Germany: Falun Dafa Day Celebrations Held in Several Cities

May 13 is World Falun Dafa Day, and this year is the 30th anniversary of Falun Dafa’s introduction. Practitioners in Germany held celebrations in Dusseldorf, Hamburg, and Leipzig. They demonstrated the exercises, told people about Falun Dafa, and commemorated the 30th anniversary of Dafa’s introduction. Several members of parliament from Hesse, where Frankfurt is located, sent congratulatory messages to voice their support.

Dusseldorf: Hoping More People Learn the Wonder of Falun Dafa
Practitioners gathered in the center of Dusseldorf to celebrate the 30th anniversary on May 13. They demonstrated the five sets of exercises. Using a loudspeaker a practitioner explained the exercises and the benefits of practicing Falun Dafa.

Celebrating Falun Dafa Day in Dusseldorf	A practitioner gives a drum performance.

The events went on into the evening and many people signed a petition to condemn the persecution in China.

The exercise music and demonstration drew many passersby. After listening to the explanation of the exercises, many people expressed interest in Falun Dafa. Some asked where they could learn the exercises.

Two women in their early twenties imitated the hand movements of the practitioners on the spot. After learning that the principles of Falun Dafa are Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance, one woman happily said, “The little lotus flower you gave me (with the words Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance on it) is something that can bring good luck to people.”

Ina, one of the organizers of the event, said, “We celebrate World Falun Dafa Day every year to express our gratitude to Master Li Hongzhi (the founder of Falun Dafa) and hope that more people will learn about Dafa.”

Ina explained that the participants included local practitioners and those from far away, “Some practitioners traveled long distances to celebrate World Falun Dafa Day with us, including a family from Latvia and a practitioner from Ukraine. We were surprised and moved.”

Maria said, “People keep asking me why such a beautiful and peaceful practice is being persecuted in China. After I told them the principles of Falun Dafa are Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance, many people understood. (The reason for the Chinese Communist Party (CCP)’s persecution is that the CCP’s philosophy is completely contrary to the values of Falun Dafa.”

Hamburg: People Learn the Exercises on the Spot
Practitioners in Hamburg and the surrounding areas held a three-day event in Hamburg on May 13-15 to celebrate World Falun Dafa Day.

Practitioners held a three-day-long event to celebrate World Falun Dafa Day and wish Master a Happy Birthday.

The practitioners held activities to raise awareness at the Reesendamm Bruecke bridge on May 13 and 14. Silvia said, “The bridge is located in the center of Hamburg and connects two important shopping districts. We hold an information day here every Friday afternoon because many people pass here to go to the city for shopping after work. Hamburg’s famous city hall is also nearby, so many tourists come here.” On the day of the event, many tourists stopped to watch and take photos.

On May 15, practitioners went to the port of Hamburg to do the exercises and clarify the truth. It was Sunday, and there were both locals taking walks and tourists waiting for the boat at the port. Many people stopped to watch the practitioners as they did the exercises.

Two young women learned the five exercises on the spot. One of them said that she used to practice Buddhism, but at a certain point she felt that she was making no progress. She was very happy to see the practitioners and said she thought that Falun Dafa was what she was looking for.

Leipzig: Introducing Falun Dafa
Practitioners in Leipzig set up a booth on May 14 in the city center to celebrate Falun Dafa Day. It was a sun-filled spring Saturday, and the city center was crowded. Practitioners demonstrated the exercises and distributed leaflets to passersby.

Group practice beside the information booth

When practitioners told people that they were celebrating World Falun Dafa Day, many people gave them a thumbs up and congratulated them. As practitioners talked to people about Falun Dafa some asked where they could learn the exercises. One woman said she would definitely visit the practice site.

Haroldo, a local practitioner, said, “We want to tell people how important the principles of Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance are to the world. We are very grateful to be able to introduce Falun Dafa to so many people while celebrating World Falun Dafa Day.”

Background: What Is Falun Dafa and Why Is the CCP persecuting It?
Falun Dafa (also known as Falun Gong) was first introduced to the public by Mr. Li Hongzhi in Changchun, China, in 1992. The spiritual discipline is now practiced in over 100 countries and regions worldwide. Millions of people who have embraced the teachings, which are based on the principles of Truthfulness, Compassion, and Forbearance, and learned the five exercises, have experienced improved health and well-being.

Jiang Zemin, former head of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), perceived the spiritual discipline’s growing popularity as a threat to the CCP’s atheistic ideology, and on July 20, 1999, issued an order to ban the practice.

Minghui.org has confirmed the deaths of thousands of practitioners as a result of the persecution over the past 23 years. The actual number is believed to be much higher. More have been imprisoned and tortured for their faith.

There is concrete evidence that the CCP sanctions the harvesting of organs from detained practitioners, who are murdered to supply the organ transplant industry.

Under Jiang’s personal direction, the CCP established the 610 Office, an extralegal security organization with the power to override the police and judicial systems and whose sole function is to carry out the persecution of Falun Dafa.