The eight-meter-high monument Pillar of Shame stood in Hong Kong for 24 years. Created by the Danish artist Jens Galschiøt, it commemorates the victims of the 1989 Tiananmen Massacre, during which the Chinese regime violently suppressed pro-democracy demonstrations. The Pillar of Shame was taken down outside the University of Hong Kong in December 2021, and all sites that remembered the protests were wiped out.
Collaborating with the artist, the non-profit organization, Axel Springer Freedom Foundation has brought a faithful replica of the original Pillar of Shame to Berlin so that the monument is once again visible to the public. The opening ceremony, which takes place on Monday, May 22 at 3 pm, and the replica, which is to be installed on the forecourt of the Axel Springer building (Axel-Springer-Str. 65, 10969 Berlin), are open to the public.
In addition to the artist Jens Galschiøt, those speaking at the Pillar of Shame opening ceremony include Haiyuer Kuerban (head of the Berlin office of the World Uyghur Congress), Prof. Dr. Jhy-Wey Shieh (representative of Taiwan in Germany), Ray Wong (co-founder of Germany’s Freedom for Hong Kong association), and Tenzyn Zöchbauer (Director of Tibet Initiative Deutschland e.V.).
Immediately following the opening, employees can attend a panel discussion on topics related to the event starting at 5 pm The language of both events is English; the panel discussion will also be available via livestream.
Jens Galschiøt said: “The Pillar of Shame commemorates the history and the human rights abuses that have been committed in Hong Kong. Exhibiting its replica in Berlin sends out a signal of support to protest movements and democratic forces that stand up against totalitarian systems all over the world.”
You can find further details here.