La journée mondiale de la Religion a Maurice et dans le monde

La journée mondiale de la Religion a Maurice et dans le monde

A Maurice,
Pour célébrer cette journée, le Conseil des Religions a organisé un forum débat sur le prévention du VIH Sida le dimanche 21 janvier 2007 au Conseil Municipal de Port-Louis.
Le vice Président de la République M. Raouf Bundhun aussi que l’ex Président de la République M Cassam Uteen ont honoré cette activité de leur présence et se sont aussi adressé à l’assistance.

PARIS, France, le 31 janvier 2007 - Le » World Religion Day », c’est à dire la « Journée Mondiale de la Religion » a été initiée en 1950 par la communauté bahá’íe des Etats- Unis.

Observée chaque année, le troisième dimanche de janvier, la Journée Mondiale de la Religion est célébrée partout dans le monde.

En France, voici quelques exemples de célébrations à l’occasion de cette journée


Pierre Martin, représentant des baha’is de QuimperléA Quimperlé, dans le Finistère Pierre Martin, membre de la Communauté bahá’íe de la ville et Jean-Yves Le Meur, curé de la Paroisse Catholique de Quimperlé, avaient organisé un débat participatif : « Les religions... à l’écoute... »

Celui- ci s’est tenu le dimanche 21 janvier dans l’amphithéâtre du Lycée polyvalent de Kerneuzec.


Lycée polyvalent de KerneuzecPour cette réunion-débat, une soixantaine de participants de toutes les confessions religieuses et de tous les courants de pensées tels que athées, agnostiques, philosophes et libres penseurs, ont posé leurs questions, exposés leurs idées, convictions, attentes et souhaits. Les croyants des religions bahá’íe, chrétienne et musulmane étaient à leur écoute et ont essayé de répondre à leurs interrogations. A l’issu des débats, les participants ont tous été invités à un pot de l’amitié.

Toujours à l’occasion de cette "Journée Mondiale de la Religion", les bahá’ís de Nice, Thonon Les Bains et Villefranche Sur Saône, ont organisé durant le week- end des 20 et 21 janvier 2007 des temps de recueillement avec musique et lectures de prières consacrées à l’unité et à la paix dans le monde sur le modèle des Oasis de Paix.

Au Centre bahá’í de Nice la célébration de la Journée Mondiale de la Religion s’est déroulée le samedi 20 janvier 2007 en soirée.

Chants, musique et prières pour la Paix, se sont succédés dans une atmosphère très chaleureuse. Les participants ont eu la joie d’écouter des mélodies persanes jouées au « Santur » et de se recueillir avec des prières pour la Paix issues du Bouddhisme, Christianisme, Foi bahá’íe, Islam et Judaïsme. Un Diaporama, présentant la Terre Sainte et les Lieux Saints des quatre Religions monothéistes présentes en Israël : Christianisme, Foi bahá’íe, Judaïsme et Islam a conclu cette soirée enrichissante

A Thonon Les Bains cela fait déjà 7 années, que l’Association socioculturelle du Chablais organise, en partenariat avec les bahá’ís , la Journée Mondiale de la Religion.

Une vingtaine de personnes se sont réunies pour vivre ensemble un moment de calme et de quiétude. Une musicienne a assuré une magnifique et émouvante partie musicale en jouant de la harpe.

Les textes étaient issus des Ecrits Saints de toutes les grandes religions du monde. Les passages lus par les participants portés sur l’Unité, la Paix, les enfants et l’Amour.

Une attention toute particulière avait été accordé à la décoration de la salle avec fleurs et lumières afin que ce moment de recueillement puisse se vivre avec autant de beauté intérieure que de beauté extérieure.


Participants aux célébrations à Villefranche sur SaôneA Villefranche sur Saône c’était une première pour les bahá’ís de Villefranche sur Saône, qui grâce aux conseils d’autres bahá’ís de France et même des Etats-Unis, se sont eux aussi lancés dans l’organisation de cette célébration. Une trentaine de personnes avaient répondu à l’invitation.

Avant chaque lecture de textes sacrés, une présentation de la Religion dont ils étaient issus a été faite avec beaucoup de dignité et sensibilité.

Musique, recueillement et convivialité ont fait de cette réunion un temps fort pour chaque participant. Une occasion de se ressourcer et de vivre ensemble des principes d’unité et d’harmonie au delà des diverses croyances religieuses, mais aussi de l’âge, ou des origines sociales et ethniques.

Les organisateurs sont enthousiastes et ont donné d’ors et déjà rendez- vous pour la Journée de la Religion du 20 janvier 2008.


Timbre émis par le Congo cette annéeEn 2007, la République du Congo observait pour la 14ème année consécutive la « Journée Mondiale de la Religion ».

Toutes les organisations religieuses importantes du pays, les membres du gouvernement et les représentants des Nations Unies ont participé à la célébration. Une profusion de groupe musicaux et de chanteurs a rehaussé les festivités.

Lors de cette journée, il a été présenté à tous les invités le 1er timbre postal africain, édité par les autorités postales du Congo à l’occasion de la Journée Mondiale de la Religion.

Plus de 250 participants représentant pas moins de huit communautés religieuses ont participé aux festivités. Plus d’informations en anglais.

Le premier pays a avoir publié un timbre pour commémorer la Journée Mondiale de la Religion est le Sri Lanka en 1985.

En initiant cette manifestation en 1950, le but de l’Assemblée spirituelle nationale des baha’is des Etats-Unis était d’attirer l’attention de tous sur le rôle de la religion comme étant une force motivante pour encourager l’unité du monde.


Logo de la Journée Mondiale des ReligionsLe but de la Journée Mondiale de la Religion est de promouvoir des bases de compréhension et d’harmonie entre toutes les religions. L’Humanité a des origines communes et une destinée commune : elle doit donc œuvrer pour tendre vers cette union des peuples et cette unité des consciences dont parlent tous les Écrits sacrés.

Ce jour est célébré en accueillant des discussions inter-confessionnelles, des conférences, des réunions de prières et tout autre événement qui stimulent la compréhension et la communication entre les disciples de toutes les religions en leur faisant prendre conscience que toutes les convictions ont une « base commune » - notamment la croyance en Dieu et l’importance donnée à un comportement moral et éthique - qui est bien plus essentielle

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Congo Republic issues stamp for World Religion Day
BRAZZAVILLE, Congo Republic, 31 January 2007 (BWNS) -- The Congo Republic this month became the second country to issue a postage stamp for World Religion Day, an annual event commemorated in dozens of cities and towns around the globe.
The stamp was presented here on 20 January 2007 at a World Religion Day program that drew more than 250 participants from eight religious communities. Agents were on hand to sell both the stamps and first-day covers.
World Religion Day was first celebrated in 1950, when the national governing body of the Baha'i Faith in the United States established it to call attention to the essential oneness of the world's religions and to show that religion is the motivating force for world unity.
The day is celebrated with interfaith discussions, conferences and other events that foster understanding among the followers of all religions. World Religion Day, which always falls on the third Sunday in January, is traditionally commemorated a day early in Brazzaville.
The new stamp from the Congo pictures a globe surrounded by the symbols of 11 religions. Across the top it says, in French, "God is the source of all religions."
Sri Lanka issued a World Religion Day stamp in 1985 that pictured symbols of eight religions.
In 1999, Singapore issued a postage stamp that listed the names of nine major religions along with the words "Unity in Diversity" and a tribute to the 50th anniversary of the Inter-Religious Organization of Singapore. The release of the stamp coincided with World Religion Day, although it did not actually carry those words.
In Entebbe, Uganda, organizers of the World Religion Day commemoration there announced that they had requested their national postal service to issue a stamp for the occasion next year.
At their celebration this year, hosted by the Entebbe Municipal Council, participating religious leaders signed a declaration to form the Entebbe Inter-Faith Coalition. The signers pledged to use "the unifying power of religion to instill in the hearts and minds of all people of faith the fundamental facts and spiritual standards that have been laid down by our Creator to bring them together as members of one family."
Communities across Canada and the United States also held observances for this year's World Religion Day, as did Hong Kong and towns in Australia, Bulgaria, France, Luxembourg, New Zealand, Sweden, the United Kingdom, and a number of other countries.
Source: Bahá'í World News Service
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World Religion Day attracts hundreds
By: NOELLE IBRAHIM - Staff Writer
Two by two, little boys and girls of different faiths made their way through a room full of community members at the Poway Community Center on Sunday afternoon, placing flowers and the holy books of their religions on a table at the front of the gathering.The procession of children was meant to symbolize the unity and oneness of all world religions, which was precisely the goal of Poway's fifth annual World Religion Day celebration.
"The procession of religions sets the tone for the entire event," said Diedre Merrill, chairwoman of the Baha'i spiritual assembly in Poway, which co-sponsored the event along with the Poway Interfaith Council.
"These children are free of prejudice and carry their holy books with such reverence that gives validity and honor to world religions," she said, adding that each book represents an essential chapter in the book of God's religion.Established in 1950 by the National Spiritual Assembly of the Baha'i Faith in the United States, World Religion Day is meant to foster understanding and harmony by emphasizing the common denominators underlying all religions.Acceptance of other religions is a core foundation of the Baha'i Faith, said Merrill."World Religion Day is almost like a refuge where people can come and not think of the dynamics that are separating mankind, but instead bask in the oneness of mankind," she said.Last year's World Religion Day was so successful that it prompted the formation of the Poway Interfaith Council, which strives to increase community awareness and understanding of different faiths' traditions to cultivate a spirit of peace among residents.Inside the community center, more than 200 audience members were encouraged to sit by people they didn't know, allowing them to step out of their comfort zones and get to know fellow community members of different faiths.The event then kicked off with the recitation of unity prayers in English and Persian and a song titled "One God," which trumpeted lyrics such as "For your God and my God are one."Spiritual leaders and members representing the Hindu, Sikh, Jewish, Buddhist, New Thought, Christian, Muslim and Baha'i faiths each gave five-minute presentations on the theme "True Religion Unites: Drawing a Circle Big Enough for All of Us.""In the circle we have today, we are all equal ---- all religions, all faith paths," the Rev. Abigail Albert of the Family Spiritual Center in Poway told the audience. "In New Thought, we believe there is one God and many paths to God. People make conscious decisions to choose the path that is right for them."Albert said the importance of the event lies in educating the public about the similarities among the religions and not dwelling on the differences."Once there is some understanding, people realize we're just not that different," she said. "Not understanding, not knowing creates fear and fear creates separation."Some spiritual leaders stressed the importance of overcoming prejudice in regard to religious beliefs."Let us see past the differences that some use to divide us," said Imam Shamshad Nasir during his discussion on Islam.Rancho Penasquitos resident Brian Khorshidi said he enjoyed the message of the event."We should consider loving and respecting each other regardless of religion," he said, holding his toddler son in his arms. "I think we need to have more gatherings like this."Harriet Staats, also a Rancho Penasquitos resident, said this was the second year she had attended the World Religion Day celebration in Poway. She praised the event as a starting point to learning about and accepting people of differing faiths."The more we know, the more commonality we find out we have with one another," said Staats. "If we allow ourselves to follow our hearts and religions, we'd have a lovely world." .
http://www.nctimes.com/articles/2007/01/22/news/top_stories/12107193520.txt
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from the



GLOBAL PROJECT ORDINATOR
Dearly loved friends around the globe,

It is truly an opportune time to offer our praise and glory to our Lord and heavenly Father, Baha'u'llah for His boundless mercy for the World Religion Day Program this year. The number of events exceeded all previous years, the number of participants worldwide was in the thousands, and the victories won are numerous.

First of all, we offer our deepest gratitude and admiration to all Baha’i communities and their Institutions as well as individuals who took upon themselves the responsibility of ensuring the success of their respective events. The organizations of other Faiths who supported and participated in a very big way in the global observances of World Religion Day have our warmest gratitude. We are, indeed, lost for words to offer our thanks to all for a splendid service rendered to all humanity. The heartwarming stories we receive each day from the organizers and participants of these events surely indicate their hope for the inevitable unity among the followers of all Faiths as they have all recognized that “Religion must be the cause of unity”.
\n \nOur website received an unprecedented \nnumber of visitors (over 300,000 visitors the past month alone). It is \nbecoming a confident source of information for many a student and educational \ninstitution of comparative religion. Many are the requests for more \ninformation to be added into this website so that it will evolve as a source of \ninspiration and knowledge for those involved in higher education in the much \nneeded field of harmony-building.\n \nWorld Religion Day has proven to be an \neffective tool to build bridges between hearts of those who desire unity and \npeace on this planet. We are all aware, now more than ever, of humanity's \nplea for understanding and harmony among the followers of all Faiths. Many \nreligious leaders have made attempts to bring together the followers of other \nFaiths for a friendly dialogue on the issue of living by the teachings of their \nown Books. Many civic leaders, around the globe, have praised the services \nrendered by World Religion Day in its efforts to promote harmony. Nearly two \ndecades ago the Government of Sri Lanka proclaimed the third Sunday in January \nas World Religion Day and issued a postal stamp to mark that historic \nproclamation. \nThis year, to crown the achievements of \nWorld Religion Day, the Government of the Republic of the Congo \nissued a postal stamp galvanizing the effects of this program with a global \nvision. These stamps have begun serving their intended purpose of \nengraving in the minds and hearts of the believers of all Faiths that "Religion must be the cause of unity".",1]

Our website received an unprecedented number of visitors (over 300,000 visitors the past month alone). It is becoming a confident source of information for many a student and educational institution of comparative religion. Many are the requests for more information to be added into this website so that it will evolve as a source of inspiration and knowledge for those involved in higher education in the much needed field of harmony-building.

World Religion Day has proven to be an effective tool to build bridges between hearts of those who desire unity and peace on this planet. We are all aware, now more than ever, of humanity's plea for understanding and harmony among the followers of all Faiths. Many religious leaders have made attempts to bring together the followers of other Faiths for a friendly dialogue on the issue of living by the teachings of their own Books. Many civic leaders, around the globe, have praised the services rendered by World Religion Day in its efforts to promote harmony. Nearly two decades ago the Government of Sri Lanka proclaimed the third Sunday in January as World Religion Day and issued a postal stamp to mark that historic proclamation.
This year, to crown the achievements of World Religion Day, the Government of the Republic of the Congo issued a postal stamp galvanizing the effects of this program with a global vision. These stamps have begun serving their intended purpose of engraving in the minds and hearts of the believers of all Faiths that "Religion must be the cause of unity".
\n \nThere are many doors to the Mansion of our \nLord in the Abha \nKingdom. \n\nWorld Religion Day has been used by the \nBaha'is as a tool to further enhance the enrollment of seekers in the process of \nestablishing God's eternal kingdom on this planet. The news of these \nevents are many and posted on our website. Please visit http://www.worldreligionday.org/past_observances.html \nfor more information.\n \nPlease share this letter with all the \nBaha’is in your community.\n \nWith loving \nregards,\n \nLal \nFernando\nGlobal Project \nCoordinator\nWORLD RELIGION DAY \nPROGRAM\n",1]
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There are many doors to the Mansion of our Lord in the Abha Kingdom.
World Religion Day has been used by the Baha'is as a tool to further enhance the enrollment of seekers in the process of establishing God's eternal kingdom on this planet. The news of these events are many and posted on our website. Please visit http://www.worldreligionday.org/past_observances.html
for more information.

Please share this letter with all the Baha’is in your community.

With loving regards,

Lal Fernando
Global Project Coordinator
WORLD RELIGION DAY PROGRAM
mailto:lal@worldreligionday.org/n
www.worldreligionday.org
mailto:nwww.worldreligionday.orglal@worldreligionday.org
http://www.worldreligionday.org/