Thomas Morris

The Beijing Olympics finish tomorrow, August 24th, and the seven-year campaign by Tibet groups around the world since Beijing won its Olympic bid will also begin to come to an end. This is a historic moment in the struggle for rights and freedom in Tibet. Protests and creative actions by Tibetans and Tibet supporters this Olympics year - around the world, in Tibet, and most recently in Beijing - have shown the Chinese leadership and national governments around the world that Tibet is an issue of global significance that must be addressed.

Next year will mark 50 years since the Tibetan national uprising of 1959 and the flight of the Dalai Lama and 80,000 Tibetans into exile. In the coming months and years, the momentum for the Tibetan struggle that has built in the run up to the Olympics will translate into even more effective action around the world, as Tibetans and Tibet supporters continue to demonstrate to the Chinese government that the only way to put an end to the issue of Tibet is to work with the Tibetan people to find a resolution to Tibet's occupation.

While we have achieved much through this Olympics campaign, on the ground in Tibet, the situation continues to be very grave. There is serious concern that the Chinese authorities will crack down even harder on Tibetans once the Olympic spotlight fades.

Please send a letter to Chinese President Hu Jintao now to help make sure Chinese leaders understand that the situation in Tibet requires action, and that even after the Olympics end, the world will be watching.

Click here to take action now: http://actionnetwork.org/campaign/olympics_hu

Your support for Tibet and your participation in Team Tibet has made a difference for the Tibetan people this Olympics year. I want to take this opportunity to thank each and every one of you for your support and commitment at this historic time.

In case you haven't heard the news, Australian Olympic cyclist Cadel Evans met yesterday with members of Team Tibet in Switzerland. This was a very clear and public show of solidarity with the Tibetan athletes who are denied participation in the Olympic games. Earlier this week, Polish wrestler and Olympic silver medalist Szymon Kolecki demonstrated his support for Tibet by shaving his head the day he won his event. At this important crossroads in the Tibetan freedom movement, these messages of support mean a great deal.

Please take action for Tibet now at http://actionnetwork.org/campaign/olympics_hu, and once again, thank you for your contribution to the Tibetan struggle at this important time.

Olympischer Handschlag - Machen Sie mit! Die Olympischen Spiele in Peking sollen Bürger aus der ganzen Welt näher bringen. Doch die chinesische Regierung hat noch immer keinen nennenswerten Dialog über Tibet eingeleitet und erzielte weder Fortschritte in Burma noch in Darfur — Die Botschaften der Aktivisten gehen oft in einem Sturm von Anschuldigungen unter und werden als antichinesische Propaganda verworfen. Wir haben uns entschieden diesen Moment mit einer unmissverständlichen Geste des Friedens, der Freundschaft und des Dialogs zurückzugewinnnen - Einem Olympischen Handschlag. Spielen Sie das Video rechts ab um zu sehen wie der Handschlag vom Dalai Lama begann und durch die Straßen von London getragen wurde. Nun ist er auf dem Netz und wir können mitmachen — Helfen Sie den Handschlag bis nach Beijing zu tragen, wo unsere Nachricht durch eine grosse Medienkampagne überbracht wird.Benützen Sie bitte folgendes Formular um sich dem Handschlag anzuschliessen . Danach können Sie auf unserem Globus mitverfolgen wie der Handschlag rund um die Welt geht!

Vergangene Woche habe ich "Junge Medien Hamburg" aus Anlaß der Dreharbeiten zu Angels & Demons ein Interview gegeben das hier nachzulesen ist.