(Clearwisdom.net)
On December 29, 2002, The Taiwan Falun Dafa Experience Sharing Conference was held in the Stadium of National Taiwan University. Over 5,000 Falun Dafa practitioners from various regions attended the conference.
At 9:00 a.m., after sending forth righteous thoughts, Interior Vice-Minister Hsu Ying-shen arrived at the conference representing the Interior Minister. Vice-Minister Hsu emphasized in his speech that there is freedom of belief and freedom of assembly in Taiwan. The public in Mainland China cannot openly share the blessings of Falun Dafa like we do in Taiwan. He pointed out that this important difference of freedom of belief is a great achievement of Taiwan's adherence to democracy. In concluding his speech, Vice-Minister Hsu Ying-shen said that he hoped practitioners would uphold righteous thoughts and righteous actions, continue their cultivation practice by adhering to the spirit of Truthfulness-Benevolence-Forbearance, and share their great experiences in practicing Falun Dafa with everyone around them.
Ma Ying-jeou, Mayor of Taipei, also came to address the conference. He expressed that freedom of religion and freedom of belief are universal values held by free societies. These are also a fundamental part of freedom and basic human rights. Seeing Falun Gong practitioners persecuted and even killed in Mainland China has brought him tremendous grief. He emphasized that when he attends activities organized by Falun Gong, he "does not worry about offending a particular government or a particular regime."
President Chen Wei-jao of National Taiwan University was also present at the conference, expressing his support for Falun Gong. President Chen pointed out that although he doesn't know much about Falun Gong, he is aware that several well-known professors at his university are practicing Falun Gong. Student practitioners have registered as a non-profit organization. He is willing to extend his support for efforts to treat others with and conduct oneself by following Truthfulness-Benevolence-Forbearance. President Chen's background is in medical science, and he is interested in the way that Falun Gong's principles and practices help people remain healthy and keep fit. He expressed that this a genuine approach to reaching mental and physical health, and encourages practitioners to further their research.
The conference received a congratulatory letter from the Vice President of Taiwan, Annette Lu, who voiced her support of Falun Dafa as well as her hope for a successful conference.
After this, the experience sharing conference officially started, and practitioners made speeches. A total of nineteen practitioners shared their experiences. The telephone teams made a group speech at the end. There are many Falun Dafa practitioners in Taiwan, and in their speeches, practitioners of different age groups and from diverse professions shared their personal experiences. A practitioner who had just started practicing mentioned the benefits Falun Dafa brought him mentally and physically, removing all his illnesses completely. An elderly practitioner discussed how to overcome distractions while studying the Fa as well as ideas on presenting the facts over the internet. A judge in the Taichung area shared his positive xinxing [mind nature; moral character] changes in his daily life after he obtained the Fa and how by gauging things with Truthfulness-Benevolence-Forbearance in mind he had improved -- becoming more fair -- in his handling of cases at work. A researcher from the Chinese Economic Research Institute witnessed his improvements both in his life and in his research. A practitioner from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs went over the details of how he got rid of his attachments to fame and fortune upon obtaining the Fa. A graduate student from Tsinghua University shared his righteous thoughts and righteous belief toward Master and the Fa during the Fa-rectification process. Young students reported what they have learned while producing television programs. Other practitioners shared their paths of maturity, in which they participated in explaining the facts over the internet and over the phone. Among them, a young second-grader shared his personal feelings when he made phone calls to Mainland China and talked to people who were deprived of their chance to hear the truth.
Practitioners from overseas also spoke at the conference. A Swedish practitioner shared his thoughts on validating the Fa in a Hong Kong concert by singing the song "I came here for you." A Swiss practitioner shared experiences from going to Tiananmen Square with thirty-five other western practitioners and presenting the facts to the precious Chinese people.
Canadian practitioner Wang Yuzhi, who had been thrown into a forced labor camp in China, described the persecution she received there. She witnessed the police brutality against Falun Dafa practitioners. Facing the test of life and death, she came through with firm belief in Master and the Fa. Her entire path of Fa-rectification moved the audience to tears.
Dai Zhizhen, who lives in Australia, told the audience that her husband was killed in China by the police for adhering to his belief in Falun Dafa. She further described how she overcame the attachment of fear and took her 2-year-old daughter Fadu to Beijing to uphold the Fa. She has traveled all over the world, exposing the lies spread by the Jiang and Luo regime, and, on behalf of children who have lost their parents in China, she has been appealing to mothers across the world to prevent these brutal murders.
Young practitioner Fu from China offered details on her path of Fa-rectification. Neither the unlawful detention by the police nor harassment from her family members could stop her from explaining the facts about Falun Gong to the public or shake her determination in helping to save the sentient beings. In the end, with her righteous belief in Master she walked out of the detention center and left China. The audience was deeply moved by these practitioners and their dedication toward Master and the Fa. Their righteous thoughts and actions have validated the mighty power of the Fa.
Young practitioners recited Master's articles and poetry during the conference. They also practiced the Falun Gong meditation exercises. The audience smiled at these lovely young practitioners. Later during the conference, excerpts from the movie Let Us Tell the Future were shown, which presented to the attendees some anecdotes about the hardships Master faced when he started spreading the Fa and about the wide acceptance of the Fa around the world in the 10 years of Fa-rectification.
The conference lasted until 5:55 p.m., and successfully concluded with practitioners sending forth righteous thoughts.
A candlelight vigil was held that night. The practitioners all felt the solemn significance of the conference, and they realized more than ever the importance of being more diligent, and carrying out even better the three tasks of studying the Fa, sending forth the righteous thoughts, and clarifying the truth, as well as the importance of living up to the expectations of Master and all sentient beings.