By Lillian Sopera Keneqa – EMTV News, Port Moresby
The National Spiritual Assembly of Bahai’s of Papua New Guinea has unveiled the design of the National Baha’i House of Worship of Papua New Guinea. This will be one of just two National Houses of Worship in the world.
Design architects Henry Lape and Saeed Granfar said the House of Worship is hoped to unite all cultures and faiths in PNG to serve the people.
Announced in 2012, the project took five years for refining of the concept design, and is now in its final stages of approval from the National Capital District Commission Building Board for construction work to begin.
Lape told EMTV News that the design has two main features. This will be the second National House of Worship in the world; the first built in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Granfar said the search for a universal theme in a country with over 800 distinct cultural groups was a challenge. However, the inspiration for the design came from the art of weaving.
The National Bahai House of worship of PNG will be built in Port Moresby at Waigani. It will be elevated above the junction of two main roads connecting the Waigani Valley and June Valley corridors, providing ideal accessibility from all directions.
This temple will be open to all denominations and individuals from all walks of life to provide a common place of meditation.
