Nearly 50 guests, including Kauai County Mayor Derek S.K. Kawakami and Council Chair Mel Rapozo, attended the National Day of Prayer on the Garden Island on May 7th. Organized by the Interfaith Roundtable of Kauai, (IROK) the event saw participants from over 20 faiths from across the island.
Mayor Kawakami praised the participants and attendees as representative of the diverse cultures that make up Kauai. He noted that when he became mayor eight years ago there were two different programs for the National Day of Prayer. Stressing his desire for more unity among religions he instituted a single event welcoming all faiths who wanted to participate. IROK members were delighted by this and for the nearly a decade have put together a program celebrating peace and unity and emphasizing commonality amongst the world religions instead of differences.
Mayor Derek S.K. Kawakami addresses audience at International Day of Prayer event in Lihue.
Bahá’í Faith representative Elizabeth Hahn from Waimea quoted extracts from Bahá’u’lláh’s Letter to the Kings, speaking on the theme of “Just Government.” In a true display of unity and friendship, Karen Shrimpton, a Bahá’í from Hanalei filled in for the Hindu speaker who could not attend and offered an ancient Hindu peace prayer.
Elizabeth Hahn, a Bahá’í from Waimea offers a prayer for just government.