(Minghui.org) Falun Dafa practitioners held an event on Meier Commercial Street in Antwerp, Belgium, on June 22, 2024 to introduce the traditional mind-body cultivation practice from China. They also exposed the Chinese Communist Party’s (CCP) 25-year-long persecution of Falun Dafa. Their peaceful exercise demonstration drew many people and quite a few asked where they could learn the exercises. People also signed a petition calling for an end to the CCP’s persecution.

Antwerp is the second largest city in Belgium and is famous for its large ancient port and for diamond processing.

Many people stopped to watch the exercise demonstration and talked to practitioners about Falun Dafa. 

Manoj Gupta, a software engineer from India, is a Buddhist. He said his hometown is not far from where Buddha Sakyamuni was born and practiced cultivation, so it’s a tourist attraction. He said he understood the importance of faith, and many people meditate, which is actually a way of practicing cultivation.

Manoj Gupta (first on right) signs the petition. 

He signed the petition to oppose the persecution in China and said, “The persecution is wrong, absolutely wrong! Cultivation benefits all lives and should not be persecuted.” He also said that people have the right to choose their own beliefs as long as they do not harm society.

Mr. Gupta said that practitioners did a good job introducing Dafa and exposing the persecution and he appreciated that Falun Dafa is practiced throughout the world. He thanked the practitioners for their efforts.

People sign the petition calling to stop the persecution.

The Persecution Is Shameful

Mica Nepomuceno works for the BBC and is responsible for all legal aspects of documentaries. She was vacationing in Antwerp with her friends. Ms. Nepomuceno said, “I heard the exercise music and saw the positive messages being spread. People are meditating here. It’s great to see such a scene on the street.”

Mica Nepomuceno said the persecution of Falun Dafa was shameful. 

Mica explained that she once lived in China, but initially didn’t know about Falun Dafa. During the three years she lived in Guangzhou, she saw a practitioner doing the exercises on the street in 2000, and then the police came. She said, “Just like these people today [practitioners], they were peacefully exercising. But, many police came.” She said that due to her work, she could not comment on certain issues. But she referred to the Hong Kong Umbrella Movement and said she saw how brutal the police were.

Mica also said, “I think that spreading Falun Dafa in society is a peaceful thing, and it shouldn’t be persecuted.” When she learned that the persecution was still happening, she said it was “a real shame.”

Ms. Nepomuceno and her friends signed the petition to help stop the persecution. 

Frank signs the petition. 

Frank, an art and antique dealer, carefully watched the exercise demonstration and talked with practitioners. He said that the dictatorial CCP is the most dangerous and biggest criminal in the world. It persecutes all those who oppose it and many things are banned in China. He said that the CCP is jealous of Western free culture and bullies weak countries. In Europe, the CCP’s infiltration is also everywhere, and spies are planted everywhere. “However, I am not afraid of the Party. I support the fight against it,” Frank said. 

Interested in Practicing Falun Dafa 

Lisa said she appreciates Falun Dafa. 

Lisa was deeply interested in Falun Dafa, and a practitioner told her about the principles of Truthfulness, Compassion, and Forbearance. 

The practitioner also told her about the CCP’s persecution. Lisa said the persecution was terrible. She asked in detail how to learn the exercises and the basic requirements of practicing. She also asked the practitioners for their contact information and the address of the group practice site, then thanked the practitioners before leaving.

Guido reads the book Zhuan Falun.

Guido was happy to see the exercise demonstration. He said that he’d heard about Falun Dafa in the early days and practiced it, and felt very good. He did not continue practicing because of being busy with his children and work.

He picked up the new Dutch version of Zhuan Falun and read it. He said that the earlier translation was difficult to understand, and he wanted to read the new version. He also said he wanted to resume practicing Falun Dafa.