(Minghui.org) The opening ceremony of the World Multicultural Festival was held at the Carleton Dominion-Chalmers Centre in Ottawa, Canada on November 30, 2024. Seventy-five communities displayed their colorful cultures during the ten hour-long event. Ottawa Mayor Mark Sutcliffe, Police Chief Eric Stubbs, Joel Harden, Member of Provincial Parliament (MPP) for Ottawa Centre, and other officials attended the event and delivered speeches.

Practitioners demonstrate the Falun Dafa exercises during the World Multicultural Festival.

Community members from different countries in North America, Latin America, the Caribbean, Europe, Africa, the Middle East and Asia participated. The exercise demonstration by practitioners of Falun Dafa (also known as Falun Gong) drew many people. Joel Harden, Ontario MPP, praised Falun Dafa’s principles of Truthfulness, Compassion, and Forbearance.

Ms. Xin said, “As soon as the music for the exercise demonstration started, the noisy environment immediately quieted down, and the atmosphere became calm. Five practitioners each performed one set of the exercises, and another practitioner introduced Falun Dafa and the exercises to the audience.” Many people received flyers that introduced Falun Dafa, and some later went to the booth to learn the exercises.

Mayor Sutcliffe congratulated the Multicultural Festival in his speech and said, “This is such a special event, and it is something that really illustrates and underscores what is unique and precious about Ottawa, and that is our diversity. I think that is our greatest asset.”

Joel Harden MPP said, “Truthfulness, Compassion, and Forbearance. What powerful words. These are words that are integral to so many cultures, the notion of being serious, determined, peaceful and being proud of who we are. I salute that. That’s a sentiment shared in this city.”

Joel Harden MPP praised Falun Dafa.

Police Chief Eric Stubbs thanked practitioners for their contributions to the community and said he liked the beautiful message of Truthfulness, Compassion, and Forbearance, “That’s excellent. These words are [what we need] to get along in our communities. We have to have compassion for each other, we have to understand each other, learn from each other, so we can live with each other.”

Police Chief Eric Stubbs

Gipsy Ghosh, one of the organizers, said that meditation is very good for people’s health and fitness. The Multicultural Festival precisely embodies the values of tolerance and respect. She said, “Those who love Canada will support each other and will, of course, promote each other.”

Festival organizer Gipsy Ghosh praised Falun Dafa