January 16, 2006 was the 77^th birthday anniversary of U.S. civil rights leader Martin Luther King. A commemoration ceremony was held in Ebenezer Baptist Church, Atlanta, Dr. King's hometown, to continue the slain leader's lifelong pursuit of civil rights and nonviolence.

Chinese student Helen Li gives a speech during the commemoration

Mr. Erping Zhang was invited to represent Falun Gong and gave a speech

Falun Gong practitioner Becky attended the ceremony for the third year. She said that practitioners in Atlanta have been explaining the facts about Falun Gong to the King Center. Ms. King and staff in the center have expressed their sympathy and support to practitioners being persecuted in China. The Center invited a Falun Gong spokesperson again this year to give a speech.

Mr. Erping Zhang represented the Falun Gong group and said in his speech that practitioners follow Truthfulness, Compassion, Forbearance, and protested the Chinese Communist Party (CCP)'s brutal persecution with peaceful means.

Mr. Zhang said in an interview, "We know that more than seven million people have quit the CCP and its organizations. Other people in China are actively joining the withdrawal. In this way, CCP will fall apart soon."

Atlanta Mayor Shirley Franklin said later that a nonviolent movement could change society, bring peace and benefit the people. She said that she believed in Mr. Zhang's speech.

Chinese student Helen Li was selected to participate in the ceremony and said, "I am a Falun Gong practitioner. Dr. King's pursuit of nonviolence and freedom encouraged me to continue his legacy to help the world become a better place. I hope that the persecution against Falun Gong practitioners in China will stop as soon as possible."

More than two hundred people participated in the commemoration ceremony, including Dr. King's family members, officials from federal, state and city government, those from the religious circle, and local students. Isaac Newton Farris, Jr., president and CEO of The King Center, Atlanta Mayor Shirley Franklin, Georgia Governor Sonny Perdue, and Congressman McKinney gave speeches. They called on people to continue Dr. King's legacy and establish a more peaceful society with more democracy, freedom, and equality.

In January 2006, the photo exhibition, "Falun Gong Practitioners Appeal for and Clarify the Truth about Falun Gong " was successfully held in West Maori's Paruaharanui Marae conference hall, Rotorua. It was the first time for the exhibition to be held for the Maori tribe. The photographs describe the journey of Falun Gong practitioners appealing for and clarifying the truth about Falun Gong. The exhibition will continue until the end of the month.

Maori people learn the Falun Gong exercises

Maori people listen to a practitioner's explanation of the facts

It was the first time for the practitioners to introduce Falun Gong to the Maori tribe, the native people of New Zealand. Approximate 60 people attended the exhibition. They listened to the practitioners' introduction of Falun Gong and the explanation of the persecution in China. Many of them learned the exercises. Besides showing indignation about the persecution of Falun Gong in China, they also expressed their interest in the practice.

Anthony Taylor, a representative for the Maori said, "It is our fortune to have the photo exhibition held here. You can see that it is spectacular."

Children also said that a special atmosphere changed their environment. Six-year-old Alison Brailey had just finished her vacation. She walked back and forth in front of the exhibition and said to a practitioner in puzzlement, "Oh! It's amazing. Before I left for vacation, the room was dark and seemed dusty. But after I come back, it has become so clean and bright!"

The Truth, Compassion, Tolerance International Art Exhibition was held at the Riga Latvian Society House in January 2006.

During the opening ceremony a few VIPs came and gave speeches. They were acting Deputy Chairman of cultural and art issues for the Riga Latvian Society House, Mr. Andrejs Migla, member of the Saeima (Parliament of Latvia) and chairperson of the Human Rights and Public Affairs Committee Mrs. Ingrida Circene, Judge of the civil board of the Circuit Court Mrs. Dzintra Zvaigznekalna, and Chairperson of the department for the prevention of discrimination and officer for defense of human rights Mrs. Liga Biksiniece.

The speakers mentioned the greatness of art, the importance of the principles Truth, Compassion, Tolerance in daily life and the situation of human rights violations and the persecution of Falun Gong practitioners in China. Mrs. Ingrida Circene said: "Thank you Falun Gong practitioners for organizing such a beautiful art exhibition. There are around a hundred million practitioners all over the world peacefully practicing Falun Gong and following the principles Truth, Compassion, Tolerance. There is a brutal persecution going on in China and those persecuted people have relatives, so the amount of people who are suffering from persecution in China is very large."

After the official ceremony guests went to look around. Many of them stayed a long time in front of each artwork and some took pictures. Some took fliers explaining Falun Gong and the background to the persecution in China. Many people left comments in the guest book.

Among visitors to the exhibition were members of the Latvian parliament and others officials. During a conversation with a journalist from The Epoch Times, one of them said: "How is it possible that for exercising, people have been persecuted in China?" He was surprised that the paintings were so realistic and life-like.

The exhibition continued at the Riga Latvian Society House until January 14th.