(Clearwisdom.net) On the afternoon of July 4, 2009, the annual Independence Day Parade was held on Saipan Island, the capital of the US Commonwealth of the Mariana Islands. For the eighth time, the Falun Dafa Association of Saipan participated in the parade. Among the 15 groups representing different countries and ethnic groups, the Falun Dafa group was the largest and most outstanding.
Falun Dafa practitioners' performance received a warm welcome from the audience
On the morning of July 3, a day before the parade, Chairman of the Parade Committee Mr. Felipe Atalig visited the rehearsal of the Divine Land Marching Band. He was very impressed and immediately reassigned the Falun Dafa group to the second position behind the Governor and Mayor's motorcade and the US Marine Band.
At 2 p.m. on July 4, the parade started. Led by the Divine Land Marching Band, the Falun Dafa procession was applauded and cheered along the route. When the band performed in front of the main stage they played "Falun Dafa Is Good" and "American the Beautiful," and all the VIP's on the stage stood up to applaud and salute.
Following two banners reading "Falun Dafa" and "The World Needs Truthfulness-Benevolence- Forbearance," Minghui School students and the Celestial Maiden Dance Team performed dances. The enthusiastic spectators took many photos and videos.
Next came the float decorated with a large lotus flower and a model of Zhuan Falun. A young lady in Tang costume waved to the audience. Behind the float, the precision waist drum team beat out an awesome rhythm.
Their performance showed people the beauty of Falun Dafa, and many Chinese agreed that this was the best group in the parade. After the parade, the practitioners continued to hand out fliers and truth-clarification materials. Many Chinese took the materials and openly announced their withdrawal from the Chinese Communist Party and its affiliated organizations.
Mr. Felipe Atalig agreed "Falun Dafa is good" and also took the contact information for the Divine Land Marching Band, saying he would invite the band to perform at the next Independence Day celebration.
In the evening, practitioners were invited to the stage to perform. Back in May, the Saipen Art Council had already assigned them the 8:30 to 9 p.m. time slot, truly prime time for the night event.
The Divine Land Marching Band attracted many Saipan residents
In the night, spectators packed the audience for the performances on stage. The Falun Dafa group started with a dance by the students from the Minghui School. Next, the young practitioners performed Fan dances. When the Divine Land Marching Band played, the audience applauded long and loud.
The Art Council issued the invitation to next year's event immediately afterward. Marching out of the event site, many people followed the band and expressed their appreciation.
A Chinese restaurant owner talked to a practitioner, saying, "You (Falun Dafa Group) were the best of all the groups, the most outstanding. In the evening, your performances were the best, too. I was very moved. Being in Saipan for many years, this is the first time I've felt proud of being Chinese. 'Falun Dafa Hao (Falun Dafa is great)!'"
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