22nd April 2002

I would like to take this opportunity on behalf of Friends of Falun Gong Europe to thank Zhang Cuiying for all the beautiful paintings, which you see here in the exhibition. All of them have been inspired by the artist's belief in Falun Gong, which she has been practising since 1997, and by her subsequent imprisonment in China in 1999. She was imprisoned simply for expressing her dissent at the persecution of Falun Gong practitioners by the Chinese government, a fate that has befallen many thousands of practitioners in China since July 1999.

During her eight months in jail, Zhang Cuiying was subjected to horrific types of torture. However she never lost her faith in "Truth, Compassion, Forbearance," or "Zhen-Shan-Ren" during all this time, and it was this inner belief in Falun Gong which helped her to survive the torture.

Her paintings clearly display an inner peace, which she has been pursuing through Falun Gong, and which contrasts starkly with the evil brutality of the Jiang Zemin regime in its persecution of Falun Gong. Falun Gong practitioners pursue a harmony with nature and try to assimilate themselves with the principles of the universe, Zhen-Shan-Ren.

I hope you enjoy the exhibition and may feel inspired by the beauty which flows out of the paintings. One thing is certain: you cannot fail to be moved by the strength of belief, which radiates from them.

Falun Gong practitioners still imprisoned in China can draw great comfort and strength from the knowledge that people like Cuiying are constantly campaigning for their freedom and that one day, the Chinese government will understand that people like her will not relinquish their belief in "Truth, Compassion, Forbearance".

With the accelerating persecution of Falun Gong practitioners in China, 5000 detained since 5 March 2002 in Changchun city alone and 400 tortured to death so far; we call upon all kind people to join the campaign for the freedom of belief of Falun Gong practitioners in China.