(Minghui.org) The two-day Fiesta DC, a celebration of Latino culture and heritage in Washington DC and the metropolitan area, was held on Pennsylvania Avenue on September 27 and 28, 2025. In addition to live music, dance performances, a wide variety of handicrafts, and authentic Latin American cuisine, the event also provided an opportunity for cultural exchange among different ethnic groups.

Falun Gong (Falun Dafa) practitioners set up a booth during the two-day celebration, and introduced Falun Dafa and the principles of Truthfulness, Compassion, and Forbearance to visitors. They also raised awareness of the Chinese Communist Party’s (CCP) persecution and collected signatures on a petition calling for an end to the human rights abuses.

Practitioners introduce Falun Gong to visitors at Fiesta DC on September 27 and 28, 2025.

People sign the petition condemning the CCP’s persecution.

Visitors Learn About Falun Gong

Keith Webster, a Washington DC resident, visited the Falun Gong booth twice. He said he previously heard of Falun Gong and the CCP’s persecution, including the state-sanctioned forced organ harvesting of practitioners. “This persecution is terrible. That’s so sad,” he said.

Local resident Keith Webster.

Webster said practitioners are doing a remarkable job introducing the principles of Truthfulness, Compassion, and Forbearance to people in these turbulent times. “I think that’s very important. People need to see it and to meditate. You get that information out. It’s not a small deal, but a big deal,” he said.

Two men said it was the first time they heard about Falun Dafa. “I stopped by the Falun Dafa booth this morning and found it different from all the others. It was peaceful and tranquil, and it made me feel very comfortable,” one of the men said. They said that Truthfulness, Compassion, and Forbearance are essential to everyone. One said, “It’s sad that people have forgotten these fundamental principles.” The other man agreed and said, “Truthfulness, Compassion, and Forbearance are not optional; they are part of being human and indispensable.”

People Sign the Petition to Stop the Persecution

People braved the rain to attend the celebration on September 27, the first day of the event. Michael, a local lawyer who said he was drawn to the exercise demonstration at the booth, “This exercise looks peaceful.” He said that about a year or two ago, while walking near a shopping mall, he received a Falun Gong brochure. “Truthfulness, Compassion, and Forbearance, sound good. I looked at the brochure,” Michael said.

Michael

After hearing about the CCP’s persecution of Falun Gong practitioners in China, he signed the petition calling for an end to the persecution. He said, “It was an important thing to do. A good cause to support.”

He asked practitioners for detailed information about a practice site beside the National Air and Space Museum, saying he would go there to learn the exercises.

Christian and Sulaimna also braved the rain to attend the first day’s activities. Sulaimna said he was immediately drawn to Falun Gong practitioners after seeing them meditate. “People are too caught up in their own world, and they need to take a step back and look at everything, and just relax. They need to wind down. I’ve never tried it, but I really want to. I think I need to take a step back and relax,” Sulaimna said.

After learning about the CCP’s persecution, they both signed the petition. “I signed it because I think forced organ harvesting is very wrong. It’s very terrible, and no one should go through it,” Christian said.

Christian (left) and Sulaimna (right) sign the petition.

Renouncing the CCP on the Spot

Chinese tourist Mr. Zhang arrived in the US from Zhenjiang Province, China on the morning of September 27. He paused for a long time in front of the Falun Gong booth. A practitioner who was imprisoned in China for practicing Falun Gong talked with him about the CCP’s persecution.

Mr. Zhang returned to the booth the next afternoon again and said his neighbor in China was arrested for practicing Falun Gong. He saw practitioners at tourist attractions in Australia and the Netherlands but did not learn about Falun Gong and the CCP’s persecution in detail.

He learned that Falun Gong has spread to over 100 countries and that the CCP staged the Tiananmen self-immolation incident to frame Falun Gong. Before leaving, he said emotionally, “It is great to follow Truthfulness, Compassion, and Forbearance.”

He said he would tell his family and friends about what he learned about Falun Gong. He also agreed to quit the Communist Young Pioneers.