(Minghui.org) Summer has always been the busiest season for Falun Gong practitioners. At countless community events, local festivals, and tourist spots all over the world, practitioners tell the public about this self-improvement cultivation practice, expose the facts of the 19-year long persecution of it in China, and call for help to stop the ongoing human rights crisis.
This report covers six events in the U.S. and Europe.
Massachusetts, U.S.
The Chinese community in Boston held its annual gala in Chinatown last Saturday, which included Chinese culture demonstrations, along with arts and cuisine. Local practitioners set up a booth to introduce Falun Gong.
Telling visitors about Falun Gong
As practitioners demonstrated the Falun Gong exercises, the beautiful music attracted many people. One woman from Cape Cod said she found the practitioners' booth by following the music. With great interest, she learned the exercises. Afterward, she was amazed by the inner peace she experienced.
A local nurse said that she and her husband had been looking for a method that would help relieve the stress of daily life and work. After learning the exercises, she said that she may have found what she needs.
Some Chinese also stopped by the booth. A retired Chinese military officer talked to practitioners for a long time. He said he had already quit the Communist Party when he was in China. In America, he has learned more about Falun Gong.
“The more I learn, the more I respect you guys,” he said. “You are good people, you have suffered a lot, and done a lot. I hope you will keep up the good job [of clarifying the facts.]”
Vermont, U.S.
On the same day, practitioners from Burlington, Vermont, held an event in front of City Hall. They demonstrated the exercises, passed out flyers, and collected signatures on a petition that condemns the state-sanctioned organ harvesting in China.
Demonstrating the exercises
People sign the petition supporting Falun Gong's peaceful resistance.
Many people were shocked to learn about the forced organ harvesting in China. After signing the petition herself, a local woman returned with her friend and asked practitioners to tell her friend what they told her about the organ harvesting. Her friend also signed the petition and said she would talk to her congressman and ask the lawmaker for help.
Lörrach, Germany
Also on Saturday, practitioners from Lörrach, Germany, set up a booth in a local business district, where stores' summer sales attracted many customers.
Practitioners' booth
Local resident Bernd read the practitioners' display board for a long time and came to talk to them.
“I have seen the reports on the persecution,” he said. “It is unbelievable that modern society has become so horrible. It is great that you guys are telling people the truth.
“If everybody in China could follow the teaching of Confucius and Buddha, the society would not have gone so wrong. Why do Chinese follow the Communist Party?” he asked. “The Communist Party is violent and deceptive. They not only deceive the Chinese people, they also deceive the whole world.”
He wished the practitioners strength and good luck.
A few hours later, Bernd came back. He wanted to know more about Falun Gong, the practice itself. He said he liked meditation and believes that cultivation can connect humans to heaven.
Practitioners told him about the guiding principles of Falun Gong, Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance. He was very interested and took a stack of materials.
An Indian visiting scholar wants to learn the exercises.
A Chinese family watched the practitioners for a long time. The father, a visiting scholar, finally came over and said, “We cannot see Falun Gong in China, but I've seen you guys everywhere in Europe. Amazing.”
Practitioners then told him about the forced organ harvesting. The scholar was shocked, “That is unacceptable! No wonder the Communist Party censors the Internet. They don't want people to know the truth.”
He accepted practitioners' help to quit the Party and said he would convince his family and friends to quit once he returns to China.
Gotland, Sweden
The week of July 1 is the fiftieth Swedish Political Week. All kinds of political parties and organizations assembled in Gotland, a famous tourist destination, to promote their ideas to the voters.
Local practitioners set up a booth to tell the public about the persecution in China.
Practitioners at the Swedish Political Week event
Petra Lindberg, a human rights activist, spoke at the event, condemning the forced organ harvesting. Her speech, calling for laws to ban the illegal organ trade, was published in the newspaper Samhallet. She pointed out that most of the organs for organ transplants in China now come from Falun Gong practitioners.
Human rights activist Petra Lindberg speaking at the event
Her speech was published in the newspaper Samhallet.
Several local media interviewed practitioners and covered their stories.
Jyväskylä, Finland
Finnish practitioners held an event in Jyväskylä on June 30 to raise public awareness of the persecution.
Passersby sign a practitioners' petition to condemn the persecution.
Many people signed the petition to support Falun Gong's peaceful resistance. A local man said he'd signed a similar petition two years ago in Helsinki. He was surprised that the forced organ harvesting was still going on in China. Without hesitation, he signed it again.
Arkaim, Russia
Practitioners in Russia went to Arkaim, a famous tourist town, on June 21-23 to introduce Falun Gong to tourists from all around the world.
Demonstrating the exercises
Besides demonstrating the exercises, practitioners also held two free workshops to teach the exercises and introduce the principle of Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance.
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