Bulgaria: Falun Dafa Practitioners Hold Activities to Peacefully Protest the 26-Year-Long Persecution

(Minghui.org) Practitioners hosted a series of events on July 20 and 22, 2025, to tell people about the Chinese Communist Party’s (CCP) 26-year-long persecution of Falun Dafa. The events were held in several cities in Bulgaria and drew public support.

Peaceful Protest in Front of the Chinese Embassy

On July 22 practitioners held a rally in front of the Chinese Embassy to protest the brutal persecution and to commemorate practitioners in China who were persecuted to death.

Falun Dafa practitioners held a rally in front of the Chinese Embassy on July 22, 2025.

Event in Plovdiv

On July 20, practitioners held an activity in the center of Plovdiv to raise awareness of the persecution. Many passersby visited their information booth and expressed their support.

Event in Plovdiv on July 20

Maria told practitioners she’s heard about the persecution of Falun Dafa, “I know about the human rights violations in China; I’ve also heard about the persecution of Falun Dafa and some other spiritual groups,” she said. “Your mission is wonderful. I stand behind it and I support you.”

A young woman who had a degree in Korean philology approached the information booth after seeing the signs about a country in Asia. She said she was truly appalled and disgusted to learn about the violence against Falun Dafa practitioners in China. Listening to the stories, she said, “I feel sick just listening to it. I didn’t know about this violence. I hadn’t heard about it. It’s disgusting and unacceptable. Of course, I support your cause!”

Ushvan from Turkey said he was drawn to the booth by the banners and spent quite some time trying to understand everything written there. Although he hardly knew any Bulgarian, with the help of an electronic voice translator, he understood the meaning of the petition and supported it.

The Art of Zhen-Shan-Ren Exhibition in Sofia and Pazardzhik

Falun Dafa practitioners in Sofia set up an information booth on the central alley in South Park. Paintings from the exhibition “The Art of Zhen-Shan-Ren” complemented the setting with their powerful impact.

Practitioners in Pazardzhik held an information day and displayed paintings from the Art of Zhen-Shan-Ren Exhibition in the city center, in the pedestrian zone in front of the Regional History Museum and the Drama Theater. Many people who visited that day stopped to look at the artworks.

Practitioners display paintings in Sofia and Pazardzhik.

Petition Drive in Burgas

Practitioners in Burgas hosted an informational event and petition drive on July 20. The Popak family stopped in front of the banners, read them for a long time, and saw that one practitioner was wearing clothes from the Shen Yun Dance brand. They explained that they were from Plovdiv but lived in London. They attended a Shen Yun performance there and knew about the persecution from the show. Everyone in the family signed both petitions.

Everyone in the Popak family signed both petitions.

Bulgarian Practitioners’ 26 Years of Peaceful Resistance

Many Bulgarian Falun Dafa practitioners continued to raise awareness for years and asked that practitioners detained in China be released. Although most of them have never been to China, they feel connected with their Chinese compatriots through their shared values and beliefs.

Practitioners tell passersby about the persecution in China.

Practitioner Georgi expresses his admiration for the practitioners in China and how they continue to raise awareness at great risk to their own lives. “It is amazing how, for over two decades, Falun Dafa practitioners in China have continued to expose the CCP’s persecution,” he said.

Georgi said that a large number of people, although they haven’t heard of the repression of Falun Gong, are familiar with the evil nature of communism and condemn the CCP’s persecution. Georgi said that one person he spoke to about the protest was unaware of the persecution. But the man said he was not surprised, as the Chinese regime is communist and totalitarian.

Another practitioner, Kalina, said that she admired the resilience of practitioners in China, “I am here to defend Truthfulness, Compassion, and Forbearance because these are the righteous principles of the universe, and they have given me moral direction every day for the past 10 years.”

She also said that she hopes her efforts will help more people become aware of the CCP’s persecution of universal values. “The Chinese communist regime persecutes goodness, and anyone who persecutes goodness is certainly not good,” she said. “That is why it’s important for people to learn about its crimes so that they do not become its accomplices.”

Kalina

To Sergey, July 20 is a dark day, “One of the most tragic days in human history because it marked the beginning of unprecedented, cruel repression against people who want to be [better] and purer.” He said that, “Every person on the planet should know about this persecution and stand on the side of good. We help people understand this, and do everything we can.”

Sergey

For Tsvetomir from Varna, the date, July 20, evokes two very different emotions. “It fills me with sadness and despair. This is because on that day, humanity officially declared war on goodness—the peaceful self-cultivation practice of Falun Dafa, which has brought nothing but benefits to the Chinese people. In my eyes, this is a huge moral decline of humanity,” he said.

“On the other hand, the 26 years of persistent peaceful resistance against the genocide committed against Falun Dafa practitioners gives me a sense of hope. The reason is that the extraordinary, unyielding spirit and strength demonstrated by people around the world who oppose this persecution show me that many people still have high moral standards and can distinguish between good and evil. This encourages me that there is hope for humanity to return to the path of goodness,” he added.

Tsvetomir

Matey said, “Today is a sad day. On July 20, 1999, the persecution of Falun Gong practitioners began in China. On that day, Jiang Zemin [former head of the CCP] gave the order to physically, mentally, and financially destroy Dafa practitioners.”

He said that in the 21st century, this evil must stop. The persecution of people who practice Truthfulness, Compassion, and Forbearance must stop. “Innocent people are in prison, while criminals are free. This is against the norm.”