Crafting Peace: Folding an Origami Lotus Flower and Exploring the Petals of Peace Project #petalsofpeace #artofzhenshanren

Join me as I fold a paper lotus and share the story behind the Petals of Peace project. We are going to make origami lotus flowers which looks like that. Today I'm at the Art of Gingerbread Exhibition and this is the Petals of Peace project. So we're going to make lotus flowers. So we will need four of the leaves like the petals. So four of these and actually the leaf and then answer the petals. As we fold this lotus flower, we're not just creating art. We're sharing a message of hope, resilience and peace. Then make the four triangles at the four corners. The Petals of Peace project was inspired by the story of a young girl named Fat Du. Her father was persecuted in China for his belief in Falun Dafa, a spiritual practice based on truth, compassion and tolerance. You can bring them like closer to each other to the middle line but leaving a small gap. Oh a small gap. You have to leave a small gap. That's okay. And then fold this in half. Leave a gap? Do we need to leave some gap? So it touches the middle line. Touch the middle line? Leave a little gap is fine. Just not too big. Do the same for the other side. It's hard to see the middle line here. Yeah. Okay and then this is the leaf so you fold it. So the two we do the same. Despite losing him at such a young age, Fat Du and her mother Jane turned their sorrow into a global mission, spreading awareness through these delicate yet powerful lotus flowers. Each flower symbolized purity and perseverance. By folding and sharing them, people across the world expressed solidarity with children who have lost their loved ones to injustice. It's a simple act but it carries a profound message, one of peace, love and the hope for a better world. So we've got four now. And then for the petals we'll do the same. Can we use other color? How do we how do we choose colors? We use pink and we use maybe this one. But what about like this? When it looks like that how do we how do we choose? So this will be four of this color and four of this color. Ah okay. So four of these. One, two, three, four. Yeah. So we fold the same. And where? Just different in the last bit where we this is where we fold inward. For the petals we fold outward. So we do the same. Okay so do. So we fold outwards. So four. Yep. And what color? And then we should have yellow inside. Four? One, two, three, four. So basically the green one should be on top. And then yep inside and then this color in the middle and this color at the bottom. Right? Because it's gonna flip like that right? Yeah it'll flip like this. Okay. Yeah. Okay. So like that. So leaves on top. This in the middle and then the yellow like that. Yep. And then we combine them together. Using elastic band in the middle. And then we spread them out. Yep. I'll tie this together with this too. Yep. Can I choose the color? Yeah. This one? Maybe that one is better. In here it said Falun Dafa is good. Falun. Falun Dafa how? Truth, compassion, tolerance. Which is the three principles of Falun Dafa and the characteristic of the universe. So how do we do this? We put it at the bottom like no like that. You have to tie like that right? So like that. So tie the top like that and then okay and then so we will pull up the petals. So you will take out the first layer and you pull it out. I normally use two fingers and keep this like this and like put them together so when you pull it up it doesn't come out. That's a trick. Yeah. So we do this like this as close to the center as possible and you will do the same for the opposite one. Oh opposite one. Okay. This is where I fail. So wrinkled. Oh it's too much. You want it to open a bit. And then then we do the next one or this one. You don't need to put it together like to make it flat like this. It will look better. Okay. Yeah yeah just make it stand. This one. Yeah normally I'm and then and doesn't look that nice. Yep yep looks better. Okay and then we do the same for the second layer. So when you pull up keep this. This one. Is it enough? You can move it a bit closer to the middle. Usually I would tear it off accidentally. So this one. Looks great. Thank you. Have a good teacher. So encouraging. She's so kind. Like when you when we fold this up I will turn the top first and then keep these two together while I fold it up. So it doesn't come out like this. Oh okay. Yeah so I keep these together and then pull them up. Like this. Looks perfect. Thank you. So what do we do with the leaves? The leaves is easier so you just need to flat it out like this. Wow. You can do it here or opposite. Okay like that. Yeah. Usually I would tear it off. It has to be a good paper as well. My first lotus flower. Thank you very much for teaching me how to do this. That's the first perfect lotus flower. Wow. Thank you so much. A painting of Fatou and her mother Jane is also part of the Jun Chen Ren International Exhibition. A collection of artworks that depict the strength and courage of those who uphold truth, compassion, and tolerance in the face of adversity. May these flowers remind us all to stand for kindness and humanity. If you would like to learn more to take part visit petalsofpeace.org