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| Bahá’í News | December 1987 | Bahá’í Year 144 |
Louis Gregory Institute
holds Peace Fest ’87
On the cover: World-renowned jazz trumpeter John Birks (Dizzy) Gillespie leads the 16-member ‘Bahá’í Peace Orchestra’ during Peace Fest ’87, a four-day event held in September at the Louis G. Gregory Bahá’í Institute near Hemingway, South Carolina. Another highlight was the presentation of a Peace Award to South Carolina Attorney General Travis Medlock. A complete report of the festival begins on page 2.
Bahá’í News[edit]
Exciting teaching news is received from Taiwan, Nigeria and Canada | 1 |
‘Peace Orchestra’ makes debut at Gregory Institute’s Peace Fest ’87 | 2 |
More than 350 attend Association for Bahá’í Studies’ 12th Conference | 6 |
‘Service Entrance’ is theme of 28th annual Green Lake Conference | 11 |
Around the world: News from Bahá’í communities all over the globe | 14 |
World Centre[edit]
Nearly 450 new believers are enrolled in Taiwan; large-scale efforts undertaken in Nigeria, Canada[edit]
DELIGHTED SHARE FOLLOWING TELEX RECEIVED FROM NATIONAL ASSEMBLY TAIWAN:
QUOTE NSA OVERJOYED TO INFORM SUPREME INSTITUTION THAT TWO AND HALF YEARS OF PERSISTENCE ON PART OF NSA TO LAUNCH TEACHING PROGRAM AIMED AT ENROLLING LARGE NUMBER OF BELIEVERS HAS COME TO FRUITION. NEARLY 450 NEW BELIEVERS DECLARED SINCE INCEPTION MUHAJIR TEACHING PROJECT LATE MAY 1987, 420 OF WHOM ENTERED FAITH SINCE JUNE 19, REPRESENTING OVER 28 PERCENT INCREASE TOTAL NUMBER BAHÁ’ÍS TAIWAN SO FAR. AVERAGE OF 10-15 NEW BELIEVERS EACH DAY ARE ENROLLING. DEEPENING CLASSES ATTENDED BY 10 OR 15 NEW BELIEVERS OCCUR REGULARLY. MASS CONSOLIDATION PROGRAM THROUGH 14 ‘NOVA’ BAHÁ’Í VIDEO PROGRAMS DUBBED INTO CHINESE BEGINS NEXT WEEK. TEACHING DONE WITH CARE AND APPLICATION HOUSE JUSTICE INSTRUCTIONS MASS TEACHING PROGRAM. NSA FULLY CONCERNED ABOUT CONSOLIDATION, SPENT MOST OF ITS LAST WEEKEND MEETING ON WAYS AND MEANS TO ENSURE THE MASS CONSOLIDATION DONE IN PROPER WAY. NSA FEELS OUTSIDE ASSISTANCE IN TERMS OF PIONEER TO HELP CONSOLIDATE NEW COMMUNITIES IS MUCH NEEDED. OUR EFFORTS IN RECRUITING NEW PIONEER HAVE INCREASED. ANY GUIDANCE AND HELP GREATLY NEEDED.
NSA IS SPONSORING A TEACHING INSTITUTE ON AUGUST 30 IN CENTRAL TAIWAN WITH PURPOSE EXPLAINING MASS TEACHING PROCESS TO ALL FRIENDS TAIWAN. SPIRIT ECSTATIC. NSA AND NTC IN FULL CHARGE OF EVENT. 7 NEW LSA’S FORMED, 17 NEW LOCALITIES OPENED SINCE RIDVÁN RESULTING THE FIRST ACHIEVEMENT OF LOCALITY GOAL (15) OF THE 1ST PHASE OF SIX YEAR PLAN. FULFILLMENT GOALS WELL IN SIGHT. HUMBLY BESEECHING PRAYERS HOLY SHRINES OUR BEHALF.
LOVING BAHÁ’Í GREETINGS, NSA TAIWAN UNQUOTE
SEPTEMBER 23, 1987
DELIGHTED SHARE FOLLOWING EXCERPT FROM TELEX FROM NATIONAL ASSEMBLY OF NIGERIA REPORTING TEACHING ACTIVITIES UNDERTAKEN BY YOUTH:
QUOTE ... SIX YOUTH JOINED WEEK-LONG TEACHING PROJECT IN BALOGUN NEAR IFE, OYO STATE, AUG. 17-22. ENROLLED 802 MAJORITY YORUBA TRIBE INCLUDING 80 WOMEN. TEAM STAYED IN HOME OF A LOCAL BAHÁ’Í, WALKED TO 5 VILLAGES, FORMED 3 NEW LSA’S AND STRENGTHENED 2 EXISTING COMMUNITIES. THE YOUTH WHO HAD ATTENDED SAMUEL BAKARE TEACHING PROJECT AND USED THE SAME METHOD INCLUDED COORDINATOR SUNDAY EGWU, SARAFA AMUDA, FATAI ADESINA, SOLOMON WARISO AND KEMI. UNQUOTE
SEPTEMBER 23, 1987
WE ARE HAPPY TO SEND FURTHER NEWS OF UNPRECEDENTED SUCCESS OF TEACHING/CONSOLIDATION ENDEAVORS. THE FOLLOWING MESSAGE HAS BEEN RECEIVED FROM THE NATIONAL SPIRITUAL ASSEMBLY OF CANADA:
QUOTE DELIGHTED TO INFORM THE UNIVERSAL HOUSE OF JUSTICE OF RECENT TEACHING AND CONSOLIDATION EFFORTS IN THE FORT VERMILION AREA OF ALBERTA. IN THIS REMOTE PART OF CANADA, DURING THE PAST FEW MONTHS, THROUGH THE EFFORTS OF A FEW DEDICATED BAHÁ’Í PIONEERS AND TRAVELING TEACHERS, OVER 120 PEOPLE HAVE BECOME BAHÁ’ÍS, RAISING THE NUMBER OF BAHÁ’ÍS IN THIS REGION TO 300 IN THE SPAN OF A FEW SHORT YEARS. THESE NEW BELIEVERS ARE ALMOST EXCLUSIVELY FROM THE NATIVE POPULATION OF CANADA. THE MOST RECENT DECLARANTS CAME TO THE FAITH AS A RESULT OF DEEPENING AND TEACHING EFFORTS LAUNCHED THIS SUMMER IN THE MEMORY OF GOL AIDUN. A RECENT LETTER FROM ONE OF THE PIONEERS, EUNICE HITCHCOCK, READS IN PART:
“JOHN D’OR (A NEWLY-DECLARED NATIVE BAHÁ’Í) IS ON FIRE....JOHN IS DEAF SINCE BIRTH AND SPEAKS SIGN....IT IS VERY SPIRITUAL TO WATCH HIM TEACH, AND HE DOES IT THOROUGHLY USING THE TEACHING BOOK AND NATIVE SIGN. IT IS A DEMONSTRATION OF THE POWER IN THIS FAITH THAT THE MUTE CAN TEACH THE CAUSE OF GOD....”
WE BESEECH THE SUPREME BODY FOR PRAYERS ON BEHALF OF THE CANADIAN BAHÁ’Í COMMUNITY FOR SUCCESS IN THE ALL-IMPORTANT TEACHING FIELD. UNQUOTE
SEPTEMBER 23, 1987
United States[edit]
Gregory Institute hosts Peace Fest ’87[edit]
The presentation of a new Peace Award to the Attorney General of South Carolina and the first two performances of a 16-member Bahá’í “Peace Orchestra” were among the highlights of Peace Fest ’87 held September 16-19 at the Louis Gregory Bahá’í Institute near Hemingway, South Carolina.
The second annual Peace Festival also featured Gospel singing, dance, contemporary music, an international buffet, excellent speakers, and special recognition ceremonies.
The four-day event began September 16 with a jazz concert attended by some 350 Bahá’ís and their guests who saw and heard the premier performance of the Peace Orchestra, composed almost entirely of Bahá’ís from across the country and led by internationally acclaimed trumpeter John Birks (Dizzy) Gillespie.
Prior to the performance, Mr. Gillespie was presented the first Louis G. Gregory “Ambassador of Peace” Award.
The program that evening consisted primarily of Mr. Gillespie’s own musical compositions and arrangements.
Also on the program Wednesday evening was Palmetto Jazz, a group from Columbia.
The Peace Orchestra performed again the following evening, this time under the leadership of its coordinator, Marvin (Doc) Holladay, a Bahá’í from Rochester, Michigan, who has played saxophone with some of the outstanding big bands in the country including those led by Stan Kenton, Woody Herman, Tommy Dorsey, Benny Carter, Gerald Wilson and others.
For its second concert the orchestra turned to arrangements by a variety of well-known artists including charts by Thad Jones, Frank Foster, Marian McPartland and Don Sebesky.
Robert Cook (center), deputy Attorney General of South Carolina, accepts a Bahá’í Peace Award on behalf of Attorney General Travis Medlock from Dr. Roy Jones, director of the Louis G. Gregory Bahá’í Institute.
Mr. Holladay, the orchestra’s coordinator, plays baritone saxophone and is an associate professor of music at Oakland University in Rochester, Michigan.
The other members of the group, most of whom performed at both concerts, include:
Trumpets—Greg Ives, Warren Kime, Roger Lewis, Paul Seaforth.
Trombones—Ed Craft (bass), Scott Crum, Charlie Lee, Todd Lowery, Jim Tangney.
Saxophones—Jay Corre, Don Erdman, Roger Hogan, Daryl Lowery, Ben White.
Piano—Mike Longo (Wednesday), Charlie Glick (Thursday). Drums—Sherman Ferguson. Bass—Derrick Jordan-Polk.
Members of the Peace Orchestra, all but four of whom are Bahá’ís, represent a wide range of ages and have an impressive array of professional credentials, having played with such bands as those led by Harry James, Benny Goodman, Woody Herman, Stan Kenton, Buddy Rich, Nelson Riddle, Lionel Hampton, Tex Beneke, Ray Anthony, Ralph Marterie, Benny Carter, Mercer Ellington, Quincy Jones, Gerald Wilson, Manny Albam, Thad Jones-Mel Lewis, Larry Elgart, and many others.
Besides performing with guitarist Kenny Burrell, trumpeters Bobby Shew and Shorty Rogers, saxophonist Benny Carter and others, drummer Sherman Ferguson of Los Angeles, who became a Bahá’í last year, has been an actor on television and appears in four episodes of the current NBC-TV series “The Days and Nights of Molly Dodd.”
Trombonist Todd Lowery, one of the younger members of the orchestra
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Trumpeter John (Dizzy) Gillespie leads the Bahá’í ‘Peace Orchestra’ at Peace Fest ’87 in South Carolina.
at age 20, is a student at the Eastman School of Music in Rochester, New York; his brother, Daryl, teaches at the Berklee School in Boston.
Another teacher is trumpeter Roger Lewis who played professionally for 21 years before settling down to teach at Wichita State University in Kansas where he directs the school’s jazz ensemble.
Roger Hogan, a much sought-after musician on the West Coast, is a former member of the Airmen of Note, the official jazz ensemble of the U.S. Air Force, and performed in the television version of “Ain’t Misbehavin’,” the story of the life of legendary pianist Fats Waller.
Trumpeter Paul Seaforth, with fellow musician and Bahá’í Rob Jenkins, has recorded a tape for Kalimát Press entitled “Dove.” Seaforth and Jenkins are popular performers at Bahá’í-sponsored events on the West Coast.
The idea for the Peace Orchestra sprang from last year’s Peace Fest at the Gregory Institute during which Dizzy Gillespie performed with a small group consisting of some musicians from New York City along with saxophonists Doc Holladay and Don Erdman.
Both Messrs. Gillespie and Holladay would like to see the Peace Orchestra become a permanent musical organization.
Mr. Holladay says that although the membership of the orchestra may change, as indeed it did to some extent during Peace Fest ’87, he hopes that the concept and the orchestra itself can continue in some form.
On Friday, September 18, a Gospel jubilee, which lasted more than four hours, brought members of the audience to their feet to sing and clap along with seven top-flight Gospel groups.
The entertainment began with a performance by the newly formed Louis Gregory Bahá’í Choir composed of area believers representing a wide range of ages.
Following the Gregory Choir onstage were the Andrews Community Choir, Sam and the Exciting Linen Singers, the Super Bowl of Gospel (three groups), and the Brown Brothers.
At the conclusion of the program, which continued until after midnight, Gospel singers and members of the audience carrying lighted candles formed a circle of unity around the large tent and sang songs of peace.
Then Dr. William Roberts, an Auxiliary Board member from Springfield, Massachusetts, read prayers of unity from the Bahá’í Writings.
On Saturday, Dr. Robert Henderson, secretary of the National Spiritual Assembly, was the first speaker during
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Dr. Robert C. Henderson, secretary of
the National Spiritual Assembly, addresses the audience at Peace Fest ’87.
Above: The Peace Orchestra’s trombone section plays a unison passage. Below: Trumpeters Paul Seaforth (left) and Warren Kime.
an inter-religious panel discussion on religion’s role in bringing about peace.
Dr. Henderson told the audience of about 200 that we must move beyond the artificial separation of people based on skin color and achieve the unity of races “at the kitchen table and on the sofa.”
In describing the need to eliminate the disparity of rich and poor, he used as an illustration the disaster which befell the S.S. Titanic in 1912, pointing out that although there were both rich and poor passengers on the ill-fated ship, its sinking took the lives of both the wealthy and those of more modest means.
Referring to humanity as a whole, Dr. Henderson said, “If there’s a hole in the boat, we will all go down.”
Other prerequisites to peace that must be addressed, he said, include elimination of the inequality between men and women, the need for universal education, and elimination of unbridled nationalism and religious strife.
The second speaker on the panel, which was moderated by Dr. Roberts, was Dr. Howard McClain, a research fellow at the Institute for Southern Studies at the University of South Carolina, who spoke of peace efforts being developed within the Southern Baptist Assembly.
Pastors must give peace a continuing emphasis, he said, and their congregations must pick up this rhetoric.
Love conquers all, but hatred destroys all in its path, said the third speaker, Imam Hakim Abdu’l-Ali, a Sunni Muslim and head of the Islamic Society of Charleston.
The Imam used the example of a relay race to explain that in order to
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overcome racism, people must pass the
baton of love from one person to another, and emphasized the role of religion in the peace process by using quotations from the Qur’án.
Later in the program, Dr. Roy Jones, director of the Louis Gregory Bahá’í Institute, presented the Institute’s first Peace Award to Attorney General Travis Medlock, recognizing his initiative in working to eliminate drug abuse in South Carolina through the “Be Free to Succeed” program.
The plaque was accepted for Mr. Medlock by deputy Attorney General Robert Cook, who spoke favorably about the Faith’s strong anti-drug position.
The “Be Free to Succeed” program was described to the audience by Casey Manning, an assistant to the Attorney General and former star basketball player at the University of South Carolina who heads the state’s drug task force.
This final day of Peace Fest ’87 included an international buffet luncheon with outstanding cuisine from five continents for all those attending, and entertainment by the Ilu African Drummers and Umoja Dancers from Charleston; the Atlanta Bahá’í Youth Workshop; “Bahá’í Brothers,” a youth rap presentation by young believers from Kingstree and Florence; and music by a rock band known as The Educators.
The Gregory Institute received from Gov. Carroll Campbell Jr. of South Carolina a proclamation designating September 14-20 as “Peace Week” in the state.
It was estimated that about 85 per cent of the 800 people who attended all or a part of Peace Fest ’87 were not Bahá’ís.
Drummer Sherman Ferguson drives the Peace Orchestra forward.
Baritone saxophonist Marvin (Doc) Holladay, coordinator of the Bahá’í Peace Orchestra, takes a solo turn at Peace Fest ’87.
The debut performance of the Louis Gregory Bahá’í Choir.
Conference[edit]
ABS holds 12th gathering at Princeton[edit]
More than 350 people gathered October 22-25 in Princeton, New Jersey, for the 12th annual Conference of the Association for Bahá’í Studies.
The focus of this year’s event was the “Converging Realities” of science, religion and the humanities.
Featured speakers at the plenary sessions presented papers on various topics which were later discussed by panels of respondents.
Among the speakers were two members of the Continental Board of Counsellors in the Americas: Dr. Farzam Arbáb, director of FUNDEAC, an educational and rural development program in Cali, Colombia; and Donald Rogers, a professor of fine arts at the University of Saskatchewan in Saskatoon, Canada.
Other featured speakers included:
- Dr. Ervin Laszlo of Pisa, Italy, a member of the Club of Rome and editor-in-chief of the World Peace Encyclopedia.
Photographs by Laura Hildreth, Don Camp, Al Burley and Spud Grammar.
- Douglas Martin, director general of the Office of Public Information at the Bahá’í World Centre in Haifa, Israel.
- Dr. Anatol Rapoport, Peace Chair professor at the University of Toronto, Canada, and president of Science for Peace.
- Dr. June Thomas, an Auxiliary Board member in the U.S. and associate professor in the Urban Planning Program at Michigan State University.
- Dr. Lowell W. Livezey, director of the undergraduate program at the Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs at Princeton University.
- Dr. Karl H. Pribram of the Department of Psychology, Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at Stanford University.
A plenary session at the 12th annual Conference of the Association for Bahá’í Studies with panelists (left to right) Ervin Laszlo, Glen Eyford, Ross Woodman, William Hatcher, Karl Pribram and George Land.
- Dr. Hossain B. Danesh, chairman of the executive committee of the Association for Bahá’í Studies and secretary of the National Spiritual Assembly of Canada.
- Dr. George Land of Paradise Valley, Arizona, a general systems theorist and Senior Fellow at the University of Minnesota.
- Dr. William Hatcher, professor of mathematics at Laval University, Quebec, and chairman of the National Spiritual Assembly of Canada.
- Dr. Ross Woodman, professor of literature at the University of Western Ontario, London.
- John Fobes of Washington, D.C., a member of the Club of Rome.
The Conference was preceded by the annual Members’ Meeting, which was chaired by Dr. Hatcher and attended by 155 people who were treated to two hours of lively consultation.
Plenary sessions were held at Richardson Auditorium in Princeton’s Alexander Hall.
At the first of these, Dr. Danesh presented a welcoming address, then introduced Dr. Livezey and Camm McGuire, a member of the Princeton University Bahá’í Club, both of whom welcomed everyone on behalf of the university.
The plenary sessions were divided into six areas of discussion.
The first of these, entitled “Unity in Diversity: Models for a New World Order,” included an untitled talk by Dr. Laszlo, and “Unity in Diversity: The Bahá’í Model for a New World Order” by Mr. Martin.
Both talks looked at the Bahá’í community as an example for society in building a new World Order.
Dr. Laszlo focused on key problems
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Featured Speakers at the ABS Conference included (left to right) Dr. June Thomas, Douglas Martin, Dr. Ervin Laszlo.
in building such a new society. “I see tremendous potential in the Bahá’í Faith,” he said, “which could trigger cultural and sociological change, leading us not to war but toward integration—unity in diversity.”
Respondents to those papers included Dr. Livezey and Dr. Arbáb who joined the speakers on a panel that addressed questions from the floor.
The second session was on “Overcoming Institutional Violence: Beyond War, Racism and the Denial of Human Rights.”
Papers were presented by Dr. Rapoport (“The Redemption of Science”) and Dr. Thomas (“Poverty and Racism in Urban America”)
Dr. Livezey then presented a paper on “The Role of Human Rights Organizations.”
Respondents to these presentations were Dr. Robert C. Henderson, secretary of the U.S. National Spiritual Assembly, and Dr. Will C. van den Hoonaard, a professor of sociology at the University of New Brunswick, Canada.
In the third session, entitled “New Perspectives on the Nature of Human Reality,” Dr. Pribram spoke on “The Brain: Where Converging Realities Meet,” and Dr. Danesh on “From Dualism to Integration: The Convergence of Body and Soul.”
Respondents were Dr. Rapoport and Dr. Hatcher.
Three speakers then addressed the topic “The Convergence of the Scientific and the Spiritual”: Dr. Land (“The Evolution of Reality: A Transformational View of Science and Spirit”); Dr. Hatcher (“Platonism and Pragmatism”); and Dr. Woodman (“In the Beginning Was the Word”).
The respondents were Dr. Pribram, Dr. Laszlo and Dr. Glen Eyford, a professor in the Department of Adult Education and Developmental Studies at the University of Alberta, Canada.
The fifth session was devoted entirely to an audio-visual presentation by Counsellor Rogers entitled “Art and Spiritual Education” during which he pointed out that, in this Dispensation, the work of an artist in service to humanity has been elevated to the level of worship.
The final session, on “The Human Agenda: An Exchange with the Club of Rome,” included talks by Dr. Laszlo, Dr. Arbáb and Mr. Fobes.
The respondents were Dr. Thomas and Dr. Tapio Varis, rector at the United Nations University for Peace in Escazu, Costa Rica.
Talks on four topics were given in simultaneous sessions:
- “Esperanto vs. English as an International Auxiliary Language” by John T. Dale Jr., a lawyer from Falls Church, Virginia.
- “Resurgence, Convergence and Synthesis” presented by Sheila Banani on behalf of its author, Betty Hoff Conow of Hacienda Heights, California, who was unable to attend the Conference because of illness.
Mrs. Banani is a member of the executive committee of the Association for Bahá’í Studies; Mrs. Conow is the author of Bahá’í: A Resurgent Model of the Universe.
- “Dilemmas and Prospects of Writing a Bahá’í Encyclopedia” by Dr. van den Hoonaard.
- “The Tao of the Middle East” by Amrollah Hemmat of Great Falls, Virginia.
An awards presentation was held to honor those whose papers submitted to the Association showed particular excellence in Bahá’í scholarship.
- University category: Elham Afnan for “The Good of the World and the Happiness of the Nations: A Study of
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Above: An exterior view of Princeton University’s Alexander Hall. Below: Panelists Dr. Farzam Arbáb (left) and Dr. Tapio Varis.
- Modern Utopian and Dystopian Literature.”
- Multi-author category: “The Validity of Human Rights: A Bahá’í Approach,” prepared by Morten Bergsmo, a student of law at the University of Oslo, Norway, and Kishan Monocha, a medical student at St. Bartholomew’s Hospital Medical College in London, England.
- General category: Dr. van den Hoonaard for his paper, “Development and Decline of an Early Canadian Bahá’í Community: St. John, New Brunswick, 1910-1925.”
- Saturday evening concert, “The Moving Spirit,” which was open to the public as well as to Conference participants, included performances by Bahá’í and non-Bahá’í artists.
It began with a performance by santour virtuoso Kiu Haghighi of Glenview, Illinois, and pianist Rosamond Brenner of Wilmette.
Following them were an all-male vocal group, “The Nassoons,” and an all-female group, “The Tigressions,” both composed of Princeton students.
Also performing were two members of the Princeton Mime Workshop who presented skits with such titles as “Mental Floss” and “Dueling Zen.”
Later, Juliet Be Ofiro Menkata, a student at Princeton, read her moving poem entitled “Of War and Peace.”
Other Bahá’ís who entertained at the Conference included pianists Jack Lenz of Goodwood, Ontario, Mark Ochu of St. Cloud, Minnesota, and Matthew Freeman of Marlow, Buckinghamshire, England; vocalists Carol Rutstein of Amherst, Massachusetts, and Nancy Ackerman of Scarborough, Ontario; and violinist Farzad Khozein of Benbrook, Texas.
Those at the Conference especially enjoyed a performance by the newly formed “Bahá’í Studies Choir” made up of courageous members of the audience who, directed by Mr. Freeman and accompanied by Mr. Lenz, presented a spirited rendition of Mr. Lenz’ and Doug Cameron’s composition, “Let It Be This Generation.”
In the past several years, the Association for Bahá’í Studies has established nine professional interest groups within its membership: agriculture, the arts, consultation and conflict resolution, environmental design, health, intercultural issues, marriage and the family, science and technology, and women’s studies.
On October 22, immediately preceding the opening of the 12th annual Conference of the Association, eight of these groups held seminars in Princeton at the Nassau Inn and Hyatt Regency Hotel.
Attendance at these sub-group sessions ranged from about 10 to more than 30.
Papers submitted to the Bahá’í Institute on Agriculture’s session related to the development of an effective, just and sustainable system of agriculture at the local, national and global levels.
The Institute for the Arts welcomed the participation in its session of Counsellor Donald Rogers, a professor of fine arts at the University of Saskatchewan in Saskatoon, Canada.
A meeting was held to discuss the promotion and development of the In-
[Page 9]
stitute for the Arts, which was established to provide a forum in which to
explore the relationship of the Bahá’í
Revelation to the artistic process and
artistic expression.
The seminar held by the Institute for Environmental Design included a talk by Fariburz Sahba, project manager for the Universal House of Justice, on the construction of the Bahá’í House of Worship in India, for which he served as chief architect.
That seminar was combined in midday with the arts seminar. Members of each group shared ideas about how to promote the Bahá’í teachings through their work.
Included in the seminar on Consultation and Conflict Resolution were presentations by Steven Angell of Boston, Massachusetts; Rick Johnson of Winfield, Kansas; Pamela and Dennis Johnson of Eau Claire, Wisconsin; Ted Amsden of Detroit, Michigan; John Cornell of Reedley, California; and Nancy Moore of Ann Arbor, Michigan.
The session conducted by the International Health Agency was geared toward “Current Issues in Health Care.”
The keynote address on primary health care was given by John LeBlanc in collaboration with Dr. Ethel Martens.
The Intercultural Issues group, formed within the past year, did not hold a seminar at the Conference.
The session on Marriage and the Family featured talks by Nossrat Peseschkian of Wiesbaden, West Germany (“The Principles of Positive Psychotherapy and Their Applications to Marriage”) and Dr. Victor de Araujo of New York City (“The Family and the Family of Nations: A Discussion of the UN Work on the Family”).
The seminar on Science and Technology was designed to encourage a dialogue between science and religion, to advance the understanding of technology and its role in the new World Order, and to foster respect and appreciation for the Faith in scientific circles.
At the seminar, Dr. William Hatcher, chairman of the National Spiritual
Princeton University’s Dr. Lowell Livezey presents a paper.
Above: A short break to talk things over. Below: Panelists Anatol Rapoport (left), Will van den Hoonard.
[Page 10]
Architect Fariburz Sahba (left) at a session of the Institute for Environmental Design.
Assembly of Canada, presented a paper titled “Science, Myth and Reality.”
Other talks were given by Michel Duguay of Quebec, Canada; Azar Majidi of Newark, Delaware; Ishrat Naqvi of Regina, Saskatchewan; Gilbert Bartholomew of Deep River, Ontario; and Brian Aull of Lexington, Massachusetts.
The seminar on Women’s Studies was focused on issues relating to the equality of men and women, women’s studies as an academic discipline, and the role of women in establishing peace.
The speakers included:
- Hoda Mahmoudi of Santa Monica, California (“Bahá’í Concepts of Equality: Exploration and Interpretation” and “From Oppression to Equality: The Emergence of a Feminist Perspective”).
- Judith Filson of Toronto, Ontario (“Reflections on the Bahá’í Principle of Equality”).
- June Remignante of Eliot, Maine (“Women, the Primary Educators: Meaning and Application in Light of the Bahá’í Concept of Equality” and “Being a Primary Educator: First Principles in a Global Context”).
- Robin Chandler of Arlington, Massachusetts (“The Endangered Species: Parenthood and Motherhood—Builders of the Generations”).
Respondents to those talks included Elizabeth and Michael Rochester of St. Johns, Newfoundland; Richard DaBell of Santa Monica, California; and Bahíyyih Nakhjavání of Washington, D.C.
Two new interest groups were established at the Conference. One will focus on the study of economics, the other on education.
Among the entertainers was santour virtuoso Kiu Haghighi accompanied by pianist Rosamond Brenner.
United States[edit]
Nearly 1,200 at Green Lake Conference[edit]
The nearly 1,200 people who gathered September 18-20 for the 28th annual Green Lake Bahá’í Conference at the American Baptist Assembly center in Green Lake, Wisconsin, were asked to “Please Use the Service Entrance” because, as the 75th anniversary of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá’s historic visit to North America was being celebrated across the country, living a life of service to the Cause as exemplified by the Master was the central theme of the world’s largest annual Bahá’í conference.
Bahá’ís and their guests enjoyed talks by a number of outstanding speakers, and attended a variety of optional Saturday afternoon sessions, each of which concerned some aspect of service to the Cause of God.
In helping the friends to prepare themselves for service, Counsellor Robert Harris quoted the late Hand of the Cause of God Rahmátu’lláh Muhájir: “Don’t wait until it’s convenient to serve. The opportunities will not be there if you wait.
“The day will come when you’ll be ready to serve the Faith; you’ll go to the Bahá’í Center and say, ‘Please, let me sweep the floor!’ And you’ll be told, ‘Sorry, all the brooms are busy now!’
“We have the vision,” Counsellor Harris added, “the dream of world peace, and we have the Source of power to bring it about.
“We must serve mankind; give the world this dream that’s in our hearts. Let’s do it now, because when we feel like doing it, all the brooms may be busy.”
Other featured speakers at Green Lake were Dr. Jane Faily, a member of the National Spiritual Assembly of Canada; Auxiliary Board member Morris Taylor; Ernestine Berkey, representing the Bahá’í National Committee on Women; Dr. Manuchehr Derakhshani, secretary of the National Persian/American Affairs Committee; and Dr. Daryush Haghighi, a Trustee of the Huqúqu’lláh.
Counsellor Robert Harris conducts a class on ‘The Covenant’ during the 28th annual Green Lake Bahá’í Conference.
Dr. Faily, speaking on “Servitude,” observed that we have been given the opportunity to serve during the Six Year Plan, 1986-1992, which coincides with the hundredth anniversary of the last six years of Bahá’u’lláh’s life.
During that time, she said, Bahá’u’lláh had left the prison-city of ‘Akká and was living in the mansion of Bahjí, where He wrote the Epistle to the Son of the Wolf, a warning to the people, calling them to account.
“The Universal House of Justice,” she said, “has said that the Faith has emerged from obscurity. Even as Bahá’u’lláh left the Most Great Prison, we have now emerged from the prison of obscurity.
“In ‘The Promise of World Peace,’ the House of Justice addresses the peoples of the world, repeating the warnings given by Bahá’u’lláh. Like Bahá’u’lláh, Who summed the people to achieve their salvation, the Universal House of Justice summons the people of the world to achieve peace.
“The old world order is crumbling around us. We have been given the opportunity to serve before the establishment of the Lesser Peace. We have a chance to respond to the agony of a world torn by racism. Let us seize this path of service; let us long to be servants!”
Mr. Taylor spoke about the possibilities of extraordinary Bahá’í communities, describing the unique and impressive nature of the Bahá’í world community.
“When we look at the big picture,”
[Page 12]
he said, “what we are able to achieve
seems quite incredible, yet on the local
level, the global perspective is not always apparent to the friends.”
The challenge before us now, he said, is to use that power inherent in the Faith to do things that are “a little less spectacular,” in other words, to meet the challenges we deal with every day in the local community.
“Through the development of healthy Bahá’í communities, building and maintaining strong relationships, and nurturing a distinctive Bahá’í spirit in our large and diverse family,” said Mr. Taylor, “we can demonstrate to the world that our vision is indeed becoming a reality.”
Mrs. Berkey’s two addresses were entitled “Service Above and Beyond the Call” and “The Maidservants of Bahá’u’lláh.”
We need to ask ourselves, she said, “how we can best serve to help bring about the maturity of the Faith.
“It would be nice,” she added, “if, as the Faith emerges from obscurity, we as Bahá’ís would follow it and emerge also.”
In addition to the speakers, the main sessions included entertainment and two splendid audio-visual presentations.
Anne Atkinson of Wilmette, Illinois, delighted everyone with “The Lotus,” a slide presentation on the House of
A song by vocalist George Davis of Rockford, Illinois.
Above: The costume party at Green Lake was a ‘knight’ to remember. Below: Pianist Mark Ochu entertains. Bottom: One of the 16 optional Saturday afternoon sessions which covered a wide variety of topics.
[Page 13]
Left: Jane Faily, a member of the National Spiritual Assembly of Canada, addresses the conference. Right: Let’s see if you’re ticklish!
Worship in India produced by Charles Nolley at the Bahá’í National Center, while Ben Levy of Lake Mary, Florida, presented a compilation of slides on “The Guardian: A Life of Service.”
The Green Lake bookstore included many new titles as well as new editions of old favorites.
A series of “peace posters” made by children was displayed, and a new feature was a slide presentation on “Service at the Bahá’í National Center,” produced by its Department of Human Resources.
This year’s 16 optional Saturday afternoon sessions were given titles which aptly described various ways in which to serve.
Counsellor Harris also addressed a special session for youth, saying today’s young people feel they are living in “Disney World.”
“They need to be allowed to travel to other countries where they can truly experience life,” he said. “They need to be shown those who are truly in need, so that their Bahá’í hearts can respond to that need and they can learn how to serve.”
The younger children took part in a variety of activities including a “nature hike.” They enjoyed an afternoon in the kitchen baking cookies and a large “bread-person” which was the hit of their Sunday morning party, at which they shared the products of their endeavors.
The musical presentations at Green Lake are always splendid, and this year was no exception.
The friends enjoyed music by guitarist Mark Spittal; singers Phyllis Peterson, Becky Rice, Jill Simon, George Davis, Donna Kime, and “Songstone,” a quartet from Milwaukee, Wisconsin; pianist Mark Ochu; and the santour-piano duo of Kiu Haghighi and Rosamond Brenner.
Also greatly appreciated were eloquent speeches by three young Bahá’ís, Erin Bodan, Errol Doris Jr. and Saba Firoozi; and dramatic performances by Anne Atkinson, Michelle Broussard and Gregory Gaboo.
Following Saturday evening’s session, many of the friends gathered at the Green Lake Barn for a gala dance and costume party, “Everybody Loves Saturday Knight,” whose theme was medieval but whose music was definitely modern.
Many of the friends came dressed as their favorite medieval “pun,” and enjoyed dancing and fellowship far into the “knight.”
The Green Lake ‘bread-person,’ freshly baked by the children, is cut into more manageable pieces by parents and other adults before the Saturday morning party at which he was the main attraction.
The world[edit]
Gathering focuses on equality of sexes[edit]
Fostering equality between the sexes was the focus of consultation held August 14-15 at the Bahá’í International Community’s offices in New York City at which members of the United Nations Representative’s Office and the Public Information Office staff met with representatives of the National Spiritual Assemblies of Canada and the United States. Also taking part were several development specialists who contributed to the effort to set agendas and establish relationships among Bahá’í agencies on the issue of the advancement of women.
The Bahá’í International Community has established the topic of equality of men and women as a top priority for the remainder of the Six Year Plan. A recent focus statement from the BIC says in part: “... There are no grounds, moral, practical or biological, upon which the denial of full equality between the sexes can be justified. Reflecting the key role which the Bahá’í teachings envision women playing in the achievement of world peace, the Community will give a high priority to this aspect of its work.”
The session in New York marked the first attempt to address that statement, and was judged by participants to be extremely successful. Topics raised included:
- The importance of men’s activities in bringing about equality between the sexes.
- The need to identify specialists and institutions within the worldwide Bahá’í community to assist efforts at the UN and elsewhere.
- The importance of focusing the Bahá’í International Community’s efforts on the Third World where needs are clear and immediate.
- The need to promote scholarly study of women’s issues within and outside the Bahá’í community.
Those taking part in the consultation were Dr. Victor de Araujo, Mary Sawicki and Paul Ojermark of the BIC’s UN Office; Counsellor Wilma Brady, administrator-general of the New York and Geneva offices of the BIC; Giovanni Ballerio from the Geneva office; Hugh Locke and Brad Pokorny of the Office of Public Information; Nancy Ackerman from the Bahá’í National Center of Canada; Wallace Carter from the U.S. Bahá’í Office of Public Affairs; Dr. Jane Faily, a member of the National Spiritual Assembly of Canada; special consultants Thelma Khelghati, Mona Grieser and Betty de Araujo; and Sara Harrington and Claudia Gold from the BIC office in New York.
Panama[edit]
Pictured during its dedication ceremony last February 28 is the Muhájir Institute building at the Guaymi Cultural Center in Boca de Soloy, Panama. About 3,000 Guaymies attended with representatives of the government of Panama, general chiefs from three provinces, and people from nine indigenous tribes in six countries. The entire ceremony was broadcast live on radio.
Leeward Islands[edit]
Antigua was host last August 10-15 to the first Bahá’í Caribbean Youth Conference.
Thirty-one young people from 13 countries were joined at the conference by Counsellor Donald Rogers of Canada who was present for much of the consultation and shared the Counsellors’ aspirations for the Caribbean youth.
The main topic of discussion was the goals of the Six Year Plan. The problems and rewards of teaching were also discussed in depth.
Japan[edit]
To emphasize the importance of world peace and the peace message from the Universal House of Justice, the Spiritual Assembly of Utsonomiya, Japan, sponsored its third annual World Peace Day celebration September 20. The barbecue picnic, followed by a ‘Mini Peace Expo,’ was attended by 60 people, 37 of whom were not Bahá’ís. Besides the Mini Expo, the program included prayers, songs and messages of peace.
“The Bridge to World Peace” was the theme of Japan’s 1987 Bahá’í Summer School, held August 7-9 on the island of Shikoku and attended by 105 Bahá’ís and 10 guests.
Appropriately, the lovely setting in the hills outside the city was in full view of “The Great Bridge Over the Inland Sea,” a 13-km bridge under construction that will introduce rail and vehicular transport between Shikoku and the main island of Honshu.
The mayor of Takamatsu, Nobuo Waki, attended an evening program at the school and gave a sympathetic talk on the prospects for world peace. Mayor Waki has helped the Bahá’ís many times since receiving a copy of the peace statement.
On August 21-26, the Bahá’ís of Nishi Cugoku, Japan, staged an International Peace Festival in one of the largest shopping centers in Yamaguchi Prefecture, leading to good public exposure for the Faith and the enrollments of one adult, three youth and four children.
An exhibit included UNICEF panels illustrating the present condition of the world; panels with excerpts from the peace statement; hand-made illustrations of the principles of the Faith; Japanese haiku poems on themes of peace; photographs of Bahá’í Holy Places, Houses of Worship, and Bahá’í activities around the world; 90 pictures on peace themes drawn by kindergarten children; lovely traditional Japanese flower arrangements; peace banners, flags and postcards from the Australian Bahá’í Peace Expo; and a display of Bahá’í books.
In addition to the extensive display, which filled 2,000 square feet of floor space, a variety of events held all week were attended by 200 people.
Outstanding among these were performances Saturday and Sunday by Janet Maloney, a Bahá’í from Tokyo who is a nationally known television personality.
There were also daily showings of the video tape “The Promise of World Peace.”
Sri Lanka[edit]
Every locality in one administrative district of Sri Lanka was opened to the Faith by the Anwer Cadir Teaching Project which began in January 1987 in the Kegalle District.
The campaign, named in honor of an early Bahá’í in Sri Lanka who died in 1981, was begun by the Anwer Cadir family and is funded and supported by local Bahá’ís.
One special aspect of the campaign has been the consistent effort to contact local officials, proclaim the Faith, and deliver copies of the peace statement before proceeding to teach in the villages. As a result, in some cases these same dignitaries have embraced the Faith.
Among the 217 people enrolled so far during the campaign are members of local government, school teachers and principals, physicians and postmasters.
The National Spiritual Assembly has appointed a Regional Teaching Committee to help consolidate these victories.
Spain[edit]
One hundred-seventy Persian-speaking Bahá’ís, some from other countries, met recently in Liria, Spain, for the first Persian Bahá’í School to be held in that country.
Counsellor Adib Taherzadeh was present, and a special message from the National Spiritual Assembly was read.
Poland[edit]
The 72nd Universal Esperanto Congress was held July 25-August 1 in Warsaw, Poland, the birthplace of Dr. Ludwig Zamenhof (1859-1917) who invented the Esperanto language 100 years ago.
Forty-five Bahá’ís from 16 countries were among the 6,000 Esperantists, mostly from Eastern Europe, who attended the Congress. The Bahá’ís came principally from Europe—Belgium, France, Finland, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Sweden, Switzerland and the United Kingdom—with the largest group, 19, coming from the Federal Republic of Germany. Other countries represented by the Bahá’ís were the Central African Republic, Iceland, Japan, Togo, and the United States.
Dr. Wendy Heller, author of Lidia: The Life of Lidia Zamenhof, Daughter of Esperanto, presented a talk at which some 750 people were given copies of an article by Dr. Zamenhof’s daughter, Lidia, entitled “Bahaiismo: Religio de Paco.” Another meeting, which included a slide program and discussion of the Faith, drew an audience of 250.
Members of the administrative committee of Bahaa Esperanto-Ligo arranged for an information desk and display of Bahá’í publications in Esperanto in the main hall of the Palace of Science and Culture in Warsaw, and also arranged for the sale of Bahá’í literature at the official Congress bookshop. About 3,000 copies of “The Pathway to Peace” were given out as well as 4,000 copies of a shortened version of the Universal House of Justice’s peace statement. In all, some 5,000 Bahá’í books in Esperanto were either sold or presented as gifts.
Reports from several participants agree on the overwhelming interest shown the official Bahá’í exhibit, observing that serious inquiries about the Faith had never before been so numerous at an Esperanto Congress.
Plans are under way for Bahá’í participation in the next Universal Congress to be held in Rotterdam in 1988.
The 43rd Esperanto Youth Congress, held July 17-24 in Krakow, Poland, was attended by about 1,500 people from countries around the world. Among them were 13 Bahá’ís from Europe and two from Africa.
Pictured are some of the 45 Bahá’ís from 16 countries who attended the 72nd Universal Esperanto Congress last July 25-August 1 at the Palace of Culture and Science in Warsaw, Poland.
The Bahá’í youth met several times during the Congress for prayers and consultation.
On the morning of July 19, a lecture to be given on the Faith was announced at the plenary session. About 100 people came to hear the talk by Dietrich Weidmann, and afterward asked many interesting questions.
One of the Congress-goers noted during the International Evening that the Bahá’í group was the only one comprised of people of various races.
Costa Rica[edit]
Five Bahá’í professionals visited Costa Rica last July to take part in a seminar on Family Education for Peace at the University for Peace in San Jose.
Dr. Hossain Danesh, a psychiatrist from Canada who is secretary of that country’s National Spiritual Assembly, read a paper titled “Educational Dynamics in the Family and their Impact on Raising Peace-Loving Children.”
Other Bahá’ís who presented papers on related topics were Dr. John Woodall, a psychiatrist from California; Mrs. Meredith Norwood, a school psychologist from Texas; Dr. Homa Mahmoudi, a sociologist from California; and Dr. Richard DaBell, a clinical psychologist, also from California.
More than 200 people, less than half of whom were Bahá’ís, attended the lecture series, which was co-sponsored by the Society of Friends (Quakers).
At a public meeting at the Bahá’í National Center, Mrs. Norwood spoke on “The Family as Peace-Maker.”
The Bahá’í National Education Committee sponsored a one-day Family Life Institute which drew about 90 people including several Guaymi and Bri-Bri Indians. Dr. Woodall spoke on “Youth and the Vision of Love.”
Also speaking at that session were Auxiliary Board member Richard Mirkovich (“Decision-Making in Marriage”) and Dr. Danesh (“Raising Peaceful Children”).
News of the seminar was carried on Peace Satellite Radio, and five newspapers in San Jose publicized the Bahá’í-sponsored events held in conjunction with the peace seminar.
USSR[edit]
Three Bahá’ís were among the 2,000 women who attended the World Congress of Women held June 23-27 in Moscow, which was called to follow up the Nairobi Conference of 1985 to assess progress in the “Forward-Looking Strategies” adopted at that time. The theme of the Moscow conference was “Toward 2000 Without Nuclear Weapons! For Peace, Equality, and Development!”
Lois Hainsworth, a member of the Bahá’í community of Great Britain, was the sole Observer for the National Council of Women of Great Britain. Also attending were two American women, Juana Conrad and Dr. Homa Mahmoudi, both from California.
Soviet General Secretary Mikhail Gorbachev addressed the Congress at its opening session in the Kremlin Palace.
It is women, he said, who more fully and feelingly perceive the absolute priority that preserving peace has above everything else.
“The status of women,” said Mr. Gorbachev, “is a barometer of the level of democracy of any state, an indicator of how much respect is given to human rights. Women have taken up the cause of peace in earnest. And they are a great, inspiring, creative and wonderful force.”
No resolutions were made at the Congress and no votes taken. The floor was Open to anyone who wished to speak at all Commissions and Topic Centre meetings, which participants were free to attend at will.
While the three Bahá’í women attended different meetings during the five-day Congress, all attended a session on Religious Women which surprised the organizers by drawing 150 women to a room where only 24 or so had been expected.
New Zealand[edit]
Bahá’í men in New Zealand emulated their Bahá’í sisters by gathering in “a growing spirit of unity” in the heart of the tribal area of Ngati Tuwharetoa where the first National Women’s Hui (Conference) was held in February 1987.
Participants reported that they are “learning to take our rightful place in an ever-advancing civilization.”
Fiji[edit]
The Lomaivuna Bahá’í Kindergarten opened its doors last July 28 as an official school registered with the Fiji Department of Education.
The school, founded by Philippa Waisu with help from Moce Waisu, had been functioning for nearly five years in an unofficial capacity as a pre-school.
Moce Waisu now teaches at the school while working on pre-school teacher training at an extension of the University of the South Pacific.
A traditional “Sevu Sevu” ceremony was held at the inauguration, to which parents and children were invited.
A government pre-school field officer, the secretary of the National Spiritual Assembly, and the National Assembly’s education coordinator—all women—were seated in positions of honor, entertained by the children, and served the traditional kava by the men of Lomaivuna.
One participant noted that, considering the Fijian culture, it was significant that men were serving women in this age-old ceremony of respect and welcome.
The National Spiritual Assembly of Fiji hopes to open one new pre-school during each year of the Six Year Plan.
Nigeria[edit]
Members of the ‘Bahá’í Peace Makers,’ a football (soccer) team from Oghara, Nigeria, are introduced to the general manager of a local industry that sponsored the team during a local government soccer competition last June. The company provided red jerseys bearing the team’s name and a nine-pointed star. The Peace Makers lost in the semifinals but won the hearts of many through their good sportsmanship.
from the Lotus |
| Music from the Dedication |
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