(Minghui.org) The Tian Guo Marching Band from Toronto drove 350 kilometers (217 miles) to Essex, Ontario, to participate in the Santa Claus Parade on December 10, 2022. Many people, including a city councilor, said that they were interested in learning more about Falun Dafa.
Since the beginning of this year, the band, composed of Falun Dafa practitioners, has been invited to participate in 16 parades in large and small cities, including nine Christmas parades. The band introduced Falun Dafa to many cities and towns.
The Tian Guo Marching Band in the Santa Clause Parade in Essex on December 10
City Councilor Interested in Learning More About Falun Dafa
Brad Allard, Essex city councilor
Brad Allard is a member of the Essex City Council. He smiled as he watched the band and said, “The music they play is very nice.” He got a Falun Dafa flyer and said that he would read it carefully.
It Is Great to Follow Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance
Jackie Bray, President and Treasurer of the Canadian Cowgirls
Jackie Bray, President and Treasurer of the Canadian Cowgirls, led a horseback team from Chatham, Ontario, in the parade. She said, “We met the band when we were in Windsor for a parade last week.”
A practitioner told her that the members of Tian Guo Marching Band were all Falun Dafa practitioners. In their daily lives, they follow the principles of Truthfulness, Compassion, and Forbearance. Jackie said, “I think it would be difficult to achieve Truthfulness, Compassion, and Forbearance at the same time. But this is very good. I support it.”
Support Falun Gong Practitioners
Tou, a local restaurant owner, said the Tian Guo Marching Band was awesome.
Tou stepped out of his restaurant to watch the parade. He said, “A customer was discussing what groups would be in the parade. I heard that the Tian Guo Marching Band would participate. The band is awesome!”
Tou expressed his support for the principles of Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance that practitioners follow. “As a restaurant owner, I want to be kind to people. I like to help those in need. I think kindness comes from the heart and does not ask for anything in return. I support Falun Dafa practitioners’ belief.”
Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance Makes Life Happy
Jamie and his daughter
Jamie lives in Essex and brought his three daughters to watch the parade. He said, “The band’s music is really wonderful. They are outstanding.” When he learned that the guiding principles of Falun Dafa are Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance, he said, “Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance will make life happy.”
Local resident Linda
Linda, a local resident, watched the parade with her grandson and granddaughter. She praised the band and said, “They are very good, and the costumes are also nice.” She asked where the band was from. She said, “Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance are beautiful values. This persecution is terrible.”
Brothers Tony and Nick came from Michigan in the U.S. to participate in the parade. They agree with Falun Dafa’s principles of Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance. Nick said, “These values can guide people to be kinder to each other. When others hurt me, I have always treated them with kindness.”
When a practitioner told them that in China practitioners risk being imprisoned if they meditate in public. Tony said, “I support practitioners. People should uphold what they believe in.”
Background: What Is Falun Dafa and Why Is the CCP Persecuting It?
Falun Dafa (also known as Falun Gong) was first introduced to the public by Mr. Li Hongzhi in Changchun, China, in 1992. The spiritual discipline is now practiced in over 100 countries and regions worldwide. Millions of people who have embraced the teachings, which are based on the principles of Truthfulness, Compassion, and Forbearance, and have learned the five exercises have experienced improved health and well-being.
Jiang Zemin, the late former head of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), perceived the spiritual discipline’s growing popularity as a threat to the CCP’s atheistic ideology, and on July 20, 1999, he issued an order to eradicate the practice.
Under Jiang’s personal direction, the CCP established the 610 Office, an extralegal security organization with the power to override the police and judicial systems and whose sole function is to carry out the persecution of Falun Dafa.
Minghui.org has confirmed the deaths of thousands of practitioners as a result of the persecution over the past 23 years. The actual number is believed to be much higher. Countless practitioners have been imprisoned and tortured for their faith.
There is concrete evidence that the CCP sanctions harvesting organs from detained practitioners, who are murdered to supply China’s organ transplant industry.
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