On June 9th, representatives from 15 embassies, 3 delegations, and 42 ethnic and human rights organizations gathered together with leaders of the Victims of Communism Memorial Foundation for the 16th annual Roll Call of Nations Wreath Laying Ceremony & Truman-Reagan Medal of Freedom Award Presentation at the Victims of Communism Memorial on Capitol Hill.
This year, VOC was proud to present the Truman-Reagan Medal of Freedom to Bhuchung K. Tsering, a Tibetan American writer, diplomat, and activist. In 1960, Tsering fled his homeland in the wake of the Chinese Communist invasion and has since become a tireless advocate for the Tibetan people.
During his remarks, Tsering said: “…the people of Tibet have not lost their hope despite over six decades of Communist control. In 1959 soon after the Chinese communists occupied Tibet, one Indian political leader by the name of Jayaprakash Narayan said, ‘Is Tibet lost forever? No. A thousand times no. Tibet will not die because there is no death for the human spirit. Communism will not succeed because man will not be slave forever.'”
Speakers included Bishop Charles H. Nalls, VOC CEO Ken Pope, VOC Chairman of the Board and Founding Director of the VOC Museum Dr. Elizabeth Edwards Spalding, VOC Trustee The Hon. Paula J. Dobriansky, and Bhuchung K. Tsering.
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