(Minghui.org) Falun Dafa practitioners performed a dragon dance and held an exercise demonstration to promote the practice at the annual Bristol International Balloon Fiesta on August 10-13, 2023. Many people expressed their love for Falun Dafa and condemned the Chinese Communist Party’s (CCP) persecution of Falun Dafa.

Falun Dafa practitioners perform a dragon dance at the Bristol International Balloon Fiesta.

Learning the Falun Dafa exercises at the Bristol International Balloon Fiesta

Bristol is an important harbor city in western England. It was the birthplace of Europe’s largest free annual balloon festival and the capital of balloons in the United Kingdom. For half a century, a lively balloon festival has been held here every August. Most of the exhibitors are from Western European countries, including Ireland, Luxembourg, and Germany.

Two girls hold fliers introducing Falun Dafa.

Half a million hot air balloon enthusiasts from all over the world watched more than 100 colorful hot air balloons take off from the 850-acre Ashton Court Estate and float freely in the blue sky over the four-day event. Pilots lit up dozens of hot air balloons for flight on Thursday and Sunday night, and BBC Radio Bristol provided on-site music.

There were more than 100 booths, a playground, and various local band performances at the estate. The exercises demonstrated by Falun Dafa practitioners at the booth won praise and love from the public. Especially on Saturday afternoon, when all hot air balloon flights were canceled due to rain. But the Falun Dafa dragon dance team performed in front of the stage and paraded around the venue twice after the rain stopped, which helped tourists feel refreshed and brightened. Many people took the Falun Gong fliers and said, “It’s great!”

“We met Falun Dafa!”

Mr. Fairweather said he had practiced meditation before. He and his three children watched the Falun Dafa exercise demonstration on the stage, and his children wanted to learn the exercises too, so they sat on cushions to learn the meditation exercise on the spot.

His daughter Emily could sit with both legs crossed without any difficulty. Afterwards, the children reported feeling calm and relaxed in an energy field. Noah, his son, said the Falun Dafa booth was his favorite.

Mr. Fairweather and his three children

Seeing his children learning the Falun Dafa exercises so quickly, Mr. Fairweather decided to learn Falun Dafa, too. “I really want to follow this path and start over again. I’m really inspired,” he said.

He knew his kids were very active and it was best for them to learn to be quiet first. “Exercise produces good energy, and cultivates an optimistic and positive attitude, which is also beneficial to my wife and me,” he said.

Emily and her siblings learned Falun Dafa.

“There should be more booths like yours”

Jamil, a security guard for the festival, spoke highly of Falun Dafa’s booth. “I come to the Falun Dafa booth today and have a good impression and understanding of Chinese culture. I know that Chinese people are being persecuted,” he said.

His workmate also knew that Uighurs were being enslaved in concentration camps in Xinjiang province, China.

Security guard Jamil (right) and his workmate

Jamil signed a petition appealing for an end to the persecution in China. “I’m sure it’s a good start. I support things like this and help call for international attention by spreading the word to friends. I wish there were more booths like yours,” Jamil said.

Some people running booths also came by to inquire about Falun Dafa, and many signed the petition.

“It’s very important to return to traditional values”

Vanessa said that it’s very important to return to traditional values.

Vanessa, a hairdresser, signed the petition and agreed that returning to traditional values was important. “Your culture ties to where you were born. It is important to go back to tradition, otherwise you will lose your way,” she said.

She asked her husband to sign the petition. She said that they supported Falun Dafa practitioners’ right to have human rights and freedom of belief.

Software engineer Guy (second from the right) and his girlfriend (right) signed the petition to support Falun Gong’s efforts to end the persecution.

Guy, a software engineer in Bristol, and his Ukrainian girlfriend quickly agreed to sign the petition. He said, “Signing the petition is very important. People should have freedom of religion, freedom of belief, and no government interference, whether others think it is appropriate or not. This is the cornerstone of social equality.”

Elica (left) and Hanna.

As a nurse, Elica said she does not understand why people of faith are being persecuted. She said indignantly, “It’s a shame that we can’t work together to make things better for the world, not just one country.”

She said that having a different belief means a different outlook and way of life, and it doesn’t mean they're trying to overthrow the country. “Today Chinese people are facing a human rights crisis. It is unreasonable to be persecuted because of a different belief.”

Hanna, Elica’s friend and a career compensation analyst, added that the government should treat people of all beliefs equally, so that people can live, learn, and practice their beliefs together freely.