United States: Yesterday Appealing Together at Tiananmen Square, Today Singing Together On the Stage of the Kennedy Centre

On February 26, a chorus sang a song "Coming for You" in both English and Chinese at the NTDTV's Global Chinese New Year Gala in Washington D.C. The chorus consisted of over forty Falun Gong practitioners from Canada and the U.S.

The "Coming for You" Chorus received extended applause during the Chinese New Year Gala.	Some western Falun Gong practitioners in the Chorus appealed together for Falun Gong at Tiananmen Square about 2 years ago.

From late 2001 to early 2002, many western Falun Gong practitioners from more than ten countries went to the Tiananmen Square to tell Chinese people the truth about the brutal persecution of Falun Gong. However, they practitioners were beaten by policemen, arrested and repatriated. The song "Coming for You" was later written based on their experience. Some of them were singers in this Chorus.

They wholeheartedly hope precious Chinese can listen to the words from their hearts, just as the lyrics of the song,

"Facing violence and danger, again and again I come for you, I come for you. I come with love for you. Precious Chinese people, you know that the whole world says, 'Wonderful Falun Dafa! Falun Dafa Hao [great]!' Do not miss this precious chance."

Mother and Son on the Same Stage

Singer Connie Chipkar from Canada shared her story. She said that she and her son Joel sang together in this chorus. To do well on the Chinese part of this song, she and her son practiced the song together numerous times in Canada.

Shortly before their trip to this Gala in Washington DC, the Ontario Superior Court of Justice pronounced Chinese consul Pan Xinchun guilty of libel for slandering Mr. Joel Chipkar and Falun Gong in a letter to a newspaper in Canada last summer. The Chipkars had been very busy as they had to prepare for court and also do rehearsals. In spite of all the difficulties, they managed to make this trip and contribute their voices from the bottom of their hearts.

Joel was one of the thirty-six western Falun Gong practitioners who appealed together for Falun Gong at Tiananmen Square in Beijing in November 2001. Connie also went to the Tiananmen Square and sang the "Falun Dafa is Great" song in early 2002.

Joel said their performance has a special meaning. He and his mother came to Washington D.C. to tell western countries and the public why they had risked their lives to appeal to the Chinese society. They want to tell people not to believe in the lies of Jiang's propaganda. These lies have been utilized to harm innocent Falun Gong practitioners and the citizens of China as well. He also pointed out that the reason Falun Gong practitioners in all nations are clarifying the truth of Falun Gong to Chinese as well as people all over the world is to safeguard the valuable principle of "Truthfulness-Compassion--Forbearance."

Father and Son Work Hard Together

Another pair of singers in the chorus are father and son, professor Sen Nieh of the Catholic University of America, and his son Hao Nieh. Professor Nieh said that Falun Gong practitioners from different ethnic groups and countries had been invited to sing at the Gala. This indeed is "coming for you," to come for the mainstream of American society to tell them the truth about Falun Gong.

He said that he and his son both enjoy singing and performing. They were delighted to be selected as chorus members and they had practiced very hard to meet the high standard.

"Coming For You" is Well Received

Some members of the U.S. Congress and/or their staff, officials of the U.S. Federal Government as well as ambassadors and consular officials from various nations attended the Gala. The crowd broke into applause mid-song when the photo of western practitioners on Tiananmen Square was displayed. In the end, the performance of the "Coming for You" Chorus received extended applause.

Attorney Mr. Umman and his wife also attended the Gala. He said the most moving performance was the chorus "Coming for You" by Falun Gong practitioners. He said he had never heard such a beautiful song and it clearly came from the bottom of every singer's heart.