(Minghui.org) Kathy M. Sheehan, the mayor of the City of Albany, New York, issued a proclamation designating May 13, 2019, "Falun Dafa Day in the City of Albany." The mayor asks that all the city's residents join her in "recognizing this peaceful, spiritual practice," and "wish all of its practitioners a wonderful World Falun Dafa Day and a healthy and happy life."

She wrote that Falun Dafa is, "A peaceful spiritual practice consisting of meditation, five gentle sets of exercises, and a moral philosophy centered on the values of Truthfulness, Compassion, and Tolerance. World Falun Dafa Day is a recognition of the benefits that this great practice has brought to our society."

In addition, the proclamation notes that Falun Dafa practitioners all over the world "have dedicated countless hours to their communities in organizing free meditation classes, Chinese cultural productions of music and dance, and participating in local events. They are also actively working to bring about a peaceful resolution to the persecution of Falun Gong in China, and improve the future of the world's most populous country."