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| Bahá’í News | September 1985 | Bahá’í Year 142 |
A tree grows in Sweden
On the cover: Svante Svedare, the first Bahá’í from Uppsala, Sweden, turns a shovelful of earth May 12 as a tree is planted to commemorate the 25th anniversary of the establishment of the Spiritual Assembly of Uppsala. Other events honoring the occasion included a party attended by about 60 people at which a representative of the National Spiritual Assembly of Sweden presented flowers to the local Assembly; articles and photographs in the local newspapers; a radio interview; and a visit to the graves of three Bahá’ís who are buried in Uppsala.
Bahá’í News[edit]
Radio Bahá’í of Lake Titicaca, Peru, celebrates its third anniversary | 1 |
Some words from Canada about the fine art of Assembly consultation | 2 |
In New Zealand, about 300 attend a Bahá’í-sponsored Race Unity ‘Hui’ | 7 |
Function, purpose of assistants to the Auxiliary Board is explained | 8 |
United Nations spokesman sees ‘a difficult future’ for world’s youth | 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: one year, $12 U.S.; two years, $20 U.S. 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.
Peru[edit]
Radio Bahá’í marks third anniversary[edit]
The observance last November 24-25 of the third anniversary of Radio Bahá’í of Lake Titicaca, Peru, was highlighted by special recognition from the local municipal government.
Cesar Cortés, the station’s general manager who is also a member of the National Spiritual Assembly of Peru, was invited to take part in a formal ceremony and parade, after which he was given the privilege of raising the Puno flag in the city’s main plaza.
To Peruvians, such an honor, far from being an empty gesture, signifies respect, acceptance and pride in the individual or institution so honored.
After the formal procession and flag-raising, led by the city’s military marching band, Mr. Cortés fired the starting gun for an 11-mile “chaski” marathon race from downtown Puno to Chucuito, the site of Radio Bahá’í’s rural transmitting facilities.
More than 70 young people took part in the race, sponsored by the Radio Bahá’í staff and named in honor of the Inca relay messengers who spread news by foot during the height of the Andean Inca Empire before it fell to the Spanish conquistadors in 1525.
Trophies for the runners who placed first and second were presented later in the day by two of the three members of the National Spiritual Assembly of Peru who attended the anniversary celebration.
When the runners and the thousands of spectators arrived in Chucuito, the main event—a two-day folklore music festival featuring more than 70 indigenous village music bands—got under way.
The festival was broadcast live by Radio Bahá’í in the Quechua and Aymara Indian languages to the altiplano whose lakeside communities now boast 406 local Spiritual Assemblies, more than two-thirds of the total number in Peru, whose existence is in large measure due to the efforts of Radio Bahá’í.
Above: Cesar Cortés (wearing glasses), the general manager of Radio Bahá’í of Lake Titicaca, waits to raise the city flag in Puno, Peru, on the third anniversary of Radio Bahá’í. Below: One of the more than 70 indigenous musical groups that took part last November in Radio Bahá’í’s anniversary celebration.
Each of the participating musical groups was given an elegantly designed certificate of appreciation, while awards were given to the outstanding groups in each of four instrumental categories.
After three years, it is obvious to everyone in the area that Radio Bahá’í is becoming increasingly more valued and respected, and that the vision of the late Counsellor Raúl Pavòn, “the father of Radio Bahá’í,” is taking shape before our very eyes.—Thomas Lysaght
Canada[edit]
Consultation: key to decision-making[edit]
In the Bahá’í Writings, consultation is described in a variety of ways: as “one of the basic laws of the Administration”; as an “art,” a “skill,” an “ordinance,” a “process” and a “principle.”
All these terms imply that consultation is something that must be learned. Not many of us came into the Faith with any knowledge of Bahá’í consultation, either what it is or how it should be practiced or applied.
In reflecting on ‘Abdu’l-Bahá’s words that we should “settle all things, both great and small, by consultation ...” (quoted in Consultation: A Compilation, p.9), we realize that whether in our personal affairs, our family life, our teaching work, or our participation at the Nineteen Day Feast, consultation is a vital part of a Bahá’í way of life. It is also the primary way in which the guidance of Bahá’í institutions such as the local Spiritual Assembly becomes known.
Fundamentally, consultation is a means by which a group of people uncovers guidance and arrives at solutions to particular questions or problems.
As with any activity prescribed by God for His servants, consultation requires spiritual characteristics for it to be truly effective, and also encourages further development of these characteristics.
The Bahá’í Writings mention a vast array of spiritual attributes. The Creator has given mankind the capacity to develop all of them.
It is interesting to note that of this vast array, certain qualities seem to be emphasized for certain tasks. For example,
| This article on consultation by Spiritual Assemblies is reprinted from Bahá’í Canada, November-December 1983, March-May 1984, and June-September 1984. |
Bahá’u’lláh mentions certain attributes in connection with teaching His Cause effectively; ‘Abdu’l-Bahá specifies certain qualities for those who work with children; the Guardian outlines a particular combination of qualities for those elected to administrative institutions.
Similarly, ‘Abdu’l-Bahá lists nine attributes for “them that take counsel together,” that is, for those engaged in Bahá’í consultation. He describes them as “prime requisites”:
“The prime requisites for them that take counsel together are purity of motive, radiance of spirit, detachment from all else save God, attraction to His Divine Fragrances, humility and lowliness amongst His loved ones, patience and long-suffering in difficulties and servitude to His exalted Threshold.” (Quoted in Consultation: A Compilation, p. 5, and in Bahá’í Administration, p. 21)
Continuing, ‘Abdu’l-Bahá states what the effect will be if these “prime requisites” are acquired by the members of a consultative group—the promise of victory:
“... Should they be graciously aided to acquire these attributes, victory from the unseen Kingdom of Bahá shall be vouchsafed to them.”
It is clear that the success of the Spiritual Assembly’s deliberations depends at least in part on the individual members’ efforts to acquire these spiritual attributes. It may also be true that if these are the prime requisites, that is, the qualities that are most important or essential, they are the qualities which we will most often be called upon to demonstrate in consultation and on which we will most frequently be tested.
Let us look at the way in which one of these qualities can affect the Assembly’s consultation: the requirement of “humility and lowliness amongst His loved ones.”
Many of us have had the experience of being elected to a local Spiritual Assembly and finding that we really do not get along very well with one or more of the other members. We may have difficulty with their personality and wish they would learn to express their views in a more moderate or dignified way.
We may feel they lack an ability to concentrate and are therefore constantly straying off the topic or introducing irrelevant issues. We may feel they are egotistical and inclined to make speeches to the other Assembly members instead of offering their opinion as a contribution to the whole discussion. We may feel they are apathetic and therefore unwilling to shoulder their share of the Assembly’s workload.
Our discomfort may lead us secretly to wish that this other fellow would not be elected to the Assembly next Riḍván or would perhaps decide to pioneer.
As soon as an Assembly member recognizes in himself this attitude of superiority and impatience or even dislike of another member, he has to find a way to acquire the “humility and lowliness amongst His loved ones” which ‘Abdu’l-Bahá desires. In making such an effort, the Assembly member is helping to attract the “victory from the unseen Kingdom of Bahá” which ‘Abdu’l-Bahá assures us will be granted. If, on the other hand, he fails to make the effort, he impedes the victory.
Doubtless there are many keys in Bahá’u’lláh’s Revelation that will permit such humility and lowliness to enter one’s own heart. For example, there is Bahá’u’lláh’s sobering assertion that none of us, no matter how sinful or devout, knows what his own end shall be. Bahá’u’lláh says:
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“He should forgive the sinful, and never despise his low estate, for none knoweth what his own end shall be. How often hath a sinner attained, at the hour of death, to the essence of faith, and, quaffing the immortal draught, hath taken his flight unto the Concourse on high! And how often hath a devout believer, at the hour of his soul’s ascension, been so changed as to fall into the nethermost fire!” (Gleanings from the Writings of Bahá’u’lláh, p. 266)
It may be helpful to consciously look at that other person with whom one has such difficulty, and think about what his destiny might be at the moment of his death, and also think about our own. It is possible that the one whose behavior we find irksome may end up in the Concourse on high, while we could find ourselves at the other extreme in “the nethermost fire.” The fact is, we simply do not know. Who are we, then, to feel superior to another person, no matter what our respective attainments might be at this stage?
Recognizing this spiritual truth is one of many ways in which we can be aided to acquire humility and lowliness. Acquiring this prime requisite will change the consultative climate within the Assembly. We will no doubt find ourselves able to be more courteous to our fellow member and more willing to listen to his contributions with real care and interest—a tangible sign of love in consultation.
Being humble and lowly does not require us to denigrate our own capacities or discount our own service to the Faith. Nor are we asked to deny that a colleague has certain shortcomings. It simply permits us to look beyond the shortcomings and anticipate “victory from the unseen Kingdom of Bahá”—a realm whose mysterious power is the true administrator of Bahá’u’lláh’s Cause.
In considering consultation within the Spiritual Assembly, it is helpful to first review some fundamental spiritual principles. The Assembly cannot become truly effective unless certain spiritual dynamics are recognized and certain conditions are established. Foremost among these is the recognition that the complicated affairs of the Cause are administered not by the Assembly members but by what ‘Abdu’l-Bahá calls the “mysterious power” in the Cause (The Covenant of Bahá’u’lláh, p. 70). The Spiritual Assembly serves as a channel for this power. With that recognition, the Assembly members must then try to fulfill certain spiritual conditions: First, they must establish love and harmony amongst themselves. Second, they must turn to the Kingdom of Abhá when they meet, and pray for assistance.
While the Assembly must take careful account of the views of community members when making its plans, the members of the Assembly are not required to agree with those views or to express them as their own in the Assembly meetings.
The following discussion is set within this context. It deals more specifically, however, with the way in which Assembly members express their views in the meeting and respond to one another, in order to avoid any occasion for ill-feeling or discord.
Speaking of a Spiritual Assembly, ‘Abdu’l-Bahá states:
“The members thereof must take counsel together in such wise that no occasion for ill-feeling or discord may arise.” (quoted in Bahá’í Administration, p. 21)
How many groups of people today are able to have a serious discussion in such a way that no occasion for ill-feeling or discord arises? Even among Bahá’ís, how many of us perhaps unconsciously conclude that such a thing is either not possible, or that it will be accomplished only by some future generation of believers vastly more spiritual than our own?
‘Abdu’l-Bahá assures us that indeed it is possible to attain discord-free consultation, and He sets out guidelines for Assembly members to follow in order to bring it about. He says:
“This can be attained when every member expresseth with absolute freedom his own opinion and setteth forth his argument.” (Bahá’í Administration, p. 21)
We might note particularly the phrase “with absolute freedom.” We are perhaps inclined to think that if we express our view with absolute freedom, we are more likely to cause discord than prevent it. This is especially true if we suspect that our view is either not shared or is actually contrary to what other members may think.
‘Abdu’l-Bahá says the opposite. When each Assembly member expresses his own opinion with absolute freedom, there will be no occasion for ill-feeling or discord. This is His first guideline to us.
We might also note that it is our own view which the Master asks us to freely express, not someone else’s. This sometimes requires great courage. It also automatically eliminates those contributions which begin, “Well, on this subject a lot of people think ...” but which never end with what the Assembly member himself thinks. While the Assembly must take careful account of the views of community members when making its plans, the members of the Assembly are not required to agree with those views or to express them as their own in the Assembly meetings. The statement also implies that one is responsible to have a view, to think about the questions facing the Assembly and to become aware of one’s own opinions. It seems that ‘Abdu’l-Bahá is quite specific on this point: “... when every member expresseth with absolute freedom his own view” (Bahá’í Administration, p. 21), and they “must with all freedom express their own thoughts.” (Bahá’í Administration, p. 22)
If we are to express our own opinion with absolute freedom and set forth our argument—that is, indicate why we think as we do, what evidence has led us to the view we have expressed—it seems clear that as Assembly members we need time to think about the topics under discussion. Some cultures accommodate this thinking time within their meeting. Certain native cultures, for example, are more inclined to pause between speakers in consultation than have one member speak immediately after or even interrupt another. In other cultures, the conversational style is much faster-paced. Here, Assembly members might benefit from consciously slowing down the pace of consultation or from taking time individually outside the meetings to pray and reflect about the issues on which the
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Assembly must consult. Some Assemblies find it helpful in this respect to
decide at the end of one meeting what
the agenda will be for the next, so that
members can be adequately prepared.
The second guideline ‘Abdu’l-Bahá gives Assembly members to help eliminate any occasion for ill-feeling or discord is the following:
“Should anyone oppose (his view), he (the Assembly member) must on no account feel hurt for not until matters are fully discussed can the right way be revealed.” (Bahá’í Administration, p. 21)
Having encouraged the Assembly member to express his opinion with absolute freedom, ‘Abdu’l-Bahá anticipates that one of his colleagues might not agree with it. Knowing us better than we know ourselves, He cautions the Assembly member not to feel hurt should this occur.
A striking feature of this advice is that it calls for discipline in the emotional realm. We must realize that such advice may not find much support in contemporary North American culture. Popular wisdom increasingly holds that if our feelings are hurt, we have a right to openly express them to those we think have hurt us. To do otherwise, this line of reasoning continues, would be insincere, dishonest or weak. The process thus set in motion is one of “working through” the hurt feelings in the group, presumably until they are either healed or vindicated.
It seems that ‘Abdu’l-Bahá is suggesting a more efficient system. By reminding the Assembly member of the goal of consultation—which is to reveal truth—He changes our perception of what is happening when a difference of opinion arises. Rather than seeing it as a basis for hurt feelings, the Assembly member gradually learns to expect that opposing views might be expressed. When he remembers that the process leads to uncovering truth, he learns to welcome rather than tolerate or resist it. By not feeling hurt, the Assembly member also avoids occupying the Assembly’s time and energy with this expression of the hurt feelings and with working through them. While this latter process can feel personally satisfying to the member concerned, it does not produce well-thought-out teaching plans or more dynamic Nineteen Day Feasts or more effective children’s classes.
A third guideline for Assembly members to follow in consultation so that there will be no occasion for ill-feeling or discord is to avoid being stubborn or persistent in one’s view:
“They must in every matter search out the truth and not insist upon their own opinion, for stubbornness and persistence in one’s views will lead ultimately to discord and wrangling and the truth will remain hidden ...” (Bahá’í Administration, p. 22)
Having expressed his own opinion, and perhaps having heard opposing views, the Assembly member is challenged to be flexible and responsive to spiritual forces. Though he may have spent time praying and reflecting on the topic under discussion and determined what his own view of it was prior to consultation, he has to expect that the views of at least some of the members, and very likely even his own, will change during the discussion. Why? Because the Assembly members have asked for Divine assistance in order to uncover truth, and because if they are united, ‘Abdu’l-Bahá has promised His own protection and aid during their meeting. These spiritual forces are in operation when the Assembly is consulting, and the members’ own minds and hearts are affected and changed by them.
This orientation is strikingly different from current partisan political practice in which the goal is to determine one’s view in relation to that of the opposing party, and devise ways of maintaining it against all odds.
Following on with the passage quoted above, ‘Abdu’l-Bahá gives a fourth guideline for Assembly members, this time advising them how to express disagreement with a previous view and on what basis:
“The honored members must with all freedom express their own thoughts, and it is in no wise permissible for one to belittle the thought of another, nay, he must with moderation set forth the truth,” (Bahá’í Administration, p. 22)
In summary, then, ‘Abdu’l-Bahá gives the Assembly member at least four specific guidelines in order that there should be no occasion for ill-feeling or discord in consultation:
- Express his own view with absolute freedom and set forth his argument.
- Not feel hurt if anyone should oppose his view and realize that matters must be fully discussed for truth to be revealed.
- Avoid stubbornness and persistence in his views.
- Avoid belittling another member’s thoughts but instead, with moderation, set forth the truth.
In passages where ‘Abdu’l-Bahá
cites two conditions for Spiritual Assembly consultation, He concludes by
stating: “Should they endeavor to fulfill these conditions the Grace of the Holy Spirit shall be vouchsafed unto them, and that assembly shall become the center of the Divine blessing, the host of Divine confirmation shall come to their aid, and they shall day by day receive a new effusion of spirit.” (Bahá’í Administration, pp. 22-23) How
heartening it is that these spectacular
promises for the development of Assemblies are in fact not dependent
upon the members fulfilling the conditions set forth by ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, but
rather on their trying to do so.
Surely no one more than ‘Abdu’l-Bahá realizes that in trying to accomplish a task or learn a new skill, His lovers now and again will fall down. There will be times when in fact we do not freely speak our mind, when we do take offense, when we are stubborn or when we do belittle someone else’s contribution. For these instances of shortcoming, ‘Abdu’l-Bahá has again provided concrete advice so that the Assembly can continue to function. For example, despite differences of opinion in the Assembly, ‘Abdu’l-Bahá provides a method by which the institution can still make decisions:
“If after discussion, a decision be carried unanimously, well and good; but if, the Lord forbid, differences of opinion should arise, a majority of voices must prevail.” (Bahá’í Administration, pp. 21-22)
“... and should differences of opinion arise a majority of voices must prevail, and all must obey and submit to the majority.” (Bahá’í Administration, p. 22)
In fact, the thing which brings the Assembly’s work to a halt is the Assembly members’ criticism of decisions, rather than a failure to achieve unanimity:
“It is again not permitted that any one of the honored members object to
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or censure, whether in or out of the meeting, any decision arrived at previously, though that decision be not right, for such criticism would prevent any decision from being enforced.”
(Bahá’í Administration, p. 22)
In another passage, ‘Abdu’l-Bahá gives us advice in the event that differences of opinion reach a more acute stage:
“The honored members of the Spiritual Assembly should exert their efforts so that no differences may occur, and if such differences do occur, they should not reach the point of causing conflict, hatred and antagonism, which lead to threats. When you notice that a stage has been reached when enmity and threats are about to occur, you should immediately postpone discussion of the subject, until wrangling, disputations and loud talk vanish, and a propitious time is at hand.” (Consultation: A Compilation, p. 9)
This passage suggests that there are several stages in the escalation of a conflict in the Assembly, and that members should be alert to them in order to deal with them appropriately. Again, popular wisdom may hold that it is normal and healthy for several individuals to come into conflict with one another and to express such conflict openly in order to work through it. Threats are commonplace in such a process. ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, however, clearly gives different advice, saying that at the stage where threats are about to occur, the discussion should immediately be postponed.
In a larger context, Bahá’u’lláh gives quite specific counsel for times when differences arise among believers, including what they should do in the immediate circumstances. Spiritual Assembly members may find it helpful to bear the following passage in mind for those times when they seem unable to resolve a serious difference with one of their colleagues:
“If any differences arise amongst you, behold Me standing before your face, and overlook the faults of one another for My name’s sake and as a token of your love for My manifest and resplendent Cause.” (Gleanings from the Writings of Bahá’u’lláh, p. 315)
Indeed, what conflict would not vanish were we to see Bahá’u’lláh suddenly in our midst!
Consultation: the cornerstone of the Bahá’í decision-making process
The guidance of the Faith, then, prescribes for each Assembly member the way that he should try to conduct himself so that there will be no occasion for ill-feeling or discord within Assembly consultation. It also provides a way for the institutions to function in spite of the periodic failings of the Assembly members. By making the necessary effort, the members help their own local Spiritual Assemblies to be those astonishing social forces which the Master describes as “the potent sources of the progress of man, at all times and under all conditions.” (quoted in God Passes By, p. 332)
In the writings of the Faith, Bahá’í consultation is referred to as a source of guidance, a bestower of understanding, a way of uncovering truth. That is its object, whether consultation takes place in a Spiritual Assembly, a family, among members of a business or professional group, or among several believers who have been invited to consult with a friend about a problem he must solve.
There are at least three statements from ‘Abdu’l-Bahá and the Guardian which mention the “spark of truth” generated by consultation. Shoghi Effendi quotes ‘Abdu’l-Bahá in the following passage:
“The members thereof (of an assembly of consultation) must take counsel together in such wise that no occasion for ill-feeling or discord may arise. This can be attained when every member expresseth with absolute freedom his own opinion and setteth forth his argument. Should any one oppose, he must on no account feel hurt for not until matters are fully discussed can the right way be revealed. The shining spark of truth cometh forth only after the clash of differing opinions.” (Quoted in Bahá’í Administration, p. 21)
‘Abdu’l-Bahá expresses the same idea in the following extract from a talk He gave in Chicago in 1912:
“... consultation must have for its object the investigation of truth. He who expresses an opinion should not voice it as correct and right but set it forth as a contribution to the consensus of opinion; for the light of reality becomes apparent when two opinions coincide. A spark is produced when flint and steel come together ...” (Consultation: A Compilation, p. 10)
The third example is from a letter written on the Guardian’s behalf to an individual believer:
“Through the clash of personal opinions, as ‘Abdu’l-Bahá has stated, the spark of truth is often ignited, and Divine guidance revealed. The friends should therefore not feel discouraged at the differences of opinion that may prevail among the members of an assembly, for these, as experience has shown, and as the Master’s words attest, fulfill a valuable function in all Assembly deliberations ...” (Consultation: A Compilation, p. 16)
[Page 6]
It is clear that a variety of opinions
are needed for the truth to be revealed.
‘Abdu’l-Bahá states that “the purpose of consultation is to show that the views of several individuals are assuredly preferable to one man, even as the power of a number of men is of course greater than the power of one man.”
(Consultation: A Compilation, p. 8)
Believers are often concerned, however, about the nature of the “clash” of opinions through which truth is revealed. Most Assembly members have experienced a clash in consultation but are not certain whether their experience is what ‘Abdu’l-Bahá intends. Was it the clash of opinions or was it discord among Assembly members?
On the other hand, Assemblies have sometimes introduced a topic on their agenda only to find that all members are in agreement from the outset about what course of action should be followed; there is no apparent clash of opinions, no divergent view expressed. They then wonder whether their decision is in fact the right one.
In the array of authoritative statements concerning consultation, at least three kinds of clashes of opinion or differences of view are described.
- The difference of view which occurs during the discussion:
- “This can be attained when every member expresseth with absolute freedom his own opinion and setteth forth his argument. Should any one oppose, he must on no account feel hurt for not until matters are fully discussed can the right way be revealed.” (Quoted in Bahá’í Administration, p. 21)
- The difference of view which occurs after the discussion has taken place:
- “If after discussion, a decision be carried unanimously, well and good; but if, the Lord forbid, differences of opinion should arise, a majority of voices must prevail.” (Bahá’í Administration, p. 21)
- The difference of view or clash of differing opinions which occurs within an individual member:
- “... the light of reality becomes apparent when two opinions coincide. A spark is produced when flint and steel come together. Man should weigh his opinions with the utmost serenity, calmness and composure. Before expressing his own views he should carefully consider the views already advanced by others. If he finds that a previously expressed opinion is more true and worthy, he should accept it immediately and not wilfully hold to an opinion of his own. By this excellent method he endeavors to arrive at unity and truth.” (Consultation: A Compilation, p. 10)
The last of the three references above is taken from a talk given by ‘Abdu’l-Bahá at the Hotel Plaza in Chicago in 1912. In it, He describes two different meetings, the one the French senate and the other the meeting of Christ’s disciples following His ascension. ‘Abdu’l-Bahá uses these gatherings to illustrate respectively what consultation is not, and what it truly is. He recounts His brief visit to the French senate to demonstrate the tendency toward “opposition and self-opinion ... antagonism and contradiction ... altercation and useless quibbling” which He found in that forum and which, He said, were “destructive to truth” and resulted mostly in “confusion and turmoil.” Noting that “in one instance a physical encounter took place between two members,” He remarked that “it was not consultation but comedy.” (Consultation: A Compilation, p. 10)
By comparison, ‘Abdu’l-Bahá describes the meeting of Christ’s disciples as “the most memorable instance of spiritual consultation.” Here is an instructive example of “spiritual consultation and not the mere voicing of personal views in parliamentary opposition and debate.” If one studies the contributions made by each of the disciples, one does not find any opposition expressed to a previous view, nor do differences arise after the discussion.
It was during this talk, prior to recalling the meeting of the disciples, that ‘Abdu’l-Bahá stressed the need for each member of a consultative group to carefully consider the views already put forward by others before expressing his own view. He describes how a member might revise his own opinion, before speaking, as a result of a previous contribution. The member held one view but, on hearing a different one, recognized it as “more true and worthy” and revised his own accordingly.
This happens to many of us in consultation; however, we are not usually so disciplined as to keep our previous opinion to ourselves. Instead, we say, “Well, before I heard what Margaret had to say ...” and explain our previous view for several minutes. We then continue with “... but when I heard the idea that ... (the idea which Margaret expressed) ... I found my view had changed, and I agree because ...” and we go on for another few minutes. On reflection, has this lengthy explanation contributed to the search for truth? More likely, it has merely traced the evolution of one member’s thinking which, however fascinating it may be to the member concerned, may not be a useful contribution to the consensus.
Avoiding the tendency to oppose, debate or explain why one disagrees with another member’s view and instead expressing one’s own view of what course of action should be followed is surely another of the disciplines required in Bahá’í consultation. Since the time and energy available to any consultative group is limited, it is perhaps more productive for each member to concentrate on what is “more true and worthy” rather than on why the views already expressed are not the best course of action.
Assemblies sometimes find that they have spent several hours discussing only what projects they should avoid and why, rather than what should be done. After such admittedly hard work, it is frustrating to find that they still have no teaching plan formulated, no deepening program established, or no children’s classes organized.
True spiritual consultation requires that the Assembly members focus on the question at hand and, in an attitude of prayerful concentration, seek the collective wisdom and positive action which consultation is designed to produce. In doing so, they will doubtless be assisted by that mysterious power in the Cause which ‘Abdu’l-Bahá assures us is the true administrator of its complicated affairs:
“There is a power in this Cause—a mysterious power—far, far, far away from the ken of men and angels; that invisible power is the cause of all these outward activities ... It administers the complicated affairs of the Cause ...” (The Covenant of Bahá’u’lláh, p. 70)
New Zealand[edit]
Race Unity ‘Hui’ a rousing success[edit]
About 300 people, most of whom were not Bahá’ís, attended a Race Unity ‘Hui’ (get-together) in July at Manukorihi Marae in Waitara, New Zealand. Among those present was Dick Wilson, the mayor of Waitara. On the varied program were speakers, a discussion of mixed marriages, a panel discussion on the nuclear issue, dances from many countries, songs by the children, a unity Feast and good fellowship. Above: Many of the 300 participants are pictured in front of the meeting house. Right: The children sing God Is One during the evening session. A Marae, where the gathering was held, is a Maori ‘sacred ground of peace and the glory of God.’
United Kingdom[edit]
About assistants to the Auxiliary Board[edit]
All mankind today and until the next Manifestation of God appears are blessed and protected by an administrative system which is interwoven with the Revelation of God, of which Bahá’u’lláh is the Vehicle, or Bearer, and is known as the World Order of Bahá’u’lláh or the Bahá’í Administrative Order.
We have seen and learned, ever since the passing of the three Central Figures of the Cause of God, how this administrative system, the Ark for the salvation of all mankind, has developed, and after its roots were firmly planted by the caring hands and watered by the loving heart of Shoghi Effendi, its mighty trunk has gradually borne huge branches in almost every country on earth. This growth process “must go on from strength to strength, increasing in size and developing greater and greater powers for the accomplishment of God’s purpose on earth.”1
The World Order of Bahá’u’lláh is sustained by two colossal pillars, the “rulers” and the “learned,” which are part and parcel of one administrative order. Bahá’u’lláh said, “Blessed are the rulers and the learned in Bahá.”2 The beloved Guardian, interpreting this passage, said, “In this holy cycle ‘learned’ are, on the one hand, the Hands of the Cause of God ... as to the ‘rulers,’ they refer to the members of the Local, National and International Houses of Justice.”3
Today the pillar of the “learned” has grown and developed, and we now have the institution of the Counsellors which came into being on June 21, 1968. In a letter to a National Spiritual
| This article, “Assistants to the Auxiliary Board members: Their function and purpose,” is reprinted from The Bahá’í Journal, the newsletter of the Bahá’ís of the United Kingdom, Vol. 2, No. 1 (May 1985). |
Assembly dated May 1975 the Universal House of Justice explained that:
“While the role of the Counsellors is normally to advise, encourage and reinforce, and they have no legislative or administrative authority, they nevertheless occupy a rank superior to that of the National Assembly or its members and each individual Counsellor is a high officer of the Faith and entitled to the respect, honor and courtesy due to his rank. Each country which is privileged to have a resident Counsellor should prize that privilege.”4
Then we have the Auxiliary Board members brought into being by Shoghi Effendi in the latter part of his life to help the Hands of the Cause in their work. On October 1, 1969, in a letter to the Continental Boards of Counsellors and the National Spiritual Assemblies, the Universal House of Justice clarified some of the duties of the Auxiliary Board members, saying:
“Authority and direction flow from the Assemblies, whereas the power to accomplish the tasks resides primarily in the body of the believers. It is the principal task of the Auxiliary Boards to assist in arousing and releasing this power.... Thus it is seen that the Auxiliary Boards should work closely with the grass roots of the community: the individual believers, groups and Local Spiritual Assemblies, advising, stimulating and assisting them.”
The institution of the assistants to the Auxiliary Board was brought into being in June 1973. Their role is normally to encourage, activate and inspire the friends to participate on a local level. They have no legislative or administrative authority. In its letter to the Continental Boards of Counsellors dated June 8, 1973, the Universal House of Justice wrote that “believers can serve at the same time both as assistants to Auxiliary Board members and on administrative institutions.” The assistants are appointed for one-year terms and can be reappointed.
In their duties to help in propagating and protecting the Faith at the grass roots, the assistants, who now number several hundred throughout the world, rendered yeoman services to help win the goals of the Five Year Plan and are today laboring for our present Seven Year Plan in every clime and among all strata of society to plant the Word of God firmly in the hearts of men. Let us pray for their continued growth and success.
Writing about the “learned” pillar of the Administrative Order, the Universal House of Justice explains:
“The existence of institutions of such exalted rank, comprising individuals who play such a vital role, who yet have no legislative, administrative or judicial authority, and are entirely devoid of priestly functions or the right to make authoritative interpretations, is a feature of Bahá’í administration unparalleled in the religions of the past. The newness and uniqueness of this concept make it difficult to grasp; only as the Bahá’í community grows and the believers are increasingly able to contemplate its administrative structure uninfluenced by concepts from past ages, will the vital interdependence of the ‘rulers’ and ‘learned’ in the Faith be understood, and the inestimable value of their interaction be fully recognized.”5
- The Universal House of Justice, quoted in “The Bahá’í World,” Vol. XVI, p. 63.
- Bahá’u’lláh, Kitáb-i-Ahd, and quoted in “The Bahá’í World,” Vol. XVII, p. 317.
- Shoghi Effendi, quoted in “The Bahá’í World,” Vol. XVI, p. 406.
- The Universal House of Justice, quoted in “The Bahá’í World,” Vol. XVI, p. 322.
- The Universal House of Justice, letter of April 24, 1972.
HERALD
OF THE SOUTH
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United Nations[edit]
Many youth could face ‘difficult future’[edit]
Youth, defined by the United Nations as the period between 15 and 25 years of age, is a time of life that is full of potential and problems. In many of the major social and economic problem areas of the world—from lack of jobs and educational opportunities to the cruel realities of war—youth are not only the ones who often get the worst of it, but are the ones with the ideals, energy and stake in the future needed to help change things for the better. Yet, as Thomas Forstenzer points out, very little has been done in the world to try to understand, let alone do something about, the problems of youth. Opportunities are there which to date have not been fully used to the world’s advantage. By declaring 1985 as International Youth Year, the United Nations has made an important gesture in the right direction—but without a lot of work it will remain little more than that.
Neither miniature adults nor overgrown children, young people are less predictable and often more threatening than other groups. But within youth, we find all the differences and specificities of society as a whole: male and female, student and worker, rural and urban, privileged and deprived.
Youth problems, then, are problems of society as a whole experienced by a particular, diverse, but generally vulnerable group. Felt more intensely by the young, perhaps even magnified by the pressures and uncertainties of growing up, these problems are often raised by youth in ways that offend, or at least confuse, adults. Anxieties are expressed that adults and especially institutions staffed by adults find difficult to “decode” or understand. If phenomena like drugs, alcoholism, and suicide are hard to grasp, so is the day-to-day reality of simply being young.
We know too little about it and there are few excuses for our ignorance. Few countries—developed or developing—collect adequate data on youth migration, unemployment, under-employment, health or housing. Nor is there
| This article, “A Difficult Future,” was written by Thomas R. Forstenzer, who is on the staff of UNESCO’s New York Office and is editor of “Youth in the 80s,” a UNESCO publication. It is reprinted from issue No. 121 (1984/3) of UNICEF News, a publication of the United Nations Children’s Fund. |
much tangible information on “burning youth issues” like runaways, male and female prostitution, alcoholism, functional illiteracy, teen-age pregnancy, or suicide. Data are not age coded at national or regional levels, and therefore our information at international levels is fragmentary and not comparable from setting to setting.
We are not even sure of what we mean by “youth.” The UN officially defines youth as those between the ages of 15 and 25. This is often misleading because of more objective social, even biological factors. The work of UNICEF and ILO on child labor, for instance, shows clearly that many “children” in the world are subjected to adult work loads—with the same hours and responsibilities—that often have crippling effects on their health and growth. Similar studies of those above 25 who have not—indeed, cannot—find steady, gainful employment indicate that adult status may be more elusive than a given birthday.
In fact, a “Pepsi generation” imagery of youth, far from limited to the West or the North, ignores the obvious fact that the vast majority of youth in the world—even taking 15 to 25 as the arbitrary boundaries—are rural and poor and already parents.
Youth will have to be defined and studied in the future on the basis of facts. Analysis by “guesstimate,” even in the most developed and statistically conscious countries, must be replaced by clear and rigorous research. Moreover, (monitoring) the changing concerns and attitudes of different youth generations in widely differing settings will have to be done by that most demanding and difficult technique of research and policy development: listening. As much as possible, participatory research by youth about youth should be encouraged.
Little has been done[edit]
Despite increasing attention to youth research and program development, the record is far from consistent. Some international agencies have youth offices, most do not. Most organizations have no substantial mandate or capability to deal with youth as a social phenomenon. Technical assistance in the youth field is often done by those who know much about “training” but little about the young people who are to be trained—or their concerns and aspirations.
This, of course, is the familiar starting point of all UN “years” that focus on previously mute, largely overlooked, frequently disenfranchised social categories. But, I would argue, youth is different. We know less about it and perhaps have done less for it because, unlike children, young people can and have and will actively confront us about our most fundamental values and because, unlike women, many young people are not yet “of age” for full participation in civic and social affairs. The prospects for young people in the present decade are anything but cause for self-congratulation by the world community.
Evidence, most of it admittedly fragmentary or impressionistic, suggests that the “kids” are not all right.
[Page 11]
Youth, like childhood or aging, means
time: biographical time experienced in
a given social universe. In comparison
with the post-war era’s hopes for rapid
development and increased chances for
peace, the economic and political crises
of the seventies and eighties seem to
call for a sudden downturn of expectations. The cultural crises of the sixties
have been replaced by economic insecurity and austerity and an historically
unprecedented arms race.
The adult institutions of the world—business, trade unions, governments, and international organizations, are—rightly or wrongly—often perceived by the young as distant, at times indifferent, or even hostile. Youth unemployment, that most crippling road-block on the bridge from childhood to adulthood, has reached unprecedented proportions in many industrial and developing countries, particularly in urban areas. And it has struck without discrimination at the educated and uneducated alike.
Structural changes in economies, the microprocessor revolution, the decline of smokestack industries, the continued mass migration of the young to cities where opportunities are contracting, not expanding, and the uncertainties of global credit and trade, all make steady work—indeed, a first job—a dream to many young men and women. To the underemployed, the lack of ability to use one’s skills and talents in repetitive, often unstable, service jobs makes work a daily grind rather than an element of pride. And, to the chronically unemployed, the responses of adult society have seemed slow, even grudging.
Moreover, the risks of war have never seemed more real, more present and more a part of daily existence to the young of every region of the world. To some, even the art of coping with economic woes may seem pointless in a world perceived as rushing toward catastrophe.
Constructive action is needed[edit]
Under these circumstances, the initiative of the UN system in commemorating International Youth Year requires simple, direct steps to prevent increased distrust or cynicism among young people. Posters, postage stamps and celebrations will not suffice and will not speak alone to the hopes and fears of young men and women. If formidable constraints exist to the UN’s pursuit of peace and development, concrete steps toward understanding youth and fostering its participation in solving world problems are within the means and the mandates of the UN, its programs, its specialized agencies, and those of other concerned institutions and individuals.
A serious long-term commitment to fostering youth studies at international, regional and national levels would “send a signal” that the intergovernmental system wants to listen to the sometimes strident, often unsure voice of the immediate future. International coordination and cooperation can bring many specialities and skills to bear on the extent and nature of the youth problem. Partnerships with youth, organized and unorganized, urban and rural, can bring the world’s institutions into closer, sustained contact with youth at local levels.
An increased emphasis on providing youth with the civic and social tools to organize themselves to work with children, the aged, and each other can bridge many gaps. Such efforts mobilize enormous energy toward amelioration of some of the world’s most pressing problems—such as the need for more employment. Literacy, public hygiene, cultural outreach, housing construction, pre-school education, and agricultural development are just some of the areas in which youth have already demonstrated that they are a major force for social and economic development.
Nevertheless, new concepts of employment, self-employment, volunteerism and community service are needed to integrate youth into social problem-solving. It is not enough to argue that so many people of a “young” age were touched by a given project. The altruism and even the anxieties of the young require special forms of listening and dialog.
Mozambique[edit]
Shidan Fat’he-Aazam (fourth from left in back row), a member of the Continental Board of Counsellors for Africa, represented the Universal House of Justice at the first National Convention of the Bahá’ís of Mozambique at Riḍván 1985. With Counsellor Fat’he-Aazam are the members of the first National Spiritual Assembly of Mozambique.
The world[edit]
Panama, Liberia solidify radio plans[edit]
Installation of the studio and transmission equipment for Radio Bahá’í Panama is under way following the acquisition by the Bahá’ís of Panama of an official go-ahead from the country’s government.
Elsewhere, the first Bahá’í radio station in Africa is about to become a reality. Although the frequency allocation for Radio Bahá’í Liberia was not yet completed as of July, plans for the station were completed by its architect, Mohamed Benjamin, and construction was about to begin.
The National Spiritual Assembly of Liberia has hired Bill Frank Eoyani as station manager, and others have made commitments to help in the construction and development of the station.
Radio Bahá’í Liberia, which is located near the capital city of Monrovia, will reach into Sierra Leone and Ivory Coast in addition to covering much of Liberia itself. K. Dean Stephens, radio consultant to the Universal House of Justice, helped the National Assembly of Liberia to locate a transmitter and station site and to develop the necessary plans for the station.
There are presently four Bahá’í radio stations operating in various parts of the world—Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia and the United States. Apart from the FM station in the U.S., these are all low-power AM stations, although Radio Bahá’í in Otavalo, Ecuador, also broadcasts on short-wave. Three stations are scheduled for construction in 1985-86: Panama, Liberia and, hopefully, Chile. The station in Ecuador has been upgraded to 3kW power while Bolivia’s will move up to 5kW as soon as possible. WLGI Radio in the U.S. has a 50kW FM transmitter.
Correction[edit]
In the July 1985 issue of Bahá’í News, the cover photograph is misidentified as having been taken shortly after Iran’s Islamic revolution in 1979; actually, it was taken during another period of persecution of the Bahá’ís in 1955. We regret the error.
Also, on the inside front cover in that same issue, reference is made to the hijacking of a “United Airlines” plane in Beirut, Lebanon. Of course, it was a Trans World Airlines flight that was hijacked. Again, our apology for the error.
Trinidad/Tobago[edit]
The Bahá’í children’s class of Friendship Village gives a presentation on the life of the Báb during an Ayyám-i-Há party last February 23 at the Palmyra Bahá’í Centre in South Trinidad.
The sun was shining and banners were flying as Bahá’í children from a wide variety of ethnic backgrounds came together last February 23 for an Ayyám-i-Há party at the Palmyra Bahá’í Centre in South Trinidad.
In keeping with the spirit of the International Year of Youth, the duty of coordinating the day’s activities was given to two young people, Marcelle Coward and Telley Mohammed.
All of the children took an active part in the event, chanting prayers, presenting speeches and singing; there was even a puppet show entitled “Work Is Worship.”
Clara the Clown delighted the audience with magic tricks, and of course everyone enjoyed delicacies, drinks and snacks.
Mariana Islands[edit]
Robert L. Darlow Jr., an electronics engineer and Bahá’í pioneer to Guam, Mariana Islands, holds the Greatest Name during a visit to the South Pole in his capacity as a civilian employee of the U.S. Navy supporting a research program of the National Science Foundation. Mr. Darlow was posted on the frozen continent of Antarctica for two weeks, and visited the Pole on a bright, sunny day on which the temperature reached -47° Fahrenheit.
Papua New Guinea[edit]
“We are the people of Bahá,” sung by the 120 Bahá’ís of Gwagut village, Papua New Guinea, greeted two weary traveling teachers who had climbed for four hours to reach the Bahá’ís of Daga.
Dinyar Mirshahi and his wife, Auxiliary Board member Mehru Mirshahi, visited 11 villages in which every child they met could sing several Bahá’í songs and recite two or three prayers by heart.
The Shíráz Teaching Plan, which has set Papua New Guinea’s communities on the path toward rapid expansion, has now entered Phase II. Between Riḍván 1984 and 1985, about 2,000 new believers were enrolled, 98 localities were opened and 19 new local Spiritual Assemblies were formed.
Along with the upsurge in teaching activities, Regional Teaching Committees are concentrating on consolidation projects.
Mali[edit]
Shown here are the members of the first National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of Mali, elected at Riḍván 1985.
Germany[edit]
Der Weg aus der Ausweglosigkeit (The Way Through the Impasse) is the title of a new book by Huschmand Sabet, a German Bahá’í, which was released last March by Seewald Verlag.
Mr. Sabet’s book was written in response to a best-seller, Frieden ist möglich (Peace Is Possible) by a prominent German television journalist, Dr. Franz Alt, who hosts a weekly evening news magazine called “Report.” Dr. Alt’s book has sold nearly a million copies.
A public meeting in Stuttgart, sponsored by the publisher to introduce Mr. Sabet’s book, drew 600 people, half of whom were not Bahá’ís. Among those who attended was Dr. Alt who was, in addition to Mr. Sabet, one of the featured speakers.
Dr. Alt said it is most timely to introduce the concepts of the Faith to a general audience as the topic of a world-wide peace movement.
Christopher Sprung, who represented the National Spiritual Assembly of Germany at the meeting, learned from Dr. Alt that his latest book, soon to be published, will mention the Faith and Mr. Sabet’s book.
The National Assembly expressed the hope that public appreciation of Mr. Sabet’s book by someone as well-known and well-respected as Dr. Alt would carry the Faith in Germany to a new stage of recognition.
Luxembourg[edit]
The members of the National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of Luxembourg elected at this year’s National Convention are (standing left to right) F. Khabirpour (chairman), J. Fabeck, W. Moayed (treasurer), R. Bontemps, A. Schoos (vice-chairman), and (seated left to right) E.C. Levy-Raus, J. Bayani-Schumacher, V. Fabeck-Thiltges (secretary), A. Rafii (recording secretary).
Pictured with Counsellor Erik Blumenthal (seated center) are delegates and guests at the National Convention of Luxembourg, held April 27-28.
United Kingdom[edit]
The Faith has received considerable publicity recently in the United Kingdom.
Besides articles in national newspapers and magazines, radio and television programs that mention the Faith are attracting public attention. Examples include:
An interview on BBC Radio 4 with the chairman of the National Spiritual Assembly of the United Kingdom; a BBC World Service broadcast in which the secretary of the National Teaching Committee was interviewed; an episode of BBC 2’s “Newsnight” that included excerpts from a public meeting held at the London Bahá’í Centre; and three weekly broadcasts of the BBC World Service series “Reflections” that featured Bahá’í operatic baritone Norman Bailey.
Bahá’í prayers are included in two new publications by non-Bahá’ís in the United Kingdom.
The first, Dear God, a book of prayers for children, is published by Basil Blackwell; the second, The Oxford Book of Prayer, edited by Bishop George Appleton for the Oxford University Press, is a collection of prayers and meditations from the world’s religious traditions.
Both books are available at commercial bookstores in the United Kingdom.
Kenya[edit]
The second Kenyan National Bahá’í Women’s Conference was held last February 22-25 at the Nakuru Bahá’í Centre.
Among the speakers was Counsellor Thelma Khelghati who addressed the 90 women in attendance on “Creating a Spiritual Home.”
Kingsley Dube, the United Nations Information Officer for East Africa, spoke about the importance of training youth while Dr. Eddah Gachukia, chairman of the coordinating committee for the NGO Conference of the UN Decade for Women, presented an inspiring talk on the significant role the women of Kenya can play in helping to bring about equality for women.
A new book, the first in a series written especially for Bahá’í mothers, was introduced and received enthusiastically.
The success of the conference was evidenced by the eager participation of the Bahá’í women of Kenya and their obvious commitment to building Bahá’í families and contributing to the work of the Faith.
The Comoro Islands, a consolidation goal of Kenya during the Seven Year Plan, gained three local Spiritual Assemblies last March as a result of a two-week visit by a father-and-son teaching team from Kenya.
The two are Mehraban Sohaili, a Knight of Bahá’u’lláh for the Comoro Islands, and his son, Isfandiar. To the delight of the National Spiritual Assembly of Kenya, they succeeded in enrolling 60 new believers.
The Comoros are a group of volcanic islands in the Mozambique Channel off the northern tip of Madagascar. The four inhabited islands have a combined population of about 300,000.
Guyana[edit]
Meherangiz Munsiff, a traveling teacher from the United Kingdom, accompanied by Mrs. Patricia Paccassi of St. Lucia, spent March 1-11 setting an unprecedented record of successes in four regions of Guyana.
Public meetings in Uitvlugt, in the West Demarara region; Grove, in East Bank Demarara; Annandale, in East Coast Demarara; and Corentyne, in Berbice, drew audiences of 45 to 200 people.
A program for women, held March 10 at the Georgetown YWCA, attracted an audience of more than 120 in spite of competition from a Women’s Symposium being held nearby.
Uganda[edit]
Active teaching despite drought, food shortages, and communication and transportation problems has brought about many successes in the Bundibugyo district of Uganda.
Four hundred-forty people recently declared in Nebbi, 121 in the Arua district, and 175 in Kabale.
With only five bicycles at their disposal, the teaching teams persevered, even enrolling more than 20 people who live near the border in Zaire.
Ireland[edit]
“Youth Working Toward a Better World” was the theme of a float entered in Dublin’s annual St. Patrick’s Day parade by youth in the Irish Bahá’í community.
At least 300,000 people including government officials and diplomats watched as the float passed the reviewing stand emblazoned with the words “Bahá’í Faith” above a globe and two large doves of peace.
Australia[edit]
Jim Carlton, the member of Parliament who introduced the first motion in Australia’s House of Representatives condemning Iran’s mistreatment of the Bahá’ís, brought as a guest to the House of Worship in Australia a member of the British Parliament who subsequently introduced a similar resolution in the United Kingdom.
Taiwan[edit]
‘Emergence from Obscurity’ was the theme of a Bahá’í Winter School held last December 29-January 2 in Taiwan. The principal speaker was Saeid Khadivian, chairman of the National Spiritual Assembly of Taiwan. The school was honored by the presence of Counsellor Ruhullah Momtazi who addressed the gathering several times. Topics included Chinese culture, basic principles of the Faith, marriage, and Islam. The 130 Bahá’ís who attended were from Taiwan, Hong Kong, Malaysia, South Africa and the United States. During the sessions, three people declared their belief in Bahá’u’lláh.
Pictured are delegates to the 19th annual Bahá’í National Convention of
Taiwan. Seated third from left is Counsellor Vicente Samaniego. The spirit of
the Convention was captured in this
cable to the Universal House of Justice: ‘Beloved Supreme Institution,
Spiritually significant 19th National
Convention Taiwan graciously blessed presence Counsellor Samaniego, historic attendance delegates, friends including representatives 3 newly formed
LSAs, 2 Aborigines. Convention ethusiastically adopts premier mass
teaching project; confidently expect
entry troops. Humbly request prayers
Shrines fulfillment all goals Seven Year
Plan.’
Taiwan’s National Proclamation Committee designed an attractive Naw-Rúz greeting card which was printed with the signature of the National Spiritual Assembly.
The card was sent to 850 government, university and business officials. The committee then arranged for five radio spots on March 21 expressing new year greetings from the Bahá’ís of Taiwan.
Chile[edit]
A nine-member teaching team traveled for 40 days last October-November in northern Chile, carrying the Message of Bahá’u’lláh to isolated, hard-to-reach centers in the country’s Atacama regions. Pictured in the Altiplano near Arica are Chileans Maggy de Vilches, Edilia Bañados, Lucia Muniz, Hugo Fortes, Manuel Muñoz, Ximena Osorio and Shanaz Shamshiri, and Bolivians Pedro Rojas (kneeling at left) and Auxiliary Board member Lucas Marca (standing at left).
Pictured are six members of the Spiritual Assembly of Chusmiza, in the northern highlands of Chile, the first Assembly formed among that country’s
Aymara people.
Bangladesh[edit]
Last February 14-16, the Bahá’í youth of Bangladesh presented a youth conference in Mymensingh.
The gathering, planned with guidance from the National Bahá’í Youth Committee, was attended by three members of the National Spiritual Assembly and two Auxiliary Board members. More than half of the 52 participants were natives of Bangladesh.
An outdoor clinic for poor women and children is run by a Bahá’í doctor in Rajshahi, Bangladesh.
Each Friday afternoon, Dr. Shahla Idelkhani tends her patients free of charge at the local Bahá’í Center.
Botswana[edit]
Auxiliary Board member Gerald Warren recently spoke to an audience of about 100 at a seminar on religion and human rights sponsored by the University of Botswana. Christians, Hindus and Muslims also were invited to speak.
Mr. Warren gave his talk on the Bahá’í Faith at the request of the National Spiritual Assembly of Botswana.
Cameroon[edit]
Three Counsellors for Africa and a dozen Auxiliary Board members from Cameroon, the Central African Republic and Nigeria attended an Auxiliary Board Conference last March 23-25 in Limbe, Cameroon.
Topics discussed included training assistants, facing opposition to the Cause, and working at the grassroots level.
Sri Lanka[edit]
Three new publications in the Sinhala language by the National Spiritual Assembly of Sri Lanka include a compilation on Bahá’í family life, a new teaching pamphlet, and the book This Radiant Age. In progress is a publication on the nine Holy Days.
Sweden[edit]
Pictured are some of the 50 participants in a Bahá’í Women’s Conference held last February 2-3 in Uppsala, Sweden. The conference theme was ‘Women and Peace.’ The main speaker was Ursula Grossmann, a member of the National Spiritual Assembly of Finland, who spoke about woman’s role in the family.
The principal of the Same (Lapp) High School in Jokkmokk, Sweden (seated),
receives a gift from Bahá’ís from Iran, Mauritania, Norway, Sweden and the United States during the Same Winter Market in Jokkmokk. This was the market’s 380th year, and the 14th in which Bahá’ís have participated. This photograph appeared in a national magazine in Sweden.
Thailand[edit]
A six-month teaching campaign was launched last February at the Chiang Mai Winter School in Thailand. Seven members of that country’s National Spiritual Assembly were among the school’s 65 participants from all regions of the country.
The local radio station in Chiang Mai, Thailand, has given the Bahá’ís the early morning hour, 4:30 to 5:30 each day, for broadcasting Bahá’í programs.
Thailand presently has some 1,700 students enrolled in a correspondence course on the Faith.
Cyprus[edit]
Winter School last February in Nicosia, Cyprus, attracted 47 Bahá’ís. Counsellor Betty Reed was among the speakers, devoting two sessions to youth.
The children’s class gave a delightful presentation, and a special devotional program was dedicated to the martyrs in Iran.
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