Finland's first World Falun Dafa Day celebration was held in Helsinki from May 10 to May 12. Falun Dafa practitioners from Finland, Sweden, Norway, Germany and Mainland China gathered in Helsinki, the capital of Finland, to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the introduction of Falun Dafa to the public.
Friday's activities started with the introduction of Falun Dafa to the public in three important places - Central Square around the railway station, the bustling Park Street, and the biggest shopping center in Helsinki. In the six hours of activities, the citizens of Helsinki had a chance to learn about Falun Dafa and the situation of the persecution and human rights violations in China. The media was also invited in advance. Many reporters were present at the sites and reported the event. The public asked questions one after another. Moreover, many people were interested and wanted to obtain more information. They inquired about how to learn Falun Dafa and how to take part in the group exercises. For these people, there was a great opportunity to fulfill their wish since practitioners will establish a practice site next week in a park located in the urban part of Helsinki. The exercises will be practiced twice a week.
In the evening, practitioners held a candlelight vigil in Finland in front of the Chinese Embassy and the cathedral of Helsinki to commemorate Dafa practitioners persecuted in China. The scene around the stairs that lead to the cathedral building was very magnificent and peaceful. When the elegant Falun Dafa music of Pu Du was played, a reporter immediately expressed her interest to possess the tape cassette. The scene of the candlelight vigil in front of the Chinese Embassy was just as majestic. Practitioners held two banners and photographs of the practitioners who were persecuted to death in China. An official of the Chinese Embassy came over and accepted the truth materials about the persecution of Falun Dafa in China from practitioners.
On Saturday morning, practitioners in white and yellow clothing held colorful banners and balloons and paraded through the city. The scene was truly moving. Many pedestrians watched the parade. An Italian gentleman noticed us while we prepared for the parade and joined our activity for the whole day. The parade passed through major streets and brought the beauty of Dafa to the people of Helsinki.
On Saturday afternoon, we reached our parade destination: the Helsinki central church square. An event was to be held there to further tell the Finnish people about the benefits of practicing Falun Gong, and to appeal to their kind hearts for help to stop the severe persecution in China.
A Finnish practitioner first gave an opening speech, introducing the essence of the wonderful practice of Falun Gong to the spectators, and explained the reasons behind the persecution that has been happening in China since July 1999. This Falun Dafa weekend in Helsinki was a celebration of the ten-year anniversary of Falun Dafa's introduction to the world on Monday, May 13. Some people were very shocked to hear that one of the main reasons the practitioners were there that day, was to bring to the awareness of the Finnish people and the whole world the severe persecution and its consequences in China. The Finnish practitioners then appealed, on behalf of all the Falun Gong practitioners in the world, to the goodness in Finnish people's hearts to help end this persecution and make the world a better place.
After the opening speech, another Finnish practitioner spoke about the benefits that practicing Falun Gong has given her. It was a touching personal experience, and validated the great benefits that practicing Falun Gong can bring to one's health. This practitioner had been on sick leave from her work as a nurse for almost one year, but after she started practicing regained her ability to work, and hasn't been sick once in the four years since.
Then a third speaker, also a Finnish practitioner, contrasted the two sides of the journey of Falun Dafa in the world: the essence of Falun Dafa--the principles of Truthfulness, Benevolence and Forbearance--and the other side, the evil persecution that began in China in July 1999. She exposed the cruelty that is happening there by presenting some individual cases of the persecution.
As it was a beautiful day, there were Finnish people and tourists at the square and by the church listening to the speeches, and a photographer from the Finnish news agency was also present to cover the event. After the event had taken place, the practitioners continued to the park downtown to demonstrate the Falun Dafa exercises to the public.
In three days practitioners shared experiences and studied Fa together.
Related posting: http://www.clearwisdom.net/emh/articles/2002/5/15/22081.html
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