THE BAHA’I community in Ireland celebrated international Human Rights Day with a special seminar in Dublin recently.
The keynote speaker was Colin Wrafter, director of the human rights unit at the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, who spoke on the topic of ‘Ireland and freedom of religion and belief’.
According to Brendan McNamara of the Baha’i Community of Ireland, attendees at the event at the National Baha’i Centre in Dublin included NGO representatives, diplomats and politicians.
“It was an interesting evening indeed,” he told Metro Éireann.
McNamara said Baha’is in Ireland, who number around 1,000 across the island, are encountering “the same challenges that face everybody” in the current climate.
But he added: “Baha’is have a very hopeful outlook for the future and feel it’s important for us to work towards social integration.”
The Baha’i faith is an independent world religion based on Holy Scripture. A key tenet is a belief in “the oneness of humanity”.
The Dublin event was held in the lead up to 10 December, the United Nations’ Human Rights Day to mark the anniversary of the presentation of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
Baha’is in other parts of the world – most notably Iran – have suffered long-standing persecution due to their faith. In 1985, Ireland received 26 Iranian Baha’is as refugees.
“These families are now well integrated,” commented McNamara.
» Human Rights Day, P11
