VANCOUVER, June 12, 2015 /CNW/ - The Taoist Tai Chi Society has contacted Premier Christy Clark's office, asking for a statement to clarify that the society is in no way involved with a controversy over a yoga event on Vancouver's Burrard Bridge.
The premier on Thursday tweeted a photo of herself posing in front of a Taoist Tai Chi location, with a caption that said: "Hey Yoga Haters - bet you can't wait for international Tai Chi day."
The tweet and ensuing media coverage have led to members of the public contacting us to ask what the society's connection is with the premier and the yoga event. In fact, there is no connection.
"We would like to make clear that we were unaware that this photo had been taken or that the premier had even stopped by our location, which was closed at the time," Jim Nicholson, a BC spokesman for Fung Loy Kok Taoist Tai Chi, said Friday.
"As a volunteer-based, community-oriented charity, we work hard to educate the public, including elected officials, about what we do, but we do not engage in political activity," Nicholson said.
The organization's goal is to promote good health of body, mind and spirit through the practice of Taoist Tai Chi arts by making them available to all who wish to learn.
"In particular, our programs for people with disabilities have helped many thousands of people over the years," Nicholson said.
The Taoist Tai Chi Society was founded in Canada in 1970 by Taoist monk Master Moy Lin Shin. Today, we offer classes in countries around the world and in more than 50 locations in British Columbia.
Anyone who wants to learn more about us can visit our website at www.taoist.org or drop into one of our locations to give Tai Chi a try.
While there is no International Tai Chi Day by that name that we are aware of, the society does celebrate Taoist Tai Chi International Awareness Day in locations around the world in late summer and early fall. In British Columbia this year, the event will take place at our Vancouver Centre, 588 East 15th Avenue, on Saturday Sept. 12, starting at 11 a.m. We will be inviting everyone to help us celebrate, view demonstrations of Tai Chi and enjoy a Jai lunch - a traditional Taoist vegetarian meal - prepared in our own kitchen.
High-resolution photos of people practising Taoist Tai Chi can be downloaded at https://goo.gl/nccF2X
SOURCE Fung Loy Kok Institute of Taoism
Image with caption: "Fung Loy Kok Institute of Taoism (CNW Group/Fung Loy Kok Institute of Taoism)". Image available at: http://photos.newswire.ca/images/download/20150612_C4153_PHOTO_EN_18030.jpg
contact Jim Nicholson at our office, 604 681 6609, cell phone 604 765-6609.
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