This year Saint Paul, the capital of Minnesota, celebrated its116^th Carnival Festival. The Carnival Parade has been the important event of the celebration and attracts about 50,000 people every year. This year the parade was full of excitement. Among various participating floats, the one decorated by Falun Gong practitioners stood out and gave people an unexpected surprise: a pure feeling like poem and a painting.

The colorful floats and parade procession moved slowly. When the Falun Gong float accompanied by Dafa music appeared in front of the viewers, people were especially delighted at its peacefulness. They watched attentively at the unearthly, beautiful scene. A 7 foot lotus flower was at the center of the float with small lotus flowers decorating the sides. A young girl in a yellow practice suit was meditating at the center of the lotus flower. Around the big lotus flower, Dafa practitioners demonstrated the exercises. Shining in the genial sunshine, the bright yet soft colored pink lotus looked like a pastoral painting, pure and noble, serene and natural.

Touched by such a serene scene, people applauded and praised our float as we moved by. Many raised their arms and showed the V sign to express their support and encouragement. Many people said, "Falun Gong, I know about Falun Gong." People asked for information, Falun Gong buttons and balloons. Even though 20 practitioners constantly distributed Dafa information to them, many still could not get flyers. As the parade moved on, the balloons were in children's hands and flying among the spectators.

Looking at peoples' enthusiasm and the beautifully decorated float, practitioners were also moved. In this country, the beauty and magnificence of Falun Dafa and the principles of Truthfulness-Compassion-Tolerance have spread to every corner and won people's praise and recognition. But on the other side of the world, Chinese people can only hear the lies made up by the dictator. Good people are detained and persecuted. What a contrast. Kindhearted people, please extend your helping hands to stop the brutal persecution against the peace loving Falun Gong practitioners.

Posting date: 1/31/2002
Original article date: 1/29/2002
Category: Falun Dafa Worldwide
Translated on 1/30/2002
Chinese version available at http://www.minghui.org/mh/articles/2002/1/29/23971.html

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