(Minghui.org) May 13, 2024 is the 25th World Falun Dafa Day and the 32nd anniversary of Falun Dafa’s public introduction. Multiple towns issued proclamations or letters to honor the occasion.
Proclamation from Town of Babylon
Proclamation from Supervisor Richard H. Schaffer of the Town of Babylon, New York
The proclamation reads, “Many of those who participate in World Falun Dafa Day celebrate the teachings, which have brought physical health, joy, and peace of mind to millions of people across the globe throughout the entire week; and
“Falun Dafa, also known as Falun Gong, is a self-improvement practice rooted in ancient Chinese culture based on refining the body and mind through special exercises and meditation. The practice of Falun Dafa is simple; it consists primarily of two components, self-improvement through study and the practice of five gentle exercises; and
“Practitioners of Falun Dafa strive to live by the principles of Truthfulness, Compassion and Forbearance in order to improve their moral nature, and in turn, to experience remarkable health benefits; and
“The practice of Falun Dafa goes beyond the pursuit of health and fitness to the goal of greater wisdom and enlightenment; and
“The Falun Dafa philosophy espouses the idea that when the heart is pure, the mind balanced, and the body energized health and happiness are a natural outcome; individuals have been empowered to leave behind addictions and bad habits; families, to live in peace together; and communities to embrace what is virtuous and life-affirming; and
“The effectiveness of Falun Dafa in improving health, as well as the principles upon which it is founded, have proven to be immensely popular throughout the world and have attracted people in more than 114 countries; and
“To the people of China, Falun Dafa provides a source of strength in the face of oppression; although the practice is banned in the land of its origin, practitioners persevere in the pursuit of their spiritual beliefs, risking imprisonment or worse; and
“Today, Falun Dafa is practiced and cherished by millions of people and has received over 3,000 awards; and
“It is imperative there be greater public awareness about mental health among community members, physicians, education professionals, policymakers, and elected officials; now therefore be it
“RESOLVED that Monday, May 13, 2024, is “World Falun Dafa Day” in the Town of Babylon.”
Proclamation from the Town of Smithtown
Proclamation from Edward, Wehrheim, supervisor of the Town of Smithtown
The proclamation reads, “Falun Dafa, also known as Falun Gong, has its roots in China and the practice encourages people to be thoughtful of others at all times and to be good people. It is an uplifting mind-body practice, guided by the principles of Truthfulness, Compassion, and Tolerance and these principles are part of the universal human values that bridge cultures, nationalities, races, gender and age. Today, Falun Dafa is practiced in over 90 countries around the world. The main book of the practice, “Zhuan Falun” has been translated into 40 languages and the author and founder of the Falun Dafa, Mr. Li Hongzhi, has been nominated for 4 Nobel Peace prizes since 2000.
“In 1992 Falun Dafa was first introduced to China by Mr. Li Hongzhi as he traveled around the country gathering converts by word of mouth and the practice became so popular that it is estimated by 1998 there were 100 million people in China practicing Falun Dafa.
“Falun Dafa grew so rapidly in China, the practice threatened the Chinese Communist Party and they gave orders to destroy the practice at all costs, resulting in severe persecution of practitioners, which continues to this day.
“NOW, THEREFORE, I, EDWARD R. WEHRHEIM, Supervisor of the Town of Smithtown, together with the Town Board, do hereby acknowledge and applaud the good works of the Falun Dafa and strongly oppose the persecution of its practitioners by the Chinese Communist Party.”
Letter from Town of Southampton
Letter from Maria Z. Moore, supervisor of the Town of Southampton
The letter reads, “On behalf of my Town Board colleagues, as well as the residents of the great Town of Southampton, I am pleased to offer you my heartfelt congratulations on this 25th Anniversary of World Falun Dafa Day. That 2024 also marks the 32nd year since the introduction of this peaceful meditation makes this milestone year all the more joyous.
“How far it has come since the early days of Li Hongzhi’s then-controversial public teachings, to the present day, where tens of millions in China, and over 100 million in more than 100 countries, have used Falun Gong to achieve greater health and spiritual well-being. Be they in a senior center, corporate office, health club, park, library, or private residence, it is encouraging to know that many Long Islanders are among its beneficiaries. In doing so they have transcended cultural boundaries and helped to build a healthier and more harmonious community.
“As practitioners from around the world reflect on Falun Dafa’s values and its remarkable contributions to society, I applaud your ongoing efforts to promote the principles of Truthfulness(真), Benevolence(善), and Forbearance(忍), wishing you the best of luck in the year to come.”
Letter from George Serrano, supervisor of the Town of Wallkill
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