Mission

The Arizona Falun Dafa Association (AFDA) plans, organizes and undertakes activities throughout the State of Arizona. Such activities are designed to accomplish the following educational and other objectives:

  • To raise public awareness of the practice of Falun Dafa, a mind and body cultivation system including 5 sets of gentle exercises and meditation, and three core principles of truthfulness, Benevolence and Forbearance.
  • To increase public awareness of arts and traditional culture by presenting the Shen Yun Performing Arts, classical Chinese dance and classical music, in Arizona.
  • To promote grassroots efforts to help end the persecution of Falun Dafa practitioners in China.

Students at the University of Arizona learning the Falun Gong exercises
Students at the University of Arizona learning the Falun Gong exercises

Such activities include weekly free exercise demonstration and teaching in Arizona, USA. All of these activities are organized and carried out by volunteers in their spare time and free of charge to the public.

History

In 1998, Dr. Liu, a post doctor researcher at University of Arizona, started teaching Falun Gong at the UA campus. He also frequently traveled from Tucson to Phoenix, Sendona, and Flagstaff and have taught Falun Gong to several hundreds of Arizonans.

After Dr Liu left  Arizona, Mary Jo Ard, a Master of Music, coordinated the volunteers in Arizona, traveled to almost every city and town in Arizona, to share arizonans the three universal principles of Falun Dafa (Truth, Compassion, Forbearance). Free workshops were held weekly in public libraries and bookstores to teach five sets of Falun Gong exercises. Thousands of people learned about Falun Dafa before 2008.

The Navajo welcome Falun Gong
The Navajo welcome Falun Gong

Arizona Falun Dafa Association (AFDA) was incorporated as Non-Profit 501 (c)(3) Educational Charity in November, 2008 to expand the reach of AFDA activities to more people in Arizona.