Human rights and religious freedom at Copacabana beach‏

Iran's Bahá'í 7 former leaders are among those remembered at event hosted

at one of the most famous beaches in Brazil

If you plan to be in Rio de Janeiro – Brazil on 19 June 2011, mark your calendar: a mobilization being prepared by the Brazilian Bahá'í Community together with CCIR (Rio's Commission for Combating Religious Intolerance) is expected to gather more than a thousand people at Copacabana beach to protest against religious intolerance and human rights violations.

“Brazil has been worldly known for the friendliness and amability of its people”, says Bahá'í representative Mary Caetana Aune, “but our society has learnt from experience that the consequences of ignoring racial and religious intolerance are incalculable.”

“Racism and religious intolerance are among the issues that have gained much space in the agenda of Brazilian society in the last few decades. The myths around what some used to call a 'racial democracy' have long been dismantled and Brazilians are learning to take a stand to defend the right to difference, to diversity and to justice for all, regardless of their skin colour, their social-economic background, their gender identity or their religion”, Aune states.

The event at Copacabana beach will take place at the seashore on a sunny Sunday morning – according to the weather forecast, the temperature should be around 22ºC (72ºF). The organizers say there will be lots of music: the program includes a rock band from Brasilia, a percussion group from Rio and other local performers. Human rights organizations will share their turns in calls for justice and freedom in Brazil and in the world.

Sending a message of faith, love and justice to Iran

The event was first planned to voice the concerns of Brazil's 65,000 Bahá'ís over the imprisonment of seven of their correligioners in Iran in March and May 2008. Mahvash Sabet, Fariba Kamalabadi, Jamaloddin Khanjani, Afif Naeimi, Saeid Rezaie, Behrouz Tavakkoli and Vahid Tizfahm were members of the national group who served in the administration of the Iranian Bahá'í community, and for this they have been convicted to 20 years in prison.

“On 19 June this year, they will have spent together the equivalent of 7.747 days in prison”, recalls Aune. “We have printed the same number of masks with their faces to be put on the sands of Copacabana, and we plan to have a beautiful celebration of life, of justice, of diversity and of freedom in order to send them all the love and the strength they need to survive the deprivations they are being subjected to in prison”.

Because the Bahá'ís of Brazil are known for their engagement in several issues related to the defense of human rights, they have gained the support of several different movements around the country. More than 300 Bahá'ís from neighboring states are planning to arrive on Sunday early morning in Copacabana, in more than 6 interstate buses. The Black movement in Rio, interreligious movement, and other pro human rights groups are amongst those that will mobilize their associates to be present at the event.

--