(Minghui.org) May 13, 2021 is the 22^nd World Falun Dafa Day. The Missouri cities of O’Fallon, St. Peters, St. Charles, and Wentzville issued proclamations to honor Falun Dafa Day. 

The proclamation from Mayor Bill Hennessy of the City of O’Fallon reads, “Falun Dafa has transcended cultural and national boundaries to bring better health and inner peace to millions around the World, including Missouri. 

“Volunteers in Missouri have been actively involved in the community, providing Falun Dafa exercise instruction and cultural awareness at numerous community events.

“With the coronavirus pandemic ravaging the world for over a year, the meditative exercise of Falun Dafa and its health benefits offers an effective option to those seeking peace and healing in these trying times. 

“Practitioners of Falun Dafa in Missouri cherish the freedom of belief, while in China their counterparts have continued to peacefully stand up for freedom in the face of brutal persecution under the communist regime’s repression since 1999.

“This year, 2021, marks 22 years of peaceful appeals and worldwide efforts to end the communist regime’s brutal persecution of Falun Dafa in China.”

Proclamation from Mayor Bill Hennessy of the City of O’Fallon, Missouri

Proclamation from Mayor Len Pagano of the City of St. Peters

Proclamation from Mayor Daniel J. Borgmeyer of the City of St. Charles

Proclamation from Mayor Nickolas Guccione of the City of Wentzville

Background: What is Falun Dafa?

Falun Dafa (also known as Falun Gong) was first introduced to the public by Mr. Li Hongzhi in Changchun, China in 1992. The spiritual discipline is now practiced in over 100 countries and regions worldwide. Millions of people have embraced the teachings—which are based on the principles of Truthfulness, Compassion, Forbearance as well as five gentle exercises—and experienced uplifted health and well-being. 

Jiang Zemin, former head of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), perceived the spiritual discipline's growing popularity as a threat to the CCP's atheistic ideology and on July 20, 1999, issued an order to ban the practice.

Minghui.org has confirmed the deaths of thousands of practitioners as a result of the persecution over the past 22 years. The actual number is believed to be much higher. More have been imprisoned and tortured for their faith.

There is concrete evidence that the CCP sanctions the harvesting of organs from detained practitioners, who are murdered to supply the organ transplant industry.

Under Jiang's personal direction, the CCP established the 610 Office, an extralegal security organization with the power to override the police and judicial systems and whose sole function is to carry out the persecution of Falun Dafa.