Gotland, Sweden: Introducing Falun Dafa and Raising Awareness of the Persecution During Almedalen Week

(Minghui.org) Practitioners participated in Almedalen Week in Visby, the provincial capital of Gotland, which is south of Sweden’s capital Stockholm, from June 27 to July 1, 2023. The annual event is also known as Politician’s Week.

For decades practitioners in Sweden have held different activities to introduce Falun Dafa and tell people about the Chinese Communist Party’s (CCP) 24-year-long persecution. Many people who attended the event thanked practitioners and expressed their support. Some expressed an interest in learning to practice Falun Dafa.

Practitioners reenact the CCP’s live organ harvesting during Almedalen Week in Visby.

People sign the petition to end the persecution.

Sweden’s annual Almedalen Week began in 1968. Every year, leaders of various parties, politicians, businessmen, representatives from non-governmental organizations, and journalists gather in this medieval city. This year, the island of more than 60,000 people welcomed an estimated 35,000 visitors in one week. During the week-long event, there were debates and political speeches on current social issues.

Elected Officials Learn about Falun Dafa

At the event, practitioners had an opportunity to talk with Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson of the ruling party. The Prime Minister said he was aware of the persecution of Falun Dafa. Practitioners urged him to take practical measures to help stop the persecution.

A diplomat stationed in Sweden listened to the practitioners’ explanation for a long time and then talked with them afterwards. He said he hoped to learn more about Falun Dafa and thanked practitioners for being there.

Exposing the CCP’s Live Organ Harvesting

Practitioners focused attention on the CCP’s crimes by reenacting the live organ harvesting.

Reenactment of the CCP’s live organ harvesting

Eric and two other practitioners acted as witnesses during the demonstration and told people about their experiences of being persecuted by the CCP. Eric said that 15 years ago, when he was seven years old, six plainclothes policemen broke into his home. After they found a Falun Dafa book and some CDs, they took his parents away.

Eric (second from right) tells how he was persecuted in China.

His mother was released over a month later, but his father was held for two years in a forced labor camp. Eric’s family approached a well-known lawyer in Beijing, hoping that he would defend his father, but the lawyer refused. Eric said his experience shows that the CCP’s persecution of practitioners is against the law in China.

Thomas spoke about practicing Falun Dafa for 25 years. At the age of 14, Thomas got the main Falun Dafa book, Zhuan Falun, from his mother, who bought it at a health expo.

That changed Thomas’ life. He said, “In the stress of daily life, practicing Falun Dafa helps me maintain inner peace. Falun Dafa is a cultivation method that integrates body, mind, and spirit. It was introduced in China in 1992, and within seven years it became very popular. But the CCP began to persecute Falun Dafa in 1999 and used its state media to defame it.”

The CCP’s Persecution Should Stop

Bjørn Ekland was vacationing at his apartment on the island of Gotland. He spent a lot of time at the organ harvesting reenactment.

Bjørn Ekland supports practitioners in protesting the persecution.

Bjørn, a computer expert, has worked in that field since 1975. He said, “I have heard about Falun Dafa and read about the persecution. Falun Dafa is good and the persecution should be stopped. The Western world should stop being naive and deceived by the CCP. We should fight against it.”

Carl Wachtmeister first learned about Falun Dafa during Almedalen Week five years ago and has condemned the persecution ever since. Every year, he visits the practitioners’ booth.

Carl has condemned the persecution of Falun Dafa for years.

He said, “The entire Falun Dafa group is suffering from violent persecution, and everyone has a responsibility to do something to help end it. When there is injustice, it is a manifestation of our humanity to help the victims. If the people in the world do nothing, it gives the evildoers visibility, which will bring us harm.

“The CCP knows that Falun Dafa is good, and it also knows that it itself is not good. So it has a sense of fear, and this fear makes them lose their humanity and rationality.”

The Persecution Is Ridiculous

Elvira Årberg and Daniela Mailuhu are both students majoring in communication. They said they’d seen practitioners’ events in the past during Almedalen Week but did not pay it special attention. This year, they were amazed that practitioners could still practice quietly and peacefully despite all the noise and goings-on.

Elvira Årberg and Daniela Mailuhu read about the CCP’s live organ harvesting.

Elvira said that the CCP “is a tyrant” and the persecution of Falun Dafa is “terrible.” She said that many people are being persecuted all over the world, but none of them have had their organs harvested while they are still alive. Daniela added, “The CCP’s persecution of people who believe in Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance is ridiculous.”

The two friends decided to learn the exercises because they wanted to experience the peace and tranquility they saw in practitioners.

Learning Falun Dafa at the Event

The peaceful exercise demonstration drew people to stop and learn the exercises.

Two young people (on the left) who just finished their military service learn the exercises.

Pete, who lives in Gotland, stopped to learn the exercises. After he did the first one, he said, “I felt peace and happiness and energy flowing through my body, something I’ve never experienced before.”

He said he’d heard before that Falun Dafa teaches Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance and cultivates the mind and also that the former CCP leader ordered the persecution.

Pete said, “In the past I couldn’t understand why the CCP persecuted Falun Dafa, but now I do.” He decided to go to a local practice site to learn all the exercises. “Today is a major turning point in my life!” he said.

The next day, Pete showed up at the practitioners’ booth again to learn the exercises. He said he felt strong energy again and commented, “I have changed a lot.” Pete was amazed at the change himself. He said that more people should learn such a good and simple exercise.

Hugo learns the Falun Dafa exercises.

Hugo is in junior high school and lives in Stockholm. He and his friends were visiting Gotland and he noticed practitioners doing the exercises.

The next day at the practitioners’ booth, he said he wanted to learn the exercises. After he did the first exercise, he said, “I feel my whole body is filled with new energy, and my mind is relaxed.”