Over 100 Million To Light Candle Support Tibet Freedom

JERUSALEM, Aug 4 (Bernama) -- "Candle for Tibet" - an initiative launched by an Israeli national has managed to enlist the support of 100 million people across the globe who will be lighting a candle on the eve of Beijing Olympics, to express support for freedom of Tibet.

David Califa, 52, has launched a website that calls upon for a "light protest" in solidarity with suffering Tibetans with all those joining the initiative pledging to light a candle at 9 pm (local time) on the evening before the inauguration of Olympic games.

"The light protest invites people to perform a simple task on a certain moment for a specific cause," the Press Trust of India (PTI) quoted Califa as saying to a local media.

"It's a global tool for the unification of millions of people worldwide and it increases the power each of us has for the expression of our own stance.

"A light protest will always stand for a higher cause such as human rights, freedom, thought or faith and will be pro-bono, and non-violent," he added.

He has made a plea to everyone to join him in lighting a candle and placing it on a windowsill, tabletop, or anywhere else in the home.

The protest will be broadcast internationally during the games' opening ceremony and in Israel a "light show" will be held in Tel Aviv at Dizengoff Square at 8 pm (local time) August 7, the report said.

A day after the ceremony, "Candle for Tibet" plans to send a letter to world leaders mentioning the number of people who will demonstrate in favour of Tibet's freedom.

"We will also send letters to the Chinese government and the U.N. chief about the level of global participation," Califa.

She said: "We're not against the Olympics, we're just working towards freedom."

Califa has also managed to gain support from an Italian alpine group called 'Sad Smoky Mountains', which plans to send hundreds of mountain climbers to scale skyscrapers in New York, Paris, Berlin, Amsterdam, and other cities in order to light candles and sparklers at the top.

The group also plans to light flares at the peaks of mountains in three different continents once the games begin in Beijing.

Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama is also said to have lend his support for the initiative.

"We hope your 'Candle for Tibet' campaign will inspire the Chinese authorities to appreciate the value of freedom of all mankind and the importance of the Tibetan Buddhist culture that is benefiting millions of people and has the potential to serve humanity as a whole, including the Chinese people," Tsering Tashi, who represents the Dalai Lama, was quoted as saying.

"Like you, His Holiness the Dalai Lama and the Tibetan Government in exile is not against the Olympics. We are also not against the Chinese people who also do not enjoy genuine human rights and freedom that the people in the free world take for granted," Tashi added.

Califa has also called upon people worldwide to keep the headlights of their vehicles on as a demonstration for global peace and freedom on August 8.