BAHA'I WORLD CENTRE, 28 October 2019, (BWNS) — On Sunday, President of Israel Reuven Rivlin came to Haifa to honor the 200th anniversary of the birth of the Bab. BAHA'I WORLD CENTRE, 28 October 2019, (BWNS) — On Sunday, President of Israel Reuven Rivlin came to Haifa to honor the 200th anniversary of the birth of the Bab. 

The visit follows a recent reception for local leaders and a special two-evening opening of the Shrine of the Bab and the terraces on Mt. Carmel, which saw more than 16,000 visitors walk through the Baha’i gardens, with many entering the Shrine, in a stirring display of joy, reverence, and social harmony. Many were also able to watch a brief film about the Bab.

"The values of tolerance and respect are well After the martyrdom of the Bab, His remains were recovered and concealed by the Baha’is until a final resting place was established on Mt. Carmel in Haifa, where today a magnificent Shrine illuminates the mountainside, surrounded by terraces and gardens.

After the martyrdom of the Bab, His remains were recovered and concealed by the Baha’is until a final resting place was established on Mt. Carmel in Haifa, where today a magnificent Shrine illuminates the mountainside, surrounded by terraces and gardens.

 into the two cities where the Baha’i World Centre is based—Akka and Haifa,” remarked President With sunset this evening, the Twin Baha’i Holy Days have commenced at the Baha’i World Centre, and commemorations will be held on 29 and 30 October to celebrate the bicentenary of the birth of the Bab and the 202^nd anniversary of the birth of Baha’u’llah at Their sacred Shrines.

 during his visit. “The State of Israel is proud and delighted to host Baha'i believers and the World Centre for the Baha’i Faith, which promotes values of peace and unity among different religions.”

During his visit, President Rivlin joined Dr. David Rutstein, the Secretary-General of the Baha’i International Community, on a visit to the Shrine of the Bab and a walk through the surrounding gardens.The history of the Baha’i Faith is deeply connected with the Holy Land and goes back more than 150 years. After the martyrdom of the Bab in the Persian city of Tabriz in 1850, Baha’u’llah and His family and closest companions underwent a series of exiles.  Baha’u’llah’s last banishment was to Akka in 1868, where he lived the remaining years of His life. August 31 last year marked the 150^th anniversary of His arrival to the Holy Land, which was explored in parts 1, 2, and 3 of a podcast series published by the Baha’i World News Service.

‘Ali Nakhjavani, 1919–2019 Caixa de entrada x Baha'i World News Service Cancelar inscrição sex, 11 de out 13:25 (há 21 horas) para eu inglês português     Traduzir mensagem Desativar para: inglês ‘Ali Nakhjavani, 1919–2019     To read the story online or view more photos, visit news.bahai.org. BAHA’I WORLD CENTRE, 11 October 2019, (BWNS) — ‘Ali Nakhjavani, former member of the Universal House of Justice, passed away in the early hours of this morning in France. He was 100 years old. The House of Justice sent the following message to all National Spiritual Assemblies today. *** With sorrowing hearts we convey the news that in the early hours of this morning our deeply cherished, illumined, and illustrious former colleague ‘Alí Nakhjavání ascended to the worlds beyond. We mourn the loss of an extraordinary figure who leaves behind a distinguished legacy of uninterrupted service to the Cause of God.  In the course of a singularly remarkable life that began in the closing years of the Heroic Age and extended to the very fringes of the second century of the Formative Age, he shone in the firmament of selfless devotion to Bahá’u’lláh and was called upon to be involved in many a major development in the rise of the Administrative Order, whether as a member of the National Spiritual Assembly of Iran, as an intrepid pioneer to Africa in the Ten Year Crusade, as a member of the African Auxiliary Board when it was first created, as a member of the Regional National Spiritual Assembly of Central and East Africa at its inception, and as a member of the International Bahá’í Council when it was first elected, a prelude to his membership on the Universal House of Justice when it was established in 1963.  He brought to his decades of monumental service absolute fidelity to his beloved Guardian, an exceptional depth of knowledge of the Cause, leonine commitment to the defence of the Covenant, intense ardour for the teaching work, rare spiritual acuity, and a radiant heart brimming with love for everyone who crossed his path.  His was a life of profound spiritual attainment lived at the hinge of history.  May his utter consecration, his adamantine faith, and his unswerving dedication to duty inspire generations to come. We supplicate at the Sacred Threshold for the progress of his noble soul, that it may be richly rewarded, and that it may be united with his valiant pillar of support, his beloved wife Violette.  Our condolences are extended to his dear daughter and son, Bahiyyih and Mehran, and to their families, and we pray that their grieving hearts may be solaced.  The friends are called upon to hold memorial meetings in his honour, including befitting gatherings in all Houses of Worship throughout the world. The Universal House of Justice Follow the Bahá’í World News Service on Twitter and Instagram for regular updates and stories.    Dear reader, you are receiving this email because you subscribed to the Bahá’í World News Service (BWNS) at news.bahai.org/subscribe/. Copyright 2019 by the Bahá’í World News Service. Stories and photographs produced by the Baha’i World News Service may be freely reprinted, re-emailed, re-posted, and otherwise reproduced as long as they are attributed to BWNS. For more information, go to news.bahai.org/legal. Mailing Address: P.O. Box 155 Haifa 3100101 Unsubscribe marioalbertobenedetto@gmail.com from the Bahá’í World News Service (BWNS) ResponderEncaminhar

Bicentenary preparations intensify throughout Australasia Caixa de entrada x Baha'i World News Service Cancelar inscrição 08:58 (há 11 horas) para eu inglês português     Traduzir mensagem Desativar para: inglês Bicentenary preparations intensify throughout Australasia     To read the story online or view more photos, visit news.bahai.org. This fifth and final article in a series on bicentenary preparations on each continent highlights efforts across Australasia. South Tarawa, Kiribati, 10 October 2019, (BWNS) — Across Australasia, communities are filled with anticipation for the coming bicentenary and are honoring this special period through an abundance of artistic works and vibrant community activities. There is a long and rich history in this region of marking celebrations with traditional dance. A well-known dance troupe in South Tarawa, Kiribati, is offering a series of performances along the island’s main road, presenting stories about the Bab and His mission. “The bicentenary is so special, and we want to let every soul on South Tarawa know about it,” says Therese Bakineti, an island resident. In the Tongan island of Tongatapu, youth from several communities are rehearsing traditional dances to be performed at upcoming celebrations. A group of musicians in Christchurch, New Zealand, is honoring the bicentenary by setting Baha’i prayers and writings to music in the Maori language. Naming their effort the Waiata Project—from a Maori word for song or chant—they have created an album of nine songs in both traditional and contemporary styles. “Being Maori myself, this project made me connect a lot more with my language and with the prayers,” explains D. J. MacDonald, a 17-year-old musician who helped compose the music. “My hope is that these waiata strengthen the Maori language and bring people together in New Zealand. I want us to be united over these songs.” In diverse settings throughout Australasia, people are also coming together to reflect on the special nature of the bicentenary, by viewing the film commissioned for the occasion, Dawn of the Light, and by turning their attention to a message of the Universal House of Justice about the bicentenary. These and many other initiatives are strengthening community bonds across this region and channeling the energies of growing circles of people toward constructive processes in society. For example, the community in Lae, Papua New Guinea, is raising a building to house educational activities. In a suburb of Port Vila, Vanuatu, friends, neighbors, and government officials recently set out together to clean a river, clearing trash and planting riverbank grasses to prevent soil erosion. In a neighborhood near Sydney, Australia, dozens of households are inviting friends and neighbors to gatherings for prayer and reflection on the teachings of the Bab and Baha’u’llah and their application to humanity’s social progress. The bicentenary has also been marked at the national level, including in Australia where the Federal Parliament last month held a session honoring the historic anniversary of the birth of the Bab. A special feature of this region that is lending further impetus to preparations for the bicentenary is the presence of two Baha’i Houses of Worship, with two more that are under development. At the Temple in Sydney, some 200 people gathered recently for a conference to reflect on their community-building efforts. Drawing on the welcoming spirit of the Temple, participants spoke with visitors and residents of the surrounding neighborhood about the edifice and the teachings it represents. “A lot of people are starting to see who the Bab and Baha’u’llah were and why they’re so important to the world today. Their teachings about the oneness of mankind, the oneness of religion, and the equality of women and men are essential for our society,” notes Steven Maaelopa of Sydney. Sites in the Pacific islands where Houses of Worship stand or will be built in the coming years are also acting as focal points of celebration and profound reflection during the bicentenary period. At the site of the future Temple in Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea, the community recently met for prayers on a national holiday, and young people spoke about the life of the Bab. At the Temple site in Tanna, Vanuatu, a sense of collective ownership is permeating surrounding communities as residents learn about the nature and purpose of Houses of Worship and contribute to its development. Follow the Bahá’í World News Service on Twitter and Instagram for regular updates and stories.    Dear reader, you are receiving this email because you subscribed to the Bahá’í World News Service (BWNS) at news.bahai.org/subscribe/. Copyright 2019 by the Bahá’í World News Service. Stories and photographs produced by the Baha’i World News Service may be freely reprinted, re-emailed, re-posted, and otherwise reproduced as long as they are attributed to BWNS. For more information, go to news.bahai.org/legal. Mailing Address: P.O. Box 155 Haifa 3100101 Unsubscribe marioalbertobenedetto@gmail.com from the Bahá’í World News Service (BWNS) ResponderEncaminhar