Russia: Introducing Falun Dafa and Exposing the Persecution in Pskov City

Some Russian practitioners drove to Pskov City to introduce Falun Gong and expose the persecution one weekend in the middle of August. They were welcomed by the local people.

Pskov City is the capital of Pskov State on the western border of Russia. It is nearly one thousand years old. It is one of the most famous ancient cities in Russia. Falun Gong practitioners went there to let the people of this ancient city learn about Falun Dafa.

On Saturday, August 13th, we held an activity for five hours at a square in the central city near the Kremlin, an ancient palace in Pskov. Practitioners placed display boards, including photos with the themes “Falun Gong has spread all over the world", “Pictures of cruel torture,” and so on. Some practitioners explained the pictures to the audience in front of the boards, some taught people how to fold paper Lotus Flowers and told them their symbolic meanings, some demonstrated Falun Gong exercises and some distributed materials in places near the square such as the station and the market.

From the beginning of the activity to the end, there were a lot of people passing by because the square is in the centre of the city and people have to go through it when going to the biggest market. Many people thus learnt about Falun Gong. Lots of people were not willing to leave. Some learned the exercises on the spot, some learned further information about cultivation and asked where they could buy Falun Gong books and some paid attention to the situation of Falun Gong practitioners persecuted in China and asked how they could help them. People were touched by the peacefulness of Falun Gong practitioners. They said that there are usually many activities held by various groups in the square, but they had never met such a group of peaceful people. They said that practitioners did not argue or dispute, but sincerely shared their thoughts with others.

A simple country man stayed there for a long time. When leaving, he insisted on giving the practitioners the fruit he had collected in the forest. A woman said, “I dreamt that I wore a Lotus Flower on my head last night. Today I finally know the Lotus Flower I dreamt of is here.” The policeman who was on duty had an alert and indifferent expression when the activity started, but at the end, he smiled to us and said that he understood that Falun Gong was a very good cultivation practice. Two local newspapers reported on the activity.

Practitioners talked to people and distributed leaflets to some other places in the suburbs and some government departments in Pskov City after the activity finished and on the following day.