(Minghui.org) A man walked slowly along the edge of the stage, filming the scene with his mobile phone. He occasionally pointed his camera at the stage and zoomed in to capture the performers’ faces. A banner beside the stage that read “Falun Dafa, a Traditional Chinese Meditation Practice” caught his attention, and a Falun Dafa practitioner handed him a flier.

The man said he was looking for a way to find inner peace. After learning about the practice, he wrote down the address of a local practice site, and said he wished to go there and learn the exercises.

The above scene took place at the Hanau Citizens’ Festival (Bürgerfest Hanau am Schloss Philippsruhe) in Germany, while Falun Dafa practitioners demonstrated the exercises on stage.

Hanau is a historic town located in central Germany, close to Frankfurt am Main. The city is best known as the birthplace of Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm, the world-famous authors of Grimm’s Fairy Tales. It is also the starting point of the German Fairy Tale Route (Deutsche Märchenstraße), a 600-km (375 mile) themed tourist route that runs north to Bremen. Since 2006, the city has officially held the title of “Brothers Grimm City” (Brüder-Grimm-Stadt).

The Hanau Citizens’ Festival was held at Philippsruhe Palace by the Main River meadow on September 4-6, 2026. Approximately 60,000 people attended the festival over the weekend, and enjoyed a wide range of activities, such as musical performances, food tastings, and various sports events. Falun Dafa practitioners were invited to participate in the event.

The Serene Practice Attracts People’s Attention

Practitioners demonstrated the Falun Dafa exercises on stage at the Hanau Citizens’ Festival on September 6, 2026. (Minghui.org)

Festival attendees read flyers about Falun Dafa. (Minghui.org)

Dressed in yellow clothing practitioners demonstrated the Falun Dafa exercises on stage on the afternoon of September 6. Another practitioner explained the movements and the principles of the practice, as well as the practice’s principles: Truthfulness, Compassion, and Forbearance.

The soothing music and calm, slow exercise movements stood out amidst the noisy, lively festival atmosphere. Many people stopped to watch, and some accepted flyers and spoke with the practitioners.

People stopped at the booth and learned about Falun Dafa. (Minghui.org)

Reigniting an Interest in Practicing Falun Dafa

Music teacher Ilona (Minghui.org)

Ilona, a music teacher from Mühlheim, visited the Falun Dafa booth with her young daughter. Ilona chatted with the practitioner while another practitioner taught her daughter how to fold a small paper lotus flower. After looking at the flyer, she recalled an encounter from a few years earlier.

At that time, a young Chinese woman was taking saxophone lessons from her. She told Ilona about Falun Dafa and its principles of Truthfulness, Compassion, and Forbearance, as well as her own personal experiences in China. Her father had lost his life due to persecution by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) for practicing Falun Dafa, and she had also been persecuted by the CCP before managing to escape and come overseas. The story of this former student deeply moved Ilona.

Ilona said that Falun Dafa and its values resonated with her even back then, and that she felt that Truthfulness, Compassion, and Forbearance hold profound significance for humankind. She said she found it difficult to comprehend how such a peaceful spiritual practice could be subjected to such brutal persecution in China.

Re-encountering Falun Gong at the Citizens’ Festival rekindled Ilona’s interest. She resolved to visit a local practice site and learn the exercises.

“I Would Like to Learn the Falun Dafa Exercises”

Ms. Xenia (Minghui.org)

Ms. Xenia arrived at the booth in the early evening, with her three daughters—aged nine, seven, and four. She said she visited the festival last year and wanted to learn the exercises then, but didn’t know why she didn’t.

Ms. Xenia said she didn’t want to miss the chance this time. She said she wants to find inner peace, and plans to go to a practice site next Sunday to learn the exercises and bring her nine-year-old daughter.

She spent a long time at the booth, asked many questions, and gained a better understanding of the practice. Before she left she signed a petition that requests the German government to help end the persecution in China.

As the sun set, the three-day festival drew to a close. The practitioners said they cherished the opportunity to interact face-to-face with many local residents and tell them about Falun Dafa. These sincere and heartwarming exchanges were a memorable part of their experience during the event.