Canada: Ottawa Mayor Praises Volunteers, Falun Gong Practitioners Win Awards (Photos)
By Dong Na from Ottawa
April 30, 2005
(Clearwisdom.net) On the evening of April 28, 2005, the fourth Ottawa annual volunteer award ceremony was held at Ottawa City Hall. Mayor Bob Chiarelli and 17 city council members issued certificates to the volunteers, and Falun Gong practitioner Xun Li won the award. The contributions of the volunteers to their communities take place in many areas, including culture, art, education, physical training, entertainment, environmental protection, sanitation, humanitarianism and other forms of community service.
Practitioner Xun Li was nominated for his contribution in humanitarianism. Mr. Li's contributions include: Rescuing Canadian residents and citizens (or their relatives) persecuted in China. The practitioners who were rescued include renowned art professor Kunlun Zhang, Shenli Lin and Ying Zhu.
In promoting universal merit and the refining of body and spirit, he continuously introduced Falun Dafa's principles of "Truth, Compassion, Forbearance" to the Ottawa community. During the last few years, he used his home as a location for teaching Falun Gong principles and exercises free of charge to the people of Ottawa.
In resisting hate-speech, and working to create a more tolerant society, Mr. Xun Li has made outstanding contributions. During the last five years, he continuously worked to stop hatred, torture and crimes against humanity via lawsuits in Canada and other countries. For example, on February 2004, he helped Canadian citizen Mr. Joel Chipkar win in a libel lawsuit against the Deputy Consul General of China. In 2003, he and others handed over a list of Chinese officials involved in the persecution of Falun Gong to the Canadian government to prohibit these people from entering Canada. He also helped to initiate many lawsuits against these Chinese officials. In an interview, Mr. Li said, "This award signifies that Canadian mainstream society welcomes Falun Gong practitioners. It is a strong contrast to the Chinese Communist regime's persecution of Falun Gong. As long as the persecution continues, I will continuously appeal, peacefully as usual."
Mayor Chiarelli said in his speech that volunteers were necessary to make a good community. He said that the nominees and award winners were all model citizens who contributed to the community free of charge. The unity of the community depends on the contributions the volunteers make to their neighbors and friends.
Mr. Li is the third Falun Gong practitioner to win such an award. In April of last year, Ms. Lucy Zhou won a similar award. Practitioner Ms. Xindi Chen won the "National Volunteers Week" Ottawa Community Award for her outstanding contributions in the area of promoting health, safeguarding human rights and building a peaceful community.
Group photo of practitioner Xun Li and Ottawa Mayor 
Mr. Xun Li gets honorary certificate signed by Ottawa Mayor
Chinese version available at
http://minghui.ca/mh/articles/2005/4/30/100771.html
Yearly Archive
Printer Version
feedback@clearwisdom.net