2009 Baha'i Holidays
* 1/1: Day to meditate for peace throughout the world. [World Peace Day; Universal Hour of Peace: 7:00-8:00 a.m. EST.]
* 1/4: Day ethnic discrimination was outlawed world-wide (1969); day to mourn all manifestations of racism. [Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination: signed/adopted 3/7/1966; entered into force 1/4/1969.] [Text of Convention] [For more information, see Anti Racism Information Service website; Human Rights Watch website.]
* 1/18: World Religions Day--Day to contemplate all religions as different paths to the one universal Deity of many names and aspects. [a/k/a World Religion Day]
* 1/19: Baha'i feast honoring the one Deity as Sultan - Sovereignty. Baha'is believe in the oneness of Deity.
* 2/7: Baha'i feast honoring the one Deity as Mulk - Sacred Dominion. Baha'is believe in the oneness of all humanity.
* 2/26 to 3/1: Ayyam-i-Ha--Baha'is prepare for the Fast with festivities, gift-giving, and helping those in need. [a/k/a Days of Ha, Intercalary Days]
* 3/1: Day the production and use of landmines was outlawed world-wide (1999); day to mourn their victims. [Protocol on Prohibition or Restrictions on the Use of Mines, Booby-Traps, and Other Devices a/k/a Convention on Landmines a/k/a Mine Ban Treaty, amending the 1980 Convention on Prohibitions or Restrictions on the Use of Certain Conventional Weapons Which May be Deemed Excessively Injurious or to Have Indiscriminate Effects: Treaty signed/adopted 10/10/1980; entered into force 12/2/1983; Protocol signed 12/3/1997; entered into force 3/1/1999.] [There are between 60 and 70 million landmines in the ground of 70+ countries. Landmines maim or kill approximately 26,000 civilians each year, including 8,000 to 10,000 children. In the name of Baha'u'llah, and for love of Baha'u'llah, Baha'is should renounce the production and use of landmines, and should demand removal and destruction of all existing landmines.] [Text of Convention] [For more information, see International Campaign to Ban Landmines website; Adopt a Minefield website.] [Text of United Nations Charter, chapter V, article 26]
* 3/2 to 3/20: Baha'i feast honoring the one Deity as 'Ala' - Loftiness, followed by the Fast - time of purification by fasting from sunrise to sunset. [a/k/a Period of the Fast]
* 3/8: International Women's Day--Day to mourn victims of gender-based oppression and misogyny (past and present), make peace, and celebrate women's empowerment. [For information on International Women's Day, see United Nations website; A history of International Women's Day.]
* 3/21: Naw Ruz--Baha'i New Year (Year 165) and feast honoring the one Deity as Baha - Splendor. [a/k/a Feast of Naw Ruz]
* 3/26: Day production and use of biological weapons was outlawed world-wide (1975); day to mourn their victims. [Convention on the Prohibition of the Development, Production and Stockpiling of Bacteriological (Biological) and Toxin Weapons and on their Destruction a/k/a Biological Weapons Convention: signed 4/10/1972; entered into force 3/26/1975.] [In the name of Baha'u'llah, and for love of Baha'u'llah, Baha'is should renounce the production, acquisition, and use of biological weapons, and should demand destruction of all existing weapons.] [Text of Convention] [For more information, see U.N. Disarmament of Weapons of Mass Destruction website; Biological and Toxin Weapons Convention website; Sipri Chemical and Biological Weapons Project: Biological and Toxin Weapons Convention Mainpage; Chemical and Biological Weapons Nonproliferation Project website; Monterey Institute of International Studies Chemical and Biological Weapons Resource Page; Federation of American Scientists (FAS) Chemical and Biological Arms Control Program website.] [Text of United Nations Charter, chapter V, article 26]
* 4/7: World Health Day--Day to pray for healing of all those chronically and seriously ill; day to advocate for adequate health care for all. [Day the World Health Organization (W.H.O.) was founded in 1948.] [For information on World Health Day, see World Health Organization website; UN Dag Hammarskjold Library website.] [For information on the World Health Organization, see World Health Organization website.]
* 4/9: Baha'i feast honoring the one Deity as Jalal - Glory.
* 4/21 to 5/2: Ridvan--Baha'i celebration of Baha'u'llah's declaration identifying himself as the New Prophet. [a/k/a Twelve Days of Ridvan]
* 4/22: Earth Day--Day to honor the Earth and to meditate on Deity manifesting as Mother Earth. [a/k/a International Earth Day, National Earth Day] [For information about Earth Day activities, see Earthday Network website; Envirolink website; U.S. government website for Earth Day; U.S. E.P.A. website for Earth Day.]
* 4/22: Day the world's nations guaranteed asylum to those persecuted in their homelands on account of their ethnicity, religion, or political opinion (1954). [Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees: signed 7/28/1951; entered into force 4/22/1954.] [Text of Convention] [For more information, see United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees website; Human Rights Watch website.]
* 4/28: Baha'i feast honoring the one Deity as Jamal - Beauty.
* 4/29: Day production and use of chemical weapons was outlawed world-wide (1997); day to mourn their victims. [Convention on the Prohibition of the Development, Production, Stockpiling and Use of Chemical Weapons a/k/a Chemical Weapons Convention: signed 1/13/1993; entered into force 4/29/1997.] [In the name of Baha'u'llah, and for love of Baha'u'llah, Baha'is should renounce the production, acquisition, and use of chemical weapons, and should demand destruction of all existing weapons.] [Text of Convention] [For more information, see U.N. Disarmament of Weapons of Mass Destruction website; Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons webpage; Sipri Chemical and Biological Weapons Project: Chemical Weapons Convention Mainpage; Chemical and Biological Weapons Nonproliferation Project website; Monterey Institute of International Studies Chemical and Biological Weapons Resource Page; Federation of American Scientists (FAS) Chemical and Biological Arms Control Program website.] [Text of United Nations Charter, chapter V, article 26]
* 5/7: National Day of Prayer--Day to pray for freedom of expression, freedom of religion, and separation of religion and government throughout the world. [Freedom of expression, freedom of religion, and separation of religion and government is guaranteed by the U.S. Constitution's First Amendment. For text and information on the First Amendment, see Cornell University's Legal Information Institute website; First Amendment Online website and 1st Amendment.com website. For domestic organizations that advocate for freedom of religion, see Americans United for Separation of Church and State website and American Civil Liberty Union website. For information on religious freedom in countries around the world, see U.S. State Department's International Religious Freedom Report; Human Rights Watch website; and Oslo Coalition on Freedom of Religion or Belief website.]
* 5/17: Baha'i feast honoring the one Deity as 'Azamat - Grandeur. Baha'is believe in the oneness of all religions.
* 5/22 eve: Night Siyyid 'Ali-Muhammad announced his identity as the Bab (1844). The Bab foretold the coming of Baha'i Prophet Baha'u'llah. [a/k/a Declaration of the Bab]
* 5/29: Death day of Baha'i Prophet Baha'u'llah (1892). Baha'u'llah believed Deity to be male, female, and beyond gender. [Birthday 11/12/1817] [a/k/a Ascension of Baha'u'llah]
* 6/5: Baha'i feast honoring the one Deity as Nur - Light. Baha'is recognize ethnic equality.
* 6/24: Baha'i feast honoring the one Deity as Rahmat - Mercy.
* 7/1: Day the world's nations committed to stop proliferation of nuclear weapons (1968); vigil to protest the production and use of all nuclear weapons world-wide. [Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons: signed 7/1/1968; entered into force 3/5/1970.] [In the name of Baha'u'llah, and for love of Baha'u'llah, Baha'is should renounce the production, acquisition, and use of nuclear weapons, and should demand destruction of all existing weapons.] [Text of Convention] [For more information, see U.N. Disarmament of Weapons of Mass Destruction website; International Atomic Energy Agency (I.A.E.A.) website.] [Text of United Nations Charter, chapter V, article 26]
* 7/1: Day endangered species became internationally protected (1975); day to celebrate all the world's creatures. [Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora: signed/adopted 3/3/1973; entered into force 7/1/1975.] [Text of Convention] [For more information, see U.N. Environmental Programme CITES website; World Wildlife Fund website; EarthJustice website.]
* 7/9: Death day of the Bab, Siyyid 'Ali-Muhammad (1850). [Birthday 10/20/1819] [a/k/a Martyrdom of the Bab]
* 7/13: Baha'i feast honoring the one Deity as Kalimat - Sacred Words. Baha'is pray, meditate on sacred scripture, and act in service to the community.
* 8/1: Baha'i feast honoring the one Deity as Kamal - Perfection.
* 8/20: Baha'i feast honoring the one Deity as Asma' - Sacred Names.
* 8/28: Opening of the Second World Parliament of Religions (1993), attended by members of all the world's religions. A Global Ethic was adopted that condemns hatred, aggression, oppression, and environmental abuses committed in the name of religion. [Text of Global Ethic] [See also website for the Parliament of the World's Religions.]
* 8/31: Remembrance day for Tahirih (d. 1852) - feminist, poet, scholar, and preacher of the nascent Baha'i Faith. Baha'is recognize gender equality. [Born in 1917; died in 1852 between 8/16 & 8/31.]
* 9/3: Day gender discrimination was outlawed world-wide (1981); day to mourn all manifestations of sexism. [Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women: adopted by U.N. General Assembly 12/18/1979; signed 3/1/1980; entered into force 9/3/1981.] [Text of Convention] [For more information, see WomenWatch: United Nations Division for the Advancement of Women website; Feminist Majority Foundation website; Human Rights Watch website.]
* 9/8: Baha'i feast honoring the one Deity as 'Izzat - the Almighty.
* 9/21: International Day of Peace--Day to demonstrate for peace with justice throughout the world. [a/k/a U.N. International Day of Peace] [For more information on the International Day of Peace, see International Day of Peace website and International Day of Peace Vigil website.]
* 9/27: Baha'i feast honoring the one Deity as Mashiyyat - Divine Will.
* 10/16: Baha'i feast honoring the one Deity as 'Ilm - Knowledge.
* 10/18: Day the Clean Water Act was enacted (1972); day to give thanks for the water we drink. [Pub. L. 92-500, 86 Stat. 896, 33 U.S.C. 1251 et seq.] [Text of statute] [See also EarthJustice website.]
* 10/20: Birthday of the Bab, Siyyid 'Ali-Muhammad (1819). [Death day 7/9/1850] [a/k/a Birth of the Bab]
* 11/4: Baha'i feast honoring the one Deity as Qudrat - Divine Power.
* 11/6: World Community Day--Day for celebrating the unity behind diversity and remembering we are all one people - all children of the one universal Deity of many names and aspects.
* 11/12: Birthday of Mirza Husayn Ali Baha'u'llah (1817), mystic and founder of the Baha'i Faith. [Death day 5/29/1892] [a/k/a Birth of Baha'u'llah]
* 11/19: Fast for an Abundant World Harvest--Day to fast and commit to action to help prevent deaths from malnourishment world-wide. [a/k/a Fast for a World Harvest] [For more information, see the Oxfam America website.]
* 11/23: Baha'i feast honoring the one Deity as Qawl - Sacred Speech.
* 11/26: Day of the Covenant--Day 'Abdu'l-Baha was appointed to lead the Baha'is.
* 11/26: Thanksgiving Day--Day to give thanks for the abundance of our land and for our food, clothes, shelter, and health.
* 11/28: Death day of 'Abdu'l-Baha (1921), leader of the Baha'is. [a/k/a Ascension of 'Abdu'l- Baha]
* 12/1: World AIDS Day--Day to pray for healing of all those suffering with AIDS and HIV. [For information on World AIDS Day, see World AIDS Day website. For information about the global fight against AIDS, see UNAIDS website.] [For information on HIV/AIDS and Human Rights, see Human Rights Watch website.]
* 12/10: Day the Universal Declaration of Human Rights was adopted, and fundamental rights were recognized world-wide (1948). [The U.N. General Assembly adopted the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (U.D.H.R.) in Resolution 217 A(III). See Text of Declaration. For more information on the history of the U.D.H.R., see Franklin & Eleanor Roosevelt Institute website. The U.D.H.R. is generally recognized as binding customary international law. In 1966, the concepts of the U.D.H.R. were expanded and drafted into two binding international treaties with enforcement mechanisms. The Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (Text of Covenant) is enforced by the Human Rights Committee (see Human Rights Committee website; University of Minnesota Human Rights Library website) and the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (see Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights website; Human Rights Watch website). The Covenant on Economic, Social, and Cultural Rights (Text of Covenant) is enforced by the Committee on Economic, Social, and Cultural Rights(see Committee on Economic, Social, and Cultural Rights website).] [a/k/a International Human Rights Day]
* 12/12: Baha'i feast honoring the one Deity as Masa'il - Mystery.
* 12/15: Day the Bill of Rights became part of the Constitution, guaranteeing fundamental rights to all (1791). [Text of Bill of Rights] [For more information about the Bill of Rights and the U.S. Constitution, see U.S. National Archives & Records Administration website and the Bill of Rights Institute website. For information on organizations that advocate for enforcement of rights and liberties in the Bill of Rights, see Center for Constitutional Rights website; American Civil Liberties Union website.] [a/k/a Bill of Rights Day]
* 12/17: Day the Clean Air Act was enacted (1963); day to give thanks for the air we breathe. [Pub. L. 88-206, 77 Stat. 392, 42 U.S.C. 7401 et seq.] [Text of statute] [See also EarthJustice website.]
* 12/28: Day the Endangered Species Act was enacted (1973); day to mourn those creatures already extinct. [Pub. L. 93-205, 87 Stat. 884, 16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.] [Text of statute] [See also EarthJustice website.]
* 12/31: Baha'i feast honoring the one Deity as Sharaf - Honor.
[The Baha'i Faith (Baha'ism) is a universal religion founded by Mirza Husayn Ali Baha'u'llah in Iran in 1863. The writings of Baha'u'llah form the holy scriptures of the Baha'i Faith. The most important books are: the Kitab al-Aqdas (The Most Holy Book), the Kitab-i Iqan (The Book of Certitude), Haft Wadi (The Seven Valleys), and al-Kalimat al-Maknunah (The Hidden Words). Baha'is believe the one Deity is a unitary unknowable essence, yet manifested in a variety of ways. They believe the one Deity has been manifest in the Jewish Prophets, Jesus, Muhammad, and Baha'u'llah. Baha'ism has roots in Islam and Babism.]
[The Baha'i calendar (Badi' calendar) of the Baha'i Faith was devised by the Bab, Siyyid 'Ali-Muhammad. It is a solar calendar reflecting a year of 19 months. Each month consists of 19 days and is named to reflect an attribute of the One Deity. Four intercalary days (during ordinary years) or five intercalary days (during leap years) harmonize the calendar with the solar year. The Badi' year begins on March 21. The calendar dates from the year 1844. The Baha'i holidays reflect events in the life of Baha'u'llah, the Bab, and other Baha'i leaders.]
[Please note: Because this calendar is an interfaith calendar, the term "God" is used only when referring to a male Deity. The term "Deity" is used to refer to a gender-neutral Deity or a Deity that encompasses both male and female characteristics.]
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Permission to use and distribute these excerpts is granted for non-commercial purposes, provided the following information is included:
Excerpted from
THE MYSTIC'S WHEEL OF THE YEAR 2009
A Multifaith Calendar Reflecting Eco-Egalitarian Spirituality
© 2008 Marija Miovski
www.WheeloftheYear.com
