A service conducted entirely by children was held in a sun-filled Baha’i House of Worship in Sydney on Sunday 28 October to celebrate Universal Children’s Day.
Eighteen children, ranging from 4 to 12 years old, read from the scriptures of the Baha’i Faith and other world religions.
A children’s choir provided music for the service, which attracted hundreds of people, with the Temple reaching its full seating capacity.
A spokesperson for the Australian Baha’i Community, Venus Khalessi, said parents, children and other family members came from interstate and across New South Wales to attend.
“Some of the participants were from the Baha’i community and many others came from schools which host Baha’i education programs such as Collaroy, Northbridge, Hornsby, St Ives and Epping Heights public schools,” Ms Khalessi said.
“Still others came from elsewhere in NSW, including children who participate in neighbourhood Baha’i classes outside of school hours,” Ms Khalessi said.
“The readers responded with great excitement and joy in having the chance to present readings from the scriptures and prayers of the major world religions,” she said.
Ms Pouneh Sedghi, one of the event organisers, said there was a positive reaction from parents to the service.
“A few of the families who had come to the service for the first time told me how inspired and moved they were to see their children recite these holy words with such reverence and dignity,” Ms Sedghi said.
Among those attending was a Camden family, John and Su-Yin Jowett with their son Lachlan, 6, and Joshua,1.
“We felt so uplifted by the service– and the children’s activities are a great opportunity for our son to engage with the Temple and to meet new friends,” Mr Jowett said.
After the service, many parents participated in the “Embrace Virtues” seminar at the Visitors’ Information Centre.
The seminar offered spiritual and practical guidance on how to use virtues in the character development of young children from their infancy, and in the enhancement of family life.
There were also many activities especially for the children, including a virtues garden, face painting, singalongs, virtues quilt and kite making.
The first children’s service was held in the Temple in 1989 and has since become an annual event.