(Minghui.org) Practitioners in Vancouver held a grand parade and rally to celebrate World Falun Dafa Day. Many people including Chinese students expressed their admiration and support for Falun Dafa.
Practitioners held activities at Jack Poole Plaza on May 6, 2023. The Tian Guo Marching Band and the waist drum team performed during the rally.
The rally was held at the Jack Poole Plaza in Vancouver. In her speech, the representative from the Falun Dafa Association in Vancouver said, “Falun Dafa is a practice with principles of Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance. It teaches people to be better, consider other people first and be responsible. Millions of people from different ethnic backgrounds practice Falun Dafa worldwide.”
The parade started at 1 p.m. and went through Vancouver’s main streets. The Tian Guo Marching Band, drum team and exercise demonstration team attracted many residents and tourists who stopped to watch. Some Falun Dafa supporters also joined the parade.
Many people accepted Falun Dafa pamphlets and took photos and videos. People waved to practitioners or honked their car horns to show their support. Some bus drivers extended their hands to high-five practitioners.
The parade started at 1 p.m. and went through Vancouver’s main streets.
Some Falun Dafa supporters (holding flags in the back row) joined the parade.
The waist drum team performed.
Chinese Student: Without Freedom of Belief, a Country Lacks Innovation Ability
Max Wang, a Chinese student, said this was the first time he’s seen large-scale Falun Dafa activities and he was touched.
“It is interesting to see this. They even have a band. It is totally different from China. You are not allowed to have a parade in China. If you walk in the street to hold a parade, you will be arrested. You cannot even go to Beijing to appeal. You will be arrested or harassed.”
“Falun Dafa is demonized by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP),” he said. “I didn’t know much about Falun Dafa until I came to Canada. People here don’t resist belief. They have freedom of belief. But in China, it is severely persecuted.”
Max believes that a healthy society must let people have their spiritual pursuits. “I think a society should not only focus on material wealth but should let people pursue spiritual growth and elevate their spiritual realm.”
He believes that when people pursue their spiritual aspects, society will have more capacity for creativity. “If people don’t have freedom of belief, there will be a lack of innovative ability. The economy will not grow sustainably without innovation. Isn’t it true that almost all the big inventions came from Western countries?”
“Falun Dafa Is Full of Joy and Hope”
Esctasia Sanders from Vancouver watched the practitioners’ exercise demonstration and followed them to practice the movements with the music.
Ecstasia Sandres (left) from Vancouver did the exercise movements with practitioners.
Ecstasia said she felt peaceful and calm. She felt open and energetic when she did the exercises with practitioners. She also felt joy and hope. She said the area was full of energy.
She previously heard about Falun Dafa from her friend who practiced. Her friend recovered from her illness after practicing. “It was wonderful,” she said.
She praised the principles of Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance. She said that Truthfulness is very important. The world needs compassion and it would make the world a better place. She said that forbearance was good and the world would become more peaceful if people had forbearance.
She knew that Falun Dafa was persecuted in China. She felt sorry and upset for the practitioners who were imprisoned as they only spread health, peace, and joy. She supports anyone who practices Falun Dafa.
Falun Dafa’s Principles Should Be Integrated Into Society
Yvette Tunstall from Mexico was happy to see the parade. She felt Falun Dafa was peaceful and the principles of Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance were very good. This was the first time she learned about Falun Dafa.
People were attracted by the parade and wanted to know about Falun Dafa.
She felt it was inconceivable that this cultivation way based on traditional values has been persecuted by the CCP for more than 20 years. She said that it was bad and it shouldn’t happen and they shouldn’t be persecuted.
Amir, a tourist from Pakistan, was attracted by the celebration. He stopped and watched. He said the principles of Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance should be integrated into society and that these good values should continue.
Anita who lives in Vancouver watched the parade. She was happy to see practitioners and said their exercise movements exuded positive energy and joy. She felt sad to learn that practitioners were persecuted in China. She believes Falun Dafa is very good and brings people happiness and peace.
Well-Known Blogger: I Believe Freedom Will Definitely Appear in China
Dennis Watson, a well-known blogger, made a special trip to Vancouver’s city center to see the parade. He videoed it and planned to put it in his blog.
He was happy to see the Tian Guo Marching Band perform after the pandemic and also the traditional drum team performance. He applauded the practitioners’ activities.
He said he knows that Falun Dafa’s basic principles are Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance which are very good and also that the CCP slandered and distorted Falun Dafa’s image, so it was great that people in Canada could find out what Falun Dafa was really about.
He believes that freedom will appear in China one day just like the day the Berlin Wall collapsed.
University Student Becomes Considerate of Others
Eric is a student at UBC majoring in mechanical engineering and has practiced Falun Dafa for one year. He didn’t consider other’s feelings before but after he began practicing Falun Dafa he realized it and tried to rectify himself.
He became calmer after he began practicing and people like to be with him. His parents no longer worry about him because he requires himself to follow the principles of Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance in his daily life.
Vietnamese Engineer: My Family Benefited from Falun Dafa
Phong Hnt, a construction engineer, started to practice five years ago after a relative recovered from her serious illness by practicing Falun Dafa. His health was never good.
He discovered that people didn’t just obtain health benefits from practicing Falun Dafa. He said that he was not able to express his joy in words after he read Zhuan Falun. Falun Dafa brightened his life and guided him in the right direction. He tries to comply with the principles of Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance in his daily life and be considerate of others. There are no disputes in his family, and their relationships are now harmonious.
He said with gratitude “I thank Master from the bottom of my heart!”
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