UNESCO lists Baha'i sites
Two Baha'i shrines are the latest Israeli sites to join UNESCO's World Heritage List.
The United Nations Educations, Scientific and Cultural Organization announced Tuesday that it was adding Baha'i shrines in Haifa and Acre to its protected list.
The sites, which include 26 buildings, "are inscribed for the testimony they provide to the Bahai's' strong tradition of pilgrimage and for their profound meaning for the faith," UNESCO said in a statement.
The Baha'i faith, a 19th-century offshoot of Islam that preaches the unity of all major religions, considers Haifa the future capital of the world.
The movement's gilded shrine dominates the Carmel Mountain, being the premier landmark for Israel's biggest port. The two shrines are known for the formal gardens that surround them. In addition to Baha'i pilgrims, they attract hundreds of thousands of visitors and tourists every year.
UNESCO has listed several Israeli sites since 2001, including Masada and the Bauhaus quarter of Tel Aviv.
“The Baha'i community is particularly grateful to the government of Israel for putting forward this nomination,” said Albert Lincoln, the secretary-general of the Baha'i International Community.
The UNESCO World Heritage Committee determined on Tuesday that the Bahai shrines in Haifa and in Akko are official World Heritage Sites. The declaration, which was made in Quebec, Canada is expected to bring a significant rise in tourist-based income to the city of Haifa. Just last year, 600,000 people visited the Bahai Gardens.
Statistics gathered at the Haifa Tourist Office show that 43% of the tourists in the city stated that the gardens were their main reason for visiting the city.
According to Albert Lincoln, secretary-general of the Bahai International Community, investment, establishment and planning costs for the gardens in Haifa reached $250 million and maintenance costs $4 million a year.
Money for building the site comes solely from members of the Bahai religion. This is since the religion refuses to accept money from a person who is not of the Bahai faith and this is also the reason why entrance into the gardens is free of charge.
The Bahai religion was established in Iran in 1862. Its believers support the unification of religions and world peace. They preach equal rights amongst men and women, the dispersion of knowledge, education around the world and the creation of one worldwide community based on justice and equality. They Bahais don’t have priests or set rituals. The most holy site for people of this faith is their founder, Baha’u’llah’s grave in Akko.
This year, 27 sites made the UNESCO list. Amongst them are the Malaysian historical cities of Malacca and George Town, the ancient city of San Miguel in Mexico and the San Marino Historic Center.
Until now, UNESCO has placed numerous Israeli sites on its World Heritage list. These include, the Old City of Jerusalem, the White City of Tel Aviv, Masada, the Old City of Akko, the Incense Route in the Negev and the Biblical Tels of Megiddo, Hazor and Beersheba.
The United Nations Educations, Scientific and Cultural Organization announced Tuesday that it was adding Baha'i shrines in Haifa and Acre to its protected list.
The sites, which include 26 buildings, "are inscribed for the testimony they provide to the Bahai's' strong tradition of pilgrimage and for their profound meaning for the faith," UNESCO said in a statement.
The Baha'i faith, a 19th-century offshoot of Islam that preaches the unity of all major religions, considers Haifa the future capital of the world.
The movement's gilded shrine dominates the Carmel Mountain, being the premier landmark for Israel's biggest port. The two shrines are known for the formal gardens that surround them. In addition to Baha'i pilgrims, they attract hundreds of thousands of visitors and tourists every year.
UNESCO has listed several Israeli sites since 2001, including Masada and the Bauhaus quarter of Tel Aviv.
“The Baha'i community is particularly grateful to the government of Israel for putting forward this nomination,” said Albert Lincoln, the secretary-general of the Baha'i International Community.
The UNESCO World Heritage Committee determined on Tuesday that the Bahai shrines in Haifa and in Akko are official World Heritage Sites. The declaration, which was made in Quebec, Canada is expected to bring a significant rise in tourist-based income to the city of Haifa. Just last year, 600,000 people visited the Bahai Gardens.
Statistics gathered at the Haifa Tourist Office show that 43% of the tourists in the city stated that the gardens were their main reason for visiting the city.
According to Albert Lincoln, secretary-general of the Bahai International Community, investment, establishment and planning costs for the gardens in Haifa reached $250 million and maintenance costs $4 million a year.
Money for building the site comes solely from members of the Bahai religion. This is since the religion refuses to accept money from a person who is not of the Bahai faith and this is also the reason why entrance into the gardens is free of charge.
The Bahai religion was established in Iran in 1862. Its believers support the unification of religions and world peace. They preach equal rights amongst men and women, the dispersion of knowledge, education around the world and the creation of one worldwide community based on justice and equality. They Bahais don’t have priests or set rituals. The most holy site for people of this faith is their founder, Baha’u’llah’s grave in Akko.
This year, 27 sites made the UNESCO list. Amongst them are the Malaysian historical cities of Malacca and George Town, the ancient city of San Miguel in Mexico and the San Marino Historic Center.
Until now, UNESCO has placed numerous Israeli sites on its World Heritage list. These include, the Old City of Jerusalem, the White City of Tel Aviv, Masada, the Old City of Akko, the Incense Route in the Negev and the Biblical Tels of Megiddo, Hazor and Beersheba.
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