(Clearwisdom.net) On April 9, 2002, from 2pm to 5:30pm, A celebration in appreciation of those who aided in Lin Shenli's rescue and return was held in the hall on the second floor of the academic building at the University of Concordia in Montreal. MP Irwin Cotler, Ms. Carole Channer representing Amnesty International, Ms. Yvonne Christiansen, Professor Lamontagne from University of Montreal, Patrice Blais, the chairman of the University of Montreal Student Association and others attended the appreciation celebration. Several Chinese, English and French media covered the event.
At the homecoming party, Mr. Lin Shenli and his wife, Mrs. Li Jinyu again expressed their gratitude to all Canadian social circles for their great effort in Lin Shenli's release. Mr. Lin Shenli and his wife had been brutally persecuted by the Chinese Government because they adhered to their belief of "Truthfulness, Compassion and Forbearance"; Lin had been illegally sent to a forced-labor camp for a year and a half; his term was extended because he refused "to be forced to give up his belief". Later, upon an intensified appeal and help from many Canadian social circles, Lin Shenli returned to Canada and reunited with his wife. During this period, many Canadian members of Parliament, NGOs and numerous people made great efforts for Lin's release.
At the homecoming party, Lin Shenli also stated that the Chinese Regime had attempted to force him to give up his belief of "Truthfulness, Compassion and Forbearance" through brutal physical abuse and brainwashing. "However", he said, "Truth and justice can not be defeated!"
The chairman of the University of Concordia Student Union then spoke. He said the University of Concordia steadfastly supported Falun Gong practitioners whose basic human rights are being violated in China and would continue their support. He also expressed, such actions of justice, one after another, would eventually break through the persecution against Falun Gong conducted by the dictator in China.
During his interview with media, Mr. Irwen Cotler, the well-known attorney of International Human Rights Law, professor of law and the member of Canadian Parliament said, Lin Shenli's release was the result of his inspiration of "Truthfulness, Compassion and Forbearance"; as a wife, Li Jinyu's unremitting appeal for her husband's release set up the role model for people; the way Falun Gong appealed for the end of the persecution in China gained wide praise; all of these were obtained under the guidance of "Truthfulness, Compassion and Forbearance". Mr. Irwin Cotler also said that he always insisted that the Canadian Government should condemn the Chinese Government's persecution against Falun Gong in this annual United Nations Human Rights Meeting. He also thought that the Canadian Government should link the Chinese Government's persecution against Falun Gong with the two countries' relationship.
While the attendees were enjoying the delicious food Dafa practitioners had prepared, practitioners also performed a dance to the music "Pudu" and "Feitian" and sang Dafa songs of "Tell you the Words from the Bottom of My Heart", "On the Way Home", etc, which were all produced and directed by themselves. These pure dances and songs from practitioners' hearts touched everyone on the scene. Many people in the audience who attended the homecoming party were new immigrants to Canada and students of the University of Concordia.
Practitioners' dance, taken by Mr. Yves Provencher, the photographer of local English newspaper Gazette
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Category: April 25 Events