Ottawa Canada: Rally in Front of Chinese Embassy Commemorates April 25 Appeal

(Minghui.org) Falun Gong practitioners peacefully gathered in front of the Chinese Embassy in Ottawa at noon on April 24, 2025 to commemorate the 26th anniversary of the April 25 Appeal.

Practitioners gathered in front of the Chinese Embassy to commemorate the 26th anniversary of the April 25 peaceful appeal.

On April 25, 1999, more than 10,000 Falun Gong (also known as Falun Dafa) practitioners went to the Appeals Office in Beijing to peacefully demand the release of 45 practitioners who had been arrested and detained in Tianjin a few days before.

Falun Gong Practitioners Have the Courage to Uphold Justice

Wang Yang, who works at a software company, recalled that he had been practicing Falun Gong for less than a year when the April 25 Appeal occurred. At that time, he was very happy to see practitioners everywhere in Beijing, and many of his teachers and classmates also practiced. He saw many Falun Gong practitioners participating in this peaceful appeal.

Wang Yang said that Falun Gong practitioners have the courage to face power and uphold justice.

It has been 26 years since the appeal, but the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) is still using overseas media and the legal system to persecute Falun Gong worldwide. Wang said that justice may be late sometimes, but it will never be absent.

Ms. Zhao, a practitioner from Beijing, said that Falun Gong practitioners showed courage when they expressed their demands. “They were merely expressing their demands for freedom of belief to the State Appeals Office, which is reasonable and justifiable in any society. But the CCP claimed they besieged the central government.”

She added, “The peaceful appeal was not just a way to speak up for justice, but also a manifestation of a spirit of not fearing power and upholding the truth. As Falun Gong practitioners, we will persist in telling the truth to the world.”

The CCP Is Afraid of the Truth

Artist Kathy Gillis said, “This is a moment that cannot be erased from history. The CCP’s persecution was a very terrible period. When peaceful people were violated, it marked the beginning of an extremely harsh reign of terror. The persecution continues to this day, which is a shame for humanity.

“Some say that if you lie enough times, people will believe it. Hitler tried but it didn’t work. The CCP’s lies won’t work either. Lies can be repeated, and people may believe them for a while, but eventually they will wake up. The CCP is afraid of the truth, but it can’t escape the truth because people will eventually know what happened.”

The April 25 Appeal Awakens Chinese People’s Conscience

Amelia from Hebei Province came to Canada two years ago to attend university, and said that when she was in elementary school more than a decade ago, her homeroom teacher gave each student a booklet and told them to read it. It contained information that slandered Falun Gong. At that time, Amelia was frightened after hearing the teacher’s slander against Falun Gong.

Amelia, an international student, said the April 25 appeal was the awakening of the Chinese people’s conscience.

Her father, who knew the truth about the persecution, told Amelia not to believe the teacher’s words and explained that Falun Gong is a kind of qigong that is good for the body and that she should not be misled by the CCP’s lies and propaganda.

Many years later when Amelia saw Falun Gong practitioners in Canada, she began to practice. She also gained a new understanding of the April 25 appeal. “April 25 is a commemorative event. It’s the awakening of the Chinese people’s conscience and allows people to distinguish between good and evil,” she said.

Regarding the global anti-persecution movement, Amelia said that the CCP’s actions are aimed at the world, destroying human morality, covering up universal values, and creating fake news to confuse the world. The efforts of Falun Gong practitioners have not only deterred the evil, but also resolved many people’s doubts through face-to-face communication, allowing more people to understand the truth about Falun Gong.

“Only when you understand the truth can you have strength, and only when you know good and evil can you have the courage to act,” she said.