(Minghui.org) Falun Dafa practitioners participated in the annual Kumeu District Agricultural and Horticultural Society festival on the weekend of March 8 - 9, 2025. This popular family event showcases agriculture, animal shows and competitions, music, and a variety of cultural offerings. The Falun Dafa booth was divided into five sections: calligraphy, origami lotus flower making, traditional paper cutting, and Falun Dafa exercise demonstrations and teaching. Many visitors learned the exercises on Saturday.

Practitioners introduce Falun Dafa at the Kumeu Show on March 8 - 9, 2025.

People enjoyed learning the Falun Dafa exercises.

Festival-goers talk with practitioners to learn about Falun Dafa and Chinese culture.

The Kumeu Show is the largest event in New Zealand’s northern island and the fairgrounds were packed with people. There was entertainment, food, various small items for sale, agricultural products, cattle and pets on display, as well as arts and crafts. Stunts on motorbikes performed by daredevil artists drew shrieks from the crowd; a rope climbing competition using a single rope was continuously applauded, as well as continuous performances in the entertainment area.

Practitioners’ dragon dance and waist drum performances were warmly welcomed.

Practitioners perform on waist drums.

Traditional Chinese dances delighted the audience.

Practitioners performed on waist drums in the afternoon amid lovely weather. They also performed the dragon dance, and young practitioners dressed as fairy maidens performed traditional Chinese dances. Audience members expressed delight at the children’s dances.

I Can Feel How Amazing Falun Dafa Is

Francis Nerida learned the exercises.

After Francis Nerida did the exercises, he said, “I genuinely felt energy moving through my body, there was also a warm current.

“This exercise is a great help to my body, I can feel how amazing it is. I loved [these exercises] and hope to learn more.”

Francis also praised Falun Dafa’s principles of Truthfulness, Compassion, Forbearance: “These principles are wonderful!,” he said. “I also make an effort to put them into practice, to be a truthful, kind and forgiving person. Tolerance is very important because when you forgive others, you are passing on love.”

He added that he has seen Shen Yun perform [Shen Yun is a performing arts company that showcases traditional Chinese culture].. “I’ve seen many shows but Shen Yun is absolutely the most beautiful and unforgettable,” Francis said. He learned of the Chinese Communist Party’s (CCP) persecution of Falun Dafa through the show and said, “I cannot understand why the regime would persecute such an innocent group. People should have freedom of belief and not be suppressed. I oppose Communism and persecution.”

Practicing Cultivation Connects One to Higher Spiritual Worlds

Sharing about Falun Dafa.

Another visitor to the Falun Dafa booth, Paul, said, “I heard of Falun Dafa four or five years ago. A friend told me his personal experience. He used to be an alcoholic. After practicing Falun Dafa, the poison was purged from his body and he completely got rid of his addiction.”

His friend’s experience made Paul curious about Falun Dafa. He said, “I believe practicing cultivation is a way to connect to the higher spiritual world. It enables us to connect with the creator, universal spirit, or perhaps our soul.”

He remarked, “When I do these exercises, I feel a strong connection, a form of energy communication. I believe all of us are a part of God.”

Concerning the current persecution of Falun Dafa in China, Paul pointed out, “The CCP has persecuted many people, in particular those with a belief.”

Hopes More People Practice Falun Dafa

Lorraine believes that Falun Dafa is peaceful.

Lorraine and Richard are managers at the New Zealand Matea Trust nursing center. Lorraine said, “I think this practice is great. You see [Falun Dafa practitioners] meditating and looking so peaceful. However, due to my knee problem, I cannot sit like them. I saw their exercise demonstration earlier on ... and they looked so relaxed! I want to bring my patients at the nursing center here. Many of them have anxiety issues. I hope they can come and do the exercises. It will help them calm down; I think it would be great.”

Lorraine added, “The values of Truthfulness, Compassion, Forbearance are goals we must work hard to achieve. They are excellent! You have done a great job!”

Richard learns the Falun Dafa exercises.

Richard enthusiastically learned the exercises on the spot and afterwards said, “I felt great, peaceful and relaxed. I’ve tried other kinds of meditation. I want to learn Falun Dafa online before teaching people at the nursing center.”

Truthfulness, Compassion, and Forbearance Are Moral Guides

A Chinese man stopped to watch the exercise demonstrations. He said he never believed what the CCP said and that young people in China are indoctrinated with its propaganda and not allowed to think for themselves.

He explained, “I don’t believe what the regime says, and I have tried to understand the outside world. I discovered that everything the CCP says is propaganda. When a news report is published to promote something, it is far away from the truth.

“I was in high school when the persecution of Falun Dafa began. Because I knew some practitioners, I knew a bit about it. When the regime claimed the practice taught people to set themselves on fire, I knew Falun Dafa forbids people from killing themselves. The reasons the CCP gave for the suppression are inconsistent with Falun Dafa’s teachings. I hope people in China know what the world outside is like—currently, there are still so many young Chinese nationalists who idolize the Party like it’s a religion.”

He added, “Although I did not learn Falun Dafa in-depth, Truthfulness, Compassion, Forbearance are moral guides for the human race. If one is not truthful, kind or tolerant, he must be a bad person.”