A performance to celebrate the 300th birthday of St. Petersburg was staged at Nevsky Prospect on August 30th 2003 in the city of St. Petersburg. Falun Gong practitioners hoped that through this event they could help the people of St Petersburg learn more about Falun Dafa and the brutal persecution that is happening in China. Elegant costumes with graceful exercises and dance movements, accompanied by peaceful music, fitted perfectly with the beauty and majesty of this ancient citys architecture. One could also view the work of Australian painter and Falun Gong practitioner Zhang Cuiying, and learn about the persecution she suffered in Chinese labour camps because she practised Falun Gong and lived by the principles of Truthfulness, Kindness, Tolerance.