(Minghui.org) Falun Dafa practitioners from Hawaii were invited to participate in the Waikiki Holiday Parade on November 29, 2019. The popular annual parade, held on the Friday after Thanksgiving, celebrates the national holiday, and solemnly commemorates those who lost their lives during the attack on Pearl Harbor. Thousands of people lined Kalakaua Avenue, near Waikiki beach – Honolulu's most popular tourist destination. The annual event is one of Hawaii's largest parades. Practitioners participated in the parade for the first time this year.
Practitioners hold banners with the message, “Falun Dafa is Good,” “Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance is good” during the parade.
The event attracts tens of thousands of spectators, residents, and tourists every year. Local Hawaiian marching bands, military bands from the U.S mainland, survivors of the Pearl Harbor attack, military units, local officials, dignitaries, and artists take part in the parade. This year 38 groups participated in the parade, including over 30 bands from the U.S mainland as well as local Hawaiian organizations.
Practitioners Kahiau (left) participated in the parade with his father Robert and sister Nahe (right).
Twelve year-old Nahe, her 17 year-old brother Kahiau, and their father Robert Quartero took part in this year's parade. The young practitioners were thrilled. Nahe has practiced Falun Dafa for two and a half years. Nearly every weekend, she and her brother join other practitioners to do the exercises at Ala Moana Beach Park. She said that practicing Falun Dafa has made her a better person and helped her concentrate on her studies.
Nia Liberty
Nia Liberty, from Africa, said that this was the first time she heard of the spiritual practice. She gladly took the brochure about Falun Dafa and said she would read it and check the website.
A spectator takes a photo of practitioners as they walk in the parade.
Betty helped organize the practitioners' entry in the parade. She said practitioners prepared several hundred lotus flowers with the message “Falun Dafa is wonderful” to give out. People loved the flowers, and soon after the parade started, all the flowers were taken. Many people also took information about Falun Dafa and expressed interest in knowing more about the ancient spiritual practice.
