The Human Rights Torch Relay (HRTR) that was lit in Greece, the sacred place of the Olympics, arrived in the German capital of Berlin on August 18. That afternoon, the European branch of the Coalition to Investigate the Persecution of Falun Gong (CIPFG), the German International Society for Human Rights, the Union of Victim Associations of Communist Tyranny (UOKG) and the Library Association to Commemorate the Victims of Communist Tyranny held a greeting ceremony for the arrival of the HRTR at Berlin Olympic Stadium.

German torch carrier, former East German athlete Ines Geipel, who set the world record with her partners for the 4x100m relay, taking over the Human Rights Torch from seven-year-old Chen Fadu, who lost her father because of the CCP's persecution of Falun Gong, and who carried the torch all the way from the HRTR Lighting ceremony in Greece. (Cao Gong/The Epoch Times)

Shortly after the greeting ceremony, German torch carrier and famous former East German athlete Ines Geipel raised the torch high and led the welcoming team as it ran through downtown Berlin and arrived with the torch in front of William Memorial Church in the Breischeidplatz square. That evening, bands coming from Berlin and other European cities held a "Berlin Human Rights Torch Relay Welcoming" ceremony and open-air concert at Breischeidplatz.

(Clearwisdom.net) Yuan Cai, also named Yuan Junzai, was born in Xinan (now Changshan City, Zhejiang Province) in the Song Dynasty （960-1279）. He was number three in the emperor's examination in Xinglong Year One, and served as high as the Prosecutor. He once served as the mayor of Leqing County, and was known for his integrity and straightforwardness. To educate the local citizens and improve the moral standards of the general public, he wrote Suxun (meaning "lessons for the general public") in the 5th year of Xiao Emperor of the Song Dynasty, to teach people how to deal with people and to behave in society. Later the book was renamed Shifan (meaning "role model to the world") and was also called Shifan by Mr. Yuan. It was widely circulated and had a profound impact. It became the first book to read for many private schools. Intellects throughout history have thought highly of the book. I am citing a part of its contents here to give readers a flavor of the divine culture of China, in which people respect heaven and comply with their fate, and emphasize respect and morality. This way we can understand the standard that ancient people have lived by. (Note: The paragraph titles are added by the author)

One should treat others with respect whether they are rich or poor, noble or common

There are some people in this world who cannot treat everyone with equal respect. They treat people according to their wealth and status and divide them into classes. When they see a rich or noble person they will be very polite. The wealthier and the higher-ranking the person is, the more humble they will be toward him. When they meet their fellow townsman who is poor and of lower status, they will be arrogant and look down upon him. They seldom help or take care of the lower class people. We should know that other people's wealth cannot add to our own glory, and other people's poverty cannot add to our shame either. Why change our attitude according to others' financial or social status? A person with high moral character and wisdom would never act this way.

Being noble or common are all predestined

One's moral character is entirely independent of one's position. A person with higher moral character is not necessarily rich or noble; and a person with bad moral character does not always have a bad fate either. If that were the case, people such as Confucius and Yan Hui (a favorite student of Confucius) ought to have been prime ministers, and none of the prime ministers in the past history could have been corrupt. To cultivate our moral character is what we need to do; it is not to achieve any particular goal of profit or self-interest. Otherwise, one would relax his cultivation once the goal is not reached. He may then change his earlier belief and turn into a bad person.

Nowadays there are many ignorant people in this world who are rich, and also many that are intelligent but very poor. These are all determined by the heaven, and we do not need to search for a reason for it. Knowing this principle and accepting it peacefully can save one much anxiety.

The Goddess of Justice makes her way through the crowd onto the stage
at the Human Rights Torch Relay opening ceremony


On the evening of August 9, 2007, the Global Human Rights Torch Relay was launched on Syntagma Square, in front of the Hellenic Parliament buildings in Athens, Greece. Representatives of the Coalition to Investigate the Persecution of Falun Gong (CIPFG) from four delegations in Europe, Asia, North America and Australasia and other supporters from various organizations observed the grand occasion at the birthplace of the Olympic movement, one year ahead of the Beijing 2008 Olympics. The ceremony launched the year-long journey of the "Global Human Rights Torch Relay.

Requests to Chinese government:

1. Stop the persecution of Falun Gong immediately and release all practitioners incarcerated for their faith

2. Stop the persecution of friends and supporters and defense lawyers of Falun Gong practitioners (e.g. Gao Zhisheng, Li Hong)

3. Hold discussions with CIPFG to arrange details on the opening up of labour camps, prisons, hospitals and related secretive facilities for inspection by CIPFG independent investigator


The Olympic Charter:

“Olympism seeks to create a way of life based on ...respect for universal fundamental ethical principles...with a view to promoting a peaceful society concerned with the preservation of human dignity.”

“Safeguarding the dignity of the individual is a fundamental requirement of the Olympics.” (IOC Code of Ethics)

We hope the 2008 Olympic spirit will bring the Chinese people hope, tolerance, peace, friendship, freedom of belief, freedom of speech and an overall improvement in their basic human rights.

www.HumanRightsTorch.org
www.cipfg.org

To protest the Chinese Communist Regime's anti-peace and anti-Olympic Spirit crimes, of organ harvesting crimes against Falun Gong and increased deterioration in human rights persecutions, the Coalition to Investigate the Persecution on Falun Gong (CIPFG) has formally announced to the international community, the request that “Anti-Humanity Crimes and Olympic Games cannot co-exist in China”. In June, the CIPFG introduced plans for a Global Human Rights Torch Relay, with the aim of symbolising protection of humanity and respect for life through a global relay. It is a call for the international community to prevent the Olympic Games – a symbol of world peace – from turning into the “Bloody Harvest Games”.

The Coalition to Investigate the Persecution of Falun Gong (CIPFG) consists of more than 300 public officials, lawyers, doctors, religious leaders, and human rights advocates. The torch of "Human Rights Torch Relay" will be ignited in Athens, Greece, on August 9, 2007. It will end in Aisa before the 2008 Beijing Olympics, crossing five continents in an effort to alert the world to the worsening of human rights in communist China.

The torch relay is spreading a message, "No Human Rights, No Beijing 2008" and to protest the Chinese Communist Regime's anti-peace and anti-Olympics Spirit.