04 October 2014 – In line with thePhilippines’ advocacy for interfaith dialogue, the Philippine Embassyin Tel Aviv, headed by Deputy Chief of Mission and Chargé d’Affaires Neal Imperial, met with senior officials of the Bahá’í International Community (BIC) in Israel on September 29.

During their brief meeting with Mr. Imperial, BIC Deputy Secretary-General Sarah Vader and Jerusalem Representative Kern Wisman took the opportunity to introduce the Bahá’í Faith, highlighting its similarities with the thrusts of the Philippine Government, especially in the promotion of peace and unity among different cultures and religions.

The Bahá’í International Community is an international non-governmental organization representing the more than five million members of the Bahá’í Faith around the world.  First chartered with the United Nations in March 1948, the BIC currently has affiliates in over 180 countries and territories, including the Philippines where it has several thousand members.

Considered as the youngest among the world’s independent religions, the Bahá’í Faith teaches that humanity is one single race and that the day has come for its unification in one global society.  Its spiritual and administrative center, otherwise called as the Bahá’í World Center, consists of the Shrine of the Bahá’u’lláh near Acre, Israel, the Shrine of the Báb and its gardens on Mount Carmel in Haifa, Israel and other buildings in the area, including the Arc buildings.  The senior officials said that there are 12 Filipino volunteers currently working for the center. END