1. Potsdam City, the Capital of Federal State Brandenburg
After quite a long preparation, we finally started walking from Berlin on July 11th, 2001. At 9:00 a.m., three walkers and the coordinator of our group met on the bridge across from the Chinese Embassy and sent forth righteous thoughts. After obtaining consent from the police, we started our walk. We found that it was very good to inform the police about our activities. First, we used this as an opportunity to clarify the truth to them. Second, we were able to obtain many helpful suggestions from them.
We passed through Alexander Square, the famous Unter Den Linden Street, Potsdam Square, and then onto the state highway. We walked steadfastly through the light rain. After nearly 8 hours, we arrived at our first stop, Potsdam City. Our feet felt heavy after the one-day walk. We checked around the city but did not find any place to stay. The three of us rested in a small car through the night.
At 9:00 a.m. the next day, we arrived at the city government offices. We had planned to give our urgent appeal letter to the mayor. However, the mayor was not available. The secretary and staff from the mayor's office received us and listened to our explanation and clarification of the true facts about the persecution against Falun Dafa in China. They also accepted our appeal letter and literature. We asked that the secretary convey our request for support to the mayor.
In the city hall, a reporter from the largest newspaper in Potsdam, the State Brandenburg Daily, was waiting for us. We talked with her for quite a while. She did not know much about Falun Dafa so we explained in detail about Dafa and the persecution of Falun Gong in China. She was surprised and moved by our SOS Urgent RescueWalk. She also wished us good luck.
At Potsdam University a few professors had been very supportive of Dafa. Therefore, we decided to visit them. We knocked on the door of Professor Belin and told him our plan. He highly praised our peaceful action saying, "It is very good for you to uphold and follow the principle of Truthfulness, Compassion, and Forbearance. It is also what I pursue." He called the president of the university and asked him to meet us. The president was too busy to meet us, but said that we could speak about Dafa to his students before class. Though our talk was only 10 minutes, over 200 students heard the truth facts and signed their names to protest the persecution in China.
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| Start walking from the Chinese Embassy | Sending forth righteous thoughts across from the Embassy before the walk |
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| In front of the Potsdam City Hall | Students from the Department of Law, Potsdam University sign their names to protest the persecution |
2. The beautiful town of Whittenberg
Though it was nearly 2:00 p.m. we decided to walk to our second stop, Whittenberg City. We had never walked so far before. After walking nearly 25 miles the first day one practitioner had blisters on her feet. However, she was in high-sprits. We listened to Teacher's lecture on the way and finally arrived at Wittenberg. The practitioner who was responsible for carrying Dafa literature had already found a place for us to stay overnight. We obtained help from the pastor of the city church where we stayed for free. After we woke up the next morning, the pastor brought us breakfast and a newspaper. He wanted us to read the report about our walk in the newspaper. We took the opportunity to clarify the truth of the persecution of Dafa to him and also gave some truth-clarifying materials to him.
After saying good-bye to the pastor, we went to the city hall. We met the mayor and spoke with him about Dafa, even though we had not made an appointment beforehand. After learning the true facts, he was very pleased and had a group photo taken with us. Because no reporters were there, we decided to go to the media to clarify the true facts to them as well. We met the editor of the largest newspaper in the city. He listened to us carefully and took a picture of us.
After walking out of Berlin City, we entered the area that was previously East Germany. As there were no Dafa practitioners in Potsdam and Whittenberg, the local people did not know much about Falun Dafa. Most people were pleased to accept our truth-clarifying flyers. We were gratified that many kind-hearted people now had the opportunity to know the truth of Dafa.
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Category: Rallies & Protests
