Finland: Introducing Falun Dafa at Art Night in Helsinki

On August 27, 2010, Falun Dafa practitioners in Finland took part in the 21st Helsinki "Art Night", demonstrating the beauty of Falun Dafa at Hesperian Park in the downtown area. They also exposed the CCP's crimes in the persecution in China and called on people to collectively help stop the persecution.

At "Art Night" in Helsinki, visitors watch the Falun Gong exercise demonstration.

A young woman supports Falun Gong.

People watch the Falun Gong exercise demonstration.

Visitors learn Falun Gong on the spot.

Introducing Falun Dafa to tourists.

Every year Art Night draws several hundred thousand people. This is the second time Falun Gong practitioners have taken part in this activity. When practitioners explained to people how practising Falun Dafa improves the body and mind, a young Chinese man said to his Finnish friend, "This is beneficial to you, too."

Starting at four o'clock in the afternoon, female practitioners wearing beautiful Tang Dynasty costumes and other practitioners in golden exercise suits demonstrated the exercises. The peaceful movements and the gentle music drew many spectators. Many people quietly watched, and were reluctant to leave. A young woman told practitioners: "When I saw you demonstrating the exercises, I didn't want to leave. This gives people a very auspicious feeling; it is something that people lack these days."

There were crowds of people in the park, but around the Falun Dafa exhibition space, it was tranquil. People talked in low voices, afraid to disrupt such a harmonious atmosphere.

The people who saw the exercise demonstration all wanted to learn more about Falun Dafa. Upon seeing the introduction on the exhibition panels, which showed the persecution that is currently happening in China, people were shocked, and asked what is going on. They then asked how they could help stop the persecution.

A student said, "I know about Falun Gong, and the topic of one of my speeches at school was about Falun Gong, in which, I talked in detail about this persecution. I feel that it is really unjust that these innocent Falun Gong practitioners are brutally persecuted in this way."

People read the information on the display boards about the persecution of Falun Gong. A man said to practitioners, "I don't understand why such a peaceful group of people would continue to be persecuted. I condemn this persecution, and also I hope that our president can courageously

stand up to stop this it. You have done so well telling people about this persecution."

A young woman said, "I believe that this is happening in China. My parents have told me before about how the Communist party persecutes people of faith. What you are doing is right, and I support you. I will tell my relatives and friends about what I have seen today." When she heard that practitioners were collecting signatures against the persecution, she immediately signed her name, and also brought her friend to sign.

After seeing the exercise demonstration, many people wanted to learn the exercises on the spot, and other people asked about practice sites. A young woman who came to Finland from France said that this was what she was looking for. She said she certainly wanted to learn it. After asking where the practice site was, she left reluctantly. Several women tourists from Israel excitedly told Falun Gong practitioners, "We saw Falun Gong practitioners in our country as well. When we go back we will certainly learn it."