A bronze bust of Nobel Peace Prize Laureate Liu Xiaobo, who spent his life campaigning for political freedom in China, has been donated to the Irish Centre for Human Rights at the University of Galway, where it will be permanently displayed.

Made by Czech sculptor Marie Šeborová, this is the first bronze bust of the late Nobel Prize Laureate, poet and human rights defender to be placed on a university campus anywhere in the world. It was commissioned by the organisations, Art for Human Rights, and Human Rights in China (HRIC),

Liu Xiaobo (1955-2017) was a student leader at the Tiananmen Square protests in Beijing in 1989 and paid a high price for pushing for political reforms in his homeland.

At the unveiling on Wednesday, his friend and fellow student leader during Tiananmen Square, Fengsuo Zhou, reminded people of the late Laureate’s tireless work for human rights.

“I had the honour of standing alongside Liu Xiaobo on Tiananmen Square and later sharing prison time with him in high security Qincheng Prison,” said the Director of Human Rights in China organisation.

“He passed away while still in incarceration, without ever receiving the Nobel Peace Prize. “From the Tiananmen protests to Charter 08 and ultimately to his martyrdom in 2017, he symbolised the peaceful struggle for freedom and democracy in China. We honour his memory by erecting a statue in his name. His legacy continues to inspire us all.”

Professor Siobhán Mullally, Director of the Irish Centre for Human Rights; Bill Shipsey, Founder and Director of Art for Human Rights and leaders of other international human rights organisations were also present.

Describing how “Liu Xiaobo devoted his life to the struggle for freedom and equality, challenging the everyday denials of justice and abuses of state power”, Professor Mullally said it was “fitting that we honour him here, where students, alumni and staff commit daily to the pursuit of a more just world”.

Interim President of the university, Professor Peter McHugh, hoped the bust would “act as a constant source of inspiration to all those who are engaged with the Irish Centre for Human Rights and our wider student, staff, research and alumni community”.

Bill Shipsey of the group Art for Human Rights spoke of how “the Chinese Communist Party has tried to erase Liu Xiaobo’s memory since his death in a military hospital in China in 2017. “But his words will outlast those of any autocratic leader and will be remembered and cherished by freedom-loving and human rights respecting people everywhere. Art outlasts tyranny”.

Liu Xiaobo’s bust will have a permanent home in the Irish Centre for Human Rights, following this commission which was a partnership with ARTICLE 19, Index on Censorship, Front Line Defenders, International Service for Human Rights (ISHR) and Humanitarian China.

Wednesday’s event also included a presentation and discussion with students and staff of the Irish Centre for Human Rights.

Pictured: Professor Siobhán Mullally, Director of the Irish Centre for Human Rights at the University of Galway at the unveiling of the bust to Liu Xiaobo, with Fengsuo Zhou the Director of Human Rights in China, and Bill Shipsey of Art for Human Rights.