Associazione Italia-Tibet
March 11, 2008
Freedom Torch Relay Second Stop: Rome, Site of the 1960 Olympics
The day started out with heavy rain clouds and strong gusts of wind. At 11:00, a sizable group of Tibetans and Tibet supporters gathered outside the Chinese embassy in Rome to protest the Chinese occupation of their homeland and to appeal for freedom and the respect of human rights.
At 16:00 the torch was lighted outside the national headquarters of the Italian Olympic Committee (CONI). Two members of the Italian contingent of Team Tibet held the flame aloft, symbolizing their aspirations to be a part of the Olympics.
Speeches were made by the president of the Tibetan Community in Italy, Thupten Tenzin, the Coordinator of the Italian Interparliamentary Group, Bruno Mellano, and the vice-president of the Italy-Tibet Association, Claudio Cardelli. “We are here full of trust and hope, but also very determined”, said the Hon. Mellano.
After a while, the police chief allowed Thupten Tenzin and Claudio Cardelli to enter the CONI Building to meet the vice-president of CONI, Antonio Bernaschi. They handed over two letters, one from Team Tibet and the other from the Italy-Tibet Association, in which CONI was asked to remind the International Olympic Committee of the assurances given by Beijing in 2001 in order to be awarded the 2008 Olympics. Both letters also denounced the ongoing repression of Tibetans in Tibet and requested the liberation of all political prisoners, first of all the Panchen Lama.
The vice-president of CONI kindly listened to the requests and replied that these matters were outside the reach of CONI, but that, as far as Italy was concerned, CONI will give full freedom of speech to the Italian athletes while in China.
From the seat of the Olympic Committee, the Freedom Torch was carried by a Tibetan monk to the center of the city, in Piazza Navona. From there a procession with hundreds of demonstrators led by the monk with the torch wound its way past the major monuments of the Eternal City to reach the Roman offices of the United Nations. Tibetans and supporters from over twenty organizations shouted slogans in Italian and English and displayed banners and numerous Tibetan flags.
Upon reaching the final destination, the United Nations Rome offices , more speeches were held under torrential rain to the heartfelt applause of all present.