(Minghui.org) On May 5, 2012, Paul T. Schreiber, Mayor of the City of Ypsilanti, Michigan, wrote the following letter to the Michigan Falun Dafa Association in acknowledgement of World Falun Dafa Day, May 13, 2012.
City of Ypsilanti
Office of the Mayor
May 5, 2012
President, Michigan Falun Dafa Association
Dear Mr. Xu,
Since 1992, over one hundred million people worldwide have become healthier, happier, and more altruistic through their practice of Falun Dafa. I join with you to acknowledge World Falun Dafa Day on May 13, 2012.
Falun Gong, also called Falun Dafa, is a peaceful spiritual practice rooted in traditional Chinese culture. It consists of meditation, five gentle sets of exercises, and a moral philosophy centered on the values of truthfulness, compassion, and tolerance, which practitioners take as a guide to their daily lives.
Although rooted in ancient Chinese spiritual tradition, Falun Gong was first taught publicly in China in 1992 by Mr. Li Hongzhi, the founder of the practice. It spread quickly through word-of-mouth as tens of millions of Chinese citizens found greater health and spiritual well-being through the practice. Today, Falun Gong is practiced in over 80 countries worldwide by people of all ages and backgrounds. It is always taught free of charge by volunteers, and can be practiced individually or in groups.
Falun Dafa practitioners across Michigan dedicate countless hours to their communities in organizing free meditation classes and Chinese cultural music and dance productions, as well as participating in local events. They are also actively working to bring about a peaceful resolution to the persecution of Falun Gong in China, and to improve the future of the world’s most populous country.
Best regards,
Paul T. Schreiber
