Denmark: Promoting Falun Gong at the Aarhus Health Expo

Between the 4th and 6th of March 2005, a Health Expo took place at the Scandinavian Centre in Aarhus, the second largest city of Denmark. This expo is popular among the people of Denmark, who came to learn about different methods of health and fitness from experts of various nationalities.

Visitors learned the Falun Gong exercises	Receiving leaflets at the Falun Gong stall

Falun Gong practitioners from Denmark went to Aarhus to take part in the expo and help people learn more about Falun Gong. This was the third time that practitioners have joined this expo. They prepared materials in Danish, English and Chinese, such as leaflets and video-CDs. They were surprised by the keen interest of the public, as many people came to find out more about Falun Gong.

There happened to be an empty area beside the Falun Gong stall that practitioners could use and this was a perfect spot for teaching people the five sets of exercises. A television on the stall showed a video of Master Li, the founder of Falun Gong, teaching the exercises in person. At the same time, practitioners were enthusiastically distributing materials, chatting with people and demonstrating the exercises.

The practitioners noticed that this year people were much keener to learn more about Falun Gong than they were at the 2004 Aarhus Health Expo. After several years of efforts to raise awareness about the persecution, practitioners have matured in their methods. In a discussion before the expo took place, the practitioners agreed that although it is very important to let people know that Falun Gong practitioners in China are suffering under a campaign of genocide, people had come to the expo to learn about health and fitness and the practitioners had to be considerate and thoughtful in their conversations with people.

The practitioners talked about the amazing effect that practising the Falun Gong exercises have, one reason why the practice grew so fast in China, and then went on to explain how the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) has always been averse to any large group of Chinese people getting together. The CCP has done so many evil things to the Chinese people that they could never win people’s hearts, so they work hard to control people’s minds and bodies. But Falun Gong did win people’s hearts and, after it was introduced to the public in 1992, was practised by 100 million people in 1998. The Danish people could instantly understand why Falun Gong is persecuted by the CCP and went on to express their condemnation of the brutal persecution and torture.

One man had a lot of knowledge about the totalitarian regime in China and after taking a Falun Gong leaflet he later came back to find out more. A practitioner handed him a copy of “Nine Commentaries on the Communist Party” by The Epoch Times newspaper and recommended that he should read it. The man left very satisfied, as if he knew that he had something really special.

Many people asked for another leaflet after they got one because they wanted to take one home for a friend. They gazed at the TV screen, deeply attracted by the elegant and peaceful exercises, and didn’t want to leave for a long time. A lady applauded repeatedly, “How beautiful! How beautiful!” Many people learned the exercises on the spot and asked for details of their nearest free practice site.

Some of the other exhibitors also came to understand Falun Gong. This was the first exhibition following the publication of the Danish version of Falun Gong’s main text Zhuan Falun. Some people bought the book on the spot. Others asked for the addresses of bookstores where Falun Gong books are available.

Reporter from a TV station	Group meditation practice

On the first day of the expo, reporters and camera operators from the local TV station, TV Denmark, and the largest local newspaper Aarhus Stiftstidende came to film the Falun Gong stall. TV Denmark gave practitioners positive coverage in their daily news bulletin.

Photo from Aarhus Stiftstidende, the largest local newspaper

The next day, Aarhus Stiftstidende published the above photo of a meditating practitioner as the symbol of the Aarhus Health Expo. The picture was put in the most significant position of the front page, and there were interview reports and photos on another page. In the report entitled “Rescued Smile and Chinese Style Tolerance”, they wrote:

On one corner, there are many people mediating in the lotus position with eyes closed. These people, known as Falun Gong practitioners, are practising their exercises. These group exercises are outlawed in China.

Mrs. Hau, who has lived in Denmark for twenty years, opened her eyes and stood up. She has cultivated Falun Gong for eight years. Mrs. Hau said, “It’s been the best time in my life since I started cultivating Falun Gong. I’m not anxious any more, I’m not angry any more, and I’m not ill any more. Falun Gong has aroused great interest among the people of Denmark.”