The May 6 event will see members of various faiths attend the ceremony, including Baha'is, Jews, Muslims, Hindus, Sikhs, and Buddhists In an unprecedented twist and at the behest of the new king, the coronation will acknowledge that Britain is no longer an exclusive Christian country but a multi-faith nation. For the first time in British history, members of all faiths will play an active part in the ceremony which has been an essentially Protestant service since the 16th century.
"A ‘defender of faith’
All the changes have been brought in, thanks to Charles, who has had a lifelong fascination with other religions. Charles had said in an often-cited documentary made in 1994 that he preferred to embrace all religious traditions and “the pattern of the divine, which I think is in all of us”.
Baha'i community of Britten was represneted by Ms. Wendi Momen was awarded the M.B.E. on behalf of Queen Elizabeth II, "in honour of her work on gender equality and empowerment of women". Dr Momen walked at the head of the procession of religious leaders and representatives of many religious communities in the UK.
"Fundamental to Bahá’í belief is that every person, every people, every nation has a part to play in building a peaceful and prosperous global society. “Be anxiously concerned with the
needs of the age in which ye live, and center your deliberations on its exigencies and requirements,” state the Bahá’í scriptures. "
Baha'is in many countries strive to serve their respective countries to the best of their abilities. In the UK, Baha'is have been contributing to the progress of their country for over a hundred years. Baha'is from a wide range of professions, including famous painters, actors, comedians, scientists, and lawyers, have been living and serving in the UK. The desire and efforts of Baha'is to serve their communities have been recognized by various public figures on different occasions.
" The prime minister of the United Kingdom, Tony Blair, has praised the work of the nation's Baha'i community in assisting social cohesion and the interfaith movement.""In many ways, Baha'is embody the spirit of community cohesion that is so important to our society,"" Mr. Blair said in a message on the occasion of the Baha'i New Year.
British Prime Minister Gordon Brown sent a letter to UK Baha’is on the occasion of the Festival of Ridvan, and he included these words: “The principles of the Baha’i Faith are rightly shared and appreciated by many in our different communities. It is therefore all the more tragic that Baha’is around the world face prejudice and discrimination.”"
"In each country Baha'is work to hve their share of controbution to the progress to the country they live. Because from a Bahá’í perspective, the primary task of development is building the capacity in individuals, communities and institutions to participate in the construction of a materially and spiritually prosperous society. Bahá’í development efforts aim to bring religious and spiritual insights to bear on the scientific, technical and economic creativity of the modern world so as to improve the human condition. The promotion of the principles of justice and the oneness of humankind is central to these endeavors."
