[ClearWisdom Net] More than 1,500 Falun Dafa practitioners from overseas and various states of the United States gathered in Los Angeles today (February 17) and attended the first day of the 2001 Western U.S. Falun Dafa Conference. The purpose of the conference is for practitioners from Western US and other areas to get together to share their experiences of practicing Falun Dafa, and at the same time, promote Falun Dafa to the public and call on governments and kind-hearted people in all nations to help to stop the brutal persecution of Falun Dafa practitioners in China.

Today's events started with a large-scale group demonstration of the 5 sets of Falun Gong exercises at El Pueblo Historical Monument. It was followed by an "Appeal for Peace & Human Rights" press conference. In the press statement read by a practitioner, it called on all kind-hearted people to join us to appeal for peace and human rights in China and stopping Jiang Zemin's brutality towards Falun Gong practitioners. U.S. Senator Barbara Boxer sent a congratulatory letter to the conference. In the letter, she wrote, "When people's rights are violated, anywhere in the world, it is important that we do what we can to bring equality back into their lives." U.S. Congressman George Miller also issued a statement in which he stated, "The practice of the Chinese Government to jail and harm followers of the Falun Gong movement is intolerable and incompatible with international human rights' standards...I will do my part to ensure that the Falun Gong and others have the right to freely associate and peacefully express their personal beliefs, and I will oppose the actions of any government undermining this right." Professor Zhang Kunlun from Canada, who had just been released by Chinese government spoke about the inhumane treatments he had received in a labor camp in China and stated that he will practice Falun Gong for his whole life. Award winning journalist Danny Schechter also spoke at the press conference. He pointed out the fact that Gong has not been paid enough attention it deserves in the western media. He encourage his colleagues in media to find out more about Falun Gong and give Falun Gong more and fairer coverage. Former Mayor of Saratoga, Stan Bogosian, also issued an statement to strongly support Falun Gong practitioners' peaceful appeal for basic human rights.

After the press conference, practitioners conducted a 2-mile "Walk for Peace & Human Rights" parade. The parade was decorated by colorful banners, flags and balloons, and stretched over 1-mile, passing the busy streets in Los Angeles Chinatown. The parade attracted many pedestrians, as well as tourists and local residents.

Later in the evening, a candlelight vigil and memorial was held in front of Chinese Consulate in Los Angeles, during which the true stories of some of the 147 practitioners who have died during the persecution were read.

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Morning Practice at El Pueblo Historical Monument

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"Appeal for Peace & Human Rights" Press Conference

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Peaceful Parade

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Memorializing 147 Fellow Practitioners Died in the Persecution

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Candlelight Vigil

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Reported on February 17, 2001