[Minghui net]
Mr. Umberto Giovine, member of the Italian Parliament and Chairman of the Religious Affairs Committee, invited Falun Gong practitioners from Italy and France to Dies Memoriae. Dies Memoriae is a conference set up by European countries to commemorate the persecution of the Jewish people by the Nazis. It was held on January 26 in the Italian Parliament, and we were invited to testify about the persecution of Falun Gong in China.
More than a hundred people attended the conference, including parliament members and people from religious communities, such as Elio Toaff, Rabbino Capo Professor, Monsignor Rino Fisichella, and Vescovo Ausiliariodi Roma. The Italian TV station was there to report the event.
First, Falun Gong practitioners introduced the peaceful exercises for the mind and body to the audience. Then they explained that a practice like Falun Gong that improves one's life through enhancing morality should be welcomed by any nation or society for it is in every way beneficial and harmless. But it is brutally repressed in China. Umberto Giovine, chairman of the conference said, "The historic tragedy of the Jews in WWII should not happen again. We sincerely hope people from all societies will offer help to Falun Gong and stop the persecution in China immediately." People attending the conference were greatly moved by the peaceful and benevolent deeds of the Falun Gong practitioners. They condemned the inhumane conduct of the brutal repression carried out by the totalitarian power in China. We gave a copy of either "The True Story of Falun Gong" or "The Peaceful Journey of Falun Gong" videotape to every attendee at the conference.
After the conference, Mr. Giovine accompanied the Falun Gong delegation while they toured the Parliament Building and introduced them to Violante, chairman of the Italian Parliament.
During a reception dinner, Mr. Giovine emphasized, "We shouldn't ignore what's happening to Falun Gong, although it is happening to people in a country far away from us."
During their visit to Rome, practitioners also sent the true stories of Falun Gong to the Pope, asking him to uphold justice for the peaceful and innocent people and to help bring the persecution to an end.
