The city of Brisbane held a series of activities from February 4th to 6th in China Town to celebrate the Chinese New Year. According to the host, more than 50,000 people participated in the event this year. Falun Dafa practitioners were invited to the event for the first time.
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| Visitors learn about Falun Dafa |
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| Practitioners demonstrate the five exercises |
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| The audience enjoys practitioners' performance |
On the evening on February 5th, Falun Gong practitioners performed the lion dance. The atmosphere was heated, the sound of gongs and drums mixed with the audiences' cheers. The stage was surrounded by a tightly packed crowd. The lively and endearing Chinese lion caught everyone’s attention and was loudly applauded as it jumped and turned.
The announcer introduced Falun Dafa to the audience with both Chinese and English between programmes. A young couple, Jeffery and Cathy, said that they took their child to China Town to see the Chinese New Year celebration every year. “We are glad to know that this year Falun Dafa is one of the performing groups. Falun Dafa is suppressed in China and it is important to let more Australians know more about the truth of Falun Dafa,” said the couple.
The next Falun Dafa performance, “Lotus Dance,” started with graceful music. The cheering crowd turned silent. They quietly listened to the engaging music as they watched the artists' dance elegant dance movements. After that was the Xinjiang Dance. The vigorous and cheerful music and dance won the spectators’ hearts.
William, Director of the Falun Dafa Association in Queensland, said that they were glad to celebrate Chinese New Year with the people in Brisbane and let more people know about the practice. “We made delicate paper lotus flowers with Falun Dafa website information on them, in hopes that everyone will go home and learn more about the practice online.”
On the 6th, practitioners demonstrated the five exercises on the stage. Many people approached the practitioners after the demonstration wanting more information on the practice.
An Australian man with three children came to the Falun Dafa booth and told the practitioners that he was sympathetic with practitioners in China who suffer in the persecution. “I have signed a petition to support you. I am going to sign the petition again today because the Chinese Communist Party should stop suppressing Falun Gong.”
According to the host of the activities, on the morning on the 6th, an official from the Chinese Consulate saw that there were Falun Dafa performances and a booth. He questioned the host why he had invited Falun Dafa. The host replied to the official, “You think you are in China?!” The host told the practitioner later, “Please don’t worry. The mayor supports you.”
The celebration ended in the evening of the 6th. The host told the practitioners, “I did not know your performances were so great!”
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