Why I Went to Appeal in Geneva

In March, 2003 more than 800 Falun Gong practitioners gathered infront of Place Des Nations in Switzerland, to appeal for the freedom to practice „Truth, Compassion and Forbearance”. Hungarian practitioners from Austria, Germany, Australia and Hungary also took part in the activities. I would like to share why I participated in the appeal.

I am currently studying in a Hungarian language institute in Budapest and have been practicing Falun Gong for almost four years. I am an Australian citizen, but am of Hungarian descent. Since I began practicing I noticed my grades improve and attitude become more open and calm. Concentrating and completing my studies became a breeze. My relationships with peers and family members also improved. Falun Gong helped me become a good citizen.

After I saw these benefits I could not imagine stopping the practice, simply because a few leaders in the Chinese government felt insecure about Falun Gong’s growing popularity and later on decided to ban it. Rather, I wanted to keep practicing, experience more benefits and give more people the opportunity to try it.

However, when other practitioners and I saw the extent to which the Jiang Regime began persecuting and slandering Falun Gong, we had to let the world know the truth. We began spreading flyers in the streets and demonstrated the exercises. We peacefully appealed infront of the local Chinese embassies or consulates. We calmly explained Falun Gong’s actual situation to the media and politicians. Even though the Chinese embassy or consulate staff have openly verbally and physically harassed us on numerous occasions in the past (see: http://photo.minghui.org/photo/images/persecution_evidence/E_wuju_5.htm), we never retaliated and further used it as an opportunity to clarify the facts about Falun Gong.

The banners that we posted up do not criticise the Chinese regime. Rather, they call upon the Chinese authorities to put an end to the persecution of good citizens, who only want to practice "Truth, Compassion and Forbearance" without persecution. Our gatherings have always been neat and orderly. After we finished there was never a mess left behind.

We are not against the Chinese government. I carry no hatred towards those who initiated the Falun Gong crackdown. Rather, I want to call upon them and the rest of the world to take another look at and condemn this persecution. I want people to once again have the freedom to practice „Truth, Compassion and Forbearance”.