(Minghui.org) “They look so calm. It makes me feel serene,” said Vianne, a college student, as she watched Falun Dafa practitioners meditate. “Especially in the hustling and bustling part of the city, everyone is so tense and busy, but watching them makes me feel calm and relaxed.”

Falun Dafa practitioners demonstrated the five exercises at Kornhaus Platz in Bern, Switzerland, on the afternoon of April 25, 2026. The soothing music and the gentle exercise movements drew the attention of many passersby.

Practitioners demonstrated the Falun Dafa exercises at Kornhaus Platz in Bern, Switzerland, on April 25.

Some people asked for flyers and said they wanted more information. Others quietly watched practitioners do the exercises and listened as a practitioner explained what Falun Dafa is and about the peaceful protest in Beijing 27 years ago.

Twenty-seven years ago in China, over ten thousand Falun Dafa practitioners went to Beijing to ask the central government to allow them the freedom to practice Falun Dafa (Falun Gong). A few days prior, practitioners in Tianjin were arrested because they went to a magazine office after it published a slanderous report about Falun Dafa. The then Chinese Premier talked with practitioners in Beijing and promised to release the practitioners in Tianjin and allow them a legal environment to practice their faith. The practitioners, who were waiting near the central government complex, then went home.

Practitioners explained the health benefits of practicing Falun Dafa and recounted the peaceful appeal on April 25, 1999.

Practitioners read a statement the Chinese Embassy on the morning of April 25, 2026, urging embassy officials not to be complicit in helping the CCP carry out its crimes.

Peaceful Appeal

“This is the first time that I've heard about the persecution,” said Vianne, “The practitioners peacefully resist violence and stand up to the persecution, and they are very brave. This non-violent way of protesting is good.” She said of Falun Dafa’s principles of truthfulness, compassion, and forbearance, “They are very good. These values are lacking in modern society. Few people share and practice such values.”

Baerbel Gekeler was the general manager of a company before she retired. The practitioners’ exercise demonstration drew her attention, “I am impressed by their graceful movements.” After hearing about the peaceful protest in Beijing 27 years ago, she said, “Their demands were good, important and correct. Also they insist on doing what they believe is right, I respect that.”

The practitioners continue to raise awareness about the persecution, which impressed Gekeler: “They are very brave. They showed the public the facts and will continue to do so.”

Social worker Pascal Grossen said that there wouldn’t be any consequence if people peacefully protested in front of the Swiss government. “If the protest is peaceful, the protesters will be fine. The media will report on it, and the police will make sure things go smoothly. Even if protesters didn’t apply for a permit, if it happens peacefully, there will not be any consequences.”

Under the Chinese Communist Party’s (CCP) rule, however, the then Chinese leader Jiang Zemin did not approve of the protest. In Jiang’s view, Dafa's principles of Truthfulness, Compassion, and Forbearance did not not align with the CCP’s ideology. Three months later on July 20, 1999, the CCP broke its promise to allow them to practice freely, and launched a nationwide persecution of Falun Dafa. One of the reasons it used to rationalize the persecution was that the practitioners “besieged” the central government in Beijing on April 25th.

Petition to Support Falun Dafa and End the Persecution

People sign the petition to demand that the persecution end.

In the ongoing persecution, the CCP arrested practitioners illegally and tortured them in prisons to force them to renounce their faith. After they were imprisoned, some practitioners’ organs were harvested while they were still alive and sold for organ transplants. Many practitioners died in the persecution.

Neurologist Julia Muellner signed the petition because she saw that it was about stopping live organ harvesting. “I once heard about it on social media, and knew that prisoners in China had their organs forcibly removed and sold. I just didn’t know that it was so pervasive. It was so shocking to me.  I want to learn more about it.”

Muellner condemned the live organ harvesting atrocity, “This is terrible, a total disaster. It’s absolutely inhumane.” Both she and her friend signed the petition.

Grossen said that harvesting organs when people are still alive is “inhumane, and ethically unacceptable. There is no reason to do such as thing.” His friend, Donata, a teacher, added that, “This is a violation of personal freedom and rights. Life becomes expendable, and can be sacrificed for profit. It’s intolerable.”

After signing the petition, Grossen said, “It’s a start. I believe this will push for change. I wish to stop the atrocity.” Donata said, “We hope that the petition could at least make some impact. I hope more people can pay attention to how it happened and how to stop it.”

27 Years of Persistence

Falun Dafa practitioners want more people to know about the persecution in China.

Career consultant Anja quietly held a banner and stood behind the practitioner speaking to the public on a microphone. She wanted to let people know about Falun Dafa and sign the petition. “The final goal is to end the persecution, and that is my wish. I hope one day enough truth will surface, and enough people will speak out against the persecution, so that the CCP has to stop it.”

Anja once was deceived by the CCP’s propaganda when the persecution had just started. In 1999, she was a teenager when the Swiss media published the CCP’s slander against Falun Dafa. One of her classmates told her about it, and she believed it. She even deliberately avoided practitioners when she saw their activities in Zurich.

Eight years later, Anja learned from her Kung Fu coach how Falun Dafa practitioners were tortured and killed in the persecution. She read the main book of the teachings, Zhuan Falun, and realized it was what she needed. “Practicing Falun Dafa makes me feel wonderful and free. When I read the book, I didn’t feel that I was forced or had to accept certain restrictions. It’s true cultivation, and lets me slowly improve myself.

“For example, I learned that I needed to look at myself when I had problems instead of blaming others. Also by following the universal principles of truthfulness, compassion, and forbearance I can constantly improve myself.” Her biggest reward after practicing Falun Dafa was that she gained a lot of inner peace and comfort. “Many times I stopped searching outward and trying to change external factors. I constantly rectify myself and genuinely cultivate myself – this is the key to solving every problem.”

Later she heard about the peaceful appeal on April 25, 1999. “I was impressed by the peaceful approach practitioners used to let others understand Falun Dafa. Now I am part of the peaceful activities, which are a wonderful way to tell people the facts. It’s the right way to push for change, not fighting but to tell people the truth, and show the bright side of the practice.”

For the past 27 years, practitioners in China and around the world have used peaceful ways to tell the public about the persecution and call to end it. Their persistence impressed Vianne. She said, “I respect very much that they keep this up for so long and, as they keep going, they are still hopeful. Especially the practitioners in China, they face much more danger. I have the utmost respect for them.”