(Minghui.org) The opening ceremony of the 18^th Münster Street Festival and the 9^th International Week in Dortmund, Germany was held on May 30, 2016. Groups from different countries performed traditional dances and music on the large stage in front of Joseph Church. Practitioners of Falun Gong (also known as Falun Dafa) were invited as the only group to represent Chinese culture to participate.

The practitioners performed the dance “Falun Dafa is good,” followed by writing three large Chinese characters for “Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance” on a poster board on stage. They demonstrated Falun Gong exercises while the host of the ceremony explained that Falun Gong promotes Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance, that 100 million people practiced Falun Gong in China, and that it is unfortunate that the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) launched its persecution of Falun Gong in 1999.

Two practitioners held a large banner saying “Falun Dafa Is Good” in front of the stage. The host said to the audience that, in China, one unfurling such a banner would be arrested.

Falun Gong practitioners demonstrate the exercises on the opening ceremony of International Week in Dortmund, Germany .Visitors sign the petition against the persecution in the International Week.

Practitioner Liudmila from Russia participated in the exercise demonstration on stage. She said that her life has benefited from practicing Falun Gong.

Liudmila started practicing Falun Gong in Russia in 2009. She came to Germany six months later. Her husband became paralyzed three years later and died not before long. Facing the difficulties of life in a foreign country, she was strong and carried a positive attitude. She said emotionally, “Falun Gong has changed my character and helped me overcome a series of difficulties. I used to seek a method to get along with others in Europe when I was young. Falun Gong is what I looked for.”

Many people came forward to learn about Falun Gong. A couple walked over with their bikes. The wife said she had heard of Falun Gong in another city. This time, she wanted to experience it herself and asked where she can learn it. She signed a petition calling to end the persecution in China and condemning the communist regime's killing of imprisoned practitioners for their organs.

A young woman from Taiwan signed the petition and told a practitioner that there are Falun Gong clubs in Taiwanese universities. She also asked for some informational materials in German for her classmates.