(Minghui.org) The Turkish Society of Canada held the annual “Turkish International Children’s Day” celebration at Nathan Phillips Square in front of Toronto City Hall on April 14, 2024. Falun Dafa practitioners were invited to participate in the event.
Parents brought their children to the square to enjoy folk music and performances, visit cultural booths and art exhibitions, experience different cultures, and enjoy the festive atmosphere. Young Falun Dafa practitioners were invited to do the handkerchief dance on stage. They also demonstrated the five exercises and showed people traditional Chinese culture.
Practitioners demonstrated the Falun Dafa exercises and taught them for free, and many people stopped to learn about the spiritual practice. Some learned the exercises as a family. After they learned the exercises, some asked for the address of the practice site in their local area. Others bought Dafa books and said they were interested in learning how to practice Falun Dafa.
Since 1927, April 23 has been officially recognised by Turkey as “National Sovereignty and Children’s Day.” Turkey became the first country to officially declare Children’s Day a national holiday.
There are many activities for children on this day, one of which involves children representatives replacing state officials and senior civil servants in their offices. The president, cabinet ministers, provincial governors, and mayors handed over their official duties to children representatives in a ceremony.
Children also replace members of the Grand National Assembly and hold ceremonial special meetings to discuss matters related to children. In recent decades, children from about 50 countries have gone to Turkey every year to attend official ceremonies and participate in this festival.
This year marks the tenth festival the Turkish Society of Canada has held. Rüçhan Akkök. a board director of the society, said she was happy to celebrate the festival in Toronto with children from around the world.
“For many years, the society has invited Falun Dafa practitioners to participate in this event,” she said. “I think the concepts of Truthfulness, Compassion, and Forbearance are both important and correct. People should be tolerant of each other. Not just adults, but children should also uphold the principles.”
Feeling Refreshed after Practicing the Exercises
Serena was an architect but now works as a draftsman. She practiced yoga and meditation at one time but gave up because of her busy work schedule. She watched as practitioners demonstrated the exercises and learned that Falun Dafa is beneficial, physically and mentally. She learned the first four exercises at the booth.
She said, “It was difficult for me to remember the movements. Even though it was noisy, I focused on learning them.” She said she wasn’t feeling very good physically, but after she did the exercises, she felt comfortable. She said she felt the energy and warm while she did them. Afterwards she felt refreshed and energised.
A practitioner told her that besides practicing the exercises, practitioners follow Truthfulness, Compassion, and Forbearance. Serena said people should be considerate, listen to others’ opinions, and treat others kindly.
When she learned that practitioners in China have been persecuted by the Chinese Communist Party since 1999, she was appalled: “I will tell people about this and help stop the persecution.”
Registering for the Online Free-Teaching Class
Ana is a teaching assistant. She went to the Falun Dafa booth with her family, and they all learned the exercises. She said that she wanted to learn to meditate but never experienced it in depth. After learning the exercises, she said, “I felt very calm and there were no distracting thoughts in my mind. I just focused on learning the movements.” When she heard that free classes were available online, Anna took the information and said she would sign up for them.
When she learned that Falun Dafa teaches people to conduct themselves according to the universal principles of Truthfulness, Compassion, and Forbearance, she said, “This is good. People should be tolerant of others and things around them, and should correct their shortcomings and improve their character. People should have compassion for everything and everyone because we are all interconnected.”
After learning that practitioners in China are persecuted, her husband said, “I will pray for their freedom.”
Doruk from Turkey is a high school student and a volunteer. Shortly after the event started, he went to the Falun Dafa booth and learned all five exercises. Afterwards he said, “I feel great. I like practicing the exercises. I think Falun Dafa’s principles of Truthfulness, Compassion and Forbearance are good.”
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