(Minghui.org) Falun Dafa practitioners from the Midwest region of the US gathered in Chinatown in Chicago on September 14, 2013 for an annual march to raise awareness about the ongoing persecution in China.

The annual Falun Dafa march in Chicago set off from Wentworth Street in Chinatown.

Practitioners from the midwest come together for the Falun Dafa parade

The Falun Dafa exercise demonstration on the parade float.

A spectator who received a Falun Dafa flier took a photo of the flier and the parade with his cell phone and sent it friends.

A spectator records the parade.

Chinese Spectators Impressed At noon on September 14, the Flag Team and the float led the way and the parade set off. Waist Drummers followed the float and then came a series of Falun Gong banners. The parade passed by Chinatown Square, which was filled with people who had come for the Mid-Autumn Festival Carnival. Many people took photos and videos of the parade.

Obtaining Freedom in the US after Eight Years in a Chinese Prison Mr. Yu was once detained and tortured in China for his belief in Falun Dafa. After coming to the land of freedom, his biggest wish was for the world's people to understand the facts of the unlawful persecution of Falun Gong. “In this land, I can believe freely and express my opinions. This basic human rights is unavailable for ordinary people in China.” Mr. Wang was imprisoned for eight years and six months in China because he refused to give up his belief in Falun Dafa. “Seeing such a grand Falun Dafa parade was unthinkable for me when I was in China,” he said. He feels that the parade in Chinatown is meaningful for many Chinese people because, “It allows them to learn that Falun Dafa is a righteous practice and understand how evil the persecution is in China.”

Russian-American Practitioners: “Falun Dafa Works!”

Though mostly Chinese faces made up the parade, quite a few westerners participated. A couple originally from Russia, Marina and George, told their story and how they started practicing Falun Dafa. Marina (middle) and George (left) practice Falun Dafa with a group in Chicago

Marina had many chronic illnesses before she learned Falun Dafa. She couldn’t live without painkillers. In 2012, George found Falun Dafa on the Internet and told Marina about it. He did the exercises first and felt the energy circling between his arms. He taught Marina the exercises. In less than a week, a miracle happened.

To go to work, Marina has to catch a train to the city. One day not long after she began practicing Falun Dafa, she had to run to catch the train after work. Normally she would have been short of breath after running to catch the train. However, that day it took her less than 10 minutes to get to the train station and this time she wasn’t short of breath. Her heart felt fine. She called George on the phone and told him, “Falun Dafa works!” Marina’s 81-year-old father also began to practice Falun Dafa because of her amazing experience.