Canadian Tulip Festival brass step in to apologize. Tian Guo Marching Band accepts apology and agrees to perform at Dow's Lake.
Ottawa, Canada, May 12, 2008 – The Canadian Tulip Festival has issued a formal apology to Tian Guo Marching Band of Canada, and to each of its Band members, all of whom are practitioners of Falun Gong. David Luxton, Chair, and Teri Kirk, President, of the Canadian Tulip Festival met over the weekend with Marching Band members Grace Wollensak and Lucy Zhou, to exchange views and re-build relations between the Festival and the Band.
The matter was escalated to the President and Board of the Festival when it became clear that comments made on behalf of the Festival by others had resulted in a misperception of the Festival’s position and an understandable feeling of grievance by Band members.
Kirk and Luxton, both of whom provide leadership and direction to the Festival as volunteers, indicated that they were both participating in the Festivals’ Opening Ceremonies with guest countries at the time of the decision to suspend and ultimately cancel the Band’s performance. They expressed regret that they had not been available to confer with the Band or comment to the media at that time. They acknowledged that the decision to cancel the Band's performance and the comments made on behalf of the Festival by others gave rise to upset feelings by Band members and in the community more broadly. Kirk and Luxton both expressed their personal regrets about the handling of the issue by the Festival and extended an official apology by the Canadian Tulip Festival to the Tian Guo Marching Band and its members. Luxton added, “Comments in the media attributed to Festival staff dealing with the incident exacerbated the feelings of grievance by Band members, which the Festival regrets”.
Doug Little, Director of Marketing and Finance for the Festival, who had commented to the media on the Festivals’ decision to cancel the performance, also expressed his very sincere regrets about the tone and content of his remarks. Little noted, “I love the Canadian Tulip Festival and would never intentionally do anything to hurt its reputation in the community. I am very sorry that my remarks have not reflected well on Band members, on Falun Gong or the Festival. I extend my heart felt apologies to the Tian Guo Marching Band and to each one of its members.”
Ms Kirk said, “We certainly support the right of religious groups to bring forward diverse views. Unfortunately, the Festival's decision was made in haste in the moments before the official Opening. We are pleased to have had the opportunity to meet with Band members and to re-extend a warm invitation to the Band to perform at this year’s Festival.” Mr. Luxton added, “Our vision for a revitalized Festival is one that celebrates international friendship - which is the founding principle of the Canadian Tulip Festival. We welcome performances by cultural groups from around the world such as the very talented and professional Tian Guo Marching Band”.
Ms Wollensak and Ms Zhou noted that they accepted the apologies of Ms Kirk and Mr. Luxton on behalf of the Festival and appreciated Mr. Little’s apology as well.
The Festival has re-extended its invitation to the Band to perform at the Festival and is pleased to announce that the Band will perform on Sunday May 18 at 1 – 2 p.m. at ‘Music in the Tulips’ at Dow’s Lake. The Tian Guo Marching Band is an award-winning Marching Band that has delighted audiences in Ottawa in the past. Ms Kirk noted, “We know that Festival audiences will enjoy both the visual and musical appeal of this large and colourful marching band”.
The Festival is pleased that Band organizers have accepted the apology from Festival executives and both the Band and the Festival are pleased to bring this issue to an end. Mr. Luxton added, “The Band is pleased to get back to making music and the Tulip Festival can move forward with what the Tulip Festival does best”.
About the Canadian Tulip Festival:
The Canadian Tulip Festival has grown into the largest Tulip Festival in the world from a gift of tulips by Princess Juliana of the Netherlands six decades ago. The tulips have become an important symbol of international friendship and the beauty of spring. This year’s Festival features a display of over three million tulips. In 2007, the Canadian Tulip Festival launched an International Pavilion in Major's Hill Park attracting 125,000 people in just 11 days. In 2008, the Pavilion has been expanded to 18 days with 25 participating countries. This year’s festival also includes its ideas program, Celebridée, which is unfolding daily in the Festival’s spectacular Magic Mirror Tent at Major's Hill Park. For additional information on the Canadian Tulip Festival, see [url=http://www.tulipfestival.ca]http://www.tulipfestival.ca[/url].
Contact:
Canadian Tulip Festival
Teri Kirk, President
613 798-6682
president@tulipfestival.ca
