Buddhist monks and local residents have gathered outside Rome's town hall
to show their solidarity with the tens of thousands of people who have joined
Buddhist monks in demonstrations against the ruling generals in Myanmar.
 
 
1. BUDDHIST MONKS AT DEMONSTRATION
2. VARIOUS PEOPLE GATHERED OUTSIDE ROME TOWN HALL
3. BUDDHIST MONK SAYING: 
    "We would like to give our gesture of solidarity and support for a
peaceful resolution to this very difficult situation and that the people can
be free and have a democratic process and that they can earn a livelihood
without being oppressed."
4. ROME'S MAYOR WALTER VELTRONI GREETING THE BUDDHIST MONKS
5. VARIOUS PEOPLE GATHERED FOR DEMONSTRATION
6. TIBETAN REFUGEES HOLDING TIBETAN FLAGS WITH 'SAVE TIBET' WRITTEN ON
TOP
7. TIBETAN REFUGEE HOLDING PICTURE OF MYANMAR
OPPOSITION LEADER AUNG SAN SUU KYI SAYING: 
    "We are here to support Myanmar."
8. TIBETAN REFUGEE SAYING: 
    "In Tibet and Burma we have the same problem, we all want freedom
and democracy in our countries so this is why we came here to support
them."
9. BUDDHIST MONKS AT DEMONSTRATION
10. ROME MAYOR WALTER VELTRONI SAYING: 
    "This city in all these years has never forgotten Aung San Suu
Kyi, and that population that suffers the loss of all liberty, a liberty to
express their views and the liberty that should have been attained after their
votes 17 years ago which should be respected and guaranteed."
11. PEOPLE HOLDING CANDLES AT DEMONSTRATION
12. BANNER READING: 'WE SUPPORT THE PEACEFUL FIGHT OF THE BUDDHIST MONKS
AND ALL THE PEOPLE OF MYANMAR AGAINST DICTATORSHIP.'
13. PEOPLE HOLDING CANDLES
 
Close to one hundred people gathered outside Rome's townhall on
Monday evening (September 24) to show their solidarity with protestors who
have taken to the streets in Myanmar.
    Rome's mayor Walter Veltroni organised the demonstration that was also
attended by members of the Buddhist community in Italy, local residents and a
handful of Tibetan refugees.
    "We would like to give our gesture of solidarity and support for a
peaceful resolution to this very difficult situation and that the people can
be free and have a democratic process and that they can earn a livelihood
without being oppressed," said a Buddhist monk attending the
demonstration.
    Many stood with lit candles in the square or holding pictures of
detained opposition leader and democracy icon Aung San Suu Kyi.
    "In Tibet and Burma we have the same problem, we all want freedom
and democracy in our countries so this is why we came here to support
them," said a Tibetan refugee.
    Rome's mayor speaking at the rally said that the city would honour Aung
San Suu Kyi with a peace award at the end of the year. Aung San Suu Kyi has
already been awarded honorary citizenship of the city.
    "This city in all these years has never forgotten Aung San Suu
Kyi, and that population that suffers the loss of all liberty, a liberty to
express their views and the liberty that should have been attained after their
votes 17 years ago which should be respected and guaranteed," Veltroni
said.
    Tens of thousands of people joined Buddhist monks on marches in
Myanmar's former capital on Monday in the biggest demonstration against the
ruling generals since they crushed student-led protests nearly 20 years
ago.