetan People. In her inaugural
speech, Mayor Hanna Gronkiewicz-Waltz said: “this is our tribute to
peace loving Tibetan people who are waging a struggle to preserve their
identity”. The Mayor continued: “Warsaw is a city of freedom and
unbroken spirit. We strongly believe that the Tibetans will be able to
shape their identity, cherish their culture and be free.” Mr
Henryk Wujec, who was a member of the democratic opposition during the
communist regime and a former political prisoner, said: “Similar to the
Tibetan people, Polish movement for freedom used strategy of
non-violence. We won our freedom and now feel the obligation to support
others in their struggle to preserve their unique identity.” Members of the Tibetan Community in Poland sang the Tibetan national anthem at the conclusion of the opening ceremony. The
Other Space Foundation, the Polish human rights NGO which played a key
role in the Warsaw authorities’ dedication of the roundabout in the
name of the Tibetan people, will create at the ‘Tibet Roundabout’ over
the next few years the Tibetan Gallery which will present the most
important symbols associated with the culture and history of Tibet.
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Mayor of Warsaw reading the ‘Tibet Roundabout’ commemorative plaque with the Polish, Tibetan and Warsaw flags in the background/Photo by The Other Space Foundation. |
The
commemorative plaque contains the Tibetan National flag and a message
in honour of thousands of Tibetans who were killed for defending their
national identity on 10 March 1959 as a result of overwhelming
oppression by the Chinese government , and the subsequent escape of His
Holiness the Dalai Lama and many Tibetans into exile. (Report
compiled by the Office of Tibet, London, based on information provided
by ‘The Other Space Foundation’ and www.e-warsaw.pl, the official
website of Warsaw)