Victims of Communism On Line Museum Dedicated

International Delegations Participate in Solemn Wreath Laying Ceremony at Memorial on Massachusetts Avenue.

 Washington, DC. June 17, 2009. Delegations from dozens of foreign embassies and ethnic organizations gathered at the Victims of Communism Memorial on Massachusetts Avenue to participate in the ceremonies marking the launch of  the new online museum dedicated to documenting  the tragic human toll of  communist political systems.

Following statements by Dr. Lee Edwards, Chairman of the Victims of Communism Memorial Foundation, Dr. Aldona Wos Former U.S. Ambassador to Estonia, and Dr. Yang Jianli, Harvard Fellow and President of Initiatives for China, the attending delegations presented wreaths at the base of the memorial, which is a representation of the Goddess of Democracy. 

The Goddess of Democracy statue was originally erected  in Tiananmen Square, Beijing, China by students during the Tiananmen Democracy Movement of 1989.  Dr. Edwards spoke forcefully of the need for this and subsequent generations to learn from the failed communist philosophy so history is not repeated.  Ambassador Wos spoke of her personal experience of living under communism in Poland after World War II.   Freedom Now  President, Jared Genser, reading from a statement prepared by Dr. Yang Jianli who could not be present due to illness, reminded the audience that the grip of communist style governments still chokes  the Chinese, Vietnamese, Iranian, and North Korean peoples.  "As we stand here today, let us not forget that the same party that rules China today is the very same one that has killed more people than the victims of Hitler and Stalin combined. .........the model of Chinese Communism, with its  .....ruthless repression of human dignity and human diversity, is now a model emulated by the governments of Vietnam, Iran, Burma, Sudan, and North Korea.  All these governments draw their inspiration if not their lifeblood from the Chinese Communist Party" Dr. Yang said. For more information visit the Victims of Communism Memorial Foundation website and the online Global Museum on Communism   

Initiatives for China is a pro-democracy movement dedicated to peaceful democratic reform for China through education, advancing citizen power, and overseas support.

Contact Information
Jim Geheran, Director
Initiatives for China
jgeheran@initiativesforchina.org
202.290.1423 (0)