Italian Senator Sends Congratulatory Letter Welcoming Shen Yun

On Jan. 13, Shen Yun Performing Arts arrived in Milan, Italy, to kick off two weeks of performances at the Arcimboldi Theater. Italian Senator Giulio Terzi sent a congratulatory letter the day before, welcoming Shen Yun to Italy.

“We are delighted to once again welcome Shen Yun Performing Arts to our country this year. As part of its Italian tour, Shen Yun will arrive in Lombardy on the 13th to perform at the Teatro Arcimboldi in Milan,” Senator Terzi wrote.

“This is a world-class artistic performance, and also a civic testimony to a tradition that has continued for thousands of years; the company presents on stage a China that is completely different from the image presented by the Chinese Communist Party authorities. This is the real China, China before the Chinese Communist Party came to power.”

Shen Yun portrays values of truthfulness, compassion, and forbearance, which are also the cornerstones of the spiritual practice, Falun Dafa, also known as Falun Gong.

Senator Terzi recognized these values in his letter, writing: “Shen Yun revolves around the values of Truthfulness, Compassion, and Forbearance, which are the foundations of the spiritual discipline of Falun Gong, banned by the People’s Republic of China in 1999.

“It is no coincidence, then, that the show promotes respect for human dignity, religious freedom, freedom of expression, and freedom of thought.

“In a world marked by censorship and repression carried out through increasingly pervasive technologies, Shen Yun’s presence on many international stages takes on a clear and courageous political meaning: to affirm the universality of fundamental human rights and remind viewers that culture cannot be suppressed, that the identity of a people does not belong to those in power.”

Shen Yun’s mission is to revive 5,000 years of traditional Chinese culture from before communism, and has been doing so since 2006, simultaneously touring the world with 8 different companies.

Senator Terzi thanked Shen Yun for their dedication to their mission and the hope they portrayed on stage.

“A warm and cordial welcome, then, to the Shen Yun theater company, which, defying pressure and even intimidation, promotes the value of an open and democratic society, where art tells the stories that are silenced elsewhere. Thank you for your art, for your dedication, and for the hope you bring to the stage of life,” he said.

Shen Yun will be performing in Milan until Jan. 25, before continuing their tour in Italy in Livorno on Jan. 27.

NTD News, Italy

NTD is a media sponsor of Shen Yun Performing Arts, covering audience reactions since 2006.