Midwest-US Experience Sharing Conference Is Held In Chicago - Master Li Teaches the Fa in Person

On May the 24th 2004, the Midwest U.S. Falun Dafa Experience Sharing Conference was solemnly held in Rosemont Convention Centre in Chicago. More than 2,000 Falun Gong practitioners from across the U.S. and around the world attended.

At 1:50 p.m. our esteemed Master arrived in person to the conference site to teach the Fa. The practitioners greeted Master with a standing ovation and enthusiastic applause. Master taught the Fa for over 40 minutes. He pointed out two fundamental, prominent problems that have existed for a long time in the character cultivation of Dafa disciples in China and abroad, and that a portion of practitioners (mainly the third group of practitioners inside Mainland China, apart from those who came with pledges and those with predestined relationships) have played a bad role in the persecution. Master emphasised the extreme importance of stepping forward without being affected by the interference, and to clarify the truth and explain the facts at a deeper level.

The conference was held in conjunction with practitioners from around the world converging in Chicago to expose Jiang and his followers' persecution of Falun Gong practitioners in China, and to support the hearing in the 7th Circuit Court to be held on May 27 concerning the lawsuit against Jiang Zemin. Members of the "Van Tour to Support the Lawsuit against Jiang" from New York, Los Angeles and Houston and the Bicycle Tour from Washington DC got on stage to introduce the cause of their trips and share their cultivation experiences during the trips. These Falun Gong practitioners held press conferences, exposed torture techniques used against practitioners in China, performed the exercises and helped the people they met on the way to learn about the persecution of Falun Gong in China and to call for bringing Jiang to justice.

Chicago practitioners shared their experiences in clarifying the truth using the lawsuit against Jiang. Clarifying the truth comprehensively to the legal community requires everyone's participation and cooperation. Creating such an environment requires us to take concrete actions and constantly step forward. In the process of doing truth clarification, if we can constantly eliminate the interference and break through our limitations, our righteous thoughts will create many opportunities. Through clarifying the truth, many people in the legal community learned the truth about Falun Gong and showed great support for the practitioners' efforts to oppose the persecution. An exhibition entitled "Persecution Meets Principle" will open on Chicago's Federal Plaza Monday morning, and will run through Wednesday afternoon. Some in the legal community have called us to wish us success.

Practitioner Lisa from Wisconsin shared experiences from her travels to Europe, Africa and South America early this year to promote Falun Dafa to the local people. The title of her speech was "Falun Dafa Around the World --- Special Greetings to Master from Egypt and Mauritius." She spent about two months travelling to France, Egypt, Tanzania, Zanzibar, Mauritius and Argentina. She was amazed at the local people's warm reception and longing for Falun Dafa. Many people, after learning about Falun Gong, took the initiative to help translate, photocopy and distribute Falun Gong truth clarification materials, and told their friends and relatives about Falun Gong. Lisa said, "It seems that in Egypt, if you tell one person, he will tell ten to twenty people he knows. Many shop owners put up materials on their windows. A tour guide learned that Jiang would come to visit Egypt, and he said he would make a sign with the words 'Falun Dafa is good' on it, and hold it up high." In Mauritius, a predestined person came to study the Fa and expressed that he had been looking for such a cultivation practice, and now someone brought it to his door, and that this was truly miraculous. He asked Lisa to convey his gratitude to Master. Lisa also experienced similar things in other places. People took the initiative to learn the exercises and promote the Fa. No matter where she went, on the plane, in hotels, at restaurants and in taxis, Lisa constantly distributed materials, including when she had to stay in a place for several hours or a day due to transferring flights, such as Dubai, Nairobi and Johannesburg. Lisa hoped to introduce Dafa to more people and bring a beautiful future to them and their nations.

The conference received a large number of experience sharing articles from practitioners in different places, but due to time limitations, they could not all be shared with everyone. Practitioners who had an opportunity to present their papers spoke of how they cultivate themselves, how they offer salvation to people while making phone calls and sending faxes, distributing materials and peacefully appealing in front of Chinese Embassies and Consulates. They clarified the truth to people in different walks of life in the West and called for an end to the persecution of Falun Gong in China.

The conference received many proclamations, including Resolution No. 933 from the Illinois State House of Representatives, which proclaimed May 23-29, 2004 to be Falun Dafa Week. Minneapolis proclaimed May 2004 to be Falun Dafa Month. St. Paul proclaimed May 2004 to be Falun Dafa Month, and the state of Wisconsin proclaimed this week to be Falun Dafa Week. In addition, many state senators, councillors and other officials sent congratulatory letters.

The Fa conference concluded at 6:00 p.m. Before the conference came to an end, the video of Master's lecture was replayed.

In the following few days, the practitioners will continue holding activities in downtown Chicago, including a grand parade and an exhibition entitled, "Persecution Meets Principle."