“Let your vision be world embracing…” -Bahá’u’lláh

Next week is Bahá’í Awareness Week! We have organised three talks for you that are linked to the Bahá’í Faith, so that you can come and learn a little about one of the most widespread religions in the world. The topics for the three evenings are diverse, so there should be something for there for everyone. And as usual there will be question time at the end. Please come to one, two or all of the talks – would be lovely to see you there! The details are the following:

Introduction to some of the principles of the Bahá’í Faith, by Saba Hinrichs:
– Wednesday 9th November – 7.30pm – Harrods Room, Queen’s building in Emmanuel College

‘Abdu’l-Bahá’s visit to the West 100 years ago, by Wendi Momen:
– Thursday 10th November – 7.30pm – Harrods Room, Queen’s building in Emmanuel College

Science and Religion: can they coexist? by Ismael Velasco:
– Friday 11th November – 7.30pm – Latimer Room in Clare College

See our poster BAW 2011

You are warmly invited to attend an afternoon of Music and Stories from the Bahá’í Faith presented by Luke Slott, composer and song-writer from Dublin. This is part of his ‘musical-fireside’ tour of the UK to celebrate the centenary of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá’s travels to the West. After being released from 50 years of exile and imprisonment, ‘Abdu’l-Bahá traveled to the West to share the message of His Father, Bahá’u’lláh, Prophet-Founder of the Bahá’í Faith, that the time had come for the unification of the peoples of the world. This event is also part of the part of the University of Cambridge Festival of Ideas series: Communicating Our Ideas (http://www.cam.ac.uk/festivalofideas/). Please see our poster. Luke visited us last year and moved our hearts with his soul-stirring melodies. We look forward to having him back and hope that you can join us.

Time and date: 4 pm, Saturday, 22 October 2011
Place: Latimer Room, Clare College, University of Cambridge, Trinity Lane, CB2 1TL

About Luke:
Luke Slott is a composer and songwriter from Dublin. He began playing music at the age of twelve, learning jazz trumpet from his father, and spent several years as lead-singer with Irish rock band Melaton. Over the years, Luke has drawn much inspiration from the history and writings of the Bahá’í Faith and will be giving a special solo performance where he will be playing and sharing the stories behind his songs. For information visit www.lukeslott.com.

Irish Bahá’í singer/musician, Luke Slott, is coming to Cambridge for a special performance. He will be giving an introductory presentation on the Bahá’í Faith with wonderful music and enthralling stories. This will be at 7:45 pm, Monday 7 June, Harrods Room, Queen’s Building, Emmanuel College. This is the must see, must hear event of the year. We hope you will be able to attend.

Thank you to everyone who came out to our events during Baha’i Awareness Week. We enjoyed an enlightening series of talks with a joyous celebration commemorating the birth of Baha’u’llah.  If you missed one of the talks you can listen to a recording under the talks page. Also added is an introductory presentation to the Baha’i Faith.

The CU Baha’i Society is happy to announce that it will be putting on Baha’i Awareness Week from Mon 9 Nov to Sat 14 Nov. This is an opportunity for people to learn more about the Baha’i Faith, a world religion whose purpose is to unite mankind and establish universal peace. For more information click Baha’i Awareness Week Poster. Events include:

Tues: A New Civilisation: The Bahá’í Model
7:30 pm, Latimer Rm, Old Court, Clare College

Thurs: The Mystery of the Afterlife
7:30 pm, Latimer Rm, Old Court, Clare College

Sat:  A Celebration of the Birth of Bahá’u’lláh
4 pm, Pythagoras Building, St. John’s College

As a culmination to the week’s events, we will be celebrating the Birth of Baha’u’llah which is open to all.

Where to find the venue?

The Glover Room is located in the Gillespie Centre in Memorial Court of Clare College which can be entered from Queen’s Road. A map showing the location of the room can be found here.

The Latimer Room is located in the Old Court of Clare College which is situated next to King’s College near the entrance to the chapel. A map showing the location of the room can be found here.

The Pythagoras Building is located in Cripps Court of St. John’s College. A map showing the location of the room can be found here.

7.30pm, Tues 10 Feb, 2009
Latimer Room, Old Court, Clare College

Is it beyond the realm of possibility and truth for any conscious, wakeful individual to believe that a fellow human could ever be a voice of the divine, or a Manifestation of God, in a transcendent degree? With the accumulated dissappointments that human folly and wisdom both have furnished us throughout our history, never more so than in the 20th century, with the betrayals of so many hopes by so many leaders, teachers, philosophers, and revolutionaries, both the nefarious and the well-meaning, to believe that from our familiar, imperfect human fabric could come a divinely perfect, absolutely flawless being, would seem to ask too much. And yet, as Baha’is, we recognise in a Persian nobleman of the 19th century, Mirza Husayn Ali, a perfection compelling enough to place capitals before His name, and see in His humanity, the Manifestation of God, Baha’u’llah, and in His teachings the remedy that a travailing world, mostly unawares, is seeking. What, subjectively, does such a leap against common sense, entail?

The talk will be given by Mr. Ismael Velasco followed by questions and discussion.

About the speaker:
As an independent scholar, Ismael Velasco has published in peer reviewed academic journals papers in the field of religion, literature, and history, while working as a professional consultant in the fields of urban regeneration, social cohesion and international development, with field experience in some 20 countries and publications in this area. As Secretary General of BASED-UK, an international development charity, he is currently working in collobartion on a European applied research project on spiritual indicators and socio-economic development. His first book, “The Logic of Reconciliation”, is due out in March 2009, and he is currently working in collaboration on a second book on the concept of Spiritual Capital.