Photo Report: Appeal for Falun Gong in front of United Nations

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As the leaders of 188 countries, including heads of 152 nations, were attending the United Nations Millennium Summit on September 6-8, 2000, in New York City, Falun Gong practitioners from United States and all regions around the world gathered at the Dag Hammarskjold Plaza in front of the U.N. Building. They wanted to use this opportunity to let more people know the truth that while Falun Gong is being well received in many countries around the world, it is, however, being viewed as "illegal" only in the country where the practice was founded. Meanwhile, they hope more and more people from the governments of all nations, international human rights organizations, international institutions, and news media can together help to call on Chinese government to stop its inhuman persecution against Falun Gong and to release all jailed Falun Gong practitioners.

The appeal for Falun Gong started at 9AM on September 5, 2000 at the Dag Hammarskjold Plaza. More than 100 practitioners from Canada as well as practitioners from different states in United States and other countries joined the activity.

Practitioners demonstrated the five sets of exercises along with the music. The practitioners in the front row held banners which read "Why Are 100 Million Falun Gong Practitioners Being Persecuted?", "Call on China to Stop Persecuting Falun Gong", etc. They wished to draw the attention of the people around the world to the Chinese governments brutal and senseless measures against Falun Gong.

Most practitioners were dressed in yellow T-shirts with blue letters reading "China: Stop Persecuting Falun Gong", "Falun Dafa is Great", "China: Free the Jailed Falun Gong Practitioners", and the Internet address of the Falun Dafa website. They attracted many people on the street as well as news reporters. Reporters from several major newspapers interviewed practitioners with questions like, "What are you here for?", "What message do you want to convey?", "Why is the Chinese government against Falun Gong?" Practitioners were able to give them brief and clear answers to clarify the truth about Falun Gong and uncover the malicious lies fabricated by the Chinese government. Some people who were passing by also showed their supports of Falun Gong.

At about 11AM, the [Independent] Taiwan demonstration group arrived on the right side, while on the left side were the protesters from Iran. In the midst of the sounds of other demonstrations with drums banging and cowbells clanging, the Falun Gong practitioners sat silently, legs crossed, meditating. This sharp contrast had aroused the interests of the media photographers who came over and captured many peaceful moments of the meditation.

At this moment, the Taiwan demonstrators said, "In Taiwan, we also have people practicing Falun Gong. We support Falun Gong." Meanwhile, people in the Iran group were reading the Falun Dafa materials handed out by practitioners. After the meditation, practitioners separated into small groups reading Zhuan Falun, and thus concluded the one-day appeal for Falun Gong in front the United Nations.

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September 5, 2000

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