Among those attending will be delegates from throughout Australia who will have participated in the annual national convention of the Faith, to be held at the Sydney Baha’i Centre in Silverwater on 24-26 April.
The nine-member National Spiritual Assembly of the Baha’is of Australia and New Zealand was founded in 1934, just 14 years after the arrival of the religion in Australia.
Due to the growth in the number of Baha’is in both countries, New Zealand formed its own governing body in 1957.
The National Spiritual Assembly is elected annually, without nominations or electioneering, in a democratic process that involves all adult Baha’is in Australia.
Under the guidance of the National Spiritual Assembly, the Australian Baha’i Community has increased from just a handful of communities in a few cities in 1934 to some 400 communities in all cities and most towns and rural areas throughout Australia today.
Keynote speakers at a commemorative evening on 25 April will be two former members of the National Spiritual Assembly, husband and wife Dr Peter Khan and Dr Janet Khan.
Dr Peter Khan is a member of the international governing body of the faith, the Universal House of Justice. Dr Janet Khan is an author and member of the Research Department at the Baha’i World Centre in Israel.
They will be among 20 past members of the National Spiritual Assembly attending the anniversary program, which will include a video history of the Assembly and a display of historical photographs.