(Minghui.org) On September 29, 2026, eight years after the art of Zhen-Shan-Ren (Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance) exhibition was displayed in Sofia for the first time, Falun Dafa practitioners once again brought the exhibition back to Bulgaria.

The exhibition, which features 27 paintings, was held at the nOva Art Space Gallery in the heart of the capital. The paintings show the spirituality of Falun Dafa practitioners and how they persist despite the persecution of their faith by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). The exhibition attracted government officials, diplomats, scientists, artists, and other residents.

The opening ceremony was held on the evening of September 29. Martin Garchev, the exhibition’s organizer in Bulgaria, and Silvia Koteva, one of the practitioner volunteers at the exhibition, gave a short opening speech in the gallery lobby to welcome guests. Two musicians, Theo Nikolov on classical guitar and Maria Lukova on violin, also performed for the guests at the opening ceremony.

The opening ceremony of the art of Zhen-Shan-Ren exhibition is held on September 29. (Minghui.org)

Government Officials Praise Falun Dafa’s Values

Among the guests at the opening were several current and former governmental officials of Bulgaria.

Angelina Boneva, who served as Deputy Minister and Minister of Regional Development and Public Works in one of Bulgaria’s caretaker governments, said that it was an honor for her to visit the exhibition. She said, “The aesthetics of the paintings, the overall atmosphere, and the narrative presented by the organizers stimulate the senses, the mind, and deep emotional sensitivity.”

Angelina Boneva (second from right) attends the opening ceremony. (Minghui.org)

She was also deeply impressed by the practitioners’ perseverance in the face of suppression, describing the paintings as “moving personal stories that reveal the strength of the human spirit.

“Beyond geography and time, the exhibition is deeply moving because of the timeless dilemmas of good and evil it raises,” she said.

Rumen Kostadinov, mayor of the Vrabnitsa district of the Sofia Municipality.Letter from Rumen Kostadinov

Rumen Kostadinov, mayor of the Vrabnitsa district of the Sofia Municipality, presented a letter of congratulations to the exhibition’s organizers. It reads: “Your exhibition conveys messages that draw attention to timeless human values and prompt us to reflect on kindness, truth, and patience as part of the human journey.”

Several diplomats from other countries also visited the exhibition.

H.E. Abdulrahman Ahmed Sultan Essa Al Jaber (second from left), Ambassador of the United Arab Emirates to the Republic of Bulgaria, views the paintings. (Minghui.org)

Fearghal Ó Maolagáin (first from left) is the Second Secretary and Deputy Head of Mission at the Embassy of Ireland in Bulgaria in Sofia. (Minghui.org)

Mikhail Karachun (left), Chargé d'Affaires ad interim of the Embassy of the Republic of Belarus to the Republic of Bulgaria, and Irina Melguy (right), Second Counsellor of the Republic of Belarus, view the paintings. (Minghui.org)

Scientists and Engineers Encourage Artists

Other guests at the opening ceremony were from the field of engineering and science. The Vice President of the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, Corresponding Member, Doctor of Biological Sciences, Evdokia Pasheva, was one of the guests at the opening ceremony.

Ms. Evdokia Pasheva (left), Vice President of the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, Corresponding Member, Doctor of Biological Sciences (Minghui.org)

Dr. Pasheva said that although spiritual practices are foreign to her, “freedom of conscience—that is, the right to choose one’s faith and religion—is a fundamental human right.” She added that she supports the initiative of Bulgarian Falun Gong practitioners to expose the evil through art and she wished them success.

Nina Ruskova stands next to the painting “Entering the Divine Realm with Purity.” (Minghui.org)

Before she retired, Nina Ruskova worked as a manager on a major international defense-related software project. She said she hadn’t known that this kind of persecution was taking place in China and that so many people were being persecuted and killed because of their faith, but she was grateful for the opportunity to understand this important issue.

Ruskova was also moved by the painting depicting meditation, “Entering the Divine Realm with Purity,” by Xiaoping Chen. She had previously thought that there were only the body and the spirit—and that was all—but here she saw more than one level of the spirit, and this made her reflect on her understandings of the world.

Artists Find Inspiration from the Practitioners

Anna Pampulova, professor of dance and choreography at New Bulgarian University, choreographer, and director (Minghui.org)

Anna Pampulova is a ballerina and a professor of dance and choreography at New Bulgarian University (NBU). She is also a choreographer and director at various musical theaters. She was familiar with Falun Dafa and even tried practicing it herself.

After viewing the paintings, she said that the exhibition solidified her impression of the overall essence and culture of Falun Dafa. She paid attention to the movement and hand gestures in the paintings and said she felt the beauty and spirituality.

Violinist Maria Lukova lives and works in London. She said it was a pleasure for her to participate as a guest at the exhibition opening and, by performing she hoped to contribute to the atmosphere of the event. Lukova shared that she had never attended such a moving event with such a powerful theme, and she was very touched by the suffering of practitioners in China.

“I hope, from the bottom of my heart, that this persecution of the Chinese people will stop. Freedom of the spirit is for everyone,” she said.

Sofia Residents Visit the Exhibition

The exhibition was on display from September 29 to October 10. During that time, many Sofia residents stopped to admire the paintings.

Vesela Petrova is an expert at the Ministry of Justice and a writer. She said that her visit to the Art of Zhen-Shan-Ren exhibition was not merely an encounter with painting, but a unique perspective on human existence.

Of the paintings, Petrova, who is also the author of two books of poetry, said, “I discovered a silence that speaks and a light that does not come from outside.”

Petrova praised the spiritual content of the paintings, saying that they made her feel like “the past, the present, and eternity seem to converge in a single space, where the individual is simultaneously searching for and having found themselves”.

Cecilia Vaklinova worked as a film producer with the Creative Fund of the Union of Bulgarian Filmmakers. She said that she was deeply moved by the paintings and that she hadn’t expected them to have such a powerful presence and impact.

In the guestbook, she succinctly expressed what she felt. “I am captivated by the exhibition. I didn’t expect it to be so interesting and authentic. I felt a deep sorrow for the thousands who were tortured and killed. I am very grateful to the people who explained everything in detail and helped me understand each painting thoroughly. Thank you from the bottom of my heart!”

Twelfth grade students learn the Falun Dafa exercises. (Minghui.org)

Students from the 105th “Atanas Dalchev” Secondary School visited the exhibition as a group, led by their teacher. Their teacher tasked the twelfth-graders with exploring the exhibition and then, assuming the role of tour guide, presenting it to others. The students also did the Falun Dafa exercises and learned more about the persecution of Falun Dafa practitioners.

Bulgarian National Television reported on the exhibition. (Screenshot)

Bulgarian National Television dedicated a six-minute segment on September 30 to covering the exhibition.