(Clearwisdom.net) It was an inspirational and emotional evening for Rev. Majed El Shafie at Shen Yun Performing Arts' opening show in Mississauga on Friday. It was his second time to see Shen Yun.

The Shen Yun Performing Arts opening show in Mississauga on January 22, 2010.

Mr. El Shafie is the founder and president of One Free World International, an organization dedicated to assisting the persecuted globally and, through its efforts of awareness campaigns, seminars and active human rights programs, seeks to improve the conditions and civil rights of those in need of a voice.

He was deeply affected by what he calls Shen Yun's "celebration of a belief and freedom on stage," saying, "It's an experience of a lifetime."

Shen Yun aims to revive traditional Chinese culture by capturing its essence through music and dance. Much of traditional Chinese culture is deeply rooted in spirituality and the belief in harmony between heaven and earth.

"Nothing Can Block the Divine Path," a piece that resonated deeply with Mr. Shafie, depicts a mother and daughter being persecuted by police for practicing Falun Gong, a peaceful Chinese meditation practice. Falun Gong is heavily monitored and suppressed under the current communist regime.

Mr. El Shafie understands the piece on a deep and personal level as he experienced persecution and torture while campaigning for equal rights for Christians in Egypt.

"I hope [Shen Yun] is a message, a wake-up call to the world to move on before more people get killed or hurt," he said.

"It is real and it's happening ... Today in our world people try to close their eyes to what is happening to the Falun Gong people in China ... The governments, the countries, even normal people in the street, put international trade or the economy ahead of human rights."

Mr. El Shafie encouraged everyone to take the opportunity to see Shen Yun and expressed his heartfelt appreciation to the artists for bringing a message of hope not only to the Chinese people but to the world.

"Carry on the good work," he said. "We are all proud of you."

"I think to see how the Chinese government is fighting with weapons and persecution but how the peaceful Falun Gong people are fighting with an art and with love ... they are fighting with roses and flowers and art and I think this is what touched my heart the most."

Source:

http://theepochtimes.com/n2/content/view/28466/