(Minghui.org) The United Nations General Assembly passed a resolution designating January 27 as “International Holocaust Remembrance Day” to commemorate the holocaust victims. It is also known as “International Day in Memory of the Victims of the Holocaust.” Internationally, the anniversary is also a day to combat xenophobia and to commemorate the victims of persecution that have occurred at different times and places around the world.
Practitioners of Falun Dafa (also known as Falun Gong) held a Memory of the Victims of the Persecution Day event on the square near the Kamppi Shopping Mall in the centre of Helsinki, the capital, on Saturday, January 20, 2024. They called for an end to the Chinese Communist Party’s (CCP) persecution of Falun Dafa and the CCP’s organ harvesting from living practitioners. They called attention to those Falun Gong practitioners who are still being persecuted by the CCP.
Practitioners held a peaceful protest in front of the Chinese Embassy on January 25, calling for an end to the 24-year-long persecution.
The temperature was -20 Celsius (-4 Fahrenheit) on Saturday, January 20, as practitioners displayed portraits of some of the practitioners who died as a result of the persecution, lit candles, and put up posters to call for and end to the CCP’s organ harvesting. The event caught the attention of passersby who went right to the table to sign the petition or gave practitioners a thumbs up to show their approval of their efforts.
Henna said, “I usually do not sign anything, but your story deeply touched my heart.”
Luke, an engineer, and John, a manager, both from the U.K., were visiting Finland. Luke said, “Although I didn’t know about Falun Gong before, I know that the CCP continues to persecute Chinese people, including Hong Kongers and Muslims. I Know that the labor camps established by the CCP were used to persecute Falun Gong practitioners and other people. Please continue to stick to your belief.”
A Helsinki resident said, “There is a presidential candidate’s campaign event near the mall today. You have to tell them about the human rights abuses in China and tell them that [the Chinese Communist Party] uses its state machinery to harvest organs from living people.”
A man who lives near the Chinese Embassy said he signed the petition to express his support for practitioners’ efforts to end the persecution. He said, “I know about this. Every day I see you meditating there.”
After signing the petition, high school student Ilona told practitioners that her teacher in her religion class told them that Falun Gong could not be practiced freely in China and was being brutally persecuted.
A woman said, “I am a member of Amnesty International and know about Falun Gong. People should have freedom of belief, freedom to learn and practice the exercises, and freedom of speech. You are doing the right thing.”
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