United States: Falun Gong Practitioners from Around the World Gather in Washington DC for Annual Experience Sharing Conference

Fa conference venue

The annual Washington DC Falun Dafa Cultivation Experience Sharing Conference was held on July 19th, 2008 in Constitution Hall. More than 3,000 Falun Dafa practitioners from around the world attended this grand event.

Falun Dafa practitioners share their cultivation experiences

Fifteen Chinese and Western practitioners shared their cultivation experience and understanding in studying the Fa well, improving xinxing and clarifying the facts of the persecution. Several practitioners talked about how to look within to cultivate themselves well in doing Fa-validation work, and how to break partitions between practitioners and projects so as to achieve better cooperation and communication among practitioners.

Mr. Li from Ottawa, Canada shared how practitioners turned a bad thing into a good thing at Canadian Tulip Festival. The Tulip Festival organising committee cancelled the performance by the Divine Land Marching Band under the Chinese Communist Party's (CCP) pressure. But practitioners kept clarifying the facts to the committee and exposed the evil in the media, and in the end, the Tulip Festival organising committee formally apologised and invited the Divine Land Marching Band back to perform at the Tulip Festival. Mr. Li also shared how he strengthened his Fa study, looked within in his busy Fa-validation work, and resumed his good state of striving forward diligently and assimilating to the Fa.

Mr. Gong, who teaches at a university in the United States, shared his experience of clarifying the facts on a large scale through sending emails to overseas Chinese students in the email group of CSSA. He said, "When clarifying the facts to the Chinese, I have remained modest, rational and peaceful. Though some people cursed me with vile language, that was only a handful of them, while more people had an opportunity to learn the facts. Some even replied my emails to express their support."

Several western practitioners involved with English Epoch Times newspaper work collectively shared the challenges they are faced with after the English Epoch Times newspaper changed from a weekly to a daily newspaper. They also shared how they cultivated themselves solidly and improved themselves in the process. Several western practitioners gave up their comfortable lives - in order to ensure the regular operation of the daily newspaper, they have been working day and night. Their sincere heart and their sense of urgency were really touching.

Jan Jekielek, a western practitioner from Poland shared how after the CCP accomplices attacked a Falun Dafa practitioner in Poland, practitioners in Europe took the opportunity to clarify the facts to local government and the media to expose the evil deeds.

A practitioner who has been clarifying the facts in Flushing, New York reported how they have remained steadfast in their righteous thoughts and exposed the evil under great pressure. However, they believe that practitioners still need to make great efforts to clarify to the mainstream society, officials at the city, state and federal government levels and the US federal government how the CCP has infiltrated overseas, and controlled student groups, pro-communist organisations, and overseas Chinese media. The practitioners' ultimate goal is to turn this "bad thing" into a real good thing, so that the evil will be regretful for doing evil deeds in the first place.

Ms. Wang from Sweden introduced European practitioners' experience of clarifying the facts to government officials at different levels during the two Eutelsat incidents. She said, "With the constant progress of Fa-rectification, I more and more realise in validating the Fa, that in almost all Dafa projects, it is very hard to succeed in doing something by only relying on a few practitioners. On most occasions, it requires everybody's cooperation. The Eutelsat incident is not NTDTV's own business, but a big test that our cooperation as a whole body has become perfect and indestructible."

Several practitioners shared their understanding and insights on promoting Divine Performing Arts Chinese Spectacular shows. They also shared their experience of letting go of ego, and treating practitioners with tolerance as well as cooperating as a whole. A one-hour documentary on Divine Performing Arts was shown at the Fa conference. The documentary recorded in detail the development of the Divine Performing Arts. Teachers and students take constantly purifying themselves as their mission. Their spirit and practice of "Let joy be found in hardship" ("Tempering the Will", Hong Yin ) are really touching.

At the end of the Fa conference, Minghui School Summer Camp young practitioners performed two songs "Song of Minghui Summer Camp" and "Falun Dafa Is Great." Washington DC Minghui School young practitioners performed a dance. The young practitioners' pure and lovable performances gained warm applause from the audience.

The Fa conference concluded at 5:30 p.m.