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World Religion Day

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World Religion Day
Observed byAdherents of various world religions
TypeInternational, cultural
SignificanceInterfaith celebration of the oneness of religion and its role in human society
DateThird Sunday in January
2023 dateJanuary 15  (2023-01-15)
2024 dateJanuary 21  (2024-01-21)
2025 dateJanuary 19  (2025-01-19)
2026 dateJanuary 18  (2026-01-18)
Frequencyannual
First timeDecember 8, 1949

World Religion Day is an interfaith observance initiated in 1950 by the National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of the United States, celebrated worldwide on the third Sunday in January each year. Though initiated in the United States, World Religion Day has come to be celebrated internationally.[1]

Its purpose is to promote the idea that the spiritual principles underlying the world's religions are harmonious, and to suggest that religions play a role in unifying humanity.[1] In April 2002, the Universal House of Justice, the international Bahá'í governing body, published a letter "To the World’s Religious Leaders", in which it was stated

that interfaith discourse, if it is to contribute meaningfully to healing the ills that afflict a desperate humanity, must now address honestly ... the implications of the over-arching truth ... that God is one and that, beyond all diversity of cultural expression and human interpretation, religion is likewise one.[2]

History

The earliest observation entitled "World Peace Through World Religion" was in Portland, Maine at the Eastland Park Hotel in October 1947 with a talk by Firuz Kazemzadeh.[3] In 1949 observances in various communities in the United States made the local newspapers in December called "World Religion Day".[4] It was standardized across the United States by the National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of the United States in December 1949 to be held January 15.[2][5] It also began to be observed internationally starting as early as in Australia in 1950 in two cities[6] and Bolivia in 1951.[7] By 1958 Bahá'ís had gathered notices of events in a number of countries—sometimes attracting hundreds of people and sometimes overlapping with race amity priorities.[8] In Laos for example, meetings were noted in 1958,[9] 1959,[10] and 1960, among many countries activities.[11][12] In the Netherlands in 1962 it was noted in several cities.[13]

More pronounced awareness

The observance has grown in some scale of recognition beginning in the 1950s.

It was noted on various AM radio stations in the 1950s and 1960s:

Various noted speakers have given talks in the 1950s to the 1970s:

A number of locales have seen Mayoral proclamations in the United States and Canada in the 1960s and 1970s:

  • 1966 - Reno Nevada[30] and Portsmouth, New Hampshire[31]
  • 1967 - Arcadia, California[32]
  • 1969 - Carbondale, Illinois[33]
  • 1973 - Hamburg, New York[34]
  • 1974[35] and 1975[36] - Brandon, Manitoba
  • 1977 - Hamburg, New York,[37]

Once the proclamation was by the Governor in Missouri in 1968.[38]

Stamps

In 1985 Sri Lanka issued the first World Religion Day postage stamp. This was followed by a stamp issued by the Republic of the Congo in 2007. The Congo stamp showed a globe with the symbols of 11 religions surrounding it, and the text (in French) read, "God is the source of all religions."[39][40][41]

Modern events

After years of activity since 2000[42]: 1:02min  in 2011 Ottawa city government hosted an event that was video taped.[43] It was subsequently noted in 2014 on CTV Television Network.[44]

Since 2013 participants have gathered at a virtual presentation in Second Life[45]: 1:44min  at the UUtopia Center for an observance.[46] The 2014 observance had screenshots taken.[47] The 2015 event[48] of talks of a panel of speakers was recorded.[45]

In 2013 the Parliament of Religions noted it.[49] The Oxford University Press's blog noted it in 2015.[50]

There is a long tradition of hosting panels and symposia with representatives of many religions at World Religion Day observances.[51]

See also

Notes

  1. ^ a b Buck 2011, pp. 936–938
  2. ^ a b Buck 2011, pp. 937
  3. ^ "Baha'i community to sponsor address". Portland Sunday Telegram And Sunday Press Herald. Portland, Maine. 19 Oct 1947. p. 42. Retrieved Feb 14, 2015.
  4. ^ * "Baha'i group". The Sun and the Erie County Independent. Hamburg, New York. 8 Dec 1949. p. 2. Retrieved Feb 14, 2015.
  5. ^ "Meeting the Crisis; Tell the story; World Religion Day". Bahá'í News. December 1949. p. 4. Retrieved Feb 14, 2015.
  6. ^ * "Baha'i Faith - World Religion Day". The Southern Mail. Bowral, New South Wales. Jan 6, 1950. p. 3. Retrieved Feb 14, 2015.
  7. ^ "Latin American News". Bahá'í News. No. 241. March 1951. p. 7.
  8. ^ "The Oneness of religion is proclaimed internationally with many public observances of World Religion Day". Bahá'í News. March 1958. pp. 12–14. Retrieved Feb 14, 2015.
  9. ^ "Four Faiths Join in Observance of World Reliqion Day in Laos". Bahá'í News. No. 326. April 1958. p. 11.
  10. ^ "Newspaper and Radio Publicity, Visual Aids Assist in Proclaiming World Religion Day Observances on Theme of The Oneness of Religion; The audience at the special World Religion Day Program in Vientiane..." Bahá'í News. No. 337. March 1959. p. 9.
  11. ^ Rabbani, R., ed. (1992). The Ministry of the Custodians 1957-1963. Bahá'í World Centre. p. 221. ISBN 0-85398-350-X.
  12. ^ "The Oneness of Religion Proclaimed to Millions on World Religion Day". Bahá'í News. No. 349. March 1960. pp. 2–4.
  13. ^ "First-Time Observances Held by Three Netherlands Communities". Bahá'í News. No. 373. April 1962. pp. 4–5.
  14. ^ "Baha'i to have two programs". The Times. San Mateo, California. 19 Jan 1951. p. 14. Retrieved Feb 14, 2015.
  15. ^ "Expect ten at Baha'i convention". Tucson Daily Citizen. Tucson, Arizona. 24 Jan 1951. p. 21. Retrieved Feb 14, 2015.
  16. ^ Malloy, Fran (16 Jan 1951). "Baha'i World Religion Day set Jan 21". Fairbanks Daily News-Miner. Fairbanks, Alaska. p. 1. Retrieved Feb 14, 2015.
  17. ^ "Baha'is to observe World Religion Day". Fairbanks Daily News-Miner. Fairbanks, Alaska. 16 Jan 1960. p. 5. Retrieved Feb 14, 2015.
  18. ^ "Baha'is religion day is observed". Fairbanks Daily News-Miner. Fairbanks, Alaska. 20 Jan 1962. p. 5. Retrieved Feb 14, 2015.
  19. ^ "Baha'i's present radio program". Daily Independent Journal. San Rafael, California. 16 Jan 1954. p. 10. Retrieved Feb 14, 2015.
  20. ^ "Baha'i lecturer is speaker here for World Religion Day". The Kokomo Tribune. Kokomo, Indiana. 17 January 1955. p. 9. Retrieved Feb 14, 2015.
  21. ^ "Broadcast set" (PDF). The Geneva Times. Geneva, New York. Jan 14, 1956. p. 5. Retrieved Feb 14, 2015.
  22. ^ "Baha'is observe World Religion Day". Arizona Daily Sun. Flagstaff, Arizona. 18 Jan 1957. p. 9. Retrieved Feb 14, 2015.
  23. ^ "Baha'i spiritual group to hear talk by actor" (PDF). Buffalo Courier-Express. Jan 16, 1954. p. 3. Retrieved Feb 14, 2015.
  24. ^ "Baha'i speaker". Daily Independent Journal. San Rafael, California. 12 Jan 1961. p. 21. Retrieved Feb 14, 2015.
  25. ^ "Baha'is to celebrate". The New York Age. New York, New York. 3 Jan 1953. p. 11. Retrieved Feb 14, 2015.
  26. ^ "Two local women planning to attend religious meeting". The Circleville Herald. Circleville, Ohio. 14 Jan 1955. p. 8. Retrieved Feb 14, 2015.
  27. ^ "Baha'i program here tomorrow". The Bridgeport Post. Bridgeport, Connecticut. 19 Jan 1957. p. 2. Retrieved Feb 14, 2015.
  28. ^ "Baha'i World Day". Tucson Daily Citizen. Tucson, Arizona. 15 Jan 1972. p. 8. Retrieved Feb 12, 2015.
  29. ^ "Baha'i Faith leader sets visit to Pee Dee". Florence Morning News. Florence, South Carolina. 20 Jan 1973. p. 5. Retrieved Feb 14, 2015.
  30. ^ "Religion Day observance set". Nevada State Journal. Reno, Nevada. 11 Jan 1966. p. 19. Retrieved Feb 14, 2015.
  31. ^ "Proclamation". The Portsmouth Herald. Portsmouth, New Hampshire. 15 Jan 1966. p. 20. Retrieved Feb 14, 2015.
  32. ^ "Religion Day highlights Baha'i goal". Arcadia Tribune. Arcadia, California. 5 Jan 1967. p. 28. Retrieved Feb 14, 2015.
  33. ^ "Baha'i Faith will observe". Religion Day Southern Illinoisan. Carbondale, Illinois. 10 Jan 1969. p. 5. Retrieved Feb 14, 2015.
  34. ^ "World Religion Day" (PDF). The Photo News. Hamburg, New York. Jan 17, 1973. p. 12. Retrieved Feb 14, 2015.
  35. ^ "World Religion Day to be observed". The Brandon Sun. Brandon, Manitoba, Canada. 19 Jan 1974. p. 5. Retrieved Feb 14, 2015.
  36. ^ "Proclamation for World Religion Day". The Brandon Sun. Brandon, Manitoba, Canada. 18 Jan 1975. p. 18. Retrieved Feb 14, 2015.
  37. ^ "World Religion Day" (PDF). The Hamburg Sun. Hamburg, New York. Jan 13, 1977. p. 5. Retrieved Feb 14, 2015.
  38. ^ "Religion day being observed". The Sunday News and Tribune. Jefferson City, Missouri. 21 Jan 1968. p. 8. Retrieved Feb 14, 2015.
  39. ^ Buck 2011, pp. 937–938
  40. ^ One Country. Congo Republic issues stamp for World Religion Day. Volume 18, Issue 4. January–March 2007.
  41. ^ Bahá'í Library: Bahá'í Stamps
  42. ^ A Sacred Life: Beliefs in Action, World Religion Day, 2014 (television). Ottawa, Canada: CTV News. January 19, 2014.
  43. ^ religions (January 16, 2011). World Religion Day 2011 at Ottawa City Hall (video). Ottawa, Canada: Bahá'ís of Ottawa.
  44. ^ A Sacred Life: Beliefs in Action, World Religion Day, 2014 (television). Ottawa, Canada: CT Morning Live. January 17, 2014.
  45. ^ a b 2015 World Religion Day in Second Life (video). Second Life, UUTopia: Programa de Paz. Jan 18, 2015.
  46. ^ "2014-01-23 LG Minutes". First UU Congregation of Second Life. Jan 23, 2014. Retrieved Feb 14, 2015.
  47. ^ pcnewton (Jan 19, 2014). "World Religion Day 2014 in SL". Retrieved Feb 14, 2015. {{cite web}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |published= (help)
  48. ^ "2014-12-11 LG Minutes". First UU Congregation of Second Life. Dec 11, 2014. Retrieved Feb 14, 2015.
  49. ^ "Baha'i World Religion Day January 20 start golden rule conversations". The Parliament Blog. Council for a Parliament of the Word's Religions. January 17, 2013. Retrieved Feb 14, 2015.
  50. ^ Alex Guyver (January 18, 2015). "World Religion Day 2015". Oxford University Press's Academic Insights for the Thinking World. Oxford University Press. Retrieved Feb 14, 2015.
  51. ^ * "World Religion Day program". The Times. San Mateo, California. 11 Jan 1950. p. 5. Retrieved Feb 14, 2015.

References

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