PRESS RELEASE: FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
ONLINE COMMEMORATION: ANNUAL AWARD & TIANANMEN COMMEMORATION 31st ANNIVERSARY
WHAT: The Visual Artists Guild will be streaming live on Youtube and Facebook for its 31st Annual Commemoration of the Tiananmen Massacre
WHEN: Sunday, May 31st, 2020, 2 p.m. Pacific Standard Time
WHERE: Online via Visual Artists Guild Youtube Channel (https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCmt032_hMve6vSp0qdC6-TA )
CONTACT: Ann Lau 310-433-0697
Catherine Bauknight (cbauknight@othilamedia.com)
www.visual-artists-guild.org
Every year since the Tiananmen Massacre on June 4th 1989, when thousands of student protesters were murdered, the Visual Artists Guild has been commemorating their sacrifice. It has been a celebration of free speech. While the Chinese government has successfully erased this atrocity from the public consciousness, outside of China it is known thousands of peaceful protesters were murdered by the People's Liberation Army. They were executed for exercising their right to free speech.
Since Tiananmen our team of volunteer activists at the Visual Artists Guild has put together live commemorations attempting to continue this dialogue regarding the freedom of speech. The 1989 Tiananmen Massacre started a period that saw the fall of the Berlin Wall, and the collapse of Eastern Europe Communist Dictatorships. Due to the Wuhan virus, the 31st anniversary will be done completely online. This pandemic finds us in a tragic situation largely due to another cover up by the CCP, and we will be honoring the Wuhan virus whistleblowers.
We will be honoring these outstanding champions of free speech and human rights:
Dr. Li Wenliang- Original whistleblower censured for reporting the virus who then died.
Zeng Yingchun and Zhen Yan- Doctors who submitted an article to The Lancet, a British Medical journal calling for international help with Wuhan hospital, and since disappeared.
Ai Fen- Doctor who sent initial information to Dr. Li Wenliang and others, who disappeared; has since reappeared.
Chen Qiushi, Fang Bin and Li Zehua-All three citizen journalists who went to Wuhan to report the facts. All three have disappeared. Li Zehua has reappeared.
Zhang Zhan- Chinese citizen journalist in detention since live-streaming on the Wuhan virus from Wuhan a story critical of the government’s response to the crisis.
Matan Evenoff- Youth that became an internet sensation speaking truth to power about Hong Kong human rights.
THE VISUAL ARTISTS GUILD IS A NONPARTISAN NONPROFIT PROMOTING THE RIGHT TO FREE SPEECH AND EXPRESSION WORLDWIDE