(Minghui.org) Falun Dafa practitioners joined the Starlight Parade on May 31, 2014, at the Portland Rose Festival, and won third prize for their float in the “Best Communities” category. The Falun Dafa boat was assembled by practitioners in the states of Oregon and Washington.
Live local television coverage introduced Falun Dafa as a traditional cultivation method that adheres to the characteristic of the universe, Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance. It also replayed the scenes on television of the Falun Dafa boat at the end of the program.
Falun Dafa practitioners participated in the annual Starlight Parade at the Portland Rose Festival on May 31, 2014.
During the parade, the Falun Dafa procession was greeted with applause from spectators, many of whom followed the movements of practitioners who were demonstrating the Falun Dafa exercises. They put their palms together, a Buddha school gesture to express appreciation and respect. Some took Falun Dafa flyers to learn more about the practice.
Ms. Wang, who recently came to the United States from China, was in tears. She said, “This is my first parade in a democratic country. I am finally able to showcase the beauty of Falun Dafa freely, and with dignity. My wish has come true for the first time in the past 15 years since the Chinese Communist Party started the persecution.”
“I firmly believe that the beauty of Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance cannot be shadowed by lies and slander. People in China are also awakening to the facts. The day when the entire society knows about and stands up to oppose the persecution is just around the corner,” she added.
The parade preparation was also a demonstration of proficiency by the practitioners. The assembly process went very smoothly. Many saw how the large float was assembled from scratch in a very efficient manner, and admired their harmonious teamwork.
The Starlight Parade has a history of over 100 years. About 100 groups joined this year's parade.
