The role of the Baha’i House of Worship in promoting peace, learning, worship and service

MONA VALE, NSW – A holiday program at the Sydney Baha’i House of Worship has demonstrated the role the sacred space plays in promoting worship, learning, creativity and service. 

Held during the 40^th anniversary of the International Year of Peace, the day invited children and families to reflect on the question: ‘How can each of us become a peacemaker?’ 

The program featured morning devotions where children offered prayers and readings, contributing to an atmosphere of reverence and unity. This set the scene for a day that was animated by peace and was a reminder of the role children play in contributing towards a vibrant community.

Activities throughout the day were designed to help discover qualities that contribute to a more harmonious world. Highlights included a dove-painting activity, face painting, and tree-planting, which invited the children to reflect on their connection with nature and their responsibility to care for the world around them.

Sydney Temple director, Roya Shahgholi, said the tree planting was a simple yet powerful act of service that benefited the environment and the community. 

“There was something deeply symbolic about this activity. Just as a young tree needs nourishment, patience and care, the qualities of kindness, love, compassion and service must also be nurtured in the hearts of children,” she said. 

“The activity also highlighted that caring for the environment is an expression of our shared responsibility to humanity. Each tree planted contributes to the beauty and wellbeing of our world, reflecting the harmony between spiritual development, environmental stewardship and service to others. The trees will stand as a lasting reminder of the children’s contribution and the importance of caring for both people and the natural world.”

The program also opened a window into Chinese culture through an introduction to Tai Chi fan dancing and the art of Chinese calligraphy. Guided by a master of these arts, the children experienced new forms of cultural expression and learned to write the Chinese character for peace. 

Parents were invited to participate in a separate discussion about family life or to remain alongside their children and share in the activities. Many chose to join their children, creating opportunities to learn, create and reflect together. These shared experiences encouraged meaningful conversations about virtues, relationships and the small acts of service that can strengthen family life.

Roya said the holiday program reflected the role of the Baha’i House of Worship as a welcoming place where people from diverse backgrounds can come together through worship, learning, creativity and service.  

“As these programs become a regular feature of school holidays, they will provide further opportunities to strengthen connections with surrounding neighbourhoods and nurture lasting relationships with the Mother Temple of the Antipodes,” she said. 

“Ultimately, the hope is that experiences such as these will inspire children and families to carry the spirit of the day into their everyday lives, discovering the inseparable connection between worship and service, spiritual life and material progress, and personal transformation and the betterment of society.”