A museum commemorating China’s violent crackdown on pro-democracy protests in 1989 opened on Monday in Los Angeles, museum director Wang Dan (王丹) said.
“Commemorating June 4th is not just about mourning and denunciation, it’s also a continuation,” Wang said. “The spirit of ’89 is about holding on to hope for social change.”
The June 4th Memorial Museum, which marks the day Chinese People’s Liberation Army troops opened fire on unarmed protesters in central Beijing, was originally based in New York, but relocated to Los Angeles due to rising rents, Wang said.
Photo: CNA
He added that the move would help bring this part of Chinese history to local communities from China, Taiwan and Hong Kong.
Wang, a student leader during the 1989 movement, was imprisoned by Chinese authorities before moving abroad and earning a doctorate from Harvard University.
In an interview with the Central News Agency, Wang said the greatest challenge in China today is the younger generation’s “disappointment and despair” about their country.
He said he hopes the spirit of the 1989 movement can rekindle a sense of hope and possibility for change.
Located in El Monte, a city of about 100,000 in eastern Los Angeles County, the June 4th Memorial Museum displays photographs and artifacts from the 1989 pro-democracy movement.
One exhibit features a letter sent to Wang by Liu Xiaobo (劉曉波), a Chinese academic who received the 2010 Nobel Peace Prize for his human rights advocacy, while Wang was imprisoned at age 21.
Wang said the museum aims to be more than a static display, but serve as a “vibrant cultural space,” hosting concerts, film screenings and community events to promote cultural and intellectual exchanges.
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