(Minghui.org) Falun Gong practitioners in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany, gathered in front of the Cologne Cathedral on July 22, 2023. They clarified the truth about Falun Dafa to the public and called for an end to the Chinese Communist Party’s (CCP) 24-year-long persecution. A number of German political leaders sent letters of support for Falun Gong’s peaceful resistance to the persecution.
Practitioners demonstrate the Falun Dafa exercises at the event in front of the Cologne Cathedral.
A Falun Gong practitioner reads a letter of solidarity from a German dignitary to the public.
People listen to Falun Gong practitioners clarifying the facts.
A banner read in Chinese, English and German: “Stop Persecuting Falun Gong Practitioners in China!” The event attracted the attention of people of different nationalities. People were told that practitioners were mourning the Chinese Mainland Falun Gong practitioners who had been persecuted to death during the past 24 years. They continued to expose the brutality against Falun Gong practitioners by the CCP. Many people signed the display board to express their support for Falun Gong.
People sign on the banner that read “Stop Persecuting Falun Gong Practitioners in China!” They show their support to stopping the persecution.
At the end of the event, the banner was covered with signatures from the public.
Falun Gong practitioner teaches a young tourist the exercises.
German Politicians Sent Letters Supporting Falun Gong Practitioners in Opposing the Persecution
This year marks the 24th anniversary of Falun Gong practitioners’ effort to call for an end to the persecution. René Domke, chairman of the Mecklenburg-Vorpommern parliament of the Free Democratic Party of Germany (FDP); Frank Schwabe, a member of parliament from the German Social Democratic Party (SPD), and Dirk-Ulrich Mende, a member of parliament from the SPD of Germany, sent a letter expressing support for the practitioners’ ongoing effort to end the persecution.
President of the Parliament: Together, We Need to Stand Up and Make Our Voices Heard and Call for an End to the Persecution
On the 24th anniversary of Falun Gong practitioners’ ongoing peaceful resistance of the persecution, René Domke, chairman of the Mecklenburg-Vorpommern parliament of the Free Democratic Party of Germany (FDP), sent a letter of support.
René Domke, chairman of the Mecklenburg-Vorpommern parliament of the Free Democratic Party of Germany (FDP), wrote in a letter of support: “The persecution of Falun Gong has been a sad reality for twenty-four years. The Chinese government has used unreasonable harshness against Falun Gong practitioners. Falun Gong is a spiritual practice whose adherents follow the principles Truthfulness, Compassion and Forbearance. I am very concerned to see that this peaceful and harmless practice is seen as a threat by the Chinese government. Thus the Falun Gong members are being consistently persecuted.”
In his letter of support, Domke added: “The persecution of Falun Gong practitioners has caused unimaginable suffering. Thousands of people have been arbitrarily arrested, tortured and even killed simply for keeping their faith. Families are torn apart, children are orphaned, and innocent people are victims of a brutal oppression.”
“It is important that we stand up together to raise our voices against the persecution, and draw attention to this crime.”
“It is also important that we recognize that the persecution of Falun Gong practitioners is not just a Chinese problem. This is an issue that affects us all, as it relates to fundamental human rights and freedom of belief granted to everyone.”
At the end of the letter of support, Mr. René Domke asked the CCP to “uphold human rights, especially the human rights of Falun Gong practitioners, in accordance with international standards and national laws.”
Domke also thanked Falun Gong practitioners: “Thank you for making the fate of Falun Gong practitioners public, for bringing us to our senses, and for telling us about those unimaginable sufferings and atrocities that violate human rights.”
MP: I Will Work with the Practitioners
Frank Schwabe, a member of parliament from the German Social Democratic Party (SPD), sent a letter of support saying that he would work with practitioners to “guarantee the right to freedom of religion, spirituality, and belief.”
In his speech, Mr. Frank Schwabe, Member of Parliament for the Social Democratic Party (SPD), wrote: “As Federal Commissioner for Freedom of Religion and Belief, I extend my greetings to you. I would love to be there today. I hope to draw attention to how harsh the Chinese government treats people of faith. Over the past 24 years, Falun Dafa practitioners have suffered a massive crackdown. We extend our deepest sympathy and support to them.”
In his letter, Mr. Schwabe called on the CCP to “make public the acquisition and transplantation of donated organs in China, and allow the international community to freely (observe) court trials and prisons.”
At the end of the letter, Mr. Schwabe wished Falun Gong practitioners success in their activities and said he would work with them to “guarantee the right to freedom of religion, spirituality and belief.”
MP: I Am Deeply Grateful to Those Who Have Exposed and Called for an End to Persecution
German parliamentarian Dirk-Ulrich Mende sent a letter of support thanking Falun Gong practitioners for exposing the CCP’s crime of organ harvesting.
In his speech, Mr. Dirk-Ulrich Mende, a member of the German parliament, wrote: “I am deeply concerned about reports of continuous, systematic, national and inhumane organ harvesting of prisoners in China. So I unequivocally condemn the violations that have taken place in China in connection with organ transplants. I am deeply grateful to those who have exposed the atrocity and called for an end to these actions by China.”
Tourists from Georgia Support the Effort to End the Persecution
Amiran from Georgia supports stopping the CCP’s persecution of Falun Gong.
Amiran from Georgia stopped when he saw the activities and read the information about persecution on the display panels. He expressed sympathy for the innocent Falun Gong practitioners who are suffering the persecution by the CCP, saying: “I am from Georgia, so I know the dictatorship of the Communist Party.” He believes that communism is against all righteousness and moral ascension, and said, “Their method is to control everything by violence.”
Knowing that the practitioners were holding activities to commemorate the 24th anniversary of the effort to end the persecution, Amiran supported stopping the persecution and expressed his willingness to do his part to “free Falun Gong practitioners in China.” After signing a banner to stop the persecution, he held up a placard reading “In Memory of July 20” and asked the practitioners to take pictures to spread on social media.
Iranian Lady: I Believe that Seeing You Is a Divine Arrangement
A woman from Iran quietly observed the practitioners practicing for a while, and then approached the information desk to learn more about Falun Gong. After being told that Falun Gong practitioners follow the principles of Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance, and the practice can benefit people physically and mentally, the woman said excitedly, “I have been looking for such [exercises]. I believe that seeing you today is not an accident, but a fate, a divine plan.”
At the event, she began to use her mobile phone to find the practice sites near her home on the website of Falun Dafa. Before leaving, she also exchanged phone numbers with practitioners, so she could keep in touch.
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Category: July 20 Events
