(Minghui.org) Practitioners in Romania organized two informational events on the weekend of July 6, 2024, to tell people about Falun Dafa and how the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) persecutes it.
On Saturday, July 6, they set up their weekly information booth on Republicii Street in the old center of Brașov, located in the mountains. On Sunday, July 7, they hosted an information booth and petition drive in the resort region of Mamaia by the sea. Both events are the first in a series to draw attention to July 20, 1999, the date the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) began persecuting practitioners.
This year marks the 25th anniversary of the persecution, and practitioners wish to inform the public of this humanitarian crisis and seek support for their petitions: One is to the Romanian president to condemn the persecution and the other denounces the CCP and its crimes against humanity. Throughout July, Romanian practitioners will hold similar events in major cities across the country.
Brașov, located about 170 kilometers north of the capital city of Bucharest, is the second-largest city in Romania. Mamaia, the country’s most popular seaside resort, is located on the Black Sea coast and attracts tourists from around the world in the summer.
Practitioners’ efforts to raise awareness over the past two decades helped many Romanians learn about the persecution, with many people stopping by the booths to express their support.
Information stand on Republicii Street in Brașov, on July 6. Practitioners demonstrated the exercises, handed out information, and collected signatures on the petition calling for an end to the persecution and the petition condemning the CCP’s crimes
Information event in Mamaia on July 7. People read the information boards and chatted with practitioners to understand what Falun Dafa is and receive information about the persecution launched by the CCP 25 years ago.
Law Student: I Appreciate Practitioners’ Courage
Andrei Dogaru, a law student, said he has known about Falun Dafa for several years. He read about the spiritual practice and the CCP’s persecution on the Internet and approached the practitioners’ booth in Brașov when he saw the familiar name.
Andrei Dogaru, a law student, thanked practitioners for the opportunity to sign the two petitions in Brașov on July 6.
“I know that there is a community of several million people who are in a deeply atheist and communist state and want to have freedom of conscience. But these people are oppressed by the communist regime, which not only exterminates and tortures them, but also takes their organs and probably sells them on the black market,” Andrei said.
“I believe that all people should be equal. They are equal in law, but they are not equal in fact, and we should all have the same rights, to stop any kind of oppressive regime, any kind of oppression or restriction of human rights, and we need to stop organ harvesting and all the horrible things that are happening in China. I received material about Falun Dafa, but I’ve never had the opportunity to sign a petition, to contribute in any way to help them,” he said.
He signed both petitions and thanked practitioners for allowing him to show his support. He believes that it is everyone’s responsibility to stop this persecution.
He emphasized the importance of spreading the word about serious human rights violations in China. He said that this is a matter of following one’s conscience and being at peace with oneself for upholding one’s moral code.
“I appreciate the courage of Falun Dafa practitioners in China to continue to remain in this community and to demand their rights. I also admire you for spreading the word. Better to do something than to do nothing. Even if it may seem futile, at least we know that we have done our best to help these people. We are equal before God, we are equal before death, we are equal before life and we are equal in our rights, and so I believe that these people should benefit from some natural, normal things that we have from birth, however, they are simply being restricted,” Andrei said.
Practitioners held an information event in Mamaya on July 7, 2024.
Tourists: Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance Should Be Promoted
Elena Rădulescu from Bucharest visited Brașov while she was on vacation and saw the Falun Dafa principles inscribed on the banners near the practitioners’ booth. She came to express her support and felt the need to share about the change for the better that living by the principles of Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance brought her.
“Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance are values that I would like to see promoted as much as possible in the souls of everyone, of any age, of any nationality. We would build a better world. We can gradually change, and not be as bad,” she said.
Elena said the principles of Falun Dafa deeply resonate with her. She believes her own life changed positively when living this way. “Each one of us, even if we are just a grain of sand in a great desert or a drop in a great ocean, we must each do our part. I do it myself, not necessarily to promote it to those around me, but I know how I feel following these principles day in and day out. My life is bright. My life is shining, compared to how I was before,” she said.
To help stop persecution through petitions, Elena said, “I do what I can in my own area of competence, and maybe everyone will do the same. A little bit, a little bit. More and more and more.”
Elena Rădulescu wants to tell practitioners in China to continue living according to Falun Dafa’s values: “Tolerance! Compassion! And then the truth comes forth.”
Elena Iorga signed both petitions. This was the first time she heard of the persecution, and she was extremely shocked and outraged. She received a lotus flower with a QR code to Falun Dafa’s teachings, and she said she looked forward to reading them, listening to Falun Dafa music, and learning more about it.
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