France: Practitioners in Paris and Martinique Celebrate World Falun Dafa Day

(Minghui.org) Falun Dafa practitioners in France held events at Place du Palais-Royal on May 9, 2021, to celebrate World Falun Dafa Day, May 13, and send a birthday greeting to Master Li Hongzhi, the founder of Falun Dafa.

It was a warm and sunny spring day. Practitioners dressed in bright yellow shirts started off the day's events by demonstrating the Falun Dafa exercises. They told tourists about the Chinese Communist Party (CCP)’s persecution of Falun Dafa practitioners in China and collected petition signatures condemning the persecution.

Practitioners celebrate May 13, World Falun Dafa Day, and wish Master Li a happy birthday.

Practitioners demonstrate the Falun Dafa exercises.

A young practitioner at the celebration

Celine, a new practitioner

Celine, a kindergarten teacher, said she had read the book Zhuan Falun in January and learned the exercises from online videos. She was happy to see so many practitioners doing the exercises together. After practicing Falun Dafa, she found life no longer so stressful. She stopped shouting at her students, and they became better-behaved. She also found herself more understanding of others. “I didn’t expect such positive changes in such a short time. I introduced Falun Dafa to my family. My mom has learned the exercises and plans to practice as well.”

Vanessa (right) and Levi

Vanessa started practicing Falun Dafa in October 2017. She suffered from a rare disease that caused her great pain. Modern medicine couldn’t find the cause or treat it. Vanessa developed a bad temper due to her constant pain. She looked for any possible treatment in Vietnam and France in vain. One day, an acupuncturist suggested she try energy exercises. When Vanessa searched on the Internet, she found Falun Dafa. She learned the exercises from Master Li’s exercise instruction videos online and read the book Zhuan Falun. Now her disease is completely gone.

Vanessa said, “I was touched by Master’s teaching. It’s at a high level.” Following Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance, Vanessa continues to improve herself. She said she used to think she was a good person, but cultivation made her see her shortcomings. Her husband, children, and colleagues witnessed how her health and personality improved, and they all credit Falun Dafa for her positive changes.

Levi began practicing Falun Dafa four years ago. She said that Master Li's teachings answered her questions about the meaning of life. By cultivating herself, she learned to control herself better and to follow Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance in her daily life. She found that her life improved when her thoughts became more compassionate. She's now happier and more relaxed.

Passersby read the Falun Dafa displays.

Romain and Mary sign a petition calling for an end to the CCP’s persecution.

Local resident Romain said, “The persecution makes me feel like we've gone backwards—to another century. We haven't learned from history. I signed the petition because I’m against what that immoral regime—the CCP—is doing, including the organ tourism, the suppression, and the forced labor re-education. All of these are appalling!”

Eduardo (middle) signs the petition.

Eduardo, a musician, said the CCP’s destruction of religious groups is terrifble and that it was hard to believe that such horror still exists in 2021. He said he supported the signature collection because it can help awaken people's conscience. “Your signature collection will push things forward and have people witness that more and more people are with you and supporting you,” he said.

Practitioners in Martinique Celebrate Falun Dafa Day and Wish Master Happy Birthday

Practitioners in Martinique pose for a group picture to send as their birthday greeting to Master Li.

People in Martinique were fascinated by the Falun Dafa exercises and stopped to watch. Some said they were surprised that the CCP is persecuting Dafa.

Background: What Is Falun Dafa?

Falun Dafa (also known as Falun Gong) was first introduced to the public by Mr. Li Hongzhi in Changchun, China, in 1992. The spiritual discipline is now practiced in over 100 countries and regions worldwide. Millions of people have embraced the practice, which is based on the principles of Truthfulness, Compassion, and Forbearance as well as five gentle exercises, and experienced improved health and wellbeing.

Jiang Zemin, former head of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), perceived the spiritual discipline's growing popularity as a threat to the CCP's atheistic ideology and on July 20, 1999, issued an order to ban the practice.

Minghui.org has confirmed the deaths of thousands of practitioners as a result of the persecution over the past 22 years. The actual number is believed to be much higher. More have been imprisoned and tortured for their faith.

There is concrete evidence that the CCP sanctions the harvesting of organs from detained practitioners, who are murdered to supply the organ transplant industry.

Under Jiang's personal direction, the CCP established the 610 Office, an extralegal security organization with the power to override the police and judicial systems and whose sole function is to carry out the persecution of Falun Dafa.