About 60 members of the spiritual practice Falun Dafa, also known as Falun Gong, gathered at the San Diego County Administration building in Downtown San Diego on May 7 to celebrate World Falun Dafa Day.

The annual event is celebrated by Falun Gong practitioners worldwide on May 13, which is the birthday of Falun Dafa’s founder, Li Hongzhi.

This year’s event in San Diego was held a week early to acknowledge County Supervisor Joel Anderson’s support by proclaiming May 7, 2023 as “Falun Dafa Day” throughout San Diego County.

San Diego County Supervisor Joel Anderson’s Chief of Staff Maggie Sleeper holds lotus flower decorations as she presents a proclamation to Falun Dafa practitioners in San Diego on May 7, 2023. (Jane Yang/The Epoch Times)

Members of the spiritual practice Falun Dafa gather to celebrate World Falun Dafa Day at the San Diego County Administration building in Downtown San Diego on May 7, 2023. (Jane Yang/The Epoch Times)

Anderson’s proclamation recognized Falun Dafa for its moral philosophy, worldwide acceptance, and health benefits. He also mentioned that practitioners have persevered under brutal persecution in China—where the practice was first introduced to the public in 1992—by the Chinese Communist Party that began in 1999.

The proclamation was delivered by Anderson’s Chief of Staff Maggie Sleeper.

Local practitioners shared their experiences with the practice at the celebration.

“Falun Dafa tells people to forgive and not blame others, and to look inward for how you can improve yourself,” Gwendalle Cooper told The Epoch Times.

Cooper, 94, is a proud Cherokee and professor emerita from San Diego State University. She has traveled to Kenya and Bangkok promoting the practice.

After receiving the proclamation, the practitioners demonstrated the five sets of exercises of Falun Gong. With peaceful classical Chinese style music playing softly in the background, the practitioners gracefully moved in unison to the gentle instructions coming from the music box speakers.

Members of the spiritual practice Falun Dafa demonstrate the practice's exercises as they celebrate World Falun Dafa Day at the San Diego County Administration building in Downtown San Diego on May 7, 2023. (Jane Yang/The Epoch Times)

Members of the spiritual practice Falun Dafa hand out fliers as they celebrate World Falun Dafa Day at the San Diego County Administration building in Downtown San Diego on May 7, 2023. (Jane Yang/The Epoch Times)

“It’s very similar to what I did growing up, a kind of qigong,” said a woman named Aquila, as she commented on the exercises after being introduced to it. “It looks like a very serene practice,” she said.

Other practitioners handed out fliers to people walking by. The fliers explain the benefits of the practice and about the persecution currently happening in China.

Some passersby encouraged the practitioners and said “Thank you for letting us know about this,” and “Keep up what you’re doing.”

In addition, the practitioners displayed a set of paintings that use art to communicate both the beauty of the practice and the harsh reality of the persecution.

This painting, titled “Coming for You,” is based on a photograph taken at Tiananmen Square in Beijing when 36 Falun Dafa practitioners from around the world coordinated a peaceful appeal to ask the Chinese government to end the persecution of Falun Gong. (Mark Mathews/The Epoch Times)

Bystanders look at paintings on display as members of the spiritual practice Falun Dafa celebrate World Falun Dafa Day at the San Diego County Administration building in Downtown San Diego on May 7, 2023. (Jane Yang/The Epoch Times)

Daniel from Ocean Beach said that he was drawn to the art. “It’s a beautiful message. We’re all searching for the same thing,” he said. “We can’t forget the benefits of truthfulness and compassion for others.”

The event’s organizer, Sophia Fang, said she hopes everyone can come to know about Falun Dafa and help the world to become a better place.

Jane Yang contributed to this article.