(Clearwisdom.net) The annual Festival Parade in Blacktown, in suburban Sydney, Australia, was held the morning of May 31, 2008. The Falun Dafa parade entry was the largest in the parade.


Divine Land Marching Band makes its first appearance in the Blacktown Festival Parade


Falun Dafa float


People sign petitions in support of Falun Gong

Blacktown is a suburb located 34 km west of the Sydney central business district. The city holds a parade and fair every year at this time. The local government encourages all parts of the community to participate. Nearly 70 groups took part in the parade, marching about one km on the main streets through central Blacktown.

The Falun Dafa contingent included the Divine Land Marching Band, celestial maiden dancer, a float and waist drum group. Their performance received warm applause from spectators on both sides of the road. The host on the main stage introduced that Falun Dafa has been spread to over 80 countries and regions around the world, and there are one hundred million practitioners who cultivate themselves according to "Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance."

After the parade, some practitioners demonstrated the exercises at the booth they set up opposite the main stage. They also handed out information about Falun Dafa. Some citizens visited the booth and signed the petition to urge the Chinese Communist Party to stop the persecution and release the detained practitioners.