Switzerland: Falun Gong Information Week during the World Economic Forum

Every January, the World Economic Forum is held in Davos, a famous scenic and skiing spot in Switzerland. Since 2003, Falun Gong practitioners have gone there every year to tell people about the Chinese Communist Party's (CCP) cruel persecution against Falun Gong.

This year many Falun Gong practitioners went to participate in the Information Week from January 22nd to 27th. This year, the event was aimed at promoting Nine Commentaries on the Communist Party and exposing the CCP's atrocities of harvesting organs from living Falun Gong practitioners. During the six-day-event, Falun Gong practitioners distributed leaflets in many languages to passersby, attendees of the Forum, and the media.

Among all the different materials, the German booklet "Falun Gong Viewpoints" was the most popular. It tells readers what Falun Gong is, how Falun Gong practitioners have benefited from practising, and how popular Falun Gong was before the CCP’s persecution in 1999. The booklet also exposes the CCP's brutal persecution of Falun Gong, and about the organ harvesting from live Falun Gong practitioners for huge profits.

After one day of activity, the practitioners studied the Falun Dafa teachings together and prepared materials for the next day

A Spanish media company that interviewed Falun Gong practitioners last year again reported on the Information Day this year

Posters exposed some of the torture methods used and passers by asked how these kinds of human rights abuses could be happening
Falun Gong practitioners send forth righteous thoughts and practise exercises in the snow
Passersby sign their names on a petition calling for an end to the CCP's atrocities

The Information Day event began two days before the Economic Forum. Some local residents had received leaflets in the past years, but they still happily accepted the "Falun Gong Viewpoints" newspaper newly published in 2007. A man told a practitioner: "I still have your newspaper of last year. I read it from time to time."

Leaflets were seen everywhere in Davos

Falun Gong leaflets can be seen not only at the information booth but also in big or small hotels and all shops along the main streets in Davos. Four Falun Gong practitioners delivered leaflets in all languages to every hotel. Some hotels put our materials into information packages specially prepared for the forum so attendees of the Forum and tourists could read them. Some asked for Chinese materials for Chinese people who might come for the Forum.

One staff member provided the agenda of public activities of the forum to practitioners. She suggested that practitioners should go there to distribute the leaflets. Before the Economic Forum officially started, Falun Gong leaflets had already been put in hotels, restaurants, bakeries and barbershops.

Falun Gong Information booth again became the focus of the media

On Wednesday, the Economic Forum officially started. People from all professions again gathered in Davos. Over a hundred media organisations attended. The banners hanging above the Falun Gong Information booth, exhibition boards showing the persecution of Falun Gong in China, and the brief introduction of the Nine Commentaries on the Communist Party in both English and German were filmed by reporters. A Spanish TV station that reported on the Falun Gong information booth last year interviewed practitioners for a long time this year again. Practitioners from France took this opportunity to clarify the truth to the world through the media from many countries, telling them: "Please be aware of the inhuman persecution happening right now in China and the wave of quitting the CCP which is getting more and more support and attention."

We would like to learn more about Falun Gong

After the day’s activities, practitioners studied the Falun Dafa teachings together and prepared materials for the next day. Five young men staying next door were from a special security service. They had read Falun Gong newspapers put downstairs by the practitioners. Wanting to learn more about Falun Gong, they invited practitioners to have dinner with them. While eating, they asked many questions. Through their own experience and understanding, the practitioners answered their questions and gave them the Nine Commentaries on the Communist Party. The practitioners suggested they should read it carefully so that they could understand the evil nature of the CCP even further.

After three days, many local residents had already received leaflets. While passing by the Information booth, many people were pleased to tell practitioners: "I have already got them." Or "I have already read them." Some passers-by would ask: "Have you got more leaflets?" At this, practitioners would recommend the Report into Allegations of Organ Harvesting of Falun Gong Practitioners in China by David Kilgour, (former member of Parliament and a former Secretary of State of the Government of Canada for the Asia Pacific region) and David Matas (an international human rights lawyer in Canada) and some other booklets about China’s economy, human rights and culture.

Thank you for your efforts

On Friday when practitioners were getting ready to leave, two men in military service came. One of them returned our materials and told practitioners: "Both of us have already read the newspapers. Thank you very much for your efforts. The newspapers mean a great deal, you can give them to other people. "

During the activities from time to time, there were people coming to the information booth who wanted to offer more help after reading the leaflets. Some kind-hearted people wanted to donate some money, but the practitioners always declined with thanks and told them that Falun Gong practitioners do not accept donations. They advised them to let more people learn the truth or sign the petition calling for the end of the persecution. Their moral support and help to bring justice are the best ways help to Falun Gong practitioners.

A mother brought her daughter to the desk for signature drive. She told practitioners: "I have already read the newspapers. They have substantial content and are very meaningful."

A teacher from a local school told Falun Gong practitioners that she had planned to take all her students to the Information booth on Wednesday when they were skiing, but the skiing was cancelled due to an avalanche warning so they couldn't come. Anyhow, she had already given newspapers to all students. When she was looking through the petition forms, she was pleased to see that most of her students had signed the petition.

On Saturday, more people came to sign on the petition. Crowds of people came to protest at the World Economic Forum. While waiting for the parade to start, many people signed the petition calling for an end to the persecution of Falun Gong. One person called all his companions to sign the petition. Some local residents who had already read leaflets also came to sign the petition.

"We would like more people to learn the truth"

When being asked why they came to Davos to hold the Information Day during the World Economic Forum, Ursula, a Falun Gong practitioner, told the reporter: "For us, this is a good opportunity to expose how the CCP persecutes Falun Gong, especially to expose the crime of the CCP's organ harvesting from live Falun Gong practitioners. During the forum, many politicians, media, celebrities in all professions from all over the world come to Davos. Therefore, we can clarify the truth to more people. We hope to stop the genocide happening in China as soon as possible. We are trying to stop the atrocity of the CCP’s removal of organs from living Falun Gong practitioners by disclosing it."

Ms. Ingeborg is sixty five years old. She told the reporter: "While talking with a lady one day, she said, 'it is really cold, but you have been standing here'. I told her if I were in China, I would be put into a jail or my organs would be removed while I am still alive. Such cold weather is nothing to us. The situation in China is too bad. We can stand such cold, there is no problem. If we feel cold, we can go inside and warm ourselves. But they have to endure when they are being tortured in China. Many firm Falun Gong practitioners are being tortured now."

Many Falun Gong practitioners said, "We will not give up for cold weather, long journey or paying for travel and hotel by ourselves because it is a righteous thing." Some of them said that they had no time to consider the coldness because they had to clarify the truth to so many people and so many people were willing to talk with them.

Certainly, more and more people have learned the truth and voiced their righteous speech. The whole world should stop the organ harvesting crimes

Early last year, Mr. and Mrs. Meier had learned about Falun Gong through the Information Day. The two aged people told the reporter: "I believe Falun Gong is good." "They are peaceful people. Good principles. It provides people with healthy mind. If people are healthy in their minds, of course, they will be healthy physically. This is a good thing." "I think so too. We should give our support to Falun Gong."