Australian Baha’i Community Advice on Coronavirus

tralian Bahai CommunityThe Australian Baha’i Community’s national governing body, the National Spiritual Assembly of the Baha’is of Australia, has been closely following the situation regarding the coronavirus and its implications for Australian society. They have issued advice for the Australian Baha’i Community and shared the activities of the Baha’i Community in Italy where there has been a national lockdown and quarantine in place.


Community response to COVID-19 (novel coronavirus)

The Australian Baha’i Community’s national governing body, the National Spiritual Assembly of the Baha’is of Australia, has been closely following the situation regarding the coronavirus and its implications for Australian society. They have issued the following advice:

Baha’i gatherings should be conducted consistent with ​all advice given by the Australian Government Department of Health including current public health guidelines about hygiene such as regular and thorough hand washing, social distancing, the avoidance of physical contact and ​those who are feeling unwell absenting themselves from any gatherings. You are encouraged to visit this site to remain informed of the latest health guidelines during this period.

In order to comply with the rapidly-changing public health guidelines on the maximum number of individuals who can safely gather at one time, local communities are encouraged to explore creative means to allow for Holy Day celebrations and community gatherings to take place without necessarily being in physical contact, while still fostering bonds of love, support and fellowship that the vitality of ​faith offers to the life of society.

One constructive way in which the Baha’i community in Italy ha​s traversed this journey has been to draw on systems of technology to maintain heart to heart connections in the life of society while still respecting social distancing. This ​speaks powerfully to the capacity of the human spirit to maintain affinity in times of crisis despite the need to be physically apart. This valiant community, recognising the value of their years of experience in offering community-building activities, resourcefully initiated holding virtual gatherings to support one another in the current situation where preventative measures have mandated most people stay within their homes:

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