(Minghui.org) Since 2012, two universities in Medellin—Universidad Pontificia Bolivariana and Universidad CES—have held classes about Falun Dafa (also known as Falun Gong). Many students in different fields learned about this spiritual practice for the first time.

Medellin, the second largest city in Colombia, is know for its universities as well as its commercial, industrial and technological development.

During the classes, practitioners introduced Falun Dafa and told how the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) persecutes the spiritual discipline. They focused on the crime of forced organ harvesting from living practitioners. The students expressed their concern and alarm about the egregious human rights violations happening to practitioners in China.

The students also learned the five exercises and said they felt renewed energy and inner peace afterward.

Students learn about the CCP’s crime of forced organ harvesting and the efforts of the organization Doctors Against Forced Organ Harvesting to raise awareness about it.

Medical Student: We Shouldn’t Repeat the Holocaust

Vanessa and Marie Paula, both medical students, took the class on February 27. It was the first time that they heard about the persecution of Falun Dafa in China, and they were shocked. Vanessa said, “I personally didn’t know about the Falun Dafa meditation group or the fact that they were suppressed in China in such an atrocious way.”

Marie Paula said, “I didn’t know about it, either. It is really very sad to think that, for example, after the Holocaust, when everyone found out what happened in the Holocaust, we were taught the history so we wouldn’t repeat it. But here it is being repeated, it is still happening, and for political and economic reasons. And for the benefit of a very few, a large number of people are silenced just because they are doing something good, something that does not harm anyone, something that is healthy mentally, physically, and spiritually. This is very sad.”

Sergio, a law student, attended the class on March 5, 2024. He said that the crime of forced organ harvesting shows that the CCP has “no respect for life” and no respect for the individual.

“That system of communism, it violates human rights. It is a very serious situation,” he said.

Students learn to do the second Falun Dafa exercise.Students finishing the first exercise

Students Experience the Calming Power of the Exercises

After learning what Falun Dafa is and why the CCP is persecuting it, the students were shown the first and second exercises.

Marie Paula said she felt that “a weight was lifted from my shoulders.”

Sara, a biology student who participated in the class on April 8, said the exercises helped her calm down and relax more deeply. “This exercise made me feel like my muscles relaxed. I felt relaxed, calm, very peaceful. I wanted to do more exercises. I would like to be part of this,” she said.

Biology student Sara

Sara described her wonderful experience learning the exercises and expressed her appreciation for the class. “That was a message for the soul and for the body,” she said. “I’m very happy and excited about this.” Regarding what is going on in China, she said, “We all found it [the persecution] shocking. It’s very sad and terrifying.” She hoped to be able to let others know about the persecution.

(From left to right) After learning to the exercises, Melissa, Juanita, Sebastian, and Sofia, biology and ecology students, held lotus flower bookmarks as they posed for a photo.