World Religion Day is celebrated on the third Sunday of every January. This year, it will be celebrated on January 21. Although the day was initiated in the United States of America, the day is celebrated internationally. It was started by the Baha’i faith members in the US to honor the beliefs commonly shared by the world’s religions. The assembly was organized to aim at “The Golden Rule” and how religions must be a force of unity but not a cause of division. World Religion Day was created for religious organizations to develop talks and forums associated with distinct faiths. Hence, it is a day for every individual to try and reach out to other persons of different religious identities.
History of World Religion Day
World Religion Day was first celebrated in October 1947 in Portland, Maine, at the Eastland Park Hotel under the title “World Peace Through World Religion.” Firuz Kazemzadeh organized the talk at the event. In December 1949, various communities in the United States of America observed local newspapers called “World Religion Day.” The day was popularised worldwide by Baha’i members of the National Spiritual Assembly, which was held on January 15, 1949. Baha’i is a form of faith that emerged in the 19th century. The Baha’i have three core principles: Unity of God, Religion, and humankind. They believe that all humans in the world are born to be equal and all of them have the same rights and duties.
Baha’i also believes that there is only one god, and the spirit of all religions is from that single god. In 1951, the day was internationally observed in Australia and Bolivia 1951. In 1958, Baha’i members noticed some events in different countries attracted a lot of people and overlapped with race amity priorities. In 1962, World Religion Day was noted in Several cities in the Netherlands. The main aim of the day is to create or spread awareness among the people about the variety of religions that are practiced in the world today. And to build an understanding between people of all faiths.
Other Celebrations on January 21
January 21 is also celebrated as
- National Squirrel Appreciation Day
- National Hugging Day
- International Sweatpants Day
- National Granola Bar Day
How to Celebrate the Day
Spread awareness among the people about every individual to try and reach out to other people of various religious identities. Some organizations celebrate the day by organizing interfaith events, the place where faith leaders gather together to give talks and lectures. Every individual must talk to other people about their beliefs and try to understand the faith of other religions. Post pictures and share your thoughts about the day on social media using the hashtag #WorldReligionDay.
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