(Clearwisdom.net) On May 13, 2004, looking up one could see two flags with the words, "World Falun Dafa Day" and "Falun Dafa" fluttering in the morning breeze in front of the Wilmington City Hall, which attracted many people's attention.
  Waist drum performance |
  Fan dance |
  Chorus "Falun Dafa is great" |
  Two flags with words, "World Falun Dafa Day" and "Falun Dafa" fluttering in the sky in front of the City Hall |
  Exercise demonstration |
  Press conference |
Twelve years ago, our esteemed Master started introducing Falun Dafa to the public. That was a decade when a spiritual vacuum appeared after the Cultural Revolution. That era created a group of people who did not value virtue or believe that the nature of life was kind. That era created a world where only money and a life of luxury and dissipation were appreciated. Nevertheless, Master's great teachings were like a bright star in the dark night and a piece of music from heaven lifting a cloud of depression. It was as sharp as a bolt of lightening breaking through the clouds, and it was as gentle as clear trickling stream. These teachings allowed people from a world of self-interest to finally find the true place where their hearts belong.
Back to the present, seeing these two flags are fluttering on the Rodney Square, in front of the Wilmington City Hall. Wilmington Mayor Mr. James Baker had just proclaimed May as "Falun Dafa Month".
The proclamation stated that Falun Dafa, which is based on the principle of Truthfulness-Compassion-Tolerance, has become a universal philosophy that all people should practice and treasure. Unfortunately, in its place of origin, China, it has encountered persecution. Practitioners in China are being forced to choose between their spiritual belief and their work, family or rights to receive education. Nevertheless, millions of practitioners in China persist in practicing Falun Gong despite the danger. The Mayor also encouraged all citizens to join him in recognizing the universal principles espoused by Falun Dafa.
The unfurling of these two flags opened the celebration of World Falun Dafa Day in Delaware.
Celebrate, for obtaining today an opportunity never coming in millions of years;
Celebrate, for the vast spreading of the everlasting Great Law;
Celebrate, for purifying one's mind and body and returning to our original origin;
Celebrate, for fulfilling our vast wish to assist Master.
Watching the fan dance in the sunshine, purple dresses and broad sleeves waved gracefully, yellow silk and colorful fans fluttered like clouds.
Looking at the waist drum performance on the green lawn, the beautiful appearance is vigorous and full of joy. Sounds of the drum echo the sounds of the music.
One can feel the serenity and peace through the traditional exercise demonstration with simple but elegant movements. Some citizens left their contact information and expressed their wish to learn the exercises.
Practitioners also shared with passersby, their joy from learning the principles of Falun Dafa and also explained the facts about the terrible persecution happening in China. A local resident said, "I've heard of Falun Gong and I'm quite familiar with the suppression of practitioners by the Chinese [Jiang] government. This reminds me of the bloody (June 4) incident which happened on Tiananmen Square that I saw on TV one morning. Each time when I thought about it, I felt shook up."
In the end, practitioners sang together, "Falun Dafa is great", expressing their true happiness of bathing in the light of Falun Dafa.
A Channel 8 TV station came to interview practitioners and report on the event. Reporters also interviewed Falun Gong practitioner Mr. Chen Gang, who was released from China's forced labor camp last year and came to the United States through many difficulties. Mr. Chen and his wife expressed, "We had never thought that good people who cultivate themselves in accordance of Truthfulness-Compassion-Tolerance would be imprisoned and even beaten to death. While celebrating here, we are thinking of those practitioners in China, they are now suffering from the persecution. We really hope they will soon gain their freedom and urge the Chinese Government to stop the persecution. We hope May 13 will genuinely become the day that all Dafa practitioners throughout the world are able to celebrate. We hope that all practitioners in China will be able to join us in celebrating this great day."
