Paris — Over 140 international Tibetan groups condemn the Musée Guimet for rewriting the history of Tibet and replacing the word Tibet with "Himalayan World" in the museum. They call on the museum to stop supporting China's colonisation of Tibet.
Tibetans in Paris, Tibetans Associations, Tibetan intellectuals and the Tibet Museum in Tibet, protested against the Musée du Quai Branly for changing the name of Tibet to Chinese word ‘Xizang’ and the Musée Guimet for replacing the word Tibet with "Himalayan World" in the museum on September 21, 2024. They demanded Tibet should remain as Tibet in the Museums.
After the Tibetans protested and sent letters to the presidents of the Musée du Quai Branly and the Musée Guimet, the Musée du Quai Branly accepted the request and changed the "Xizang" to Tibet as before. But the Musée Guimet did not respond and even refused to meet representatives of the Tibetans in Paris, so the protest to the Musée Guimet continues and they have protested several times so far.
Over 140 international Tibetan groups sent a letter to President Dr Yannick Lintz of the Musée Guimet in France on October 24, 2024, and condemned the museum for replacing the word Tibet with 'Himalayan World' in the museum.
The letter states, "Musée Guimet’s erasure of Tibet from its exhibitions has been replaced by the term “Himalayan World.” By not using the correct description of artifacts from Tibet, the museum is merging the distinct cultures represented in the exhibition into one and thus failing to represent the distinct histories of the countries included – Tibet, Bhutan, and Nepal."
"Using Tibet to describe the wares in the exhibition is also important as it encapsulates the unique Tibetan culture and identity. By removing it, the Musee Guimet is accepting and supporting China’s seven decades of occupation and repression and ignores the legitimate struggles of the Tibetan people," it added.
Rashi Jauhri of the International Tibet Network said: “Over 140 global Tibet groups and countless supporters are united in condemning Musée Guimet’s censorship of Tibet’s identity. This is not just a matter of semantics but a refusal on the part of the museum to acknowledge that Tibet is its own country with its rich cultural heritage. By prioritising China’s propaganda over historical accuracy, the museum is actively betraying every patron that walks through its door. Dr. Lintz must restore the name “Tibet” to all exhibitions immediately, or else continue to be complicit in China’s oppression of Tibetan peoples. ”
Tenzin Namgyal of Students for a Free Tibet France said: “What makes this situation even more disturbing is Ms. Yannick Lintz’s refusal to enter into dialogue with the Tibetan people, who are the first to be affected by this decision despite three letters sent by French-based groups including Students for a Free Tibet France. How can one claim to represent a culture while refusing to hear the voice of those who are its descendants?”
