Global Commemorations
of The Souvenir Unity Feast of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá
On June 29th in 1912, ‘Abdu’l-Bahá spoke these words to hundreds of believers at the Unity Feast he hosted at Roy Wilhelm’s spacious property in New Jersey, USA. For the last 110 years, the Baha’is of the region have gathered on the last Saturday of June to commemorate this special event, “the souvenir of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá.”
To further fulfill ‘Abdu’l-Bahá’s words that “hundreds of thousands of meetings shall be held to commemorate this occasion,” we are again inviting Bahá’í communities from around the world to join us in marking this special event, repeating ‘Abdu’l-Bahá’s words, and hosting their own local commemoration.
To further fulfill ‘Abdu’l-Bahá’s words that “hundreds of thousands of meetings shall be held to commemorate this occasion,” we are again inviting Bahá’í communities from around the world to join us in marking this special event, repeating ‘Abdu’l-Bahá’s words, and hosting their own local commemoration.
How to hold the commemoration
Besides hosting the event on Saturday, June 24th, 2023, there is only one key requirement:
Beyond this, it is recommended that the program feature:
To confirm your community’s participation, simply complete this form here and we will add you to our list of commemorations.
Imagine the joy in ‘Abdu’l-Bahá’s heart knowing that dozens of meetings around the world will follow his exhortations and repeat his words on the same day. Imagine the spiritual energy these commemorations can produce within the Bahá’í community and beyond.
Questions? Feel free to reach out to Bryan Weber, the caretaker of the Wilhelm Properties, at wilhelmbahaiprop@gmail.com And feel free to share this invitation with Baha'i communities in other parts of the world.
- At your commemoration, reread the 1912 speech of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá
Beyond this, it is recommended that the program feature:
- Prayers
- An introduction to the original 1912 Unity Feast of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá
- Discussion on how ‘Abdu’l-Bahá’s 1912 talk relates to the current 9 Year Plan
- Refreshments (and if possible, an outdoor picnic!)
To confirm your community’s participation, simply complete this form here and we will add you to our list of commemorations.
Imagine the joy in ‘Abdu’l-Bahá’s heart knowing that dozens of meetings around the world will follow his exhortations and repeat his words on the same day. Imagine the spiritual energy these commemorations can produce within the Bahá’í community and beyond.
Questions? Feel free to reach out to Bryan Weber, the caretaker of the Wilhelm Properties, at wilhelmbahaiprop@gmail.com And feel free to share this invitation with Baha'i communities in other parts of the world.
Digital Program of the 2020 Commemoration
For the last 110 years, Bahá'ís and local community members have annually commemorated `Abdu'l-Bahá's visit to the Wilhelm Properties on the last Saturday of June. 2020 marked the 108th anniversary of the Souvenir Unity Feast and since we could not gather together in person because of the COVID-19 pandemic, we produced a digital program to commemorate this annual event (see below). Click here for the full program and selected texts: https://bit.ly/2YBtf1J
“That annual memorial meeting will be the souvenir of 'Abdu'l-Bahá, especially when it is passed with infinite delight and gladness.”
-‘Abdu’l-Bahá to Roy Wilhelm, 1913
-‘Abdu’l-Bahá to Roy Wilhelm, 1913