Global Museum on Communism to Launch Next Year

Rob Bluey / June 12, 2008

NOTE: Remarks by Commerce Secretary Carlos Gutierrez added to the end of this post.

Today marks the one-year anniversary of the Victims of Communism Memorial, located a few blocks from the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C. A ceremony this morning, presided over by Heritage’s Lee Edwards, commemorated the more than 100 million victims of communism.

During his remarks, Edwards outlined a new goal: creating an online Global Museum on Communism, which will launch in 2009. Next year will mark the 20th anniversary of communism’s collapse.

Here is Edwards’ prepared text:

Mr. Chairman, Secretary Gutierrez, Mr. Majority Leader, members of the diplomatic corps, honored guest, Democrats, Republicans, and Independents, ladies and gentlemen:

We are here at this Memorial and on this first anniversary because we all believe, regardless of our political party, that man possesses an innate desire to be free and because we believe that anything or anyone that denies that basic human right must be opposed.

You and I know there has been no greater threat to freedom in our lifetime than communism. But many people do not.

And so our foundation has undertaken to educate this generation and future generations about the history, philosophy, and legacy of communism.

Our first step was to build the world’s first memorial to all the victims of communism—more than 100 million of them. When we dedicated the Memorial one year ago, President Bush, Tom Lantos, and Rep. Dana Rohrabacher were our principal speakers, and their inspiring remarks were carried around the world. (more…)