Turkey: Introducing Falun Dafa at the Civil Voices Festival

The Civil Voices Festival, organized by the Civil Society Development Center (STGM), was held at Istanbul Uniq Hall on September 20-21. It was attended by 400 NGOs from around the country. Falun Dafa practitioners hosted a booth at the festival on the 20th to introduce the spiritual discipline and raise awareness of its persecution by the communist regime in China.

Practitioners talk to attendees about the persecution in China

STGM Board of Directors Human Rights Officer Asst. Assoc. Dr. Levent Korkut (left) and Head of the European Union Delegation to Turkey Bulent Ozcan (right)

Practitioners gave information about the persecution in China to STGM Board of Directors Human Rights Officer Asst. Assoc. Dr. Levent Korkut and Head of the European Union Delegation to Turkey, Bulent Ozcan. ‘‘I have never heard of the Falun Dafa practice before. It is very sad to see such a persecution,” Ozcan said.

Sunay Demircan, founding member of STGM and a board member of the Nature Conservation Centre

Sunay Demircan, founding member of STGM and a board member of the Nature Conservation Center, was also surprised to learn of the persecution in China.

Cem Genc (left) from the Istanbul Young Entrepreneurs Association told practitioners, “I would like to learn this practice.”

Lawyer Sanata Arslan, a member of the Batman Bar Association, said, “This persecution in China is very bad. How can I help you?”

Practitioners also met a few European Union representatives and gave interviews to two media outlets. They encouraged those who had learned about the persecution to share the information on social media and with their relatives.

A practitioner being interviewed