(Clearwisdom.net) It was an inspirational and emotional evening for Rev. Majed El Shafie at Shen Yun Performing Arts' opening show in Mississauga on Friday. It was his second time to see Shen Yun.
The Shen Yun Performing Arts opening show in Mississauga on January 22, 2010.
Mr. El Shafie is the founder and president of One Free World
International, an organization dedicated to assisting the
persecuted globally and, through its efforts of awareness
campaigns, seminars and active human rights programs, seeks to
improve the conditions and civil rights of those in need of a
voice.
He was deeply affected by what he calls Shen Yun's "celebration of
a belief and freedom on stage," saying, "It's an experience of a
lifetime."
Shen Yun aims to revive traditional Chinese culture by capturing
its essence through music and dance. Much of traditional Chinese
culture is deeply rooted in spirituality and the belief in harmony
between heaven and earth.
"Nothing Can Block the Divine Path," a piece that resonated deeply
with Mr. Shafie, depicts a mother and daughter being persecuted by
police for practicing Falun Gong, a peaceful Chinese meditation
practice. Falun Gong is heavily monitored and suppressed under the
current communist regime.
Mr. El Shafie understands the piece on a deep and personal level as
he experienced persecution and torture while campaigning for equal
rights for Christians in Egypt.
"I hope [Shen Yun] is a message, a wake-up call to the world to
move on before more people get killed or hurt," he said.
"It is real and it's happening ... Today in our world people try to
close their eyes to what is happening to the Falun Gong people in
China ... The governments, the countries, even normal people in the
street, put international trade or the economy ahead of human
rights."
Mr. El Shafie encouraged everyone to take the opportunity to see
Shen Yun and expressed his heartfelt appreciation to the artists
for bringing a message of hope not only to the Chinese people but
to the world.
"Carry on the good work," he said. "We are all proud of you."
"I think to see how the Chinese government is fighting with weapons
and persecution but how the peaceful Falun Gong people are fighting
with an art and with love ... they are fighting with roses and
flowers and art and I think this is what touched my heart the
most."
Source:
http://theepochtimes.com/n2/content/view/28466/
Category: Shen Yun Performing Arts
