Monument to the Peaceful Liberation of Tibet

The monument lit-up at night, with waterworks in front of it (2006)

The Monument to the Peaceful Liberation of Tibet (Chinese: 西藏和平解放纪念碑) stands in the southern part of the Potala square in Lhasa, Tibet Autonomous Region just outside the protective zone and buffer zone of the World Heritage Site.^[1] It celebrates what the People's Republic of China calls the "Peaceful Liberation of Tibet" by the People's Liberation Army,^[2] or what the exiled Tibetan government calls the invasion and annexation of Tibet. The foundation stone was laid on July 18, 2001 by Hu Jintao, China's vice-president at the time.^[3] The monument was unveiled on May 22, 2002.^[4]

^ (in French) Décision-25COM X.B-Ensemble historique du Palais du Potala, Lhasa (Extension pour inclure la zone de Norbulingka (Chine), 2001 :
Concernant la tour de 35 m de haut commémorant « la libération paisible du Tibet », la mission UNESCO a vérifié que cette nouvelle construction était bien située à l'extérieur des zones de protection du site du patrimoine mondial, du côté sud de la Nouvelle Place du Potala.
Regarding the 35 m high tower commemorating "the peaceful liberation of Tibet", the UNESCO mission verified that this new construction was well located outside the protection zones of the World Heritage site, on the south side of the New Potala Square.
^ To Zhu Weiqun, Executive Vice Minister of the United Front Work Department of the Central Committee of the Chinese Communist Party, "The peaceful liberation of Tibet completed the liberation and unification of China's mainland and was a victory over imperialist forces and a few upper-class Tibetans who wished to split Tibet from China" » (Peaceful Liberation Ushers in a New Era Archived 2011-09-27 at the Wayback Machine, BEIJING REVIEW.com.cn, July 25, 2011.)
^ Photo: "Chinese Vice-President Hu Jintao and other leading members of the central delegation bury the foundation stone of the 'Monument to the Peaceful Liberation of Tibet' at the foundation laying ceremony held on the Potala Palace Square in Lhasa, capital of the Tibet Autonomous Region, Wednesday July 18, 2001."
^ Monument Erected to Commemorate Tibet Liberation, op. cit.: "A grand ceremony was held Wednesday in the Potala Palace in Lhasa to unveil the Tibet Peaceful Liberation Monument."

[1] (in French) Décision-25COM X.B-Ensemble historique du Palais du Potala, Lhasa (Extension pour inclure la zone de Norbulingka (Chine), 2001 :
Concernant la tour de 35 m de haut commémorant « la libération paisible du Tibet », la mission UNESCO a vérifié que cette nouvelle construction était bien située à l'extérieur des zones de protection du site du patrimoine mondial, du côté sud de la Nouvelle Place du Potala.
Regarding the 35 m high tower commemorating "the peaceful liberation of Tibet", the UNESCO mission verified that this new construction was well located outside the protection zones of the World Heritage site, on the south side of the New Potala Square.

[2] To Zhu Weiqun, Executive Vice Minister of the United Front Work Department of the Central Committee of the Chinese Communist Party, "The peaceful liberation of Tibet completed the liberation and unification of China's mainland and was a victory over imperialist forces and a few upper-class Tibetans who wished to split Tibet from China" » (Peaceful Liberation Ushers in a New Era Archived 2011-09-27 at the Wayback Machine, BEIJING REVIEW.com.cn, July 25, 2011.)

[3] Photo: "Chinese Vice-President Hu Jintao and other leading members of the central delegation bury the foundation stone of the 'Monument to the Peaceful Liberation of Tibet' at the foundation laying ceremony held on the Potala Palace Square in Lhasa, capital of the Tibet Autonomous Region, Wednesday July 18, 2001."

[4] Monument Erected to Commemorate Tibet Liberation, op. cit.: "A grand ceremony was held Wednesday in the Potala Palace in Lhasa to unveil the Tibet Peaceful Liberation Monument."

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