June 4th Candlelight Vigil - attendance figures

These are the attendance numbers reported by the South China Morning Post, for 1990 to 2010. Many people gave up their lives for the future of China. We have no right to forget them. And the figures show that we have not forgotten. In fact, it is truly miraculous that so many people came, as many as were there at the first vigil in 1990.

Judging from what I saw last evening, many of the new comers are young people who must have been very young in 1989, perhaps not even born then. But they have decided to stand up for the future of China by remembering the history. I know only a few of them - but they have earned my deepest respect.

Life is so important that no one gives it up easily. Those who did in 1989 died in the hope of building a more democratic, open China free of corruption. We remember them so that they do not die in vain. Many of us pray for the day that a China respectful of the rights of individuals would openly acknowledge their sacrifices.