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| Bahá’í News | July 1985 | Bahá’í Year 142 |
Iran: the terror continues
On the cover: The recent hijacking of a United Airlines plane in Beirut, Lebanon, which resulted in 39 Americans being held hostage for 17 days, served as a grim reminder that the Middle East remains a hotbed of terrorist activity. In Iran, the repression of the Bahá’í Faith by the government of Ayatollah Ruhullah Khomeini continues unabated in spite of the pressure of world public opinion which is reflected by a number of resolutions on behalf of the Bahá’ís in Iran passed by national and international bodies all over the world. The photograph on the cover, taken shortly after the Islamic revolution in 1979, shows a group of armed men at the Bahá’í National Center in Tehran. The Center subsequently was closed while the members of three National Spiritual Assemblies have either been executed or have simply disappeared and are presumed dead. In June, the United Nations Economic and Social Council endorsed a resolution by the UN Commission on Human Rights to place the situation of human rights in Iran on the General Assembly’s agenda for debate. At its meeting earlier this year in Geneva, Switzerland, the Human Rights Commission had requested that its special representative “... present an interim report to the General Assembly at its 40th session on the human rights situation in the Islamic Republic of Iran, including the situation of minority groups such as the Bahá’ís ...”
Bahá’í News[edit]
Message to world’s Bahá’í youth from Universal House of Justice | 1 |
Bahá’ís take part in Conference on Religious Liberty in Washington | 2 |
Bahá’í International Community at large Jamaica Youth Conference | 4 |
Dr. Peter Khan points out historical parallels to persecutions in Iran | 6 |
International Year of Peace to coincide with UN’s 40th anniversary | 9 |
Mullá Ridá: Glimpses into the life and work of an early hero of Faith | 10 |
Around the world: News from Bahá’í communities all over the globe | 12 |
Bahá’í News is published monthly by the National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of the United States as a news organ reporting current activities of the Bahá’í world community. Manuscripts submitted should be typewritten and double-spaced throughout; any footnotes should appear at the end. The contributor should keep a carbon copy. Send materials to the Periodicals Office, Bahá’í National Center, Wilmette, IL 60091, U.S.A. Changes of address should be reported to the Office of Membership and Records, Bahá’í National Center. Please attach mailing label. Subscription rates within U.S.: one year, $12; two years, $20. Second class postage paid at Wilmette, IL 60091. Copyright © 1985, National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of the United States. World rights reserved. Printed in the U.S.A.
World Centre[edit]
Youth hold key to transforming society[edit]
To the Bahá’í Youth of the World
Dear Bahá’í Friends,
We extend our loving greetings and best wishes to all who will meet in youth conferences yet to be held during International Youth Year.
So eager and resourceful have been the responses of the Bahá’í youth in many countries to the challenges of this special year that we are moved to expressions of delight and high hope.
We applaud those youth who, in respect of this period, have already engaged in some activity within their national and local communities or in collaboration with their peers in other countries, and call upon them to persevere in their unyielding efforts to acquire spiritual qualities and useful qualifications. For if they do so, the influence of their high-minded motivations will exert itself upon world developments conducive to a productive, progressive and peaceful future.
May the youth activities begun this year be a fitting prelude to and an ongoing, significant feature throughout the International Year of Peace, 1986.
The present requirements of a Faith whose responsibilities rapidly increase in relation to its rise from obscurity impose an inescapable duty on the youth to ensure that their lives reflect to a marked degree the transforming power of the new Revelation they have embraced.
Otherwise, by what example are the claims of Bahá’u’lláh to be judged? How is His healing Message to be acknowledged by a skeptical humanity if it produces no noticeable effect upon the young, who are seen to be among the most energetic, the most pliable and promising elements in any society?
The dark horizon faced by a world which has failed to recognize the Promised One, the Source of its salvation, acutely affects the outlook of the younger generations; their distressing lack of hope and their indulgence in desperate but futile and even dangerous solutions make a direct claim on the remedial attention of Bahá’í youth, who, through their knowledge of that Source and the bright vision with which they have thus been endowed, cannot hesitate to impart to their despairing fellow youth the restorative joy, the constructive hope, the radiant assurances of Bahá’u’lláh’s stupendous Revelation.
The words, the deeds, the attitudes, the lack of prejudice, the nobility of character, the high sense of service to others—in a word, those qualities and actions which distinguish a Bahá’í must unfailingly characterize their inner life and outer behavior, and their interactions with friend or foe.
Rejecting the low sights of mediocrity, let them scale the ascending heights of excellence in all they aspire to do. May they resolve to elevate the very atmosphere in which they move, whether it be in the school rooms or halls of higher learning, in their work, their recreation, their Bahá’í activity or social service.
Indeed, let them welcome with confidence the challenges awaiting them. Imbued with this excellence and a corresponding humility, with tenacity and a loving servitude, today’s youth must move toward the front ranks of the professions, trades, arts and crafts which are necessary to the further progress of humankind—this to ensure that the spirit of the Cause will cast its illumination on all these important areas of human endeavor. Moreover, while aiming at mastering the unifying concepts and swiftly advancing technologies of this era of communications, they can, indeed they must also guarantee the transmittal to the future of those skills which will preserve the marvelous, indispensable achievements of the past. The transformation which is to occur in the functioning of society will certainly depend to a great extent on the effectiveness of the preparations the youth make for the world they will inherit.
We commend these thoughts to your private contemplation and to the consultations you conduct about your future.
And we offer the assurance of our prayerful remembrances of you, our trust and confidence.
May 8, 1985
United States[edit]
Conference examines religious liberty[edit]
A nine-member Bahá’í delegation took part April 15-16 in an International Conference on Religious Liberty co-sponsored by the U.S. Department of State and several religious bodies.
In opening the conference, which was held at the State Department in Washington, D.C., U.S. Secretary of State George Schultz described the Iranian government of Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini as “a blight on the history of Islam” for its brutal persecution of the Bahá’ís in that country.
At the final session, held in the Old Executive Building adjacent to the White House, President Ronald Reagan, addressing an audience of selected conference participants, also mentioned the persecution of the Bahá’ís in Iran.
President Ronald Reagan addresses a session of the International Conference on Religious Liberty which was held April 15-16 at the U.S. State Department in Washington, D.C. A nine-member Bahá’í delegation took part.
‘Members of the Bahá’í Faith have been killed, imprisoned and persecuted, not only in violation of the universal principle of freedom of worship, but ironically, also the Islamic tradition of religious tolerance.’—Secretary of State George Schultz
Bahá’ís attending the event included Dr. Peter Khan, a Counsellor member of the International Teaching Centre, and four members of the U.S. National Spiritual Assembly: Dr. Wilma Brady, Dr. Firuz Kazemzadeh, Judge Dorothy Nelson and Judge James Nelson.
The other members of the Bahá’í delegation, all of whom were invited to the session with President Reagan, were Dr. William Hatcher, a member of the National Spiritual Assembly of Canada and professor of mathematics at Laval University in Quebec; Dr. Udo Schaefer, chief public prosecutor of the District Courts of Heidelberg, West Germany; Dr. Amin Banani, professor of Middle Eastern Studies at UCLA; and Dr. Juan Ricardo Cole, professor of Middle Eastern Studies at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor.
Dr. Brady was the only black American among the more than 200 conference participants from the U.S. and abroad. Less than 10 per cent of the registrants were women.
The conference included panel discussions on “The State of Religious Freedom,” “Religious Freedom in the Third World,” “Support of Religious Witness in Eastern Europe,” and “Action for International Religious Freedom.”
Dr. Kazemzadeh was chosen to serve on the panel discussing the state of religious freedom.
Each session had three or four speakers for some 20 minutes each, followed by discussion and questions from other participants.
Mr. Schultz, in his opening remarks, said, “Religious intolerance and repression are not limited to the Communist totalitarian societies.
“Iran today, for example, has viciously repressed religious minorities in a manner far exceeding in brutality any of the previous excesses of the Shah.
“Members of the Bahá’í Faith have been killed, imprisoned and persecuted, not only in violation of the universal principle of freedom of worship, but ironically, also the Islamic tradition of religious tolerance. Khomeini’s rule is a blight on the history of Is-
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lam.”
The U.S. government must, he said, “support in whatever way we can those around the world who seek only to worship God without fear of persecution and who struggle against the state’s efforts to control their thoughts and beliefs.
“Whether it is to be the rights of Jews in the Soviet Union to live as Jews, the rights of Bahá’ís in Iran to live as Bahá’ís, the rights of Buddhists in Vietnam to live as Buddhists, we must lend our support, moral and otherwise, to this most basic of human needs.
“We owe it to ourselves, to the world, and to God to protect and promote religious liberty everywhere.”
Co-sponsoring the conference with the State Department were the Institute on Religion and Democracy, the American Jewish Committee, the National Association of Evangelicals, the Anti-Defamation League of B’nai B’rith, and the Jacques Maritain Center at Notre Dame University.
Bahá’í participation in the conference was arranged by the U.S. National Spiritual Assembly’s Office of External Affairs.
Pictured (left to right) are the nine members of the Bahá’í delegation to the International Conference on Religious Liberty held April 15-16 at the U.S. State Department in Washington: Dr. Firuz Kazemzadeh, vice-chairman of the U.S. National Spiritual Assembly; Dr. Udo Schaefer, chief public prosecutor of the District Courts of Heidelberg, West Germany; Judge Dorothy Nelson, treasurer of the U.S. National Assembly; Dr. Peter Khan, a Counsellor member of the International Teaching Centre; Dr. William Hatcher, a member of the National Spiritual Assembly of Canada; Dr. Wilma Brady, a member of the U.S. National Assembly; Dr. Amin Banani, professor of Middle Eastern Studies at UCLA; Judge James Nelson, chairman of the U.S. National Assembly; and Dr. Juan Ricardo Cole, professor of Middle Eastern Studies at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor.
Mauritius[edit]
Some 100 women took part last February 24 in the first National Bahá’í Women’s Congress to be held in Mauritius. The Congress took place at the Bahá’í Institute in Belle-Rose.
Jamaica[edit]
Bahá’ís take part in youth conference[edit]
The Bahá’í International Community is pleased to have this opportunity to offer a few comments on the crucial contribution of youth in bringing about a lasting world peace and building a world civilization. The following are a few of the ways in which youth can, we feel, hasten the realization of these goals: 1. By developing an understanding and conviction of the principle of the organic oneness of humanity, and by expressing this belief through action. 2. By working for the systematic eradication of all forms of prejudice and discrimination, whether based on race, religion, sex, nationality or class. 3. By a commitment to education in its totality—spiritual, moral, intellectual, emotional and physical—education of the whole person. Second, each person must acquire education and training in schools, to develop fully his talents, abilities, potentials in such a way that he is equipped to practice a trade or profession, and can, through gainful employment, contribute to the development of his country and of the world. Special emphasis must also be given, in the Bahá’í view, to the often neglected education of women. Such an education must be provided by the family or the community; and all of us must be committed to obtain this education, so that we may make a |
The Bahá’í International Community was represented April 6-9 at an International Youth Conference in Kingston, Jamaica, in celebration of the United Nations International Youth Year 1985.
The three Bahá’í observers—Shiva Tavana from the New York office of the Bahá’í International Community, Helen Mirkovich de Sanchez from Costa Rica, and Dalton Nelson from Jamaica—met young representatives of government delegations and official observers from around the world who had gathered to work on a “Declaration of Principles: affirmation of participation, development and peace in freedom.”
The conference was divided into plenary sessions and sessions of three working committees on the themes of IYY: participation, development and peace.
The Bahá’ís had an opportunity to circulate the Bahá’í International Community’s statement to the conference on the contribution of youth to world peace, emphasizing that world peace is not only possible but inevitable.
The Bahá’í delegation also was interviewed by a U.S. film company that is producing a documentary on the conference.
| unique contribution to life on this planet. Since work done in the spirit of service to humanity is, in the Bahá’í view, worship, youth, men and women alike, must, therefore, prepare themselves in the arts and sciences.
Further, the education and training of youth must, we feel, be based on the essential agreement of science and religion since, as facets of one truth, they provide both the values and the knowledge that will transform this planet into a place of peace and harmony through respect for the rich diversity of humanity and the nourishing of those cultural differences that bring us together, not tear us apart. The present International Youth Conference is a splendid illustration of the diversity of human nature, backgrounds and aspirations, bringing together youth from many parts of the world to find ways in which the goals of International Youth Year—participation, development and peace—can become a reality. Respect for the views of others, and an acceptance of the common humanity we share—that we are all a divine creation, connected by indissoluble ties with the Creator of the universe—is, in the view of the Bahá’í International Community, essentially what matters. This is the basis for the motivation and action of Bahá’í youth of more than 2,000 ethnic backgrounds, working in more than 160 independent countries to help resolve the crucial spiritual, social and economic problems of the world. The goal of world peace is more than a possibility. It is, we believe, inevitable; and the brilliant light at the end of the tunnel must be for youth a challenge to their spirit and energy, to their devotion to building a better world. For a peaceful world, in the vision depicted in the Writings of the Bahá’í Faith, will be one in which “Force is made the servant of Justice,” and in which
We are happy to be here at this conference, joining with you in working for world peace. |
Burma[edit]
Pictured are teachers and students in a Bahá’í children’s class in Daidenaw, Burma, in February 1985.
Perspective[edit]
Christian persecution parallels our own[edit]
The Bahá’í teachings disclose general principles which operate when the Faith of God is subjected to persecution and attack. These principles indicate that such opposition is doomed to ultimate failure; the rhythmic pulsations characterizing the growth of the Faith ensure that crisis is followed by victory, as God’s purpose is inexorably fulfilled.
During the period of persecution, there is a striking contrast between the radiant and ennobling faith of the believers and the hatred and fanaticism of their tormentors; this manifest contrast wins for the Faith the adherence of those previously apathetic or even hostile.
At a time when the Bahá’í Faith is being subjected to a fierce persecution, which has yet to run its course, in the land of its birth, it is useful to examine in some detail the form and consequences of a remarkably similar persecution of the Faith of God at an earlier time, when it had been brought to the world by Jesus Christ.
Shoghi Effendi, in an analysis of contemporary world conditions, refers to “the signs of an impending catastrophe, strangely reminiscent of the Fall of the Roman Empire in the West, which threatens to engulf the structure of present-day civilization” (The World Order of Bahá’u’lláh, p. 156), and associates it with the tumult that the birth of the Bahá’í Administrative Order has cast in the world. Thus there are parallels between the present day and the turbulent events of a distant time when the infant Christian religion was struggling for emancipation from the restrictions imposed by a declining social order.
| This article, “Historical Parallels in the Persecution of the Faith,” was written for Bahá’í News by Dr. Peter J. Khan, a Counsellor member of the International Teaching Centre in Haifa, Israel. |
Some caution is needed in drawing lessons from history. A consequence of the Revelation of Bahá’u’lláh, with its matchless scope and intensity, and with its provision of a unique Covenant, is that the events of today do not follow precisely the pattern of the past. The infallible guidance of the Universal House of Justice, utilizing the world-wide resources and growing prestige of the Bahá’í community in defense of the oppressed Bahá’ís, will result in the ultimate triumph of the Faith being glorious to an extent unparalleled in the past.
Christianity in a Roman world[edit]
As the third century A.D. drew to a close, the Roman Empire found itself in desperate circumstances, its borders assailed by the forces of relentless invaders bent upon its dismemberment. Within the Empire itself, the social fabric was weakened by anarchy, rampant inflation, moral degradation, class antagonism, currency depreciation, high taxation, large-scale unemployment, and a bloated bureaucracy. Afraid and insecure, the population took refuge in a religious revival expressed through the pagan worship of the Roman gods and through a “great variety of popular cults, of fashionable and evasive philosophies which flourished in the opening centuries of the Christian Era, and which attempted to absorb and pervert the state religion of that Roman people.” (The World Order of Bahá’u’lláh, p. 184)
In such an environment, Christianity had flourished and prospered for several decades, passing beyond the persecution of its earliest days. It had acquired property, erected magnificent churches, and attracted to its fold people of substance and distinction. The Christian bishops were treated with respect, not only by their faithful congregations, but also by the civil authorities. When the Emperor Diocletian appointed trustworthy and capable individuals to positions of responsibility and eminence in the administration of the Empire, he found frequently that these appointees were Christians, even though “no more than a twentieth part of the subjects of the Roman Empire had enlisted themselves under the standard of Christ.” (The World Order of Bahá’u’lláh, p. 57) Members of the Emperor’s household, who were Christian, used their powerful influence to protect the religion they had embraced.
Tainted by the moral and ethical degradation around them, the Christian communities allowed ambition and materialism to sully their purity. The Christian Church had become the richest religious organization in the Empire. Gibbon maintains that “prosperity had relaxed the nerves of discipline.” (Gibbon, The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire, chapter 16) In reaction to this manifest worldliness, asceticism and monasticism attracted a minority of Christians. The seeds of schism, which were to yield their poisonous fruit in the succeeding century, were sprouting in a climate of theological controversy.
The outbreak of persecution[edit]
The persecution initiated under the rule of the Emperor Diocletian was the last great persecution the Christian community was to undergo before its triumph over the Roman Empire. The environment for this persecution was created by the ignorance and insecurity of the population, who were thus easily manipulated by fanatical pagan priests.
An ominous development took place in 287 A.D. when Diocletian instituted
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changes which had the effect of converting the Empire into a pagan theocracy, Diocletian being identified with
the Roman god Jove and the co-ruler
Maximian identified with the god Hercules. Both rulers were henceforth to
be regarded as chosen by the gods and
participants in the divine nature; the
foundation thus was laid for emperor
worship, which was soon to be used as
a weapon against the Christians.
The incendiary influence required to ignite the flames of oppression was provided by Galerius, who held the rank of Caesar as deputy to Diocletian, and who was fanatically attached to pagan beliefs. Determined to smash the growing influence of Christianity, he instigated the convening of a council of influential citizens, which advised Diocletian that the Christian community constituted a dangerous political movement: it was a republic within a republic, having its own laws, judiciary, treasury and organization, and distinguished by obedience to its bishops. Galerius argued forcefully that unity could not be established within the Empire while a separatist movement such as Christianity was allowed to exist. He urged Diocletian to suppress this dangerous political organization, which masqueraded as a religion, before it acquired military force.
The consequence of these influences was the proclamation of a series of edicts by Diocletian in 303 and 304 A.D., which ordained the following measures against the Christians:
- All Christian churches to be demolished to their foundations.
- The death penalty for all who held secret assemblies for religious worship.
- All sacred books to be delivered to magistrates for public burning.
- All Church property to be confiscated and either sold to the highest bidder or appropriated by the government.
- The Church organization to be dissolved.
The Christians were described as belonging to an “illegal religion,” in contrast to the Jews and the followers of other religions, who were regarded as adherents of a “licensed religion.” This had the effect of putting the Christians outside the protection of the law, and added to their vulnerability.
Events moved quickly after the edicts were issued. The great cathedral of Nicomedia, the capital of the Empire, was demolished, and other churches were either demolished or closed. Property was seized and books destroyed. Christians were deprived of employment. The Christians became the scapegoats for all the problems of the society, and were blamed for the sundry rebellions afflicting a decaying empire. When the Emperor’s palace at Nicomedia caught fire, the Christians were held responsible.
Diocletian continued his persecution with further edicts:
- All Christians holding ecclesiastical positions to be imprisoned.
- All Christians to be compelled to worship the Roman gods, through use of force or torture if necessary.
Heavy penalties were specified for any non-Christian who protected Christians from the application of these edicts.
Soon after the promulgation of these edicts, Diocletian and Maximian abdicated as co-rulers, in 305 A.D., to be succeeded by the ruthless Galerius in the East and by the moderate Constantius, father of Constantine, in the West. The persecutions continued, especially in the regions controlled by Galerius.
The effect on the Christians[edit]
In the main, the Christians responded with admirable heroism, refusing to surrender their precious scriptures or to worship pagan gods, despite imprisonment, torture, and death. Some 1,500 believers quaffed the cup of martyrdom, led by the African bishop Felix, who was beheaded for his refusal to give up the sacred books.
In one village, the Christians barricaded themselves in their church, in a vain attempt to protect an edifice which had become sanctified and precious to them; they all perished when their persecutors set fire to the building. Christians, consigned to prison and torture, endured their oppression with fidelity, continuing the practice of their religion. Those condemned to work as prisoners in the mines fashioned underground chapels consecrated to the worship of their Lord.
The persecutions initially weakened Christianity, through the disruption of its organization, the confiscation of its property, and the defection of those of weak belief who had joined the religion during times of prosperity. However, the long-term effect was to strengthen Christianity in many ways. The compilation and circulation of a book, the Acta Martyrum, recording some of the many acts of heroism occurring during this period, strengthened and confirmed Christian belief. The need for cooperative measures of mutual assistance in the face of economic deprivation strengthened the consciousness of unity in the Christian community. These bonds of unity were further reinforced by the movement of Christians to remote areas to escape persecution, and by the acceptance of these refugees by local congregations. Gibbon refers to the large number of middle-class Christians “who were not confined to the chains either of wealth or of poverty” (Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire, chapter 16), who fled the region ruled by Galerius in search of freedom.
An informal but effective news network, which grew up among the scattered Christian refugees, also contributed to the growing consciousness of a community transcending traditional cultural barriers.
The Christian response was not without blemish. Shoghi Effendi calls attention to “the scandalous conduct of those bishops” (The World Order of Bahá’u’lláh, p. 56) of the African church who betrayed the Holy Scriptures to the pagans, or who recanted their faith, and to others of lesser rank who followed in their footsteps. At a later time, when Christianity had triumphed, these bishops sought to recover their ecclesiastical position and privileges, giving rise to a schism that afflicted the Church in northern Africa for centuries until the African Christians were engulfed by the spread of Islam.
As the brutality toward the Christians increased in severity, public opinion swung from antagonism to sympathy and admiration for the beleaguered community, the pagan people witnessing with amazement the fortitude and heroism of the Christians. Many pagans risked death to shelter and protect the hunted quarry. Ultimately, the effect was to attract more and more people of insight and fair-mindedness to the Christian fold.
The consequences[edit]
The authorities became alarmed and
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desperate as their severe persecution
failed to extinguish the light of Christianity but served rather to increase its
brilliance and to move public opinion
to sympathy and support for the Christians.
In 310 A.D. Galerius was afflicted by a painful disease which progressively incapacitated him, and led ultimately to his death in 311. As he lay on his death-bed, he acknowledged the failure of his efforts and sought to make his peace with the undefeated Christian God by publishing an edict of toleration allowing “Christians the right to exist again and to set up their places of worship; provided always that they do not offend against public order.” (Bettenson, Documents of the Christian Church, p. 21)
The result was a dramatic and sudden change in the welfare of the Christian community. A great number of Christians were released from prisons and mines; refugees returned to their homes; and those who had recanted their faith sought re-admission to the Christian community.
Denying the spiritual power of the Christian faith, the new Emperor ascribed the Christian victory to its discipline and organization. He attempted to invigorate pagan worship by organizing it along lines similar to that of the Christians, with a simpler discipline, and with beautiful houses of worship. The immediate effect of this venture was to encourage the pagan priests to seek restoration of Christian persecution, which was revived for a few months until terminated by civil war. The long-term effect was one of total failure, as the dynamic spirit of Christianity defied simulation; much more than that, it prepared the pagans for acceptance of Christian practice and highlighted the unique features of the Christian religion.
Following a period of civil instability, Constantine emerged as Emperor in 313 A.D. In an age of discord and chaos, he found himself irresistibly drawn to the order and morality of Christian conduct, the discipline with which Christians obeyed their clergy, and the effect of Christianity in eradicating class warfare and in strengthening the institutions of marriage and the family. As a consequence, he used the power of his office to protect the Christian community, which was being reconstituted after its persecution.
During that year, Constantine issued an edict guaranteeing freedom of religion, and ordered all Christian property to be restored to its original owners without any demand for payment; the present owners were permitted to apply to the State for compensation for loss of the restored property.
As the reign of Constantine continued, he favored Christianity more openly, gradually discarding pagan practices in State ceremonials, giving the Church legal status and tax exemption, and providing funds from the state treasury for the construction of Christian houses of worship. The culmination of this process came in 324 A.D. when Constantine publicly declared himself a Christian and invited his subjects to investigate and accept the new religion. In a few short years, Christianity had moved from the prisons of the Empire to the palace of the Emperor.
‘Abdu’l-Bahá praises Constantine:
“... the first person to establish public clinics throughout the Roman Empire where the poor, the injured and the helpless received medical care, was the Emperor Constantine. This great king was the first Roman ruler to champion the Cause of Christ. He spared no efforts, dedicating his life to the promotion of the principles of the Gospel, and he solidly established the Roman government, which in reality had been nothing but a system of unrelieved oppression, on moderation and justice. His blessed name shines out across the dawn of history like the morning star, and his rank and fame among the world’s noblest and most highly civilized is still on the tongues of Christians of all denominations.” (The Secret of Divine Civilization, p. 85)
Historian Will Durant comments:
“There is no greater drama in human record than the sight of a few Christians, scorned or oppressed by a succession of emperors, bearing all trials with a fierce tenacity, multiplying quietly, building order while their enemies generated chaos, fighting the sword with the word, brutality with hope, and at last defeating the strongest state that history has known. Caesar and Christ had met in the arena, and Christ had won.” (Durant, Caesar and Christ, p. 652)
Conclusion[edit]
When the persecution of the Christians was at its height, who could have imagined how rapidly and how dramatically conditions would change? As a Christian of that time surveyed with dismay the demolition of his holy places, the defilement and destruction of his sacred books, the dismantling of his religious organization, the imprisonment of his leaders, and the martyrdom of so many faithful believers, could he have imagined that in a comparatively short time a Christian Emperor would rule and a population that was so implacably opposed to Christianity would change its attitude to sympathy and belief? Might he not have suffered moments of despair as he wondered when, if ever, the clouds of oppression enveloping his land would be swept away? Surely his sense of wonder and of gratitude must have known no bounds when, in a seemingly miraculous manner, his religion emerged from the crucible of persecution purified and strengthened, its property restored, its sacred edifices reconstructed, its prestige enhanced, its power and influence greatly increased.
Above all, there emerges one clear lesson: that of the invincible power of God, and the powerlessness of His opponents. The power that protected the apparently defenseless Christian community from its implacable foes is today protecting the beleaguered Iranian Bahá’í community from its inveterate enemies, and will lead these heroic believers to a triumph that may well eclipse the dazzling victory won by the Christians of an earlier time.
The words of Bahá’u’lláh are equally applicable to the rise of the Christian Faith, during the time appointed for its dispensation, and to the growth of the Bahá’í Faith at the present time:
“Behold how in this Dispensation the worthless and foolish have fondly imagined that by such instruments as massacre, plunder and banishment they can extinguish the lamp which the Hand of Divine power has lit, or eclipse the Day Star of everlasting splendor. How utterly unaware they seem to be of the truth that such adversity is the oil that feedeth the flame of this Lamp! Such is God’s transforming power. He changeth whatsoever He willeth; He verily hath power over all things.” (Gleanings, p. 72)
United Nations[edit]
Year of Peace, UN’s 40th year coincide[edit]
In November 1982 the United Nations General Assembly passed a resolution declaring 1986 the International Year of Peace, to be proclaimed on October 24, 1985, the 40th anniversary of the UN.
The year of Peace will continue through the fall of 1985 and throughout 1986.
The General Assembly chose to hold the International Year of Peace in conjunction with the 40th anniversary of the UN to remind the peoples of the United Nations that the main objective of the UN, as defined in its charter, has not yet been achieved.
The UN was conceived “to save succeeding generations from the scourge of war, which twice in our lifetime has brought untold sorrow to mankind,” but war still ravages numerous populations in many parts of the world.
In its 40th anniversary year, the General Assembly is calling for a rededication to the primary and compelling goal of peace.
According to the Secretary-General’s report of September 24, 1984, the goals of the International Year of Peace are threefold.
The first is to “stimulate concerted and effective action by the United Nations, its Member States,” all inter- and non-governmental organizations, and the media in promoting peace and flict resolution.
The second is to strengthen the peacekeeping role and power of the UN, while urging Member States to renew their commitment to the UN charter, and “to strengthen the effectiveness of the Security Council in fulfilling its primary responsibility for the maintenance of international peace and security.”
The third objective is to focus world attention on the basic requirements for peace including disarmament, the exercise of human rights, international cooperation, development and social progress, among others.
In a letter of January 23, 1985, to all National Spiritual Assemblies, the Universal House of Justice praised the UN declaration, saying, “we embrace this God-sent opportunity to proclaim ever more widely and convincingly the vitalizing principles upon which, as our Teachings emphatically assert, a lasting peace must be founded.”
The Supreme Body then proceeded to call on all National Assemblies to urge the Bahá’ís in their respective countries to take action during the Year of Peace. Such action may include public proclamations, national or regional peace conferences, publications, and other activities, as the National Assemblies see fit.
In its Riḍván 1985 letter to the Bahá’ís of the world, the House of Justice announced its intention to present to governments and leaders of the world the Bahá’í concepts on peace. “But,” the letter continues, “it is in the local Bahá’í communities that the most widespread presentation of the Faith can take place.”
As in the celebration of all UN special years, the success of Bahá’í efforts in the International Year of Peace will be determined by efforts at the local level throughout the world.
Taiwan[edit]
As a service project, the Bahá’ís of Chung Ho (a suburb of Taipei, Taiwan) undertook sponsorship of several community classes including classes in English and calligraphy for children and adults. The local government was so impressed that a special ceremony was held to express its appreciation. Shown receiving an award on behalf of the Bahá’ís from the director of civic affairs is Heng Hock-boo (left). The undertaking is one of the social and economic development projects on the island in response to the letter on that topic from the Universal House of Justice.
Bahá’í history[edit]
Mullá Ridá: A life dedicated to teaching[edit]
Mullá Ridá came from a small village near Yazd. He belonged to a well-known family and had received his education as a Muslim clergyman. From the time he embraced the Cause till the moment he passed away in Tihrán prison his whole life was dedicated to teaching work. He should be regarded as a great hero whom the Almighty had raised in the early days of the Cause to proclaim His Message and upon whom He had bestowed a sword-like power of utterance with which he tore asunder the veils of ignorance and superstition, and by doing so constantly exposed himself to intense pain and suffering. In fact, seldom a day passed without his being handed a cup of woeful trials which he would sip with abundant joy and satisfaction.
Mullá Ridá was an old man with a tall and shapely stature that enhanced his dignified bearing. His mode of behavior was governed by a rare combination of frankness, humor, eloquence and exceptional courage, and was dominated by his passionate love for Bahá’u’lláh. No one is known to have surpassed his unusual power of endurance. Of him it is authoritatively said by the friends that while he was detained in Yazd for Bahá’í activities and prior to his expulsion from the town, the governor ordered that the bastinado1 be inflicted on him in public at seven crossroads during a single day so as to dissuade the inhabitants from going over to the new creed. At each
| This article, “Glimpses from the Life and Work of Mullá Ridá of Muhammad-Ábád,” by Habib Taherzadeh, is reprinted from the September-October 1984 issue of New Day, the newsletter of the National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of the Republic of Ireland. It appeared originally in “Bahá’í News and Reviews,” a Journal of the National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of Iran, No. 12, September 1948. |
appointed spot Mullá Ridá would remove his abá (cloak), turban and socks and place them on a handkerchief that he would spread on the ground; then, after lying down and inserting his feet into the loop, he would cover his face with the hem of his garment and ask his persecutors to proceed. At no time during these rounds of torture did he breathe a word, or make a sign or move that implied a painful feeling. At one point his unusual calm in the face of brutal lashings made the stupefied onlookers imagine that the victim had collapsed. However, when his face was uncovered, they found him cleaning his teeth in a quiet manner!
As a teacher, Mullá Ridá was highly qualified, exceptionally well-informed and audacious. No one could rival him in speech or in the knowledge of the Qur’án and Islamic law and tradition. While in Tihrán prison, he was summoned on several occasions to answer questions about the Faith at gatherings of princes and notables of the realm. And at each session he prevailed over his distinguished opponents in argument and laid bare their ignorance and the absurdity of their notions.
Mullá Ridá was a man of broad vision and great enterprise, though sometimes his imagination seemed to be bordering on the fantastic. For instance, he had a firm conviction that the organic unity of all substances will be established during the Bahá’í era, and moreover, he is quoted as having said, “If I were guided to discover this transmuting alchemy, I would build a town and erect in it a Mashriqu’l-Adhkár of crystal. Its central hall would be supported by 95 pillars and each of its 19- x9-meter doors would be made of solid gold.”
Far from being cautious and calculating, Mullá Ridá was extremely bold and frank in his manners, deeds and assertions. Always he spoke on the spur of the moment, unguardedly and effectively. He was not one to “seek” opportunity for teaching; rather, he would “force” openings for himself in order to speak about the Cause to almost everyone he met. The dungeon, dismal and dreary as it was, failed to curb his heroic spirit or prevent his bold adventure in teaching work. On the contrary, it brought him new opportunities and spiritual powers which he grasped and exploited to the fullest, always disregarding the fact that such an indiscreet manner of public teaching in the presence of fanatical prisoners and authorities would entail fresh dangers and sufferings not only for himself but also for the rest of the friends who shared his dire fate.
“His public discussions,” Siyyid Asadu’lláh-i-Qumí, his companion in jail, narrates, “sometimes became highly controversial, and the excited fanatics who looked for such opportunities would join in with their derisive and insulting words. We used to point out to him that these ignorant people who passed such abusive remarks about the Cause certainly were not seekers of truth, but only troublemakers. But he contended that the Cause is great and therefore is bound to encounter great opposition, and that those who try to defile its fair name through abuse and vituperation surely will never succeed in doing it any harm. What they actually do, he maintained, is to let everyone know how stupid they themselves are. Their foolish act resembles that of a man who tries vainly to spit on the sun.”
The same Siyyid Asadu’lláh further states that “again and again we argued with Mullá Ridá, begged and urged
[Page 11]
him to be moderate and sparing in his
talks, but nothing proved of any avail.
Then as the situation grew worse and
new dangers loomed ahead, the sense
of fear and anxiety in our hearts
prompted us to take a step that soon
brought in its wake a grievous trial for
him and a world of sorrow for us all.
As a precaution against incidents, we
went to the jailer, Mashhadí ‘Alí, and
asked him to tell Mullá Ridá not to
speak in public about the Cause, hoping that his words and authority would
induce him to change his attitude. But
alas, how little did we know then that
no earthly power, no amount of pain
and suffering could ever curb his uncompromising spirit or dissuade this
aged man of God from placing teaching work above safety and other personal considerations.
“So when he refused to comply with the jailer’s order, the latter grew angry and told his men to inflict corporal punishment on him. They took Mullá Ridá into the prison yard and most brutally flogged his bare back. However, in spite of old age and the rigors of prison life, he remained steadfast as a rock throughout the ordeal. He neither budged nor raised the faintest cry, nor did his face bear the slightest expression of agony. It seemed as if he had momentarily lost his sense of feeling. All the friends were profoundly shocked and shaken at the sight of his suffering, and soon afterward I hurriedly went over to offer my sympathy and to dress his wounds. Mullá Ridá, greatly surprised by my behavior, shouted triumphantly, ‘O Siyyid Asadu’lláh! Do you really think I am hurt? At the time of the flogging I felt like a drunken elephant and never felt the slightest pain. I was in the presence of Bahá’u’lláh, talking to him.’ ”
Among the non-Bahá’í prisoners who witnessed this harrowing scene was a distinguished man named Ghulám-Ridá Khán, whose heart was deeply touched and transformed by the sight of the superhuman endurance manifested by the victim, and the interest and surprise thus aroused led him to investigate. His search for truth was soon rewarded by confirmation and he eventually became a devoted believer. When released from prison, this same man was asked how he happened to become a Bahá’í. “I received my light from the floggings,” he replied, and added, “If instead hundreds of verses from the Qur’án had been recited to me or a thousand reasons adduced to convince me of the truth of this Message, none would have influenced me as did the unruffled calm which the old, stout-hearted Mullá Ridá evinced under torture.”
Mullá Ridá was a man of peculiar conduct and of a trend of thought unusual by our standards. He had attained a station from which he saw in every object a sign or a reflection of the glory of Bahá’u’lláh, and the love he cherished for Him dominated his whole being and to it he subordinated every other impulse. Mírzá Husayn-i-Zanjání, another Bahá’í prisoner, gives the following account concerning Mullá Ridá:
“For 16 months I was his close companion during which I dedicated myself to his service. I prepared his food, washed his clothing, did everything in my power to make him comfortable. However, he seldom thanked me; instead, he would say, ‘I thank the Blessed Beauty for the comfort and help He has provided for me.’ Whenever I brought him food he used to say, ‘I render Thee thanks, O Bahá’u’lláh!’ Or when he happened to give away something as charity or do a service to others he would say, ‘I give this to Bahá’u’lláh ...’ One day they brought in a prisoner who had no shirt on. Mullá Ridá, on seeing him, turned to me and said, ‘This poor young man is a servant of Bahá’u’lláh, though he does not know his Lord. As he is half-naked we would better let him have the spare shirt we have between us. We do not need a spare shirt in prison; it is a sort of luxury and surely we can do without it.’ I said, ‘Very well, you put on this spare shirt which I have just washed and give this boy the one you are wearing.’ On hearing my suggestion, Mullá Ridá lost his temper and shouted at me, ‘Do you mean to say that I put on the clean shirt and place my used one in the hands of the Blessed Beauty? How dare you make such a cruel suggestion! Aren’t you a Bahá’í? Bahá’u’lláh says it is not charity unless you give away the things you hold dear. I wonder how long it will take you to attain and understand.’ ”
Mírzá Husayn further states: “Early during the reign of Muzaffari’Dín Sháh (1896-1907), the friends in Tihrán petitioned the Sháh on several occasions and succeeded in obtaining a decree for our release. On the day of liberation we were paraded in chains along the thickly crowded route to the house of the Farrásh-Báshí,2 where we were taken into custody, awaiting the necessary formalities to be over. Throughout that anxious time we begged and cautioned Mullá Ridá to keep calm and silent, lest a heedless word to the authorities create fresh troubles and suffering for us. Yet notwithstanding our constant warnings and against our advice, he went to an adjoining room to talk to a group of theological students headed by a fanatical evil-minded Siyyid. We could hear their conversation, as it developed into a heated dispute. Mullá Ridá was hitting hard with the solid weapon of proofs, accompanied by a flood of verses from the Qur’án. The hostile group were utterly confounded, and, as none could challenge him in argument, they grew hysterical and abusive, inflicted blows on Mullá Ridá and ejected him from their midst. This tragic incident, however, did not end there. It led to grievous consequences. The same day, through mischievous machinations on the part of the malicious Siyyid, Mullá Ridá was ordered back to jail while the rest of us were released.
“This new development brought immense grief and anxiety to our hearts but failed to disturb Mullá Ridá in the least. He remained bold, happy, imperturbable and as jovial as ever. However, as there was no one to look after him in prison, the dire deprivations and hardships there made themselves strongly felt on his frail and aged frame and served to hasten his journey to the shores of eternity. His days of suffering were now numbered, and his illustrious soul, only 10 days after his last confinement, took its flight to the abode of the Beloved.”
The two wonderful Tablets revealed by ‘Abdu’l-Bahá to his imperishable memory show how glorious is his rank as a teacher as well as a martyr, and how heroic an example he set in serving the Cause of God.
NOTES
- The victim is made to lie on his back while his feet, inserted in a loop, are raised and the souls beaten with a cane or a whip.
- Chief police officer.
The world[edit]
Denmark’s Bahá’ís aid victims of torture[edit]
The National Spiritual Assembly of Denmark observed United Nations Day last October 24 with a well-attended public meeting in Copenhagen and a special presentation to the medical director of the International Rehabilitation and Research Center for Torture Victims (IRRCTV).
An ad hoc committee of the National Assembly was about to suggest that the IRRCTV’s medical director be asked to address a Bahá’í-sponsored public meeting when the National Assembly received a letter from the Universal House of Justice asking that the IRRCTV be awarded a cash grant of 10,000 Danish crowns that was allocated for the purpose from the International Bahá’í Fund.
Representatives of the Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs, UN organizations, and the media were invited to a reception in Copenhagen at which Hanne Fobian, secretary of the National Spiritual Assembly of Denmark, presented Dr. Inge Genefke, medical director of IRRCTV, with a check, a written explanation of its purpose, and nine long-stemmed roses.
In accepting the grant, Dr. Genefke expressed her appreciation by reciting a poem, and quoted from the Bahá’í writings.
That evening, at a well-attended public meeting, Dr. Genefke described the history and present work of the IRRCTV.
Hanne Fobian (right), secretary of the National Spiritual Assembly of Denmark, presents a check for 10,000 Danish crowns and an explanation of the donation to Dr. Inge Genefke, medical director of the Copenhagen-based International Rehabilitation and Research Center for Torture Victims. The presentation was made last October 24.
The news agency Ritzau distributed a well-written report of the Bahá’í-sponsored presentation to Danish newspapers. The article expressed sympathy for the work of the IRRCTV and the Bahá’ís.
On UN Human Rights Day, Bahá’í representatives were asked to attend a reception at IRRCTV where the Bahá’í grant was mentioned with appreciation and where the friends made several important contacts.
Swaziland[edit]
Four new Bahá’í pre-schools have opened in Swaziland.
With financial help from the Canadian government, the schools in Piggs Peak, Muncitsini, Mbabane and Hlatikulu have been able to obtain materials needed for pre-school education. Several other such schools are expected to open later this year.
Cook Islands[edit]
On April 27, the Bahá’ís of the Cook Islands held their first National Convention.
Previously under the jurisdiction of New Zealand, the Cook Islanders elected their first National Spiritual Assembly under whose guidance they intend to sustain a vigorous response to the goals of the final year of the Seven Year Plan.
Among those present at the historic Convention were the Hand of the Cause of God H. Collis Featherstone; Counsellor Tinai Hancock; representatives of the sister National Assemblies of Australia, Hawaii, New Zealand, Samoa and Tonga; and Pa Tepaeru Ariki, a Bahá’í who is the wife of the prime minister of the Cook Islands, Sir Thomas Davis.
Japan[edit]
Pictured are the 41 people who attended a deepening institute last January in Fukuoka, Kyushu, Japan. Counsellor Rúhu’lláh Mumtází was a special guest at the event.
Three members of the recently formed Spiritual Assembly of Utsunomiya City, Japan, make presentations to Michio Masuyama (left), the mayor of Utsunomiya City, during a meeting in the mayor’s office last January 23. One of the gifts presented to the mayor was from the Spiritual Assembly of Manukau, New Zealand, Utsunomiya City’s ‘sister city.’ The presentation was reported in a local newspaper with a circulation of 230,000, the first time that the Faith was mentioned in that paper.
Suriname[edit]
A highly successful Naw-Rúz reception was given by the Bahá’ís of Suriname for government officials, diplomats and other prominent people.
The 60 people who attended were welcomed by John Viera and then heard a talk by Mrs. Meherangiz Munsiff, a traveling teacher from the United Kingdom.
L.F. Ramdat Misier, the president of Suriname, sent a letter of greetings to the Bahá’ís at the reception.
“To me,” he told them, “the power of the Bahá’í Faith lies in service to the Most High and the improvement of the lot of the poor.
“In this period of progress in the spiritual evolution of mankind, the propagation of religious and social tolerance of people towards each other is of indispensable value ....
“Thanks to these lofty ideals which he propagated to mankind, Bahá’u’lláh, the founder of the Bahá’í Faith, was able to withstand the many sufferings and torments unjustly inflicted upon him. May this be an inspiration for you to live according to his precepts.”
The president’s message was printed in its entirety in both national newspapers and was broadcast on all three radio stations. Local television newscasts also referred to it.
Jamaica[edit]
Jamaica’s 25th Bahá’í National Convention was formally opened by a representative of the Governor General of Jamaica.
Among those present were Counsellor Lauretta King, the ambassadors of India and Israel, and one member of the Jamaican Parliament.
Convention events initiated a yearlong celebration of the National Spiritual Assembly’s silver anniversary.
Austria[edit]
Three members of the National Spiritual Assembly of Austria met last December 6 with that country’s president, Rudolf Kirchschläger. Pictured (left to right) are Roland Philipp; President Kirchschläger; Mrs. Ottilie Kafer, and Dr. Gerhard Schweter, secretary of the National Spiritual Assembly.
Malaysia[edit]
Naw-Rúz and Ayyám-i-Há activities in Malaysia this year included a celebration at the Segamat Bahá’í Center attended by about 100 Bahá’ís including Counsellor Yan Kee Leong.
On February 27, a group of Bahá’ís in Sibu visited the Sibu Centre for the Blind where they held a tea party, bringing drinks and cake and gifts to share the joy of Intercalary Days.
Meanwhile, the Spiritual Assembly of Kerian gave a dinner party for 75 residents of the Old Folks Home in Nibong Tegal. Since no prayers or religious activity were permitted, the evening was spent in conversation.
A choir, Malay dance and pantomime presented by Bahá’í children at the Petalang Jaya Naw-Rúz observance so impressed members of the press that a photograph of the pantomime was published March 23 in The Star with an article about the occasion.
In a span of only 19 days, the overseas goals for Malaysia were met as three pioneers set out for their posts.
One went to the University of Lae, Papua New Guinea; another, a former Auxiliary Board member, left for Kiribati, while the third went to teach at the Yasothon Bahá’í School in Thailand.
Italy[edit]
In March, the “Austrian Dawn-breakers” toured seven cities in Italy, presenting five concerts, taping two television shows, and appearing at three schools where 1,500 youth attended.
The group’s efforts were dedicated to the memory of Mehrdad Poostchi, a former member of the ensemble, on the ninth anniversary of his death.
Bangladesh[edit]
Shown in a photograph taken in January 1985 are children of a tutorial school in a tribal village in Rajshahi, Bangladesh, with their teacher, Mozibar Rahman (right).
Australia[edit]
Tasmanian Bahá’ís are becoming known for their “Alternatives” weekends.
Originating in 1983 from the initiative of a small group of Bahá’ís from Kentish, Alternatives Weekends are community events designed to attract visitors living or planning to live in a rural environment.
“Alternatives ’85,” sponsored by the Bahá’ís of Kentish, which now has a local Spiritual Assembly, was held February 4-5 on a Bahá’í farm in Kentish. Visitors this year totaled 1,250, exceeding last year’s 1,000.
Each year, the main attraction of the event is its educational aspect. Experts this year presented talks on farm fencing, fruit growing, power-generating water wheels, soil conservation, the proper use of explosives on farms, water birds, and tree conservation.
David Chittleborough, a soil scientist and member of the National Spiritual Assembly of Australia, spoke on the problem of the disappearance of the world’s soils and agricultural land due to the manner in which society organizes itself.
One hundred twenty-five people camped overnight at facilities provided on the farm. Another 450 visitors joined them the following day to hear lectures on pig-raising, chicken and egg production, growing and marketing herbs, divining, health and healing, and fire safety.
Ann Stark, a Bahá’í, presented a well-received talk on keeping communities together, stressing that community unity begins with the family.
On the final evening, Prof. David Hassall of the University of New South Wales presented a paper and slides on solar building designs, which he had previously presented to the Bahá’í Studies Association.
Adding to the color and atmosphere of the weekend were demonstrations of jam and preserve making, spinning, lace knitting, forestry, alternative energy systems, and organic gardening. There were even stands offering milkshakes and iced pops made from goat’s milk.
Stalls provided information for the Waterbird Haven, International Youth Year, the Men of the Trees, Christianity (at the request of a local pastor), and the Bahá’í Faith.
Five newspaper articles, six newspaper ads, radio spots, posters, and news items on ABC radio helped publicize the event.
A successful meeting between Aboriginal elders in Onslow, Western Australia, a member of that country’s National Spiritual Assembly, and three members of the Carnarvan Bahá’í community was held following this year’s National Convention in Australia.
The central point of agreement was the essence of Bahá’u’lláh’s teachings and the Aboriginal way of life.
One elder from the Northern Territory has enrolled in the Faith, and as the Aboriginals become believers, the friends in Australia are realizing the exciting implications of the growth of Aboriginal Assemblies throughout Western Australia.
Burkina[edit]
Edward J. Derwinsky (right) of the U.S. State Department receives a gift on behalf of the National Spiritual Assembly of Burkina from Pierre K. Sia, secretary of the National Assembly. Also pictured are another member of the National Assembly, Jean-Pierre Swedy, and Mrs. Appoline Zongo of the Bahá’í community of Ouagadougou.
On March 28, Edward J. Derwinsky, a former U.S. Congressman who is now an adviser on human rights for the U.S. State Department, met with members of the National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of Burkina at the American Cultural Centre in Ouagadougou.
The purpose of their visit was to express appreciation for Mr. Derwinsky’s efforts over the past three and one-half years on behalf of the Bahá’ís in Iran, first in his capacity as a Congressman from Illinois and more recently at the State Department.
The Bahá’ís presented Mr. Derwinsky with a map of Burkina accompanied by a quotation from the Writings of Bahá’u’lláh.
In accepting the gift, he expressed surprise at their awareness of his actions while in America concerning the Iranian Bahá’ís, and said he felt this gave evidence of the real unity of Bahá’ís throughout the world.
Others present for the occasion were the U.S. ambassador to Burkina, the Chargé d’Affairs, the director of the Cultural Centre, and the assistant director of the U.S. AID program.
El Salvador[edit]
Pictured are many of the participants in a Bahá’í Summer School held this year in El Salvador
The International Year of Youth has inspired three Bahá’í youth committees in El Salvador to coordinate their teaching efforts to make as strong an impact as possible.
Summer school events included a session conducted by a youth, a minidrama on the right and wrong ways to conduct a Spiritual Assembly meeting, and a presentation by one youth on his experiences while serving at the World Centre in Haifa.
Following a Nineteen Day Feast held outdoors by candlelight, the children’s class from Santa Tecla presented a moving drama about the seven martyrs of Tehran.
A public meeting, organized by youth and sponsored by the National Youth Committee, included talks by Gabriel and Jaleh Torres and a piano recital by a Bahá’í youth, Mitchell Jacobe.
Uruguay[edit]
Uruguay’s Bahá’í Summer School last February brought together 87 believers from 11 communities in Uruguay and from Argentina. Seventeen of the participants were children.
Canada[edit]
The Bahá’í International Health Agency’s fourth annual Conference on Health and Healing will be held August 15-16 at the University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada.
Registration will take place from 7 to 9 p.m. Wednesday, August 14.
The Conference on Health and Healing will be followed immediately by the 10th annual Conference of the Association for Bahá’í Studies (Friday evening, August 16 through August 18).
In the 10th anniversary issue of “White Wall Review,” published in May, the Ryerson Literary Society of Toronto, Canada, features works by about 25 poets and artists including three Canadian Bahá’ís.
The Bahá’í contributions included graphics by Larry Rowden and poetry by Nancy Raham and Roger White. The persecution of Bahá’ís in Iran was the focus of two of the poems, while another included an epigraph that referred to the Faith.
The Literary Society operates under the auspices of the Ryerson Polytechnic Institute. Its publication illustrates concern with cultural values and education.
Belize[edit]
As a result of the Youth Congress held March 1-3 in Belize City in support of International Youth Year, the Bahá’ís of Belize are now represented on that country’s National Youth Council.
Bahá’ís were active in the over-all planning and execution of the Congress—the first such gathering ever held in Belize—which was sponsored by the Ministry of Youth.
An estimated 6,000 youth took part in the Congress, with 2,000 attending workshops, which, according to Auxiliary Board member Zakir M. Merchant, who was on the steering committee, were the core of the Congress.
Four of the workshops were conducted by Bahá’ís: those on Youth and Religion, Community Development, Marriage and Courtship, and Dance.
One program included a parade in which the Bahá’í group marched with their banner proclaiming “Youth Can Move the World.”
Dominica[edit]
Pictured are Bahá’ís and students at the School for the Deaf in Roseau, Dominica, who attended a party last October 1 in honor of Universal Children’s Day. The party was sponsored by the Spiritual Assembly of Roseau. The Bahá’ís taught the children a song, played outdoor games with them, and gave them ‘Love That Child’ buttons and balloons. The party was recorded on video tape and played back for the children to see.
Delores Springgay (back row, left), a traveling teacher from Canada’s Northwest Territories, is pictured during a recent visit to the village of Salybia, Dominica. To Miss Springgay’s left is another traveling teacher from Canada, Emery Wilson. Auxiliary Board member Allison Vaccaro, a pioneer to Dominica from the U.S., is second from the left in the second row; her husband, Dr. Mark Vaccaro, is at the far right in the back row. They are pictured with the Burton and William families of Salybia.
Twenty-one-year-old Delores Springgay, the first Inuit (Eskimo) Bahá’í ever to travel and teach in the Caribbean area, made presentations on Inuit life and culture during February and March at nine secondary schools in Dominica.
Miss Springgay, accompanied by Emery and Beverly Wilson of Yellowknife, made a considerable impact on the Bahá’í community by taping a Bahá’í radio program, conducting firesides in the capital city, and visiting villages to meet Bahá’ís including two trips to Carib territory to meet with indigenous believers from Dominica.
While in Dominica, she was interviewed three times on national radio and once by a national newspaper. She was given a video tape of her visit to Spring Island so she could share the Caribbean’s beauty with the people in her northern country.
Kenya[edit]
Representatives of the Bahá’í International Community attended a Global Meeting on Environment and Development for United Nations non-governmental organizations (NGOs) last February 4-8 in Nairobi, Kenya.
A statement prepared by the BIC for distribution at the conference alludes to the Bahá’í goal of “development of the individual and society through the acquisition of spiritual virtues and powers” (Shoghi Effendi) and speaks of a variety of social and economic development projects now in existence in the Bahá’í world.
A small Bahá’í exhibit displayed for the entire week showed the global distribution of the Faith’s administrative bodies and the locations of some development projects in Peru, Haiti, Kenya and India.
The light refused to fade as the sun set over a mass teaching campaign sponsored from November 1984 to January 1985 by the National Teaching Committee of Kenya.
Proclamation of the Faith to some 9,300 people has resulted in 1,486 enrollments, 38 new local Spiritual Assemblies, and counting ...!
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