Mrs. Sovaida Maani Ewing, Mr. Vicentee Ferguson, Mr. Martin Peled-Flax and Mrs. Anita Chapman Ioas.Washington DC, November 12, 2008

It's official - the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) has recognized two Baha'i Holy places in northern Israel as World Heritage Sites.  These sacred sites of the Bahá'í Faith are the resting places of the founders of the religion, and join a list of internationally recognized sites like the Great Wall of China, the Pyramids, the Taj Mahal, and Stonehenge.

During a commemorative event held at Washington DC's American University this week, Mr. Martin Peled-Flax, representing the Embassy of Israel at the event, expressed the appreciation of the Israeli government for what the Bahai's have brought to Haifa, Israel's third largest city.  He said that Haifa had the potential to be just another industrial port city on the Mediterranean, with numerous warehouses, chemical plants and shipping docks.  Instead, with the Baha'i Shrines and gardens located right in the middle of the city, it has been transformed into a metropolis of beauty, culture and spirituality.

Mrs. Sovaida Maani Ewing speaks about the meaning of the Baha'i buildings on Mt. Carmel.Other speakers at the American University commemorative event gave details of the significance of these sacred sites and their history.  They showed how over the course of a century, the world center of the Baha'i Faith has evolved from a small prison cell where Baha'u'llah, the founder of the religion, was incarcerated, to now comprise hundreds of acres of beautified gardens attracting hundreds of thousands of visitors from around the world every year. 

 

 

 

 

Resources:

Link to the official announcement from the Baha'i World News Service.

Click here for high resolution images.

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Mr. Martin Peled-Flax of the Embassy of Israel spoke on the significance of the Baha'i holy places in Israel.

Mr. Vicentee Ferguson.
Mr. Vicentee Ferguson.

Mrs. Anita Chapman Ioas.
Mrs. Anita Chapman Ioas.
The gift is delivered.
Mr. Vicentee Ferguson presents Mr. Martin Peled-Flax of the Embassy of Israel with a gift of a framed photograph of the Shrine of the Bab in Haifa, Israel.