Today you might have seen this holiday mentioned on your social media feeds. But what is it? Where does it come from? And how do people celebrate it? World Religion Day is celebrated globally every year in January on the third Sunday of the month. This year that falls on the 16th of January.
In this blog, we’re going to answer all these questions and more.
Where does World Religion Day come from?
World Religion Day started in 1950. It was founded by members of the Baha’i faith living in America. The Baha’i faith originated in Iran (Persia) in the 19th century, but they were not accepted in their home country and many had to leave. One of their early leaders, Báb, was even executed by the government. This was one of their main inspirations for starting World Religion Day.
What is the purpose of World Religion Day?
The reason this holiday was started was to encourage peace, harmony, and understanding between people of different religions and faiths. One of the central teachings of Baha’i is that all humans are equal, and should be treated with respect and kindness. Just as you would want them to treat you. Many of the world’s faiths have a similar belief. In Christianity, there is the Golden Rule, “Do to others what you would have them do to you.” In Judaism, they say, “What is hateful to you, do not do to your neighbour.” And in Islam there is the saying, “Not one of you truly believes until you wish for others what you wish for yourself.” This central idea in many religions was one of 
the main inspirations for World Religion Day.
How is World Religion Day celebrated?
This special day doesn’t involve giving gifts or having a big meal. Instead, people are encouraged to learn about different faiths from around the world. It’s a good day to join an interfaith meeting and become aware of what other people believe and explain to them what you believe. The end goal is to unite everyone through education. In today’s world, which is full of hate, division, and misunderstanding, take some time out of your day to learn about others. It could lead to more peace, harmony, and understanding in the world.
