(Minghui.org) Falun Gong practitioners regularly hold activities and participate in local community events to introduce the practice to the public and raise awareness of the Chinese Communist Party's (CCP) ongoing persecution. During these events practitioners demonstrate the exercises, discuss the brutal 20-year persecution of Falun Gong in China, and give people an opportunity to sign a petition condemning the persecution – especially the CCP's state-sanctioned forced organ harvesting from Falun Gong practitioners and other prisoners of conscience.
The following are reports from local events in the U.S., Finland, India, Norway, and Japan.
Houston, Texas: Practitioners Participate in Senior Expo and Health Fair
Practitioners participated in the Senior Expo and Health Fair held at the Bayou City Event Center, Houston, Texas on September 25, 2019. The event was sponsored by Senior Trade Shows, an expo of resources for citizens 55 and older.
Falun Gong practitioners demonstrate the exercises during the Senior Expo and Health Fair held at the Bayou City Event Center on September 25, 2019.
Michelle and her friend were interested in Falun Gong and learned the exercises at the Falun Gong booth. She said she felt strong energy while she did the exercises and felt refreshed afterwards.
Michelle (second from left) and her friend learn the Falun Gong exercises.
Buddy listened to a practitioner’s introduction to Falun Gong and said he felt it was wonderful. He invited practitioners to come teach Falun Gong in his community.
Buddy (first from right) invited practitioners to teach the practice in his community.
Falun Gong practitioners were invited to demonstrate the exercises on stage during the expo. The event coordinators recorded it and several people took photos.
Albany, New York: Practitioners Participate in LarkFest
Falun Gong practitioners participated in the 38th annual LarkFest in Albany, New York on September 21, 2019. The event is the biggest single day festival in upper New York state. Upwards of 80,000 attend this popular street festival each year.
Festivalgoers learn about Falun Gong during LarkFest in Albany, New York.
People sign the petition to condemn the persecution.
One man stopped in front of the practitioners' booth to sign the petition. He then told a practitioner, “I went to the park a year ago to learn the exercises. Practitioners are good people. I plan to go back to the park to learn some more, and practice with you.”
A young couple listened attentively to a practitioner’s introduction to Falun Gong. They said that they felt the practice was very good and were shocked to learn of the CCP's brutal persecution.
They signed the petition calling for an end to the live organ harvesting, and said that they admired and supported practitioners and were impressed by how they peacefully protest the persecution.
Finland: Introducing Falun Gong in Helsinki
Practitioners in Helsinki introduced Falun Gong and raised awareness about the persecution on September 21, 2019. Recent mainstream media reports on a forum discussing the CCP’s organ harvesting of prisoners of conscience had a big impact on the public. Many people stopped by the Falun Gong booth and told practitioners they had seen the reports, and they wanted to sign the petition to condemn the persecution.
People sign the petition to condemn the persecution of Falun Gong in China.
The Christiansen family supports practitioners’ efforts to protest the CCP’s atrocities of organ harvesting from living people. The entire family signed the petition to condemn the atrocities in China.
Laidi, who has lived in Finland for more than 30 years, had first heard about the CCP’s organ harvesting from a friend. When he learned that practitioners were targeted for organ removal, including their corneas, hearts, livers, kidneys, and even their skin, he was shocked. He told a practitioner, “My father waited for half a year for a kidney transplant. It is incredible for one to wait only a few weeks in China.”
Bangalore, India: Teaching the Falun Gong Exercises at a Jewelry Company
Practitioners from Bangalore were invited to demonstrate the exercises at C Krishniah Chetty, a jewelry company, on September 21, 2019.
Practitioners from Bangalore were invited to demonstrate the Falun Gong exercises at a local company.
Practitioners introduce Falun Gong and talk about the CCP’s persecution.
Employees learn the first set of Falun Gong exercises.
The owner and employees of the jewelry company had visited a flower show at the Lalbagh Botanical Garden during the Independence Day event earlier this year. When they passed by the Falun Gong stand, they were drawn to the gentle music and the exercises.
They paused to watch and read the information. After a practitioner told them about Falun Gong they said they were interested in learning more. They invited the practitioner to introduce Falun Gong to the company's 70 employees.
The practitioners introduced the practice of Falun Gong, how it is practiced worldwide, and talked about the CCP’s persecution in China.
All the company employees learned the first exercise. Many of them said that thought that Falun Gong was wonderful and wished to learn more.
Mr. Vijender Singh Kadyan, director of the human resource department, said he hopes that practitioners will return to teach the rest of the Falun Gong exercises.
Stavanger, Norway: Falun Gong Welcomed in Healthy Life Expo
Falun Gong practitioners participated in the annual Healthy Life Expo in Stavanger, Norway on September 20-22, 2019. They were invited to give two keynote speeches during the event.
Practitioners introduce Falun Gong and talk about the CCP’s persecution during the Healthy Life Expo held in Stavanger, September 20-22, 2019.
The event was held in downtown Stavanger. The theme of the expo is physical and mental health. Fifty-three companies, individuals or organizations participated in the exhibition this year. During the three-day forum, the two keynote speeches and the Falun Gong booth attracted many visitors.
After one man learned about Falun Gong he was shocked to hear of the CCP’s persecution and live organ harvesting of imprisoned practitioners. He said, “This information is important. It is incredible!”
Practitioners offered two Falun Gong teaching sessions during the expo. Several people learned the first four exercises.
People learn the Falun Gong exercises at the Healthy Life Expo in Stavanger, Norway.
A practitioner talks to people about Falun Gong and the persecution.
Nagoya, Japan: Introducing Falun Gong in the City Center
Practitioners held activities in Sakae, the busiest part of downtown Nagoya, Aichi Prefecture, Japan on September 22, 2019.
Practitioners introduce Falun Gong and raise awareness of the persecution in Nagoya, Japan on September 22, 2019.
Crowds of people have attended the Rugby World Cup 2019 in Japan. Nagoya is one of the cities hosting the game.
Many people learned about Falun Gong and signed the petition protesting the persecution. Among them were local people, tourists and students. Several Chinese tourists took photos of the banners and read the posters carefully.
Relevant articles in Chinese: Albany, New York; Finland; India; Norway; and Japan.
