“It is not for him to pride himself who loveth his own country, but rather for him who loveth the whole world. The earth is but one country and mankind its citizens.”
This message is at the core of the Baha’i faith. It is taken from the teachings of Bahá’u’lláh, the founder of Baha’i, who aimed to impress upon followers the idea that taught humanity is one single race, and would benefit from unification of our highly fragmented global society.
This message is also at the heart of World Religion Day. Held once a year to encourage the coming together of people of all faiths and beliefs, World Religion Day was established by the National Spiritual Assembly of the Baha’i’s of the United States in 1950, and has since grown to include events in cities and towns all across the country.
At 2 p.m. this Sunday, the Baha’i community in Sammamish will hold a special event at the commons beside Sammamish City Hall to mark the 2010 World Religion Day, and all residents are welcome to attend.
According to organizers, each participating faith will make a short presentation through prayers, song, dance, skit, video or speech, that celebrates the things each faith has in common.
The public is participate in World Religion Day on Sunday January 17, at the Sammamish Commons at City Hall from 2 to 4 pm. Sponsored by The Baha’I communities of Sammamish and Issaquah, 2010 World Religion Day is celebrated all around the world with “A Time of Bright Prospects” as the theme for the 2010 observances.
The Baha’i has a strong presence on the Eastside. The Baha’i’s of Sammamish hold a monthly devotional gathering at the Sammamish Library, in addition to regular gatherings at the Eastside Baha’i Center in Bellevue.
The purpose of World Religion Day is to call attention to the oneness of the world’s religions and to emphasize the message that religion is the motivating force for world unity.
The event will include representatives from the Jewish, Christian, Hindu, Moslem and Baha’i Faith.
The program is free to the public and includes children activities. Refreshments will be served.
For more information about World Religion Day go to www.worldreligionday.org.
For more information about the Sammamish Baha’i community, go to www.sammamishbahais.org.
