Iceland: Photo and Chinese Painting Exhibitions Receive Warm Response from Icelandic Citizens and Support from Government Officials

Through the coordinated efforts of Dafa practitioners from several countries, “The Journey of Falun Dafa” Photo Exhibition and Zhang Cuiying’s Chinese Painting Exhibition were successfully held in the City Hall of Reykjavík, the Capital of Iceland.

City Councillors visited the exhibition before it opened to the public and had their photos taken with practitioners	An official from the Department of Cultural Affairs presents a book entitled A Collection of Paintings by Icelandic Artists to Zhang Cuiying
The Painting and Photo Exhibition is held from September 25 to 29 2002 in the City Hall of Reykjavik	Icelandic MPs visit “The Journey of Falun Dafa” to Zhang Cuiying
A practitioner demonstrates traditional Chinese painting techniques to the visitors	A monk from Thailand discovers the exhibition during his Iceland trip and is eager to learn Falun Dafa to Zhang Cuiying

On the opening day, an Icelandic national TV station reported on the exhibitions during their evening news program. The report used “Pu Du” [music composed by a practitioner] as the background music and brought Dafa music to thousands of families. During the exhibition, Australian Artist Zhang Cuiying told visitors the benefits she has obtained in both mind and body through Falun Dafa cultivation and how Falun Dafa has made her art even more pure. She also exposed the Jiang regime’s persecution of Falun Gong through her own experience in Chinese jails.

While Icelandic people were enjoying the art and photo exhibition, officials from the Iceland Chinese embassy constantly interfered and tried all means to sabotage the exhibition. The day before the opening of the exhibition, an official from the embassy turned up and tried to persuade the practitioners to cancel the exhibition. Practitioners resolutely pointed out that he did not have the right to interfere. Finally the official had to leave in dismay.

In addition, the Chinese embassy has been constantly exerting pressure on the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and City officials, asking them to remove the photo exhibition. These unreasonable demands were denied. After learning about the request, a city official resolutely stated, “No single photo should be taken down. It is Iceland, not China.” The exhibitions gathered lots of supports from the city government. They not only offered the exhibition hall free of charge and but also provided some help.

After he learned about the interference from the Chinese government, a citizen of Iceland said, “They are just afraid of people knowing the truth”. People were shocked to know that just because the artist Zhang Cuiying said ‘Falun Dafa is good’, she was detained for 8 months. A lady said after the exhibition, “The energy field of this exhibition is very strong.” A staff member of the city hall said, “I also do painting. But these paintings are so pure.” When he learned that the exhibition would last for 5 days, he said happily, “Then I can come more times.”

A professor from an Iceland University looked at each of the photos in details while listening to practitioners’ introduction of Falun Dafa and the situation in China. He said he wanted to read Falun Gong book but did not where to find one. But now he knew where to find one. During the photo exhibition, practitioners also took the opportunity to clarify the truth to government officials and community leaders.

Please click here to see the "Journey of Falun Dafa Photo Exhibition" online.

Translated from Chinese Clear Harmony at http://www.yuanming.net/articles/200209/12657.html