Senator Keith Faber, President of the Ohio Senate & Senator Charleta B. Tavares, Assistant Minority Leader

• Matt Shields


• 7 Jul 2015

On behalf of the members of the Senate of the 131st General Assembly of Ohio, we are pleased to extend special recognition to Ride2Freedom on its rally and press conference in Columbus, July 7, 2015.

Falun Gong, a Buddhist spiritual belief and meditation practice, is forbidden in the People’s Republic of China, and those found practicing it have been incarcerated, persecuted, and sometimes killed. Ride 2 Freedom is made up of thirty young Falun Gong practitioners from fifteen countries who are bicycling three thousand miles across the United States, a nation that values religious freedom, to raise awareness of the plight of these Chinese citizens and to rescue the orphans of those who have lost their lives for their beliefs. During this tour, R2F participants will be stopping in Columbus to help spread their message at a public event, and their efforts are truly inspirational.

Not content to take a passive role in life, all those involved with Ride 2 Freedom, including Michael Chen from Upper Arlington High School, have combined an international vision with humanitarian concern and selfless initiative in their endeavors to help others. They are truly deserving of high praise for their work to better the world around them, and we are extremely pleased to welcome them to the State of Ohio.

Thus, with sincere pleasure, we commend Ride 2 Freedom on its stop in Ohio and hope that this visit is educational and productive.

Senator Keith Faber, President of the Ohio Senate

Senator Charleta B. Tavares, Assistant Minority Leader