(Minghui.org) Falun Dafa practitioners in the San Francisco Bay Area held a parade and other activities on Saturday, May 11, 2024, to celebrate the 32nd anniversary of Falun Dafa’s introduction to the world and the founder’s Master Li Hongzhi’s birthday. Many people said that if everyone could follow the principles of Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance, the world would be completely different from what it is now.
Video: San Francisco Falun Dafa practitioners celebrate World Falun Dafa Day and respectfully wish Master a happy birthday!
Practitioners did the exercises at the Ferry Building on May 11, 2024.
Practitioners wish Master a happy birthday.
Practitioners hold a parade to celebrate Falun Dafa Day.
At 9 a.m. practitioners did the exercises in front of the Ferry Building as part of their World Falun Dafa Day celebration. Many people were attracted and some wanted to know more about Falun Gong. Some learned the exercises.
The parade departed from the Ferry Building at noon, went along Embarcadero Avenue, passed by the famous Fisherman’s Wharf, and arrived at Ocean Park.
The parade consisted of three sections: The first was Falun Dafa is good, which was composed of the Tian Guo Marching Band, the Dragon Dance Team, the Small Fa Boat, the Banner Team, the Flag Team, the exercise team, and the float. The theme of the second section was quitting the CCP (Chinese Communist Party). The theme of the third section was exposing the persecution, and demanding an end to the CCP’s atrocities of live organ harvesting.
Falun Gong Has Made Me a Better Person
Nivid Vanahi from Iran, participated in the day’s celebrations. He began practicing Falun Gong in 2003. Before cultivating, he had been exploring the mysteries of the universe and the purpose of life. He said, “After I read Zhuan Falun I understood where human beings came from and the mysteries of the universe. I knew that Falun Gong was what I had been looking for. I found the answers to all my questions in Falun Gong.”
Nivid Vanahi was happy to participate in the celebrations.
“Falun Gong changed my life,” he said. “It made me a better person. My body is stronger than before, and my character also improved.”
He said that he was very happy to participate in today’s parade to celebrate Falun Dafa Day, “I want to tell people that Falun Dafa is good. People of all ages practice, and Falun Dafa is for everyone. The CCP’s persecution is wrong.”
Tanya Alva started practicing in 2008 when she suffered from severe headaches, back pain, and ear inflammation that made her almost lose her hearing, “After I practiced Falun Dafa for three months, my left ear was healed, and after six months of practice, my right ear was also healed, and I never had inflammation again.”
Alva said practicing Falun Dafa changed her life.
She was very happy to be able to participate and said, “Today we are celebrating Master Li Hongzhi’s birthday, and celebrating the 32nd anniversary of the Falun Dafa’s introduction. I want to tell people that Falun Dafa is very good and the CCP’s persecution and slander of Falun Dafa is wrong. We are good people following Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance.”
Recent Chinese Immigrant: It’s Great to See So Many Falun Gong Practitioners
Mr. Wang who came to the United States a year ago, attended the celebrations and said that he just attended the Nine Day Falun Dafa Workshop last week, “I heard of Falun Gong before, but there is no cultivation environment in China. Practicing Falun Gong can make people healthy and happy, so I joined the study class.”
He said that people in the U.S. have the freedom to practice, “I am very happy and free here. Seeing so many Falun Gong practitioners today, I feel that the atmosphere is very good, and I like this activity very much.”
Tourist: Practitioners’ Energy Field Is Very Pure
Sana Bhumbla and Holly Kranker, two young people from different cities, just met and traveled together. When they passed by the event site and saw Falun Dafa practitioners doing the exercises, they stopped and watched.
Kranker said she strongly believes in the principles of Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance.
Bhumbla said, “We were fascinated by the colorful costumes and the peaceful music. I was amazed at how peaceful and serene they were, focusing on the same thing and not being distracted by the loud noises, which required a lot of concentration. I can feel how pure their energy field is, and how peaceful they are—a connection with God.”
Kranker couldn’t agree more with her friend, “There seems to be a plan for our chance encounter to show us such beautiful exercises. I also very much agree with the principles of Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance, which are very important to us. I think it comes from God’s message to us.”
Regarding the brutal persecution experienced by Falun Gong in China, Bhumbla said angrily, “All ethnic groups have freedom of belief, which is a basic human right, and people with faith want to be good.”
Brazilian Tourists: Falun Gong Can Change Our World
Silvia Sombimi and Patricia Scazanosqi from Brazil wanted to learn more about Falun Gong when they passed by practitioners doing the exercises.
Silvia Sombimi (left) and Patricia Scazanosqi said that Falun Dafa’s peaceful and pure practice can change our world.
“Relaxed, happy, peaceful, pure, positive energy, unity of man and God!” This is how Silvia and Patricia described their reaction when they saw practitioners doing the exercises.
Silvia said, “I like this peaceful exercise very much, and I think that the peaceful and pure exercise (of Falun Gong) can change our world, and the negative energy in our body can be corrected and the soul can be healed.”
“I can feel that these kind cultivators seem to be leading us to communicate with God,” Patricia said, “Falun Gong takes Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance as its cultivation principles, which is a universal value. I especially like the word Compassion, because it tells us to respect others and be kind without being selfish.”
“‘Falun Dafa is good,’ I like this sentence very much, although it is just a simple sentence with far-reaching meaning.” Silvia finally stated.
Local Resident: I Hope to Witness the Collapse of the CCP in My Lifetime
Rose Carnell, a San Francisco resident, likes the Falun Dafa exercises and said, “It’s great to see them do the exercises here. Their movements are very peaceful, and all my negative thoughts are gone.”
Carnell was outraged by the brutal persecution of Falun Dafa in China, “The CCP unscrupulously imposed persecution just because it wants to prevent practitioners from cultivating Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance. The CCP ignores human rights and should step down.”
Carnell believes that more people should be made aware of the brutal persecution that Falun Gong experienced in China, “You should persevere, and do more and bigger, so that the whole world knows the evil nature of the CCP and stands up to condemn their evil deeds until the day when the CCP stops persecuting and collapses. I hope to witness that day in my lifetime.”
Craig (left) and Vicki (right) said the principles of Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance are good.
Vicki and Craig learned about the CCP’s persecution of Falun Gong and condemned the CCP’s atrocities. Vicki said, “The CCP’s persecution of Falun Gong is too terrifying, you are a peaceful group. Who wouldn’t like these principles?”
Craig said they are Christians, “And it’s about freedom of belief. The CCP’s persecution is wrong.”
Julie who lives in San Francisco, was attracted by the peaceful scene as practitioners did the exercises, “Practitioners are doing very well. This is very peaceful. The world needs this. The principles of Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance are very beautiful. The world should be like them. If everyone can follow Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance, and care for each other, then the world will be completely different. Those who persecute Falun Dafa are wrong.”
Julie said if everyone followed Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance, the world would be completely different.
Annie, from Ohio, said that the Ohio government had just given Falun Gong practitioners a commendation, “I work in the mayor’s office in Columbus, and practitioners come to the mayor’s office every year to introduce Falun Gong to us. I support Falun Gong and I like the principles of Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance.”
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