(Minghui.org) Falun Dafa practitioners in Medellín, Colombia, held two Art of Zhen, Shan, Ren (Truthfulness, Compassion, Forbearance) exhibitions in August 2025. The first exhibition was held at the Medellín City Council from July 28 to August 15. The second exhibition was held August 18 to 29 at the headquarters of the Assembly of Antioquia.
Practitioners had the opportunity to speak at the plenary sessions of both the Council and the Assembly to inform all councilors and deputies about the history of the exhibition, as well as the practice of Falun Dafa, its principles, and benefits. They also told the Council and the Assembly about the persecution that practitioners in China have been subjected to since 1999 by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), as well as the resolutions that have been passed around the world to expose and end the CCP’s forced organ harvesting from Falun Dafa practitioners and other prisoners of conscience.
Screenshot of the practitioners’ speech in the Medellín City Council, broadcast live on the Council’s official YouTube channel on July 28, 2025
Screenshot of the practitioners’ speech at the Antioquia Assembly, broadcast live on the Assembly’s official YouTube channel on August 14, 2025
The Art of Zhen, Shan, Ren Exhibition at the Medellín City Council and the Antioquia Assembly
City councilors and deputies spoke in support of the practitioners’ events and condemned the serious violation of human rights committed by the CCP. Some said they were greatly touched by the artwork and expressed their admiration for the practitioner artists who created the paintings.
Medellín City Councilor: This Is a Beautiful Exhibition
Councilman Luis Guillermo Vélez Álvarez was one of the earliest supporters of the art exhibition and helped to bring the Art of Zhen, Shan, Ren to the Medellín City Council.
Medellín City Councilor, Luis Guillermo Vélez Álvarez
Upon learning about the exhibition, the councilman said, “It is a beautiful exhibition and should be presented to the Council.” He then worked directly with other officials to arrange for the exhibition’s display.
He also requested that practitioners be allowed to speak during the July 28 plenary session of the departmental assembly, and helped practitioners register as speakers.
President of Antioquia Assembly Expresses Solidarity with Falun Dafa
The president and deputy of the Antioquia Assembly, Verónica Arango García, expressed her admiration for the “profound realism” of the paintings in the exhibition.
The President and Deputy of the Antioquia Assembly, Verónica Arango García,
“[The paintings] show both the peace and beauty within this practice, but also show the suffering and aberration committed against Falun Dafa. Therefore, it is time to open Colombia’s eyes and realize the horrors committed against this organization,” she said.
“As a Deputy, I express my sincere solidarity with this Falun Dafa community, and we strongly reject the acts of horror and terror committed against all the people who are part of this society.”
President of Medellín City Council: The Exhibition “Has Been Extremely Important”
Sebastián López Valencia is the president of the Medellín City Council. After viewing the exhibition, he said, “This exhibition has been extremely important for the Medellín City Council because we haven’t had art exhibitions within the institution for many years, and this theme has been so foreign to Colombians.”
President and Councilor of the Medellín City Council, Sebastián López Valencia
He also noted the exhibition’s importance in informing Colombians of an important human rights issue—the persecution of Falun Dafa. “We are very involved in our own problems,” he said. “[The exhibition] also makes us open our eyes a little to the world, to the fact that it is not only us who are experiencing great difficulties, but many parts of the world, and it is important that this issue be heard and analyzed so that action can be taken. I believe that no one in the world should be persecuted for their beliefs, their convictions, or their politics,” said López Valencia.
Deputy of Antioquia Assembly: The Exhibition Is a Wake-Up Call to Humanity
The deputy of the Assembly of Antioquia, Camilo Andrés Calle Ochoa, said that the exhibition is a “wake-up call to humanity” about the tragedy currently taking place in China.
Deputy of the Antioquia Department Assembly, Camilo Andrés Calle Ochoa
He condemned the CCP’s forced organ harvesting from Falun Dafa practitioners as well as its general exploitation of Chinese people and praised the artistry of the exhibition. He said that China is, “A country that appears to be a model of productivity, competitiveness, and technology,” but in reality, has been “internally plagued by decades of systematic human rights violations.
“All of these paintings, which are wonderful and very well done, convey powerful messages that should be kept in mind not only by all Antioquians, but by all Colombians and all South Americans. The defense of human rights, which is humanity’s greatest achievement, understanding that we are unique, irreplaceable beings, that we have rights and that those rights must be exercised and protected by the states we choose to represent us, is fundamental. Hopefully, this call to humanity from here, from the Antioquia Assembly, will reach every heart, because today it is the Chinese, tomorrow it could be us,” said Calle Ochoa.
“So let us not be caught off guard or become desensitized, which is the best way to encourage violence, sectarianism, and the permanent disregard for life and human beings,” he added.
Deputy of the Antioquia Assembly: “We all have the right to practice our faith.”
Deputy Walter Adier Arias Tobón expressed his support for Falun Dafa practitioners’ right to freely practice their faith and said that the persecution should not continue.
Deputy of the Antioquia Department Assembly, Walter Adier Arias Tobón
“Regardless of what each of us believes, we must be respected and valued as human beings. We all have dignity as children of God, we all have the right to believe, we all have the right to practice our faith,” he said. “In this art exhibition that I have seen here, I finally see people who want to act freely, to express their faith freely, but who are conditioned, who are limited by a regime that ultimately wants to persecute and put an end to [their faith].”
He was also dismayed that such barbaric suppression still existed in today’s time. “It is obviously a shame that, even in the 21st century, we are still experiencing these realities,” he said. “This should not continue to happen.”
Deputy of Antioquia Assembly: China Needs to Respect Human Rights
Manuel María García Lozano, a deputy of the Assembly, thanked practitioners for bringing the Art of Zhen, Shan, Ren to the Assembly so that he could learn about the situation in China.
Deputy of the Antioquia Department Assembly, Manuel María García Lozano
“Falun Dafa, today, in this presentation, calls for awareness, calls for international solidarity, calls for respect for human rights in the face of the serious events that are taking place today in the People’s Republic of China. We hope that throughout the world, not only in China but in all countries, human rights will be respected and that the dignity of human beings—men, women, children, and adolescents—will be given top priority by those who are in charge of the destinies of their countries,” he said.
“There are some paintings that definitely make you reflect on what is happening in the world, the violence that is taking place, and all these actions that hurt and lacerate human dignity. It is inconceivable that this continues to happen today, in the 21st century. No more!” said García Lozano.
Medellín Councilman Appreciates Exhibition’s Message of Hope Amid Adversity
Medellín Councilman Juan Carlos de la Cuesta, congratulated the practitioners on the quality of the pieces in the exhibition. “Truly, it is an honor for us to have these beautiful works that demonstrate or convey a message about the present and the past of this society as such,” he said. “Many of these works of art represent how communism has affected so many things, from human dignity to our very being and behavior as a society.”
Medellín City Councilor, Juan Carlos de la Cuesta
He also appreciated the theme depicted in many of the pieces, where Falun Dafa practitioners’ faith in the divine brings them strength and comfort in the face of brutal suppression.
“Some of [the paintings] really catch my attention. This one, as I mentioned to you, where we see a homeless [practitioner] on the street and we see that there is an archangel protecting them […] and playing for them with her violin, giving a message of hope and giving them peace in the midst of adversity,” he said. “I really like it and I congratulate you on these works of art.”
Medellín Councilman: Representation of Divinity Resonates with Him
Councilman Farley Jhaír Macías Betancur said he admired the bravery and sacrifice of practitioners who persevere in their faith despite such overwhelming persecution.
Medellín City Councilor, Farley Jhaír Macías Betancur, in front of the painting “Position”
“[These practitioners] have more faith in their beliefs, so they take more ownership of them, since they know they are giving their very lives,” he said.
The councilor was particularly struck by the painting titled “Position” by Kunlun Zhang, which shows the artist’s interpretation of how the divine rewards those who persist in goodness and punish those who commit evil deeds. Macías Betancur said that he saw the CCP’s persecution represented in an “almost Dantesque scenario,” where the persecutors in society will ultimately face divine retribution.
He noted the divine beings supported Falun Dafa practitioners as they resist the persecution. “So here we also see a possibility, in Falun Dafa, of finding hope. All this pain has a reward. What is the reward? Divinity. So, in a way, when I look at this painting, I begin to identify [with] that and much more,” he said. “I really liked the contrast of colors. It allows you to express feelings and emotions.
“The exhibition is very beautiful because it allows us to learn about something that we would certainly not have had access to and we are fortunate to be able to appreciate it and share it with all the citizens who have the opportunity to visit the district,” he added.
Medellín Councilman: This Exhibition Is Culturally Significant and Enriches Us
Councilman Alejandro De Bedout Arango condemned the CCP’s persecution of Falun Dafa after viewing the paintings. “Children and young people are being mistreated and tortured for having an ideology and practices that differ from the communism of their country,” he said. “In Colombia, we must work to ensure that no similar situation arises, whether religious, political, or of any other nature.”
Medellín's City Councilor, Alejandro De Bedout Arango
He also said he was glad that the exhibition could be brought to Medellín, and that he could learn what Chinese Falun Dafa practitioners were suffering, “It is essential that we recognize this art exhibition for its cultural importance, to enrich our knowledge about situations in the world that we are unaware of, and for the message it seeks to convey in each painting presented to visitors to the Medellín District Council.”
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Category: Art & Photo Exhibits
