(Minghui.org) Practitioners were invited to participate in the Albany Tulip Festival held in Washington Park in Albany, the capital of New York State, during the Mother’s Day weekend on May 10 and 11, 2025. The two-day event drew thousands of visitors who came to enjoy spring and the festive atmosphere.

Although spring arrived late this year, the grass was green and the flowers bloomed. The park was filled with the fragrance of flowers and laughter. There was a constant flow of people, and it was very lively. Many visitors were drawn by practitioners’ eye-catching banners, display boards, and exercise demonstration in front of the Falun Dafa (Falun Gong) booth, and stopped to watch.

Some people said they wished to learn the exercises and wrote down the practice site information. When they learned that Falun Dafa is persecuted in China, many people signed the petition to support the Falun Gong Protection Act.

The Falun Gong Protection Act urges the U.S. government to impose visa restrictions and other sanctions on Chinese Communist Party (CCP) officials involved in the forced organ harvesting of Falun Gong practitioners in China, in order to stop this persecution and uphold justice.

Festival attendees took photos with practitioners after learning about Falun Dafa.

People come to learn about Falun Dafa.

People Interested in Learning Falun Dafa

Two sisters from Mexico talked with a practitioner who told them about Falun Dafa and its mental and physical benefits. They said they would download Falun Dafa books online to learn after returning home. After they learned how the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) persecutes Falun Dafa in China, especially the forced organ harvesting, the two sisters immediately signed to end the persecution.

A family of three listened carefully to a practitioner’s explanation. They said it’s wonderful to cultivate one’s mind and do good. The wife said she firmly believed that good deeds would be rewarded, and that the world would become a better place if everyone did more good deeds. They asked where they could learn the exercises. The practitioner showed them the Falundafa.org website and the information for the local practice site.

A young man came to the booth and asked many questions. A practitioner explained in detail the physical and mental benefits of practicing Falun Dafa. He immediately said he wished to learn, and the practitioner showed him the exercises. He learned them, and afterward he thanked the practitioner.

A young couple stopped in front of the booth and listened attentively to a practitioner’s explanation about Falun Dafa and the CCP’s suppression of faith groups. The woman said that she often watches NTD TV and already has a clear understanding of the nature of the CCP. She thanked the practitioner and said she respected practitioners for adhering to their beliefs and persisting in raising awareness. The man was interested in learning about Falun Dafa and asked how to visit the official website. He also signed the petition to support the Falun Gong Protection Act.

People Support Practitioners’ Efforts

Practitioners tell people about Falun Dafa at the Albany Tulip Festival.

A middle-aged man who has come to the Falun Dafa booth every year chatted with practitioners. He said that he had faith and believed that the divine controls celestial phenomena. He said the world today is undergoing many changes, people should stick to kindness, and corrupt things will eventually be eliminated. He smiled and gave practitioners a thumbs-up.

A middle-aged man from China was also interested in the information and stayed for a long time. He asked many questions, including whether practitioners can return to China, and the practitioner patiently answered them one by one.

An elderly woman studied Chinese for two years and communicated with practitioners using simple Chinese words. When she learned the facts, she was shocked by the severity of the persecution and signed the petition.

An elderly man who was a Tai Chi enthusiast carefully looked at the exercise illustration at the booth. A practitioner explained what Falun Dafa is. His wife said, “You are our angel. This is exactly what my husband has been looking for!” They took the materials about Falun Dafa and signed the petition.

A mother and her daughter were interested in Falun Dafa. The mother said with emotion, “Truthfulness, Compassion, and Forbearance are powerful!” Another woman was moved to tears after she listened to a practitioner’s introduction to Falun Dafa. She said, “You are such a kind group of people.” Before leaving, she hugged the practitioner.