Hundreds in Toronto Celebrate 30th Anniversary of Spread of Spiritual Practice Falun Gong

[claireokc]

Hundreds of Falun Gong adherents commemorated the 30th anniversary of the spreading of the spiritual practice around the world with dance and music performances and a large parade through downtown Toronto on May 7. Several prominent political and community leaders joined the celebration and voiced support for the practice, which includes meditative exercises and moral teachings based on truthfulness, compassion, and tolerance. Falun Gong was first introduced in mainland China in 1992, where it quickly gained widespread popularity due to its health benefits. By 1999, the practice has attracted 70 million to 100 million adherents in China, according to government estimates. However, then-Chinese Communist Party (CCP) leader Jiang Zemin deemed the large number of adherents a potential threat to its totalitarian rule, and in July 1999, launched a brutal oppression campaign to eradicate Falun Gong. The persecution is ongoing and has been criticized by democracies around the world. ...

Source: https://www.theepochtimes.com/hundreds- ... 52365.html