A Chinese living in Australia, who has experienced one of the biggest genocides in the modern world, shared her gratitude for the country’s free society.
On May 9, hundreds of Falun Gong practitioners in Sydney celebrated the upcoming World Falun Dafa Day on May 13 with a parade.
Falun Dafa, also known as Falun Gong, is an ancient spiritual practice of the Buddhist tradition that includes gentle exercises and a set of teachings based on the principles of “truthfulness, compassion, forbearance.”
‘Feel Free and Relaxed’ in Australia
Mary Li, who escaped the ongoing persecution of Falun Gong in China said that after arriving in Australia in 2014, she had attended every Falun Gong parade, including once in heavy rain.“Every time I attended a parade, I was struck by the number of people watching and taking pictures,” she told The Epoch Times.
“Having been in China for over 20 years, I lived a life of fear every day… It’s completely different here. There are no worries. I feel very free and relaxed here.”
“This country has a good system. It’s not like China at all,” Li continued. “The government here has the people’s best interests at heart.”
Li said she joined the parade to tell the Australian society that “Falun Dafa is good, truthfulness-compassion-forbearance is good.”
Charlotte Wat, who is from Hong Kong, echoed Li’s appreciation for Australia and noted she too was concerned about safety in her homeland which is now controlled by the Chinese Communist Party.
“I have never seen a [Falun Gong] march in Hong Kong,” she said. “There used to be, but I’m not sure about [the situation] now.”
She also noted that she would be reluctant to return to her home country and would never even visit China, despite her husband being from there.
“It’s not that I don’t want to go back [to Hong Kong], but I have concerns.”
She appreciated the freedom of faith and expression in Australia.
“I don’t have any concerns here. All the information I want to convey has been conveyed,” she said. “I will still stand out to speak if I’m needed.”
The theme of this year’s parade was celebrating the 31st anniversary of the teaching of Falun Dafa around the world, said Zeng Lin, the main organiser of the event.
The parade consisted of three squares – “Falun Dafa is good,” “Dissolve the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) and Stop the Persecution,” and “Supporting over 410 million Chinese who have quit the CCP.”
Australians Showing Support
One Farrer Place, where the parade started, is home to some of Australia’s most prestigious office buildings, including the iconic Phillip Tower and Macquarie Tower.Thomas George, who works in a corporate law firm, saw the banners of “Truthfulness, Compassion, Forbearance” in the procession and said that the universal values of Falun Gong are very important to society today.
“In this modern world, you need to [stick to these values],” he said. “It’s good to remind people.”
Holding a leaflet and lotus flower, George said the parade looked great and made him feel relaxed. He was also happy to see Falun Gong practitioners speaking out for freedom of faith.
“I’m happy you’re fighting for it. To recognize people for what they want to do is good,” he said.
When passing through Martin Place, the parade also caught the attention of Jennifer Ryne, who had learned about Falun Gong before.
“It made me feel sad for what the people had gone through,” she said. “But it’s a celebration, so I’m glad that they enjoy the freedom.”
Ryne was struck by the banners showing support for over 400 million Chinese people who have quit the Chinese Communist Party.
“That’s fantastic,” she said. “The more people [who] wake up, the better.”
The procession passed through the busy streets of Sydney’s Central Business District and arrived at Belmore Park after nearly an hour.
To conclude the event of the day, Falun Gong practitioners in the procession took a photo together and wished Mr. Li Hongzhi, the founder of Falun Gong, a happy birthday.
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