Why is there a large golden statue in the Main Hall of the Student Centre? How did it get there, and how did it come to be the visual icon of the Student Centre’s logo?

On 4 June 1989, the Government of the People’s Republic of China violently suppressed a massive student protest that had been held over a number weeks in Beijing’s Tiananmen Square. Hundreds were killed. The impact of this action was felt by students around the world. The central rallying point for the protest was a statue erected in the middle of the square called “The Goddess of Democracy”.

Three years later, in 1992, the Toronto Society for Democracy in China held a memorial event in Nathan Philips Square to commemorate those who died at Tiananmen. A simplified replica of the Tiananmen Goddess was built for the event by a group of primarily Chinese students called “Design for Democracy”. Through Visual Arts professor Bruce Parsons, the Society offered to donate the Toronto Goddess of Democracy to the students of York University. The Student Centre accepted the donation of the 25 foot statue, which was erected on 4 June 1992.

The Government of China through its local consulate formally protested the installation of the statue, citing “grave concerns”. The Consul General stated in a letter to York President Harry Arthurs that “the plot [to place the statue] is being single-handedly woven by a certain organization hostile to China, its ulterior motive and ill-intention being obvious. Another official at the Consulate added that “the president of York University is bright enough to read between the lines…and not let the university campus be used as a venue for anti-Chinese government activity”. Since the Student Centre is a separate organization, President Arthurs was able to deny jurisdiction.

On behalf of the Student Centre, Rob Castle stated to the Toronto Star that “I see no reason why we should take it down…We believe we have a role to play in student movements and an obligation to act in solidarity with student struggles around the world”.

Twelve years later when the Student Centre was looking for a new logo, the Goddess of Democracy had become a permanent feature of the building. Its visual dominance, coupled with the compelling message it still evoked, made it a natural image for YUSC’s logo. Highly stylized in the logo, the Goddess continues her ongoing message of hope for democracy around the world and has now become the official emblem of the York University Student Centre.