Friends of Falun Gong

#falungong #humanrights #China #religiousfreedom Dr. Sev Ozdowski speaks with Christine Lin, creative director for Friends of Falun Gong. FoFG is a non profit organization based in the US formed in 2000 to support the freedom of belief of Falun Gong practitioners worldwide. Falun Gong is a spiritual practice based on truthfulness, compassion, and forbearance, and consists of moral teachings and five slow moving meditative exercises. Practitioners of Falun Gong follow the principles in their daily lives. Though it originates from China and is based on traditional Chinese philosophy, Falun Gong is persecuted in China today. Since 1999, the Chinese Communist Party has been systematically persecuting its members—forcing them into labor camps, mental hospitals, and even harvesting their organs for sale. Each year FoFG presents a human rights award to an individual or organization that has made significant contributions to raising awareness on this issue. We are pleased to announce that the honoree for 2021 is Dr. Sev Ozdowski. Dr Ozdowski is the Director, Equity and Diversity at the University of Western Sydney and Adjunct Professor of the Department of Peace and Conflict Studies at Sydney University. He was the Australian Human Rights Commissioner and Disability Discrimination Commissioner from 2000-2005. He has also headed the Office of Multicultural and International Affairs in South Australia for five years, and since 2006 is the President of the Australian Council for Human Rights Education. Since 2007 he has been the president of the Australian chapter of the World Organization to Investigate the Persecution of Falun Gong. https://www.sevozdowski.com/ www.fofg.org

#craft #metalwork #chinahumanrights #jewelrydesign #falungong Sergio Baez is a jewelry designer in New York City who helps other jewelry entrepreneurs launch their businesses. When a customer asked him to sponsor a human rights award for a spiritual practice persecuted in China, he found it an interesting technical challenge—and one of the most worthwhile contributions he's made in his life. About Falun Gong: The practice of Falun Gong emphasizes improving heart and mind nature. This is done by applying the principals of the practice in one’s life and trying to follow them in all situations. When a person does this with dedication and determination, the results are quite powerful. People from diverse nationalities and professions who have taken up this practice have found themselves undergoing profound transformations. Friends of Falun Gong www.FoFg.org About the award https://fofg.org/act-now/human-rights-award/ Begun in 2018, the Friends of Falun Gong Human Rights Award recognizes and celebrates individuals and groups who have made significant contributions to supporting Falun Gong practitioners’ freedom of belief on a local, national, or international scale.

World Falun Dafa Day was May 13. Falun Dafa, also known as Falun Gong, is a spiritual practice that millions around the world have made a part of their lives. Rooted in Buddhist tradition, it consists of two main components: self-improvement through the study of teachings, and gentle exercises and meditation. The belief system of Falun Dafa offers the possibility of spiritual growth through disciplined practice. Its teachings encourage learners to let go of unhealthy attachments as they strive to attune their lives to the underlying qualities of the universe: Truth, Compassion, and Forbearance. https://en.falundafa.org/ Friends of Falun Gong is a U.S.-based nonprofit organization founded in the year 2000 by concerned Americans. Our mission is to support the freedom of belief of persons who practice Falun Gong. FoFG is focused on preventing and ending violations of the right to practice Falun Gong openly, freely, and with dignity, worldwide. https://fofg.org/ In this program: Musical guest Katy Mantyk presents "Search No More" and "Let it Flow" https://katymantyk.com/ Presenting the winners of this year's FoFG Poetry Contest is Evan Mantyk, president of the Society of Classical Poets. http://classicalpoets.org/ | https://fofg.org/competitions/2021-poetry-competition/ Musical guest Anna Kokkonen presents "Silent Devotion" http://www.annakokkonen.com/ Special presentation by Students for Falun Gong, founded by a group of college students who wanted to share the uplifting spiritual and physical benefits of Falun Gong on a larger scale, while also raising awareness about the ongoing persecution of Falun Gong in mainland China. https://studentsforfg.org/ FoFG is now accepting nominations for the annual Human Rights Award: https://fofg.org/act-now/human-rights-award/ The Friends of Falun Gong Human Rights Award recognizes and celebrates individuals and groups who have made significant contributions to supporting Falun Gong practitioners’ freedom of belief on a local, national, or international scale. Support us and join in the efforts to raise awareness by making a purchase of our merchandise: http://shop.fofg.org/ Book recommendation: "Made in China" by Amelia Pang In 2012, an Oregon mother named Julie Keith opened up a package of Halloween decorations. The cheap foam headstones had been $5 at Kmart, too good a deal to pass up. But when she opened the box, something fell out that she wasn’t expecting: an SOS letter, handwritten in broken English by the prisoner who’d made and packaged the items. ameliapang.com

A doctor has the mission to heal, but how do you heal a society torn apart by a vicious, politically-motivated persecution? Meet Dr. Wang Lei, who discovered the health-changing benefits of Falun Dafa meditation, and then found the courage to stand up for the truth against brutal lies from the Chinese regime.