A call to action: Bahá’u’lláh’s bicentenary in Camden

Bahá’ís are celebrating 200 years since the birth of their faith’s founder. Time for action, says Rozita Leetham.

An article from the Telegraph explains a common claim: that 2016 was the worst year yet. We had Brexit and Trump, a stream of celebrity deaths from Alan Rickman to Prince, a massacre in France, an axe-attack in Germany, and a failed coup in Turkey. Most horrifically was the increase in war and terror that exacerbated the global movement of people seeking refuge. When the self-made refugee camp in Calais was torn down, politicians debated if children fleeing conflict, torture and trafficking deserve to be with their relatives in the UK.

The ‘worst year ever’ trend continued into 2017, as the world watched more than half a million Rohingya Muslims flee persecution and almost certain death in Myanmar, terrorist attacks killed hundreds in Somalia, Afghanistan and Egypt, and Trump continued being… well, Trump.

It’s clear that it is time for a better world. October 22nd marked the bicentennial anniversary of the birth of Bahá’u’lláh, the founder of the Bahá’í Faith. 2017 was a long-awaited year of celebration for Bahá’ís and their friends all over the world. However, this isn’t just a time of celebration — it is more importantly a time for action.

Amongst many other teachings, Bahá’u’lláh taught the fundamental unity of mankind and of religion — which is believed to be progressively revealed over time and into the future as humanity evolves — as well as the equality of the sexes, the harmony of science and religion, and art as worship. These principles are the building-blocks of a better world in theory, but Bahá’ís believe that they must be put into practice through service to humanity.

Naturally, then, grassroots community action is a big part of Bahá’ís’ everyday lives, and historic moments such as this bicentennial year become a catalyst for community action. The Universal House of Justice, the council that guides the Bahá’í world, stated in its letter honouring the bicentenary:

“As the world now faces its most pressing challenges yet, we acclaim Bahá’u’lláh, born two hundred years ago… as the One Whose teachings will usher in that long-promised time when all humanity will live side by side in peace and unity.”

The letter is addressed to ‘all who celebrate the Glory of God.’ It’s an invitation for people to come together and make these principles a reality, regardless of belief and background. The celebrations that happened around the bicentenary, both locally and internationally, were a call for action.

Why now? You can call it luck or coincidence, an intervention of the universe, fate or confirmation from God. Whatever you name this force, at certain times in life and in history it seems to increase, and the bicentenary of Bahá’u’lláh’s birth is one of those blessed opportunities. Where there is an increase in these spiritual forces we can do and achieve much more, which is especially crucial if we are facing our ‘most pressing challenges yet.’

Although the Telegraph article was filled with challenges, the author does show throughout the article that we’re not completely doomed. He says we’re on an upward trend and that we just need to continue this way. We can, and must, recreate our world by implementing the principles of peace and unity in realistic, practical ways. Bahá’ís do this by making concentrated efforts with our friends in our local communities, to change not only the symptoms but the underlying causes of these challenges.

“If you do nothing but offer up a simple piece of art in the hopes of contributing something to the world, then you’ll have done something sacred.”

For example, neighbourhood children’s classes are a strength of the Camden community of which SOAS is a part. They aim to treat the underlying issue that children are not receiving a holistic education in most schools. The education of children is vital and Bahá’u’lláh taught that every child is a ‘mine rich in gems’. If uncovered, the children will then use those gems to become the builders of a better world, and so the classes propel them on in that process by teaching them basic spiritual principles through virtues.

In early December, students of the Camden classes celebrated the bicentenary in a dedicated children’s festival created to bring together their families and friends. The younger children sang and the older children acted out a play about the Messengers of God of all religions, reiterating again that in this age of religious intolerance it’s now time for unity and peace.

For any community building process, it’s the youth who have the power, time, energy and creativity to move things forward. Throughout the world, young people are spearheading Bahá’í community action, from outreach to coordination to direct facilitation. Due to this, and as an expansion of efforts during the bicentenary celebrations, a youth conference was organised over the Christmas period where young Bahá’ís came together to think about the role of youth in society and how they can contribute to social change. It’s in spaces like this where youth are given the opportunity they are so often denied - to make real, concrete plans to create change - and by catalysing this process the Bahá’u’lláh’s bicentenary was incredibly powerful.

All these activities create a pattern of community life that becomes the bedrock of a better future society, but Bahá’ís also look at the wider picture, through training university students on how to positively contribute to discourse in society or through working with organisations like the UN to promote these kind of ideas internationally. These bigger-picture activities are just as important because the smaller communities we live in are not isolated. We live in a wider society and we need to engage with its established structures — even (or perhaps especially) if we believe they are part of what needs changing.

I attended the course for Bahá’í university students and one simple thing it did was encourage us to see the underlying assumptions of what we’re being taught. SOAS goes a long way in breaking down our assumptions, but even SOAS has its own unchallenged assumptions — so what better place to start changing the world than right in front of us?

If the bicentenary of Bahá’u’lláh’s birth does nothing else, if it just changed someone’s outlook to be more positive, or encouraged a few more of those simple acts of kindness, then that would already be a massive achievement. Changing the world doesn’t have to mean working for the UN or government — it can happen through your small steady efforts.

Bahá’ís believe that art is elevated to the status of worship, so if you do nothing but offer up a simple piece of art in the hopes of contributing something to the world, then you’ll have done something sacred. You’ll have added a drop to the ocean. These drops make a ripple effect. A call to action is a call to action, no matter how dramatic or how humble. The bicentenary was an incredibly special time for me and my faith, but I hope that it can be more than that — that it can catalyse the change the world is looking for.