Canada: Falun Gong Practitioners Win First Prize in Parade in Port Coquitlam

On June 14th, 2009, Falun Gong practitioners were invited to participate in the annual parade held in the city of Port Coquitlam, Vancouver, and won the first prize. Ms. Fang, who coordinated the parade, said that it was the sixth year that the practitioners took part in the city's parade, and they have won the highest prize several times.

Falun Gong practitioners' contingent in the parade

Three Chinese Characters embroidered on three banners mean Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance, the cultivation principles of Falun Dafa

Practitioner holds up the First Prize certificate

The Divine Land Marching Band in traditional Chinese costumes led the Falun Gong contingent in the parade. Following the band was a beautifully-decorated float on which practitioners demonstrated the Falun Gong exercises; behind the float were the celestial maidens dance team and the waist drum team. The contingent marched in the parade majestically, and won warm applause from spectators along the parade route. Many people danced to the beat of the music performed by the marching band.

Many spectators were Chinese immigrants from mainland China. They were very excited upon seeing the Falun Gong contingent composed mainly of Chinese. They took pictures to record such a precious moment. A lady from Beijing said that her relatives practise Falun Gong, and she had learned that Falun Gong has been subjected to the persecution imposed by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). She had also learned that there are many practitioners outside China. She said that the CCP is wrong to persecute people of faith.

Ms. Yao, in the Falun Gong contingent, is a new immigrant from China. She got off work at 3:00 a.m. that morning, and then hurriedly went to take part in the parade. She started practising Falun Gong in 2006 in China, the seventh year since the persecution of Falun Gong started. Ms. Yao said that one of her friends is a Falun Gong practitioner; she learned from her friend about what Falun Gong is and how the CCP has brutally mistreated practitioners under the persecution and fabricated lies to smear and defame Falun Gong. After learning the facts about Falun Gong, Ms. Yao began practising. "I felt extremely good after practising Falun Gong, I enjoyed ease of mind and I was relaxed. My friends said I seemed younger." Ms. Yao said emotionally, "Since I came to Canada two years ago, I have tried to take part in all Falun Gong activities, so that more people can see the magnificence of Falun Gong."

Mr. Jia just started practising Falun Gong several months ago. He used to drive his practitioner mother and wife to take part in parades, but today, his whole family came. His five-year-old daughter and three-year-old son were busy handing out Falun Gong flyers to spectators along the parade route.