Content below abbreviated from Comunidade Bahai do Brasil On the main street of Copacabana, Rio de Janeiro – one of the world’s most famous beachfronts in the world – members of various religions gathered on September 18th, 2011 to claim the right to freedom of belief during the 4th annual Religious Freedom Walk. According to the official website of the Walk, the movement’s aim is to involve people from all religious backgrounds to stand against all forms of intolerance, against prejudice and hate. The event, organized by the Rio de Janeiro’s Commission for Combating Religious Intolerance (CCIR), was first coordinated in 2008 and it has now become a traditional event in the Brazilian national calendar. The Commission is made up of Spiritualists, Jews, Catholics, Muslims, Malian, Baha’is, Evangelicals, Hare Krishnas, Buddhists, Gypsies, Wiccans, Agnostics and followers of Umbada and Candomble. The Court of Rio de Janeiro, the Brazilian Public Ministry and Civil Police are also members of the Commission. We are all Bahá’ís In June 2011 Copacabana staged a similar rally focused on the release of seven Bahá’í leaders who have been imprisoned in Iran since 2008 and sentenced to 20 years of prison for their adherence to this faith. On that occasion, almost 8.000 masks were laid in the sand, representing the sum of the number of days that these Bahá’ís had spent in prison thus far. The demonstration of 19th June gathered around a thousand people from various religious backgrounds, who wore yellow vests calling for the immediate release of the Iranian Bahá’í leaders. Representatives of the Jewish Community, of Candomble and Umbanda, of Christian religions, Santo Daime, Wicca and many others were all united to declare their support for the Bahá’í pledge. Despite the freedom and wide acceptance that the Bahá’ís experience in Brazil and in most countries where they are established as religious communities, the situation of their brothers and sisters of faith in Iran is very different. According to Iradj Eghrari, a Carioca of Iranian origins, the situation in the birthplace of the Bahá’í Faith is dire and worsens at every minute. “The similarities of the persecution against the Bahá’ís in Iran and the Afro-Brazilian religions here are many: properties are destroyed and confiscated, children are harassed and youth cannot have access to education because of their beliefs”, says Eghrari. “And the only way in which the oppressors agree to leave these people alone is if they agree to recant their faith – but how can you forcefully remove a religious belief from a person without tearing him or her completely apart?”, he asks. The Baha’i International Community shares additional coverage of the event here. See the event’s official Facebook page here.
READ MORE TV Globo – Bom dia RJ Walk against religious intolerance brings thousands of people to Copacabana On this Sunday (18), a walk against religious intolerance gathered thousands of people to Copacabana beach. The purpose of the manifest is to show that it is possible to live in harmony. The representative of Brazil Bahá’í Community, Iradj Roberto, was interviewed. G1 World Thousands of people march in defense of religious freedom in Rio (EFE Agence) – Thousands of people from different religions claim in Rio de Janeiro to demand greater freedom of worship, with a walk along the beach of Copacabana. With the motto ‘walking together we understand each other’, Muslims, followers of the Bahá’í minority, Catholics, Evangelicals and Umbanda, among others, attended the march. Epa (European Pressphoto Agency – Portugal) Thousands of protesters in Rio de Janeiro against religious intolerance (Lusa) – Thousands of people gathered today in Rio de Janeiro against religious intolerance. About 200,000 protesters were expected on Copacabana beach, where african-Brazilian religious leaders, Catholics, Muslims, Jews, spiritualists, Protestants, Buddhists and Bahá’ís gathered, dressed in traditional costumes of their respective religion. DN Globo (Portugal) Thousands of protesters in Rio de Janeiro against religious intolerance (Lusa) – About 200,000 protesters were expected on Copacabana beach, where african-Brazilian religious leaders, Catholics, Muslims, Jews, spiritualists, Protestants, Buddhists and Bahá’ís gathered, dressed in traditional costumes of their respective religion. TN Online (PR) Walk for religious freedom unites thousands of people The 4th Religious Freedom Walk began Sunday on Copacabana Beach and joined thousands of people of different religions in a festive spirit of joy and peace. Candomblecistas, Muslims, Hare Krishnas, devotees of the Santo Daime, Bahá’ís, Umbanda, Catholics, Evangelicals, Wiccans, Kardecists religious Jews and others were present on at the place. Gazeta do Povo (PR) Thousands of people march in defense of religious freedom in Rio Thousands of people from different religions claim in Rio de Janeiro to demand greater freedom of worship, with a walk along the beach of Copacabana. With the motto ‘walking together we understand each other’, Muslims, followers of the Bahá’í minority, Catholics, Evangelicals and Umbanda, among others, attended the march. SIC Notícias (Portugal) World – Thousands of protesters in Rio de Janeiro against religious intolerance About 200,000 protesters were expected on Copacabana beach, where african-Brazilian religious leaders, Catholics, Muslims, Jews, spiritualists, Protestants, Buddhists and Bahá’ís gathered, dressed in traditional costumes of their respective religion. This year, about 500 Baha’i followers, persecuted in Iran, joined the march, according to Roberto Iradj, representative of this community in Brazil. MSN Notícias Thousands of people march in defense of religious freedom in Rio (EFE) – Thousands of people from different religions claim in Rio de Janeiro to demand greater freedom of worship, with a walk along the beach of Copacabana. With the motto ‘walking together we understand each other’, Muslims, followers of the Bahá’í minority, Catholics, Evangelicals and Umbanda, among others, attended the march. Arlindo Cruz sings to 25 thousands people claiming for religious intolerance Arlindo Cruz entered the peaceful battle this year against religious intolerance. The movement brings together Jews, Muslims, Kardecists, Catholics, Evangelicals, Wiccans, gypsies, Buddhists, Hare Krishnas, Baha’is, followers of Santo Daime, Umbanda and Candomble, Masons, atheists and agnostics have teamed up to ask for Brazilian democracy. Bahá’ís: Today we are all followers of the same religion Article written by Marilucia Pinheiro, member of the Bahá’í Community in Rio de Janeiro, where she talks about the Bahá’í Faith and the 4th Religious Freedom Walk.