BWNS: Four islands unite in celebrations

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      Four islands unite in celebrations

             
             Baha'i children of Farafangana at the Naw-Ruz (New Year) 
            celebration, 1991, with (at right) Gilbert Robert.
            > Larger Photo
            > Related Photos
      ANTANANARIVO, Madagascar, 29 March 2004 (BWNS) -- Representatives of 
      Baha'i communities in four Indian Ocean islands gathered here to celebrate 
      the 50th jubilee of the arrival of the Faith in the region. 
      Baha'is came from Reunion, Mauritius, and Seychelles to join with the 
      Baha'i community of Madagascar for three days of festivities. 
      Malagasy government ministers, local government leaders, and religious 
      representatives were guests at the opening ceremony in the Hilton hotel in 
      the heart of the capital. 
      Those attending the opening ceremony viewed an exhibition that depicted 
      the growth of the Baha'i Faith throughout the world in the last half 
      century. It also portrayed the garden terraces that embellish the Shrine 
      of the Bab on Mount Carmel in Haifa. 
      One of the guest speakers, the Interior Minister of the government of the 
      Republic of Madagascar, General Soja, outlined the world-embracing 
      principles of the Faith and noted how its teachings were introduced to 
      Madagascar by Meherangiz Munsiff in 1953. 
      Mrs. Munsiff first set foot in Madagascar on 21 April 1953. She was able 
      to stay through the hospitality of a local Muslim family, the Ismails, and 
      later with the Robert family, of Tananarive (now Antananarivo), who were 
      among the first to become Baha'is in Madagascar and who later played an 
      outstanding role in the history of the Faith here. 
             
            Meherangiz Munsiff.
            > Larger Photo 
            > Related Photos 
      Suffering ill health, Mrs. Munsiff left in January 1954 a day after Danile 
      Randrianarivo, 29, accepted the Faith, becoming the first Malagasy Baha'i. 

      The first Local Spiritual Assembly of the Baha'is of Tananarive was formed 
      in April, 1955, and the first National Spiritual Assembly of the Baha'is 
      of Madagascar was elected in 1972. There are now 33 Local Spiritual 
      Assemblies. 
      Fifty Baha'is from the other three islands joined 120 Malagasy Baha'is and 
      Baha'i visitors from North America, Europe, and Africa at the jubilee 
      festivities, held from 19 to 21 December 2003. Among those present were 
      Baha'is who had been members of the community for more than four decades. 
      During one of the sessions of the jubilee, the daughter of Mrs. Munsiff, 
      Jyoti Munsiff, told anecdotes of the history of the Faith in Madagascar. 
      Daisy Robert, one of the first Baha'is of the island and the widow of 
      Gilbert Robert, who had served as a member of the Continental Board of 
      Counsellors, related stories of the growth of the Baha'i community on the 
      island. 
      Musical groups from the four islands sang spiritually uplifting songs from 
      their respective homelands. 
      At the closing ceremony two ministers from the Malagasy government gave 
      speeches praising the faith for its teachings of universal unity and 
      peace. 
      The media gave extensive coverage to the celebrations. Several newspapers 
      published articles about the events, and the national television channel 
      covered the closing ceremony. 
      After the celebrations, a group of Baha'is from the four participating 
      islands went to Ansirabe, about 250 kilometers from the capital, to teach 
      the Faith. 
      MD-BWC-040329-1-MADAGASCAR-288-N 



             
             
             
            Related Photos 
                  Baha'i children of Farafangana at the Naw-Ruz (New Year) 
                  celebration, 1991, with (at right) Gilbert Robert.
                  > LARGER PHOTO
                  Meherangiz Munsiff.
                  > LARGER PHOTO
                  Daniel Randrianarivo.
                  > LARGER PHOTO
                  Children of Ambano singing at the Naw-Ruz (New Year) 
                  celebration, 1991.
                  > LARGER PHOTO

                  > LARGER PHOTO
                  Official opening ceremony at the Hilton Madagascar... 
                  representatives of the four National Spiritual Assemblies 
                  (left to right): Randrianarivelo Roger Florentin (Madagascar), 
                  Olivia Faranirina (Madagascar), Jimmy Servina (Seychelles), 
                  Lila Andriambalo (Madagascar), Daisy Robert (Reunion), Lala 
                  Rakotoarivelo (Madagascar), Mialy Rasandratanarivo 
                  (Madagascar), Chantal Morille (Reunion) holding microphone, 
                  Parmanand Sanicharane (Mauritius), Homa Mungapen (Mauritius), 
                  Moutou Jose (Madagascar), Peggy Baichoo (Reunion).
                  > LARGER PHOTO


       
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