World Religion Day takes place on the 15th of January. It represents a day set aside for special religious observance. It is a day to learn about the religions that shape the world around us, and to discover how many there are.
Established by the spiritual assembly of the Bahá’í Faith in the 1800’s, World Religion Day was first celebrated in 1947 in Maine, USA. It has since grown exponentially and is now celebrated in over 80 countries, with the aim of promoting understanding and peace between all religions.
It focuses on the belief that the main religions around the world share some core ideas, for example, treating people with kindness and respect. The concept is that instead of focusing on the differences between religions, we should instead be looking at the similarities.
For this purpose, one day each year we come together and celebrate the similarities we find between different faiths, to learn more about them.
The day is an opportunity to expand your knowledge and understand your friends, family or work colleagues coming from a place of understanding.
Learning more about different religions enables us to better understand each other and build better relationships with those around us.
This World Religion Day, try to:
- Take time to learn about different religions
- Speak to others about their/your religion
- Attend an interfaith event