By Falun Dafa practitioners in Queensland
Falun Dafa practitioners from Southeast Queensland took part in the Queensland
Multicultural Festival in Brisbane's beautiful Roma Street Parklands. The
event was sponsored by the Queensland government. Organizers made several large
floating pink lotuses with lights that were placed in the lake behind the practitioners'
gazebos. This was the largest multicultural festival to date sponsored by the
Premier's office, and an estimated 30,000 people attended the activities.
 Learning the exercises |
 Learning the facts about Falun Gong |
 Learning to make paper lotus flowers |
As the weather was sunny and hot, two gazebos were set up — one for
demonstrating and teaching the exercises and the other for providing reading
materials about Falun Gong and showing people how to make origami lotus flowers.
Photos were hung depicting the practice of Falun Dafa in China prior to the
persecution as well as around the world, including many colorful parades and
performances practitioners attended in Queensland.
One stipulation of participation was that practitioners could not have any
displays or handouts mentioning the persecution, as this was a day essentially
designated for entertainment. However, practitioners could still speak to people
about the situation in China, which was found to be an excellent way to clarify
the facts. After people witnessed and experienced the peaceful energy of
practitioners, the exercises, and the beauty of Dafa, they were truly shocked to
learn about the persecution. The outpouring of support from people of all
different nationalities clearly demonstrated the universality of “Truthfulness,
Compassion and Forbearance.”
Practitioners were given a prime location where nearly everyone attending the
festival had to pass by. Practitioners made many paper lotus flowers before the
event to hand out and also brought a large quantity of different colored paper
so that people could learn to make their own. So much interest was shown that
the brochures ran out and more needed to be photocopied. Near the end of the
day, even the paper for making the lotus flowers was all used up. Many people
learned the exercises on the spot, including a number of children. Adults and
children from African countries seemed particularly drawn to Dafa and some spent
many hours with practitioners.
The response to Dafa from the multicultural community in Southeast Queensland
was quite incredible. This demonstrated how people of all races and beliefs were
awakening and wanted to know more about Dafa.
Brisbane's largest newspaper, The Courier Mail, in an article titled
“Festival caters for all tastes,” stated in the first line: The sign on the
Falun Dafa meditation tent summed up the spirit driving yesterday's inaugural
Queensland Multicultural Festival: “Truthfulness, Compassion, Forbearance.”
Posting date: 25/Oct/2004
Original article date: 22/Oct/2004
Category: Event
