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| Bahá’í News | July 1989 | Bahá’í Year 146 |
The Sacred Literature Trust
On the cover: Pictured are symbols of the world’s eight major religions that are included as participants in the International Sacred Literature Trust, one of the most ambitious interfaith projects ever undertaken. The Trust, which will bring together, for the first time, scholars and literary figures from the world’s major religious communities in an effort to produce the most accurate new English translations of their faiths’ key texts, was introduced May 22 at United Nations headquarters in New York City by one of its originators, HRH Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh. From left to right, top to bottom, in alphabetical order, the symbols represent the Bahá’í Faith, Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism, Islam, Judaism, Sikkism and Taoism. An article about the Sacred Literature Trust is on page 1.
Bahá’í News[edit]
Faith is one of eight major religions in new Sacred Literature Trust | 1 |
‘Trail of Light’ teaching team spends three weeks in Bolivia, Peru | 2 |
Around the world: News from Bahá’í communities all over the globe | 10 |
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 Management Information Systems, 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 in U.S. dollars must accompany the order. Second class postage paid at Wilmette, IL 60091. Copyright © 1989, National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of the United States. World rights reserved. Printed in the U.S.A.
Publishing[edit]
The Sacred Literature Trust[edit]
The Bahá’í Faith is one of eight major world religions taking part in the International Sacred Literature Trust, one of the largest and most ambitious interfaith projects ever undertaken.
The Trust was introduced May 22 at United Nations headquarters in New York City by HRH Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh.
Its establishment was inspired by an initiative of Prince Philip, in his capacity as president of the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF), when he launched its international network on conservation and religion during an interfaith conference at Assisi in 1986.
“The Sacred Literature Trust,” said Prince Philip, “will make a significant contribution to interfaith dialogue and, hopefully, to a better understanding among followers of different faiths.”
Under a single publishing imprint, the Trust will bring together, for the first time, scholars and literary figures from the world’s major religious communities in an effort to produce the most accurate new English translations of their faiths’ key texts.
“I think it is highly appropriate that this event should be taking place at the headquarters of the United Nations,” said Prince Philip.
“This building symbolizes the yearning of all people of goodwill for a more peaceful and cooperative world. This can only be achieved when the great political and religious movements learn to be more tolerant and understanding of each other.”
As a publishing venture, the Trust is unique in its involvement with all the major world faiths—Bahá’í, Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism, Islam, Judaism, Sikhism and Taoism.
The Trust will also research and work to translate oral traditions and/or literature from the faiths of in-
‘Each faith or culture will have its own distinct series under the Trust’s imprint....To ensure that the “voice” of the original text survives the translation, the best of English literary talent will work with the scholars of that faith.’
digenous cultures such as the Australian Aborigines, the Yanamamo of South America, and the Japanese Shinto.
Following the ceremony at the UN, more than 50 of the dignitaries involved were luncheon guests of the Trust at the Bahá’í International Community’s UN Office. The BIC was the liaison organization that facilitated Prince Philip’s visit to the UN on behalf of the Sacred Literature Trust.
To date, the Trust is negotiating agreements for a new translation of the Bhagavad-Gita, the first-ever English translation of the Orthodox Bible, a library of post-Biblical Jewish classics, and the first-ever standard English translation of the Hindi version of the Ramayana.
“Each faith or culture will have its own distinct series under the Trust’s imprint,” said Trust officer Martin Palmer. “To ensure that the ‘voice’ of the original text survives the translation, the best of English literary talent will work with the scholars of that faith.”
The Sacred Literature Trust was established by and will operate under the auspices of ICOREC (International Consultancy on Religion, Education and Culture), a worldwide interfaith group specializing in cross-cultural education and publishing ventures.
In addition to the Duke of Edinburgh, a number of well-known world figures have confirmed their support for the Trust, among them:
The Hand of the Cause of God Amatu’l-Bahá Rúhíyyih Khánum; Edgar Bronfman and Prof. Arthur Hertzberg, president and vice-president, respectively, of the World Jewish Congress; British poet laureate Ted Hughes; and His Excellency Dr. Karan Singh, former Maharaj of Kashmir.
The Duke of Edinburgh also announced the establishment of a new international award for literature, to be presented annually for the English-language novel, play or poem deemed to have made the greatest contribution that year to religious thought and understanding.
Two new works of art—a calligraphic illustration and a bronze sculpture—were created especially for the launch of the International Sacred Literature Trust.
The illustration, executed by The Jersey Scriptorium based on the Isle of Jersey, expresses the significance of each of the world’s major religions by containing symbols from each along with quotes from their sacred texts.
It was presented by Prince Philip to UN Secretary-General Javier Pérez de Cuellar.
The sculpture, a pair of open hands in an attitude of prayer created by British sculptor Dr. Neil Lawson Baker, will serve as the symbol for the Trust’s annual Religion and Literature Award.
| Packets of information complete with mailing envelopes on the International Sacred Literature Trust are now available for mailing to religious leaders, interfaith groups and others. To order, send $1.50 (U.S.) per packet to the Office of Public Information, Bahá’í National Center, Wilmette, IL 60091, U.S.A. |
Teaching[edit]
‘Trail of Light’ in Bolivia, Peru[edit]
This diary of a visit last August 13-September 5 to Bolivia and Peru by a “Trail of Light” (Camino del Sol) teaching team was kept by one of the team members, Counsellor for the Americas Jacqueline Delahunt, a Lakota Indian from Washington state. Others taking part in the three-week journey were (from Bolivia) Counsellor Eloy Anello, Athos Costas, Julian Ugarte and Sabino Ortega, and (from North America) Randy Chipps (Nootka Indian), Philip Lane Jr. (Lakota), Kevin Locke (Lakota) and Patricia Locke (Lakota). Other Bahá’ís also traveled with the team from time to time, as did a photographer.
August 13[edit]
The North American Trail of Light members (except Philip Lane) met in Miami, Florida, and proceeded to Santa Cruz, Bolivia.
Bahá’ís who have walked many miles from surrounding campos gather at the Bahá’í Institute in Sucre, Bolivia, with two members of the Trail of Light team, Patricia Locke and Counsellor Jacqueline Delahunt.
August 14[edit]
We visited a Bahá’í Sunday school in a village near the city, where about 40 children sang and danced for us, and we made a brief presentation for them; visited the University of Nur; and had dinner with local Bahá’ís.
August 15[edit]
We met with local Bahá’ís; were taken on a brief tour of Santa Cruz; were joined by Philip Lane; were interviewed by reporters from a newspaper and television station; and took part in a fireside in a local Bahá’í home.
August 16[edit]
The team was interviewed by additional newspaper and television reporters, and by individuals who had read the article in the first paper; we set aside time to deepen and to formulate a program for team presentation; we were joined by Counsellor Anello; we made our first major presentation in a public theatre in the city, and received additional television coverage and other interviews. Seekers approached team members after the presentation, as did many of the local Bahá’í community.
The preparation on the part of the local Bahá’ís for the public presentation was evident in posters throughout the city. The theatre had standing room only. A number of Bahá’ís including several youth joined us for a late evening dessert and presented a gift of appreciation to us.
August 17[edit]
We were visited at breakfast by a young man who worked for a cultural organization, had read about the Trail of Light in the papers, and had attended the presentation the evening before. He asked us to come to his village a few miles from town. We spent about an hour with him, but because we were leaving, had to decline his invitation. However, our flight was delayed and we did not arrive in Sucre around noon, as planned, but in the early evening. After keeping an appointment with the director and several staff members at “Masi,” a cultural preservation center in Sucre, we went to the Bahá’í Center and exchanged warm greetings with the 60 or so Bahá’ís who had been waiting for us all day. This was the beginning of the interchange we had been looking forward to with much prayer—what we felt to be the real purpose of our journey.
Late that evening the men in the group went to visit a well-known elderly Bahá’í who was suffering from a terminal illness.
August 18[edit]
This was a full day in Sucre. Our presentation was part of the wedding festivities of a couple who had waited
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Above: The village of Pasto Grande, Bolivia, as seen from a nearby hillside. Below: Patricia Locke (right) and a young Bahá’í woman from Pasto Grande pause to deepen the bonds of fellowship.
several months for the visit of the Trail of Light; we met with representatives of the local Spiritual Assembly for lunch, and made three presentations during the day—at the Center, at a school, and in a small community just outside Sucre. It was also a good day for simply spending time visiting with the Bahá’ís who had walked some distance to be with us at the Center. That evening we made a presentation in a public theatre that was nearly packed. We put forth extra effort that evening, and the spirit in the theatre seemed to be especially high, perhaps because so many of the indigenous Bahá’ís from the institute attended the presentation.
The Trail of Light team then went to the Masi cultural center to take part in an exchange of cultural performing arts. Various groups of students studying at the center performed for us. There was standing room only at this exchange; many non-Bahá’ís attended.
August 19[edit]
Before leaving Sucre for Jatun Mayo in southern Chuquisaca province, we stopped at a market to purchase food. Patricia Locke’s wallet was stolen, and our departure was delayed for several hours by the need to make the necessary reports. We arrived at Jatun Mayo too late to make a presentation, but were warmly greeted and fed. We were treated to a sharing of the beautiful songs and dances of the region, and we drank tea and visited before bedtime.
August 20[edit]
In the morning we helped clear the
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threshing floor for our presentation,
and found that 70 or so people had
come to watch. I followed the women
to a little stream where we washed and
braided our hair. The Bahá’ís from the
area first performed for us, and then
asked us to dance with them. It was a
wonderful exchange, with relatively little Spanish or English spoken, but with
much language of the spirit. After we
made our presentation, we left with
sunburned noses and happy hearts to
return to Sucre. This visit, as was the
case with other visits to the campos,
combined proclamation and deepening—deepening for both the North
American team as well as for those
who were being visited. It emphasized
the valuable role that the arts play in
spiritual expression and communication, as well as the potential unity of
the indigenous peoples of the Americas, and of all people everywhere.
Above: Children of Pasto Grande watch intently as the Trail of Light team performs for them. Below: The children leave their hats outside while studying in the classroom.
Our program, with some variation, was as follows:
- Usually a “grand entrance dance” by the team in pow-wow style, to taped music, and introduction of team members by a translator.
- Song of greeting; song and dance in praise of the Creator; song and dance to call the spirits of our ancestors to be with us—in a Nootka language and dance, by Randy Chipps, in traditional dress, using rattle and drum, with team members usually singing in the background. A dramatic opening. Depending on the mood of the audience, we sometimes switched this with the flute songs played by Kevin Locke.
- Indian sign language prayer (23rd Psalm of the Bible) by Patricia Locke, who wore her “jingle” dress, and also described how it was made. She showed her corn-husk purse, and talked about the origin of corn. In some places we followed this with teaching the children a Bahá’í prayer in sign language, by Kevin. Of course, the adults learned it too.
- When Philip Lane was with us, he gave a talk about a variety of things including his family background, the role of the earth mother for all Indian people, his time spent in Bolivia, the strength of the Inca empire—and he gave stones to selected people in the audience. This was the longest part of the program, and unpredictable. On occasion Philip would decide to sing part of the song used in the pipe ceremony, for example, or to show the items he used in the sun dance. This was well-received in the campos, but did not keep the attention of the people in the towns.
- Flute music was next. The number of songs depended on how long Philip talked or on the general feeling of the group, and was sometimes omitted in a need to enliven the audience. The flute songs usually included the Lakota anthem, which was followed by a victory song. Patricia and I danced during this song, as it includes an honoring of women. Other songs included one, sometimes told with an enchanting story of submission to God’s will, about a bird (on two occasions eagles, hawks or condors circled overhead as these songs were played by Kevin, to the astonishment of the crowd). The group usually consulted briefly and discreetly on how many stories could/should be added to tell along with the playing of the songs to help deepen the believers and promote unity and mutual appreciation.
- Next was the hoop dance—a performing arts expression of the unity of
- all people—by Kevin Locke. The narrative describing the dance was presented by Eloy Anello or Sabino Ortega. This dance was, without exception, the part of the presentation that captured the attention of everyone—children, youth, adults, elderly. Patricia and I danced behind Kevin to add to the celebratory nature of the dance.
- A short talk summarizing the message of the Trail of Light—a message of love and unity, expressed through the arts to remind us of our common heritage and future and the joy of living in the day of the Revelation of
Bahá’u’lláh, by me, as a member of the Continental Board of Counsellors. The talk usually ended with an invitation to dance with the Trail of Light team. This ending was upbeat. We kept it short to leave people in a happy, but not exhausted, frame of mind. All members of the Trail of Light took part in this dance. We used a tape recording of drum music to make it possible.
After the presentation we joined the Bahá’ís for prayers and a meal and then walked the mile or so back down to the jeeps, and returned to Sucre. On the way back, we stopped at a school that had asked us to visit, but the district governmental body was meeting, so we couldn’t make the presentation. Instead, we were introduced to the members of the syndicate, and Julian Ugarte gave a short but eloquent speech. After arriving in Sucre we took time for a late supper.
August 21[edit]
A day’s drive, over roads unlike any to which the North American members of the team were accustomed, brought us to Meski Pampa, northwest of Sucre. The greeting extended to us on our arrival was undoubtedly the spiritual highlight of the entire journey. We heard, at some distance, the music of the altiplano—flutes and drums, softly playing, and as we came closer we saw, standing in the moonlight along the road in the chill evening air, a long line of Quechua, each waiting to extend to us a most loving Bahá’í greeting. The soft exchange of many “Alláh’u’Abhá, hermanos(as)” in the moonlit night was deeply impressed in our hearts, perhaps more profoundly because of the time it had taken us to reach them and the knowledge that the path to these beautiful Quechua had been walked for many years by such people as Athos Costas, and steadfast Bahá’ís now awaited us.
Above: Bahá’ís of Meski Pampa, Bolivia, dance with Trail of Light team members Jacqueline Delahunt and Patricia Locke. Below: One of the men of Meski Pampa rests against an oven with Bahá’í Center in background.
We were fed, and some of us gathered around a fire in a courtyard to sing and listen to the flute songs; others visited in the warm room provided for our comfort.
August 22[edit]
The dawn was greeted by the quiet laughter and conversation of the many people gathered to be with us for the presentation of the Trail of Light. Again we cleared a threshing area, exchanged songs and stories, and danced together. It was especially difficult to leave the people and the spiritual climate of Meski Pampa. We traveled that day to Cochabamba, stopping along the way to visit the home of a Bahá’í family who had walked to Sucre to be with us some days before.
August 23[edit]
The day in Cochabamba was a good one for proclamation, with television interviews and a public performance at the Bolivian-American Cultural Center. The outdoor space made available to us was overflowing with people, and the presentation was well-received. Afterward, we had the opportunity for many teaching conversations. The evening was spent with the local Bahá’í
[Page 6]
A crowd gathers outside the Bahá’í Institute in Sucre, Bolivia, to greet the jeep carrying members of the Trail of Light teaching team to the village.
community and a few guests. We said goodbye that evening to Philip Lane, who had decided to return to Canada.
August 24[edit]
We traveled to Orurro, with a visit of several hours in Pasto Grande. Although there was some difficulty among the local Bahá’ís, the visit was a happy and memorable one for the Trail of Light members. A fiery speech by Julian highlighted the afternoon, and our interaction with the women and children was especially delightful.
The altitude and chill of the altiplano began to slow us down a little, but the addition of two Bahá’ís from Cochabamba as traveling companions, and the prospect of being at the Bahá’í radio station in Caracollo kept our spirits high. Randy continued to carry out his responsibility as leader of the daily deepening.
August 25[edit]
We arrived at the Bahá’í radio station early enough in the day to watch a crowd of 400-500 people gather, and wondered how Kevin would be able to dance in such a high altitude. The presentation of the Trail of Light was translated into Quechua and Aymara by radio station volunteers with impressive poise and skill. We all suffered a little from the altitude that day, but again, the company and the opportunity for proclamation and for uniting hearts was so great that we were continually energized by it.
The director and staff of the nearby rural normal school asked to meet with us, and Sabino Ortega arranged a luncheon that gave us a wonderful opportunity to “talk shop” with other Indian educators. We were given a tour of the school and exchanged addresses and promises to share educational materials.
Ready to leave Caracollo for Puno, we returned to the radio station to find a large group of children waiting for us, hoping to see our presentation. Wondering if dancing again in that altitude would be wise, we nonetheless decided that we couldn’t disappoint the children, so we danced with them—an amazing feat only those present could appreciate, as joyful order emerged out of wide-eyed chaos. We won’t soon forget the white-coated children as they vied to be the first to learn the Indian sign-language prayer (“O God! Guide me ...”) taught by Kevin, and watched Randy share a Nootka prayer/dance. Again, we left with full hearts and more sunburn on our noses.
We arrived that evening in La Paz, dusty and weary, and were greeted with the warm hospitality of the Ouladi family.
August 26[edit]
Television proclamation seemed to be the opportunity to take advantage of in La Paz. Getting to three or four interviews took most of the day, and we made a presentation at the Bahá’í Center in the evening. It was our last evening in Bolivia, and we were somewhat reluctant to be leaving, though we still had several days of travel ahead of us in Peru.
August 27[edit]
We exchanged vehicles, said goodbye to our intrepid Bolivian driver, and were met at the Peruvian border by Auxiliary Board member Boris Handel. The trip to Puno was highlighted by a brief but delightful visit to the Bahá’í Center in the little town of Juli, where the Bahá’í community shared its first harvest of potatoes with us. This particular custom, with fish or corn, is common to many North American tribes, and we were especially pleased to be so honored. We met that evening with a small group of Bahá’ís in Puno, one of whom was a new pioneer to the area, and another a new Bahá’í. (What growth they were to see within the month!)
August 28[edit]
Most of the day was given to the performance at the Bahá’í radio station. Despite problems with a gasoline shortage, an audience of several hundred gathered, and with them two local music/dance groups who shared their talents with us and the crowd. We made a full presentation, and felt that it was a successful day of proclamation and interaction with local Bahá’ís, especially as the presentation was broadcast live. The beauty of the setting was also appreciated by the team, who had heard much of the fabulous Lake Titicaca, and Boris Handel seemed very pleased.
August 29[edit]
We said goodbye to Counsellor Anello as we boarded the train for Cuzco. Sabino Ortega was to be our translator, and this change in the team’s make-up proved to bond us even closer to the indigenous people of Bolivia, as we met the challenge of different languages. We arrived in Cuzco in the early evening and were met by members of the local Bahá’í community who continued to help us with transportation throughout the week.
August 30[edit]
Our presentation in a community near Cuzco was preceded by a tour of the ruins. In the evening we made a presentation in the Bahá’í Center, which was followed by a question-and-answer period. It was one of the highlights of the trip for us because, I believe, we were able to do more direct teaching than is possible in proclamation situations, even though the questions and answers sometimes had to go through two or three translations.
August 31[edit]
This was the “day off” for the Trail of Light team, and one that we had all been eagerly anticipating, as it had been set aside for our visit to the ruins at Machu Picchu. The trip was memorable, and as wonder-filled as we had anticipated. Perhaps one of the strongest impressions was the sound of Julian’s lovely flute music echoing through the ruins and the mountains. He had carried the flute with him on the whole trip, but hadn’t played it much, even though we asked him on occasion to do so. It was worth the wait to hear him play for several hours among the mystical ruins.
That evening we said tearful goodbyes, as the team would leave early on September 1 for Arequipa, I would return to speak at the U.S. Conference on Growth on September 2, and Julian and our photographer, Rubin, would return to Bolivia. By this time we were very much a family, reluctant to leave one another, entrusting each other to God’s care. Without anyone to translate between us, perhaps the goodbyes were even more tender because of the effort needed to express each heart’s love.
Kevin Locke performs his spectacular Lakota hoop dance at Radio Bahá’í on the shore of Lake Titicaca in Puno, Peru.
September 1[edit]
Patricia, Kevin and Sabino left for Arequipa, where the group made two presentations. I am uncertain about the details of the places and audiences for the presentations.
Kevin Locke again, this time playing the Lakota courting flute at Radio Bahá’í in Caracollo, Bolivia. Behind him on stage are Counsellor Eloy Anello and Auxiliary Board member Sabino Ortega. The woman to the right is translating Mr. Locke’s narrative into the Aymara language.
September 3[edit]
Unable to leave Lima for the U.S. due to canceled flights, I was still at the airport when the Trail of Light arrived in Lima. It was by then too late to get to Wilmette for the closing session of the conference, so I decided to stay in Lima and rejoined the Trail of Light for its last two days. That evening we had dinner with a number of Bahá’ís who had arrived in the city for a meeting of the International Bahá’í Audio-Visual Centre (IBAVC) and the Bahá’í Radio Conference. Randy Chipps left that evening to return to Canada.
September 4[edit]
The Bahá’ís of Lima had prepared a program for several musical groups to be presented in one of the town’s plazas, and the Trail of Light was the final presentation on the program. It drew a large crowd, and the program was well-received. It was a final proclamation effort for the Trail of Light, and a pleasure to have Counsellors Mas’ud Khamsi and Ruth Pringle in the audience.
September 5[edit]
The Trail of Light had been invited to share its cultural presentation at a school in one of the cities that spring up quickly near Lima. This particular city’s government is progressive, and apparently very concerned about build-
[Page 8]
ing a hopeful future for its people. Our
presentation seemed to be not so much
a proclamation as a sharing of the arts
with the children in an attempt to support the efforts of the community’s
leaders and to win friends for the
Faith.
Late that afternoon we said goodbye again, as Patricia and Kevin wanted to leave Lima for the U.S. and I boarded the bus for the Radio Conference. The commotion of many Bahá’ís just arriving for the conference made discussion about the Trail of Light effort impractical at that time. However, after having had time to reflect about it, I do have some suggestions for future Trail of Light efforts. It also seems appropriate to share some reflections on how the North American team members were affected by the experience. Here are my perceptions:
Perhaps the most profound experience was a deepened understanding of the size and the potential of the indigenous populations of South America. Accustomed to being “islands” of Indian people in an ocean of non-Indians in North America, and living in a state
Above: Sabino Ortega, Kevin Locke and Patricia Locke take time during the Trail of Light’s ‘day off’ in Peru to enjoy a day in the sun amid the magnificent Inca ruins at Machu Picchu. Below: The jeep returns, loaded and ready to take the Trail of Light team from Radio Bahá’í in Caracollo to La Paz, the team’s last stop in Bolivia before continuing on to Peru.
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of puzzlement about the words of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá regarding the Indians of
America, the experience of being
among so many indigenous Bahá’ís,
and seeing the hundreds of thousands
of potential (indigenous) Bahá’ís, their
beauty and strength, we were able to be
more confident, encouraged and clear
about what needs to be done in the
teaching efforts among Indian people,
both north and south.
We were continually reminded of the common heritage and the relationship of the indigenous peoples of the Americas, to our great joy and wonderment. We felt that, even though we were all specialists/educators in Indian culture, there was far more to be learned from than what we had to give our relatives in the south. As with any travel undertaken to help increase understanding, the bonds of love and unity between the team and those we encountered were most certainly strengthened, and this sense of belonging to one another will be conveyed as we speak and write about our experience.
Another confirmation during the trip was the success that each of the city proclamation efforts attained with the use of the arts to share some of the teachings of Bahá’u’lláh.
Our favorite and most meaningful times were with the people in the campos. We felt at home, that we belonged there, and at the same time that it was an inestimable privilege to be offered hospitality in these homes.
The help of Eloy Anello and others in translating as much as possible all conversations to keep the team informed of all that was going on around us helped immeasurably. The opportunities that various situations present can be taken full advantage of only with such assistance. It also helps to keep the interest and attention of the team members alive, to make the smiles more genuine.
Finally, as with any teaching trip, the Trail of Light gave us an opportunity to live each day much as we would like to live all of our days, with a mission and focus for all of our actions. That experience influences the rest of our days.—Jacqueline Delahunt
Top: Children of Pasto Grande crowd in for a closer look at the camera. Middle: Counsellor Jacqueline Delahunt relaxes with the children in Pasto Grande. Bottom: A performance at Radio Bahá’í in Caracollo, Bolivia.
The world[edit]
‘Wildfire’ blazes in Macau[edit]
Thousands of people in Macau have heard about the Bahá’í message of peace recently through the Wildfire Theatre Group, which consists of young performers from Australia, England, Iran, New Zealand and the United States.
The project is taking expansion of the Faith in Macau into a new phase, using music and dance as the medium for teaching.
Performances incorporate a blend of music, dance and comedy, all of which emphasize the Bahá’í teachings on peace and urge other young people to work for peace.
Following the group’s first appearance, which was part of the Macau Bahá’í community’s Naw-Rúz celebration, many people wanted to hear more about the Faith, and some expressed a desire to become Bahá’ís.
The second performance, at Leal Senado Square in the center of Macau, drew an audience of 2,000. At the end of the evening, a number of people asked to enroll in the Faith.
The following day, an article about the group and a photograph appeared in Macau’s leading newspaper, The Macau Daily.
Zimbabwe[edit]
A National Women’s Conference held last November 5-6 at the National Institute in Christon Bank, Zimbabwe, brought together 71 Bahá’ís from at least 10 communities.
Besides a number of talks, there were presentations on dress-making and cooking as well as a presentation on mental health and drug abuse by guest speaker Unice Takawira from the Ministry of Health.
South Africa[edit]
Pictured at a World Religion Day observance in Johannesburg, South Africa, are (left to right) Blondie Makhene and Counsellors Lally Lucretia M. Warren and Daniel Ramoroesi. (Photo copyright The Star, Johannesburg, South Africa; K. Oosterbroek, photographer)
Australia[edit]
On March 21, a dedication ceremony for a Peace Garden planted in the center of Geelong West, Australia, was held, sponsored by the Spiritual Assembly of Geelong West.
Among those attending was the mayor of the city who praised the Bahá’í community for its efforts toward peace and mentioned the good relationship that had developed between the Bahá’ís and city council during the months of planning and preparation for the Peace Garden.
Each of those at the ceremony planted a rose in the garden. Afterward, a bronze plaque bearing a quote from Bahá’u’lláh and the name of the Geelong West Bahá’í community was unveiled.
The Bahá’í Group of Barossa, South Australia, recently had a visit from an enthusiastic group of young Bahá’ís who asked that community service projects be organized for them.
The youth painted wooden toys at the local kindergarten, weeded in a local park, supported a Family Holiday Concert and an international luncheon organized by the Bahá’ís of Barossa, conducted firesides, and heightened respect for the Faith among the people in this small country town.
Canada[edit]
Joan Moore, a Bahá’í from Ontario, Canada, has been given Air Canada’s “Heart of Gold” award which is presented to those who have contributed significantly to the life of the community.
An article about the award in Niagara Advance says in part, “... rarely a day goes by that Joan doesn’t put her Bahá’í Faith into practice, with friends and strangers alike being the recipients of her thoughtfulness.”
The Bahá’í Center in Montreal, Canada, was the recent site of a Red Cross blood donor clinic.
About 20 Bahá’í youth went door-to-door to recruit donors, distributed flyers about the project, and made many phone calls to remind people of their pledge to give blood.
Said one of the nurses working on the project: “Today I saw people who were truly radiating universal love.”
Several residents in the neighborhood were introduced to the Faith for the first time as a result of the donor clinic, while the March 5 edition of a widely distributed Montreal newspaper carried an article about the project.
One hundred-thirty Bahá’ís from all parts of French-speaking Quebec, Canada, took part last November in a conference for unity, protection and teaching.
Special guests included the Hand of the Cause of God ‘Alí-Muhammad Varqá and Counsellor David Smith. Also attending were a representative of the National Spiritual Assembly and members of the Auxiliary Board.
New Zealand[edit]
After seven years as participants in the annual Christmas float parade, the Bahá’ís of Clifton County, New Zealand, are now a central part of the event.
Having been awarded the winning trophy for the past four years, and having developed a friendly relationship with the public, the Bahá’ís now consult with the organizers about the event. Three newspaper articles resulted from last year’s participation while an estimated 20,000 people saw the winning Bahá’í float.
Paraguay[edit]
Children at the new Bahá’í tutorial school in Cerrito, Chaco, Paraguay gather with their teacher, Charlotte Krestchmer (back row, right), during the school’s inauguration ceremony March 1. The school is named the ‘Miki Rutan Bahá’í Institute’ in memory of a Bahá’í pioneer to Paraguay who donated the property. It will operate as a Montessori school.
Publication[edit]
Herald of the South, a magazine produced by the Bahá’ís of Australia and New Zealand, announces “Write Time,” a contest for ambitious young writers between the ages of 15 and 25.
The purpose is to encourage young authors, giving them an opportunity to have their work published while competing for cash prizes and free subscriptions to Herald of the South.
Entrants may submit one or more original articles on any topics that fit into the magazine’s format. Articles must be no more than 3,500 words. Fiction or non-fiction is acceptable. All entries should be in English, typewritten and double-spaced. Entries will not be returned.
To enter, one must be at least 15 years of age and no older than 25 as of April 30, 1989. The closing date for entries is October 1.
Entries should include one’s full name and address, date of birth, and a signed statement that the entry is one’s original work. Send entries to:
Write Time, 4 Glenn Avenue, Mosman Park, Western Australia 6012, Australia.
Six winning entries will be published in Herald of the South. First prize in each age group (15-18 and 19-25) is $100 (Australian), and the two runners-up in each group will receive a one-year subscription to Herald of the South.
Solomon Islands[edit]
Gertrude Blum, a Knight of Bahá’u’lláh to the Solomon Islands, has been awarded the MBE (Most Excellent Order of the British Empire) for “service to the community” as a part of the 1989 New Year Honors and Awards offered by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II.
In a letter from the private secretary to the Governor-General of the Solomons, Mrs. Blum was congratulated on his behalf for “the well-deserved award for your long and dedicated services to the Bahá’í Faith and to the community.”
Mrs. Blum arrived in the Solomons with her late husband, Alvin, and their family in 1954.
Papua New Guinea[edit]
On April 12, a Peace Music Festival was held in Rabaul, Papua New Guinea, to celebrate National Women’s Day and mark the Women’s Day of Prayer.
Opening prayers were read by representatives of the Faith along with Catholics, Mormons and Lutherans.
After an address of welcome from the provincial secretary, 13 groups performed in a special music and drama competition. First prize was won by “The Dawn-breakers,” a Bahá’í singing group from New Ireland.
Also included in the festival were a Bahá’í bookshop, and videos and special hand-outs with Bahá’í songs, prayers and quotes from the Writings printed on them.
During the closing ceremony the president of the Papua New Guinea Council of Women, Mrs. Bungtabu Brown, who is also the wife of the premier, thanked the Bahá’ís and commended their teachings on women, equality and social development.
Pictured is the Bahá’í singing group, ‘The Dawn-breakers,’ from New Ireland, Papua New Guinea, who won first prize after performing April 12 at the Peace Music Festival in Rabaul.
The all-Bahá’í village of Kautru recently celebrated the opening of their
new Bahá’í Center on their island in
the Western Province of Papua New
Guinea.
The secretary of the National Spiritual Assembly of Papua New Guinea, accompanied by another Bahá’í, chartered a small plane to attend the event.
The Center was decorated with flowers, bamboo fronds and deer antlers, and the friends were dressed in the traditional costumes of the village to perform traditional songs and dances.
The ceremony was followed by a large feast, and during the next three days nearly 300 people came to the village to attend a special Bahá’í Institute.
As a result of a recent teaching trip by Bahá’ís, the entire village of Sram, near Vanimo in Sandaun Province, Papua New Guinea, including even the pastor of the local church, embraced the Faith.
A local Spiritual Assembly has been formed, and the community recently observed its first Nineteen Day Feast, calling it “Makam, Makam” (joyous gathering).
Pictured are many of those who took part January 28-29 in a Weekend Institute at Raim Village, Papua New Guinea. Topics covered included Bahá’í laws, teaching, and the importance of the Riḍván 1988 message from the Universal House of Justice. Included were video tapes of the 1986 Peace Conference in San Francisco and the ‘Green Light Expedition,’ the Amazon teaching trip taken by the Hand of the Cause of God Amatu’l-Bahá Rúhíyyih Khánum.
The new Bahá’í Center of Sesenaro
village in the mountain region of Milne
Bay Province, Papua New Guinea, recently opened its doors for its first conference. The entire population of the village is Bahá’í.
Five hundred-forty Bahá’ís from 14 communities made the arduous trip through the mountains to attend this memorable event.
Alaska[edit]
On April 8, the National Spiritual Assembly of Alaska held the seventh annual Honor Kempton Service to Humanity Award ceremony at the Hilton Hotel in Anchorage.
Receiving this year’s award was Dr. Ted Mala, director of the University of Alaska-Siberia’s Medical Research Program.
The award, designated for work done for the promotion of peace, was presented to Dr. Mala for his work in supporting intercontinental cooperation between Alaska and the Soviet Union.
A citation given to Dr. Mala by the Alaska legislature states in part, “... he negotiated with the USSR the first medical research agreement ever made by Siberia with any Western non-governmental institution. He also negotiated an agreement with the Soviet Far East Region of Magadan for a medical research program, which represents the first agreement the Magadan region has entered into with the West....”
“The fact that this award is of a spiritual nature sets it apart from any other that I have received,” Dr. Mala said in a letter. “This recognition certainly ranks among the most important and difficult challenges that one must continue to face up to in the course of one’s journey on this planet....Your board has honored and challenged us all to live up to the high standard of excellence Honor Kempton has left us in her legacy.”
The award was presented to Dr. Mala by Tod Jones, chairman of the National Spiritual Assembly of Alaska.
Speakers during the evening included John Schaeffer, adjutant general of Alaska; Glen Olds, president of the Fetzer Foundation; Mary Core, Dr. Mala’s coordinator of the Institute for Circumpolar Health Studies Program; Dr. Donald O’Dowd, president of the University of Alaska-Fairbanks; Willy Hensley, president of the NANA Regional Corp.; and Dr. B.D. Postl, president of the Canadian Society for Circumpolar Health.
Entertainers included Windflower, an Alaskan Bahá’í musical group; the Karavan Dancers, a well-known folk dance group from Anchorage; and Lori Rodgers, a jazz singer also from Anchorage.
Mary Anne Navitsky, a Tlingit/Haida Indian from Sitka, Alaska, and a Bahá’í since 1965, is the first native Alaskan woman to become a dentist.
She has appeared in a recruitment film, “Why Not Medicine?” produced by the Alaska Native Health Careers Program, and has been profiled in several publications.
In 1984 Ms. Navitsky took part in a student exchange program between the University of Iowa College of Dentistry, where she was studying, and the Royal College of Dentistry in Arrhus, Denmark. While there she observed dental care practices and visited several dental care facilities in Greenland serviced by the Danish health care system.
She also was the first Alaskan woman to attend Harvard Summer School in Cambridge, Massachusetts.
Falkland Islands[edit]
W.H. Fullerton (center), the new governor of the Falkland Islands, receives copies of ‘The Promise of World Peace’ and the book A Crown of Beauty from members of the Spiritual Assembly of Stanley, Sharon Middleton (left) and Margo Smallwood. The governor asked many questions about the Faith, mentioned that he had known a university professor in the United States who was a Bahá’í, and said he looked forward to renewing and increasing his knowledge of the Faith.
Taiwan[edit]
Music is proving to be an effective medium for teaching the Faith in Taiwan, drawing Bahá’í youth to the teaching field and attracting seekers to the Faith.
Following a recent two-hour concert in Tainan, Taiwan’s fourth largest city, 278 of the 500 young people in attendance embraced the Cause.
A broad-based teaching plan emerged from a recent meeting in Taiwan whose participants were Counsellors Bijan Farid, Rouhollah Momtazi and Rose Ong; the members of the National Spiritual Assembly of Taiwan; and Farzam Arbáb, a Counsellor member of the International Teaching Centre in Haifa.
The plan involves a teaching team working directly under the guidance of the National Spiritual Assembly; local Spiritual Assemblies working with the National Teaching Committee to inaugurate ongoing teaching projects; the training and deepening of individual believers via teaching institutes; and the raising of a substantial number of new Bahá’í Centers for teaching.
Republic of Ireland[edit]
Many teaching opportunities have arisen from the affiliation of the Bahá’í Women’s Committee of the Republic of Ireland with the Council for the Status of Women.
Recently, a Bahá’í representative was chosen as one of seven workshop facilitators from throughout the country to conduct a workshop during a training day organized by the Council.
Other activities have included participation in the World Women’s Day of Prayer in Dublin, and in a reception at the National Bahá’í Center for the visiting president of the International Alliance of Women.
Bahá’í marriages are now recognized in the Republic of Ireland.
On August 17, the National Spiritual Assembly received confirmation that the National Hazíratu’l-Quds was registered as a place at which civil marriages may take place in the presence of the Registrar of Marriages.
The recognition paves the way for new dialogue with authorities in the Catholic Church to develop a greater understanding and to resolve difficulties encountered in the past with respect to marriages between Bahá’ís and Catholics.
Panama[edit]
Kevin Locke, a Lakota Indian from Mobridge, South Dakota, who is a member of the U.S. National Spiritual Assembly, performs a traditional Indian hoop dance at a university in Panama during his recent visit to that country. The performance, organized in collaboration with the Kuna (Indian) University Association, was attended by 150 people.
Japan[edit]
A teaching project in Kyushu, southern Japan, has been named the “family teaching project” because of the distinctive nature of the teaching work.
As one member of a family enrolls, he or she teaches other members of the family, taking them to meetings that are held regularly at the Noguchi Farm.
As of mid-April, about 40 new believers had embraced the Faith.
A Peace Festival, held last October 9-10 in Sendai, Japan, was sponsored by the teaching committee of the Tohoku Bahá’í community and supported by the Bahá’ís of the Kanto region.
Among the highlights was an address by the Hand of the Cause of God H. Collis Featherstone entitled “Peace: Hope for Mankind and the Road to Tomorrow.”
Janet Maloney, a Bahá’í who is a well-known television personality, sang and moderated a panel discussion.
One hundred twenty-eight adults, youth and children from all part of Japan and overseas gathered last August 5-7 at the Bahá’í Summer School in Shonen Shukuhaku Kenkyusho.
The goal was not only to deepen their knowledge of the Faith and to enjoy fellowship, but to learn how to teach the Faith and to practice what was learned.
Austria[edit]
Through the initiative of an individual Bahá’í, copies of “The Promise of World Peace” have been given to some 5,000 physicians in and around Vienna, Austria. The weekly newspaper Physician’s Week also carried an announcement about the peace statement.
Africa[edit]
A 56-day teaching trip covering nine countries in southern Africa undertaken by Auxiliary Board member Choughi Rouhani and Amal Rouhani to deepen believers on the development of the Arc on Mount Carmel and its relationship to the Ark of the Covenant was successful in arousing the enthusiasm of the friends in some of the most remote parts of the region.
The method of teaching included slide shows and talks based on the Bahá’í Writings.
During the course of the trip copies of the peace statement were presented to a number of dignitaries while interviews were conducted by Radio Malawi, Radio Zambia, and a women’s magazine in Malawi.
“Bahá’ís spread message of hope” was the cover story in the March 18 issue of African Concord, a pan-African weekly magazine.
The article, written by a Bahá’í, Philip Hainsworth, includes photographs of Bahá’ís in Africa and the House of Worship in Kampala, Uganda.
The magazine’s editor, Tunde Agdabiaka, who is also a Bahá’í, said the staff was keenly interested in the role the Bahá’ís are playing in Africa.
Swaziland[edit]
Crispin Pemberton-Pigott, a Bahá’í who is managing director of New Dawn Engineering, recently traveled through six southern and eastern African countries training local people in the manufacture of several kinds of fence-making machines and in the transfer of other appropriate technologies in building, agriculture and water programs.
The 10-day training courses were organized by the National Spiritual Assemblies in each of the six countries: Ethiopia, Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia and Zimbabwe.
New Dawn Engineering, a private venture based in Manzini, Swaziland, is dedicated to the development of labor-intensive manufacturing processes and other technologies that employ and empower the rural poor.
Senegal[edit]
New Bahá’ís in the village of Diacoye Banga, in the Ziguinchor region of Senegal, gather to learn more about the Faith. They are among the 219 new believers who have been enrolled in the Faith during the Viera Teaching Campaign.
Pictured are some of the new Bahá’ís
in the village of Lwefeu, which is in the
Ziguinchor region of Bignona, Senegal. These people embraced the Cause
during the recent Viera Teaching Campaign.
Norway[edit]
More than 500 people attended a program entitled “Faith for a Common Future” held last November at the University Hall in Oslo, Norway.
The event was initiated by the Bahá’í community and developed by a committee composed of members of the Lutheran Church (the official church of Norway), and the Bahá’í, Buddhist, Hindu, Islamic and Jewish faiths and Worldwide Fund for Nature.
Included was musical entertainment and a theatre performance.
Trinidad/Tobago[edit]
Dr. A.M. Ghadirian, a Bahá’í psychiatrist from Canada who is the author of In Search of Nirvana, visited the Bahá’í community of Trinidad and Tobago for a few days in April.
While there, he was able to meet with the president of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago, Noor Hassanali; the country’s minister of foreign affairs; the Archbishop of Port of Spain; the chairman and secretary of the south branch of the Trinidad and Tobago Medical Association; the chief medical officer of the Ministry of Health; the office of the prime minister and permanent secretary; two major radio stations; Trinidad and Tobago Television; and two newspapers, the Trinidad Guardian and Trinidad Express.
Dr. Ghadirian’s visit coincided with Alcohol Awareness Week in Trinidad and Tobago, which offered opportunities to express the Bahá’í point of view on alcohol and drug dependence.
Dr. Ghadirian, accompanied by two members of the National Spiritual Assembly, met with President Hassanali for an hour.
After receiving a copy of In Search of Nirvana from its author, the president consented to a photograph and asked about the meaning of nirvana.
The resulting discussion extended to include the nobility of man and his spiritual nature, the fear of God, and the harmony of science and religion.
The president praised the Bahá’í community for its contribution to the well-being of the country, and indicated that the Bahá’ís are now recognized members of the Inter-Religious Organization of Trinidad and Tobago.
The Bahá’ís in turn praised the president for being a good example for his people by not using alcohol and for not allowing it to be used at ceremonial events.
The national Bahá’í Media/Public Relations Committee of Trinidad and Tobago held its annual public Naw-Rúz celebration March 20 at the Bahá’í National Center in Port of Spain, Trinidad.
The program included a performance by the Bahá’í choir, a talk about Naw-Rúz and the Faith, a poem, “Dear Bahá’í Flower,” recited by Maryam Rahimi, and two songs by the Bahá’í children of Curepe.
Also shared with the public was the video tape, “Peace ... The Promise,” which was being seen for the first time by those present and was quite well received.
On March 21, the Bahá’ís of Port of Spain presented a Naw-Rúz program and dinner for more than 60 Bahá’ís and their guests.
Shown are some of those who took part in a celebration last December 10 of United Nations Human Rights Day sponsored by the Spiritual Assembly of Port of Spain, Trinidad.
The Bahá’ís of Trinidad and Tobago participated March 22 in a worship service for the nation’s Week of Prayer, held at the National Anglican Cathedral in Port of Spain.
Two Bahá’í members of the national Interreligious Organization, Dr. Hamid Farabi and Laurence Coward, helped organize the national unity service.
The Bahá’í choir presented two songs, “God Is One” and “Peace Will Come.”
A.N.R. Robinson, the prime minister of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago, took part in the program, as did Patrick Manning, leader of the opposition. Many other national dignitaries were present in the audience.
El Salvador[edit]
More than 800 new believers have embraced the Faith in El Salvador since May 1988.
Of these new Bahá’ís, 80 percent have entered the Faith during the past six months as a result of an intensive teaching campaign supported by the Continental Board of Counsellors.
A significant aspect of the campaign is that nearly all of the new believers live in disturbed areas in the eastern part of the country. New teachers have actively reinforced the teaching work as the campaign has progressed.
As a part of that support, eight regional and local deepening institutes and three regional conferences have recently been held.
In addition, a 15-minute weekly television program about the Faith resumed broadcasting in February.
St. Vincent/Grenadines[edit]
“Peace Through Unity” was the theme of a Bahá’í-sponsored program broadcast live last November by St. Vincent’s national radio station.
It marked the third time that Bahá’ís had taken part in the popular government-sponsored “Divine Worship Service” program which broadcasts a different religious service each Sunday morning.
Bolivia[edit]
Fifty-five participants from seven Departments and three countries took part March 24-26 in Bolivia’s National Bahá’í Women’s Conference.
Among those attending were Counsellors Eloy Anello and Isabel P. de Calderón.
The high-spirited event led to a renewed awareness of the position of women in the Faith and in enthusiastic offers to prepare audio-visual materials, conduct children’s classes, initiate direct teaching efforts, and organize 10 literacy classes.
A special teaching project begun last November in Bolivia had attracted and confirmed more than 2,000 new believers by the end of February, the majority of whom reside within the listening range of Radio Bahá’í.
In addition, 50 new communities were opened to the Faith, some of which are now entirely Bahá’í.
Systematic deepening courses for the new Bahá’ís have begun at the Firdawsí Institute, and plans to maintain the teaching and deepening momentum are being implemented throughout the country.
Barbados[edit]
Pictured are some of the Bahá’ís who attended a Women’s Conference held last April in Barbados. The conference theme was ‘Women on the Pathway to Peace.’ Rouhi Huddleston’s keynote address, ‘Woman, You Are the Key to Peace,’ was followed by a television interview and a fireside for some 60 adults, one of whom embraced the Cause on the spot, and many children.
Peru[edit]
Children of the Piura, Peru, community gather for a photograph with Counsellor Isabel P. de Calderón (back row, right) at the Municipal Hall in Piura during one of four teaching projects begun in the northern area of the country following the National Bahá’í Summer School in February.
Transkei[edit]
About 250 people from many cultural backgrounds attended this year’s Naw-Rúz celebration given by the Bahá’ís of Umtata, Transkei, in southern Africa.
Among those taking part were Xhosa people, Europeans, Americans, Persians, South Africans of all races, Africans from other countries, Christians and Zionists, young people and elders, and those from a wide range of social, professional and economic backgrounds.
The celebration began with prayers offered in many languages.
The Cicira Teacher Training College Choir presented songs in Xhosa and English, and a traditional song and dance group, also from Cicira College, showed that, as educated Xhosa youth, they are proud of their cultural heritage.
Thozi Nomvete, a lecturer at the University of Transkei, presented a talk on peace, which was followed by more traditional dancing and singing, fellowship and prayer.
Philippines[edit]
As of February, an urban teaching campaign launched January 17 in the universities and high school of Baguio city, Philippines, had resulted in 77 enrollments.
and describes the development of the Arc on Mount Carmel
| The way is now open for the Bahá’í World to erect the remaining buildings of its Administrative Centre, and we must without delay stride forward resolutely on this path.
THE UNIVERSAL HOUSE OF JUSTICE
OF GOD’S THRONE Who can gauge what transformation will be effected as a result of the completion of each successive stage of this great enterprise? SHOGHI EFFENDI National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of the United States |
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