(Minghui.org) The Tian Guo Marching Band participated in the 54th annual Windsor Santa Claus Parade on December 3, 2022. It’s a five hour drive from Toronto to Windsor, Ontario, near the border between Canada and the U.S. The parade featured floats, marching bands, and community groups. The Tian Guo Marching Band was the number 4 team in the parade line-up.
The parade was live broadcast and the host introduced the band over a loud speaker saying they were Falun Dafa practitioners and most were Chinese. He explained that Falun Dafa is practiced around the world and uplifts morality. “The band’s performance is splendid.”
Screen shots of the report on WindsoriteDOTca News.
Member of Provincial Parliament: Hope More People Practice Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance
Andrew Downe is a Member of Provincial Parliament representing Windsor-Tecumseh, Ontario. He and others listened as the band rehearsed before the parade began. He said, “We’ve been listening to them for more than 20 minutes, and they’re phenomenal. I wish I could hear them more often. They bring us the joy of Christmas.”
Andrew Downe, a Member of Provincial Parliament representing Windsor-Tecumseh, Ontario
Mr. Downe said he had not heard of Falun Dafa before. When he learned that practitioners follow Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance, he said that in his daily life, he also holds himself to this standard, because he wants to benefit people. He wished that more people in the community would practice Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance.
He said he knew the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) did some violent and evil deeds, and he condemned the CCP’s persecution of Falun Dafa practitioners. He was happy that practitioners could come to Canada. He said, “Here they can have the freedom of belief, follow their heart and be good people. But in China, people are deprived of their freedom.” He expressed his support for the victims and condemned the persecution.
Member of Parliament: Thank You for Coming
Irek Kusmierczyk is the Ontario MP representing Windsor-Tecumseh.
Irek Kusmierczyk, MP for Ontario (middle)
He said it was amazing that so many people from the Tian Guo Marching Band traveled to Windsor from as far away as Toronto. He welcomed them to the community. He thanked them for bringing joy and energy to the community.
A Couple Decide to Learn Falun Dafa Online
Brandon and his wife Melissa praised the Tian Guo Marching Band. Melissa said, “The band’s music is so beautiful, so exciting. I love it.” Brandon agreed.
When Brandon heard that the Falun Dafa exercises included a one-hour meditation he said, “It will make my heart feel relaxed.” Melissa said, “Everything about Falun Dafa, including Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance and meditation, are so beautiful to me. I am very interested because we both like to meditate. Every night we meditate to relax our minds.”
Brandon and his wife Melissa wish to learn Falun Dafa.
Brandon said they planned to learn Falun Dafa online.
Chinese Spectators Happy to See Falun Dafa
Eugene is from Malaysia and is Chinese. He watched the parade with his friend from China. When he saw the banner bearing the words “Falun Dafa” carried in front of the Marching Band, he exclaimed, “Falun Dafa!”
When the band passed by, a Chinese woman named Shi saw the Falun Dafa banner. She and her daughter waved their hands and warmly greeted practitioners holding the banner. The practitioners happily waved to them.
When a practitioner asked her what impression she had of Falun Gong, she said, “Many years ago, when I was in China, I knew CCP persecuted them. However, I think people should have freedom to choose their own beliefs, and I agree with the values of Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance.”
A Chinese man named Zhang held his daughter and watched the parade with his wife. When he was asked if he could see the words written on the banner, he said, “Yes, it’s Falun Dafa.” He then said that he had seen Shen Yun in New York before, and he was moved. His wife said that Shen Yun was beautiful. He said, “We are free here. [Falun Gong practitioners] who practice abroad are capable people. They are all talented and wonderful.”
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, 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 the harvesting of organs from detained practitioners, who are murdered to supply China’s organ transplant industry.
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