United States: Falun Dafa Practitioners Welcomed in Little Saigon New Year Parade in California

The Vietnamese Community in Westminster, Orange County, California held a parade to usher in the Vietnamese New Year on February 9th, 2008. It was a sunny day. The Falun Gong group, composed of a float, waist drum and dance troupes, brought the beauty of Dafa to the Vietnamese people. Along the parade route, spectators on both sides of the road warmly welcomed the practitioners with continuous applause.

The Falun Gong group, led by a banner reading "Falun Dafa" in Vietnamese, participated in the New Year parade in little Saigon

Tang drummers and waist drummers

Practitioners in Tang Dynasty costumes dance gracefully to an appreciative audience

On the float, practitioners demonstrate the five sets of exercises

A practitioner from Westminster said that this was the first time that Falun Gong practitioners had participated in the event. Through years of contact with the sponsor and the community, and their truth-clarification efforts, the community has come to understand Falun Gong. The host and TV relay announcer on the main stage clearly announced to the spectators that Falun Gong takes "Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance" as its guiding principles, and it has spread around the world. They also stressed that under the current autocratic rule of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) in China, Falun Gong practitioners have been subjected to brutal persecution and the CCP has even harvested organs from living Falun Gong practitioners.

The Falun Gong contingent was led by a banner reading "Falun Dafa" in Vietnamese. Over a dozen Vietnamese practitioners in colorful traditional Vietnamese costumes smiled amiably and waved to the spectators. Following them closely were the dancers in Tang Dynasty costumes dancing elegantly and gracefully. On the float, practitioners demonstrated the five sets of Falun Gong exercises. The Tang drum and waist drum group played vigorously.

The sponsor of the parade was the Vietnamese Heritage and Cultural Foundation of America. Thirty-nine groups, including elected officials of different ethnicities, the mayor, veterans, schools and religious organisations participated in the parade. Two local TV stations broadcast the parade live. It was reported that the parade attracted several hundred thousand spectators.