Australia: Spreading "Petals of Peace" All Over the World

On October 2nd and 3rd, a global event entitled "Petals of Peace" made its debut in Melbourne, Australia. The purpose of this event is to promote a close relationship among children all over the world, to encourage tolerance and mutual understandings and to enhance creativity.

The event was inspired by the experience of a 3-year-old Chinese-Australian girl, named Fadu. When Fadu was about 6 months old, her father was tortured to death in China for practising Falun Gong. Since then, Fadu has been to more than 30 countries with her mother to call attention to the persecution.

On October 2, a large-scale children's activity, "Petals of Peace," was held in Melbourne, Australia. Parliament Member Anthony Byrne sent a letter of congratulations for this event. A group of children from the Minghui School presented several performances including "Lotus Flower Dance," "Dunhuang Dance," and a children's fashion show. They presented their hand-made paper lotus flowers, which symbolise peace and saintly purity. They also taught other children and parents how to fold the paper lotus flowers.

Minghui students perform two dances
Ms. Dai Zizhen sharing her story of persecution
Practitioners holding lotus flowers	People learning how to fold paper lotus flowers

The event organizer said, "Today, we teach children how to fold the paper lotus flower which symbolizes purity and beauty, and we will also present Truth-Compassion-Tolerance as well as people's persistent good wishes and kindness. Through this activity, we would like to advocate tolerance and compassion to all people with different cultural backgrounds so as to promote peace in the world."

On October 3, "Petals of Peace" held a news conference in front of the Chinese Consulate in Melbourne. Minghui School students demonstrated Falun Gong exercises. Several reporters came to gather news.

Minghui students demonstrating Falun Gong exercises during the "Petals of Peace" news conference
Ms. Dai Zizhen accepting interviews
A young practitioner meditating among lotus flowers	Fadu and Minghui School students practising Falun Gong exercises

Fadu's mother, Ms. Dai Zhizhen, said, "As a mother, if we do not speak out for our children, who will? The purpose of this activity is to remind people that in China, hundreds of thousands of young children like Fadu are suffering the pain of their families being torn apart." Ms. Dai said it was not out of personal anger, but to uphold justice that she participated in legal actions against Jiang Zemin in different countries. She felt that any individual, no matter who he is, if he committed crimes against humanity, torture and genocide, he should be tried in the international court.

Tokyo Olympic Games Swimming silver medallist Jan Becker said that the lotus flower which grows up out of the mud, but remains pure, symbolises hope and saintly purity. The activity of folding paper lotus flowers will be promoted in Australia's schools and among young people in communities. At the same time, the event is to let people know that there are many children in China who have a similar experience as Fadu. Their family members are deprived of freedom of belief and practice, and consequently, these children are forced to be separated from their parents, some are even deprived of rights of going to school and receiving a normal education.

Jan Becker said that the activity of "Petals of Peace" was intended to emphasise the value of Truth-Compassion-Tolerance throughout the world. This activity will be carried out all over the world. Melbourne is the first stop of little Fadu and her mother. Later, they will visit different countries and regions and spread the "Petals of Peace" to the entire world.