January 6, 2012, WASHINGTON, DC — The extraordinary but forgotten story of Oxi Day was picked up in China following the First Annual Washington Oxi Day Foundation Celebration October 27-28, 2011.
Supporters of the Washington Oxi Day Foundation, who made possible this celebration and other Foundation activities, are helping to make the term “OXI!” synonymous with courageous actions to defend democracy and freedom.
Citing Greece’s Oxi Day spirit, a Chinese foundation for democracy proclaimed that those who stand up for democracy and freedom:
“despite harassment and suppression…imprisonment and even sacrifice of precious lives…say ‘NO’ to the authority and dictatorship…they do not sell themselves, do not compromise, and do not bow to the dictatorship — because this is their only way of life, a noble way of life.”
The Wei Jingsheng Foundation featured the Oxi Day story (below) in announcing the recipient of its annual award recognizing an individual who contributed to the Chinese democracy movement.
Noble Suffering, Fiery Soul — Prize Dedication to Liu Di as Recipient of the Eighth Annual “Wei Jingsheng Chinese Democracy Champion Prize”
By the Wei Jingsheng Foundation, December 5, 2011
In Greece, there are three letters of the Greek alphabet with significant meaning — OXI. On October 28 of every year, these three letters are celebrated and paraded, as Oxi Day (Ohi Day). These three letters mean “no”, and represent supreme human dignity.
Ever since the word “no” has existed in Chinese, the Chinese have had such people who use their actions to announce “no” against authority, dictatorship, and tyranny. Their actions prove that they are men and women living with faith, instead of tamed lambs.
While the current China full of mercenaries, apathy, corruption, and selfishness, while there is continuous abuse of human rights and suppression of freedom by the Chinese Communist regime, the people who practice this “no” in China have special difficulties. A word of “no” brings years of harassment and suppression, loss of right to work and normal family, imprisonment, and even the sacrifice of precious lives. However, there are people in China who, despite poverty, difficulty, and even misunderstanding, keep their faith and say “no” to the authority and dictatorship. They advocate non-cooperation with the dictators, they do not sell themselves, do not compromise, and do not bow to the dictatorship — because this is their only way of life, a noble way of life.
Click here to read the entire article on the website of the Wei Jingsheng Foundation.