United Kingdom: Practitioners Celebrate World Falun Dafa Day and Gain Support from the British People in Calling for an End to the CCP's Persecution (Photos)
By a practitioner in the UK
(Clearwisdom.com) May 13, 2009 was the 17th Anniversary of
Falun Dafa's public introduction and also "World Falun Dafa Day." On
May 9, Falun Gong practitioners from the UK gathered in front of the National
Gallery in downtown London to celebrate World Falun Dafa Day. They also
explained the facts about the practice and the persecution and collected
signatures. Many people signed the petition calling on the international
community to investigate the CCP's atrocities of harvesting organs from living
Falun Gong practitioners and calling for an end of the CCP persecution. In just
one day, approximately 900 people signed the petition expressing their support. Falun Dafa practitioners in the UK wish Master a happy
birthday On Saturday, May 9, at 10 a.m., World Falun Dafa Day activities were held on
the square in front of the British National Gallery, which is very close
to Trafalgar Square, a well-known place of interest in the UK At the center of
the square in front of the National Gallery, several practitioners held a large
banner worded in both Chinese and English: "Celebrate the 17th
Anniversary of Falun Dafa's Public Introduction." An arc of balloons in
different colors were set above the banner. Another banner in English reading
"5.13 World Falun Dafa Day" floated under a hydrogen balloon high in
the air. Over 20 Falun Gong practitioners in yellow costumes demonstrated the
five exercises in front of the banners. Many passersby stopped and watched the
exercise demonstration. Some followed the gestures of these practitioners to
learn the exercises and asked for contact information of practice sites, saying
they were interested in learning Falun Gong. Group practice Waist drum performance In addition to the demonstration of the Falun Gong exercises, the
practitioners also gave a waist drum performance. The lively drumbeats reflected
their happiness in celebrating World Falun Dafa Day. Next, several women
practitioners sang songs composed by practitioners such as "To Celebrate
Falun Dafa Day," "Let's Sing
Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance," "Coming for You,"
"Awakening," and others. Through singing these songs, the
practitioners not only expressed their happiness and gratitude to Master from
bottom of their hearts but also called on those deceived by CCP to learn the
facts for a good future. On one side of the square the practitioners set up a picture display showing
how Falun Dafa is practice around the world. Among over 20 precious historical
photos, there were scenes of group practice in China before the CCP started to
suppress Falun Gong on July 20, 1999, as well as group practice in other
countries around the world and images of selected proclamations and resolutions
that Falun Gong has received worldwide. Falun Gong is practiced in 114 countries
and regions. Falun Gong books have been translated into more than 30 languages
and published all over the world. Falun Gong has received more than 1800
proclamations and resolutions. Near the picture exhibition, the practitioners placed two tables for people
to sign the petition. On the tables were also Falun Gong flyers in both Chinese
and English, CDs, booklets of the Nine Commentaries on the Communist
Party and VCDs. Many paper lotus flowers handmade by the practitioners
were given to people who came and signed the petition expressing their support.
Each small lotus flower is attached to a tiny bookmark worded "Falun Dafa
Is Good." From 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. about 900 people--including scientists,
doctors, athletes, architects, and students--signed the petition. People sign the petition to express their support for Falun
Gong People sign the petition to express their support Olympic athlete: We must protest those who violate human
rights An Olympic table tennis player from France An Olympic table tennis player from France took part in the Olympic Games
last year and is now studying in the UK. When interviewed, she said: "I am
well aware of the issue of human rights violations happening in China. I have
been to China several times and have many Chinese friends. I am very interested
in anything about China and have also read lots of reports about China. We must
stop those violations of human rights. "The Falun Gong practitioners look very peaceful, with that sort of
inner peace. For me, this is why we must stop the human rights violations
happening in China." She said that holding such activities was very good:
"The world needs such people as Falun Gong practitioners who let everybody
know what is happening in China. "Falun Gong values Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance. It is very
precious." A Spanish lady Learning English in London now, a Spanish lady watched the practitioners
doing the exercises for quite a while. Then she walked to the table and signed
the petition. She told the reporter in her non-fluent English, "Spain used
to have a dictatorship, but the CCP regime is so horrible and bad that it wants
to control everything about people, including their thoughts. I've heard of
Falun Gong and accepted flyers about it when I went to Chinatown before. I
wanted to know more about Falun Gong and was very excited when I saw Falun Gong
practitioners today. I think that I will learn Falun Gong in the future. Too
many things have happened in this world and people only value money. Falun Gong
values Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance. It is very precious." Sarah learns the Falun Gong exercises from a practitioner Sarah, a Londoner, learned the exercises from a practitioner. She told the
reporter that it was unbelievable that something as horrible as the persecution
could be happening in China. People should unite, in her opinion, and put an end
to it. Sarah said that she had heard of Falun Gong two years ago. Today she
decided to learn it. Chinese overseas students sign the petition calling for an end to the
persecution While the practitioners were doing the exercises, two young Chinese overseas
students watched them carefully and quietly. A practitioner walked over to them
with the petition form and asked them if they knew the facts about the CCP's
persecution of Falun Gong and if they would like to sign the petition calling
for an end to the persecution. They seemed somewhat hesitant. Considering how
the CCP controls and persecutes Chinese citizens, the practitioner told them,
"If you come from China, just sign it with a pseudonym." They
immediately signed the petition. A man from Shanghai in his fifties stood there listening to the practitioners
sing As they sang "Coming for You," he heard: "Facing violence
and danger, we have come for you again and again because we love you, precious
Chinese people. Do you know the whole world says 'Falun Dafa is good! Falun
Dafa is good!' And never miss the rare opportunity...." The old man
listened carefully. A practitioner went up to him and explained the facts to
him. At first, he remained silent, but slowly he started to talk with the
practitioner. When the practitioner told him that he should now know more about
Falun Gong since he was overseas, he answered, " Yes, I should." On
seeing the banner worded "Celebrate the 17th Anniversary of
Falun Dafa's Public Introduction," he sighed with emotion, saying, "It
has been 17 years." Later, he carefully read the poster boards and left
with truth-clarification flyers and newspapers about Falun Gong and a booklet of
the Nine Commentaries. Falun Gong is very good. How can the CCP treat Chinese people like this? An older man from Australia who was traveling in the UK watched the
activities for a while. He talked with a practitioner and said that he had heard
about the persecution of Falun Gong when he was in Australia. Because he could
not understand why the CCP would persecute Falun Gong, he looked up many books
about Falun Gong to find an answer. After reading these books, he has concluded
that Falun Gong was very good. He could not understand why the CCP persecutes
it. He said, "How can the CCP regime treat Chinese people like that?"
He told the practitioner, "I know that Christians are also being persecuted
in China, not only those who have a belief but also ordinary people are being
persecuted by the CCP." Howard and his wife, Jane Howard, a farmer, and his wife Jane, who live north of London, both signed
the petition. Howard told the reporter, "I am a firm defender of human
rights. It is hateful for the CCP to remove organs from living people for
lucrative profits." Jane added, "I feel that Falun Gong is very
peaceful--their way of protesting is peaceful as well." Yusuf Yusuf is a middle aged man from the Czech Republic who was traveling in
London. Having experienced totalitarian communist control, he understood the
evil nature of the communist party. He thought that the international community
should investigate the CCP atrocity of removing organs from living
practitioners, and he supported practitioners in striving for their human rights
and stopping the persecution.
Chinese version available at
http://www.minghui.org/mh/articles/2009/5/11/200671.html
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