(Minghui.org) Practitioners from the Greater Philadelphia area participated in the Newark Community Day at the University of Delaware on September 17, 2023. They have participated in this event for 10 years. Their exercise demonstrations and colorful booth attracted many people who talked with them and learned about Falun Dafa. 

Organized by the Newark Parks and Recreation Department, the Christina School District, and the University of Delaware, this popular activity provides an opportunity for local residents to gather together for mutual understanding. Although the event this year ended an hour early due to rain, the various performances on two stages and presentations from about 100 participating groups, were well-received by the attendees. 

Practitioners demonstrated the exercises during the Newark Community Day on September 17, 2023.

A practitioner sang, “Be Saved.”

People stopped at the booth to learn about Falun Dafa. 

People signed the petition to support the Falun Gong Protection Act.

A student reads a flyer about Falun Dafa.

County Council President: Supporting Freedom of Belief

Karen Hartley-Nagle (right) is president of the New Castle County Council.

Many elected officials attended the event to celebrate with the community. Among them was Karen Hartley-Nagle, president of New Castle County Council. She said the human rights abuses Falun Dafa practitioners suffer in China are unacceptable. 

Ms. Hartley-Nagle has been very supportive of Falun Dafa for many years and she is currently running for county executive of New Castle. She said the persecution by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) is horrible, and she and her colleagues issued two proclamations calling for an end to the atrocities. She said she would continue to call attention to the persecution until it ends. 

Graduate Students Interested in Falun Dafa

Graduate students Aniket Turaskar (left) and Sidd (right) are interested in Falun Dafa. 

Sidd, a graduate student in cyber security at the University of Delaware, said he learned a lot at the Falun Dafa booth and feels that everyone can benefit from the principles of Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance. He said the peaceful energy field he felt as practitioners did the exercises intrigued him and he was interested in practicing. “I will definitely try (practicing Falun Dafa),” he said. 

Aniket Turaskar is an MBA student majoring in business analysis. He was excited to hear about the benefits of Falun Dafa as a practitioner introduced the practice. He signed up for a workshop scheduled for October 7 and said he looked forward to it. Speaking of the mistreatment practitioners suffered in China for their belief, he said the persecution is wrong because “Everyone should have freedom of belief.”

Mechanical Engineer: Stop the Suppression in China

Rob Hartman and his children.

Mechanical engineer Rob Hartman and his children came to the booth to learn about Falun Dafa. During the event, practitioners distributed paper lotus flowers and showed people how to make them. Rob and his children were very interested, especially after they learned that the lotus flower symbolizes purity, and his children learned how to make them. 

Mr. Hartman said he liked the words on the bookmark attached to the flower: “Falun Dafa is good,” and “Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance is good.” He was sad to hear about the ongoing suppression by the CCP in China. He said Falun Dafa is such a beautiful practice and should be encouraged because the principles of Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance promote mankind’s positive characteristics. “We cannot tolerate the persecution. The CCP must stop committing these crimes,” he said.