THE Baháʼí community of Melville will celebrate the 100-year anniversary of the Baháʼí Faith in WA with a special event in Myaree next Saturday (November 2).

Held at the Baháʼí Centre of Learning on Marmion Street, the event will include live music, a brief history of the Baháʼí Faith, and a presentation on the social initiatives undertaken by the Centre.

Unity and community-building are cornerstones of the Baháʼí faith and they hold school workshops, including the junior youth spiritual empowerment program, which aims to develop moral reasoning in folk aged 12 to 14.

In collaboration with headspace and Lifeline, they host regular free mental health forums with a focus on youth.

Recently Bicton MP Lisa O’Malley attended their Conversations About Suicide event, where she discussed her brother Michael, who sadly committed suicide in 2014, to encourage people struggling with their mental health to seek help and not suffer in silence.

The Myaree Centre also facilitate First Aid and CPR courses, and most days from 12pm-2pm their bookshop is open to the public.

Local Baháʼí assembly chairperson Deena Ashoorian says they hold an information evening every fortnight where people can find out about the faith.

She says there are around 300 registered Baháʼí in Melville and every 19 days they have a feast where they socialise and celebrate their faith.

• Children from the Baháʼí community of Melville join hands in a show of unity.

“There are also Centres in South Perth and Shelley,” Dr Ashoorian says. “One of the tenets of the faith is the independent investigation of the truth, and younger people are encouraged to decide which religion they want to follow.

“At the core of the faith is the concept of unity and giving back to society.”

Founded by Bahá’u’lláh in 1844 in Persia, the Baháʼí Faith emphasises the oneness of God, the oneness of humanity, the unity of all religions, the eradication of all forms of prejudice, and the equality of women and men. 

In July 1924, Clara and Hyde Dunne arrived in WA to share its message. From its earliest days in Australia, Baháʼís have been spearheading activities that aim to strengthen social cohesion.

By promoting inclusivity and dialogue among diverse groups, they hope to create an equitable world where collaboration and mutual understanding flourish. 

But in certain countries Baháʼís are not welcome and are persecuted, especially in Iran where the faith originated and which has one of the largest Baháʼí populations in the world.

The persecution stems from some Baháʼí teachings which are “inconsistent” with traditional Islamic beliefs, and are viewed by some as apostasy in Islam.

In 2008, seven Iranian Baháʼí community leaders were arrested and served 10-year sentences as prisoners of conscience.

According to the United Nations, more than 1000 Baháʼís are currently at risk of imprisonment in Iran.

The centenary celebration at the Baháʼí Centre  in Myaree will be attended by a wide range of folk from the community including Melville mayor Katy Mair and federal Tangney MP Sam Lim.

Dr Ashoorian says the Centre is like a community hub and is used for a wide range of public “community building” events.

For more info on the Baháʼí faith see perth.wa.bahai.org.au/home.