1961 East Mall, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z4, Canada
Submitted by:
BUSA 3105 - Leadership 1 - People Skills - Set 7J - Group 2
What type of leadership is present in the community?
Global
How is this art specifically seen in the community?
The Goddess of Democracy statue at UBC is a replica of the famous “Goddess of Democracy” statue created during the 1989 Tiananmen Square protests. It is a radical symbol that is seen positively by supporters of democratic movements in China, and negatively by the supporters of the Chinese government, or those who value economic stability over involvement in politics. The statue is a public display of Vancouver’s stance on this controversial issue, and an example of when Vancouver did not kowtow to foreign governmental pressure.
How do you think the art has made meaning in the community?
Vancouver has a large Chinese Canadian demographic, with 37% of UBC students identifying themselves as Chinese, according to UBC demographic information of 2012. Built with the support of the Chinese Canadian community, the Goddess of Democracy statue is a symbol of the fight for the democratic rights and it has become a place where people can lay flowers and pay respects to the victims of the Tiananmen Square Massacre of 1989, where pro-democracy student demonstrators were killed by Chinese soldiers.