United States: Bringing the Grace of Falun Dafa to the People of New York

Several thousand Falun Gong practitioners gathered in New York City for a series of events held over the Labor Day weekend, September 3rd-5th, 2010. Events included an international Falun Dafa Cultivation Experience Sharing Conference, a group exercise practice attended by thousands, and a march through Chinatown and the streets of Manhattan.

On September 4th, 2010, Falun Gong practitioners march in Manhattan Chinatown calling for an end to the persecution

On September 4th, 2010, Falun Gong practitioners march in Manhattan Chinatown calling for an end to the persecution

A practitioner from Austria (left)

Stefan from Germany

Mary from Turkey

A practitioner (left) from Liechtenstein said she would never give up Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance

A practitioner from Austria who has practised Falun Gong for one and a half years participated in the march on September 4th. The theme of the march was to call for an end to the persecution of Falun Gong in China.

She said, "This is my first time to New York. Seeing such good events, I felt great." Speaking about her learning Falun Gong, she said she met a Falun Gong practitioner when she went to China along with a tour group to learn martial arts. He recommended the book Zhuan Falun so she read it and soon after started to practise Falun Gong. Since then, "I have become more quiet than before. I feel ceaseless energy and many things have become simple that weren't before. I don't complain anymore."

Many practitioners wore ethnic clothing. Stefan from Germany wore traditional Bavarian clothing. He was born in Bavaria and currently works in Bonn. To help call for attention to the persecution of Falun Gong in China, Stefan came to New York to participate in the events. He was pleased to participate in the march. He thinks it was a good way to demonstrate the grace of Falun Gong and expose the Chinese Communist Party's (CCP) persecution.

Mary from Turkey said, "I am excited to participate in such an event. I felt that I was the most fortunate person in the world when I held a lotus flower in the march. The practitioners are from different places around the world, but get along well even though they have different cultures and are of different ages."

Mary continued, "I come to New York to learn from other practitioners and demonstrate the grace of Falun Dafa. In the march, spectators along the path were touched by our practitioners."

Falun Gong practitioners live in every corner of the world. A practitioner from the small country of Liechtenstein also participated in the march.

The practitioner from Liechtenstein said, "So many practitioners from around the world come to oppose the persecution in China. We come to the USA frequently to call for an end the 11-year-long persecution. Falun Gong practitioners practice the exercises in China, but are persecuted. Before practising Falun Gong, I had a lot of illnesses. After practising a few months, my illnesses were gone. I will never give up such a good practice. Falun Gong teaches me to be a good person. I will never give up Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance."