Russia: Introducing Falun Gong and Exposing the Persecution in Arkhangelsk Oblast

From June 11th to 13th 2006, Falun Gong practitioners from Arkhangelsk Oblast attended a local town festival entitled "Dream of Paper". The practitioners set up a stand at an exhibition and displayed colourful paper lotus flowers hand-made by them. It was a great opportunity to introduce the practice to the local people. The practitioners' beautiful hand-made paper lotus flowers were praised and won an award.

Children learn to make paper lotus flowers in front of the Falun Dafa stand	Finding out more about Falun Gong and the persecution

There was a concert on the stage of the Culture Palace. Practitioners displayed a basket full of elegant colorful paper lotus flowers on the table in front of the stage. They also displayed leaflets for people to take and learn more about Falun Gong practice and the persecution against practitioners in China.

A basket full of beautiful colourful paper lotus flowers

On June 12th, the practitioners also held an activity of folding paper lotus flowers entitled "Petals of the World". The weather was perfect, and because it was also a public holiday, many people came to the fair, including people from neighbouring cities.

When practitioners started making paper lotus flowers, many children and later adults, gathered around the table to learn how to fold the lotus flowers. As practitioners taught the interested people how to fold the paper flowers, they also explained the symbolic meaning of the lotus flower - purity and nobility.

Practitioners introduced Falun Dafa to people, telling them that through doing the exercises and by following the principles of Truthfulness, Compassion, Forbearance, one's body and mind will improve.

With a heart of purity and kindness, practitioners informed the people of the brutal persecution of Falun Gong in China. Information pamphlets were placed right next to the basket full of lotus flowers and were taken by many. They cherished both the lotus flowers and the pamphlets. One child said, "I'll give the lotus flower to my mother as a present." Someone else said, "Our whole family loves the lotus flowers very much."

A small lotus flower can bring out a person's wish for goodness and kindness. Kind-hearted people condemned the state-sanctioned terrorism of the Chinese Communist Party.