(Minghui.org) Falun Dafa practitioners held events on pedestrian streets in the city centers of Heidelberg and Mannheim in Germany’s Rhine-Neckar metropolitan region on two Saturdays, July 5 and July 26, 2025, to raise awareness of the persecution in China.
Practitioners talked to people about the Chinese Communist Party’s (CCP) persecution of their spiritual practice that started July 20, 1999, and that has now continued for 26 years. They also exposed the CCP’s state-sanctioned forced organ harvesting atrocities.
Falun Dafa practitioners collected signatures for a petition on July 5, 2025, at Theaterplatz to call for an end to the persecution.
Practitioners do the meditation exercise at Theaterplatz on July 5, 2025.
Falun Dafa practitioners demonstrate the exercises at Wasserturm in Mannheim on July 26, 2025.
Practitioners demonstrated the exercises of Falun Dafa, which is an ancient practice based on the universal values of Truthfulness, Compassion, and Forbearance. The practice can help people attain healthy minds and bodies and cleanse their souls. Many pedestrians talked to the practitioners after they read the information at the booth exposing the CCP’s persecution of Falun Dafa practitioners. Many people showed their support by signing the petition that calls for an end to the persecution. They also condemned the CCP’s human rights violations.
Falun Dafa practitioners talk to passersby.
People sign the petition calling to end the persecution.
People Sign Petition Calling for an End to the Persecution
Retired Deutsche Bank employee Maianne Ohlsen
Maianne Ohlsen used to work at a bank in Germany before her retirement. She signed the petition and talked to practitioners for a long time.
Ms. Ohlsen was very sad to hear that practitioners in China are being persecuted. “The CCP is so inhumane, treating good people like this.”
She said that Falun Dafa practitioners’ efforts to end the persecution are very good. “Killing people and continuing to use their organs is the worst thing that a human can do,” she said. “Therefore, I am very willing to do something to protest [the live organ harvesting].”
Memo Lestas, who is studying for his PhD in Economics, stood in front of photos of torture from the CCP’s persecution of Falun Dafa practitioners, while he talked to another young man. A Falun Dafa practitioner walked up to them and gave them truth-clarification materials. Mr. Lestas smiled and said, “Thank you. I have already signed the petition during one event at the Theaterplatz.”
Mr. Lestas then looked at the young man he was with and introduced him to the practitioner, “He does not speak German and he has just arrived in Germany a few days ago for a tour. Both of us are from Mexico and I am explaining to him what is currently happening here.”
Another practitioner gave a Spanish truth-clarification flyer to the young man. He happily accepted the flyer and walked to the table to sign the petition. Mr. Lestas said that the CCP’s persecution of Falun Dafa practitioners made him heartbroken. “Really bad. This is totally an infringement on human rights,” he said.
Mr. Lestas was impressed by Falun Dafa’s principles of Truthfulness, Compassion, and Forbearance. “To me, honesty is the most important. I know this is the reason why they are suffering from the persecution. If the regime of terror speaks the truth to the people, it will not be able to exist,” he said.
Falun Dafa Practitioners Persist in Their Belief and Raising Awareness
Ms. Yuliia, a Ukrainian practitioner
Ms. Yuliia is a Ukrainian practitioner who participated in these events. She came to Germany because of the Russo-Ukrainian War three years ago and started practicing Falun Dafa in 2012.
“In 2007, a friend introduced Falun Dafa to me. I read the book Zhuan Falun once and placed it aside for five years. At that time, I was worried that I would not be able to put the principles taught in the book into practice,” she said.
“It turns out that the wish to improve myself and get rid of attachments is the most important. Therefore, I decided to abide by the principles of Truthfulness, Compassion, and Forbearance to improve myself in 2012.
“When I started cultivating, I realized that my surrounding environment became harmonious. I no longer lost my temper and my fear and anxiety about the future gradually diminished. I felt relaxed and my heart felt warmth. I can assess situations with inner peace and find the best solution to problems.
“In Ukraine, I am a manager and I try my best to attain sincerity, kindness, patience and think for others before myself. These principles [Truthfulness, Compassion, and Forbearance] are helpful to both my work and my family.”
Ms. Yuliia shared, “I want to tell more people about the CCP’s persecution of Falun Dafa and let them sign the petition calling for an end of the CCP’s forced organ harvesting.”
Falun Dafa practitioners Mr. Denis (left), Mr. Slavik (center), and Ms. Natali (right)
Mr. Denis, Mr. Slavik, and Ms. Natali are veteran practitioners who have cultivated for more than 20 years. They participated in the event at Wasserturm in Mannheim on July 26, 2025.
Mr. Denis said, “As Falun Dafa practitioners, we have no political pursuit. We just hope to improve ourselves in Dafa. Many people still do not know about the CCP’s forced organ harvesting. So we are standing here today to raise awareness and collect more signatures for the petition. We hope to help the Falun Dafa practitioners in China end this persecution.”
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