(Minghui.org) Today is the 23rd anniversary of Falun Gong's introduction to the public. Chicago practitioners gathered at Buckingham Fountain, a city landmark and a popular tourist destination, to celebrate World Falun Day on the morning of May 10.
Dressed in yellow or blue, they did the exercises together, set up posters, and handed out information to passersby.
Chicago practitioners celebrating World Falun Day
Doing the exercises in the park
Thonon and Jeurissen, tourists from the Netherlands, read the posters for more information and said, “Back in Holland we have read about such events, but this is the first time we've ever seen so many people exercising together in person.”
Dutch Thonon and Jeurissen having their picture taken with practitioners
Lisa, who arrived very early for the exercises, said she started to practice about five months ago. Since then she has noticed significant improvement.
Although it took her a long time to get to the event, she said she really liked it: “I could feel strong energy when we did the exercises together today. I am so fortunate to become a Falun Gong practitioner.”
Lisa started to practice Falun Gong five months ago.
For Ms. Liu, a student at John Marshall Law School in Chicago, it was the first time for her to attend such an event since she came to the US. “This reminds me of what it was like in China before the persecution of Falun Gong started in 1999. There were group exercise sites almost everywhere, from public parks to private venues."
The suppression changed that. A person could face serious consequences for his or her belief in Falun Gong. When her mother, also a practitioner, planned to visit her, officials refused to issue her a passport because she practices Falun Gong.
Although it was chilly out, Ms. Liu did not feel cold. Since she began to practice Falun Gong in 1996, “Doing the exercises always make me feel warm and calm.”
