National Baha'i Day in Jamaica

Mayor with interreligious breakfast attendees at Baha'i DayIt was established in 2003 by the Governor General of Jamaica. In celebration of the 60th anniversary of the birth of the Baha'i Faith in Jamaica, the Governor-General of Jamaica, Sir Howard Cook, proclaimed a National Baha'i Day for this tropical island Caribbean people. Once proclaimed, the day becomes a permanent feature of the skeleton. “So we started celebrating Baha’i Day on July 25 each year,” said Linda Roche, secretary of Jamaica’s Baha’i community.

The event was a celebration not only for the 21 local Baha'i communities on the island. Other religious leaders and politicians in Jamaica joined them. Among the Bahá'í Day activities is the Baha'i Day Breakfast organized by the National Spiritual Assembly of the Baha'is of Jamaica. Celebrations are held in the Baha'i communities of Kingston, Montego Bay and Port Antonio. For example, Port Antonio hosted a four-day public library exhibition on the history of the Baha'i Faith in Jamaica.

The celebration in Kingston, the capital of Jamaica, is attended by representatives of different religions from the Interfaith Council, including Muslims, Christians, Buddhists, Hindus, as well as the mayor of Kingston and journalists.

During the national ceremony, the mayor praised Jamaica’s Baha’i community for its spiritual and unifying impact at a time when people are losing faith in politics and traditional religions. “We have always counted on traditional churches to create a foundation for moral respect and social tolerance,” Mayor Desmond Mackenzie said. “Nevertheless, we are concerned that traditional churches have lost their influence in moral matters in recent times,” says Mr. Mackenzie, who is not a Baha’i himself, “and since politicians do not have moral authority, it is the new churches and religions, such as the Baha’is, with their fresh view of morality that we must turn to.” “Bahá’u’lláh’s divine mission has been to bring humanity a spiritual rebirth and unity that will lead to permanent world peace and the establishment of the kingdom of God on earth,” says Mr. Mackenzie. The City of Kingston welcomes Baha'is with open arms as they share your aspirations for unity and peace.

Bahá'í communities throughout Jamaica hold a variety of activities that are open to all: classes with children, study circles and prayer meetings.