(Minghui.org) The annual Mayors and Local Authorities Fair was held at Paris Expo Porte de Versailles from November 18-20, 2025. Falun Dafa (also known as Falun Gong) practitioners took the opportunity to raise awareness of the Chinese Communist Party’s (CCP) persecution. They demonstrated the exercises and collected signatures on a petition on November 18 and 19 in front of the exhibition hall, and called to end the CCP’s persecution.
People continuously passed in front of the exhibition hall, and many were shocked after learning about the persecution. Several people said they were drawn by the exercise demonstration. People praised practitioners for their courage in the face of CCP and encouraged them to persevere. Some members of Parliament, mayors, city councilors and people from all walks of life signed the petition that calls to end the CCP’s state-sanctioned forced organ harvesting.
Falun Dafa practitioners raise awareness of the persecution, demonstrate the exercises, and collect signatures during the 2025 Mayors and Local Authorities Fair in France.
Forced Organ Harvesting Is a Terrible Crime
Esquenet-Goxes Laurent, a former member of Parliament for the Haute Garonne, knows about Falun Dafa and previously expressed his support. He said, “China is not a democratic country. The Chinese government initially tried to control this movement, which is very popular in China. Subsequently, it launched the persecution of the movement and took rather extreme measures. Falun Gong practitioners are known for their healthy lifestyle and healthy organs. The government uses totalitarian methods to arrest them under various pretexts, then harvest their organs and kills them. This is a horrific act and we must expose it at all costs.”
Marie-Helene Valence, a former city councilor, was dismayed when she read the information on the banners. She wondered how it was possible to harvest organs from living people, “Under no circumstance do we have the right to kill a person in order to save another person,” she said. “More importantly, what actions can be taken to stop this? Because it is indeed happening.” She believes there are many others like her who are unaware of this.
Force Organ Harvesting Is the Worst Crime
Damien Guiguet, honorary mayor of Meylan in the Isère department and a councilor of Saint-Symphorien in the Nouvelle-Aquitaine region, believes that this issue needs an answer, whether it’s in France or elsewhere, and that it is abhorrent. He said that China is a dictatorship that poses considerable risk to global stability, therefore we must prepare and strive to help those who aspire to build a democratic society where human lives are respected. “We cannot imagine any greater atrocity than this persecution (forced organ harvesting), which is completely contrary to our values,” he said.
Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance Is a Very Beautiful Maxim
When talking about values of Truthfulness, Compassion and Forbearance, Jigal said, “Everything is very clear. Sincerity means doing what you say and saying what you do.”
“Truthfulness and Compassion brings kindness to social life. We must cultivate kindness. Then comes forbearance, which we hope for. I still firmly believe that despite all difficulties, the democracy, seeming fragile at the first glance, will always prevail over dictatorship. The is a lesson that the past few centuries have taught us. We should not be despair, but must keep patience. Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance is a very beautiful maxim.”
City councilor Freddy Acapandie believes that Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance are universal values.
Freddy Acapandie is a councilor in Saint-Pierre, La Reunion department, a French overseas department, where he is responsible for social-economic and mutual-economic affairs and coordinator of the social and cultural activity center.
He said, “Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance are universal values that enable us to adjust ourselves in all areas, especially emotionally. Speaking of compassion, it also helps us to adjust ourselves. This is a movement that promotes health. And patience, that is a very important word. Today, patience is not only a necessary quality but also a key to success.”
People Must Reflect and Awaken
Marie Dominique, a city councilor in Issy-les-Moulineaux, said she heard about Falun Dafa 20 years ago.
“Nothing is more terrible than this persecution,” she said, “In France we still have a lot of freedom. We are more fortunate to live in a democratic county. Authoritarian countries like China are unfortunate. What’s happening there is really horrific. We don’t know everything because everything is covered up. Those who dare to speak out are imprisoned and then disappear.”
She said, “This is thought-provoking today in 2025. The freedom of speech enjoyed in Western countries is absent in China, which is very sad. China is a large country with much wealth and certainly many opportunities.” Ms. Dominique said she was deeply saddened to see that China has not made much progress in the past two decades. She indicated that people must reflect and awaken. How can change be achieved? She said it should be attempted through spiritual cultivation, to explore alternative ways of life that may still exist.
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