Lo aveva promesso a Pechino 2008 e lo aveva ribadito nel corso di un incontro organizzato da Amnesty International a Ravenna (Italia 87) nel dicembre scorso: “La mia vittoria è per il Tibet”- Josefa Idem, argento nella canoa e alla sua settima olimpiade, è tra le pochissime atlete che durante i giochi olimpici hanno avuto la forza e la determinazione di ricordare il dramma del popolo tibetano. In piena kermesse olimpica era in atto sul Tetto del Mondo una sistematica e durissima repressione in seguito alle manifestazioni di Lhasa del marzo 2008.
“Donerò il mio body olimpico al Tibet come simbolo di amicizia e solidarietà che continuerò a manifestare ogni volta che ne avrò l’occasione. Lo consegnerò al Dalai Lama alla prima occasione.”
Ed ora l’occasione è arrivata. Iosefa Idem accompagnata dal presidente di Italia- Tibet Claudio Cardelli incontrerà il Dalai Lama nell’albergo Dei Dogi che lo ospita a Venezia il 10 febbraio mattina alle ore 7 e 30-
“Sefi” Idem ha scitto una lettera al Dalai Lama- Letter from Josefa Idem To His Holiness the Dalai Lama
Ravenna, January 2009
Your Holiness,
my name is Josefa Idem and I am a silber medal winner for Italy at the Beijing Olympics in Canoeing.
Ever since having been assigned, the Olympic Games in Beijing were highly emblematic and contradictory. The universal values of the IOC, the solidarity between peoples, the culture of respect towards victory and loss were in stark contrast with the reality of a country no one in the world can do without, but which is culpable of atrocious crimes and human rights violations, in Tibet and elsewhere. It is a situation which would require constant attention and monitoring, not just sporadic.
But athletes like us dream silently for years to be able to be there, to live those moments. So it seemed absurd that politicians expected us to make this gesture and condemn the Games. The same politicians who refused to meet His Holiness during the last visit to Italy in 2007, who have not spoken about Tibet since the end of the Games, who conduct business with China without conditions.
Nevertheless, in Beijing, I found it right to add my voice to that of other athletes in drawing attention to the cause of Tibet and I pledged to symbolically donate my attire to His Holiness. But a gift is not a sufficient expression of courage, I admit. So I will continue to lend my voice and my public persona to defend human rights denied to the peoples of Tibet and elsewhere. I will continue to testify, well beyond the Olympics, my support for Tibet and all other places where fundamental human rights are violated.
Sincerely,
Josefa Idem