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Date 2021-05-23-01, descending — sort earliest first

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2021 23 May
202-		 The dedication of the first local Bahá'í House of Worship in Africa in Matunda Soy, Kenya. The project had been completed in under three years in difficult circumstances.

The ceremony was attended by some one hundred people including government officials, village and district chiefs, local dignitaries, representatives of local and national Bahá'í institutions, and other representatives of the construction team including Neda Samimi, the architect. The Universal House of Justice was represented by Townshend Lihanda, a member of the Continental Board of Counsellors in Africa who delivered this message on their behalf.

The previous day a small ornamental case containing dust from one of the Holy Shrines at the Bahá'í World Centre was placed within the structure of the House of Worship symbolizing the profound connection between the temple and the spiritual center of the Bahá'í Faith. [BWNS1511]

  • Photos.
    Specifics
      Location: Matunda Soy district in Kenya
      Foundation Stone: 23 March 2019 to 23 May 2021
      Construction Period: 28 February 2019 to
      Site Dedication: 23 May 2021
      Architect: Neda Samimi (The first woman whose design for a Baha'i House of Worship was selected.)
      Architectural firm: under the auspices of Archipoint Consulting Architects (Mr Alfred Mango, Architect)
      Seating: 250
      Dimensions:
      Land: The area was about 20 acres inclusive of the Lwanda Learning Site which occupies about 3 acres.
      Cost: (land and building)15m Kshs plus 152m Kshs (approximately US$1.5m)
      Dependencies: Existing buildings will be repurposed as educational facilities and as offices for the National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of Kenya.
      References: BWNS1251; BWNS1317; BWNS1473; BWNS1493; BWNS1511.
    		• - Mashriqu'l-Adhkár, Local; Neda Samimi; Townshend Lihanda; Bahá'í World News Service (BWNS); * Mashriqu'l-Adhkár (House of Worship); - Mashriqu'l-Adhkár, Local; Mashriqu'l-Adhkár, Matunda Soy, Kenya; Dedications; Matunda Soy, Kenya; Kenya Neda Samimi, the first woman whose design for a Baha’i House of Worship was selected.
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