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Bahá’í News

April 1986

Bahá’í Year 143

Social and Economic
Development: Part Two

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Bahá’í News

House of Justice: Faith enters the fourth epoch of its Formative Age	1
UN Commission on Human Rights adopts its fifth resolution on Iran	4
Survey of Bahá’í social and economic development projects: Part II	6
Around the world: News from Bahá’í communities all over the globe	14

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 the U.S.: one year, $12; two years, $20. Outside the U.S.: one year, $14; two years, $24. Foreign air mail: one year, $20; two years, $40. Payment must accompany the order and must be in U.S. dollars. Second class postage paid at Wilmette, IL 60091. Copyright © 1986, National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of the United States. World rights reserved. Printed in the U.S.A.

[Page 1]

Fourth epoch of Formative Age begins

In a letter dated January 2, 1986, written by the Universal House of Justice to the Bahá’ís of the world, reference was made to the inception of the fourth epoch of the Formative Age of the Faith. In response to questions subsequently put to the House of Justice about the periods related to the earlier epochs of that Age, the Research Department was asked to prepare this statement on the topic.

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Introduction

In disclosing the panoramic vision of the unfoldment of the Dispensation of Bahá’u’lláh, Shoghi Effendi refers to three major evolutionary stages through which the Faith must pass—the Apostolic or Heroic Age (1844-1921) associated with the Central Figures of the Faith;¹ the Formative or Transitional Age (1921- ),² the “hallmark”³ of which is the rise and establishment of the Administrative Order, based on the execution of the provisions of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá’s Will and Testament;⁴ and the Golden Age which will represent the “consummation of this glorious Dispensation.”⁵ Close examination of the details of Bahá’í history reveals that the individual Ages are comprised of a number of periods—inseparable parts of one integrated whole.⁶

In relation to the Heroic Age of our Faith, the Guardian, in a letter dated June 5, 1947, to the American Bahá’ís, specified that this Age consisted of three epochs and described the distinguishing features of each:

“... the Apostolic and Heroic Age of our Faith, fell into three distinct epochs, of nine, thirty-nine and twenty-nine years’ duration, associated respectively with the Bábí Dispensation and the ministries of Bahá’u’lláh and of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá. This Primitive Age of the Bahá’í Era, unapproached in

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The Formative Age, in which we now live and serve, was ushered in with the passing of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá. Its major thrust is the shaping, development and consolidation of the local, national and international institutions of the Faith.

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spiritual fecundity by any period associated with the mission of the Founder of any previous Dispensation, was impregnated, from its inception to its termination, with the creative energies generated through the advent of two independent Manifestations and the establishment of a Covenant unique in the spiritual annals of mankind.”⁷

The Formative Age, in which we now live and serve,⁸ was ushered in with the passing of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá.⁹ Its major thrust is the shaping, development and consolidation of the local, national and international institutions of the Faith.¹⁰ It is clear from the enumeration of the tasks associated with the Formative Age that their achievement will require increasingly mature levels of functioning of the Bahá’í community:

“During this Formative Age of the Faith, and in the course of present and succeeding epochs, the last and crowning stage in the erection of the framework of the Administrative Order of the Faith of Bahá’u’lláh—the election of the Universal House of Justice—will have been completed, the Kitáb-i-Aqdas, the Mother-Book of His Revelation, will have been codified and its laws promulgated, the Lesser Peace will have been established, the unity of mankind will have been achieved and its maturity attained, the Plan conceived by ‘Abdu’l-Bahá will have been executed, the emancipation of the Faith from the fetters of religious orthodoxy will have been effected, and its independent religious status will have been universally recognized, ...”¹¹

The epochs of the Formative Age mark progressive stages in the evolution of the organic Bahá’í community and signal the maturation of its institutions, thus enabling the Faith to operate at new levels and to initiate new functions. The timing of each epoch is designated by the Head of the Faith, and given the organic nature of evolutionary development, the transition from one epoch to another may not be abrupt, but may well occur over a period of time. This is the case, for example, in relation to both the inception of the Formative Age and the end of its first epoch.

In relation to the former, the passing of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá is the transitional event most often identified with the close of the Heroic Age and the beginning of the Formative Age.¹² However, the Guardian also asserts that the Apostolic Age of the Faith concluded “more particularly with the passing (in 1932) of His (‘Abdu’l-Bahá’s) well-beloved and illustrious sister the Most Exalted Leaf—the last survivor of a glorious and heroic age.”¹³ With regard to the termination of the first epoch of the Formative Age, Shoghi Effendi has placed this between the years 1944¹⁴ and 1946.¹⁵

Before describing the individual epochs of the Formative Age, it is important to comment on the use of the term “epoch” in the writings of the Guardian. In a letter dated January 18, 1953, written on his behalf to a National Spiritual Assembly, it is explained that the term is used to apply both to the stages in the Formative Age of the Faith, and to the phases in the

[Page 2] unfoldment of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá’s Divine Plan.¹⁶ We are currently in the fourth epoch of the Formative Age¹⁷ and the second epoch of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá’s Divine Plan.¹⁸ (The first epoch of the Divine Plan began in 1937 with the inception of the first Seven Year Plan of the North American Bahá’í community, and concluded with the successful completion of the Ten Year Crusade in 1963.¹⁹ The second epoch of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá’s Divine Plan commenced in 1964 with the inauguration of the Nine Year Plan of the Universal House of Justice.)

The primary focus of this statement is on the epochs of the Formative Age of the Dispensation of Bahá’u’lláh.

The first epoch of the Formative Age: 1921-1944/46

The first epoch of the Age witnessed the “birth and the primary stages in the erection of the framework of the Administrative Order of the Faith.”²⁰ The epoch was characterized by concentration on the formation of local and national institutions in all five continents,²¹ thereby initiating the erection of the machinery necessary for future systematic teaching activities. This epoch was further marked by the launching, at the instigation of the Guardian, of the first Seven Year Plan (1937-1944) by the American Bahá’í community. This Plan, drawing its inspiration from the Tablets of the Divine Plan, represented the first systematic teaching campaign of the Bahá’í community and inaugurated the initial stage of the execution of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá’s Divine Plan in the Western Hemisphere.²²

The second epoch of the Formative Age (1946-1963)

This epoch extended the developments of the first epoch by calling for the “consummation of a laboriously constructed Administrative Order,”²³ and was to witness the formulation of a succession of teaching plans designed to facilitate the development of the Faith beyond the confines of the Western Hemisphere and the continent of Europe.²⁴

This epoch was distinguished, in the first instance, by the simultaneous and often spontaneous prosecution of Bahá’í national plans in both the East and the West.²⁵ For example, in a letter written at Naw-Rúz 105 B.E. to the Bahá’ís in the East, the beloved Guardian listed the specific plans undertaken by the National Spiritual Assemblies of the United States, Britain, India, Persia, Australia, New Zealand and Iraq, and indicated that this concerted action signalized the transition into the second epoch of the Formative Age.²⁶ The internal consolidation and the administrative experience gained by the National Assemblies was utilized and mobilized by the Guardian with the launching of the Ten Year World Cru-

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In addressing the British National Spiritual Assembly in 1951, the Guardian foreshadowed ‘world-wide enterprises destined to be embarked upon, in future epochs of that same (Formative) Age, by the Universal House of Justice.’

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sade²⁷—a crusade involving the simultaneous prosecution of 12 national plans. The plans derived their direction from ‘Abdu’l-Bahá’s Divine Plan, and the goals were assigned by Shoghi Effendi from the World Centre of the Faith.²⁸ A second distinguishing feature of this epoch was the “rise”²⁹ and “steady consolidation”³⁰ of the World Centre of the Faith.

The second epoch thus clearly demonstrated the further maturation of the institutions of the Administrative Order. It witnessed the appointment of the Hands of the Cause,³¹ the introduction of Auxiliary Boards,³² and the establishment of the International Bahá’í Council.³³ The culminating event of the epoch was the election in 1963 of the Universal House of Justice. It further demonstrated the more effective and coordinated use of the administrative machinery to prosecute the goals of the first global spiritual crusade, and the emergence in ever sharper relief of the World Centre of the Faith.

The third epoch of the Formative Age: 1963-1986

In addressing the British National Spiritual Assembly in 1951, the Guardian foreshadowed “world-wide enterprises destined to be embarked upon, in future epochs of that same (Formative) Age, by the Universal House of Justice.”³⁴ In announcing the Nine Year Plan, “the second of those world-encircling enterprises destined in the course of time to carry the Word of God to every human soul,”³⁵ the Universal House of Justice embarked upon the process anticipated by the Guardian and proclaimed the commencement of the third epoch of the Formative Age, an epoch which called the Bahá’ís to a yet more mature level of administrative functioning, consistent with the expected vast increase in the size and diversity of the community, its emergence as a model to mankind, and the extension of the influence of the Faith in the world at large. The House of Justice, in a letter dated October 1963, stated:

“Beloved friends, the Cause of God, guarded and nurtured since its inception by God’s Messengers, by the Centre of His Covenant, and by His Sign on earth, now enters a new epoch, the third of the Formative Age. It must now grow rapidly in size, increase its spiritual cohesion and executive ability, develop its institutions, and extend its influence into all strata of society. We, its members, must, by constant study of the life-giving Word, and by dedicated service, deepen in spiritual understanding and show to the world a mature, responsible, fundamentally assured, and happy way of life, far removed from the passions, prejudices, and distractions of present-day society.”³⁶

The period of the third epoch encompassed three world plans, involving all National Spiritual Assemblies, under the direction of the Universal House of Justice, namely, the Nine Year Plan (1964-73), the Five Year Plan (1974-79), and the Seven Year Plan (1979-86). This third epoch witnessed the emergence of the Faith from obscurity³⁷ and the initiation of activities designed to foster the social and economic development of communities.³⁸ The institution of the Continental Boards of Counsellors was brought into existence³⁹ leading to the establishment of the International Teaching Centre.⁴⁰ Assistants to the Auxiliary Boards were also introduced.⁴¹ At the World Centre of the Faith, the historic construction and occupation of the Seat of the Universal House of Justice was a crowning event.⁴²

The fourth epoch of the Formative Age: 1986-

In a letter dated January 2, 1986,

[Page 3] written by the Universal House of Justice to the Bahá’ís of the world, the Supreme Body announced the inception of the fourth epoch of the Formative Age. It highlighted the significant developments that had taken place in the “organic growth of the Cause of God”⁴³ during the course of the recently completed third epoch, by assessing the readiness of the Bahá’í community to begin to address the objectives of the new Six Year Plan scheduled to begin on April 21, 1986, and outlined the general aims and characteristics of this new Plan.

Whereas national plans had previously derived largely from the World Centre, in this new epoch the specific goals for each national community will be formulated, within the framework of the over-all objectives of the Plan, by means of consultation between the particular National Spiritual Assembly and the Continental Board of Counsellors. As the Universal House of Justice states:

“This new process ... signalizes the inauguration of a new stage in the unfoldment of the Administrative Order. Our beloved Guardian anticipated a succession of epochs during the Formative Age of the Faith; we have no hesitation in recognizing that this new development in the maturation of Bahá’í institutions marks the inception of the fourth epoch of that Age.”⁴⁴

Future epochs

The tasks that remain to be accomplished during the course of the Formative Age are many and challenging. Additional epochs can be anticipated, each marking significant stages in the evolution of the Administrative Order and culminating in the Golden Age of the Faith.⁴⁵ The Golden Age, itself, will involve “successive epochs”⁴⁶ leading ultimately to the establishment of the Most Great Peace, to the World Bahá’í Commonwealth and to the “birth and efflorescence of a world civilization.”⁴⁷

SOURCE MATERIALS

1. Citadel of Faith (Wilmette: Bahá’í Publishing Trust, 1980), pp. 4-5. Letter dated June 5, 1947, to the American Bahá’ís.
2. The World Order of Bahá’u’lláh (Wilmette: Bahá’í Publishing Trust, 1974), p. 98. Letter dated February 8, 1934.
3. The World Order of Bahá’u’lláh, p. 156. Letter dated February 8, 1934.
4. Citadel of Faith, p. 5. Letter dated June 5, 1947, to the American Bahá’ís.
5. The World Order of Bahá’u’lláh, p. 156. Letter dated February 8, 1934.
6. God Passes By (Wilmette: Bahá’í Publishing Trust, 1970), p. xv.
7. Citadel of Faith, pp. 4-5. Letter dated June 5, 1947, to the American Bahá’ís.
8. The World Order of Bahá’u’lláh, p. 98. Letter dated February 8, 1934.
9. God Passes By, p. xiv.
10. God Passes By, p. 324.
11. Citadel of Faith, p. 6. Letter dated June 5, 1947, to the American Bahá’ís.
12. God Passes By, p. xiv.
13. The World Order of Bahá’u’lláh, p. 5. Letter dated February 8, 1934.
14. Citadel of Faith, p. 5. Letter dated June 5, 1947, to the American Bahá’ís.
15. Messages to the Bahá’í World, 1950-1957 (Wilmette: Bahá’í Publishing Trust, 1971), p. 89. Cablegram dated August 23, 1955. See also letter dated January 18, 1953, written on behalf of the Guardian to the National Spiritual Assembly of the United States (reference cited in 16 below).
16. Bahá’í, News, No. 265, March 1953, p. 4. Letter dated January 18, 1953, written on behalf of the Guardian to the National Spiritual Assembly of the United States.
17. Letter dated January 2, 1986, written by the Universal House of Justice to the Bahá’ís of the world.
18. Wellspring of Guidance (Wilmette: Bahá’í Publishing Trust, 1969), p. 25. Letter dated Riḍván 1964 from the Universal House of Justice to the Bahá’ís of the world.
19. Bahá’í News, No. 265, p. 4. Letter dated January 18, 1953, written on behalf of the Guardian to the National Spiritual Assembly of the United States.
20. Citadel of Faith, p. 5. Letter dated June 5, 1947, to the American Bahá’ís.
21. Messages to the Bahá’í World, 1950-1957, p. 19. Cablegram dated December 24, 1951.
22. Citadel of Faith, p. 5. Letter dated June 5, 1947, to the American Bahá’ís.
23. Citadel of Faith, p. 6. Letter dated June 5, 1947, to the American Bahá’ís.
24. Citadel of Faith, p. 6. Letter dated June 5, 1947, to the American Bahá’ís.
25. Messages to the Bahá’í World, 1950-1957, p. 13. Cablegram dated April 25, 1951.
26. Tawqí’át-i-Mubárakih, 102-109 B.E. (Tehran: Bahá’í Publishing Trust, 125 B.E.), pp. 99-188. Letter dated Naw-Rúz 105 B.E. to the Bahá’ís in the East.
27. Citadel of Faith, p. 140. Letter dated August 20, 1955, to the American Bahá’ís.
28. Messages to the Bahá’í World, 1950-1957, pp. 151-153. Letter dated May 4, 1953.
29. Messages to the Bahá’í World, 1950-1957, p. 13. Cablegram dated April 25, 1951.
30. Messages to the Bahá’í World, 1950-1957, p. 13. Cablegram dated April 25, 1951.
31. Messages to the Bahá’í World, 1950-1957, pp. 18-20. Cablegram dated December 24, 1951.
32. Messages to the Bahá’í World, 1950-1957, p. 44. Cablegram dated October 8, 1952. And, pp. 127-128. Letter dated October 1957.
33. Messages to the Bahá’í World, 1950-1957, pp. 7-8. Cablegram dated January 9, 1951.
34. Unfolding Destiny (London: Bahá’í Publishing Trust, 1981), p. 261. Guardian’s postscript to a letter dated February 25, 1951, written on his behalf to the National Spiritual Assembly of the British Isles.
35. Wellspring of Guidance, p. 14. Letter dated October 1963 written by the Universal House of Justice to the Bahá’ís of the world.
36. Wellspring of Guidance, pp. 17-18. Letter dated October 1963 by the Universal House of Justice to the Bahá’ís of the world.
37. Letter dated May 19, 1983, written by the Universal House of Justice to the Bahá’ís of the world.
38. Letter dated October 20, 1983, written by the Universal House of Justice to the Bahá’ís of the world.
39. Wellspring of Guidance, p. 139. Cablegram dated June 21, 1968, from the Universal House of Justice to the Bahá’ís of the world.
40. Letter dated June 8, 1973, written by the Universal House of Justice to the Bahá’ís of the world.
41. Letters dated June 8, 1973, written by the Universal House of Justice to the Continental Boards of Counsellors, and October 7, 1973, to the Bahá’ís of the world.
42. Telex dated February 1, 1983, written by the Universal House of Justice to the Bahá’ís of the world.
43. Letter dated January 2, 1986, written by the Universal House of Justice to the Bahá’ís of the world.
44. Letter dated January 2, 1986, written by the Universal House of Justice to the Bahá’ís of the world.
45. Citadel of Faith, p. 6. Letter dated June 5, 1947, to the American Bahá’ís.
46. Messages to the Bahá’í World, 1950-1957, p. 155. Letter dated May 4, 1953.
47. Citadel of Faith, p. 6. Letter dated June 5, 1947, to the American Bahá’ís.

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Human rights in Iran again questioned

On March 12, the United Nations Commission on Human Rights adopted its fifth resolution on the human rights situation in the Islamic Republic of Iran.

The new resolution, following closely the resolution adopted by the UN General Assembly last December, calls for the appointment of a new Special Representative of the Commission whose task would be to present a report on the human rights situation in Iran, including that of minority groups such as the Bahá’ís, to the General Assembly at its next session later this year, as well as to the Commission on Human Rights at its 1987 session.

The resolution expresses deep concern over the specific and detailed allegations of grave human rights violations in Iran including those related to the right of freedom of thought, conscience and religion, and the right of religious minorities to profess and practice their own religion, and urges the government of Iran to cooperate with the Special Representative, and in particular to permit him to visit the country.

The issue of Iran’s cooperation with the Special Representative was the theme of behind-the-scenes negotiations which took place throughout the Commission’s six-week session. Iran, which for four years has not cooperated with the Commission and has not allowed a visit to Iran, offered to cooperate but on terms that were not acceptable to the Western countries which have led the struggle to improve the human rights situation in Iran.

The conditions imposed by Iran on the negotiations were also not accepted by the Commission, which, despite skillful attempts by Iran’s representatives to confuse the Commission, adopted the resolution by a clear and decisive majority (19 votes in favor,

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The new resolution ... calls for the appointment of a new Special Representative ... whose task would be to present a report on the human rights situation in Iran, including that of minority groups such as the Bahá’ís ...

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four opposed, 16 abstentions). Four countries did not take part in the vote.

During the debate on human rights violations which preceded the vote on the resolution, many delegations had expressed concern about the human rights situation in Iran including the situation of the Bahá’ís. Delegations that specifically drew attention to the Bahá’ís in their statements were Australia, Canada, France, Ireland, Norway and the United States.

The co-sponsors of the resolution—Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, France, Germany (Federal Republic), Ireland, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway and the United Kingdom—clearly indicated their sympathy with, and support for, the Bahá’ís of Iran by including the reference to the Bahá’ís in the most important paragraph of the resolution, namely the one that asks the Special Representative to report to the General Assembly.

During consideration of the draft resolution at the Commission’s meeting on the evening of March 12, Iran made a determined attempt to confuse the Commission and to convince its members that it wished to cooperate but that some intransigent Western members had turned aside its offers to do so.

The substance of Iran’s offer to cooperate was based on an agreement that a representative sympathetic to its position would be appointed. The representative would be allowed to visit Iran and report back to the Commission in favorable terms. Other conditions of Iran’s cooperation were that the resolution appointing the new representative would be purely procedural in nature, would not refer to the resolutions previously adopted by the Commission (the validity of such resolutions having already been rejected by Iran in public statements and in a letter to the chairman of the Commission), and would make no reference to allegations of human rights violations of any kind.

This was unacceptable to the co-sponsors of the draft resolution, who insisted that there could be no such preconditions. The co-sponsors were satisfied that the chairman of the Commission would, in accordance with normal practice, appoint an individual who would be objective, impartial and of recognized international standing. Any such person, in order to discharge his mandate, would insist on access to prisons and other places (a condition that would probably not be acceptable to Iran). In fact, an attempt by the United Kingdom to negotiate a procedural resolution welcoming the offer by Iranian authorities to cooperate was rejected by Iran’s ambassador as insulting and impossible.

These issues were discussed as the resolution was being considered. After three statements by Iran, aided by Algeria, Bangladesh and Syria, and interspersed with comments by the United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, Norway, the Netherlands, Ireland, India, Senegal, Belgium and the Federal Republic of Germany, the vote was taken on the draft resolution proposed by the sponsors.

The draft resolution was adopted,

[Page 5] without any amendment, as Commission on Human Rights resolution 1986/41. After its adoption, Brazil, which had not found it possible to vote in favor of the resolution, made a statement indicating that it nevertheless feels that the Commission should consider the situation in Iran, try to ascertain the facts and ask that a thorough analysis be presented to it at some future time.

Iran rejected the resolution as a worthless piece of paper and indicated that those countries which feared that Iran’s fundamentalist revolution would spread had produced the resolution for political motives. Iran’s delegation assured the Commission that the Islamic revival was very much alive among Muslims and that they would not be deterred.

Despite those statements, it is obvious that Iran finds the attention of the Commission and the General Assembly uncomfortable. Its government had a 15-member delegation working hard before the Commission, trying to divert the Western countries’ attention and to persuade Third World countries not to support the resolution.

The Bahá’í International Community, in addition to its efforts to defend the interests of the Bahá’ís in Iran, made an extensive contribution to the other work of the Commission, actively participating in many agenda items including those dealing with racism, rights of the child, the right to development, religious intolerance, torture, the rights of minorities, and the promotion and protection of human rights.

Bahá’í International Community: persecution of Iran’s Bahá’í minority ‘motivated solely by religious prejudice’

Statement by the Bahá’í International Community to the United Nations Commission on Human Rights, March 1986:

We feel compelled to raise once again an issue which we have raised at previous sessions—namely, the gross and continuing violation of the human rights of the Bahá’í religious minority in Iran.

For the past seven years, the government of Iran has been conducting a campaign of religious persecution against Iran’s 300,000 Bahá’ís. During the course of this campaign, the Bahá’ís have been deprived of their most fundamental human rights. They have been imprisoned, tortured and executed, denied jobs and education, and deprived of their homes, possessions and means of livelihood solely because of their religious beliefs. Their holy places have been desecrated and destroyed, their community properties confiscated and their financial assets seized by the government.

We would like, at this point, to express our gratitude to the Commission on Human Rights for all it has done in the past to try to alleviate the plight of our fellow-believers in Iran. We are convinced that the positive actions taken by the Commission, together with the actions and interventions of governments and other United Nations bodies, have been instrumental in preventing the escalation of the situation into a veritable holocaust for the Bahá’ís.

Although relatively few Bahá’ís have been executed during the past year, the situation of the Bahá’í community in Iran remains appalling. Thousands of Bahá’ís are homeless and penniless and are surviving only through the kindness and charity of friends and relatives—who may themselves be dispossessed at any time. Every Bahá’í in Iran lives under the constant threat of physical violence, summary arrest and arbitrary imprisonment. About 700 Bahá’ís are currently in prison, without trial and without charges. Many of them are suffering horrible torture.

The Iranian legal system makes it very easy for the authorities to discriminate against Bahá’ís. As an unrecognized religious minority—albeit the largest religious minority in Iran—the Bahá’ís have absolutely no status, rights or protection under the law.

The injustice and inhumanity of this situation was strikingly illustrated in a case last year in which a Bahá’í was killed in a traffic accident. The driver was arrested and accused of manslaughter. The Penal Court in Tehran found the driver guilty as far as the accident was concerned, but ruled that he was relieved of any obligation to pay a fine or damages to the family of the victim because the person he had killed was “an unprotected infidel.”

We have available copies of the court verdict, as well as official documents from Iran which clearly demonstrate not only that the Bahá’ís are being persecuted but also that the persecution is motivated solely by religious prejudice. The most compelling proof of this lies in the fact that, in every case where a Bahá’í has been condemned to death, he has been offered his life and freedom and the dropping of all the charges against him in return for recanting his faith.

In defense of their anti-Bahá’í policies, the Iranian authorities have periodically circulated documents—most recently at this session of the Commission—alleging that the Bahá’í Faith is anti-Islamic, that it is a subversive political organization and that Bahá’ís are spies and agents of colonialism and imperialism. The Bahá’í Faith is also accused of being an agent of Marxist communism. These allegations are so outrageous and ridiculous—not to mention contradictory—that they do not merit further comment from us at this time.

In reality, the government of Iran has nothing whatsoever to fear from the Bahá’ís. They are a gentle, law-abiding and peace-loving community. In accordance with the most fundamental principles of their faith, they uphold the divine origin of all the major world religions, including Islam; abstain from partisan politics;

[Page 6] shun involvement in any form of subversive activity; and demonstrate the utmost loyalty and obedience to their government.

The persecution of the Bahá’ís has, to all intents and purposes, become institutionalized in Iran—a regular part of the work of the various branches of the civil service. This state of affairs—the dehumanization and routine victimization of an entire religious community—is a terrible thing to contemplate.

We call most urgently on the government of the Islamic Republic of Iran to put a stop to the persecution of the Bahá’ís. We call on the government to release the Bahá’í detainees; to return the confiscated Bahá’í cemeteries; to allow Bahá’í students to enroll at schools and universities; to reissue the work permits of Bahá’í traders and shopkeepers whose licenses were revoked; to reinstate the Bahá’ís who were dismissed from government employment because of their religion; to restore the pension rights of retired Bahá’í employees; to return to dismissed Bahá’í civil servants the money—equivalent to all the salaries they had received in the past—which they were forced to repay to the government. Finally, we call on the government to cancel the ban on the issuance of exit permits to Bahá’ís and to allow Iranian Bahá’ís who wish to leave Iran to do so freely.

We urge the government of Iran, in the name of humanity, to accede to these requests and to put a speedy end to the cruel and senseless persecution of an innocent and defenseless minority.

Part II of our world-wide survey

As the Cause of Bahá’u’lláh has emerged from obscurity during the Seven Year Plan, Bahá’í communities throughout the world have become increasingly involved in social and economic development activities, applying Bahá’í concepts of service to the needs of believers and the wider community. In 1980, 17 National Spiritual Assemblies operated approximately 115 development projects. Now, 78 National Spiritual Assemblies and two Bahá’í Administrative Committees manage some 703 projects, the vast majority of which are grassroots efforts operating with little or no outside support. Thus, during the course of the current Plan the number of development projects has risen by more than 500%, with most of this growth occurring since the historic 20 October 1983 message on social and economic development by the Universal House of Justice.

Last month we presented the first of two reports on this phenomenon, covering activities in Africa and the Americas. This month we continue our survey of Bahá’í social and economic development projects with a look at what is taking place in Asia, Australasia and Europe.

ASIA

Andaman and Nicobar Islands. Glory Educational Institute, Chouldary. Established in 1983, the lower kindergarten class began with 30 students. A master plan calls for expansion of the school through Standard XII within 15 years. (October 1984)

Bangladesh. Glory Clinic, Rajshahi. Dr. Shahla Idelkhani operates this clinic in the local Bahá’í Center where she provides free medical treatment for women and children while pharmaceutical companies provide free medicine for distribution. (June 1985)

Bahá’í Training Institute, Rajshahi. The Institute serves as the permanent center for Bahá’í tutorial schools in Bangladesh. The fourth training course was run in July (1985), and was attended by 13 youth who learned how to establish a poultry farm with a minimal financial investment. (July 1985)

Tutorial schools. There are five presently in operation. New schools have recently been opened in the Rajshahi District, one in the village of Noshera and one in a Santhal tribal area known as Fagu.

Burma. Pre-school in Daidanau. The Spiritual Assembly appointed two teachers to teach children ages 3-5 Bahá’í prayers, the Holy Writings, and some elementary subjects on weekdays. At present, 19 children participate. (July 1985)

Study classes, Daidanau. About 95% of the students at the local government school are Bahá’ís. Each evening during the school week they gather at the Bahá’í Center for classes, and on weekends, high school students come to the Center for Bahá’í studies and to review scholastic material. (July 1985)

Hong Kong. Men of the Trees Project. The Youth Committee plans to have a costumed “Mr. Tree” visit children and youth in a local hospital, give a slide presentation on conservation and the importance of trees, and give each patient a seedling to care for through the winter. In the spring, the committee will arrange to take the patients out for a tree-planting, perhaps on the hospital grounds or nearby. (August 1985)

Hong Kong (Macau). Children’s morals class, Macau Peninsula. The local Spiritual Assembly conducts a weekly children’s morals class, primarily for children of non-Bahá’ís. Attendance averages about 20. (July 1984)

Taipa Evening School, Taipa, Ma-

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BAHÁ’Í DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS A STATISTICAL SUMMARY
		Planned or Under
	Operational	Construction/Development	Total
Education	537	36	573
Africa	115	13	128
Americas	95	13	108
Asia	309	10	319
Australasia	12	0	12
Europe	6	0	6
Health and social
Services	50	6	56
Communications*	4	3	7
Agriculture and
Forestry	41	18	59
Community Development
and Miscellaneous	71	10	81
Total	703	73	776
*All are Bahá’í radio stations

cau Peninsula. Initiated by a Bahá’í pioneer, the school has 12-15 students. The pioneer has applied for a school license, which would make it possible to expand the curriculum and have a regular school. (May 1985)

India. Adarsh Vidyalaya, Jaigaon, Jalpaiguri, West Bengal. Following the opening of the New Era High School in Jaigaon, Adarsh Vidyalaya now offers kindergarten and Standards (grades) 1-5. After completing primary school in this English medium school, students are eligible for admission into the new high school. (July 1985)

Anís School, Nidamanur. The school, financed by the State Teaching Committee of Andhra Pradesh, began operations in June 1983 in the Krishna District and has increased its enrollment to more than 140. Nine teachers, two of whom are Bahá’ís, offer a total of four classes in Telugu and five in English. A deepening class is held each week for all teachers, and one hour each day is devoted to the children’s moral education. (September 1984)

Bahá’í Academy, Panchgani, Maharashtra. The Academy’s immediate aim is to deepen selected capable Bahá’ís who will then train and deepen their fellow believers in the various states of India. By October 1984, 12 courses had been held for a total of 306 students, and six more were scheduled for the rest of the 1984-85 school year. Most courses are 2-7 weeks long and geared to different groups, offering a core curriculum of Bahá’í subjects and additional subjects suited to the special needs of the group. Courses in the Persian language have also been offered. In an initial vocational training program, students were taught the development of black and white photos, silk screen printing, auto mechanics, mat making, wiring, plumbing and tailoring. The Audio-Visual Department is producing cassette tapes, slides, and 8mm films, and plans to make video tapes for deepening purposes. According to a Counsellor’s report, the Academy has the largest Bahá’í library in India. The Academy will eventually be integrated into the Bahá’í Development Institute. (April 1985)

Bahá’í Academy, Patna, Bihar. This Academy, under construction in 1984, plans to follow the approach of the Bahá’í Academy in Panchgani. (June 1984)

Bahá’í Development Institute (BADI), Panchgani, Maharashtra. Initial steps have been taken to establish the Institute, which will have as its components the Bahá’í Academy, the Centre for Rural Development, and the Institute of Rural Technology. It will develop in time into a College for Human Services. (September 1985)

“Chhatralaya” (hostel), Bhisia, Dang. The local Assembly has opened a free hostel for intelligent students who are eager to receive an education but can’t afford schooling even up to 10th Standard. Initially, it houses nine students. (August 1984)

Class for women in Adyar. About 30 girls take part in this class, which is held in the campus area of the Indian Institute of Technology. (May 1985)

Development project in Bay Island, West Bengal. A project has been initiated to teach interested people how to make ropes and handloom pieces, as jute is one of the main resources in these islands. A tutorial school is located in the local Ḥaẓíratu’l-Quds. (June 1984)

Dr. R. Muhájir Memorial Library and Reading Room, Chandrapura.

The library, fast becoming a center for teaching and consolidation, houses Bahá’í books, magazines and other materials in Hindi and English. (May 1985)

Faizí Institute: Bahá’í Vocational Institute for Rural Women, Indore. This recently reorganized program at the Faizí Institute trains rural women in various crafts and offers a regular course of Bahá’í studies. The women are chosen by the local Spiritual Assemblies; the government of India provides grants for the training course. (July 1985)

Faizí Institute: ‎Muháhir Muhájir‎ School, Indore. A primary school is to be established at the Faizí Institute in memory of the Hand of the Cause of God Rahmatu’lláh Muhájir. (May 1985)

Glory School, Namburu, Andhra Pradesh. At present, the school offers three classes taught in Telugu and five in English, with 150 students. Four of the six teachers are Bahá’ís. Children receive moral education each day, and the school holds a deepening for all teachers every week. The school’s founder, M. Ramanujappa, turned it over to the Andhra Pradesh State

[Page 8] Teaching Committee after it was properly developed. It is self-supporting and offers scholarships and reduced tuition to some students. It began operation in February 1982. (September 1984)

Glory School, Shantiniketan, West Bengal. The school presently offers nursery, two kindergarten classes and grades I-III. A 4 1/2-room building is under construction, which will enable the school to expand considerably. A large-diameter well has been completed, ensuring an adequate water supply, and a tree-planting project has started on the campus. The school operates a small hostel for boarding students and offers scholarships to some. (August 1985)

Ideal Bahá’í School, Dharamanagar, North Tripura. In August 1984 the school moved to its permanent site, which was purchased by the National Spiritual Assembly. The school’s eight teachers offer nursery, kindergarten I and II, and Standards (grades) I-V, with a total enrollment of 141 day students. For the 1985 school year the curriculum includes physical training, fishery, carpentry, music and tailoring. Within a year the school plans to add a class for Standard VI. (October 1984)

Institute of Rural Technology, Panchgani, Maharashtra. The IRT operates a fine woodworking project and a research and development unit that produces hand-operated machines and tools. For five years, IRT has received funding from the Mottahedeh Foundation. As a component of the Centre for Rural Development, it will be integrated into the proposed Bahá’í Development Institute. (August 1985)

Medical camps. Camps are being held in the tribal areas of Ranchi (Bihar), and a bi-weekly camp is held in Deogara, a tribal center near Jamshedpur. Dang Medical Camp, the oldest of these camps, is held eight times a year through the sacrificial efforts of three Bahá’í doctors and a number of devoted and dedicated believers in Bombay. In August, youth from Indore organized a camp in Yeshwant Nagar, Manpur District, treating 160 patients. The youth hope to make this a monthly event. A one-day camp also was held at Badka Gaon, Madhya Pradesh. (August 1985)

Medical clinic in Chandrapura, Madhya Pradesh. A Bahá’í doctor has opened a small clinic to provide free care to low-income village people, serving 40 villages in the area. Medicines are provided by Sudha Memorial Charitable Trust and by some Bahá’í doctors in Gwalior. (April 1985)

Mona Memorial School, Vanukar, Andhra Pradesh. This academic school recently began operation, financed by the State Teaching Committee. It offers Standard I in Telugu and Standard II and III in English. (September 1984)

Morals classes in Trivandrum, Kerala. The local Assembly lends assistance to a school for the retarded and one for orphans by giving the students classes in morals. (July 1984)

National Bahá’í Charitable Society, New Delhi. In February 1984 the Society was registered and can now accept funds from Bahá’í and non-Bahá’í sources for development projects. The Universal House of Justice has stated that projects for which funds can be accepted should be designed to benefit people regardless of their religious or ethnic background, be consistent with the objectives of Bahá’í development projects and of the funding source, and have a high likelihood of success, as this is essential to safeguard the credibility of the Bahá’í institutions. All care should be taken to avoid giving the impression that funds are being collected on behalf of the Bahá’í community itself. (May 1985)

New Era Centre for Rural Development, Panchgani, Maharashtra. In operation since 1975, the Centre has received major funding from the Mottahedeh Foundation and is now initiating a training institute for development projects. Under a grant from the India Ministry of Education, adult literacy instructors receive training. The third and fourth training courses have now been completed. In the third course, vocational training classes covered poultry management, health, hygiene and first aid, and agriculture. The Centre for Rural Development, the Institute of Rural Technology, and the Bahá’í Academy will be integrated into the proposed Bahá’í Development Institute. (August 1985)

New Era High School, Jaigaon, Jalpaiguri, West Bengal. The school has begun operation in a new building with Standards IV-VII. Students who complete primary school at Adarsh Vidyalaya may be admitted here to continue their education. The National Spiritual Assembly expects the school to maintain a high academic standard and to achieve financial self-sufficiency in the near future. (July 1985)

New Era High School, Panchgani, Maharashtra. Dating back to 1945, the New Era School now offers a curriculum that spans kindergarten through Standard XII with 457 students and a 51-person teaching staff. The curriculum now includes computer programming, a public service component has been added for the secondary school, and the primary school program is being expanded. Also under consideration is a college degree program. (August 1985)

New Era Hostel and Primary School, Oootacamund, Tamil Nadu. The hostel was established in 1980 to accommodate 60-65 Iranian students who were among the last group to be able to leave Iran. Many of them have since left with their families for other countries, and only nine boys remain in the hostel. The primary school has 35 students and expects soon to be self-sufficient. (August 1985)

New Garden Bahá’í School, Agartala, Tripura. This nursery-kindergarten uses Montessori techniques, has four teachers and 40 students. (May 1985)

New Garden K.G. School, Sholapur. In June 1984 the local Bahá’í community started this kingergarten, which follows the ANISA model of education. Teachers will be trained to impart moral education to pre-school-age children. Initially, there is one teacher. (July 1984)

New Garden School, Indroy Village, Andhra Pradesh. Two classes, totaling 56 students, are taught in Telugu. A local Bahá’í donated land and the Spiritual Assembly of Guntur has built a temporary structure for the school. (September 1984)

Pal Heni Children’s School, Udaipur, Rajasthan. This English-language medium school offers nursery-Standard V. (September 1985)

Rabbani Agroforestry Project, Gwalior, Madhya Pradesh. Of 1,000 eucalyptus trees planted, 400 have survived, and the school plans to plant 6,000 more, but in marshy areas. The nursery has 20,000 saplings of Subabul, a leguminous tree that improves the land. Of these, 10,000 will be planted soon on

[Page 9] school property and many others will be given to nearby villages. Students will be involved in caring for the trees and in agricultural development of the land. (June 1985)

Rabbani Community Development Project, Gwalior, Madhya Pradesh. This integrated program incorporates community development, development of tutorial schools in the area, teacher training for tutorial schools throughout the country, a farm demonstration project, and reorientation of the Rabbani School as a rural development training center. Fourteen tutorial schools receive direct support services from the project and appear to have good potential for becoming centers of village development. All the villages have provided a location for their school, all students pay fees, and in several villages fees collected pay the teacher’s full salary. Recently, a small booklet has been prepared describing agronomical practices especially suitable for small and marginal farmers. Last spring (1985) a week-long poultry course was held and, with the completion of a new facility, the project hopes to start a series of 2 1/2-month training programs. (July 1985)

Rabbani Higher Secondary School, Gwalior, Madhya Pradesh. The school currently offers Standards VI-XI, emphasizing vocational/agricultural training to 196 male boarding students. Instruction is in Hindi, while English and Sanskrit are taught as additional languages. Students attend from several states in India and from Sikkim and Nepal. The school runs a 74-acre farm and poultry operation, where the boys help in the work while receiving training. The Rabbani Community Development Program and Rabbani Rural Health Project (described separately) provide services to nearby villages, including the operation of tutorial schools and immunization campaigns. Under its new affiliation with the Central Board of Secondary Education, the school will become a rural development training center in which the community development program will become fully integrated into the curriculum. The Universal House of Justice has advised that the school’s educational program should be designed so that students will be encouraged to return to their villages and engage in some useful occupation there, making it unnecessary and unattractive for them to go to the cities. (September 1985)

Pictured are the ‘New Era Singers,’ a group of nine students and two teachers from the New Era Bahá’í School in Panchgani, India, who last year toured three cities in northern India: New Delhi, Lucknow and Chandigarh. In addition to the proclamation tour, they have recorded four songs for television in Lucknow and, by popular demand, have recorded 14 songs on a cassette tape. The teachers are Amin Neshati (back row left) and Adrienne Stengel (middle row second from left).

Rabbani Rural Health Project, near Gwalior, Madhya Pradesh. In four villages near the Rabbani School, Mrs. Sherman Waite conducts a health project that soon will be fully integrated into the larger community development program. The program emphasizes training and supervision of community health workers and traditional birth attendants; community health education and preparation of audio-visual materials; the provision of immunization, ante-natal care, and basic medical services; and the maintenance of health statistics for monitoring and evaluation. To encourage community participation and self-sufficiency, medicines are sold at cost and community health workers are provided with the medicines they understand for distribution in the villages. Excellent relations are maintained with the medical college and health department in Gwalior, which cooperate by providing interns, certain medicines, and periodically holding training sessions and camps. During a serious outbreak of gastro-enteritis in a nearby village, project staff worked day and night to vaccinate the villagers, provide oral rehydration treatment, and chlorinate wells in the area. (February 1985)

Shoghi Bahá’í School, Nunna Village, Andhra Pradesh. The school has 254 students with 11 teachers, four of whom are Bahá’ís. Five classes each are held in Telugu and English. Last year (1983) the school raised 85% of its costs from tuition fees. One hour each day is devoted to moral education for all children, and teachers attend a deepening once each week. (September 1984)

Tutorial schools (213). About 10,000 students attend Bahá’í tutorial schools in India. In Uttar Pradesh, one of the states with the largest number of such schools, determined efforts are being made to increase the level of financial self-sufficiency. One report indicates that in Madhya Pradesh, where mass teaching has been so successful in the past year or so, tutorial school teachers play a critical role in the development of Bahá’í communities, organizing

[Page 10] adult classes, women’s activities, etc., and helping with consolidation of nearby Assemblies. (August 1985)

Weaving project in South Arcot District, Tamil Nadu. The Area Teaching Committee has decided to implement a training program for area farmers. Weavers have been chosen who will train farmers in the art so that they can be engaged in economically productive activity between farming seasons. (September 1984)

Indonesia. Youth hostels (3) in Padang. Three training centers (hostels or Ashrams) are operated by the Bahá’ís in Padang. They house about 46 children and youth, mostly from Mentawei Islands. The children meet their own school expenses by selling crafts, etc. Many graduates use their own funds to travel and teach, attend conferences, and visit Bahá’ís who live in remote areas. Though never regarded as schools, the hostels provide academic, social and spiritual training, which serves to strengthen the Bahá’í community in Indonesia. (March 1984)

Korea. Education for mothers and children through circuit teaching. For some time the Anyang Bahá’í community has taught handicrafts and conducted simple lessons for children under age 15. The National Spiritual Assembly is encouraging about 10 selected local Assemblies to start similar programs, using teams of one or more young women as teachers. The over-all goal is to educate the children and upgrade the role of women through stimulation of spiritual, social and economic pursuits. On-the-job training of local teachers is also planned. (May 1985)

Laos. Agricultural project in Mouangsoui, Xieng Khouang. The Spiritual Assembly of Laos has contributed funds to purchase two cows for breeding. They will be cared for by a responsible Bahá’í. (February 1984)

Rice-growing project at Ban Viengkham Tai. Two friends have donated a 48,000 square meter (12-acre) field to be developed under sponsorship of the local Assembly, which has established a budget and appointed a committee for the project. Rice and green beans will be grown, with profits donated to the local and national Funds. (February 1984)

Malaysia. Communal farms, East Malaysia. Among the communal farms operated by the Bahá’ís, a Counsellor reports that at one of them, the women cooperate to till the land, using the proceeds to support women’s conferences (at which the men baby-sit) and contribute to the Bahá’í Fund. (September 1984)

Community fish pond, Enteban Ulu, East Malaysia. An additional fish pond has been started since the first one proved successful. Other communities are reported to be starting fish pond projects. (February 1985)

English class in Muar Seletan. The class has been held weekly at the Bahá’í Center since June 1984. (July 1985)

English tuition class in Kota Setar. A class is held every Saturday at the Bahá’í Center. (July 1985)

Free tuition classes for estate students, Kuala Muda. The local Bahá’í community and the Patani Para Foundation jointly sponsor free tuition classes twice each week for estate students. (July 1985)

Nepal. Malangwa School. Managed by the local Spiritual Assembly, the school has about 30 students, several of whom receive scholarships. Low and high caste children eat and drink together, and the villagers have accepted that Bahá’í schools do not observe customs concerning caste. Plans have been made for construction of a new school building, which will be built by the local community. (June 1985)

Tutorial school in Koyalpur. Since there is no primary school in this community, the National Assembly has decided to purchase land for one. It hopes to hire 2-3 teachers and provide training for them. (May 1984)

Pakistan. Bahá’í vocational classes, Hyderabad. With the help of Bahá’í youth from Qatar as part of the Faizí Project, a technical academy has begun operation in Bahá’í Hall. Technical skills such as sewing, typewriting, welding, plumbing and carpet-making are being taught. (June 1985)

Bahá’í vocational (electrical) training class, Karachi. Initiated by the local Assembly, classes started in December 1984. Initially, six Bahá’í youth are undergoing training designed to prepare them to earn a living doing basic electrical work. Classes are held three times per week in Bahá’í Hall. (December 1984)

Medical camp in Deh Jokio Village. A free medical camp has been launched in Deh Jokio Village of Malir by the National Youth Committee in cooperation with the Social Welfare Association of the government of Sind Province. In little more than a month, four visits had been made by a Bahá’í medical team, who treated more than 350 patients in this Muslim village, many of whom walked many miles to attend. Besides providing badly needed medical treatment, the camp has proven to be an effective means of proclaiming the Faith. (August 1985)

New Day Montessori School, Karachi. In 1978 the school began operation with three students. By April 1985 enrollment had risen to 359 with five grades of primary school in addition to the Montessori kindergarten. Some of the students are given scholarships. Construction of a new building has been completed, enabling further expansion of the program, which eventually will extend through secondary school. The Montessori section has received recognition from the Pakistan Montessori Association. (June 1985)

Tutorial schools (8). According to a Counsellor’s report, all but two of these schools have achieved financial self-sufficiency. Most are operated by assistants to the Auxiliary Board. (July 1985)

Philippines. Muhájir Educational Project, Mansalay, Oriental Province. The National Assembly plans to build a dormitory primarily for tribal students who have finished their tutorial classes and are attending advanced elementary school classes in the public school system of Mansalay, which is located at the “lowland” entrance to the Mangyan tribal areas of Oriental Mindoro. It also hopes to secure accreditation and buildings for a higher elementary school at the same location and, eventually, to start an agricultural high school. (November 1984)

Second Parent Educational Program, Roxas. A residence has been rented to provide a dormitory for 10 Mangyan tribal students who attend public school in Roxas, supervised by “second parents” who also live there. (June 1985)

Tutorial schools (14). Bahá’í tutorial schools here serve children from several tribal areas including the Mangyan, Agta, Talainod and Bagobo tribes. At any given time, 11-14 schools

[Page 11] operate, depending on the availability of trained personnel. Each school has been erected by the local Bahá’í community and is maintained by the sponsoring local Spiritual Assembly. Wherever possible, the Assembly assigns tribal lands for the school’s use, usually for agricultural projects. Parents and the local Assembly provide food for the students free of charge. Since the schools are highly respected in the local communities, the Ministry of Health has enlisted their help in educating the public about crisis problems. (June 1985)

Sikkim. Bahá’í school, Gangtok. Often referred to as the Tadong School, it is considered one of the best schools in Sikkim. The curriculum spans Nursery-Class VII, with more than 800 students including 110 boarders. A new school building also provides space for offices of the National Spiritual Assembly. Several orphan girls will be raised by this school and the one in Singtam. (July 1985)

Primary school on the Temple land, Ranipool. This school began operation in early February 1985 using temporary structures that house four classrooms. Further development continues and enrollment has increased in only one month of operation from 19 to 44 preschool children. (March 1985)

School at Singtam. Construction of a new four-room school building has enabled this school to virtually double its enrollment from 61 to 120 students. (April 1985)

Tutorial schools (5). At Linkey, the local community, including non-Bahá’í parents, is raising a substantial part of the money needed for 50 chairs and desks. The National Assembly will contribute the rest of the funds, and has also decided to purchase additional land adjacent to the school. In Pachey Khani, villagers want to have an English medium pre-school, and are willing to pay a nominal fee. The Bharlangey and Pakyong schools reportedly run smoothly, and the Ruhíyyih Nursery School in Darjeeling opened in March (1985) with 43 students. (April 1985)

Singapore. Blood donor drive. In February, the Bahá’í community sponsored a blood donor drive commemorating Singapore’s 25 years of independence. A member of Parliament was the guest of honor. (July 1985)

English classes. The National Youth Committee has organized classes to help students who are weak in English to pass their exams. A nominal fee is charged. (August 1985)

A new six-room building for the Santitham Bahá’í School at Yasothon, Thailand (top photo) was built with a gift from the Embassy of Canada in Thailand and dedicated last August 12 by a representative of the Embassy. The new building is devoted to academic education of rural people in and around Yasothon, while the three-room building in the bottom photo, completed last July, is used for vocational education. The entire complex of buildings, which has grown up around the original Santitham School, founded by Bahá’ís in 1963, is now owned and operated by the National Spiritual Assembly of Thailand.

Sri Lanka. Health program and class in first aid, Colombo. (July 1985)

Tutorial schools. Schools now operate in Miriswatte, Kandy, Chunnakam and Dehiwela/Mount Lavinia. Also, English-language tutorial classes are planned by the local Spiritual Assembly in Dehiowita, and a tutorial class is planned at the Temple site in Galagedera. (July 1985)

Taiwan. Friendship Forum English classes. Friendship Forum is an English class taught by Bahá’ís which aims to improve the spiritual and moral climate of society by increasing the awareness of the participants. Teachers use Bahá’í materials but the Faith is not taught directly in the classes. Communities sponsoring the classes are Taipei (2), Hualien (discontinued in June 1985), Chung Shing New Village, Hsinying and Changhwa. (July 1985)

Thailand. Santitham Pre-School, Yasothon. The Santitham School presently operates a pre-school and commercial school, which serve about 200 and 17 students, respectively. Two new buildings have been constructed re-

[Page 12] cently, one of them funded by the Canadian Embassy to provide space for vocational training of rural women, conducted in cooperation with the adult education authorities in the area. (July 1985)

AUSTRALASIA

Australia. Aboriginal and islander arts and crafts program. This enrichment and marketing program was organized by Bahá’ís and supported by the Cairns College of Technical and Further Education. (June 1984)

Aboriginal education programs. Programs in social skills and language development have been arranged by Bahá’ís and supported by the Cairns College of Technical and Further Education. (June 1984)

Alternatives III, Kentish Community, Tasmania. For the third year in a row the Kentish Bahá’í community has sponsored an “Alternatives” weekend, which provides an opportunity for the surrounding rural communities to learn about alternative lifestyles and agriculture. In previous programs, talks were given on a number of topics including veterinary health care, natural health and healing, fruit growing, and Bahá’í-related topics. This time, about 200 people attended. (July 1985)

Fiji. Development activities, Naisogovau community. The local Spiritual Assembly has become involved in boat building, house building and fishing activities, and the National Assembly has assigned individuals to provide liaison. The village cooperative has collaborated on the boat-building scheme and incorporated it into its own activities. (May 1985)

Lomaivuna Kindergarten and Development Center, Lomaivuna, Naitasiri. The local Spiritual Assembly has nearly completed rebuilding the Bahá’í Center in which this program operates, following major hurricane damage. When finished, it will meet Education Department standards for pre-schools, facilitating official registration. The teacher has been taking an extension course in pre-school teaching during this interim period. (July 1985)

Youth vegetable-growing project. The youth from three communities have begun a vegetable-growing scheme on the endowment property. (May 1985)

Papua New Guinea. Coes Study Center, Lae. Operating in the facilities of the Shiraz Institute, this program enrolls students who had to leave school after Grade Six, helping them to pursue the government correspondence course. The Department of Education provides help with the curriculum while Bahá’í teachers volunteer their time. (January 1985)

Community development courses, Lae. Selected believers come from villages in various provinces for two-week courses at the Shiraz Institute. During the mornings they learn subjects related to the Faith while afternoons are devoted to community development-related topics, i.e., hygiene, nutrition, health and agriculture. They also learn practical skills like compost making. Outside organizations often help in the afternoon sessions by providing speakers and allowing the participants to visit their facilities. Similar courses are offered at the Sogeri Institute. (July 1984)

Madina Pre-School, New Ireland. Two teachers volunteer their services to teach 15 pre-schoolers, of whom 11 are Bahá’ís. The local and National Assemblies and individuals donate materials. Classes are held in the local Ḥaẓíratu’l-Quds. (July 1984)

Nonga Tutorial School, Rabaul, East New Britain. The National Spiritual Assembly and the Education Department support the school, which is now open three days a week, with only 15 children having been accepted due to limited space. Classes are conducted in English at the home of Mrs. Elena Yaganegi who donates time and materials. (July 1984)

Nursery, Aragip, Milne Bay Province. Plans have been made to establish a nursery introducing crops suitable for an altitude of 2,000-3,000 feet. A governmental organization, the Department of Primary Industry, has agreed to provide the seeds, some of which have already been received. The local Spiritual Assembly in Aragip will operate the nursery and sell the seedlings at cost to all the nearby villages. (July 1984)

Tutorial school, Volupai Plantation, West New Britain. The school building has been built by the plantation’s management, which also contributes half the teacher’s salary. The other half is contributed by an individual Bahá’í. The only school on the plantation, it serves 50-60 children. The teacher,

Mary Salora, is a Bahá’í and a qualified primary school teacher. (July 1984)

Samoa. Community development activities, Puleia. The local Assembly has started women’s activities, weaving, a vegetable garden for youth, a piggery and other projects. (June 1985)

Youth agricultural projects, Falealupo. Organized into special committees by the local Bahá’í community, youth have become actively involved in various projects, specializing in piggery and poultry development. They’ve also been helping neighboring Bahá’í communities and families by clearing land for agricultural development. (April 1984)

Tonga. Bahá’í kindergarten, Neiafu, Vava’u. Classes are held twice each week and funds have been raised for a building that will also be used as a Bahá’í Center. (December 1984)

Bahá’í kindergarten, Tongatapu. Two Bahá’í teachers conduct the kindergarten, which holds classes twice a week. Facilities include a play area donated by the local Spiritual Assembly. (December 1984)

Tuvalu. Health and nutrition services. One of the youth has returned to Tuvalu after studying community development for a year at the University of the South Pacific in Fiji. She and a pioneer work together with the island women teaching health, nutrition and sanitation. (March 1985)

Tutorial school in Funafuti. A pioneer in Funafuti operates the school, which was requested by the local Bahá’ís. Two classes are held each week, one for 6-10 year olds, the other for children ages 11-15. About 30-40 children attend, three of whom are Bahá’ís. The local Assembly, the teacher and her non-Bahá’í family in the U.S. support the school, which is held in the Ḥaẓíratu’l-Quds. (March 1985)

Vanuatu. Tanna Tutorial School (Peripatetic Teacher Project). This adult literacy project has operated intermittently since the late 1970s, depending on the availability of a teacher. The peripatetic teacher travels between several villages where mass teaching took place, providing literacy training in Middle Bush dialect or Bislama (the pidgin lingua franca used throughout Vanuatu). It recommenced in June 1984 and presently operates in the Middle Bush area of Tanna Island.

[Page 13] (July 1985)

EUROPE

Austria. Bahá’í Home, Bad Vőslau. The Bahá’í community operates a Bahá’í Home for Iranian refugees in transit from Iran to the U.S. or Canada. About 40 refugees presently stay there. The courageous efforts of the Austrian Bahá’í community in caring for the Iranian refugees has gained widespread respect and admiration from high government officials and the local population. (June 1985)

Bahá’í Home, Weis. This newest local Spiritual Assembly in Austria has rented an apartment for 10 Iranian Bahá’í refugees and hopes to house them as soon as the necessary furnishings are obtained. (December 1984)

France. Association of Bahá’í Health Care Professionals. A number of Bahá’í doctors in France are organizing the association. Statutes have been drafted and the National Spiritual Assembly has approved them. (June 1984)

Germany. Bahá’í Home for the Aged, Langenhain. The National Assembly has adopted a design and applied for building permits for the first dependency of the Mother Temple of Europe. A suitable site has been chosen outside the 150-meter quiet zone that will surround the Mashriqu’l-Adhkár, and the Universal House of Justice has stipulated that initially it should be a 25-bed facility, in which each resident will have a private room with bath and receive daily care from the staff. As the need grows, the facility can be expanded in line with the resources of the Faith. (July 1985)

Partnerships between Assemblies in Germany and the Third World. The National Spiritual Assembly has approved the idea of forming partnerships between local Spiritual Assemblies in Germany and Assemblies in Third World countries, which could be compared with the relationship between twin cities. (April 1985)

Iceland. Forestation project, Skógar. The National Spiritual Assembly plans to expand and develop the forest on the Endowment property in cooperation with the National Forestation Department. The property is a National Historic Site, as it is the birthplace of one of Iceland’s famous literary men. A small house has been built in which to store tools, etc., and provide limited space for sleeping, making it easier for the friends to go there during the summer to work on the property. (August 1984)

Ireland. Information directory, Clonmel. The Spiritual Assembly of Clonmel intends to publish a local information directory that will be a useful reference book both for visitors and residents of the town. (August 1984)

Training for unemployed Bahá’ís. The National Pioneer Committee is instigating training programs for unemployed pioneers so that they can acquire simple skills to help them get established. (August 1984)

Portugal. Assistance to low-income families, Estoril. The local Assembly collects and distributes clothing, toys and household items for low-income families, especially single-parent households. Decisions about who will receive the items are based on recommendations from knowledgeable sources. (July 1984)

Classes for learning English, Mem Martins. The local Spiritual Assembly conducts a weekly class free of charge for those who want to learn English. The program has been approved by the local government. (July 1984)

Spain. Classes in computer usage, Esporales and Inca. In the last two years the local Spiritual Assembly of Palma de Mallorca has held classes on computer usage in the goal communities of Esporales and Inca. The classes lasted for three and six months, respectively. In each case a class of 8-10 people was organized, including two or three Bahá’ís, plus the teacher. At the same time, the students organized dinner parties, excursions, etc., allowing friendships to develop. (June 1985)

United Kingdom. Thomas Breakwell School, London area. The school uses the facilities of Schiller University, and the Spiritual Assembly of Lambeth continues efforts to incorporate the program. It operates on Sundays with 35 students registered, ages 5-14. (July 1985)

Twinning project. The National Spiritual Assembly plans to “twin” local Assemblies in the United Kingdom with local Assemblies in English-speaking countries of the Third World who need English books, both Bahá’í and non-Bahá’í. Periodic shipment of books and other educational materials would help the Third World communities develop libraries, while pen-pal relationships could help develop bonds of friendship between the communities. Similar relationships could be established with Bahá’í academic or, possibly, tutorial schools. Projects would be developed in collaboration with the relevant National Assemblies. (December 1984)

[Page 14]

The world

Nearly 200 at Sri Lanka youth seminar

To celebrate the International Year of Youth, the National Bahá’í Youth Committee of Sri Lanka organized a youth seminar last December 15 at the Bahá’í Center in Colombo.

More than 35 non-governmental organizations were represented among the nearly 200 people who attended the event, whose theme was “Youth Can Move the World.”

The flags of more than 40 nations greeted the participants. Following the traditional lighting of the oil lamp which precedes all public meetings in Sri Lanka, the chief guest, Jan Kemp, resident Representative of the United Nations, extolled the Bahá’ís as the UN’s greatest friend and as major supporters of its activities such as the International Year of Youth.

The program consisted of two workshops followed by an international intercultural evening. The first workshop, “The Role of Youth in Developing a Peaceful Society,” was given by a non-Bahá’í health education consultant, Sena Ganewatte, while the second, “Moral and Spiritual Values for World Peace,” was presented by Ian Bayly, a member of the National Spiritual Assembly of Sri Lanka.

Both workshops were followed by lively discussions in the three languages of Sri Lanka. Several representatives of other non-governmental organizations came to the microphone to voice their appreciation to the Bahá’ís for having organized the seminar.

His Excellency J.R. Jayewardene (left), the President of Sri Lanka, receives a copy of ‘The Promise of World Peace’ from a three-member Bahá’í delegation consisting of the national Secretary, M.L.C. Chandrasekera; the national Treasurer, S. Raveendra Raj; and Auxiliary Board member Mariam Tai. The presentation was made last November 28 at the Presidential Palace. The President was quite interested in the diverse nature of the Bahá’í delegation. Mr. Chandrasekera is from a Buddhist background, Mr. Raj was a Hindu, and Mrs. Tai was a Muslim. When the President asked if the Faith had any connection to Islam, the Bahá’ís were able to explain its independent and non-political nature.

A number of those who took part in the cultural evening of music and dance wore their respective national dress. The Bahá’ís provided most of the entertainment with the exception of a talented group of Namibian students who sang and danced their way into everyone’s heart. The program continued for more than an hour beyond the appointed closing time.

A few days later, when presented with a copy of the Universal House of Justice’s peace statement, Mr. Kemp queried the Bahá’ís for almost an hour on the Bahá’í teachings, expressing great interest in them.

* * *

A permanent Bahá’í teaching institute has been established in Kandy, Sri Lanka, through which, in the words of the Continental Board of Counsellors in Asia, “large numbers of believers will be deepened in the Faith and will arise to serve the Cause of Bahá’u’lláh and enlighten the hearts and minds of their fellow countrymen.”

Iceland

Members of a teaching team in Iceland reported the enrollment last August of at least two new believers in the Faroe Islands.

Linked politically to Denmark, the islands were assigned to Iceland for development during the Seven Year Plan.

[Page 15]

India

Shown in front of the Bahá’í House in Calcutta, India, are participants in a Teacher Training Institute organized last August 31-September 1 by the State Education Committee of West Bengal. Among those taking part were Counsellor Shirin Boman (front row, seventh from right), three Auxiliary Board members, two pioneers from Malaysia, and the teachers in the West Bengal Bahá’í schools.

During a recent visit to Nagpur City in Maharashtra, India, Dr. and Mrs. Nosrat Peseschkian helped the Bahá’ís of Nagpur to contact people of the professional classes to proclaim the Faith.

As a result, several programs were arranged by professional associations such as the Central India Pediatrics, whose program was attended by about 40 doctors.

The Psychiatrists’ Association of Nagpur organized a meeting and dinner at the home of its president, where the teachings of the Faith in relation to psychotherapy were discussed until midnight.

The dean of the Medical College called a meeting of 12 department heads at which the Faith was discussed with emphasis on building world order.

* * *

Bahá’í teachers in the Bhind area of India have come up with a self-help program for tutorial schools in need of furniture.

In each village, they try to find a dry tree that can be purchased by the villagers. A carpenter is then sent by the State Teaching Committee of North Madhya Pradesh to make benches and desks for the students.

Besides helping the classrooms to function more efficiently, the furniture helps enhance the prestige of the schools among the people in the villages.

It has been suggested that each village be encouraged to plant at least 10 saplings to replace any trees that are cut for wood.

* * *

The State Teaching Committee in Kerala, India, has developed a children’s education program and has instructed the State Youth Committee to train 75 young people to conduct Bahá’í classes for children.

A Department of Child Education has been created to guide the new teachers and provide further training.

The Spiritual Assembly of Nagpur, India, has received a certificate of commendation from the Government Health Service of Maharashtra State for the Assembly’s work during 1984-85 in the Blindness Control Program.

The Bahá’ís have treated eye diseases in many hundreds of villagers at their free eye camps.

* * *

The State Teaching Committee of Karnataka, India, sponsored a conference last September 14-15 at Bahnga Bangalore for a detailed consultation on “The Promise of World Peace,” laying plans to present the statement to dignitaries in South India.

United Kingdom

Philip Hainsworth, a member of the National Spiritual Assembly of the United Kingdom, presented a proposal last July to the International Seminar and Council meeting of the World Federalist Association in London.

The proposal, that World Federalists in various countries make contact with Bahá’ís to discuss their mutual concern for promoting world peace, was warmly received.

During the seminar the World Federalist Council released three statements to the press, one of which vigorously condemned the persecution of Bahá’ís in Iran and called on governments and the United Nations to support the Bahá’ís’ struggle for protection of their human rights in that country.

[Page 16]

Hawaii

Governor George R. Ariyoshi of Hawaii signs a proclamation declaring September 15, 1985, World Peace Day in that state as Alejandra Olivas-Dusseault (left) and Bruce Dusseault, representing the Bahá’í community of Koolaupoko, look on. The governor expressed his appreciation for the Bahá’ís’ active participation in peace efforts.

Herman Lum (left), Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Hawaii, receives a copy of ‘The Promise of World Peace’ from Frederick Labib-Wood, treasurer of the National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of Hawaii. The presentation was made last December 10, Human Rights Day. Chief Justice Lum praised the Bahá’ís for their efforts on behalf of world peace.

Sweden

Sweden’s Bahá’í Summer School, held last year on the west coast, attracted 160 people including guests from Norway, Denmark, Finland and Germany.

Counsellor Hartmut Grossmann enriched the proceedings with addresses on early Bahá’í history and world peace.

Seven young Bahá’ís who had attended the European Youth Conference in Antwerp, Belgium, and the International Youth Conference in Columbus, Ohio, shared their experiences, bringing enthusiasm and inspiration to the summer school.

Italy

Forty friends from 28 localities joined the Bahá’ís of Perugia, Italy, last June to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the formation of the Spiritual Assembly of Perugia.

Among the guests was the Hand of the Cause of God Ugo Giachery.

Dr. Giachery told the story of how, as a young wounded soldier, still ignorant of the Bahá’í Faith, he was in Perugia in 1916, and of his long friendship with Aldo Capitini, the famed pacifist and scholar of whom the city is justly proud.

Through his association with Mr. Capitini, Dr. Giachery was in Perugia again in 1954 and spoke about the Faith to a meeting of pacifists. The next day a letter was received in Rome from Shoghi Effendi, saying in part, “... it would be very meritorious if the city of Perugia were opened to the Faith.”

The first Bahá’í arrived in Perugia in 1959, and on April 21, 1960, the first local Spiritual Assembly of Perugia was formed.

Alaska

Responding to a request from the Bahá’ís of Alaska, Gov. Bill Sheffield proclaimed 1986 “The Year of Peace” in that state.

In making the proclamation, the governor urged Alaskans to “work individually and in concert with others for the attainment of a universal peace.

“Only through individual and community efforts,” he said, “can the true meaning of peace be accomplished. This means improvement of education and an end to poverty, racism and prejudice. We can all work toward achieving those goals.”

Spain

The Spiritual Assembly of Palma de Mallorca, Spain, has been providing a unique social service that also qualifies as a proclamation effort.

In goal towns on the island of Majorca, in cooperation with municipal or private groups, a Bahá’í is offering classes in computer use. The cost is low because little is required besides a place for the class to meet, some funds for traveling, and a computer terminal, which is on loan from a Bahá’í.

Classes are small, usually eight to 10 people, which allows for friendships to develop.

[Page 17]

Guatemala

A development project in Huehuetenango, Guatemala, consists of classes for women in arts, crafts and cooking skills, held once each week at the local Bahá’í Center.

The arts and crafts complement uses simple materials and produces objects to beautify the home or to be sold to supplement family incomes.

Three Bahá’í and nine non-Bahá’í women attend regularly. The craft work is followed by prayers and brief readings from the Bahá’í Writings.

Fiji

A new commercial radio station began broadcasting last July in Fiji, and its first religious program was a 15-minute Bahá’í presentation entitled “What Bahá’ís Believe About God.”

The National Spiritual Assembly has signed a one-year contract with the FM station for programs on the teachings, interspersed with music, and a Bahá’í radio committee has been formed to prepare a series of taped programs to fill a weekly Sunday evening time period.

Mauritius

Miss Saskia Valayden, a 12-year-old Bahá’í student at the Labourdonnais School in Curepipe, Mauritius, made a brilliant presentation of the Faith in a recent student program on various religions.

She was honored for her contribution to the program and for the quality of her display, which was of such interest to the other students that it remained posted on the classroom walls for a month.

Peru

Jorge Lopez Roldan, a self-sustaining homefront pioneer in Peru, has established himself in the Department of San Martin, in the eastern range of the Andes Mountains, to work among the Aguaruna tribe.

Teaching the Aguarunas, an important jungle tribe whose members were visited in 1982 by the “Trail of Light” team from North America, was a goal of the Seven Year Plan for Peru.

Republic of Ireland

Paddy Dawson (left), chairman of the Spiritual Assembly of Bray, Republic of Ireland, presents a copy of ‘The Promise of World Peace’ to Ciaran Murphy, chairman of the Bray Urban District Council, during a reception last November 28 in Bray.

The Bahá’í community of Bray, Republic of Ireland, presented “The Promise of World Peace” to Paddy Lalor, M.E.P. and vice-president of the European Parliament, at a hotel reception last November 28 in Bray.

In accepting the statement by the Universal House of Justice, Mr. Lalor expressed the hope that “this oppression from which your fellow believers in Iran continuously suffer will be terminated.”

Copies of the peace statement also were given to the chairman of the Bray Urban District Council and to each visitor to the reception.

The local newspaper, The Bray People, gave the event substantial coverage, using a news release supplied by the Bahá’ís. The headline read, “Bray Bahá’í Members Campaign for World Peace.”

* * *

Each year since the Bray School Project National School opened in 1981 the school has been closed on November 12 in recognition of the anniversary of the Birth of Bahá’u’lláh, one of three Holy Days noted during the school year.

The Bray School Project is the second multi-denominational school in the Republic of Ireland. In 1981 there were 80 students enrolled, six of whom were Bahá’ís. Today there are 280 students, eight of whom are Bahá’ís.

Non-Bahá’í children are welcome to attend the Bahá’í instruction class, and one non-Bahá’í girl joins the Bahá’í children every week.

Bahá’ís presently enrolled in the school are Claire Dawson, Sara and Ella Costelloe, Layla O’Mara, Finuala and Seanie O’Brien, and Natalie and Justin Rooney. The teacher in the Bahá’í class is Lesley Taherzadeh.

Sierra Leone

A Chiefdom near Bo in Sierra Leone has been opened to the Faith through the efforts of three local Bahá’ís, Dr. Isatou Hyde-Forster, Alfred Modmodu and Martin Juana.

With Mr. Modmodu translating, Dr. Hyde-Forster introduced the Faith to about 100 people of the region including the Paramount Chief, the Chiefdom Speaker, section chiefs, town chiefs, elders and villagers.

The reception was favorable and ended with the Bahá’ís being welcomed to carry the Message of Bahá’u’lláh throughout the Chiefdom.

[Page 18]

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