History

There have been Bahá'ís in the UK for just over a century and in Norwich for some 50 years, with the first local Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of Norwich being established in 1951.

In those 50 years mostly English, mainly Norfolk born and bred people have made up the Norwich Bahá'í community but there have also been Bahá'ís of other nationalities coming and going over the years. Whilst Bahá'í communities in Norfolk as a whole are still small, activities are often shared with neighbouring Bahá'í communities on the outskirts of Norwich, such as Thorpe St Andrew, as well as further afield in, for example, Acle, Gt Yarmouth, Loddon, Beccles and Kings Lynn.

From time to time articles and news items about the Bahá'í Faith appear in both the Eastern Daily Press, the county newspaper, and in the Eastern Evening News, the city newspaper.

The Bahá'ís are strong supporters of the Interfaith forum in the City and are also represented on the County's Standing Advisory Council for Religious Education.

The Norwich Bahá'ís also hold a monthly public event in the Kent Room on the first floor of the Assembly House in the centre of Norwich. We call the meeting a "Tranquillity Hour". It is held from 2.30pm to 3.30pm on the first Saturday in each month when readings, mainly from the Bahá'í scriptures but interspersed with the scriptures of other faiths and from other sources, are interwoven with soothing music to encourage a meditative and contemplative atmosphere as an interlude of peace in our busy world. The programme is offered as gift to the people of Norwich but following the meeting it is possible to meet up with individual Bahá'ís present to talk directly about any aspects of the Bahá'í Faith that may interest you.

As you will see, there is a lot of information already included on this web site about the Bahá'í Faith in general - but another point of contact that may attract you is the opportunity to have informal discussions (firesides), often held in the homes of local Bahá'ís. Access to a lending library of books about the Bahá'í Faith can also be arranged.