(Clearwisdom.net) Sydney, the capital of New South Wales, and the largest historical city in Australia, is a political, economic and cultural center and most modern metropolis in Australia.

Falun Gong, rooted in ancient Chinese culture, was spread to this international metropolis in the mid 1990s. Falun Gong, also called Falun Dafa, is a cultivation practice of Buddha school and is based on the core principles of Truthfulness, Compassion and Forbearance. With remarkable results in improving health and raising moral character, the practice spread to over 100 countries since it was introduced in China in 1992. The Chinese Communist Party (CCP) launched the brutal persecution and slander campaign against Falun Gong in 1999. In response, Falun Gong practitioners have peacefully resisted the persecution and persistently made efforts to explain the truth to the world's people.

Master Li Hongzhi, founder of Falun Dafa, gives his first lecture in Sydney.

On August 3, 1996, Master Li Hongzhi, the founder of Falun Dafa, gave his first lecture in Sydney under invitation. From November 26, 1996 to May 2, 1999, Master Li graced Sydney three times to give lectures and answer students' questions. Falun Gong practitioners of different races, all walks of life and different cultural backgrounds gathered in Sydney to listen to Master Li's lectures. These were grand and solemn occasions.

Group exercise site at Darling Harbour, Sydney

After Master Li's lectures, Falun Gong group exercise sites in communities were quickly established, like bamboo shoots after a spring shower. Having benefited from Falun Dafa, practitioners introduced Falun Dafa to more and more people by holding nine-day workshops in which they played Master Li's lectures on video and taught the exercises. Falun Dafa was soon spread across the whole nation.

The Falun Gong group in Sydney has been invited to participate in community activities and national celebrations as a representative of traditional Chinese culture in recent years.

Falun Gong practitioners have been invited to participate in ten annual parades held in Blacktown, western Sydney. It's the largest community holiday in western Sydney. The Falun Gong exercises demonstrated by practitioners, Divine Land Marching Band, fairy dance and waist-drum troupe won cheers and applause during the parade. The Falun Dafa procession displayed beautiful traditional Chinese culture and spread the spirit of Truthfulness, Compassion and Forbearance.

Falun Gong procession is led by a “Falun Dafa” banner.

Falun Gong's float

Mayor of Blacktown (left) issues award to Falun Dafa

Award plaque won by Falun Dafa

Award plaque won by the Divine Land Marching Band of Falun Gong practitioners

An awards ceremony was held by Blacktown City honoring the winners of the 2009 Blacktown City Festival Street Parade on June 17, 2009. Falun Dafa and its Divine Land Marching Band received two awards, Champion Community Entry and Champion Band, and a total of one thousand dollars. The local government announced that Falun Dafa would lead next year's parade.

Since the CCP launched the nation-wide persecution on July 20, 1999, hundreds of thousands of Falun Gong practitioners have been thrown into prisons and forced labor camps. The CCP brutally harvests organs from living Falun Gong practitioners. To expose the persecution, Falun Gong practitioners in Sydney set up displays at tourist spots, in front of the Chinese Embassy and on busy streets. They distribute brochures, hold information displays and tables, candlelight vigils, anti-torture exhibitions and press conferences. Governments, media and the general public learned the true story from Falun Gong practitioners. They signed in support of Falun Gong and to protest the persecution.

Falun Gong information booth in Sydney Chinatown

Falun Gong practitioners expose the CCP's torture at Martin Place.

Falun Gong practitioners tell Chinese tourists the true story of Falun Gong in front of the Chinese Embassy to Australia.

Falun Gong practitioners demonstrate the Falun Gong exercises.

The 22^nd International Congress of the Transplantation Society was held in Sydney from August 10 to 14, 2008, with four thousand doctors and experts attending the conference from all over the world. On August 10, Falun Gong practitioners held a press conference in front of the Sydney Convention Centre, calling for the medical community to help stop the CCP's crime of organ harvesting from living Falun Gong practitioners in China.

Re-enacting the organ harvesting

President of the National Civic Council, Australia, Mr. Peter Westmore, accepted an interview with Sound of Hope radio on August 5, 2006. He said it was not just an issue concerning China and Chinese people, but that it concerned everyone in every country and no government could or should ignore it. He said it was a terrible crime that must be stopped, and that it is not just a crime against individuals, but a systematic killing of a group of people for their beliefs. He said this is truly a crime against the humanity.

The Sydney Morning Herald reported on December 5, 2006 that the “Health Minister Stephen Robertson revealed a move in a letter tabled in parliament this week in response to a petition supporting the Falun Gong spiritual movement. Queensland's two major organ transplant hospitals have banned training Chinese surgeons because of concerns that China takes organs from executed prisoners. Mr. Robertson said his department had been aware of the allegations relating to Chinese prisoners generally for a number of years and sought written assurances from the Chinese government that the practices did not go on. When the assurances were not received, the Prince Charles Hospital and the Princess Alexandra Hospital put in place a policy of not training any Chinese surgeons in transplant surgical techniques.

“Falun Gong, which has about 100 million members worldwide, has accused the Chinese government of harvesting organs from thousands of members executed over the past seven years.”