[Minghui Net News from New Jersey]
On Dec. 12, 2000, at Rutgers University, approximately 200 Falun Dafa practitioners from New Jersey, New York, Philadelphia and Delaware, gathered together with New Jersey government officials of every level to participate in the celebration ceremony of New Jersey's First "Falun Dafa Awareness Month."
In the celebration ceremony hall, the banners reading "Falun Dafa" and "Zhen Shan Ren (Truthfulness, Compassion and Forbearance)" were strategically displayed. Eighty-six proclamations, citations, and congratulation letters, which were received from representatives of all levels of government and legislative institutions in New Jersey, honored Falun Dafa and its founder, Master Li Hongzhi. They were neatly displayed on tables. More than thirty exhibition display-boards formed the Falun Dafa Poster Exhibit. They comprehensively introduced the great process of spreading of Falun Dafa, from its beginning to its practice today, in more than forty countries and regions worldwide. At the same time, the display, showing photographs of the victims of the persecution, graphically exposed the violence of the Chinese Government's cruelty against Falun Gong practitioners. The pictures also documented the continuous, courageous and touching actions of Dafa practitioners' for protection of the Truth of the Universe and their belief in the Fa.
The ceremony started at 2 o'clock in the afternoon. A representative of the practitioners delivered opening remarks. She briefly introduced the growth of Falun Dafa in New Jersey in over the past four years, and the widespread community response and support since the declaration of New Jersey's first "Falun Dafa Week" and "Falun Dafa Awareness Month." She also called on the kind-hearted people of the world to join together to bring about the end of the brutal, inhumane treatment by vicious, evil persecution forces in China against Falun Gong practitioners.
Mrs. Bonnie R. Watson, Vice-President of the Board of Freeholders, Essex County Council, delivered the keynote address. She commended the great contributions Falun Dafa has made to society, emphasizing that Falun Dafa is able to raise the moral standards of humankind, and plays a very positive role in its impact on the community. She said she carefully read and watched Falun Dafa books and videotapes practitioners gave her. She found the topics Falun Dafa addresses are timely for problems and their causes in today's society. She believes the practice of Falun Dafa can help the governments solve many problems that commonly exist everywhere but are complicated and difficult to solve. One example she gave was drug abuse.
On behalf of New Jersey Congressmen Donald Payne and Steven Rothman, the representatives of the Congressmen read the Congressional Record and The Certificate of Special Congressional Recognition cited Master Li Hongzhi and Falun Dafa.
At the ceremony, one by one, the congratulation letters from the Governor of New Jersey, Mrs. Whitman, Senator Lautenberg and Torricelli, Congressman Pallone, Jr., Congressional Record from Congressman Holt, and The Certificate of Special Congressional Recognition from Congressman Pascrell were read.
At the ceremony, New Jersey Congressman Smith's solemn declaration was also read. He condemned the Chinese government for violation of the World Human Rights Treaty and China's own Constitution, by condoning the brutal persecution of Falun Gong practitioners. Mr. Smith asked U. S. President Bill Clinton to take action, and strongly insist that the Chinese government release all the detained Falun Gong practitioners.
Falun Gong practitioners' representatives also read recent accounts of persecution provided by Falun Dafa Information Center: the news of a U. S. green card holder and Falun Gong practitioner who was sentenced to a 3 year prison term; and the cases of two practitioners who were tortured to death during "American Human Rights Week".
Three times "Emmy Award" winner, TV producer Danny Schechter, introduced his new book: "Falun Gong's Challenge to China". Mr. Schecter said: "I have personally interviewed Mr. Li Hongzhi. He told me: I will not go against China; I won't go against the government; I just hope for a peaceful dialog." Mr. Schecter said an "X" (perjorative word against dafa) organization would not make this kind of request.
After the ceremony, seven Falun Gong practitioners and a four year-old practitioner demonstrated the five sets of Falun Dafa exercises. The gentle melody of Falun Dafa music followed by the gentle and graceful movements of practitioners deeply attracted and affected every guest at the ceremony.
At the conclusion, everybody watched the video: Falun Gong's Challenge to China.
Other guests who also attended this ceremony were: Mr. John Sonell, Vice-President of Irvington City Congress, Holland McCluney, Executive Secretary, Newark Alcoholic Beverage Control Board, Mr. Rufus Johnson, Legislative Aid to Senator Rice, and Mr. Kenneth Rosenberg, representative of Essex County Counsel Juan Fernandez.
After the ceremony, Mrs. Bonnie R. Watson, Vice-President of the Board of Freeholders, Essex County council and her secretary both hoped we could start a Falun Dafa practice site in the County Executive Office, in order to help more county office staff to learn Falun Dafa. Falun Gong practitioners gladly accepted their request. Seeing the four-year-old practitioner demonstrating the exercises, Mrs. Watson's secretary said she would also teach her seven-year-old daughter to learn Falun Gong. Mr. John Sonell, Vice-President of Irvington City Congress said, when he attends the city council meeting tonight, he will report to the President of the City Congress and all the members about today's ceremony. He had also taken one package of Falun Dafa information materials for each member, listing information regarding the local practice sites. He also said he will contact the manager of the Irvington City library, to start a Falun Dafa class in the library soon, so that Irvington citizens can learn Falun Gong. As for himself, he will go to the nearby practice site this weekend to learn the exercises.
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