United States: Clarifying the Truth at the World Beat Festival in Oregon

The annual World Beat Festival in Salem, Oregon was held on June 25th and 26th by the Salem Multicultural Institute. About 30,000 people celebrated the cultural diversity of the community of Salem. Local Falun Gong practitioners also set up a booth to introduce the Fa and expose the brutal persecution of Falun Gong in China.

Talking to people about Falun Gong	People learning the exercises

Many people were drawn to the practitioners' booth. Several groups of people learned the exercises, and more asked for contact information for the local exercise site. Several social workers said that they hoped to organise workshops in the future and invite practitioners to teach the exercises.

Many people had already heard about the persecution in China. They wanted to know more and expressed their support to the practitioners. Some said to the practitioners that it is important for them to communicate with the public, because very few people can imagine that such a brutal persecution is still happening in China – especially when they often hear about the economic development in China from the media. Practitioners passed out postcards calling upon President Obama to help end the persecution. Many people took postcards and said that they would send them to him. Several groups invited practitioners to talk about Falun Gong at their events.

An older gentleman came to the practitioners' booth on both days. He didn't talk much, but observed the practitioners doing the exercises and talking to other people. At the end of the festival, he helped practitioners clean up and take apart the booth.

Another gentleman was very happy to talk to the practitioners. He said that he would remember the “words of wisdom” from the practitioners. Practitioners told him that their wisdom is from Dafa, and he said that he would learn more about Falun Gong.

Several people told practitioners that they appreciated the chance to learn the facts about Falun Gong. They hoped that the practitioners would take part in the festival again next year.