On the 4th of February 2002, on a windy, cold night in Lasalle, the councillors of the riding issued a proclamation declaring the 6th to the 12th of May "Falun Dafa Week" in Lasalle. The councillor who initiated the motion also took a few minutes to give the gathered public and councillors a description of Falun Dafa.
Afterwards, a local journalist interviewed a practitioner and wrote a favourable article about Falun Dafa, reporting on Falun Dafa Week, and the article was published in French and then in English in a local paper.
We discovered that many opportunities for truth-clarification are right outside our doors, and we feel that having "Falun Dafa Weeks" in many cities, and local media reporting on them, will help more of the general public to know about Falun Dafa and understand it in a positive way, and also to see that the lies propagated by the Jiang regime are the spurious foundation upon which the persecution rests. Teacher said, "When you have all the people of the world, and all the people of China, see this evil drama for what it is, could the evil still have any effect? It will collapse." (Fa-Lecture at the Conference in Florida, U.S.A.)
Here is the translation of the proclamation:
WHEREAS Falun Dafa is a very peaceful and healthy exercise practice for mind and body, that emphasizes the assimilation of the universal principles of "Zhen-Shan-Ren" (Truth, Benevolence, Forbearance);
WHEREAS Falun Dafa has benefited our neighbourhoods and the entire society as well as over 100 million practitioners around the world, physically and spiritually, since its introduction to the public in May 1992, and that the contribution of Falun Dafa to society has been recognized and honoured around the world;
WHEREAS Falun Dafa transcends racial and cultural boundaries, sends the universal truth to the entire world and reduces the gap between East and West;
WHEREAS the Compassion and Tolerance demonstrated by Falun Dafa practitioners in the most severe environment has touched the heart of every kind-hearted human being; it is
PROPOSED by Councillor: Alvaro Farinacci
SUPPORTED by Councillor: Oksana Kaluzny
AND RESOLVED:
THAT the Council of the riding proclaims the week of 6th to 12th May as being Falun Dafa Week.