Akka religious and civic leaders honour ‘Abdu’l-Bahá

Feb 1

Feb 1 Akka religious and civic leaders honour ‘Abdu’l-Bahá

The following report was published by the Bahá’í World News Service on 19 January 2020.

BAHÁ’Í WORLD CENTRE — Last Monday, the mayor of Akka, Shimon Lankri, and dignitaries representing the city’s religious communities and other local organizations gathered to honor ‘Abdu’l-Baha at a tree-planting ceremony coinciding with the start of the construction of His Shrine.

“For Bahá’ís, diversity is beauty,” Mr. Lankri said in his remarks at the ceremony. “Like the flowers and plants of a garden, their worldview is that diversity creates beauty. I think this worldview is true, and we embrace it here.”

The ceremony, held on the site of the Shrine, was attended by around 50 guests including leaders of the Jewish, Muslim, Christian, and Druze communities, officials of local government, and academics from educational institutions in the area. David Rutstein, Secretary-General of the Bahá’í International Community, and Hossein Amanat, architect of the Shrine, were among several representatives of the Bahá’í community who were also present.

After a viewing of the design concept for the Shrine and a recitation of prayers revealed by ‘Abdu’l-Baha, Mr. Lankri and Dr. Rutstein gave brief remarks before carrying an olive tree together to a chosen location. Guests helped plant the tree in a spot in the garden where it will be able to grow for years to come.

“The spirit of ‘Abdu’l-Baha shines through a hundred years later,” says Dr. Rutstein. “Seeing the many segments of Akka’s population coming together in their happiness that ‘Abdu’l-Baha is returning to their city—this calls to mind how He worked to create unity here.”

This article in its original form, with video and more photos, can be found on the Bahá’í World News Service (BWNS) website: Akka mayor and religious leaders honor ‘Abdu’l-Baha at ceremony. To sign up for email updates from BWNS, see their subscription page.