Elected Leaders Welcome Shen Yun to Atlanta

ATLANTA—Near the end of a fiercely hot summer, Atlanta and nearby cities celebrated “Shen Yun Performing Arts Day” on August 21. Long-serving U.S. Senator Johnny Isakson has supported the company since its debut in Atlanta in 2006. He wrote, “It is with great pleasure that I send my best wishes to each of you as you gather to enjoy the extraordinary 2010 World Tour of Shen Yun Performing Arts in Atlanta, Georgia.”

Cobb County Commission Chairman Timothy D. Lee wrote, “On behalf of the Cobb County Board of Commissioners, I extend our warmest greetings to all participants of the Shen Yun Performing Arts show at Cobb Energy Performing Arts Centre. We are honored to have such a culturally-rich and artistic event in our community.”

The Atlanta City Council welcomed the company’s fifth visit from its home in New York with a proclamation in which they said the “Shen Yun show displays the beauty, kindness, compassion, wisdom and courage of the Chinese people.” The Shen Yun New York Company gave two shows at the Cobb Energy Centre, presenting the “Masterpiece Collection” of music and dance from its four seasons.

Atlanta City Council President Ceasar Mitchell described the company’s art as “rich, relevant and inspiring” in an official statement.

The mayors of Alpharetta, Decatur, Duluth, Kennesaw and Marietta honored Shen Yun. Alpharetta is the fifth largest city in Georgia and one of the wealthiest. Mayor Arthur Letchas wrote “We are thankful for the Southeastern US Falun Dafa Association’s continued efforts” to bring the performance to Atlanta. He said the show was “phenomenal, a wonderful combination of the expressive and the technical.”

Duluth Mayor Nancy Harris proclaimed August 21 “Shen Yun Performance Day” and wrote, “the show is very rich in spirit, which gives people a real sense of goodness and meaning in life.”

Decatur is an historic and cultured city, home to Emory University and Agnes Scott College. Mayor William Floyd wrote that he urged all citizens and organizations of the community to join him in extending honors and congratulations to Shen Yun. It is in Dekalb, the most diverse county in Georgia.

Kennesaw, north of Atlanta, was the site of a pivotal Civil War battle. Like the other cities which welcomed the company, it has a wealthy and educated population. Kennesaw State University is there, boasting a Gutenberg Bible and innovative international programs. It is the third largest university in Georgia.

Kennesaw Mayor Mark Matthews praised the “collaboration of leading artists, the world’s foremost classically trained Chinese dancers, choreographers, musicians and vocalists.”

Just south of Kennesaw is Marietta, an old, architecturally distinguished city with a lively theater and art gallery scene. Mayor R. Steve Tumlin, Jr. encouraged all citizens to see the performance.

The Epoch Times is a proud sponsor of Shen Yun Performing Arts