Czech Republic: Zhang Cuiying holds an Exhibition in the Czech Parliament and visits the Office of the Czech President

In February 2004, an exhibition of the paintings of Australian Falun Gong practitioner Zhang Cuiying was held for five days on all three floors of the Atrium of the Czech Parliament in the Waldstein Palace. Many MPs, VIPs, parliamentary officials, members of the public and a reporter attended the opening of Zhang Cuiying’s exhibition. MP Dr Jaroslav Zverina, who helped Dafa practitioners organise the exhibition, gave an opening speech before everyone listened to Zhang Cuiying talk about how she recovered from illness by practising Falun Gong, how she was persecuted in Chinese labour camps and how she was rescued by the Australian Government and kind-hearted people all over the world. Practitioners from England, Germany and the Czech Republic demonstrated the five sets of Falun Gong exercises.

Zhang Cuiying demonstrated her painting technique to an audience by creating a picture for them. Many Czech people, especially the VIPs, really appreciated Chinese painting and art. So many were happy to receive a print of Zhang Cuiying’s paintings and information about Falun Dafa and were horrified to learn about the severe human rights violations happening in the persecution of Falun Gong practitioners in China. Several Czech parliamentary officials bought the Czech translation of the introductory book Falun Gong and exercise videos to learn the exercises.

For a couple of days we were invited to an area of the Parliament designated solely for the use of MPs. Many MPs came to visit us and had a chance to see our display with Zhang Cuiying. A couple of practitioners were also talking to them about human rights abuses of practitioners in China and presenting to them documents detailing the persecution. There was a constant queue of MPs wanting to receive a print of one of Ms Zhang’s paintings signed with a calligraphic dedication in Chinese characters and to learn more about Falun Gong and get Falun Dafa materials. In the end over sixty MPs and parliamentary officials came to see us and to speak to Zhang Cuiying, many giving their cards so that we could contact them in the future and asking how they could help.

A Photographer from CTK, the main Czech Press Agency took many photos	Zhang Cuiying presents Dr Zverina with a painting

Staff of the Czech Parliament Library in Waldstein Palace received gifts of several copies of the Czech translation of Falun Gong, documents relating to persecution of Falun Gong in China, the Falun Gong Torture Report and a range of other materials to help people learn more about the persecution. All of these will be made available to MPs as reference material. They also received a beautiful book of Zhang Cuiying’s paintings.

In the President's office	In the Parliament Library

Mr Petr Hajek, the spokesman for the President and Media Director of the President’s Office received Zhang Cuiying and Czech practitioners in the Office of the President at Prague Castle on the 26th of February 2004. From Zhang Cuiying he received a painting for the President Mr Vaclav Klaus with dedication “I wish that Truthfulness, Compassion and Tolerance of Falun Dafa will bring Czech people a wonderful future” and from the Czech practitioners documents relating to the serious human rights violations against Falun Gong practitioners in China, lawsuits that have been filed in fourteen countries against Jiang Zemin and the senior officials who implemented his campaign of Genocide against Falun Gong practitioners in China. These documents will be kept as reference material in the President’s Office. Zhang Cuiying told her story and practitioners explained the situation of Falun Gong worldwide and in China to enable Mr Hajek to fully inform the President. The friendly meeting finished on a good note of mutual understanding.