(Minghui.org) The International Day of Peace is celebrated on September 21. Falun Gong practitioners from more than 10 European countries held events in the Mont des Arts or Kunstberg to introduce their spiritual practice and raise awareness of the Chinese Communist Party’s (CCP) ongoing persecution.
Group practice in Parc du Cinquantenaire, Brussels in the morning
Tourist: I Want to Share the Values of Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance
Frenchman Raphael Avail and his girlfriend Josepha Binda
Frenchman Raphael Avail and his girlfriend Josepha Binda were taking a walk in the park. When they saw the practitioners doing the Dafa exercises, they noted that the scene was peaceful and calm. Raphael said, “Truthfulness, Compassion, and Forbearance are great. They are positive for humanity, and all human beings should experience this positivity.”
Josepha, who is a lawyer, added, “Yes, everyone should follow these principles.”
They said that the CCP’s persecution was terrible and unreasonable, but the media did not report it, so they did not know about it before. Raphael said, “I will tell other people in my area in France: my family, friends, and university classmates. I will try my best to tell people about the cruel persecution of Falun Gong practitioners in your country.”
Ines (first from left) said she would share the Dafa principles.
Ines is also from France and went to Belgium for business training. She and her friends passed by the park and saw many people doing the Dafa exercises. She asked the practitioners about Falun Gong. When talking about her impression of the values of Truthfulness, Compassion, and Forbearance, she said, “I think these are all very good values. I want to share these values. I think Truthfulness and Forbearance are very important. Everyone in the world should cherish these values.” She also asked if Falun Gong practitioners were persecuted in China just because they were good people, meditated, and did the Falun Dafa exercises. Is this why the CCP regime is carrying out this persecution?
After learning about the CCP’s nature, Ines immediately signed the petition calling for an end to the persecution. She said, “I signed because to me this [persecution] is not normal and should be stopped. Persecution and torture of good people are too terrible. The persecution must stop. I hope my signature can help stop this persecution.”
When she heard that the Falun Gong practitioners who were doing the exercises came from many European countries, Ines felt very good. She said that the practitioners came here to express good values to people and show a good environment. She said, “They use their actions to kindly tell people that Falun Dafa is good and the persecution must stop.”
A practitioner told her that there is additional information on the Falun Gong website and all related books can be downloaded for free. She told the practitioner, “I will tell people about this, including my family and friends. I will go to the website to learn more about Falun Gong and check out the exercises and books. Thank you!”
Greek Journalist: Let the World Know What Is Happening
Greek journalist Aya Tsaouzi
Aya Tsaouzi is a Greek journalist working in an institution in Brussels. She said that she had known about Falun Gong. She said, “As journalists, we can send your information to the world and let them know what happened. We will do it.” Finally, she hoped Falun Gong would succeed.
Restaurant Owner: The Persecution Must Stop
Annick Strings (left) and her friend
Annick Strings is a restaurant owner. She watched the performance of Falun Gong practitioners while standing in the crowd. Then, she found out about Falun Gong from a practitioner and signed the petition calling for an end to the persecution. She asked the practitioner for more fliers and blank signature forms. She said she would take them back and ask more people to sign to oppose the persecution. She said that she hadn’t heard about Falun Gong before. This was the first time she had heard of such an atrocity.
She emphasized, “It’s unbelievable that I didn’t know about Falun Dafa before. I’m surprised that I haven’t heard of it. It’s not okay to put people in jail just because of their practice and beliefs. What the CCP is doing is wrong.” She said she would learn more about Falun Dafa after she returns home.
She said, “I will start by telling more people. I will tell them what I saw here with my own eyes and talk about it with more people.”
People Condemn the Persecution
A passerby talked a lot with a practitioner. He said he already knew about the persecution of Falun Gong. He had seen and learned about Falun Gong practitioners protesting against the persecution in front of the Chinese Embassy in London for more than 20 years.
He said, “Truthfulness, Compassion, and Forbearance are universal values and are important to the whole world.” He felt sad about the persecution and said it should not have happened.
Retiree Hilde talked about the CCP’s persecution of Falun Gong. She said, “This is a crime against the people. It is an aggressive behavior against people. It is not allowed. It is selfish and cruel to hurt them, torture them, and put them in jail for no reason. This is a brutal mentality. [The persecution] must stop.”
Hilde said that she had seen similar activities of Falun Gong practitioners in Antwerp. She said that the Falun Gong practitioners at the scene were full of energy. Speaking of Truthfulness, Compassion, and Forbearance, she said, “These are very correct and important principles of mankind. They are good for everyone. We should look at others with a tolerant mentality.”
Introducing Falun Gong to the public on International Day of Peace
Signing the petition calling for an end to the persecution
In the morning, practitioners demonstrated the five Falun Gong exercises in the Parc du Cinquantenaire, next to the Mont des Arts. The green grass near the majestic Mont des Arts set off the Falun Gong practitioners in yellow exercise uniforms, making them particularly eye-catching. The Parc du Cinquantenaire is one of the landmarks of Brussels, built to commemorate the 50th anniversary of Belgium’s independence.
In the afternoon, Falun Gong practitioners raised awareness of the persecution at the Mont des Arts in the city center. Surrounding it are beautiful gardens, the Royal Library of Belgium (KBR), the Place de Brussels, and the National Gallery. Falun Gong practitioners introduced Truthfulness, Compassion, and Forbearance to the public and condemned the CCP’s persecution. People came in an endless stream and lingered.
Tian Guo Marching Band performs on the Mont des Arts.
Waist drum team from the Netherlands performs.
Dragon and lion dancing teams from Eastern Europe perform.
The boat-shaped float prepared by Belgian practitioners
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