Messages regarding resources for bicentenary preparations

In a message dated September 4, the National Spiritual Assembly shared the following information:

“As preparations for the bicentenary of the Birth of the Báb are continuing to accelerate across the country, we are writing to draw your attention to two resources available to support your local celebrations. Two brief and beautiful presentations on the life and mission of the Báb have been produced, one in English entitled “The Báb: The Gate and Herald of Bahá’u’lláh” and a distinct publication in French entitled “Le Báb, La Porte”. Both are available for purchase through the Bahá’í Distribution Service at https://bookstore.bahai.ca and Bahá’í bookstores. Proceeds from the sale of the English-language publication will be contributed to the construction of the Shrine of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá.

These published presentations are intended to be another resource to support your growing conversations about the Twin Manifestations, alongside the film “Dawn of the Light” commissioned by the Universal House of Justice and to be available for download or viewing by the end of September, as well as other materials and news shared on the dedicated website bicentenary.bahai.org. You may also be aware that dedicated accounts on Instagram, Facebook and YouTube are regularly updated with images and videos in honour of the two bicentenary celebrations. Our own Canadian Bahá’í website will also be hosting links to these materials at www.bahai.ca/bicentenary.”

Additionally, the National Spiritual Assembly shared the following information from a letter written on behalf of the Universal House of Justice to all National Spiritual Assemblies, dated 6 September 2019:

“As was the case two years ago, a section of the Bahai.org website will provide information about the events unfolding in various countries during the upcoming Twin Holy Days. This online portal, available in all the languages of Bahai.org—Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Hindi, Persian, Portuguese, Russian, Spanish, and Swahili—is now active, and it can be accessed by the friends at bicentenary.bahai.org. Some content related to the coming anniversary is already available on the site, and the film Dawn of the Light will be added by the end of September. During the hours when the believers and their friends will celebrate the Birth of the Báb and the Birth of Bahá’u’lláh throughout the world, the site will offer glimpses of activities in several locations, including live streaming of services held at Houses of Worship, that will be illustrative of the wide array of initiatives being undertaken in localities everywhere. It is hoped that before, during, and after the Holy Days, this website will serve as a valuable resource upon which the friends may draw for inspiration and encouragement.”