Finland: More Activities from Falun Gong Practitioners at Helsinki Cultural Festival

Subsequent to the cultural night held on August 22nd at Esplanade Park, the Helsinki Cultural Festival continued to build strong cultural atmosphere in the park. On August 30th, prior to the end of the Cultural Festival, Falun Gong practitioners in Helsinki again demonstrated the beauty of Falun Gong and exposed the truth of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) nine years of atrocious persecution.

It was the end of summer. There were still many tourists in Finland. People from around the world packed into the little Esplanade Park to get a taste of Finnish culture. There were Swedish families, old couples from the US and tourists from Europe. Attracted by Falun Gong practitioners at the corner of the park, many stopped to listen to introduction of the practice and the CCP’s persecution of Falun Gong through loudspeakers in English and Finnish, read the exhibits, ask for materials, and sign to support at the stand.

A lady from a small town in Sweden, Väljö, asked practitioners for material and signed to support stopping the persecution. She said, “I heard about Falun Gong on our local radio,” and hoped to be able to learn more. Another gentleman asked whether practitioners had any more leaflets in Swedish. He left happily after receiving the Epoch Times newspaper and the Nine Commentaries on the Communist Party in Swedish.

Akeu is a tourist from Turkey. Having accepted English material from practitioners and seeing that it was about human rights, he hurried to the stand to sign. As he put down his signature, he asked, “What aspect of human rights is this about?” A practitioner Sunny explained, “It is about Falun Gong practitioners in China. They are suffering atrocious torture and persecution for not giving up their beliefs.” Akeu asked, “What is Falun Gong?” “Falun Gong is a traditional Chinese cultivation practice.” At this, Akeu could not wait but commented, “That’s why the CCP dislike (Falun Gong).” Sunny nodded, “Yes, Falun Gong is so good that many people are practicing, hence the CCP dislikes it.”

A lady stood in place to finish reading the English leaflet in her hand and walked up to the stand to sign. Her name was Fagoiano. She was from France and studying in Spain. She said, “I have heard of Falun Gong before. I know China has a lot of problems.” Before she left, she said to practitioners, “Good luck!”

There were also a lot of Finnish people in this little park. Many went straight up to the stand to sign. A Finnish couple Kari and Leena took the initiative to sign at the stand. Kari said, “What you are doing is great. I really appreciate what you are doing.”

When the practitioners were demonstrating the exercises, a gentleman watched attentively from the first to the second exercise. When he saw the third exercise, he could not help but to follow the movements. When he started, three girls and another gentleman also joined in to learn the exercises.

Practitioners also distributed hand folded paper lotus flowers to children and the elderly which added beauty and harmony to this cultural festival.