(Minghui.org) Practitioners from North Carolina’s Research Triangle Region and its surrounding areas celebrated World Falun Dafa Day at Franklin Square in the center of Chapel Hill on May 9, 2026.
They demonstrated the exercises and told people about Falun Dafa and how the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) persecutes it. They also collected signatures to support Senate Bill S.4009: Falun Gong and Forced Organ Harvesting Victims Protection Act.
Practitioners demonstrated the exercises in Chapel Hill on May 9. (Minghui.org)
People Sign the Petition and Voice Support for Senate Bill
Franklin Square is next to the University of North Carolina’s Chapel Hill Campus. The day of the event coincided with the university’s graduation ceremony, so students and their families and friends talked with practitioners.
After Nathan from Charlotte heard about Falun Dafa and the principles of Truthfulness, Compassion, and Forbearance, he asked if people in China truly had freedom of belief.
A practitioner told him that Falun Dafa has been persecuted in China since 1999 and that the recent transnational repression by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) in the US and other countries has included threats and disinformation campaigns. Nathan signed the petition to show his support for Senate Bill S.4009.
Chinese Woman Agrees with Freedom of Religion
A Chinese woman said that she had come to the United States from Beijing more than a decade ago, but this was the first time she’d seen Falun Dafa practitioners do the exercises as a group in the US. She was there to attend the graduation ceremony, but was very pleased to see them.
A practitioner told her that adherents abide by Truthfulness, Compassion, and Forbearance to be good people and improve their character and that Falun Dafa’s five exercises benefit both mind and body. While the CCP has wiped out traditional culture and suppressed belief in the divine for decades, Falun Dafa practitioners use peaceful means to tell people about the persecution. The practice has now been embraced in over 100 countries and regious.
The woman expressed her support for freedom of religion and accepted a lotus flower keepsake with “Falun Dafa Is Good” written on it.
“What You Are Doing Is Great!”
Practitioners made sure they did not block access to a restaurant near Franklin Square. The owner thanked them and gave them four boxes of pizza.
He said that he was from Ukraine so he was very familiar with the evil nature of the CCP. He admired practitioners’ persistence in clarifying the truth and remaining steadfast in their righteous belief: “What you are doing is great!”
Young Practitioners
Young practitioners participated in the event. (Minghui.org)
Many young practitioners who participated in the event described how they changed after they started practicing Falun Dafa. High school student Shen said that he improved in many aspects of his life, including school. He is able to remain calm despite the stress of schoolwork. He’s also become more focused: “My mind and body are at peace, so my concentration improved.”
Another student, Zhang, said that he’s more diligent about his studies, and he behaves better—he is not lazy and he does not lie. He also reminds himself to be patient when he interacts with his classmates.
Ma said the biggest change he noticed is that his character improved. He tries his best to attain the state Master Li mentioned in Zhuan Falun of “not fighting back when being beaten or sworn at.” He sometimes gets angry, but he does not hold grudges.
He said that, after he started to cultivate, he became more focused in his studies, and his physical and mental health improved. Whenever he gets into a conflict with a classmate, he reminds himself to be tolerant. He walks away and talks to the other person after they’ve cooled down.
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