(Clearwisdom.net) The week from July 28 to August 3, 2002, was "Falun Dafa Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance Week" in Chatswood, North Sydney, Australia. On Sunday, July 28, Dafa practitioners participated in the celebration activities.
At 8:00 a.m., practitioners set up an open stage in a large area of a local supermarket's parking area.
A large bunch of colorful balloons imprinted with "Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance" floated in the air, forming an arched gateway for the stage. A banner with the words "Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance" in both Chinese and English was hung high at the back of the stage. Along the edge of the stage, light pink and yellow handmade paper lotus flowers were displayed with several large lotus flowers decorated inside, which added to the brightness of the stage.
Performances designed, directed and performed by Dafa practitioners were held from 11:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Young practitioners from the Minghui School demonstrated the Falun Dafa exercises, displaying to the audience the beauty and magnificence of Falun Dafa.
Councillor Ms. Stevens arrived in person to express her congratulations and support. She said, "Falun Dafa brings a lot of benefits to people in the community. We sincerely support all activities hosted by Falun Dafa 'Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance' to the community people." She also expressed thanks to Dafa practitioners for inviting her and offering her an opportunity to get to know Falun Dafa. After her speech, young practitioners presented her with a bouquet of flowers. Dafa practitioners also expressed their appreciation for her support. During the performances, the host introduced Falun Dafa to the audience. Five Western practitioners talked about their cultivation experiences and deeply touched people's hearts. Several local residents (including Chinese and Westerners) immediately wanted to practice Falun Gong and asked for information about practice sites. Dafa introductory materials were displayed near the stage.
Councillor Ms. Stevens
On the other side of the road, a large "Journey of Falun Dafa" Photo Exhibition was displayed. In the center of the big ring-shaped space, a huge banner imprinted with "Falun Dafa" was floating in the air. On the display frames surrounding the ring, there were nearly one hundred large colorful pictures, depicting the ten-year journey of Falun Dafa's worldwide spread and the Jiang regime's brutal persecution of Falun Gong and Falun Gong practitioners in the past three years. People carefully studied every picture. A Westerner spent quite a long time looking at all the pictures displayed. Another Westerner, after watching the exhibition and taking a Dafa leaflet, asked Dafa practitioners to pronounce "Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance" in Chinese for him and carefully wrote down the Chinese pinyin [pronunciation] of the words. He said that the world needs "Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance," and it's unacceptable for Jiang's regime to persecute people who cultivate it. The persecution should be put to an end immediately.
A Chinese man who just came from China to visit friends watched the exhibition, and immediately wanted to watch Teacher's "Nine-day video lecture series." He said he would take a set of "Nine-day video lecture series" back to China and show it to his relatives.
Many groups of people watched the photo exhibition. They were touched by the peacefulness and purity of Falun Dafa, and moved by Dafa practitioners' upholding the truth with righteousness and nobility.
