(Clearwisdom.net) On June 5, 2004, San Diego Falun Gong practitioners participated in the City Heights International Village Celebration, and were cordially welcomed by local residents. The celebration is one of the important community events in the area and attracted about 50,000 visitors. This was Falun Dafa practitioners' first time participating in this event.

Clarifying truth of Falun Gong and the persecution to residents

Clarifying truth of Falun Gong and the persecution to residents

Clarifying truth of Falun Gong and the persecution to residents

Many visitors came to learn about Falun Gong

Visitor signs a petition to request that China release Charles Lee

Teaching Falun Gong exercises

During the one-day event, there were always 2 or 3 practitioners sending righteous thoughts or demonstrating the exercises, while other practitioners clarified the truth and distributed materials. People came to the Falun Gong table continually throughout the day; some learned the exercises from practitioners on the spot, and some said that they would go to practice sites to learn. Upon hearing that U.S. citizen Charles Lee is being detained in China, many took the initiative to sign their names on a yellow cloth to demand Charles Lee's release.

Two days after this event, San Diego practitioners held a Falun Gong seminar at a nearby community center in City Heights. Having learned about Falun Gong during the celebration, more than 10 local residents came to the seminar and learned all five sets of exercises. They unanimously requested that practitioners start a local practice site so that they could continue to learn and practice. One lady brought her mother and children. She said that she knew Falun Gong was good a long time ago and she indeed felt great after learning the exercises.