It was Saturday, December 21. Our booth about knowing the Savior in Sweden was ready early and people started visiting right away. Visitors would stop for a moment and get to know everything we had set up as the campaign products. We dressed each section of the booth with its own colors and style and ,as the field team, began to present the campaign theme thoughtfully.
We talked about a world without a savior and tried to paint for people the kind of days that would come when a savior brings peace and justice everywhere.
It was late December 2024 and New Year 2025 was approaching; Malmö was getting ready for Christmas and we were there to set up the booth and introduce the Imam.
We were right in the middle of Triangeln Square in Malmö. We knew that to draw people into the booth we had to start by creating a feeling of empathy. So, we put a Christmas tree inside the booth in a visible spot, decorated it, and put up lights. We prepared some small gifts and invited visitors to join a little contest we’d organized.
One by one people came in. A young Albanian woman who lived in Sweden stopped by. We were focused and ready in the booth on presenting our perspective on the new civilization. She asked about our activities and goals. We said that the birth of Jesus is honored by us Muslims too, and we talked about shared beliefs, solidarity, and empathy between Muslims and people of other faiths. Gradually the conversation moved towards our own savior.
We explained that just as Jesus will return, Imam Mahdi’s long absence will end and he will come. We said we’re here to introduce him properly to the world. We talked about the era after the savior’s appearance and pointed her to the campaign website. She agreed to write her wish on a piece of paper and tie it to the Christmas tree.
She wished Israel to be destroyed. After saying goodbye, in the spirit of warm Iranian hospitality we walked with her a few steps and said that indeed her wish will be fulfilled, not too late.