Ridvan, also known as the Most Great Festival, celebrates Baha’u’llah’s time in the garden of Ridvan on the outskirts of Baghdad in 1863 where He publicly declared His station as a Manifestation of God. The Ridvan Festival is 12 days long and is also the time of year where Baha’is elect their local and national governing bodies, and every five years, the international governing body for the worldwide Baha’i community.
New York City hosts the annual celebration of Ridvan, the “Most Great Festival”. The Festival of Ridván commemorates the announcement by Baha’u’llah in 1863 that He is the Promised One of all religions and the Manifestation of God for this era. Baha’u’llah’s teachings, particularly the concept of the oneness of humanity, are the basis of the Baha’i Faith.
Watch New Yorkers stay physically distant but spiritually connected during the challenging time of the coronavirus. The celebration highlights artistic talent from across New York City, including the music of Dizzy Gillespie and Mike Longo.
Credits:
MC: Mona Moazzaz Ridván remarks: Luke Bolton Opening prayer: Parisa Fitz-Henley Jazz director: Jack Walker Unite song: Ali Youssefi Music Closing prayer: Ladan Kamali Cutout panel: Josefina Hernandez with film by Aeric Meredith-Goujon Video director: Benjamin Calder
Musicians: Dizzy Gillespie, Mike Longo, Jack Walker, Aeric Meredith-Goujon, Lenny White, Jay Rodriguez, Nate Andersen, Johnny Lippiett, Hubert Eaves, John Clark, Nick Dunston, Eugene Song, Analisa Frietas, Milk D., James D Train Williams, Dezron Douglas, Brandee Younger, Jeremy Bean Clemmons, Putri Trisulo, Azar Lawrence, Gary Bartz, Benito Gonzalez, Francisco Mela
Organized by the New York City Baha’i Holy Day Taskforce with the support of the Local Spiritual Assembly of the Baha’is of New York City
Naysan is passionate about using the arts and media to explore the teachings of the Baha’i Faith. Back in 2011, Naysan started up the Baha’i Blog project, channeling his experiences in both media and technology companies to help create a hub for Baha’i-inspired content online.
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