The peaceful demonstration of over 10,000 Falun Gong practitioners in Beijing on April 25, 1999, was the beginning of 15 years of non-violent resistance to the brutal persecution of a group of people who follow the principles of Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance. The event marked a turning point for participants and witnesses alike, and also made a long-lasting impact on the rest of the world.

Falun Gong practitioners in Copenhagen, Denmark held activities on April 19, 2014 to commemorate the fifteenth anniversary of the April 25 peaceful demonstration.

Shen Yun Performing Arts' seven-show run in Berlin and Frankfurt, Germany was brought to a close with the final performance on March 26. German audiences were mesmerized by the beauty and depth of the show. Some came from hours away to experience this visual feast, which has become a worldwide sensation.

Following its efforts to derail shows in Germany and Belgium, the CCP pressured the Teatre Nacional de Catalunya in Barcelona, Spain to cancel Shen Yun's April 9-12 performances. The theatre refused to comply, and the story was reported by Spanish mainstream media.

“The paintings are silent, but they speak volumes,” commented Ms. Mariana Morari, who visited an art exhibition on Falun Gong held last month in the capital of Moldova. “It is important to speak out about equality, human values, and human rights,” she said.

Shen Yun Performing Arts concluded its stop in France on March 30 at Palais des Congrès de Paris in Paris. In this centre of cultural development, artists and professionals of various fields were stunned by the high artistic level and profound cultural values presented by the performance.

The Art of Zhen Shan Ren International Exhibition was held in Moscow's Warsaw Exhibition Hall from February 6 to 23, 2014. Zhen Shan Ren translates as Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance, the main principles of Falun Gong. The artwork presented in the exhibition showcases the beauty of Falun Gong and also depicts the plight of practitioners amidst the ongoing persecution in China.

Shen Yun Performing Arts completed its six-show run at the National Theatre in Brussels, Belgium on April 6. Many officials from the European Union, NATO, and other governmental agencies attended the event and gave Shen Yun rave reviews.

On March 28, 2014, Falun Gong practitioners protested in front of the Bellevue Palace and Reich Chancellery in Berlin, where Xi Jinping, head of the Chinese Communist Party, made stops during his visit to Germany. They called for an end to the 15-year persecution of Falun Gong in China and for bringing the key perpetrators to justice.

Following a rally in Lyon, France a few days prior, Falun Gong practitioners held another in front of the Chinese Embassy in Paris on March 27, 2014. These rallies coincided with the visit of Xi Jinping, head of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), and practitioners called for bringing to justice the key perpetrators in the persecution of Falun Gong.

“I'm from the former East Germany. Among the Chinese, it was the same as our [East German] rulers. They are afraid.” said Mr. Jörg Seefeld, director of the event department at the Stage Theatre at Potsdamer Plaza, where Shen Yun gave four performances from March 23 to 26, 2014.

Falun Gong practitioners in Poland distributed materials in the Manufaktura, an arts centre, shopping mall and leisure complex, and Widzew District during February 14 and 16, 2014, to inform locals and tourists the facts of the persecution, especially forced organ harvesting of Falun Gong practitioners.

Falun Dafa practitioners participated in the Expo for the eighth consecutive year to introduce Falun Dafa and expose the Chinese Communist Party's (CCP) brutal persecution, including the unprecedented crime of organ harvesting from living Falun Gong practitioners.

The Art of Zhen Shan Ren International Exhibition made its debut in Croatia with two consecutive presentations this winter. The artwork presented therein aims to showcase the beauty of Falun Gong, as well as to depict the plight of practitioners amidst the ongoing persecution in China.

Umeå, a northern city in Sweden, was formally appointed as the “2014 European Capital of Culture” on February 1. About 80,000 to 100,000 people participated in the three-day celebration to mark the honourable distinction. Local Falun Gong practitioners took advantage of this opportunity to raise awareness about the practice.