When Nanjing meets Madrid: a meeting of peaceful visions

BUDAPEST, Nov. 2, 2023 /PRNewswire/ — On October 26 and 30, the Memorial Hall of the Victims in Nanjing Massacre by Japanese Invaders held the “World Memory, Peaceful Vision – Exhibition on the Historical Facts of the Nanjing Massacre” in Madrid, Spain and Budapest, Hungary. This exhibition, expressing a collective human voice for peace, unveiled itself to the Spanish public.

In the 1930s, the world was gradually enveloped by the shadows of the World War II. Both Spain and China had undergone arduous struggles against fascism. In that year, Durango and Guernica in Spain suffered devastating attacks by the Nazi German, while Nanjing in China faced “indiscriminate bombings” by the Japanese army. On December 13 of 1937, the Japanese army occupied Nanjing, committing atrocities including a six-week massacre, looting, sexual violence, and destruction. These actions resulted in the death of over 300,000 Chinese people. The killing competition carried out by the Japanese army in Nanjing was exposed to the world by Spain’s “El Diluvio” newspaper.

On May 16, 1938, the American magazine “Life” featured a famous cover, showcasing a young and fearless Chinese soldier captured by the renowned Hungarian photographer Robert Capa in Hankou, China. Robert Capa arrived in China in 1938 and documented the Chinese resistance against the Japanese invasion and the wartime lives of the people, bringing international attention to the Chinese battlefield.

This exhibition, with the theme “World Memory and Peaceful Vision”, consists of three parts: “The Calamity in Nanjing“, “Justice Trial“, and “The City of Peace”, narrating the historical facts of the Japanese army’s atrocities in Nanjing and the international tribunal’s prosecution of Japanese war criminals. It showcases the peaceful development of Nanjing as an “International City of Peace” and conveys the Chinese people’s aspirations to remember history, cherish peace, and create a better future to the international community.

Former Hungarian Prime Minister Peter Medgyessy said in his speech: “Such an exhibition allows young people to learn about peace and living together. I would like to express my gratitude to the Chinese government and the historical exhibition for coming here and showing it to us.”

More than 80 people attended the opening ceremony, including Mr. Zhou Feng, Director of the Memorial Hall; He Yong, Minister-counselor for Cultural Affairs of the Chinese Embassy in Spain; Marcelo Munoz, Honorary Chairman of the Spanish Confucius Institute; and representatives of various sectors in Spain and the media.

Zhou Feng said, “War is like a mirror, allowing people to better understand the value of peace. The theme of this exhibition aims to rekindle people’s yearning and commitment to peace through the memory of history. We hope that this exhibition can help the people of Spain understand the vision of the Chinese people in building a community with a shared future for humankind and connect the historical memories and common future of the people of China and Spain.”

Marcelo Munoz, Honorary Chairman and Founder of the Catedra China, stated in his speech, “China made significant sacrifices and contributions to the world’s victory against fascism. While commemorating the end of World War II, we have neglected the deep suffering brought by this war in Asia as well. I hope to do my best to eliminate this historical injustice and pay tribute to the millions of Asian victims, especially the victims of the Nanjing Massacre.”

On October 9, 2015, the Nanjing Massacre Archives were included in the UNESCO Memory of the World. To date, the Memorial Hall has organized exhibitions in cities such as Los Angeles in the United States, Moscow in Russia, Florence in Italy, Manila in the Philippines, Chateaubriant in France, Minsk in Belarus, Prague in the Czech Republic, Aarhus in Denmark, and more.