Tuesday, December 24, 2024 | | | National gatherings explore paths toward societal harmony | CANBERRA, Australia — As Bahá'ís worldwide commemorated the births of the Báb and Bahá'u'lláh, several communities took the opportunity this year to host special gatherings at the national level to explore how spiritual principles brought by these Twin Luminaries illuminate paths toward societal harmony. These gatherings brought together government officials, religious leaders, representatives of Bahá'í institutions, and other people from across the country to explore how Bahá'u'lláh's vision of unity transcends mere tolerance, calling for genuine appreciation of human diversity as a source of its collective strength. In Australia, a reception was held at the Federal Parliament House in Canberra on the theme of "weaving together diverse perspectives to bring about unity and harmony." Sophie Scamps, Member of Parliament who co-hosted the gathering, reflected on humanity's shared identity. "There's so much more that we have in common than what divides us, and that message is always an extremely powerful one," she said. Dr. MP Scamps referred to the Bahá'í House of Worship in Sydney as a symbol of oneness, which she described as "a beacon on the hill for all of us. … It is a place of worship open to people of all beliefs, …a symbol of unity. It is a beautiful reflection of the gentle but strong tenets of the Bahá'í Faith—one that is committed to social cohesion and harmony." Honorable Julian Hill, MP and Assistant Minister for Citizenship and Multicultural Affairs, reflected on how every member of society has a part to play in nurturing a more peaceful society. "Social cohesion is not an end state...it's a process and… it takes all voices and all parts of the community to contribute to it..." He added: "The Bahá'í perspective... of fusing the material aspects of life and the spiritual…provides a really valuable contribution to the process of social cohesion." The Hon Julian Hill continued, "It is 104 years since the first Bahá'í arrived [in Australia], spreading this message of unity, peace and hope across our nation. But those values—equality of men and women, eliminating prejudice, eliminating poverty, equality of all people, human rights, harmonizing science and religion—are things that are timeless." Meanwhile in the United Kingdom, a reception in the Churchill Room of the House of Commons brought together government officials, including the Rt Hon Alistair Carmichael, Member of Parliament. MP Carmichael expressed his appreciation for the artistic performances made by youth that are engaged in Bahá'í community-building initiatives. "The energetic and hopeful presentation of the young people from Sheffield was very representative of the Bahá'í community's commitment to unity and social progress," he said. Reflecting on the gathering's theme of harmony and collective progress, Lord Khan of Burnley, Minister for Faith, stated: "We are a better society when we are as one." On the other side of the world at a gathering in Malaysia, a reception at the Bahá'í Centre in Kuala Lumpur brought together government officials, ambassadors, and religious leaders from various faith communities, as well as representatives of civil society organizations. In her remarks, a member of the Bahá'í Spiritual Assembly of that country, Geethanjali Gopal, highlighted the principle of unity in diversity, quoting a passage from Baháʼu'lláh's writings: "...associate with all the peoples and kindreds of the earth with joy and radiance, inasmuch as consorting with people hath promoted and will continue to promote unity and concord, which in turn are conducive to the maintenance of order in the world and to the regeneration of nations." Visit news.bahai.org to view images of a few gatherings marking the births of the Báb and Baháʼu'lláh and exploring humanity's shared spiritual heritage. | | | | | Film about Baha'u'llah released online | | | | | | New bicentenary film explores search for truth and meaning | | | | | | "CREATING AN INCLUSIVE NARRATIVE" | | Australian publication points to shared identity | | | Follow BWNS for regular updates | | Dear Edward Lorilla, you are receiving this email because you subscribed to the Bahá'í World News Service (BWNS) at news.bahai.org/subscribe/.
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