(Minghui.org) Falun Gong, an ancient Chinese self-improvement cultivation practice being suppressed in its home country, has spread to every corner of the world. The practitioners participate in all kinds of community events and hold activities at tourist spots, to tell the public how the practice uplifts body, mind, and spirit, and to call for help in stopping the persecution of the practice in China.
This report covers three recent Falun Gong events in Ukraine, Crimea, and Russia.
Ukraine
The second Saturday of September marks the Day of Zhytomyr, honoring a Ukraine city with more than 1,000 years of history. Falun Gong practitioners participated in this year’s celebration by demonstrating the exercises and passing out flyers.
A local newspaper interviewed practitioners, and introduced Falun Gong to the readers in an article titled, “Zhitomyrians met Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance on the City's Birthday.”
Demonstrating the exercises.
Passing out Falun Gong flyers.
The article briefly reviewed the physical and mental benefits that people enjoy from the practice, and highlighted the guiding principles of Falun Gong—Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance.
The article also mentioned the spread of Falun Gong around the world, the proclamations and awards it has won, as well as the persecution of it in China.
Many local residents expressed interest in learning the exercises.
An aerobics exercise instructor said she plans to introduce Falun Gong to her students. “Falun Gong brings positive energy to practitioners,” she said, “It is important to change our body from inside.”
The article told the readers that everyone can download the instruction video, music, and books for free from the website falundafa.org.
Crimea
Sudak, a tourist city on the coast of Crimea, held the Day of the City on September 8. Practitioners took this opportunity to introduce Falun Gong to thousands of tourists.
Demonstrating the exercises to tourists.
People learn the exercises.
Telling people about Falun Gong.
A practitioner (in white) talks to Andrey Nekrasov, the head of administration.
Many interested people learned the exercises. Some felt instant effects of pain relief and feeling refreshed.
During the celebration, the head of administration of Sudak, Andrey Nekrasov, stopped by the practitioners’ booth. A practitioner told him that Falun Gong teaches Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance.
The practitioner said, “I am 59, and I am healthier than I was at age 25 because of this practice.” She gave Nekrasov a handmade paper lotus flower with the words “Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance is good,” along with other Falun Gong materials.
Kids learn to fold lotus flowers.
At the booth, practitioners taught children how to fold paper lotus flowers. The lotus is a symbol of purity in the Chinese culture. Children learned that lotus flowers blossom in mud, yet remain pure and beautiful. If a person follows the principles of Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance, he or she will also grow up pure like a lotus flower.
Many parents thanked the practitioners for teaching their children the moral concepts of treating people nicely and discipline. A father said he never thought his son would sit there quietly folding flowers, and enjoy it.
Some kids said they felt peacefulness when folding the flowers. A 10-year-old boy not only folded flowers, but also learned the exercises. He said he would keep practicing at home.
Russia
Practitioners in Russia were invited to teach the exercises on August 18 at the Ecology Festival held in Sestroretsk, a tourist town 30 miles northwest of St. Petersburg.
Teaching the exercises to visitors.
Waves of tourists learned the exercises. Oleg and Volodya did the exercises for an hour with practitioners. Oleg was amazed by the feelings he got during the exercises.
He said, “Some kind of warm and peaceful feeling made me stay here. I cannot leave during the exercises. It is amazing.”
Russian practitioners also taught children how to fold paper lotus flowers.
After folding the flower, Anna, who came with her two daughters, said to the practitioners, “We saw your booth from far away, and we all wanted to come, not because of the large crowd here, but because of a peaceful and nice energy that we sensed from your booth.”
Related articles in Chinese:http://www.minghui.org/mh/articles/2018/8/31/在俄罗斯谢思得罗列茨克市传真相（图）-373183.html
http://www.minghui.org/mh/articles/2018/9/14/乌克兰媒体报道法轮功-曝光中共迫害（图）-373812.html
