With our Centenary Workshops (below) now complete, please see our Regular Calendar !
The Centenary of Abdu'l-Bahá's Visit to Scotland, was celebrated by the Baha'is of Isle of Lewis with a series of public meetings in Stornoway throughout a period of 12 months.
Program of Events
All the meetings will be held at the Art Centre (An Lanntair), Stornoway (Interactive Map • Venue Contact Info), all speakers are from Highlands and Islands, and admission is free...
Harmony of Religion and Science: the basis for a peaceful, ordered and progressive society | 25 Feb | 2012 | 7pm - 9pm | Mhairi and Rolf Schmidt |
Spiritual solutions to economic problems | 24 Mar | 2012 | 7pm - 9pm | Rosemary and Ronnie Bindra |
Independent investigation of truth | 21 Apr | 2012 | 7pm - 9pm | George Macdonald |
Adoption of an auxiliary universal language | 26 May | 2012 | 7pm - 9pm | Ken Carew |
Establishing and safeguarding a permanent and universal peace, the supreme goal of mankind | 23 Jun | 2012 | 7pm - 9pm | Elizabeth Emerson |
Elimination of Prejudice, whether religious, racial, class or national | 28 Jul | 2012 | 7pm - 9pm | Ann and Tom Mackenzie |
Universal, compulsory education | 25 Aug | 2012 | 7pm - 9pm | Maggie Manvell |
Work performed in the spirit of service to mankind exalted to the rank of worship | 22 Sep | 2012 | 7pm - 9pm | Sandi Humphry |
Equal opportunity, right and privileges for men and women | 27 Oct | 2012 | 7pm - 9pm | Pat Macnicol |
Unity of God and His prophets | 24 Nov | 2012 | 7pm - 9pm | Sarah Broun |
Strengthening the Foundations of Global Governance | 15 Dec | 2012 | 7pm - 9pm | Kishan Manocha |
Unity in the Community | 19 Jan | 2013 | 7pm - 9pm | Erfan Fadaei |
Abdul-Baha and the Centenary | 02 Mar | 2013 | 7pm - 9pm | Jeremy Fox |
Abdu'l-Baha was freed and He travelled to Scotland.
How impossible it was for a prisoner of a tyrannous Sultan to cross over the walls enclosing Him, let alone to travel to the West, visiting countries such as Scotland. Suddenly, in 1908 due to the movement of the Young Turks, all political prisoners of the old Ottoman regime were freed. Abdu'l-Bahá was now a free man and the Western Bahá'ís prepared to host their beloved Master.
In 1911 and 1912, Abdul-Baha had already visited Egypt, Austria, France, United States and London, drawing huge crowds to His talks.
He came to Scotland on 6th January 1913 for several days, at the invitation of Mrs Whyte wife of the Rev. Dr Alexander Whyte, the Moderator of the Presbyterian Reformed Free Church, a leading figure in the Free Church in Scotland.
She had previously visited Abdul-Baha in prison while she was in Palestine. Back in Edinburgh she spoke widely of Him, giving formal talks and writing articles. As a result, His history, His beliefs, His travels and His photographs appeared frequently in news papers, and thus by the time of His visit there was a considerable buzz of expectation!
Rev. Whyte encouraged his wife's aims of promoting Abdul-Baha and giving publicity to His Faith. As a result, even before Abdul-Baha's visit, the first Scottish Baha'i meetings were held. He was invited to stay in the Manse.
Newspapers carried lengthy, positive reports of the meetings as well as articles on the Baha'i Faith throughout His visit and for several months afterwards, often publishing talks in full. The Faith received particular highlight for its tolerance of other religions.
Our centenary programme was advertised on scotlandsislands.com