(Minghui.org) Falun Dafa practitioners from Greece and nearby countries held four marches and rallies in Athens on October 9 and 10, 2026. The events were held in Athen’s city center and well-known tourist sites, and featured performances by the Tian Guo Marching Band, waist drums performances, and traditional Chinese dragon and lion dances.
Through these events many people learned about the physical and mental benefits of practicing Falun Dafa. Passersby talked with practitioners and signed petitions urging an end to the ongoing suppression by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP).
Falun Dafa practitioners held marches and rallies on October 9 and 10 in Athens to raise awareness of the persecution in China. (Minghui.org)
Stop the Brutality
Falun Dafa practitioner Sumaya introduced Falun Dafa and the principles of Truthfulness, Compassion, and Forbearance at the rallies. She said many people have enjoyed improved mental and physical health after they began practicing Falun Dafa, but that the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) has persecuted the practice for the past 27 years.
Practitioners also collected signatures calling to end the CCP’s suppression of Falun Dafa—especially the regime’s forced organ harvesting from living practitioners. The petition was jointly launched by Doctors Against Forced Organ Harvesting (DAFOH) and the International Coalition to End Transplant Abuse in China (ETAC). Since 2024, the two organizations have continuously urged the public to sign petitions, which are submitted annually during the G7 summit. The petitions call on world leaders to pay attention to the CCP’s atrocity of forced organ harvesting, condemn it as a crime against humanity and a threat to global medical ethics, and to take measures to stop it. According to the petition website, the number of signatures this year has exceeded 700,000, with a goal of reaching one million by the end of the year.
Falun Dafa practitioners hold a rally in Athens. (Minghui.org)
Effie from DAFOH in Greece condemns the CCP’s forced organ harvesting. (Minghui.org)
Alex talks about his cultivation experiences and exposes the CCP’s 27-year persecution of Falun Dafa. (Minghui.org)
Four Marches
Falun Dafa practitioners held marches at 11:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. on October 9 and 10. The European Tian Guo Marching Band led the procession, followed by a golden dragon, banner formations, lion dances, and waist drum troupes.
The procession began at Kotzia Square, opposite the Athens City Hall. It then proceeded along Stadiou Street towards Syntagma Square, and thence to Ermou Street. After going through the bustling Monastiraki Square, the procession finally arrived at Thissio Square. Monastiraki Square is a popular spot in the city center where tourists gather when they visit the Acropolis.
The marches passed through bustling commercial streets and famous tourist attractions. Many local residents and visitors stopped to watch and take photos. Some applauded, waved, and cheered, while others gave practitioners a thumbs up to show their support. Some sang and danced to the rhythm of the Tian Guo Marching Band. Many people said the peaceful atmosphere of the march was impressive, and the band’s performance was beautiful and moving. After learning the truth about the CCP’s persecution, many people signed petitions to support and encourage Falun Dafa practitioners.
Falun Dafa practitioners march in Athens on October 9 and 10. (Minghui.org)
Surprised to Hear About the Atrocities
A young man from Israel stopped to talk to practitioners about Falun Dafa after seeing the march. He said he was really interested in the march and in Falun Dafa. “I'm so lucky to have encountered this event,” he said. He added that he would look for a local Falun Dafa practice site after he returned to Israel.
A woman and her daughter from Scotland watched the march and said they were completely unaware of the CCP’s persecution of Falun Dafa and the crime of harvesting organs from living practitioners. They were shocked and signed the petitions. The woman said that when she returned home she would like to seek out local practitioners and learn how to practice Falun Dafa.
A mother and daughter from Cyprus were deeply moved by the Tian Guo Marching Band’s performance. The mother said she hopes Falun Dafa practitioners hold similar events in Cyprus.
Music teacher Stephanie said she was captivated by the beautiful performance of the Tian Guo Marching Band in Athen’s city center. She said it was very positive, and she would definitely learn more about Falun Dafa.
Importance of Traditional Values
During the two-day event, many passersby talked to practitioners and learned about Falun Dafa and the CCP’s persecution of the practice. They thanked the practitioners and many signed petitions.
A woman asked why the CCP was persecuting people simply because they practiced a traditional, spiritual cultivation method. A practitioner explained that Falun Dafa cultivates Truthfulness, Compassion, and Forbearance, and teaches people to be good; however, the CCP fears that people will have their own beliefs contrary to the CCP’s ideology of lies and violence, which are opposed to traditional values such as Truthfulness, Compassion, and Forbearance. The practitioner further explained that the CCP regime wants to control people’s thoughts and beliefs. The woman said she understood, signed the petition, and thanked the practitioner.
After learning about the CCP’s persecution of Falun Dafa, a man exclaimed, “This is terrifying. We live in a world where we allow this to happen? It’s truly horrifying.”
People in Athens sign petitions to support Falun Dafa practitioners’ efforts to end the persecution. (Minghui.org)
Three Generations Signed Petitions Protesting the Persecution
A Falun Dafa practitioner said that her student Natalia and the student’s mother Sophia-Maria joined the march in Syntagma Square and followed it all the way to Monastiraki Square. After the event, the mother, Sophia-Maria, sought out the practitioner to thank her for inviting her to participate.
The mother and daughter had been astounded upon hearing about the CCP’s crime of harvesting organs from living Falun Dafa practitioners. The grandmother, who was traveling with them, had previously learned a little about the CCP’s persecution of Falun Dafa, but said she was unaware of the crime of organ harvesting. The grandmother, mother, and daughter—three generations—signed the petition.
Freedom of Speech Is Important
As music enthusiast Lazaros rode his motorcycle alongside the march, a practitioner handed him some informational material. He stopped to learn more when he read the practitioners’ banners. After learning how Falun Dafa is persecuted, Lazaros said, “I understand now—this [persecution] is what communism is like.”
Music enthusiast Lazaros talks with Falun Dafa practitioners. (Minghui.org)
Lazaros said that China possesses a long and rich history, but due to decades of communist rule its history and culture were destroyed. He believes that while some communist ideals seem appealing in theory, they perform poorly in practice. He said, “We live in an era where people can freely express their opinions; freedom of speech is one of the most important and precious rights people possess in this world.”
A Woman Brainwashed by the CCP
The Greek police officers on duty during the event were already familiar with Falun Dafa and know that practitioners follow the principles of Truthfulness, Compassion, and Forbearance. One officer even commented that that he too considered himself a good person, very tolerant, and he strives to live according to the principles of Truthfulness, Compassion, and Forbearance.
Later, while two Chinese tourists were talking with Falun Dafa practitioners, a Chinese woman suddenly interrupted them. She threatened the practitioners and shouted that she would photograph them and give the pictures to the Chinese embassy. She also said they would never be able to return to China. Her shouts drew the attention of a police officer, who immediately intervened and demanded that she delete the photos and leave.
Several Western practitioners tried to tell the woman about the persecution, but she wouldn’t listen. She claimed that Falun Dafa practitioners hated China and were slandering it. The practitioners told her, “That’s not true. We love China, but we don’t love the CCP. All the Chinese people here want to go back to China, but the CCP is persecuting them.”
After the incident was resolved, the police asked the practitioner why the woman was so hostile. The practitioner explained that the CCP’s 27-year-long campaign of slander and defamation targeting Falun Dafa has caused some Chinese people to misunderstand and hate it. The police officer said, “I understand now—she was brainwashed by the CCP.”
The two Chinese tourists, whose conversation had been interrupted, continued standing in front of the Tian Guo Marching Band and listened quietly to their performance. The practitioners told them about the popularity of Falun Dafa in China. Before the CCP launched its persecution, Falun Dafa had spread by word of mouth. In just seven years, more than 100 million people practiced Dafa and the practice helped improve their moral standards, family harmony, and physical and mental health.
The practitioners explained that the CCP launched the persecution because of the large number of practitioners. They hoped that Chinese people would understand the truth and not be misled. The two young tourists decided to use pseudonyms to withdraw from the CCP and its affiliated organizations.
A young woman praised the Dafa practitioners for remaining peaceful after she witnessed how the Chinese woman shouted at them. She said, “It’s remarkable. You did a great job. What you’re doing is important and very good.”
She also mentioned that she is studying diplomacy. Her teacher once invited a Chinese woman to her school to talk to the students about the true situation in China. They learned later that, because that woman visited various universities and told the students and professors about the CCP’s terrible human rights record, she was persecuted by the CCP.
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Category: Rallies & Protests
