(Minghui.org) Pennsylvania State Senator Christine Tartaglione invited Falun Dafa practitioners to participate in her annual community event held on August 11, and introduce the practice to local residents.

Practitioners (first from left and second from right) tell people about Falun Dafa.

People learn about Falun Dafa from a practitioner (right).

As the state senator representing Pennsylvania’s 2nd District in Northeast Philadelphia since 1995, Senator Tartaglione held her annual community event at Norris Square Park on August 11, and plans to hold three similar events in the coming weeks.

Senator Tartaglione signs a petition to support Falun Dafa practitioners.

She also stopped at the Falun Dafa booth and talked with practitioners, and said she would do anything needed to support practitioners because that is her responsibility. She explained that this was why she absolutely agreed with the petition calling to end the persecution in China. She was also one of the co-sponsors of Resolution 98 introduced by the Pennsylvania State Senate last year, that opposed forced organ harvesting by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP).

Besides the senator, over 200 people signed the petition to condemn the brutality against Falun Dafa in China, especially the forced organ harvesting. The petition urged that the persecution stop immediately.

Participants signed a petition calling for a stop to the atrocities in China.

“It is great that Falun Dafa practitioners could attend the event and taught the practice to children,” Senator Tartaglione said. She also thanked practitioners for bringing the petition form and circulating the information in the community. She said it is critical to educate local residents including children on this important matter, so that the cruelty would be exposed. “Western society must be involved and stop the suppression because the CCP is dragging people down and controlling people. Chinese citizens need freedom, just like the rest of the world,” she said.

Adults and children learn the Falun Dafa exercises.

Many people stopped at the booth to learn about Falun Dafa. They were impressed by the hand-made paper lotus flowers distributed by practitioners. Atiya Moore, a police officer, came with her two children, one age 6 and the other only two. She said the exercises made her entire family feel relaxed and energetic. Her mood also improved through the practice. She decided to continue practicing and attended the nearby group practice site that weekend.

Police officer Atiya Moore said she liked the practice very much.

She said, “Such peaceful exercises are also very important to children. If they could practice the meditation, they would be calmer and the world would be a better place.” She said many children nowadays have been misled and are angry and numb. This practice could help them calm down and improve their mindset.