Tibetan youth activists staged an independent light projection in Bern after organisers of the renowned Rendez-vous Bundesplatz show dropped a planned Tibet segment under political pressure.
The decision, reportedly influenced by Swiss parliamentary authorities who deemed the imagery “too political,” has drawn strong criticism from Tibetan communities and human rights supporters, as reported by Phayul.
According to Phayul, the protest was led by the Tibetan Youth Association in Europe (TYAE), which accused Swiss institutions of succumbing to Chinese pressure and practising self-censorship. On the final night of the show, which concluded on November 22, the group projected the words “STOPP ZENSUR” (“Stop Censorship”) across a large white screen. The projection also depicted a red hand with yellow stars symbolising China’s flag silencing a human face, an image described as a stark representation of China’s censorship and repression.
TYAE said the removal of the Tibet segment showed how deeply China’s influence has penetrated even in liberal European democracies. “When even the beauty of Tibet’s landscape cannot be shown, it proves that Switzerland fears China’s reaction more than it values free expression,” the group stated. Switzerland hosts one of Europe’s largest Tibetan exile populations, yet activists say the country increasingly avoids any public mention of Tibet to maintain political neutrality toward China.
The 15th edition of the Rendez-vous Bundesplatz light show, titled Voyage, was originally meant to include a non-political visual sequence showcasing Tibet’s natural scenery. However, before its launch, the Administrative Delegation of Parliamentary Services intervened, ordering its removal because Tibet is tied to “political questions.”
The scene was replaced by an image of a Thai Buddha. The show’s artistic director, Brigitte Roux, complied with the directive “without objection,” as highlighted by Phayul.
Swiss politician Fabian Molina condemned the decision as “a surrender to China,” while Basel University scholar Ralph Weber called it “preemptive obedience.” TYAE said its symbolic protest was meant to reclaim Tibet’s visibility. “Erasing Tibet to avoid offending Beijing,” the group said, “shows that even Switzerland is not immune to China’s tightening grip on global free expression,” as reported by Phayul.