(Minghui.org) On July 20 thirteen years ago, the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) started its brutal persecution of Falun Gong. This year Austrian Falun Gong practitioners held an event in Michaelerplatz Square, a famous tourist attraction in Vienna, to expose the CCP’s atrocities and to appeal to every part of society to work together to stop this human rights catastrophe.

Falun Gong practitioners in Vienna's Michaelerplatz Square protest the persecution

Passersby sign the petition to support Falun Gong

A Mainland Chinese tourist listens to the facts about Falun Gong

Passersby want to know more about Falun Gong

The practitioners’ exercise demonstration attracted tourists from all over the world, as well as locals. They all came to learn the facts about Falun Gong. Practitioners sang “Falun Dafa Is Good” and other selections, their beautiful voices reverberating throughout the square. Passersby couldn’t help but stop and read the display boards and sign the petition to call for an end to the persecution.

Practitioners prepared the informational materials in over 20 languages to meet the needs of this international city and major tourist destination. Several Chinese stood in front of the display boards for quite a while, reading quietly.

One tourist from China, after he took some materials, told the practitioner that he already knew why Falun Gong had been persecuted, because he could read the overseas news by using software that overcame the Internet blockade in China. Also he could browse the Chinese Epoch Times and NTD Television website. He said, “The fall of the CCP is only a matter of time.”

Two Hungarian tourists wanted to find Falun Gong exercise sites and to learn the exercises when they got home. They said, “Hungary was once a communist country. The Communist Party is very evil and its only tool is suppression.” Some Russian tourists also came to the information table and leaned the facts about the persecution.

Exposing the Persecution through Music

Julia hopes to spread the facts about Falun Gong through music

Julia, who graduated from the Vienna Conservatory of Music as a professional pianist, has been practicing Falun Gong for three years. Since childhood, she wondered why one lives, about the meaning of life, how to be free from conflicts, etc. Introduced to it by a friend, she read the book Zhuan Falun and found the answers.

Julia said, “Through studying the Falun Gong teachings and doing the exercises, when I play the piano I feel I can focus much better on playing without much rest. Also, my music skills are improving. Although at that time I only been practicing for six months, my piano teacher praised me and wondered how come I could suddenly play so well. He said, 'You must practice very hard and have practiced a lot.' Actually, at that time, I wasn’t spending much time playing. Through practicing Falun Gong, I feel I can maintain my inner peace better, and I’m not nervous during performances, because I think that, during performances, I, myself, am not important, but the music is.”

Julia and Austrian practitioners organized a musical group. They composed music and lyrics that tell about the CCP’s persecution of human rights. She thought, “Music is a good medium. With our own music and lyrics, I want to let everyone know about the CCP’s persecution of human rights and Falun Gong, and to help stop the persecution. At the same time, through music I also want to show the goodness of Falun Dafa so that more Westerners can about know Falun Gong. I’m grateful to Falun Gong practitioners in China. Despite the CCP’s brutal persecution, they continue to persevere, refuse to give up cultivating, and continue to clarify the truth to the world’s people.”

Julia also hoped that she would improve quickly and be able to compose more and better songs.

Magdalena’s physical and mental health has greatly improved since practicing Falun Gong

Magdalena, a Falun Gong practitioner from Upper Austria, tries to participate in different activities organized by practitioners to raise people's awareness about the CCP’s persecution of Falun Gong and to help to stop the persecution.

Magdalena suffered from asthma from a young age. She took a lot of medications, but they didn’t work. Seven years ago, encouraged by a friend, she started practicing Falun Gong. She said, “These last seven years, I have not taken any medications. Before, I could not live without medicine. Since becoming a cultivator, my mind has become pure, and I feel confident again. I used to be a teacher. Because of my introverted personality, I didn’t want to work, I didn’t know how to face my students, and I was afraid. After practicing Falun Gong, I found the courage to work again. Now I have started teaching in schools again.”

Austrian Green Party Supports Falun Gong

In recognition of the 13^th anniversary of the persecution of Falun Gong in China, Ms. Alev Korun, a member of the Austria Parliament and chairman of the Human Rights Committee, and Ms. Judith Schwentner, a member of Parliament, sent a letter to the Austrian Falun Dafa Association. The letter read:

“China’s overall human rights situation has always been one of the core topics of the Green Party. The banning of Falun Gong, which has gone on now for 13 years, disregards the freedom of belief, the freedom of speech, and the freedom of assembly. When it began in 1999, the Green Party seriously protested (the CCP) persecution of Falun Gong and Falun Gong practitioners. Since then, the Green Party has fought for the freedom of the 7 million Falun Gong practitioners that have been detained, tortured, and even killed for their belief.

“In the 21th century, the Chinese regime exerts mental pressure on Falun Gong practitioners, persecutes their physical bodies or makes arrest, which undermines their human rights.

“Unfortunately, for economic reasons, Austria is doing less and less for human rights in China. We continue to ask China to stop the arbitrary arrests, censorship, and inhumane tortures, and to respect religion and freedom of speech. Free thinking should be upheld.”