From the 10th to the 18th of September, 2005, the week-long annual Cowley Festival was held in the Cowley district of Oxford, UK. On the 17th of September, Falun Gong practitioners from Oxford and neighbouring cities participated in the Cowley Festival by invitation from the organising committee. At the Cowley Centre, practitioners demonstrated Falun Gong exercises and performed the Lion Dance and “The Flying Law Wheel” dance.
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The festival’s organising committee’s invitation was on a strong recommendation from Mr. Stan Taylor, who was a former member of Oxford city council. According to local practitioners, since his term at the local council, Mr. Taylor has been deeply sympathetic towards Falun Gong’s persecution in China. He actively supported Falun Gong practitioners’ call to stop the persecution.
A brief introduction to Falun Gong was included in the Cowley Festival leaflets. The introduction went as flows:-. Following “Truthfulness, Compassion and Forbearance” as basic principles, Falun Gong is a practice, which includes exercises and meditation, to improve body, mind and spirit.
On the 17th of September, the day of the event, some practitioners demonstrated the five peaceful and harmonious Falun Gong exercises while others distributed leaflets. A few onlookers enquired about where to learn the exercises. Practitioners gave them details about the free classes taught by local volunteers.
An English gentleman who studies at Oxford University told a Chinese practitioner that he also saw Falun Gong a week or two before in Cambridge. He added, “You are welcome here in the UK)” “Here you can practise freely and call freely for a stop to the persecution.”
At the end of the event, when passing the practitioners, a gentleman made a point of saying, “Thank you very much!”
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