At
9:00 a.m. Eastern Time on Monday, January 10, Wang Dan and others held a press conference to officially announce their plan to establish a June Fourth Memorial in New York. At 10:00 after the press conference, Wang Dan gave a live explanation on the YouTube channel “Wang Dan Academy.”
Since the closure of the June Fourth Memorial Hall in Hong Kong last year, more than fifty pro-democracy activists have jointly initiated the construction of a new “June Fourth Memorial Hall.”
— Proposal on the Establishment of the “June Fourth Memorial Hall
.”Never forget, never give up
June 4, 1989, was a heavy, dark, and tragic day in Chinese history. The Chinese people, led by young students, merely exercised their political rights as citizens and wanted to make the country better. Right on the streets of the capital, they were brutally suppressed by regular troops sent by the CCP authorities on the scale of small-scale conventional warfare. China once had the opportunity to transition to a democratic society, but on that day, bullets and blood blocked hope, and democracy drifted further and further from us. This is the scar of history, and it is the deepest pain in the hearts of all of us.
We believe that no matter how you view and evaluate that period of history, every citizen should at least have the right to understand it. For 32 years, instead of addressing such pain, the CCP has been trying to erase history, leaving the pain uneased and buried even deeper. Not long ago, they forcibly closed the Hong Kong “June 4th” Memorial Museum, demanding that all books related to “June 4th” be removed from Hong Kong libraries, and arresting and sentencing those who bravely stood up to commemorate the event. Undoubtedly, the CCP is using every means to try to make that period of history forgotten in the river of time.
We believe that human blood is not water and should not flow in vain; The pain of history should not be covered by lies written by ink and cold-blooded power. Those young students, those passionate Chinese people, their enthusiasm and dedication, should not be forgotten by history. Never forget, never give up—this is the moral bottom line every conscientious Chinese person should possess. Therefore, after months of discussion and preparation, today we officially present an initiative to the public:
Since the Chinese authorities have forcibly closed Hong Kong’s “June Fourth Memorial Hall” in an attempt to let the blood-written history fade away with time, our mission is to rebuild the “June Fourth Memorial” overseas, so that we can hold fast to historical memory and never forget those who paid the price in pursuit of democracy. This is not only a fight against totalitarianism, but also a sign of responsibility to history.
After weighing various options repeatedly, we propose: in New York, the international metropolis with the most frequent population movement, a permanent “June 4th Memorial Hall” should be established at a designated location;
We propose: all friends who wish to preserve this historical memory should participate together in this historical project, contributing money if possible, contributing strength if able, each doing their best to join in this grand event.
Regarding the plan to establish the “June Fourth Massacre Memorial Hall” in New York, we explain as follows:
1. We, the initiators, have formed the Preparatory Committee for the “June Fourth Massacre Memorial Hall” and formed a working group specifically to carry out the preparatory work. The “June Fourth Massacre Memorial Museum” committee, as a non-governmental organization, has been registered. In the future, we will use this committee as a working platform to fully advance the preparation of the memorial hall, and we also welcome more friends to join.
2. Our current plan is to advance the establishment of the June Fourth Memorial in three phases: First, we have received support from local American NGOs and are making every effort to prepare for holding a June Fourth special exhibition at a museum in Washington this year, as a prelude to building the memorial; Second, we hope to raise $500,000, and once the funds are secured, we will officially open the “June Fourth Massacre Memorial” in New York by renting a location; Finally, we hope to ultimately raise $1.5 to $2 million. Once the funds are in place, we will purchase a venue in New York so that the “June Fourth Massacre Memorial” can exist permanently.
3. Today, we advocates earnestly call on all participants and supporters of the 1989 pro-democracy movement; All friends who wish to safeguard the historical memory of June 4th; All those who hope for China to transition to democratic politics can generously donate to support our plan and support the establishment of the first overseas “June 4th Memorial Hall.” Friends who wish to donate can currently support us in the following ways:
1) Virtual currency: http://tinyurl.com/ycx7h27t
2) PayPal: http://tinyurl.com/2p8ppv56
3）Zelle: 198964mm@gmail.com
4) Bank transfer:
Name: June 4th Massacre Memorial Association;
No: 6868776994;
Routing No: 021000089
address: 100 Citibank Dr. / San Antonio, TX 78245
5) You may send a check to: Dan Wang / 6900 Wisconsin Ave. / #30563 / Bethesda, MD 20824
4. As initiators and members of the preparatory committee, we are willing to start with ourselves when it comes to donations. The first batch of internal donations is hereby announced as follows:
$1-999: Yan Jiaqi, Wang Juntao, Su Xiaokang, Hu Ping and Wang Ai and his wife, Zheng Yi, Wang Chaohua, Li Hengqing, Yang Zili, Sun Liyong, Ning Xianhua, Ouyang Ruoyu, Chen Liqun, Luo Mingzhu, Song Shuyuan, Yi Gai, Chen Chuangchuang; Li Wei, Ma Xiaoran, Zeng Huiyan; Zhang Yujian, Kang Zhengguo, Liu Nianchun Chu Hailan and his wife, Xu Daiwei, Li Housheng, Wei Quanbao, Zhou Jian, Tang Yuanjun, Qu Yige, Zhao Xin, Huang Wei; Kong Tianle
$1000-2999: Yu Dahai, Perry Lin (representing Princeton Chinese Studies Society), Lü Jinghua, Chen Pokong, Li Lin, Anna Wang, Guan Yao; Jin Yan, Wang Runzhi, Guo Xiaotong; Zhao Changqing, Gao Jian, Jin Hehui
$3000-9999: Wang Dan, Wu’er Kaixi, Zhang Boli, Zhou Fengsuo, Shen Tong, Zheng Xuguang, Fu Xiqiu, Huang Ciping (representing Wei Jingsheng Foundation), Zheng Cunzhu, Zhang Jing, Northern Expedition soldier, a New Zealand netizen, Yuan Yufeng and Wang Jing’an couple, Calvin
Total amount: $74,724.64. (Additionally, special thanks to Attorney Li Jinjin for covering the legal fees of $3,000 for the
institution’s application and other legal fees.)5. We hereby declare that we will accept external donations in the most transparent and open way, accept external supervision of donations, and ensure that every cent of donations is directly used for the preparation of the “June Fourth Memorial Hall.” To build credibility, we will disclose quarterly the income listed on the front page of our bank statements, as well as the expenditures for various projects for that quarter, so that the public can monitor the use of our donations.
A nation without memories has no future; Those Chinese people who gave their youth, passion, and even their lives back then should not be forgotten by us. And protecting memory is an important way to resist authoritarianism. Here, we call on the public to join in this grand effort to establish and maintain the June Fourth Massacre Memorial Hall. This is the first announcement on the preparatory work for the “June 4th” Massacre Memorial Hall. We will continue to report the progress of the preparations to the public through announcements.
Thank you.
Member and Initiator of the Preparatory Committee for the June Fourth Massacre Memorial Hall (listed by surname stroke count):
Yu Dahai, Yu Jinshan (Consultant), Wang Dan (Convener), Wang Tiancheng, Wang Anna, Wang Juntao, Wang Jinzhong, Wang Chaohua, Bai Xia (Advisor), Li Lin, Li Wei, Li Hengqing, Li Jinjin, Li Lanju, Lü Jinghua, Shen Tong, Song Shuyuan, Yu Houqiang, Wu’er Kaixi, Wu Jianmin, Lin Peirui (Consultant), Zhou Jian, Zhou Fengsuo, Jin Yan, Jin Hehui, Yi Gai, Hu Ping, Sun Liyong, Gao Jian, Gao Guangjun, Chen Liqun, Chen Guangcheng (Consultant), Chen Pokong, Chen Chuangchuang, Tang Yuanjun, Kang Zhengguo, Zhang Boli, Zhang Jing, Fu Xiqiu, Huang Ciping, Cheng Zhen, Yang Zili, Yang Jinxia, Zhao Xin, Zhao Changqing, Wei Jingsheng (Consultant), Wei Quanbao, Zheng Cunzhu, Zheng Xuguang, Zheng Yi, Liao Yiwu, Liu Nianchun, Xiong Yan, Ning Xianhua, Guan Yao, Su Yutong, Su Xiaokang, Yan Jiaqi, Joe Meng
Contact email: 198964mn@gmail.com
January 10, 2022
