--
Youth from Baha'i communities in the rural and tribal
areas of the Indian state of Orissa gathered for a
festival recently to share ideas and experiences and to
enjoy dance, theatre, talent shows and cultural
performances.
The
occasion was the annual youth festival of Orissa in
Bhubaneswar. Held from 26 to 29 June 2003, the festival
was organized by the State Baha'i Youth Committee of
Orissa.
Among the
key speakers were Auxiliary Board Member Padrat Mohanty
who gave a presentation on the history of the Baha'i
Faith in Orissa and Ehsan Azadi, a guest from New
Zealand, who talked about the laws and ordinances
contained in the Kitab-i-Aqdas, the holiest book of the
Baha'i Faith.
In a
message to the 80 participants, the Universal House of
Justice expressed hope that the youth of the region
would "take up with unrelaxing vigor the challenge
of rapidly multiplying the number of study circles,
devotional meetings and children's classes" --
activities that have been highlighted as areas of major
importance for Baha'i communities worldwide.
