Ukraine: Chinese Consulate Demands Odessa Officials Block Shen Yun

[Svetlana Vetriak, Head of “For the Children of the New Century” Foundation]:
“When I saw the performance, I realized that it was something special. In my everyday work I deal with different performing groups – dances and musicals with high professionalism, but Shen Yun is different from all of them because it contains high morality and virtue.”

Svetlana Vetriak has been finding young talented people and organizing their performances for more than 20 years in Odessa, one of Ukraine’s biggest cities.

In 2008 she saw Shen Yun Performing Arts for the first time in Bucharest, Romania. After long negotiations she managed to organize a performance of Shen Yun in Odessa as a part of its European tour. The performance is scheduled for May 28th in the Academical Theater of Music Comedy. So far, most of the tickets have been sold.

[Elena Silkina, Manager of the Booking-Office]:
“People are quite interested in the event. At present only the most expensive tickets are left. We have many phone calls and this is one of the most popular projects.”

But one month before the company is scheduled to arrive, Ms. Vetriak is finding out that the Chinese consulate is trying to block the show.

[Svetlana Vetriak, Head of “For the Children of the New Century” Foundation]:
“Today I read the letter of protest from our Chinese consulate in Odessa. In the letter she demanded and even ordered that the Shen Yun show be banned in Odessa. I think this is intervention in the internal affairs of Ukraine and first of all in my work and business activities. I have signed a contract and I will lose my money if the concert is banned, and citizens of Odessa will be hurt.”

Chinese authorities have tried to stop Shen Yun’s performances in many cities around the world. One case made headlines in 2008 when a cultural department official in Linkoping, Sweden received a threatening phone call from a representative of the Chinese Embassy. The Embassy told the Swedish official to either cancel the Shen Yun shows or their countries’ relationship would be affected.

Shen Yun is known for showing traditional Chinese culture—culture that has been suppressed by the Chinese Communist Party. Some of the songs and dances also depict the Communist Party’s persecution of Falun Gong, a spiritual practice that’s been suppressed for more than 10 years.

[Svetlana Vetriak, Head of “For the Children of the New Century” Foundation]:
“This is shown very easily. And everything is shown in the allegoric way. And what is shown is really the persecution. The culture has to enlighten. And Shen Yun shows five thousand years of ancient history. This is noble.”

After getting the letter from the Chinese embassy, Odessa city officials also received letters from different state establishments.

Although the show hasn’t been banned officially, the box office has stopped selling tickets.

[Theater Box Office Staff]:
“Currently we stopped selling tickets. I don’t know why, I’m not the organizer.“

Meanwhile citizens of Odessa are looking forward to seeing the Shen Yun show.

[Yirii Vasiuchenko, Leading Choreographer, the Opera House]:
“I would visit the troupe and I will also bring my troupe.”

[Aliona Kuzina, Fashion Designer]:
“I think this is a free city, and Odessa is worthy of this event. No political points of view can influence the fulfillment of this performance. I think that the show will take place. I’ve been waiting for it for two years.”

[Petr Volkov, Regional Council Deputy]:
“I think I will find time and see this show with my colleagues, and not only them. I think that every person would be interested in getting to know this culture better and to enrich their inner lives.”

[Valeriy Tsytsak, Head of Aristocrat Union]:
“These people are estimating everything that is happening in China from the universal point of view. That’s why we are waiting for them and I am sure that all the intellectuals will be very interested in the artists and will receive them warmly, the same way as we receive other 137 nationalities in Odessa.”

It’s yet to be seen whether the Ukrainian government will ultimately resist pressure from the Chinese regime, and whether the people in Odessa will have the opportunity to see Shen Yun.

NTD News, Odessa, Ukraine.

Die Epoch Times Deutschland freut sich, als Medienpartner von Shen Yun Performing Arts World Tour 2010 ihren Leserinnen und Lesern einen exklusiven Einblick in ein einzigartiges Kulturereignis bieten zu können.

Die Aufführungen von „Shen Yun“ finden bis Mitte Juni in folgenden Städten statt:

Louvain-la-Neuve/Neu-Löwen bei Brüssel, Belgien / 30. April – 11. Mai

Neuchâtel, Schweiz / 13.-16. Mai

Chişinău/Kischinau, Republik Moldau / 25.-26. Mai

Odessa, Ukraine / 28. Mai

Athen, Griechenland / 3.-4. Juni

Turin, Italien / 8.-9. Juni

Lodz, Polen / 14.-16. Juni

www.shenyunperformingarts.org

Foto: NTDTV