News and Events from around the World  -- March 3, 2007

Issued by Clearwisdom Net

Content


  • Chinese New Year Spectacular in the Eyes of the German Media

  • Sydney: Mighty Falun Gong at Chinese New Year Parade



  • Chinese New Year Spectacular in the Eyes of the German Media

    NTDTV’s Chinese New Year Spectacular shows, which just drew to a close in Berlin, attracted the German media’s attention. More than a dozen media outlets covered the event, and nearly a hundred journalists attended the shows, where they saw firsthand genuine traditional Chinese culture.

    President of the German Federation of Journalists and reporter Mr. Michael Konken gave high praise to the show

    On February 27, when the show began at Berlin’s ICC Internationales Congress Centrum, the largest TV station in Berlin and surrounding regions Berlin-Brandenburg Broadcasting Station gave a live report on the show. The host talked about the scale of the show and Chinese New Year traditions, and interviewed some performers and a representative of the German NTDTV branch. He also talked about the show's uniqueness and positive response gained from the global tour performances. The live broadcast also showed highlights from previous galas.

    On the same day, one of the largest daily newspaper in Berlin, the Daily Mirror, published an introduction to the show. The article called the show an experience of traditional Chinese culture without the influence of the Communist regime’s propaganda machine.

    A week ahead of the show, over a dozen radio stations, TV stations, newspapers and magazines in Berlin and surrounding regions gave previews of the show and held ticket raffles for their listeners, viewers and readers. The popular program "Media Magazine" invited representatives of the German NTDTV branch to the studio to take part in a live broadcast, highlighting NTDTV's independent, outspoken reporting and the Chinese New Year Spectacular. The Berlin Heaven Broadcasting Station, which is geared towards young and middle-aged listeners, introduced the show by saying, "There was "Around the World in 80 Days", today, artists of NTDTV’s Chinese New Year Spectacular are touring the globe to perform in 100 days."

    The two shows were very popular, and nearly a hundred people working in the media applied to the sponsor in advance to observe the show. Members of the local media, other places in Germany and foreign news agencies in Berlin attended.

    Journalist Kalkbenner from Life & Style Magazine said that the show presented a colorful, diverse and profoundly meaningful Chinese culture. The stage costumes were splendid. He said that it was hard for him to pick a favorite, because every program told a completely different story and represented a different slice of history. They were all inspiring and thought-provoking, so it was really hard to compare and make a choice.

    Photographer Mueller, Kalkbenner's colleague, said that it was not easy for a Berliner to fully understand the show's profound meaning. It displayed the richness and diversity of Chinese culture. The show was captivating, and it took one's full attention to grasp all of the information being conveyed.

    Mr. Mueller was impressed by the flowerpot shoes in the dance "The Ladies of the Manchu Court." He said that it must be so difficult for the dancers to walk, much less dance, in those unique shoes, and that the young dancers’ performance was outstanding. He called the colorful costumes a feast for his eyes.

    Journalist Lichti from the Emirates News Agency highly praised the quick pace and humorous hosts. A Director of the Production Department at an Iranian TV station was moved by the dance "Returning to the Rightful Place." He said that he could identify with the universal principle of "You Reap What You Sow".

    Journalist Schoenfelder came with her friends from Dresden, which is over 200 kilometers away, to watch the show. After the show, she learned that the troupe would head for Chicago to continue the tour. She expressed her hope that next year’s show would tour more cities in Europe.


    Sydney: Mighty Falun Gong at Chinese New Year Parade

    The annual Chinese New Year Parade in Sydney was held on February 11, 2007. The Falun Gong procession, composed of the Divine Land Marching Band, an Exercise Demonstration Float and Flower Fairies, won waves of applauses and praise with its righteous spirit and refreshing and beautiful appearance. Parade spectators took out their cameras, camcorders and cell phones to capture the beautiful parade procession of Falun Gong. The reporter heard praise as she walked through the crowd: "Falun Gong is the best procession after all!" "Falun Gong is powerful! No wonder the CCP [Chinese Communist Party] is about to collapse..."


    The colorful Falun Gong procession is well-received


    Flower Fairies dancing

    Falun Gong practitioners perform for an attentive audience


    Waist-Drum Troupe Showed Mighty Power

    The paraded started at City Hall. Falun Gong practitioners got permission from the Sydney police to give a performance across the street from the City Hall on the day of the parade. They arrived early and unfolded a huge banner with golden words, "Falun Dafa." The Divine Land Marching Band in blue and the Waist-Drum Troupe in golden suits were eye-catching against the blue sky. As the music of "Falun Dafa Is Good" arose, the majestic momentum took over and swept away any gloominess. All people who came to join the parade or watch the parade were merged in the music and sound of the drums. Their hearts were greatly moved and inspired, especially those people from China. They looked confused and surprised at first, but they were soon in deep thought.

    CCP Sabotage Behind the Scenes

    Mr. Chen Yonglin, a former diplomat who defected from the CCP, had exposed how the CCP Foreign Affairs' Department, Department of Culture and Travel Bureau had taken advantage of holidays to export the CCP culture since 2003. To improve its public image and deceive Western society, the CCP invested a huge amount of money and sent close to one thousand entertainers from Guangdong, Beijing and Inner Mongolia to participate in the celebration of Chinese New Year in Sydney this year. The CCP swindled some Chinese Australian groups to put on a well-planned show. As dissenter Mr. Sun Liyong said, as the true situation in China continued to be exposed, the Australian people saw more and more clearly the terrible human rights situation in China. The CCP used the Chinese people's money to paint itself in glowing colors in vain during the Chinese New Year celebration in Sydney. It pretended to be powerful but ended up showing its weakness.

    Out of fear of Falun Gong practitioners' truth-clarification, the CCP intervened in activities in the Chinese community through CCP-controlled Chinese groups, attempting to suppress the influence of Falun Gong. A member of the Chinese New Year Celebration Committee verified the CCP's attempts in private. He said that the CCP had asked them to try blocking Falun Gong and related groups from the parade. "The less, the better," they said. So the committee limited the number of participants in each parade group to less than fifty. However, to avoid complaint from other groups, the CCP broke down its large group into several smaller groups and managed to put several hundred people in the parade.

    The people, young and old, whom the CCP managed to find for the parade were not skilled performers. Their processions looked scattered. Some were confused about the situation. Some were even afraid to participate in the parade. They returned their costumes and refused to participate in the parade on the spot, by saying there didn't feel well.

    CCP Officials Walked Away Early to Avoid Falun Gong

    A viewing stand was built in the center of Chinatown. CCP Ambassador Chuan Yin and Consul General Qiu Shaofang were seated on the stage. When everyone was concentrating on the parade, the two CCP officials left the stage in a hurry. It turned out that the Falun Gong procession was approaching.

    Falun Gong practitioners, holding the "Falun Dafa" banner, politely saluted with eyes to the stage. Following them were the Divine Land Marching Band, a beautiful float and a fairy dance troupe. Their precise marching, majestic music and outstanding costumes won warm applause. Spectators were fascinated by the beauty of Falun Dafa.