(Minghui.org) Practitioners held a parade in Manhattan, New York on May 10, 2024, to celebrate the 25th World Falun Dafa Day and the 32nd anniversary of Falun Dafa’s public introduction and to wish Master Li a happy birthday.
The parade spanned a total of fifteen streets from east to west and passed several renowned landmarks in New York: the United Nations Headquarters beside Hammarhaus Square, the Chrysler Building on Lexington Avenue, Grand Central Station on Park Avenue, the New York Public Library headquarters on Fifth Avenue, Bryant Park on Sixth Avenue, and famous attractions and gathering places such as Times Square on Seventh Avenue and the Port Authority Passenger Terminal on Eighth Avenue.
Many spectators were moved by the message of the parade.
Dr. Thandeka Mazibuko said, “This parade represents the integration, unity and diversity of New York City, which is very important.”
Melissa DeLarosa said, “Truthfulness, Compassion, and Forbearance are very important values. Many people don’t know how to connect the body and mind. They don’t understand, and these energies are here. We are to be awakened.”
Many people said the parade was spectacular, well-ordered, and full of enthusiasm.
A man from India said, “We like it very much! Because in India we also embrace the values of Truthfulness, Compassion and Forbearance, which are very good!”
The parade was led by the Tian Guo Marching Band, followed by the first section, “Falun Dafa Around the World” that included over ten teams: Chinese and English language models of Falun Dafa’s main book, Zhuan Falun, a large banner cart with banners reading “World Falun Dafa Day” and “Master’s Birthday,” an antique float “Heaven Wonderland,” and a rotating giant Falun emblem, drum team, flag team, dance team, dragon dance team of Western Dafa practitioners, and a team of young practitioners in costumes.
Several thousand Falun Dafa practitioners held a grand parade to celebrate World Falun Dafa Day in Manhattan, New York on May 10, 2024. The above photos are from the first part of the parade: Falun Dafa Around the World.
The second part of the parade was “Stop the Persecution.” This is the 32nd year since Dafa was introduced to the public. In July 1999, the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) launched the persecution of Falun Gong and practitioners and it continues to this day. One banner after another recorded the crimes of the CCP, which are too numerous to write down.
The second part of the parade: Stop the persecution
The third part of the parade was “Quitting the CCP for a Safe Future,” which told the story of the 430 million Chinese people who have withdrawn from the CCP and its affiliated organizations, and exposed nature of the CCP.
The third part of the parade: Quitting the CCP for a Safe Future
Video: New York parade on May 10 celebrated the 25th World Falun Dafa Day.
A spectator named Ken said, “The parade was very informative and peaceful.”
“China has an ancient history, and this [parade] is a gift to the world,” said a spectator named Francisco.
Another spectator, Bruce Perel, said, “The founder [of Falun Gong] is a great man, please continue the cause. May 13 is a good day, and we should all congratulate it. There are good people in China, and the Chinese will rise up against the CCP. It will fall quickly.”
Practitioners Wish Master Li a Happy Birthday and Express Appreciation
Falun Dafa practitioners gathered in Manhattan on May 10 to celebrate World Falun Dafa Day.
Ms. Zhongyuan Yi, organizer of the parade and representative of the New York Falun Dafa Association, said, “Today is the 32nd anniversary of Falun Dafa’s public introduction. We held a grand parade on the entire 42nd Street in Manhattan to show the world the wonder of Falun Dafa and how widespread Dafa is. At the same time, we express our gratitude to Master and wish him a happy birthday.”
Falun Gong spokesperson Erping Zhang said, “Since Master Li Hongzhi introduced Falun Dafa to the public on May 13, 1992, the practice is now practiced in more than 100 countries around the world. People of various ethnic groups and cultural backgrounds practice Falun Dafa. The book Zhuan Falun has been translated into more than 40 languages.”
Talking about the incredible changes that they experienced after they began practicing, many people in the parade thanked Master Li, the founder of Falun Dafa, from the bottom of their hearts. Whether it was the disappearance of terminal illness or improvement of their morality, almost everyone everyone has amazing stories to tell about the physical and mental benefits that occurred after they began practicing.
Photographer Donghui Zhang served in the Air Force when he was in his twenties. He had just been admitted to the military academy, but the doctor thought he could not go to school because he suffered from ankylosing spondylitis at the time, a disease commonly known as Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS). It’s considered a terminal disease, and one may eventually become vegetative.
Mr. Zhang had been in and out of the hospital for a year. “If I wanted to go to the restroom, I needed to start getting up 10 minutes or 8 minutes in advance. I could not walk 100 meters. I was suddenly unable to lift my legs and needed to hold onto something to sit down suddenly,” he said. But in 1997, he began practicing Falun Dafa and his symptoms disappeared after a month. He was able to successfully complete his military school studies.
Mr. Yongming Chen, the gold medal winner of the first NTDTV Cooking Skills Competition in 2008, suffered from intermittent angina pectoris before he participated in the competition. He often suffered from throbbing pain when he cooked. Although he signed up to compete, he was worried about whether he could finish. As soon as he entered the competition site, he felt a peaceful atmosphere that he never experienced before, and he also saw a hazy energy field like an early morning mist.
“I didn’t have any problems during the entire competition, and I felt very comfortable. I’ve been practicing Falun Dafa since then,” said Mr. Chen. Talking about his positive changes after practicing, he was very excited, “I felt the changes in my body day by day. It’s difficult to describe them in words. No words can express my gratitude to Master.”
Falun Dafa requires practitioners to be good people in accordance with the principles of Truthfulness, Compassion, and Forbearance. Mr. Chen said he experienced amazing changes in himself. He said that he used to be exposed to fire and knives in the kitchen, and when he was busy, the clinking sounds were like fighting. He easily became impatient at work, and he would get angry if his assistant did not hand him the ingredients when he asked for them.
After he cultivated his character according to the requirements of Falun Dafa and calmly told others what to do, something unusual happened, and his work became better than before.
“I want to tell Master: I wish Master a happy birthday! Thank you, Master!”
Recent Chinese Immigrant: The Situation in China Is Abnormal
Mr. Bao from Beijing learned the truth over ten years ago when he got around the CCP’s Internet censorship in China. He quit the Communist Young Pioneers. After he came to the United States, he watched every Falun Dafa parade.
“I think Falun Dafa should grow like this. Who doesn’t like good things, right? The situation in China is abnormal,” he said. “I hope more and more people believe in Falun Dafa, and I also hope this parade will be held in China. Only if Falun Dafa returns to China can the rejuvenation of China be possible.”
Mr. Bao also wished Master Li a happy birthday, “Master Li’s longevity is our happiness. I hope Master Li will lead us back to mainland China!”
Li Xinyan, who came to the United States through a long-distance migrant route, has long experienced the power of these two phrases: “Falun Dafa is good, Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance is good.” She relied on these phrases to overcome many difficulties and arrive in the United States. This is her second time watching a Falun Dafa parade.
She was very excited when she heard practitioners were celebrating Master Li’s birthday, “I am so excited that I don’t know what to say. I send well-wishes to Master Li, and I hope to see an early end to the CCP’s rule. I hope more and more people will practice Falun Dafa. God bless China. I think Falun Dafa is good. Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance is good. I feel that Master Li is blessing those of us who support Falun Dafa.”
Jiang Lin and Gu Qing (pseudonym) are also new immigrants to the United States. They said they are moved every time they watch a Falun Dafa parade.
The couple said that the parade reflects the freedom in the United States and, in contrast, how depressed the environment in China is.
Jiang Lin said, “Thank you, Master Li, for spreading Falun Dafa, which has benefited hundreds of millions of people and is practiced in so many countries around the world. We thank him.”
Gu Qing said that she started to learn Falun Dafa. “I’m also grateful to Master Li for giving me the opportunity to practice. I hope there will be people practicing Falun Dafa all over the world.”
Jiang Lin said, “This is good for the body and mind, but the practice is not allowed in China. I think when Falun Dafa returns to China, that will be the day when China gains freedom.”
Residents and Tourists: The World Needs Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance
New York is an international city. In addition to locals, many tourists from all over the United States and the world watched the parade. Many of them learned about Falun Dafa for the first time.
While praising the spectacle and beauty of the parade, people often say that the world needs Truthfulness, Compassion and Forbearance.
This was the first time Doug Erickson from North Carolina, U.S., saw a Falun Dafa parade. He praised the parade while filming it, and said, “I like their message. This is what we need now. We need to be more tolerant of each other.”
A mother and daughter who traveled to New York from California to attend a wedding ceremony watched the Falun Dafa parade in the morning. Daughter Cathy Herz said, “I think this parade is great. I’ve never seen a parade like this. The message they convey is very powerful and it also makes us realize how great the power of mindfulness is, especially in today’s declining world.”
Leon Singh is a local programmer in New York who is familiar with Sikh teachings. After reading the information a practitioner gave him, he said that he liked Falun Dafa because “Truthfulness, Compassion, and Forbearance represent the entire meaning of life.”
“[Falun Dafa practitioners] have a very fair view of things,” said Singh. “I like this philosophy [Truthfulness, Compassion, and Forbearance]. It is in line with my philosophy. This is good news.”
He said he felt positive energy from the parade. “I think Truthfulness, Compassion and Forbearance are everything. This is the whole meaning of life. If you have truth and compassion, you can understand others. But that idea is disappearing today, so the message they send is quite important today.”
Francis Santana lives in Queens and is an investment adviser. He said, “The people in the parade all look so peaceful and calm, and they all looked dignified. The parade is colorful and show us a strong atmosphere of Chinese culture. I think they are all good people, and I heard praise for them. The persecution is really sad and everyone should have their freedom of belief and the right to choose.”
Todd Levin lives near United Nations Park and watches the Falun Dafa parade every year. He said, “I see their happiness and enthusiasm, and I am very happy that they [Falun Dafa practitioners] have their own voices and opinions. They are allowed to express their opinions here. I agree with Truthfulness, Compassion, and Forbearance, and am willing to follow this. I think it’s a shame that the Chinese people cannot express their feelings and opinions under the rule of the Chinese Communist Party.”
Brazilian businessman Edmundo Barbosa is in the ethanol business. He saw the parade near the United Nations Park in New York. He said he felt bursts of soft and soothing energy. He carefully read the flyer about Falun Dafa.
“I feel that Falun Dafa, and Truthfulness, Compassion, and Forbearance can bring help to the world and mankind, and can improve people’s mental health,” he said. “This world is chaotic and corrupt. I believe that Falun Dafa can help this world, save this world, and make this world a kinder place.”
Barbosa said that although people in the world are different, they share the same values of Truthfulness, Compassion, and Forbearance, which are needed by the entire world, including Brazil.
The parade lasted two hours and ended at 11th Avenue and 41st Street near the Chinese Consulate in New York.
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