(Minghui.org) Falun Dafa waist drummers and local practitioners participated in the Golowan Festival parade in Penzance, UK on June 24, 2023. They played inspiring Falun Dafa music, including Falun Dafa Is Good.
Penzance is located in the southwest of England and is known as a summer tourist destination. The 32-year-old Golowan Festival is a 10-day summer event that brings together music, performances, fireworks, culture and parades from June 16 to 25. It is the second largest street festival in the UK.
The Mazey Day parades on June 24 are a celebration of the traditional community Mid-Summer Festival and St. John’s Day, which started as early as the 19th century. The parades form the core part of the whole festival. The BBC Radio and local media broadcast the parades live.
The Falun Dafa waist drum team participated in the Mazey Day Crowst Parade on June 24, 2023.
Falun Dafa practitioners demonstrate the Dafa exercises.
There were many people on the seashore on the night of Friday, June 23. The fireworks were brilliant and gorgeous, which brought out the joyous atmosphere of the festival. The parade officially started at 11 a.m. on June 24. The streets were crowded with groups of people, and schools carrying large parade structures made of paper and rattan. The sun was shining, the sea was beautiful, and there were many tourists. When the Falun Dafa waist drum team appeared in the parade, there was tremendous applause.
The waist drum team has participated in the parade in Penzance twice in the past – in 2008 and 2009. It became a hot topic in the local news. After an absence of 14 years, practitioners took part in the festivities again.
People Encouraged by Falun Dafa
“I know about Falun Dafa. My mother is a Vietnamese,” said Paul, an artist who often tours abroad and has also been to China. He once saw many people practicing Falun Gong on the beach in the early morning in Vietnam. He said, “I know they are tolerant and compassionate. I understand that they are people who require themselves to be good.”
Paul’s admiration could be felt when he talked about the drum team’s performance, “It was amazing! It was unbelievable, and the spirit was perfect. Yes, you can see that too, everyone among the people was also inspired by it. The practitioners have a completely different energy, rooted in mindfulness of their behavior, embodying the practice, which is important. We’re living in a world where everyone looks at their mobile phones. People don’t care about others, but the practitioners are so focused on helping those being persecuted. They are truly healthy and respected people.”
Glen Wheeler, who watched the parade with friends, said, “I am a fisherman and a Christian. I know that Christians in China are being persecuted, and that is a terrible thing. Whatever the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) chooses to do, as long as people support each other and persevere, Falun Dafa practitioners can continue to fulfill their mission.”
Fiona saw the words “Truthfulness, Compassion, Forbearance” on the origami lotus flower she received from a practitioner and said with emotion, “Everyone has the right to believe in their own religion. No matter what they believe in, they should not be suppressed.”
Fiona (left) and her friend support Falun Dafa.
Fiona’s friend said, “It is illegal to persecute freedom of belief. Everyone can share thoughts, live in a different way. People’s way of thinking and living cannot be suppressed. The CCP should not persecute human rights and intimidate people. Fighting for human rights is basically illegal in China. It’s scary that people don’t have a choice [there].”
“Seeing Your Photos Online”
The practitioners set up a booth on the seaside boulevard on June 25. A passer-by told the practitioners, “I saw a lot of your photos on Facebook.” He said that the photos were reposted and spread by the local media. People shared the link on a Facebook page and expressed concern about the CCP’s persecution of Falun Dafa.
Falun Dafa practitioners had a booth in Penzance to introduce the spiritual practice.
The performances by Falun Dafa practitioners at the festival on Saturday and Sunday conveyed the principles of Truthfulness, Compassion, and Forbearance. Several spectators learned the exercises from the practitioners. People enjoyed interacting with the practitioners. Some said they experienced strong energy, and some mentioned their compassion. A number of people said they were interested in the local free exercise class.
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