United Nations Sees the Celebration of World Falun Dafa Day

Two thousand Falun Dafa practitioners performed in front of The United Nations building in New York City on May 11th, 2012, with an exercise demonstration and other performances, to celebrate World Falun Dafa Day and the 20th anniversary of Falun Dafa's public introduction.

In the morning, 2000 practitioners started the celebration with a group exercise practice. White clouds floated in the blue sky above a sea of yellow exercise suits. The scene was solemn and touching, and the participants felt the immerse energy field. After the exercise demonstration, the practitioners performed dances, singing, dragon dance, lion dance, and a Divine Land Marching Band performance.

The participants came from various countries, but they have all benefited from Falun Dafa, and wanted to thank Master.

Dafa Is Most Precious

Sophie from Sweden: I can't use language to express my thankfulness to Falun Dafa

Sophie from Sweden has practised Falun Dafa for ten years. She was very happy and excited about being able to participate in the celebration in New York City. “I had been looking for a belief. After I learned Falun Dafa, I felt it was very, very good. This is what I have been looking for. Now I have practised Falun Dafa for ten years. Nothing in the human world can compare to Dafa.” she said with a smile on her face.

Sophie learned Falun Dafa outside of China. In some truth-clarification materials, she learned that Dafa practitioners continue their beliefs even in the face of persecution. Her heart was shaken. She realised it is a belief that one will protect with their life.

Sophie has higher education degrees and prefers to look for answers herself. “At first, my family asked me why I would practise Falun Gong. Was it like what the Chinese Communist Party pictured? Actually, in oversea countries, many practitioners have advanced degrees, and are scholars, doctors, and many are westerners. I think this is enough to show what Falun Gong is.”

Before practising Dafa, Sophie was troubled by a persistent cough. “It came a few times every year. A very bad cough woke me up 4 or 5 o'clock in the morning. I tried many therapies, including Chinese medicine, but nothing could cure it.” She talked about her initial experiences with Falun Dafa. “The second and third day after reading Zhuan Falun, my cough was very bad. It might have been the worst cough I had in my lifetime. But in my heart, I understood that master was cleansing my body. I have not coughed since then, for ten years. No science can explain it.”

Dafa also raised Sophie's moral level and even affects the people around her. “For two years, my job was to take care of senior people. They would lose their tempers if they didn't get what they demanded, and were sometimes very irrational. The cultivation practice made my heart calm. Sometimes, I didn't need to say anything. I often just stood by the person and he would quiet down. My colleagues felt it was impossible. For other people, it took a lot of time and energy to quiet them down. And their own emotions would be disturbed too. Cultivation gives me such deep peace. Dafa is what my true self was looking for.”

“Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance” Is a Universal Value in the World

Mr. Lu from Japan

Mr. Lu and his wife came to New York from Japan to celebrate the twentieth anniversary of Falun Dafa's introduction to the world's people. The couple had been to New York City every year since the Chinese Communist Party started the persecution of Falun Gong. “At that time, we demanded the United Nations and America to side with justice and support Falun Gong. Now in America, more and more Americans support Falun Gong. This is very different from ten years ago. People now support Falun Gong. It is same in Japan.” Lu said.

Lu began to read the book Zhuan Falun after a friend introduced it to him in 1996. He immediately recognised that it was a very special book. “Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance, very good principles. The book touched my heart. I felt very lucky to read and learn Falun Dafa.” he continued.

Lu's major was in history. But this is a very special book that taught him to look inward whenever a conflict erupted. “When other curse you, misunderstand you, you look at yourself to find out if you did anything wrong to cause this. When you are peaceful, you yield, and without any resentment in your heart.” When he can achieve this, he feels his xinxing [Heart nature; Moral quality] raising quickly. His physical health has also improved dramatically.

Later, seeing her husband's change, Ms. Lu also began practising Falun Dafa. Mr. Lu also introduced the practice to his colleagues, and three of them began cultivating.

No Regret of Tribulations

Ruan Shuang from Australia: I will come to New Year every year if I have the chance, till the persecution ends

Ruan Shuang, a practitioner from Australia, said openly and enthusiastically, “I am excited. Today is a special day.” Ruan said, “I started practising Falun Dafa on April 25th, 1999. Soon after that, China started the persecution of Falun Gong. Today is the 13th anniversary of World Falun Dafa Day. It is also the 13th year that Falun Gong is being persecuted.

“My feeling is complex. The Chinese Communist Party vowed to eliminate Falun Gong in three months, but the result is just the opposite. Falun Gong has spread to over 100 countries. But it is still being persecuted in China. I am one of those being persecuted in China. So if I have chance, I will participate in this event every year, till the persecution ends.”

For the first time, Ruan only took two days to read through Zhuan Falun. Many puzzles in her life were solved, and after practising Falun Dafa, her health improved. She also realised that in life and work, there are always conflicts or confrontations. She can see the reason behind each matter and can easily give up the attachments and maintain a pleasant mood. Ms. Ruan once went to Beijing to appeal for Falun Gong and was thus put in a forced labour camp.

“I experienced the persecution, my life changed, but I am still a happy woman. Every practitioner experiences the beauty of Falun Dafa, and the persecution can't eliminate it. The Chinese Communist Party failed.” Ruan said.