Falun Dafa Practitioners Worldwide Commemorate the Second Anniversary of the "April 25th Peaceful Appeal"

Two years ago today, 10,000 Falun Dafa practitioners gathered in Beijing to make a peaceful appealan appeal which, looking back, can be seen as the prelude to a peaceful, reasonable, and fearless quest for the freedom of belief. Since then Dafa practitioners have, from the point of view of their personal cultivation, melted into the process of Fa-rectification. Facing the vicious persecution, numerous Falun Dafa practitioners disregarded their own safety and joined the current of Fa-rectification in the human world. Here, we would like to commemorate Falun Dafa practitioners' peaceful and glorious appeal on April 25^th two years ago, and at the same time express the following statement to the Chinese government: Stop Jiang Zemin and his accomplices from persecuting Falun Gong! The following article and photographs illustrate how Falun Dafa practitioners all over the world have stepped forth and told the truth about Falun Gong to the press, to their governments, to the people in their society, and to the Chinese Embassies and Consulates in their countries. Asia China Beijing Falun Dafa practitioners in Mainland China staged small and scattered protests Wednesday on Tiananmen Square in an attempt to commemorate the second anniversary of April 25^th.

Hong Kong Falun Dafa practitioners in Hong Kong walked to China's Liaison Office in Hong Kong to press Beijing to stop the brutal persecution against Falun Gong. In the morning, over 20 practitioners conducted a group practice and appealed outside China's Liaison Office in the city's bustling Western district. In the afternoon, 200 practitioners held a group practice at Zada Park to commemorate April 25^th. Macao On the afternoon of commemoration day, April 25^th, Falun Dafa practitioners in Macao distributed Dafa truth-clarifying materials and balloons with the words, "Falun Dafa: Truthfulness, Compassion, Forbearance" written on them. At night, they held a candlelight vigil on the seashore. The whole process took place under the police's tight surveillance. In addition, the police threatened the practitioners. However, Dafa practitioners were not shaken by the police's despotic power, and righteously commemorated this glorious day and their fellow practitioners who have died from the vicious persecution. Japan Tokyo Practitioners appealed to the Chinese Embassy to stop the persecution against Falun Gong, and peacefully resolve the Falun Gong issue.

Asuka Practitioners in Asuka went to the Chinese Consulate on April 25^th to disclose the vicious persecution to the local media, and in the process commemorate this great Day. Europe UK London At 1pm on April 25^th, Dafa practitioners in London gathered in front of the Chinese Embassy to commemorate 10,000 Chinese Falun Gong practitioners' peaceful appeal at Zhongnanhai in Beijing on this day two years ago. They also pressed the Chinese government to end the escalating, brutal persecution through peaceful dialogue. In the afternoon, practitioners held a parade in downtown London to expose the evil and clarify the truth to the people of the world. Edinburgh Dafa practitioners in Scotland appealed in front of the Chinese Consulate in Edinburgh. Manchester To commemorate April 25^th, Dafa practitioners from midwestern England gathered in front of the Chinese Consulate in Manchester to appeal. Germany Berlin On the morning of April 25, practitioners from Germany made a peaceful appeal on the opposite side of the street from the Chinese Embassy. At noon, the practitioners paraded in the downtown district. In the afternoon, they held commemorating activities beside the Memorial Church of Berlin Center. Bonn On the night of April 25, practitioners held a candlelight vigil on the lawn in front of the Chinese Consulate. Switzerland Bern On the second anniversary of April 25^th, Dafa practitioners paraded in the rain from Parliament Square in the center of the Swiss capital to the Chinese Embassy. They exposed the fact that Jiang Zemin is persecuting Dafa, and appealed to China to stop its vicious attacks against Falun Dafa.

Sweden Stockholm and Gothenburg On the evening of April 25, practitioners in Sweden simultaneously gathered in the Center Squares of two big cities, Stockholm and Gothenburg, and once again lit mourning candles. Belgium Brussels Dafa practitioners commemorated the April 25^th peaceful appeal in front of the Chinese Embassy in Brussels. France Paris On the night of April 25, over 60 Dafa practitioners from the greater metropolitan area of Paris held a candlelight vigil and exercise demonstration activities on the Human Rights Square near the Eiffel Tower. Denmark Copenhagen On April 25, Dafa practitioners held a candlelight vigil on the busiest pedestrian thoroughfare in downtown Copenhagen. The practitioners lit candles, displayed Dafa practitioners' pictures of persecution one by one, played Dafa music "Pu Du" and "Ji Shi," and passed out truth-clarifying materials to passersby. North America USA New York Practitioners in the New York area held a press conference to commemorate April 25^th and quoted from leaked Chinese government documents that reveal the true motives behind Jiang Zemin's crackdown on Falun Gong. They also released a news report entitled "Women of Conscience," which details the torture and violence routinely used against female Falun Gong practitioners in China. In addition, over 100 Falun Gong practitioners held a 24-hour candlelight vigil in front of the Chinese Consulate in New York to further disclose the criminal acts by Jiang Zemin and his accomplices. The New York practitioners expressed their support and mourned for their fellow practitioners in China who have been tortured to death.

Boston, MA On the night of April 25, practitioners in Boston gathered at Harvard Square to hold a candlelight vigil commemorating the second anniversary of the April 25^th peaceful appeal, and mourn for their fellow practitioners who have been persecuted to death by Jiang Zemin's clique. They spoke the truth to the people and appealed for justice.

Houston, TX At 6:00pm, practitioners held a candlelight vigil in front of the Chinese Consulate to commemorate the second anniversary of April 25^th and mourn with deep grief for those practitioners who sacrificed their lives to protect Falun Dafa.

Berkeley, California About 150 practitioners from the Bay Area of San Francisco gathered at the University of California at Berkeley on the evening of April 24. They lit candles one after another in front of the main library of UC Berkeley and held a candlelight vigil and a panel discussion.

Los Angeles, CA On the second anniversary of the April 25^th peaceful appeal at Zhongnanhai, practitioners in Los Angeles held a news conference at 9:30 am to disclose that Jiang Zemin alone decided to persecute Falun Gong without any legal procedures or consultations with other leaders. The practitioners called on people from all walks of lifeincluding Chinese government officialswho have consciences to help stop Jiang Zemin and his accomplices, who, in the name of the Chinese government, continue to ignore the law and persecute and murder Chinese citizens.

Canada Toronto On April 25, Dafa practitioners in Toronto held a 12-hour activity in front of the Chinese Consulate from 9am to 9pm to commemorate the second anniversary of the April 25^th peaceful appeal at Zhongnanhai.

Montreal Dafa practitioners in Montreal held a news conference and conducted a group practice on Chinese Street in Chinatown at 1:00pm on April 25^th to commemorate the second anniversary of the peaceful gathering at the government complex at Zhongnanhai.

Ottawa To commemorate the April 25^th peaceful appeal in China two years ago, and the Chinese practitioners who have been killed in the vicious persecution, practitioners from Ottawa held a group practice and appealed in front of the Chinese Embassy during the week of April 25^th (from April 23^rd to 27^th) to stop the persecution against the practitioners in China. Oceania Australia Sydney Practitioners in Sydney held a candlelight vigil in front of the General Consulate on April 25^th to disclose the vicious crimes of the persecutors and awaken the people's conscience. New Zealand Auckland On the second anniversary of April 25^th, practitioners in New Zealand appealed in front of the Chinese Consulate.

(Translated on April 29, 2001)