(Clearwisdom.net) The three-day 141st Bendigo Easter celebration concluded with a grand parade on April 24, 2011. Falun Gong practitioners were invited to participate for the 11th consecutive year and were once again warmly welcomed by the spectators. Bendigo, located 128 kilometers from Melbourne, has a history of 160 years and has one of the earliest communities of Chinese immigrants in Australia.
Falun Gong practitioners participate in the 141st Bendigo Easter celebration
Over the course of the three-day celebration, various multi-racial and cultural events were held. Mr. John Rossi, Manager of Large Events for the Bendigo City Council, said that the celebration was initiated in 1871 and that Chinese citizens were part of the organizing committee as early as the first celebration.
The Falun Gong procession consisted of practitioners of various ages, from a few years old to people in their seventies. The procession was led by the Divine Land Marching Band and was followed by a Falun Gong exercise demonstration, fan dancing, a Tang Dynasty costume exhibition, and a group of waist drummers. Spectators applauded along the parade route and were happy to accept Falun Gong informational materials.
A practitioner distributes Falun Gong informational flyers
The Falun Gong procession has won awards in the Bendigo parade in prior years, including Best Community Group and Best Depiction of the Theme. The celebration committee wrote to the practitioners to express their appreciation for the Falun Gong participation, and video footage of the practitioners’ procession was included in the city welcoming packet introducing the City of Bendigo.
Mr. Yu from Melbourne, who enjoys the celebration every year, said, “I think this event is great. People can learn about the diversity of cultures and the various organizations in Bendigo.”
