A Day of Equality: World Religion Day

​By Siera Millard
Photo by World Religion Day (2017)

“Protection of religious freedom means considering the faiths and beliefs of everyone involved.” 

“Protection of religious freedom means considering the faiths and beliefs of everyone involved.” 
Mike Quigley, the U.S. Representative for Illinois's 5th congressional district, says this on the issue of religious equality. It is something that has plagued the world for a millennia, causing wars and revolutions. The United States was founded on the notion of religious liberty. As we look at the course of history, we see that although religious inequality still exists, the modern age strives to embrace the differences that make the world the mixing pot that it is. World Religion Day is one such attempt at acknowledging these differences.
World Religion Day started in 1949, but it was first observed in 1950. It began with the National Spiritual Assembly of the Baha’i Faith, who “believe the crucial need facing humanity is to find a unifying vision of the future of society and of the nature and purpose of life” (The Bahá'í Faith, n.d.). The people of the Baha’i Faith believe that all religions are merely a portrayal of one source and that Bahá’u’lláh is the latest Messenger of such manifestations. The main purpose proposed by the Baha’i Faith was to promote the Faith itself. World Religion Day has evolved since its conception to facilitate interreligious communication and awareness of other faiths. It has become a day for the religions of the world to realize their similarities and embrace their differences.
World Religion Day is celebrated every third Sunday in January, this year falling on the 21st and is done so differently around the world. Postage stamps have even been made and issued in several countries, including the Congo Republic and Sri Lanka. Singapore’s stamp incorporates the words “Unity in Diversity.” In Durham, located in Ontario in Canada, the Durham MultiFaith World Religion Day Committee or Community of Faiths annually celebrates this holiday. The committee consists of leaders from faiths including Christianity, Islam, Judaism, the Baha’i Faith, Hinduism, Sikhism, Buddhism, Zoroastrianism, Native Spirituality, Taoism, Unitarianism, and Jainism. Their website says, “Through World Religion Day event we showcase faith, diversity, and culture around Durham Region … Through the celebration of similarities and diversity we encourage the joint exploration of various important social issues through the creative word and sharing of cultures” (World Religion Day, 2015). Each year they host events of sharing where they explore exhibits of music, spirituality, cultural foods, and art. Ottawa, Canada was the first to hold an official event sponsored by the government in 2011.


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