Raglan Baha’i news
Worldwide celebrations were held on October 22 to mark the 200th anniversary of the birth of Baha’u’llah, founder of the Baha’i Faith. More than 100 Baha’i communities around New Zealand will be the first to hold festivities in a global day of celebration involving over 100,000 communities. Raglan Baha’is have already marked the occasion by planting a rimu tree in Wainui Bush Park Reserve.
Tributes in honour of the bicentenary from local and national leaders around the world are continually pouring into Baha’i communities. In a recent message from the Rt. Hon Bill English, Mr English acknowledged the significance of the anniversary and praised the country’s diversity.
Around 2,100 indigenous tribes, races, and ethnic groups are represented in the global Baha’i community, and Baha’i writings and other literature have been translated into more than 800 languages, including te reo Maori.
Waikato Baha’i and small business owner, Babak Paymani, assisted in the Raglan tree planting. Mr Paymani originates from Iran, the birth country of the Baha’i Faith. He came to New Zealand as a young adult refugee to escape religious persecution. He has since married and has two Kiwi/Iranian adult sons. “New Zealand gives us freedom to practice our religion without fear of victimization and denial of our human rights,” said Mr Paymani. “Although the Baha’i Faith is the biggest minority religious group in Iran, Baha’is have been subjected to continual and systematic persecution since the birth of the Faith in 1844.”
Mr Paymani said people easily identify with the Faith’s principle teachings of unity, equality and justice. “At the very heart of the Baha’i teachings is the well-being, happiness and progress of humanity.”
The Raglan tree planting is just one of many events and activities being held in the Waikato to mark the bicentenary.
For further Information in Raglan on the Baha’i Faith contact Kathy Gilbert kathyg9@gmail.com , 078250996 https://www.bahai.org.nz/