Bahá’í Twin Holy Days Celebration

Good afternoon, everyone. First, let me wish all Hindus here a very happy Deepavali. Second, let me convey my well-wishes to the Bahá’í community.

This is indeed an important day where the Bahá’í community commemorates the Bahá’í’s twin holy days, marking the birth anniversaries of the Bab and the Baháʼu'lláh. Commemorating this together with friends, neighbours and community partners from Singapore and beyond makes this event even more special.

1. At the heart of the Bahá’í faith is a message that speaks to all of us, regardless of our background - that humanity is united by far more than what divides us.

2. If we look around what is happening in the world today, we notice that there are more forces that divide us than those that keep us together.

This gathering is significant, because Singapore is one of the rare countries where each faith not only speaks to itself and its flock, but also speaks with the leaders of other ethnicities and religions.

1. For instance, the Interreligious Organisation (IRO) was started in 1949, only a few years after the Japanese Occupation. It is remarkable that people of different faiths came together in post-war Singapore with a shared determination to move beyond conflict and build peace. They recognised that one of the most meaningful ways to do so was to bring our different religious communities together.

2. This message is especially relevant today, as we see divisions along lines of race, religion and nationality in many parts of the world. It is a timely reminder that the harmony we enjoy in Singapore should never be taken for granted, and that each generation has a responsibility to strengthen the foundations built by those who came before us.

We must maintain that level of inter-community engagement, especially with our youth. While in Singapore, we often say that our people are our greatest asset, it is also equally important to preserve the trust and friendships that we have built over the years.

1. Harmony cannot simply be built and then left alone. Like all relationships, it must be renewed and strengthened by each passing generation. Every generation will have its own strengths and challenges, and we must find ways to overcome these challenges, not only within our respective faiths, but across faiths as well.

2. The many young people here today is a wonderful sign. We hope that more youth will step up, become faith leaders themselves who are able to engage across the various religions in Singapore and beyond.

What strikes me significantly about the Bahá’í community is how you put that conviction into practice through your devotional gatherings, children’s classes, youth programmes and study circles.

1. The Bahá’í teachings call on you to develop your spiritual and intellectual capacities and to put them in service of something larger than yourselves.

2. In July this year, Bahá’í youth worked with other faith groups to put together a public exhibition of religious and cultural traditions at Harmony Fest, as part of Racial and Religious Harmony Month.

3. Through these efforts, you create spaces for people of different generations and backgrounds to come together, learn and serve alongside one another.

This is exactly the kind of effort we need more of, with people of different faiths and backgrounds coming together, learning from one another, and doing something meaningful for the wider community.

1. Singapore needs precisely that spirit. We need our young people to be grounded in values, to look outward as much as they look within, and to be willing to serve and contribute towards bringing our communities and our nation forward.

2. Singapore is stronger when our communities are strong, and our communities are stronger when they are rooted in values such as service, unity and care for one another.

3. When any one community is under threat, all our communities are affected, and we must come together to support one another. That is what keeps Singapore strong, and it is at the heart of our success.

4. I'm glad that the Bahá’í community is part of the Singapore story, and that you continue to contribute actively to our shared future.

It is heartening to see such a strong turnout today, and it is a testament to the community’s ability to bring people together. May today's celebration renew your sense of purpose, deepen your bonds with one another, and strengthen our collective resolve to build a Singapore where every community has a place and every person has a part to play.

Thank you very much.