A young Baha’i was among the official participants at the Commonwealth Day multi-faith service held in Canberra.
Scarlett Feltham, 12, was the youngest by far of the 13 people who read a prayer at the service and her eloquence was warmly acknowledged by dignitaries and representatives of other religions.
“My knees were shaking so hard I thought I would fall over,” Scarlett said, adding that she tried to do her best so people would like the prayer.
The prayer read by Scarlett was by Abdu’l-Baha and includes the following supplication: “O Thou Kind Lord! Unite all. Let the religions agree and make the nations one, so that they may see each other as one family and the whole earth as one home.”
The success of her participation has led organizers to consider incorporating more youth in next year’s service.
More than 150 people attended the service held on 10 March 2008.
Held at the Australian Centre for Christianity and Culture in Canberra, the program included readers from the Baha’i, Buddhist, Christian, Hindu, Jain, Muslim and Sikh communities. The other Baha’i reader was Tessa Scrine, a member of the National Spiritual Assembly of the Baha’is of Australia.
A message from Queen Elizabeth was read by Malcolm Hazell CVO, the Official Secretary to the Governor-General, Major General Michael Jeffery.
Among the VIPs attending were Senator Gary Humphries, and Mary Porter MLA, who represented the Australian Capital Territory Government.
Representatives of the diplomatic corps included envoys from Botswana, Canada, Kenya, India, Mauritius and South Africa.
Perth ceremony
In a Commonwealth Day service at St George’s Cathedral in Perth, two Baha’is were part of the official program.
A member of the National Spiritual Assembly of the Baha’is of Australia, Fiona McDonald sang a prayer for unity by Abdu’l-Baha.
Jenny Williamson Habibi read an excerpt from the Baha’i scriptures pertaining to the natural environment.
Among the 200 attending were the Governor of Western Australia Ken Michael and the Dean of the Cathedral, John Shepherd.
London observance
A passage from the Baha’i teachings about the environment was read as part of the 2008 observance of Commonwealth Day at Westminster Abbey in the presence of Queen Elizabeth II.
Read the full story on the Baha’i World News Service.