The Dalai Lama's Olympic handshake is circling the world, headed for
Beijing. Click below to see more and join the call for dialogue!
CLICK HERE TO SHAKE HANDS
As the Beijing Olympics begin, the world looks on with mixed emotions.
It's a moment which should bring us closer together, and Chinese
citizens deserve their excitement -- but the Chinese government still
hasn't opened meaningful dialogue with the Dalai Lama, or changed its
stance on Burma, Darfur and other pressing issues.
Even worse, extremists in China are promoting the view that Olympic
activism like ours is anti-Chinese. We can't stay silent, but we also
can't let our efforts be abused to divide people. So what can we do?
The answer comes from the Dalai Lama himself, in an unambiguous
gesture of Olympic spirit and friendship: a handshake.
It began in London, passed hand to hand by thousands of us -- now the
handshake has gone online, and is criss-crossing the globe on its way
to Beijing. All of us can join, Chinese and non-Chinese, and it comes
with a promise: to hold ALL our governments accountable where they
fall short, in Tibet, Iraq, Burma or beyond. We'll deliver our message
in a bold media campaign in Hong Kong and around the world: Click
below to see how the Olympic handshake started, sign up to join in,
and watch it circle the globe --
http://www.avaaz.org/en/handshake
The worldwide outcry has produced a little progress, but much
resistance from Chinese officials so far. If we are to see advances
not setbacks after the Games, we need to show both that our voices
will never fall silent, and that our challenge is a positive one.
We have one last chance to reclaim the spirit of the Olympics, with
the message of friendship and dialogue we share with the Dalai Lama.
The more people join the global handshake, the more powerful our
message will be when it hits the Chinese and international media. So
let's forward this email on, encouraging everyone to join in. "One
World, One Dream" is an ideal that's bigger than the Olympics -- it's
time for citizens around the world to take it back.
With hope and respect,
Paul, Ricken, Ben, Milena, Graziela, Iain, Pascal, Veronique and the
whole Avaaz team