(Minghui.org) For the second year in a row, Falun Dafa practitioners were invited to participate in the national health festival “Zdravei Zdrave” in Bulgaria. Since the beginning of 2018, the ancient mind-body cultivation practice of Falun Dafa has been presented in the cities of Gabrovo, Yambol, Plovdiv, and Blagoevgrad as part of this festival.

The health expo in Stara Zagora on October 13 and 14 gave people all over Bulgaria a chance to learn about the benefits of practicing Falun Dafa and how it is persecuted in China.

A Falun Dafa banner proclaimed the core principles of the practice: Truthfulness, Compassion, and Forbearance. Visitors and festival organizers expressed agreement with these principles. Some noted the practitioners' participation with open hearts and cheerful enthusiasm. Many were shocked to learn that Falun Dafa has been persecuted in China for the past 19 years.

Practitioners dressed in traditional Chinese exercise outfits demonstrated the exercises next to Sveti Kliment Ohridski’s Community Center. Passersby often stopped to watch, intrigued by the calm, meditative exercises. Origami lotus flowers were spread out in front for people to take as a memento.

Festival organizers try the second of five Falun Dafa exercises.

Festival organizers followed practitioners in doing the standing meditation, the second of five Falun Dafa exercises. One woman who was impressed by the movements later expressed a desire to learn the rest of the exercises as well.

Many visitors signed the international petition to prosecute former Chinese Communist Party leader Jiang Zemin, who initiated the persecution of Falun Dafa in 1999. The violent campaign includes the state-sanctioned killing of practitioners for their organs.

On Sunday, more than 30 Stara Zagora residents and guests attended a Falun Dafa presentation, which was given a special award by festival organizers.

After an open discussion, one guest said that she was there because she had seen “The Art of Zhen, Shan, Ren” art exhibition in the city earlier this year. She was touched by the stories of persecution depicted in the artworks and said she would sign the petition.

After taking part in the exercise demonstration, many visitors said they experienced a sense of calm and strong energy. They thanked the practitioners for sharing their cultivation experiences. They also learned that the practice was free of charge and that anyone who was interested was welcome to join any of the two group practice sites in the city.