On the evening of Monday, December 10, 2001, Falun Dafa practitioners in Toronto held a Holiday Season Celebration Dinner. It was a very good opportunity to clarify the truth and introduce people to Dafa, Dafa practitioners and the magnificence of the Fa. Among the invited guests were two Toronto City Councilors, a Member of Provincial Parliament, leaders from the Chinese and other local communities, and family and friends of local practitioners. Approximately 350 people packed an auditorium designed to hold around 150. Many people stood in the hallway as well as in the auditorium to watch the performances and on stage ceremonies.
The evening was light-hearted and a warm feeling of benevolence filled the auditorium. There was much laughter throughout the night and invited guests were seen leaving with a glow on their smiling faces. Many people who knew little about Falun Dafa were moved and deeply affected by their experience.
The evening began with a large buffet dinner prepared by practitioners. The food was both delicious and beautifully displayed on two long rows of tables. While the attendees ate, they watched a variety of videos made by practitioners that were projected onto a screen. This allowed the guests, while enjoying a wonderful meal, to become familiar with what Dafa practitioners have been doing.
There were many outstanding performances by practitioners, and a number of the guests were heard commenting on the impressive quality of talent on stage. Among the performances were a delightful display of the Falun Dafa exercises by the young practitioners of the Minghui School, a classical piano performance, traditional Chinese dance and instrumental performance, the singing of opera as well as songs written by practitioners, a fashion show and an exhilarating martial arts sword display. A popular local TV station covered the event. The cameraman stayed to watch many of the performances and had a big smile on his face the whole time. The evening ended with a moving choral number of Dafa songs sung by practitioners.
During the on stage ceremony, a leader from the local Chinese community presented Joel Chipkar and Zenon Dolynyckyj with large calligraphy paintings of the Chinese characters Zhen, Shan, Ren in appreciation for their selfless act of traveling to Tiananmen Square to clarify the truth to the people of China.
There were many positive comments made by guests at the end of the evening. They spoke of a new understanding of Falun Dafa, the kindness of the practitioners, the wonderful performances and the terrific food. Several Chinese guests who had previously been neutral in their opinion of Falun Dafa expressed an interest in looking into the practice for themselves. Two of the last practitioners to leave the building after cleanup were told several times by the attendant in the underground parking garage, "You people are really good people!" An email received from the guest of a practitioner the morning after the dinner read:
"Thank you for your hospitality. The wonderful party I attended last evening is unforgettable and the spirit of Falun Dafa practitioners to pursue their freedom of expression should be appreciated and learned by all of the people in the world. To protect human rights is everyone's responsibility, so that people can live in peace without fear of being oppressed by some vicious individuals.
I highly value Falun Dafa practitioners.
Best wishes,
The day before the dinner, Master Li wrote, "Dafa's most glorious period in the human world begins at this moment." ("Master's New Article: Foretelling the Fa's Rectification of the Human World")
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Category: Parades & Other Community Events
