114 Baha'i Youth Conferences around the World

The Essential Role of Baha'i Youth

"Once the youth learns that this Cause is their Cause, and that through it they can ensure their future social tranquility and spiritual progress, then they will arise and consecrate their life to the promotion of this Faith. And no one can awaken the youth of the world to a consciousness of this road to salvation ex-cept from their own numbers—youths already inspired with the Bahá’í spirit."
 Shoghi Effendi

To every generation of young believers comes an opportunity to make a contribution to the fortunes of humanity, unique to their time of life. For the present generation, the moment has come to reflect, to commit, to steel themselves for a life of service from which blessing will flow in abundance.

For more details and to register to attend a conference in the United States, visit the youth conferences website at www.youthconf.bahai.us

City                             Dates                                 Venue

      Atlanta                  August 9-11     (Fri-Sun)    Atlanta Marriott Marquis

      Boston                   July 19-21         (Fri-Sun)    Hynes Convention Center

      Chicago                 July 13-15         (Sat-Mon)  Renaissance Hotel, Schaumburg

      Dallas                    August 9-11     (Fri-Sun)    Hilton Anatole

      Durham                 July 18-20         (Thu-Sat)   Raleigh Convention Center

      Houston                August 23-25   (Fri-Sun)    Crowne Plaza Houston near Reliant-Medical    

      Los Angeles         Aug 31-Sept 2  (Sat-Mon)  University of California at Los Angeles

      Minneapolis         August 16-18   (Fri-Sun)    Carleton College, Northfield

      Oakland                 July 26-28         (Fri-Sun)    Hyatt Regency San Francisco Airport

      Phoenix                  July 19-21         (Fri-Sun)    Phoenix Convention Center

      San Diego              August 9-11     (Fri-Sun)    Town and Country Resort & Convention Center

      Seattle                    July 26-28         (Fri-Sun)    TBA

      Washington, DC  August 16-18   (Fri-Sun)    Hyatt Regency Crystal City

 

The Baha'i New Year "Naw-Ruz"

166 Year of the Baha'i Era

"It is a New Year; that is to say, the rounding of the cycle of the year. A year is the expression of a cycle of the sun; but now is the begining of a cycle of Reality, a New Cycle, a New Age, a New Century, a New Time and a New Year. Therefor it is very blessed"
Abdu'l Baha


The Baha’i New Year starts on March 21, (the vernal equinox) which marks the first day of spring and the end of the Baha'i Faith’s annual Nineteen Day Fast. Naw Ruz means new day in Persian and it is one of nine holy days on which Baha’is suspend work. They typically celebrate the holy day at sunset on March 20 by gathering for prayer, as the sunset on which the holiday begins comes at the end of the Fast.


Baha'is follow the Badi ("wonderful") calendar, which consists of 19 months of 19 days each (361 days), with the addition of "Intercalary Days" (four in ordinary and five in leap years) between the 18th and 19th months to adjust the calendar to the solar year.

The months are named after the attributes of God. The Baha’i New Year is astronomically fixed and begins with the March equinox (March 21). The Baha’i Era commenced with the year of the Bab’s declaration (1844 A.D.).