On the week starting from February 28th 2005, a student-run Falun Dafa Club participated
at the University of Western Sydney’s Welcome Week. Welcome Week is an event organised
by the Student Association and UWS Connect, and is held at Penrith, Hawkesbury,
Bankstown, Blacktown and Parramatta campuses.
Activities included holding an
information stall, folding paper lotus flowers, distributing Falun Dafa flyers
and performing exercise demonstrations.
Before the events began, practitioners shared about what is the best way
to clarify the truth and promote Dafa. The event was organised by the university
mainly for the purpose of letting interested students learn more about, and join,
university clubs and societies. Therefore practitioners felt that they should
mainly focus on letting students see the beauty of Dafa and encourage them to
sign up for a free Falun Dafa workshop.
Both students and teachers enjoyed
receiving and learning how to fold the paper lotus flowers. Practitioners explained
how in Eastern culture the lotus flower is a symbol of peace and purity. They
said that it is similar to what Falun Dafa practitioners try to achieve in their
practice: a pure heart and peaceful mind.
Sometimes practitioners would
add that the lotus is an example that even the most delicate of things can survive
in harsh conditions, as well as maintain its beauty. They would also explain how
Falun Dafa is still touching people’s hearts, even though it has faced violent
persecution in China.
Practitioners saw the importance in holding an exercise
demonstration on-stage. They would first talk to performing bands and ask what
time they would take a break, to make sure their performance would not to interfere
with the Falun Dafa demonstration. Then, with permission, practitioners arranged
to use the band’s sound system to play the exercise music and give a brief introduction
speech about the university Falun Dafa club.
During the day practitioners
also made an effort to talk to neighbouring stall holders. Some stall holders
learnt how to fold the lotus flower. At the end of the day practitioners gathered
remaining lotus flowers and handed them out to each stall holder, introducing
themselves and sharing the relation between the lotus flower and Falun Dafa.
Posting
date: 5/Mar/2005
Original article date: 3/Mar/2005
Category: Event
