Spectacular light show in Lhasa marks 60th founding anniversary of Xizang Autonomous Region

A spectacular light show was staged in Lhasa City, capital of southwest China's Xizang on Monday, celebrating the 60th founding anniversary of the autonomous region.

The light show held at Nanshan Park featured brilliant beams, laser projections and vibrant patterns, attracting locals and tourists alike.

Tourists in Lhasa are discovering a new way to enjoy the city's nightscape—through cruises along the Lhasa River. They joined boat tours, taking in the stunning views along the river.

"For today's Lhasa, people's living standards and transportation have improved greatly, making travel much more convenient. It's not like what some might imagine that life here is inconvenient or unclean. On the contrary, all aspects have developed significantly, the environment is very clean, and getting around is much easier than before," said Sonam Yungla, a small business owner from Shigatse City, Xizang.

The once desolate Lhasa River has been transformed into a model of ecological restoration. This flagship project has not only revitalized the city's natural beauty, but also offers a unique cruising experience, allowing visitors to admire scenery from the waterway.

Both locals and tourists were amazed by the huge transformation of Xizang over the past decades.

"At that time, we were celebrating the 30th founding anniversary of Xizang Autonomous Region. This place used to be nothing but a deserted island. The changes our motherland has undergone are truly remarkable. China has really become prosperous and strong," said Pu Xiaoping, a local business owner.

"Our country has changed from a very weak and often bullied place to one that no one dares to bully anymore, and life has become better and better. I feel so proud of my motherland, not only of Xizang (but the entire nation as well)," said tourist Wang Xinyi.

"It's nothing like those days anymore. Sixty years have passed, and with the tremendous changes that have taken place in Xizang, I'm truly happy in my heart. I hope things will get even better, and that people from around the world will come here for a visit. The city has kept changing every year, and I feel so happy." said Chodron, a Lhasa resident.

Marking the six decades of achievements, Lhasa is vibrant with rebirth and pride. Seen from the banks of the Lhasa River to the eyes of its citizens, Xizang's 60th founding anniversary heralds a brighter future.

Spectacular light show in Lhasa marks 60th founding anniversary of Xizang Autonomous Region

Spectacular light show in Lhasa marks 60th founding anniversary of Xizang Autonomous Region

Axis powers during World War II should offer sincere reflection and apology, a Greek mayor said after Greece successfully repatriated a rare collection of 262 World War II-era photographs.

Greek officials traveled to Belgium to negotiate with the seller and brought the photographs back to Greece, after they were put up for sale online by a Belgian collector, said the Greek Culture Ministry.

The images were taken by Wehrmacht lieutenant Hermann Heuer, who served in Greece from 1943 to 1944, during World War II, and part of the collection documents the mass execution of Greek communists by Nazi troops in Kaisariani, east of Athens.

During World War II, German occupation in Greece met with fierce resistance. On May 1, 1944, German forces executed 200 Greeks at the Kaisariani firing range in retaliation for the killing of a German general by resistance fighters.

A memorial and a museum were set up after the war in Kaisariani to commemorate those who died in the mass execution.

"The photos really shocked us all because they were real documents from the day of the execution. We are shocked for many reasons. An important reason is that the 200 communists were singing with their heads held high before the execution in the photos, and they were not mourning because they were fighters," said Ilias Stamelos, mayor of Kaisariani.

The newly recovered photographs have drawn renewed attention to the historical trauma still felt in the community, as the images provide a direct visual record of the final moments of those executed.

In 1987, then German President Richard von Weizsaecker visited Greece and made a special stop in Kaisariani, reflecting on the profound suffering inflicted on the Greek people by Germany during World War II.

Ilias said that, like Germany, Japan, another Axis power during the war, should also be held accountable for the massive harm it caused to multiple countries and should offer sincere reflection and apology for its wartime aggression.

"And I think it's a common demand, because those responsible for the deaths in the World War II need to pay for what happened. It's known to all that back then it was Germany, Japan and Italy, the allies in this war, that each played different roles in the war, yet they do have common responsibilities," said the mayor.

Historic photos of Nazi mass execution of Greeks returned to Greece, mayor calls for historical accountability