Lembit Opik MP, Chair of the All Party Parliamentary Friends of the Bahá’ís read out the following messages of greeting to the UK Bahá’í community at our Ridván reception on the House of Commons Terrace last night.

Message from the Prime Minister

I would like to express my respect and admiration to those attending this reception, and the wider Baha’í community which makes an important contribution to British life. I very much recognise and welcome those of the Baha’í faith as a distinguished and valuable part of our rich and multi-cultural society.

The Baha’í community has a long, proud and respected tradition and contributes much to today’s Britain. Your faith includes a clear obligation to work towards religious tolerance and respect for other faiths, an aim shared by both myself and a wide range of different communities across Britain.

I commend you for promoting and understanding and explorations of your faith to wider British society. The Baha’í community can be proud of its success in working to foster cohesive and integrated communities.

[Signed] The Rt Hon Gordon Brown MP, the Prime Minister

Message from the Leader of the Opposition

I am delighted to send my best wishes to everyone attending the All Party Parliamentary Friends of the Bahá’ís Group reception to mark the festival of Ridván. I would like to take this opportunity to also send my best wishes to the wider Bahá’í community in the UK.

Not only is Ridván an important time for communal prayers and celebration, and for electing local governing councils, but it can also be a time for reflection on the principles which the Bahá’í community holds dear. These principles include unity, the promotion of social justice, a belief in the importance of family life, and a concern for the environment. I know that you will also be thinking of your co-religionists elsewhere who may be facing persecution because of their beliefs.

May I once again send my good wishes to you and your families at this time.

[Signed] The Rt Hon David Cameron MP, Leader of the Opposition

Message from the Leader of the Liberal Democrats

I would like to take this opportunity to wish the Baha’í community in the United Kingdom and your guests a very happy Ridvan. I am sure that this celebration will help raise awareness of the issues facing the Baha’í community and that you will have a wonderful evening.

[Signed] The Rt Hon Nick Clegg, Leader of the Liberal Democrats

Technorati Tags: Baha’i, Bahai, Ridvan, Gordon Brown, David Cameron, Nick Clegg

Lembit Opik MP brought his charming Cheeky Girl, Gaby, to our Ridván reception on the House of Commons terrace last night. Lembit may be a “character”, but he is also a key member (and Chair) of the All Party Parliamentary Friends of the Bahá’ís and our host for the evening. Actually, Lembit was the first MP to take an active role in forming the group and supporting our parliamentary work in defence of the Bahá’ís in Iran.

If Lembit were to lose his parliamentary seat of Montgomeryshire he could take up a new career as a stand-up comedian. He’s a funny guy and tells a good gag, as he did last night. But he’s also very serious about his relationship with the Bahá’ís and about defending the human rights of the Bahá’ís in Iran and he paid considerable compliments to the community in the UK and around the world.

He also read out messages of greeting for Ridván from the Prime Minister, from David Cameron MP (Leader of the Opposition) and from Nick Clegg MP, Leader of the Liberal Democrats.

We had a good turnout of MPs last night, but sadly not so many of our other friends as in previous years. A pity; they missed a good jazz combo - all Bahá’ís from the north of England - as well as stunningly good speeches about the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (it’s the 60th anniversary of the UDHR and we were launching our year’s programme to mark the anniversary) from four young Bahá’ís (the youngest was a 14-year-old Iranian boy whose own family have suffered persecution in Iran), including two who had been educated at a Bahá’í school in Tanzania.

It was all great fun and I was able to have some excellent conversations, including an enjoyable discussion with Simon Hughes MP, who asked some very good questions about the Bahá’í community and Bahá’í elections.

Technorati Tags: Baha’i, Bahai, Ridvan, House of Commons, parliament, Lembit Opik, Cheeky Girls, Simon Hughes