(Clearwisdom.net) On June 19 and 20, the Divine Land Marching Band, consisting of Falun Gong practitioners from Toronto, performed in three parades held in the greater Toronto area: the Sound of Music Festival Parade in Burlington and the Flower City Parade in Brampton on the 19th, and the Fiesta Parade in Oshawa on the 20th. The spectators gave the band a warm reception.
The Divine Land Marching Band in the Fiesta Parade in Oshawa
The band in the Sound of Music Festival Parade in Burlington
The band in the Flower City Parade in Brampton
Mr. Nester Pidwerbecki, the deputy mayor of Oshawa, welcomes practitioners to come next year.
On the 20th, the band performed in the Oshawa Fiesta Parade and at the opening ceremony of the festival.
Mr. Nester Pidwerbecki, the deputy mayor of Oshawa, said that he had seen the Divine Land Marching Band perform several times. He said the band just keeps getting better and better. He welcomed the band to perform next year.
Mr. Richard Navidson, the chair of the local Folk Arts Council, said that more than 70,000 people attended the festival. He said that he had seen the Divine Land Marching Band in parades held in Toronto, St. Catherine, and Montreal, and was favorable impressed. He said the band contributes to multiculturalism, and he hoped that the band would come to Oshawa every year.
Mr. Richard Navidson, the chair of the local Folk Arts Council, said that the band contributes to multiculturalism.
On June 19, the band performed in Burlington for the first time. Since it was established four years ago, the band has performed in more than 100 parades every year, making it well known in Toronto. The contact person for the band, Mr. Jiang Fan, said: "We have received many invitations from many towns. Sometimes we can not make it, but they still invite us the next year. We are glad that we can contribute to other communities, so sometimes we attend more than one parade a day."
Rich and Avise from Burlington enjoyed the band.
Sandy and her husband, both from Taiwan, were glad to see a Chinese band in the parade.
Mr. Don Green, one of the organizers, praised the band and hoped they would come again next year.
Timothy Zaw, the chair of the Toronto Burma Roundtable, said: "I support Falun Gong."
Fabna from Brampton said: "I see the band every year and I am delighted every time I see them. I like their performances."
Russ said: " A group of good people should not be persecuted."
Before the Flower City Parade in Brampton, practitioners did did exercises as a group. Timothy Zaw, the chair of Toronto Burma Roundtable, saw them. He told the reporter: "I support Falun Gong. I know they are peaceful. I also know about the persecution.
"A Falun Gong practitioner gave me a CD in Chinatown, Toronto, from which I learned the truth about the persecution of Falun Gong. I often saw their peaceful protests and activities in Chinatown. They are kind people and peaceful. The Chinese Communist Party violates human rights and persecutes them. They should be condemned by the international community. People of conscience should stand up and help to stop the persecution. Look at their contribution to the Canadian communities--they are welcomed everywhere."
