BATON ROUGE — Jehovah’s Witnesses’ first ever virtual convention is proving to be a resounding success, bringing a breath of fresh air to many in Baton Rouge. They are among millions worldwide who are watching the six online installments at no cost during the months of July and August.

To accomplish this historic feat, volunteer translation teams worked tirelessly over the past several months to produce the “Always Rejoice!” program in over 500 languages, including many sign languages, making it a truly unique, global event.

Jehovah’s Witnesses pivoted their keystone summer convention series to an online platform as concerns about large gatherings first surfaced in early spring.

Now, upwards of 15 million are benefiting from that decision, including local residents who speak French, Creole, Spanish, Italian, Vietnamese, Hungarian, Croatian, Chinese, Arabic and Choctaw.

Many have expressed gratitude for this provision. One married couple, living in Baton Rouge and learning the Arabic language, were very encouraged by the online program.

Tony Clarkson says, “I appreciate that I can watch the convention undistracted in the privacy of my own home. Some of my friends speak another language and I was happy that the convention was available to them, too.” His wife Peggy adds, “I was not disappointed. I love that I still [viewed the program] with my friends from around the world in so many languages.”

“This virtual convention is unique in many ways,” says James Gianopoulos, a local spokesman for Jehovah’s Witnesses. “The program is available to all at no cost and without obligation. There is no registration, no paywall. If someone wants to enjoy the program, they can simply watch.”

Those interested in viewing the convention can access the program on jw.org, available under the “Library” tab.

There is no charge or registration requirement for viewing the convention program. With the program available online in 511 languages, this may be the most attended convention of Jehovah’s Witnesses to date.