(Minghui.org) Practitioners in Chicago once again participated in the annual Libertyville Days Festival held in Libertyville, a small town in Chicago’s northern suburbs, on June 13-16, 2024. Many local people learned about Falun Dafa (also known as Falun Gong) and the exercises during the event. Quite a few people were happy to learn that practitioners had a group practice site in a nearby park, and said they would go there on Sundays to learn the exercises.
People learn about Falun Dafa during the Libertyville Days Festival, held June 13-16, 2024.
The practitioners’ booth was filled with various materials and pamphlets introducing Dafa and calling to stop the Chinese Communist Party’s (CCP) persecution. The booth was decorated with origami lotus flowers made by practitioners. Banners and display boards worded “Falun Dafa Spreads Around the World,” “Falun Dafa,” and “Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance” were also displayed. Practitioners’ exercise demonstrations accompanied by melodious music drew many people to stop and learn more.
“I Am Happy to Learn Falun Dafa”
Mi Soo said she heard about Falun Dafa and learned the exercises when she visited Hong Kong many years ago. As soon as she saw the Falun Dafa booth she immediately went over and took flyers and materials, and said she was happy to learn Falun Dafa again.
Priya said she had been looking for a practice like Falun Dafa, and expressed interest in joining the local practitioners’ group exercises on Sundays.
A woman sitting on a bench watched the practitioners doing the exercises. She suddenly seemed to be inspired and stood up to follow their hand movements and practice along with them. She said she was very happy and grateful to have learned about Dafa.
“The public will not allow it”
Christina is a Korean Christian. She was shocked when she learned about the CCP-sanctioned organ harvesting from living Falun Dafa practitioners, and said, “How can such a thing happen now? I didn’t even know about this!” She said that the CCP would certainly not make their crimes public, but if the public knew, “the public would definitely not allow it!”
Anthony used to go to Hong Kong frequently and see Falun Dafa practitioners practicing, but he never understood why they were protesting. He said that today he finally understood why the CCP persecutes Falun Dafa, and condemned the CCP’s cruelty.
Jeff is a local resident and asked a practitioner if they were paid. When he learned that practitioners use their own money to make and buy banners, flyers, and various materials, he was moved. He said with emotion and sincerity, “Thank you!”
Jeff thanks practitioners for their efforts to tell people about the persecution.
Jeff took two Falun Dafa flyers and two Minghui magazines to share with his girlfriend, and he also expressed an interest in learning the exercises.
Background: What Is Falun Dafa and Why Is the CCP Persecuting It?
Falun Dafa (also known as Falun Gong) was first introduced to the public by Mr. Li Hongzhi in Changchun, China, in 1992. The spiritual discipline is now practiced in over 100 countries and regions worldwide. Its teachings are based on the principles of Truthfulness, Compassion, and Forbearance. Millions of people who have embraced the teachings and exercises have experienced improved health and well-being.
Jiang Zemin, former head of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), perceived the spiritual discipline’s growing popularity as a threat to the CCP’s atheistic ideology. On July 20, 1999, he issued an order to eradicate the practice.
Under Jiang’s personal direction, the CCP established the 610 Office, an extralegal security organization that has the power to override the police and judicial systems. Its sole function is to carry out the persecution of Falun Dafa.
Minghui.org has confirmed the deaths of thousands of practitioners as a result of the persecution over the past 24 years. However, the actual number is believed to be much higher, due to the difficulty in getting information out of China. Countless practitioners have been imprisoned and tortured for their faith.
There is concrete evidence that the CCP sanctions the harvesting of organs from detained practitioners, who are murdered to supply China’s organ transplant industry.
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