FALUN Gong practitioners from all over Ireland will gather in Limerick City this Saturday for a colourful parade to celebrate 30 years since the ancient practice of Falun Gong was re-introduction to the public.
The parade, which starts at 12:30 pm at the junction of O’Connell Avenue and Roden Street, is part of the global celebration in more than 100 countries.
Falun Gong, also known as Falun Dafa (The Great Way of the Law Wheel), is an ancient self-cultivation way based on the principles of truthfulness, compassion and forbearance. It consists of four gentle standing exercises and one sitting meditative exercise.
In 1992, this ancient and peaceful practice was first taught to the public in China and since then more than 100 million people from 100 countries have taken up the practice.
For the past 25 years, Falun Gong practitioners have taught the exercises free of charge to help Irish people improve their mental, moral and physical wellbeing.
Falun Gong practitioners and their families have been the victims of persecution by the Government of China but hold firm to their belief that good will ultimately triumph over evil.
A motion passed unanimously by Limerick City and County Council last March called on the Irish government to ratify the Convention against Trafficking in Human Organs adopted by the Council of Europe in July 2014. The convention, which criminalises illegal organ transplantations, has been signed by the Irish Government which has yet to ratify it.
The motion also called on the Irish Government to demand that the Chinese Government cease the persecution and forced live organ extraction of Falun Gong practitioners and release all Falun Gong practitioners and other prisoners of conscience from incarceration and captivity.
