The Festival of Riḍván
7 April 2022
18 Bahá’ 179 B.E.
Contents:
– The Festival of Riḍván
– ISGP Undergraduate Seminar 2022 – Registration open
– Solicitation requests for funds
– Global Conferences: Youth provide a hopeful outlook for the future
GC-36400
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To all believers in the United Kingdom
Dearly loved friends,
The National Assembly sends each one of you its warmest love and greetings as the community of the Greatest Name prepares to celebrate that most wondrous occasion of the declaration of Bahá’u’lláh as the Manifestation of God for this day.
The Divine Springtime is come, O Most Exalted Pen, for the Festival of the All-Merciful is fast approaching. Bestir thyself, and magnify, before the entire creation, the name of God, and celebrate His praise, in such wise that all created things may be regenerated and made new. Speak, and hold not thy peace. The day-star of blissfulness shineth above the horizon of Our name, the Blissful, inasmuch as the kingdom of the names of God hath been adorned with the ornament of the name of thy Lord, the Creator of the heavens. Arise before the nations of the earth, and arm thyself with the power of this Most Great Name, and be not of those who tarry.
Bahá’u’lláh, Days of Remembrance, No.6
The first day of the 12-day period of the Festival of Riḍván falls this year on 21 April (13 Jalál). This day also marks the beginning of the Nine Year Plan, the first major Plan in a series that will last 25 years concluding at Riḍván 2046. This year the ninth and twelfth days of Riḍván fall respectively on 29 April (2 Jamál) and 2 May (5 Jamál). If possible, friends are encouraged to commemorate the First Day of Riḍván at 4:00 PM, which commemorates the world-shaking moment when Bahá’u’lláh publicly declared Himself as the Manifestation of God for this day. Shoghi Effendi stated that the friends should abstain from work, if possible, on the first, ninth, and twelfth days of Riḍván.
For every Bahá’í, having been blessed beyond measure to be among those who have recognised His station, this is a time of great joy, gratitude, and reflection. It is also a time for renewal, with the election of Local and National Spiritual Assemblies for the coming year. Bearing in mind that the Bahá’í day begins at sunset and ends at sunset on the next day, the election of Local Spiritual Assemblies must take place after sunset on 20 April and before sunset on 21 April.
It is hoped that safe arrangements will be made everywhere to allow as many individuals as possible, including friends of the Faith, to partake in these special days. The National Assembly is certain that this spiritually charged period will be full of opportunities to give thanks to the Blessed Beauty for the bounty of His Revelation, to draw deep from the limitless confirmations and bestowals emanating from the Abhá Kingdom, and to share His world-embracing message of love and unity with families, friends, neighbours, and colleagues as we enter the momentous Nine Year Plan. Indeed many of the conferences that will launch the Nine Year Plan in the United Kingdom will take place during these blessed days.
As we embark upon the commemorations of the “King of Festivals”, the National Assembly will continue to remember the friends in its prayers, beseeching Bahá’u’lláh that divine blessings confirm your every effort to establish communities and institutions that are the bedrock and the embodiment of His vision of a just, united, and peaceful world.
With loving Bahá’í greetings,
Patrick O’Mara
Secretary
ISGP Undergraduate Seminar 2022 – Registration open
Registration is now open for this summer’s seminar for university students offered by the Institute for Studies in Global Prosperity (ISGP).
The seminar is open to all Bahá’í youth engaged in tertiary education, providing a space for young believers to become better acquainted with a Bahá’í perspective on issues relevant to the progress of humanity. Over a number of years, the seminars have supported youth to navigate the opportunities and challenges faced in education and to consider the kind of knowledge that will enable them to release their inherent potentialities and contribute to social transformation.
The seminar is also a highly valued part of the rhythm of community life, and an integral element of the educational processes that begin with children’s classes and continue through the junior youth programme and courses of the training institute.
A video introduction to the UK seminars has been prepared and is available to download here:https://drive.google.com/file/d/1V3rlF9C7ENOcPyljIzH0G7aLF3DVG0D2/view.
The seminar will take place from 17th to 28th August 2022 at Wellington College, Berkshire.
There will be four seminars running in parallel:
· Year 4 seminar open to those who have previously completed Year 3
· Year 3 seminar open to those who have previously completed Year 2
· Year 2 seminar open to those who have previously completed Year 1
· Year 1 seminar for those starting the programme
The total cost of participating in the seminars will be £200 this year. Effort has been made to keep the price down and all Bahá’í youth engaged in tertiary education are encouraged to attend. Cost should not be a barrier and those who require further financial assistance are encouraged to contact the ISGP coordinating team at isgpuk@gmail.com who will be able to help explore other possibilities for raising the funds necessary to participate.
Registration will close on July 17th 2022. All those wishing to attend should register as soon as possible using the following link: https://forms.gle/PLmUvD7g1kvdfb4M8
It is hoped that all young believers engaged in tertiary education will attend these seminars, which are of such value in shaping Bahá’í identity and a coherent life of service.
A one-hour online information session will take place for those youth interested in learning more about the seminars. Further details will be shared in due course. In the meantime, if you have any questions or would like further information please contact the ISGP coordinating team via isgpuk@gmail.com.
Solicitation requests for funds
It is understandable that the friends, when faced with a request for assistance – particularly financial assistance – would wish to respond positively. However, the National Spiritual Assembly wishes to remind the friends not to respond to online solicitation requests, including requests from Iran, either from individual Bahá’ís or Bahá’í communities. Responding to such unsolicited requests without knowing the full background to a situation may be an unwise course of action. Additionally, we take this opportunity to remind you that there are already appropriate formal Bahá’í channels through which funding may flow to the needy, including the earmarking of funds via National Assemblies.
Recent stories have reported on the wave of conferences bringing together diverse people in localities throughout the world to explore how they will intensify their efforts toward building unity and fostering more peaceful societies.
As the gatherings—both large and small—continue, young people in particular are stepping to the fore, offering fresh insights from their experience in Bahá’í community-building activities and providing a hopeful outlook for the future. Read more, here >