Falun Dafa (Falun Gong) practitioners from Delaware, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Washington D.C. gathered together at the Modern Maturity Center in Dover City on December 16, 2000, to celebrate the first Falun Dafa Week in Delaware. Some important local government officials, distinguished guests, and other citizens attended the ceremony, joining in the celebrations with the practitioners. The opening ceremony was held in a peaceful, auspicious, and enjoyable atmosphere from beginning to end, which comforted and warmed all attendants in the cold winter weather.

Falun Dafa received support in the form of official proclamations, endorsements, and resolutions from almost all counties and major cities in Delaware. Many government officials proclaimed Falun Dafa Week to honor Falun Dafa and its founder Mr. Li Hongzhi.

Thomas R. Carper, Governor, and Ruth Ann Minner, Lieutenant Governor, declared the week of December 4-10, 2000 Falun Dafa Week in the state of Delaware. They urged "all Delawareans to learn more about the qualities and unique opportunities from the cultivation and practice system of Falun Dafa".

Distinguished guest, Mr. Hutchison, Mayor of Dover City, attended the ceremony and gave a warm welcome to all practitioners and guests gathered in the beautiful capital city of Delaware. In his thoughtful speech, Mr. Hutchison pointed out that people should have the freedom to go to church, the freedom to practice, and the freedom to work whenever they want. Mr. Hutchison said, "The strength of this country is about the fact that this practice (Faun Dafa) allows you [to be an] individual, removes stress, gives you a good feeling inside, builds good health we come and join together to be able to practice and to allow them to have a peaceful mind and goodness in their hearts." Mr. Hutchison was proud to officially "proclaim the week of December 4th through December 10th, 2000, as 'Falun Dafa Week' in the city of Dover, Delaware, and urged all citizens to recognize this event and participate appropriately in its observance."

Distinguished guest Mr. Cebrick, Vice President of the Kent County Council, joined the ceremony and made his warm speech to the audience as well. He was very happy to see so many Falun Dafa practitioners in the City of Dover, which is located in the center of Kent County. In his speech, Mr. Cebrick pointed out that it is horrible to think that such a great cultivation and practice system cannot be practiced in its country of origin. On behalf of the Kent County Council, he announced Resolution 2139, Kent County Levy Court to proclaim December 4-10, 2000 as Falun Dafa Week in Kent County, Delaware. He expressed his wish that practitioners will have a better future through practicing such an advanced cultivation system.

The Delaware Falun Dafa Week ceremony also received a greeting letter from Mr. Joseph R. Binden, United States Senator, and letters from local government officials. In Mr. Binden's letter, he said: "Although Falun Dafa has its origins in China, it has much support in the United States, Falun Dafa's proven benefits to mind, body, and soul have endeared it among the hearts of those who participate. Here in Delaware, and throughout America, believers in the power of Falun Dafa have found an environment in which they are free to voice these beliefs without fear of reprimand. This is a testament not only to our constitution, but also to the willingness of many Americans to be open-minded about different cultures." From Wilmington, the largest city in the state, Mayor Sills wrote to the practitioners: "I feel that the City of Wilmington's citizens would benefit greatly from this type of practice... Truthfulness, Compassion, and Forbearance are the basic principles of life that all cultures should strive to achieve It will be an honor to proclaim December 4-10, 2000 Falun Dafa Week in the City of Wilmington." He told the Falun Dafa practitioners that "My door is always open" to you.

During the ceremony, practitioners also demonstrated the five-sets of gentle Falun Dafa exercises, talked abut the spread of Falun Dafa throughout the world in its 8 years, and condemned the Chinese government's slander of Falun Dafa and its brutal persecution of tens of millions of Falun Dafa practitioners in China. The ceremony also included a photo exhibit of Falun Dafa. In closing, the audience watched a new video entitled "Falun Gong's Challenge to China" by Danny Schechter, Veteran journalist and three-time Emmy award winner.

Practitioners in USA

December, 2000

Category: Other Community Events