(Minghui.org) Practitioners did the Falun Dafa exercises and held a rally at Commercial Bay Plaza in Auckland to commemorate the 26^th anniversary of the April 25 appeal on Saturday, April 19, 2025. Twenty-six years ago in China, 10,000 Falun Dafa (Falun Gong) practitioners went to the State Council Appeal Office in Beijing to petition for the release of illegally detained practitioners in Tianjin, a city 60 miles east of Beijing. They also requested a safe environment so they could practice Falun Dafa, and that Falun Dafa books be published. The Chinese Communist Party (CCP) responded by using the peaceful appeal to slander Falun Dafa, and it launched the persecution three months later.

Practitioners held an event at Commercial Bay Plaza in Auckland on Saturday, April 19, 2025, to mark the 26^th anniversary of the April 25 appeal.

The Tian Guo Marching Band performed.

Passersby learn about Falun Dafa.

Freedom of Religion Is a Basic Right

Human rights lawyer Kerry Gore addressed the rally.

Human rights lawyer Kerry Gore gave a speech during the rally and said, “Today we mark the peaceful appeal held by Falun Gong practitioners at Beijing on April 25, 1999. The appeal was orderly and entirely reasonable.

“Unfortunately, on July 20, 1999, the Chinese Communist Party launched an unprecedented persecution of Falun Gong practitioners in China, which, sadly, continues to this day. Falun Gong practitioners are subjected to unlawful arrest, illegal detention, physical torture, indoctrination, forced to renounce their belief, and involuntary live organ harvesting of their vital organs.”

He pointed out, “The right to freedom of religious belief is a fundamental right, as recognized by various international human rights law instruments, and Falun Gong practitioners ought to be able to exercise that right without fear of persecution. Those Falun Gong practitioners who assembled on April 25, 1999, were completely justified in calling for that right to be respected. And so we should acknowledge the importance of that appeal that took place 26 years ago.”

I Hope the World’s People Awaken

Le Kai’an

Le Kai’an, a young man from China, spoke at the rally. He spoke about how he was forced to drop out of college because he supported the Hong Kong movement against extradition and commemorated the June 4 massacre in Beijing. He was eventually sentenced to prison by the CCP and subjected to inhumane torture and forced confession.

He said, “I am just a young man who speaks for freedom!” He thanked Falun Gong practitioners and said, “Your persistence is admirable. Twenty-six years ago, during the peaceful petition on April 25, you stated the truth in a peaceful way, but were brutally suppressed. The 610 Office established by the CCP is a manifestation of the systematic persecution of freedom of belief. But I firmly believe that such evil rule will eventually be eliminated by history.” He said that the CCP’s persecution is full of lies and violence. He hopes that people around the world wake up and stop standing up for the CCP, which will harm them in the end.

Chinese Should Respect Falun Gong

Jason Jiang speaks at the rally.

Jason Jiang, head of the New Zealand Democratic Platform, spoke at the rally. He said, “We all know that the CCP’s persecution of Falun Gong has lasted for a long time. Falun Gong held a peaceful petition on April 25, hoping to be treated fairly. However, the CCP government fabricated lies to persecute Falun Gong and even staged the Tiananmen self-immolation incident to incite public hatred. This is an extremely inhumane and evil practice, and it has caused the Chinese people to misunderstand Falun Gong.”

“But now Falun Gong is growing and developing around the world. There are Falun Gong practitioners in the United States, Europe, and on five continents. They practice Truthfulness, Compassion, and Forbearance, and pass on Chinese civilization. This is worthy of learning and respect from all Chinese people,” he said.

Falun Dafa’s Guiding Principles are Important

Wendy Van Den Broeck from the Netherlands praised Falun Dafa.

Wendy Van Den Broeck from the Netherlands said she meditates because, as a doctor, she’s often under a lot of stress. She said meditation helps her calm down.

When she learned that Falun Dafa follows the principles of Truthfulness, Compassion, and Forbearance, she said, “I think this is very important. We have similar universal values in the Netherlands, such as compassion. If everyone practiced them, there would be no more wars. This is why we must be kind to others--this is a cruel world we live in now. If someone starts teaching these principles, maybe the world will change.”

She also said it was incredible that the CCP persecutes Falun Dafa, “I can’t imagine what life would be like if something like this happened in the Netherlands. I hope they [Falun Dafa practitioners] work together, strengthen their beliefs, and never stop believing in a better world.”

David Kali signs a petition calling an end to the persecution.

David Kali said he was drawn by the peaceful group exercises. He exclaimed, “It’s so beautiful! Everyone in the world should meditate. Maintaining physical and mental health and healing oneself is everyone’s responsibility. If we all make changes, then the world will change.”