Russia: Wide Media Coverage of Falun Gong Truth Clarifying Exhibition

by Zhang Cuiying, A Falun Dafa practitioner

I finally arrived in Russia after a 10 hour flight and three stopovers. I was eager to meet the Russian Falun Dafa practitioners. On seeing them, I was startled by their pure mind and righteous belief in Falun Dafa and my tiredness was gone completely. Though it was snowing hard, the practitioners were all active for the Falun Dafa activity.

St. Petersburg practitioners rented an exhibition hall that measured over 200 square metres (about 2,100 square feet) in the building of the National Artists Association located on Grand Sea Avenue downtown for the exhibition of the Falun Gong pictures and my personal paintings. While we were setting up the exhibition in the hall in the morning, reporters began to enter one after another. I stood in amazement as it was one hour earlier than the exhibition starting time and I couldn't speak Russian. The reporters from 4 to 5 TV stations attempted to take video footage of the paintings. Reporters from three radio broadcasting stations, including the largest one, newspapers and magazines were also busy filming and recording. I suddenly became very busy. The reporters were lined up to interview me regarding my personal experience of being persecuted in China. Even though we had not yet announced the press conference, there were so many reporters who already arrived and filled up the exhibition hall. I thought that more reporters would attend the press conference on the second day. It was moving that within two hours, some practitioners saw or heard that the TV Channel 6 and a famous radio broadcasting station reported the exhibition and interview thoroughly.

An influential Member of Russia's Parliament also came to support Falun Gong. Really, the world needs Truthfulness, Compassion and Forbearance.

Chinese diplomats called and wanted to come to the exhibition hall, but with evil intentions. The Russian practitioners declined their requests using their wisdom, as any evil beings must be absent in such a righteous environment.

I have been to over ten countries to exhibit my personal paintings and to speak the truth about the persecution of Falun Gong. I never thought that in Russia I would be interviewed by the most reporters and the news would be reported the fastest. What on earth made so many reporters and members of Parliament come? I pondered this on my way home after a long day of hard work. A practitioner soon answered my question. He said, "The practitioners here have done lots of work to prepare for the exhibition. Posters were posted everywhere. The practitioners went to personally invite members of parliament and media reporters. Some practitioners had a Falun Dafa picture album printed with their own money saved from living a frugal life. Because of the efforts of the practitioners, many reporters and members of parliament came to support Falun Gong."

Source: http://www.clearwisdom.net/emh/articles/2001/11/11/
15667.html