Goddess of Democracy
After the exhibition, the community debated on an appropriate space for a replica statue. Members of Vancouver's 'Society in Support of Democratic Movement' believed a replica of the 'Goddess of Democracy' should be placed in Vancouver's Dr. Sun Yat-Sen Classical Chinese Garden The garden's namesake is the nationalist leader, considered to be the father of modern China). However, the garden's boards of trustees did not want the statue, because the garden was not a political forum. Others speculate that the trustees did not want the statue because the Chinese Communist Party donated more than $500,000 to the building of the Dr. Sun Yat-Sen Garden. The 'Goddess of Democracy' debate continued on 26 August 1989 and Gim Huey, chairman of Vancouver's Chinese Benevolent Association, pleaded that the statue must be in Dr. Sun Yat-Sen Garden, stating that it was "not political" but was "promoting freedom and democracy". Huey believed that "Dr. Sun Yat-Sen stood for freedom and that's the whole spirit of the Garden". When talks with the Vancouver Parks Board failed, the proposed replica statue had no home. Finally, after much lobbying, the 'Vancouver Society in Support for the Democracy Movement' was optimistic when new talks began with the University of British Columbia. Reportedly, "the society approached UBC through a campus organization of Chinese students and scholars and got a warm welcome". Talks were successful in finding the statue a home, and these plans were followed through as the 'Goddess of Democracy' statue was moved to the grounds of the University of British Columbia.