(Clearwisdom.net) On May 14-15, 2005, Falun Dafa practitioners from across Japan gathered in Nagoya to celebrate revered Master's birthday, the 13^th anniversary of Falun Dafa's public introduction and the 6^th annual World Falun Dafa Day. It also happened to be the 2005 World Expo held in Nagoya, and there were a lot of visitors from around the world and from throughout Japan. Local practitioners have been distributing Falun Gong truth-clarifying materials here since March, when the World Expo opened. On such a festive occasion, practitioners wanted to let the public know about Falun Dafa's public introduction and wide spread around the world, and to display the beauty of Falun Dafa, through holding a grand parade and a Falun Dafa concert.

A concert held at the Youth Culture Center in Nagoya to celebrate the 13^th anniversary of Falun Dafa's introduction to the public

Early in the morning of May 14, practitioners, some who took all-night buses, arrived in Nagoya and went to the square in downtown Nagoya to display banners reading, "Celebrate World Falun Dafa Day," "Greetings, Master," "Falun Dafa is Good," "Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance," and "Bring Jiang Zemin to Justice." They also demonstrated the five sets of Falun Gong exercises.

A grand celebration parade held in downtown Nagoya

A press conference was held shortly after noon, in which practitioners discussed the history of how Falun Dafa was publicly introduced by the founder of Falun Gong, Mr. Li Hongzhi on May 13, 1992. In the 13 years since its introduction, Falun Gong has had a tremendously positive effect on healing illnesses and keeping fit. Falun Gong teaches the principle of "Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance," from person to person, heart to heart, and the number of practitioners has been constantly increasing. According to official statistics from China, in Mainland China, the number of practitioners in 1998 had reached 100 million. But in July 1999, former president Jiang Zemin began persecuting Falun Gong using various brutal means. Several years have passed, and the persecution is still going on. The number of practitioners who have been verified, through civil channels, to have been tortured to death is increasing. 2,234 Falun Gong practitioners have died as a result of the persecution, 6,000 have been illegally sentenced, more than 100,000 practitioners have been illegally sent to forced labor camps, and several thousand have been forced into mental hospitals to be devastated by unknown toxic drugs that damage the central nervous system. While being brutally persecuted in Mainland China, Falun Dafa has become popular in 78 other countries and regions throughout the world. Presently, during the World Expo being held in Aichi County, Japan, practitioners in Japan hope to convey the beauty of Falun Dafa to visitors from China and around the world through this two-day event.

Many people stopped to watch the parade

Clarifying the truth to visitors

Clarifying the truth to visitors

After sending forth righteous thoughts, practitioners began the two-hour celebration parade through downtown Nagoya. Practitioners held banners reading, "Celebrate World Falun Dafa Day," "Greetings, Master," "Falun Dafa is Good," "Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance," "Bring Jiang Zemin to Justice," "The lawsuit against Jiang is the largest human rights lawsuit in the world," "Freedom of belief is the fundamental human right," and "Stop persecuting Falun Gong." There were also a group of practitioners dressed as "Celestial Maidens" who danced elegantly with colored ribbons, a group of graceful ladies in Tang Dynasty Costumes, a group of practitioners holding flags, and a group of vigorous waist drummers. The procession was peaceful and harmonious as it moved forward slowly, attracting many people's attention. Many stopped to watch the parade, and many people accepted the Falun Gong practitioners' truth-clarifying newspapers and read them carefully. Some people listened attentively to practitioners explaining the facts of the persecution of Falun Gong in China. Upon seeing the practitioners' beautiful dancing, people exclaimed, "They are like celestial maidens coming down to the earth." After the parade, practitioners had a group photo taken and wished Master a Happy Birthday.

After the parade, practitioners had a photo taken and wished Master a Happy Birthday

On the morning of May 15, practitioners distributed truth-clarifying newspapers in downtown Nagoya, and some practitioners demonstrated the exercises. Passers-by accepted the materials and watched the exercise demonstration. One Japanese man whose foot was injured could not walk easily due to pain. He followed the practitioners in doing the exercises. A new practitioner taught him the movements, and introduced Falun Gong to him. The man earnestly practiced the first set of exercises and then he could walk naturally. People were amazed at the tremendous effect of Falun Dafa. Such stories are actually numerous and quite common among Falun Dafa practitioners.

The practitioner in charge of the activity told this reporter about the tremendous changes he experienced through practicing Falun Gong. Before practicing Falun Gong, he suffered from heart disease and lumbar protrusion. Less than one year after he started practicing, the illnesses disappeared. His Japanese doctors were amazed. This practitioner is 62 years old and a professor at the University of Nagoya. His colleagues all commented that his face is always glowing and he is always vigorous. He said, sometimes, when he took over classes for his colleagues who were ill, he did not feel tired after giving lessons for 8 hours continuously. He also said that through practicing Falun Dafa, he understands the meaning of life, and why we live. Now, five members of his family are also practicing Falun Dafa.

At 3:00 p.m. on May 15, 2005, a concert celebrating the 13^th anniversary of Falun Dafa's introduction was held at the Youth Culture Center in Nagoya. Falun Gong practitioners presented a wonderful performance including dancing and singing, short drama, a concert of instrumental music, poem recitations, vocal solos and a chorus. Among them, the Tang Dynasty dance, "Heavenly Gate Opens," and young practitioners' sweet and lovely dance, "Picking Lotus Flowers," and the majestic "Colored Flags" dance were warmly welcomed. The anti-torture exhibition exposing the brutal persecution of Falun Gong was also performed on the stage. It told people that the persecution is still going on, and in a short stage drama, actors reproduced the scenes in which Falun Dafa practitioners who have been deprived of their right to practice went to Tiananmen Square to appeal but were persecuted as a result. Applause could be often heard during the three-hour performance. When the performance concluded, all people present sang together, "Falun Dafa is Good," as the concert reached its climax.

The reporter interviewed several audience members. One middle-aged Japanese man who has practiced Falun Gong just four months had suffered from lung cancer. His friend introduced him to Falun Gong, and he was now feeling very good. He said it was the first time he had watched such a performance, and he thought it very amazing and wonderful. A woman from Israel said that she felt the performance was great, and that it had been well prepared. Her Japanese husband hoped they would have an opportunity next year to watch an evening gala held by Falun Gong practitioners. The reporter met a Falun Gong practitioner who had just come from China. He said that while watching the performance, he could not hold back his tears, both for the wonderful performance and for exposing the persecution that practitioners have suffered. He expressed that while he was participating in the two-day celebration activities, he deeply felt the difference between the situation in China and outside of China. The Chinese police ferociously persecute good people, while the Japanese police maintained order and facilitated the practitioners' parade. He felt happy for overseas practitioners who can have such an opportunity to freely express their thoughts and display the beauty of Falun Dafa to the public.