After a three-year pandemic pause, Jehovah’s Witnesses in Tanzania will hold a three-day event, the 2023 Convention, the organisation’s largest event in the world.
This year’s event is being heralded by the theme: “Exercise Patience!”
For four decades Jehovah’s Witnesses filled public venues around the country as they attended their annual conventions.
In 2020, the pandemic interrupted that tradition when the Witnesses cancelled their in-person events throughout the world and held their convention programs as virtual events in more than 500 languages.
Beginning July 28, 2023, the Witnesses will bring tradition back to Kiramuu Hall, Mbezi Beach High School and Sabasaba Trade Fair Grounds.
“As much as we loved the convenience and quality of our virtual conventions, nothing can replace being together in a large group setting,” said Zadok Mwaipwisi, spokesman for Jehovah’s Witnesses in Tanzania and added:
“While our online conventions reached millions around the world and kept our community safe, we long to get back to our joyful fellowship at these large gatherings.”
Some 6,000 conventions will be held worldwide as part of the 2023 ‘Exercise Patience!’
Over 24 conventions will be held in Tanzania.
Mwaipwisi adds from Friday to Sunday, six convention sessions will explore the quality of patience, highlighting its modern-day relevance through scriptural examples.
A live baptism will be performed following the Saturday morning session and a prerecorded drama will be featured in two parts during the Saturday and Sunday afternoon sessions.
“Patience is a beautiful quality that all Christians desire to display in their daily lives,” says Mwaipwisi as he adds: “Despite our good intentions, however, maintaining patience in the face of life’s many challenges can be a daily struggle. Spending three days exploring aspects of this quality will be very timely for all of us.”
Jehovah’s Witnesses have been holding public conventions in stadiums, arenas, convention centers, and theaters around the world for more than 100 years.
After resuming smaller in-person meetings and their public ministry during 2022, the month of May 2023 marks the first time they will gather at much larger regional events around the world since the lifting of pandemic restrictions.
The convention is open to the public and no collection is taken.
