(Clearwisdom.net) On the afternoon of April 7, 2002, New Jersey Dafa practitioners, Morris County Government officials, and local residents gathered in the Morristown library auditorium to attend a ceremony celebrating the first Falun Dafa Week in Morris County. The meeting place was attractive and welcoming with banners reading "Falun Dafa" and "Truthfulness, Compassion, Forbearance" hung above the front podium. Poster boards introducing Dafa were also on display.

The meeting started at 2:00 p.m. with a practitioner delivering the opening address. He briefly described the development of Dafa in the county and the response and support from all circles after "Falun Dafa Week" was announced. He also expressed appreciation to the congressman from this state, members of the state senate and state assembly, to the mayors, and to the city councils of Morris County for their support of Falun Dafa.

The councils of 11 cities in the county were singled out for special appreciation for the passing of their recent resolutions condemning the brutal persecution of Falun Gong practitioners by Jiang Zemin's regime. The 11 cities include the Townships of Chester, Hanover, Morristown, East Hanover, Parsippany, Roxbury, Mine Hill, Montville, Randolph, Mt. Olive, and Morris plus the Boroughs of Florham Park and Mendham.

Morris County Government officials then made several speeches and issued proclamations in honor of Falun Dafa Week. Senator Anthony Bucco, who delivered the first speech, said he had initiated Resolution No. 21 of the New Jersey Senate requesting that Jiang Zemin's regime stop the persecution of Falun Gong practitioners. His intention was to make all of his colleagues aware of the truth of the persecution and to take actions to help those Falun Gong practitioners being tortured. Resolution No. 21 was passed unanimously in the 210^th assembly of New Jersey State Senate. Senator Anthony Bucco also praised Falun Gong's contributions to the county and issued a proclamation in honor of Falun Dafa Week.

Mr. Mark Peck, the speaker of the Borough of Madison and representing the borough's mayor Mr. John Dunne, praised Falun Dafa's principle of "Truthfulness, Compassion, Forbearance" and recognized its importance to society. He called on the whole world to pay attention to the persecution of Falun Gong practitioners by Jiang Zemin's regime while continuing to work against terrorism. He also said that he would assist a Falun Gong class in the city to help spread Falun Gong.

During the celebration ceremony, the following resolutions and proclamations were read: a resolution co-signed by the speakers of the New Jersey Senate and Assembly offering congratulations for Falun Dafa Week , a proclamation recognizing Falun Dafa Week signed by the mayor and city council of the Township of East Hanover, a proclamation for Falun Dafa Week signed by Mayor Letts of Parsippany Township, a proclamation in honor of Falun Dafa Week signed by Mayor James Rilee of the Township of Roxbury, a proclamation recognizing Falun Dafa Week signed by the mayor and city council of the Town of Booton, a proclamation honoring Falun Dafa Week signed by Mayor John L. Delaney Jr. of Morristown, and an award to Master Li co-signed by Assembly members Carroll and Merkt.

Part of the ceremony included a video program introducing Falun Dafa. The practitioners presented the videotape and Dafa books to the guests.

The practitioners also taught the Falun Gong exercises to the local residents . About 20 people attentively practiced the exercises and talked with the practitioners. It was delightful to see that four Chinese people (from China, Taiwan and Hong Kong) attended all the activities, learned the exercises, left their phone numbers, and hoped to participate in group practice in the future.

The Daily Record, Morris County's largest newspaper, dispatched two reporters to cover the event.