Bahá’í World/Volume 20/Youth Activities

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INTERNATIONAL SURVEY OF CURRENT BAHA’l ACTIVITIES

5. YOUTH ACTIVITIES

A. YOUTH YEAR OF SERVICE

“Why would we volunteer to scrub and clean things for a year? Because we love Baha’u’llah!” explained a radiant Baha’i who was mid—way through her Youth Year of Service. This expression of love through action was reflected around the world during the Six Year Plan as followers of the Blessed Beauty as yet unburdened by career and family combined their abounding energy and curiosity with a commitment to serve the Faith.

Youth have always played a shining role in God’s Plan for this Day. The Bab Himself was but twenty-five years old when He de- clared His stupendous Mission, and Shoghi Effendi was a student at Oxford when called to rise to the Guardianship. What is new is the relatively systematized approach to ser— vice. This grew out of a concept proposed in a letter from the Universal House of Justice to the Baha’i Youth of the World sent on J anuary 3, 1984: “...give attention to the idea of volunteering a set period, say, one or two years, to some Baha’i service, on the home front or abroad, in the teaching or develop- ment field...”

By April 1984, only three months after this clear guidance was received, the Nation- al Baha’i Youth Committee of the United States began to recruit and place Youth Year of Service volunteers. Working with the International Pioneering Committee and others, the Youth Committee gathered facts about Baha’i projects which youth could join for one year, and information about young people who were willing to serve. Over time this processing became quite sophisticated, including details about “host projects” such as the location, skills re- quired, housing available and expenses to be covered, and data about the volunteers such as special needs for medical care, dietary

requirements, interests, and talents. Other countries which developed special Youth Year of Service programs included Brazil, Colombia, Canada, Costa Rica, and Zambia.

During the Six Year Plan, the Youth Year of Service concept was spread and devel- oped throughout Baha’i communities world— Wide. In Europe, for example, one of the first activities of the newly-formed Europe- an Baha’i Youth Council was to set up a database of service positions available on the continent and issue a Youth Year of Service Information Pack to all National Spiritual Assemblies and National Youth Committees in the region. The Cote d’Ivoire held a six-week Development Institute to prepare youth for a year of service, and Ecuador reported a training seminar as part of its YYS program.

Information about the Youth Year of Service was a prime topic during some youth conferences, including one held in the Neth— erlands in July 1989, and one in Zimbabwe in August 1991. Articles about it were published in newsletters distributed to young Bahé’is, such as the Australian Network, and Malawi’s Bahd’z’ Youth Newsletter. Discussions were held at Baha’i Clubs in universities from Alaska to Guam, and details were distributed through the Conti- nental Boards of Counsellors, the Auxiliary Boards, and the various assistants.

Most of the youth served in their home countries. In India, for example, many of the nearly 200 tutorial school programs were run by local volunteers. Young friends worked in administrative capacities, guided at Baha’i Temples, drove mobile institutes, helped at Baha’i radio stations, assisted with Baha’i medical projects, and provided Vital consoli- dation teams. In-country service programs were reported in Alaska, Argentina, Australia,

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Belgium, Bolivia, Cameroon, Canada, the Canary Islands, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, the C6te d’Ivoire, the Dominican Republic, Ecuador, France, Guyana, Honduras, Ireland, Kenya, Malaysia, New Zealand, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Taiwan, Thailand, the United Kingdom, the United States, and Zaire.

Some young people spent their year of service as full-time teachers of the Faith. Youth dominated the teaching work in East- ern Europe, while the United States reported that youth participated in almost all ongoing projects and comprised most of the full-time teaching teams. In its Ridvan message for 1992 the Universal House of Justice wrote: “Youth activities took on a special character shaped by the idea of a youth year of service. The involvement of the youth in the Six Year Plan as short—term pioneers, travel- ling teachers and projecteers had a profound effect on the teaching work overall...”

Young Baha’is who were willing and able traveled to serve the Faith abroad. Many of these friends were from Australia, Canada, Colombia, Costa Rica, and the United States, and were assigned to projects in Albania, the Baltic States, Belize, Bolivia, Botswana, the Canary Islands, Colombia, the Cook Islands, Costa Rica, Czechoslovakia, Ecuador, the Gambia, Guatemala, Guyana,

THE BAHA’i WORLD

Participants in the Ruhi Institute Inter- national T raining '3 Course for T utorial , School T eachers and for the Preparation of the Youth Year of Service. Colombia, November 1986.

Honduras, Hungary, India, Ireland, Kiribati, Papua New Guinea, Poland, Romania, Russia, Swaziland, and the Ukraine. One frequent recipient of these youth volunteers was the Baha’i World Centre in Haifa, Israel, where individuals served the Univer— sal House of Justice as plumbers and legal aides, as engineers and cooks, as desktop publishers and irrigation specialists, and in many other areas of need.

An informal survey of young Baha’is who gave a year of service during the Six Year Plan was carried out through the Conti- nental Boards of Counsellors. Several dozen people responded, including friends who had traveled from Canada to serve in Romania, from Malaysia to Mongolia, from Australia to J apan, from Zimbabwe to Zambia, from New Zealand to India, from Papua New Guinea to the Holy Land, and from the United Kingdom to Botswana to serve the Cause. Quotations from some of their statements show how the Youth Year of Service enriched their lives and strength- ened their Faith, as well as providing assistance to the communities which re- ceived them.

The survey asked for the youth’s name, address, date of birth, period of service, and in what capacity he or she served. Then the friend was asked:

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INTERNATIONAL SURVEY OF CURRENT BAHA’I ACTIVITIES 423

Could you please describe one of the mem- orable moments of your service?

One young Ecuadoran woman who served as a member of a teaching team in her home country wrote:

The most memorable moment I experi- enced was the first night I spent in an indigenous village in Imbabura, where the team shared the life of the indigenous people~——their food and their homes. Being a city person myself, I had never experienced the life of these people before. For the first time, I felt a true unity, as Bahé’u’lléh taught us.

An Australian who had travelled to Fiji to serve reported:

I had typed a letter that began: “I would like to offer a twenty—minute presentation on the theme of world peace at your school”. I had personally taken copies of this letter to seventeen schools when I was suddenly taken ill. I managed to present the peace message and proclaim the F aith in ten or eleven schools, however I could not carry on and spent three days in Labasa Hospital. As I lay on my bed during that time I did not know whether I would live, and hated the fact that the proclamation work had not been completed. You can imagine my elation when, on being discharged, I heard the news that one of the members of the National Spiritual Assembly had completed the proclamation work.

Young volunteers in “The Temple _ Brigade” doing :

cleaning and mainte- f

nance work in and 1

around the House

of Worship in New Delhi, India, in 1988.

A young man who had gone from Great

Britain to Africa responded:

In Botswana we had heard that there would be a teaching project in South Africa—in Botsobella, a township. It was my first teaching project in South Africa. Three of us went into a school to make a presentation of the Faith. One of the more experienced teachers told me, “Don’t look back. Go straight in and with confi- dence insist on an audience, you will not be refused”. This we did, and within thirty seconds of entering the school we were led to the staff room where the teachers were enj oying their lunch. I pro- ceeded to make my presentation, my first proclamation of the faith in front of the public. Four of the teachers declared their belief in Baha’u’lléh and many expressed interest. This demonstrated to me that if we forget our frailties and rely on Baha’u’llah the doors will open.

One young woman from Australia who

served for some time at the Baha’i House of Worship in New Delhi, India, described this experience:

It was in July during the middle of the day when the temperature soared to 48 C. The dry heat was debilitating, yet hundreds of people were attracted to, and mesmerised by the House of Worship. I always felt it such a bounty to meet and welcome people from all over the world, drawn to the House of Worship by

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inquisitive minds, searching souls. Dur- ing this particular day I was welcoming guests on the front steps of the House of Worship and offering information about the House of Worship in the form of pam- phlets. A gentleman took a pamphlet from me and proceeded to climb a few steps, then he stopped, turned, and walked back to me. He asked me “What exactly, is this all about?” I began to answer his question and very soon I began to realise that the answer was not in my words. I felt free, I became the vehicle through which his question could be answered.

A Canadian youth who had travelled to

serve in Romania answered:

I had just moved into the city (Ploesti) and was at a weekend teaching project. The evening’s fireside was attended by about fifty seekers and the atmosphere was very exciting despite the cool October temperature. I was talking to a travelling teacher during the fireside and asked him what he would do if everyone stood up and enrolled in the Faith. Before he could think of an answer, the fireside ended with an announcement that those people wishing to join the Baha’i com- munity should come to the front of the room. And in unison, the whole room jumped up and ran to the front! We were both shocked beyond words. About two hours later all the travelling teachers left

THE BAHA’i WORLD

Some of the youth serving at the Bahd ’1' World Centre in Haifa, Israel, in

' ._ March 1990. The diversity 0fthese volunteer workers is a demonstration 0fthe unity ofmankind

in action.

the city and I was given the list of all the new Baha’is and told that I was now responsible for them. That was my first weekend in Ploesti! What a welcoming and what a responsibility!

The second question was: In what way did your participation in the Youth Year of Service programme change your life? A young Australian who went to Japan to serve for one year explained: It was an experience which greatly

enhanced my life as an individual and as

a member of the wonderful international

Baha’i community. The Baha’is of

Utsunomiya were truly exceptional. I had

never encountered so much love, respect

and diversity among such a small group.

Their focus was always “teaching”, either

through weekly firesides, weekly teach—

ing trips to smaller country areas, Visiting and deepening new Baha’is, meeting with dignitaries... They exemplified for me the

way a Baha’i community should be and I

am so grateful for having been able to

share a year of my life with them.

A youth from the mainland of the United States worked in the National Baha’i Office of Hawaii, in Honolulu:

Participating in a Youth Year of Ser— vice strengthened my Faith in Baha’u’llah immensely. I was tested to truly claim the

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Baha’i F aith as my own. My perspective on Baha’i administration opened up because I worked so intimately with the National Baha’i Center activities.

A woman from Papua New Guinea who

Beauty says, regarding sacrifices made in His path: T 0 tinge thy hair with thy blood is greater in My sight than the creation of the universe and the light ofboth worlds.

travelled to Haifa to serve at the Baha’i The third question asked: World Centre responded with these words of In what way did your service change the wisdom: lives of those in the communities that you One [important aspect] of my service served? was the feeling that the Baha’i World A young Malaysian who served the Faith in Centre was also mine. Serving as a janitor Mongolia wrote:

gave me a lot of joy, and confirmed our teachings that any job done well is service to Baha’u’llah, and if done with a spirit of service gives tremendous happiness.

An Ecuadorian woman, the sister of the

Mongolia was a newly opened country when I arrived in August 199 l—there were only eight adult Baha’is. We taught

' with our limited knowledge of Mongolian

and with lots of confirmation from Bahé’u’llah, and the number increased

woman quoted above, also served in her own country and then later served for a year and a half in Romania:

to fourteen. The first Local Spiritual Assembly in Mongolia, the Assembly of Ulaan-Baatar, was formed.

I think I have changed in the manner in which I consider the Faith in my life and especially in service to the beloved Cause. It is like a thirst that can’t be quenched. It is to have found what I was searching for all my life. These moments of difficulty when we felt at one with the Beloved were unique, and I wouldn’t have missed them for anything. We feel much closer to Him when we are serving the Faith. Now it is impossible to stop thinking about how to serve more and more and take advantage of every second of our lives to teach the Faith.

An Australian who went to help with the

teaching work in Romania wrote:

My Year of Service served to re-orient my life towards Baha’u’llah. I partici- pated in the Year of Service for Baha’u’lléh and every moment away I was reminded of this, whether it was waking up in a foreign city or trying to communicate in a foreign language. It is all too easy to lose spiritual focus in the routine of everyday life at home, and hav— ing this “year out” has helped me in becoming completely oriented towards service to the Cause... The Blessed

At that point in the development of the community, the Baha’is in Mongolia lacked confidence and were even afraid to have a Vision of the glorious future promised by Baha’u’lléh, lest it would not come true. I very much wanted to organize a project that would unite the community through a common Vision, and that would be successful to give the community confidence and courage... By the grace of Bahé’u’llah, the celebration of His Birth- day helped us to achieve it.

The Baha’is became excited by the idea of a celebration, and created a Vision of how it should be. Undaunted by their limitations, each of the members began to draw on all of their talents and resources as well as those of their friends. We beseeched Baha’u’llah to assist us, and were guided—almost taken by our hands—wto meet authorities, strangers and friends, who willingly helped and supported our project.

The result was a Mongolian celebra- tion in every sense of the word. It was held in a public hall complete with stage and backdrop, an appropriate devotional programme and stage performance of

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songs, traditional dances and instrumental folk music.

The celebration of the Birth of Bahé’u’llah was held on the evening of ll November 1991 with about eighty peo- ple attending. Considering that the Local Spiritual Assembly of Ulaan—Baatar had been formed less than a month previously, this was remarkable. Another aspect that made this event amazing was the demon- stration of the incredible potency of His Covenant as a handful of Baha’is, placing their full reliance and trust in ‘Abdu’l- Baha’s promise that “as ye have faith, so shall your powers and blessings be” managed to bring about this event.

Writing this in retrospect, I will not go into who did what and how. What stands out in my memory is the absolutely wonderful happiness I felt while riding the bus to the celebration. It was a cold snowy evening, but the freezing tempera- ture could not dampen my joy. I had to look out of the window because I didn’t want to appear crazy to my fellow passengers—I could see this smiling face reflected in the glass. At the same time, I was close to tears butI couldn’t stop grin— ning! Any time since then if I’m down, I focus on that mirrored happy radiant feel- ing. It never fails to warm my heart and lift my spirit. having had a taste of pure happiness, I know His Covenant is real.

THE BAHA’i WORLD

‘3 A Bahd ’z'youthfrom Vanuatu (standing in back, second from right) with students of the literacy class he teaches as part of his Year ofService. T hey are by the Bahd ’1' Centre in Lownahurur, Middle Bush, T anna, in F ebruary 1992.

More than anyone else, the Mongolian friends—who had been extremely con— scious of our lack of strengths in many areas—agreed that it was our unity of Vision and singleminded determined efforts to advance the affairs of the Cause that made our project so enjoyable and fulfilling to work on. Although the Local Spiritual Assembly of Ulaan—Baatar had not even managed to meet officially to elect their officers, yet the members came together to work on this project. They were united in their love of Baha’u’llah. One of the young friends who served in

Ecuador relates:

As to how the community was affectedfitruly it was not because of our efforts, but because of the mercy of God that the community was able to progress both spiritually and then materially through governmental institutions. About two weeks after more than one hundred people embraced the Faith, the Village obtained electricity and piped water. They also changed spiritually, as people who had been enemies for years became part of one common Faith. They carried out many activities together, and the most thrilling part was to hear them praying and to see the love of the Blessed Beauty reflected in their faces.

Another youth describes how just by

moving into a particular area she was an

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Youth Year ofService volunteers went into the Kalahari Desert in Botswana to hold \_ deepenings for the Bahd ’is who live there; October 198 7.

example and inspiration to many and set a standard of Baha’i values:

My presence as a young woman “alone” in Asian countries was in itself an inspiration for other young women and an education for many who still held old world order values of women. Of course I had to struggle to achieve a balance so as to set an example without shocking. In India quite a few men learned that not all Western women are “loose” and that not all white people are rich. More than any- thing I hope that my main influence was to make people happy and feel hopeful about the oneness of humanity.

A young believer from Zimbabwe relates that by not being corruptible he made people curious about the Faith:

Mostly in Zambia, non-Baha’is called me a priest. During those days I coordi— nated the relief food programme... under the Ministry of Health. I was in charge of more than six thousand Villagers from fifteen villages. How I prevented any Chance of corruption only God knows, but it brought all kinds of people to ask [about the Baha’i Faith]. One elderly person later became a Baha’i, after I talked to him about the principles that I live by. I think the friends also learned how to sacrifice, mostly in teaching and service... One time we slept outside for

three nights and went teaching every morning and only ate at night. The youth also learned to be detached from their families because later four of the youth left to do their own year of service. And one more story from Romania:

By serving as a short term pioneer, I was privileged to see the transforming power of the Faith in changing the lives, individually and collectively, of the Bahé’is of Satu Mare (Romania). Initially I went to the town with a travel teaching team, and was thus able to see several Romanian friends progress from “seek- ers” investigating the Faith to deepened Baha’is, actively involved in the affairs of the Faith. In one case, the school teacher of one Romanian youth remarked that something about her had changed, as she seemed much happier than before. Blessed is he who in the prime of his

youth and the heyday of his life will arise to serve the Cause of the Lord of the beginning and 0f the end, and adorn his heart with His Love, Baha’u’lléh wrote.1 The several thou- sand young Baha’is who participated in the Youth Year of Service programme during the Six Year Plan were among those Who were truly blessed.

1 Compilation of Compilations, vol. 2 (Mona Vale, _ NSW: Baha’i Publishing Trust, 1991), p. 415.

[Page 428]428 THE BAHA’i WORLD

In Hawaii, American Bahd ’1' youth cooking during a two—week— long summer camp held on Maui for Russian youth

in 1988. ,

Islands, a “Sparks for Peace ” team ofBahd ’1' youth reinstalling a

‘ fallenfence as a

17% service project in

‘ St. Johns National Park; 1989.

In the Dominican Republic, a young graduate of the Olinga Institute courses in service to the Cause is now teaching chil- dren ’s classes; 1991.

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INTERNATIONAL SURVEY OF CURRENT BAHA’i ACTIVITIES 429

In Luxembourg, ‘

Bahd ’z'youth volun-

‘_ , teers working to clean

I and maintain the Gar—

den of Wiltz; 1990. \ w w \

In Uganda, part of the youth programme during the summer school in Mbale was to help clean up the local hospital; I99].

’7

In Tonga, a Bahd 1 youth group cleans downtown Nukualofa in support of World Health Day; I 990.

[Page 430]430 THE BAHA’i WORLD

In Scotland, youth participants in Operation Mona, after cleaning up a section 0fthe River Clyde in July 1986.

'I

In St. Vincent, children and youth participating in a Bahd ’i—sponsored activity to clean up Villa Beach;

April 1992.

In Singapore,

young Bahd ’z’s after

helping to clean up a

' A beach as a community

service project in 1990.

[Page 431]INTERNATIONAL SURVEY OF CURRENT BAHA’i ACTIVITIES 431

r)!

In Panama, Baha 1 youth performing cultural dances as part of the Interna— tional Day ofPeace activities in 80ch del Monte; I 989.

k

In Nigeria, members of the Bahd ’z'youth ’3 football club, called The Peace Makers, during the semi-final match in a local government soccer competition in Oghara in 1987.

In T aiwan, six youth who enrolled in the Faith during the Muhdjir T eachin g Project in 1987 are members 0fthree ethnic minorities—the

Paiwan, the Amé, and l the Paynan tribes.

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432

THE BAHA’i WORLD

B. EUROPEAN BAHA’t YOUTH COUNCIL

The strengthening of European Baha’i youth identity and the remarkable progress made in European Baha’i youth collaboration ranked among the notable developments of the Six Year Plan. Whether expressed through increasing numbers of regional and continental youth conferences and schools, projects involving European youth in teach— ing and service on the continent and even as far afield as Southern Africa, the intensifica- tion of communication between National Youth Committees and their representatives, or simply through the growing sense of unity and purpose among youth from different lands, there was certainly a very different sense of mission about the Baha’i youth in the opening years of the Plan. Furthermore, the atmosphere was charged by constant awareness of the inspirational and exem— plary steadfastness of the Baha’i youth in Tran whose extraordinary sacrifices the Baha’i youth in every land had been encour- aged to emulate. The activities of the Baha’i youth of Europe were to be further galva— nised through the creation by the Universal House of Justice in August 1989 of the European Baha’i Youth Council. This was a historic step, an entirely new and unpre- cedented development in the Baha’i admin— istrative system, which inaugurated a new stage in the evolution of the Baha’i youth work in Europe, placing in the hands of the young European Baha’is a body charged with the duty of stimulating, coordinating and assisting their activities throughout the continent.

The Universal House of Justice had indeed anticipated such developments some time before, and in its message of 4 July 1983 addressed to the participants of the European Youth Conference in Innsbruck captured this Vision in these profound words:

This generation of Baha’i youth enj oys a unique distinction. You will live your lives in a period in which the forces of history are moving to a climax when mankind will see the establishment of the Lesser Peace, and during which the Cause of God will play an increasingly promi— nent role in the reconstruction of human society. It is you who will be called upon in the years to come to stand at the helm of the Cause in face of conditions and developments which can, as yet, be scarcely imagined... European Baha’i youth in particular face tremendous and challenging tasks in the immediate future... A Vibrant band of Baha’i youth on the European continent, committed to the promotion of the Cause of Baha’u’llah and the upholding of His laws and principles, determined to work in harmony and unity with their fellow believers of all ages and classes, can revolutionise the progress of the Cause.

It is perhaps only at the remove of some years that the full potency and significance of these words can be appreciated as one relates these sublime thoughts to the progress of the Cause of God in Europe since 1986.

In the years leading up to the appointment of the European Baha’i Youth Council, there had been considerable discussion amongst the National Youth Committees of Europe about a Europe-wide body to coordinate and stimulate youth activities across the conti— nent. Such thoughts, for example, had been articulated at meetings of National Youth Committee representatives at the major youth conferences of the Seven Year Plan, namely Fiesch (1980), Chigwell (1981), Innsbruck (1983) and Antwerp (1985), but the consensus of opinion was that such a step would be not only premature, but

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INTERNATIONAL SURVEY OF CURRENT BAHA’i ACTIVITIES 433

administratively problematic. Until this point any European collaboration had been con- fined to initiatives involving youth from neighbouring countries.

At the youth school held at the Landegg Academy, 18—24 July 1986, and energised by the participation of the Hand of the Cause of God, ‘Ali—Akbar Furfitan and two European Counsellors, participants spontaneously be gan consulting on the emergence of a new Vision of Baha’i youth activity, particularly the role which a “European Baha’i Youth Move- ment” could play. These informal gatherings were attended by members of a number of National Youth Committees and other young and enthusiastic Bahé’is, prominent amongst whom were participants in the Varqé Proj ect.1 Inspired by the potential for a “Vibrant band of Baha’i yout ” to revolu— tionise the progress of the Cause of God, and mindful of the tremendous challenges confronting them in taking the Faith to the spiritually starved Eastern half of their con- tinent, the youth resolved to take a number of steps both in the immediate future and in the longer term. These included a more systematic and cooperative approach to acts of spiritual devotion, enhancing of the quality of the personal Baha’i life, travel teaching initiatives, and the distribution of The Promise of World Peace.

To keep participants informed of develop- ments, at “European Baha’i Youth Movement Information Centre” was established in the Netherlands. Its first newsletter appeared in August 1986. Each participant in the consul- tative process at Landegg was encouraged to

1 The Varqé Project was a Europe—wide initiative involving Baha’i youth in a campaign of prayer and personal teaching dedicated to the memory of a young west European youth pioneering in Romania. Participants kept each other regularly informed of their news and successes, and the Landegg Youth School was the j oyous occasion of their first reunion since the European Youth Conference in Antwerp in July 1985. The experiences and spirit of these youth thus prepared the background for discussions around the question of a “European Baha’i Youth Move— merit” to naturally take place.

share the fruits of these discussions with their respective National Youth Committees and to seek approval for the appointment of three youth to develop the “Movement” within their respective national communities and to liaise with the Information Centre.

The Universal House of Justice hailed these developments. In a teleX dated 29 July 1986 it wrote:

REJOICE GREATLY SUCCESSFUL HIGHLY SIGNIFICANT YOUTH SCHOOL LANDEGG PRESENCE HAND CAUSE ALI-AKBAR FURUTAN, LAUNCHING EUROPEAN BAHA’I YOUTH MOVEMENT. WELCOME PRACTICAL STEPS TAKEN COORDINATE SERVICES YOUTH THROUGHOUT EUROPE... URGE PARTICI- PANTS PERSEVERE PRAISEWORTHY AIMS BE ASSURED ASSISTANCE BLESSED BEAUTY OPEN DOORS WIN HEARTS.

The results of the Landegg gathering quickly became manifest. The efforts of the youth found expression in personal and group teaching successes, increased use and distribution of The Promise of World Peace and the joy of association and collaborative activity among the youth from different countries. News about this Movement rap- idly spread among the youth as they communicated their feelings and vision with enthusiasm and vigour.

The future development of the “European Baha’i Youth Movement” was subsequently incorporated into the agenda of a special meeting of European National Youth Com— mittee representatives in Strasbourg, France, 10—12 October 1986. Jointly conceived in March 1986 by the British and French National Youth Committees, this gathering paid special attention to what practical steps could be taken to unite the Baha’i youth of Europe and recognised in the call for a Euro~ pean Baha’i Youth Movement a natural response to the growing feeling of European Baha’i youth solidarity that was emerging throughout the continent. Furthermore, the twenty-eight youth representing eleven countries endorsed the recentIy-established

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434

Information Centre as a channel for fluent and regular communication between coun- tries and, in recognition of the dramatic new opportunities and challenges facing the Baha’i youth of Europe, requested the Continental Board of Counsellors to con— sider the creation of a body that would provide direction and co-ordination to youth activities on a European level.

Plans also were formulated to regularly send European Baha’i youth to serve in the teaching and development field in the Third World. The National Youth Committee of the United Kingdom was asked to co—ordinate this project on behalf of the National Youth Committees of Europe.

The Europe—wide discourse, initiated with such vigour at Landegg and developed sub- sequently at the Strasbourg gathering, was further enhanced at the First European Youth Seminar, held at Landegg Academy, 22—24 May 1987. The meeting was called at the request of the Continental Board of Counsellors, who in carefully organizing the programme of this important gathering and watching over its proceedings ensured that the historic process which had begun some months earlier continued on its course. Consultations between representatives of nineteen National Youth Committees, three Counsellors, Auxiliary Board members and representatives of National Assemblies, focused on important aspects of youth col- laboration, including the devising of specific plans and projects to channel the services of the European youth. Particular emphasis was placed on encouraging youth involvement in the arts. Prayer, audacity, and movement were identified as key elements in translating the Vision of a “Vibrant band” into tangible reality. Unanimous support was voiced for the continuation of the important work of the European Baha’i Youth Movement Informa— tion Centre and for its transfer to Norway.

The First Joint European Baha’i Youth Third World Teaching Project, the “Botswana 1987” project, was arguably the first formal joint European Baha’i youth teaching

THE BAHA’l WORLD

venture of its kind. It was to be followed by similar efforts, the “Star” projects of 1988, 1989 and 1990. In total, these projects drew some fifty young European Baha’is from more than half a dozen countries to the Southern African region for four successive summers of teaching and service.

Born out of intense collaboration between a handful of youth in Europe and the Spiritual Assembly of Botswana, “Botswana 1987” was a significant success. Through it a channel for service in the Third World had been opened for the Baha’i youth of Europe, and a humble and initial step taken by the European youth to make Europe “a fountain— head of pioneers, travelling teachers and financial assistance to the Baha’i communi— ties of the Third World”.2 The Botswana Project exemplified what the Universal House of Justice later referred to as “the increasing collaboration and growing unity among all the Baha’i youth on the continent of Europe”.3 A special fund, the “Eurobots Fund”, administered initially by the National Youth Committee of Norway, was also set up to meet the needs of equipping the Baha’i community of Botswana with a new motorised vehicle suitable for use in teach— ing and consolidation in the desert, and which would also be placed at the disposal of future European youth projecteers. All National Youth Committees in Europe were invited to participate in this campaign.

For those who participated in this land- mark enterprise, it was an unforgettable experience, one which was to have a lasting and galvanic effect. In commending the youth participants in this project, the Spiri— tual Assembly of Botswana later wrote: “We invite you all to come back to Botswana, to experience again the supreme joy of

2 From the Universal House of Justice to the participants of the European Youth Conference in Innsbruck, 4 July 1983.

3 From a letter written on behalf of the Universal House of Justice to the National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahé’is of the United Kingdom,

29 October 1987.

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demonstrating the oneness of the family of man from Iceland to the Kalahari, while ful- filling your divine purpose to unite souls with their God.”

The experience of the Youth Conference in Manchester, United Kingdom, 5—9 August 1987, spurred the Continental Board of Counsellors on with their effort to organize an international youth conference in Spain in the summer of 1989, an event that could capture the Vision of Baha’u’llah for peace and unity and share it with a large and diverse group of non—Baha’i youth, including representatives of youth organisations and groups from all over Europe. Flaming began well in advance, and by June 1988 separate programme and logistics committees were operating out of the United Kingdom and Spain respectively.

The original plan eventually had to be cancelled owing to logistical consider- ations, but while various alternatives were being considered, the need for forming a “European Association of Baha’i National Youth Committees” was increasingly recog- nised. The “Association” was essentially a generic title Which the youth could use in their approaches to non—Baha’i organisations to lend more credibility to their stature as the representatives of the Baha’i youth of Europe.

Central to these important developments were the contributions of the Board of Coun- sellors and the “Peace Moves” Committee, the body originally requested to plan the programme of the international youth conference for the summer of 1989. This Committee was appointed by the National Spiritual Assembly of the United Kingdom on the recommendation of the Counsellors. Appointed to membership of the Peace Moves Committee were Dona Adamson, Sean Hinton, Kishan Manocha, Ridvan Moqbel, Vafa Ram, Adam Robarts, Kitt Sandvik and Robert Weinberg. Officially a committee of the National Assembly, it served in an advisory capacity to the Counsellors, consulting extensively on the development of

a Vision for the Baha’i youth of Europe. As a result, “Peace Moves”, a decade-long cam- paign of galvanising the youth of Europe, Baha’is and others alike, around the themes enunciated in The Promise of World Peace, came into being. Its principal aim is to empower Baha’i youth to initiate and refine their interaction with their peers around the spirit and content of Baha’u’llah’s peace programme, destined to usher in, before the close of the century, the Lesser Peace.

The significant increase in the scope of responsibilities of the Committee necessi- tated its evolution into a body charged with the work of coordinating much of the conti~ nental youth activities. This was particularly so during the period from June 1988 until the first meeting of the European Baha’i Youth Council in November 1989. In this sense the Peace Moves Committee was the precursor of the Council itself.

Representatives of National Youth Com- mittees present at the European Youth School, De Poort, the Netherlands, 23—29 July 1988, focused much of their informal con- sultations on the question of European Baha’i youth collaboration, particularly among the National Youth Committees. A number of options for the emergence of a Europe—wide coordinating body were considered and pre— sented to the Universal House of Justice. In a letter dated 11 August 1988 the Supreme Body stated its full agreement as to the ripe— ness of the time “for the strengthening of continent-wide ties among the Baha’i youth of Europe”. It stated that the International Teaching Centre had been requested to ask the Continental Board of Counsellors to consider the matter and to recommend a working structure which would “provide effective links and enable the youth to serve the Cause to gether unitedly with a continen- tal Vision of the wor .”

However, the vision of the House of Justice went beyond the confines of Europe. The letter stated: “Europe, with its many national Baha’i communities contained within a reasonably small area, can in this

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way pioneer a very challenging development in international Baha’i collaboration.” This set in motion the process of defining the nature of the emerging institution that would fulfil this role. In December 1988 the Peace Moves Committee tabled detailed proposals outlining the structure and function of such a body, which were later submitted by the Counsellors through the International Teach- ing Centre to the Universal House of Justice for consideration.

Although the vision of “Peace Moves” was only gradually introduced to the youth, for example at a meeting of representatives of selected National Youth Committees in Lyon, France, 1—2 October 1988, the decade was to be officially opened in the summer of 1989 when Baha’i youth and their peers would gather at a series of five regional conferences to celebrate its launch. Nearly 2,000 youth participated in these confer— ences held at De Poort (Netherlands), San Marino, Madrid (Spain), Torshavn (the F aroe Islands) and Sheffield (United King— dom) during the period July—August 1989.4 The conferences ended on a high note of expectation, releasing and channelling tre- mendous energies.

The House of Justice commented:

THRILLING MESSAGES FROM SERIES OF CONFERENCES THROUGHOUT EUROPE EVOKE HIGHEST HOPES EXTRAORDINARY POTENCY

THE BAHA’l WORLD

CONFEKE

MADRlD 20—21 Moves ’89 Regional ‘ European Youth Conference, held in Madrid, Spain, from 20—23 July 1989. More than seven v. hundredBa/zd’z’s 7 from twenly—six countries attended.

BAHA’I YOUTH FOR ADVANCEMENT CAUSE BAHA’U’LLAH THAT CONTINENT. YOUTH GATHERED IN SHEFFIELD, INCLUDING HIGHLY SIGNIFICANT REPRESENTATIVES EASTERN EUROPE AND CHINA, HAVE DEMONSTRATED HOW GREAT WILL BE THEIR INFLUENCE ON THE ENTIRE BAHA’I COMMUNITY AS THEY SPREAD OUT TO THEIR HOMES AND PIONEER POSTS.

To aid National Youth Committees to develop a common Vision of the future of Baha’i youth activities in Europe in the context of the newly appointed Peace Moves Committee and to prepare for the launch of the “Peace Moves” initiative, a meeting of National Youth Committee representatives was convened in Luxembourg, 24—26 Feb- ruary 1989. The consultations were shaped and guided by a momentous message from the Universal House of Justice conveyed through the International Teaching Centre, in which the Supreme Body expressed its preference for the establishment of a Euro- pean Baha’i Youth Council, which would be

4 The Sheffield conference was addressed by M. Andre-Jacques Dodin, Director of the European Youth Foundation of the Council of Europe, Strasbourg, France. Representatives of the Peace Moves Committee had met with M. Dodin in December 1988 to brief him about plans to hold an international youth conference in Spain and to apprise him of the “Peace Moves” effort.

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The members offlze '9 first European Bahd ’z’ 9 Youth Council after theirfirst meeting in London, England, in November 1989.

appointed by and be responsible to the House of Justice. Significantly, the House of Justice stressed the need “for the Vision of the Council to embrace the Whole of Europe (emphasis added), from the Atlantic to the Urals, and not just the countries of the Euro— pean Community.” It was only when the Iron Curtain was breached a few months later that the full significance of the words of the House of Justice became apparent.

On 20 October 1989, the Universal House of Justice announced to all National Spiritual Assemblies in Europe its historic decision to bring into being a new institution, unique in the history of the Administrative Order:

ANNOUNCE APPOINTMENT FIRST EUROPEAN BAHA’I YOUTH COUNCIL WITH FOLLOWING MEMBERS: ONNO FRANK VAN BEKKUM, MORTEN BERGSMO, NADI HOFMANN, ALESSANDRA LANFRANCONI, JOHN MCGILL, BAHIYYIH TAHZIB, ROBERT WEINBERG.... HAIL THIS NEW DEVELOPMENT BAHA’I YOUTH WORK, EAGERLY ANTICIPATE GREAT ENHANCEMENT POTENTIAL FOR PROMOTION FAITH THROUGHOUT CONTINENT.5

In its 28 August 1989 letter of appoint— ment of the Council the House of Justice outlined the three major functions of this

5 Members of the Council were drawn from six countries, and included one of the members of the Peace Moves Committee.

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new body: co-ordination of the activities of European Baha’i youth which bridge national boundaries, and therefore also of the international involvement of the National Baha’i Youth Committees of Europe; repre- sentation, on a continental basis, of the European Baha’i youth with non—Baha’i youth groups and other agencies; collabora- tion in youth matters with the Continental Board of Counsellors and the National Spiri- tual Assemblies in Europe.

The first full meeting of the European Baha’i Youth Council took place during the weekend of 4—6 November 1989 in London, during which time the newly-appointed members took the opportunity to visit the Resting Place of Shoghi Effendi. At that same meeting, the Council met With the Peace Moves Committee and there was a smooth handover of responsibilities and transfer of the work in progress, after which the Committee, having fulfilled its functions, officially ceased to exist.

The creation of the European Baha’i Youth Council coincided with dramatic social and political changes sweeping through Central and Eastern Europe. These changes brought about the collapse of politi- cal systems that had for so long prevented millions of people from receiving the light of Baha’u’lléh. Fresh opportunities for serving the Faith abounded. The events of

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the day had further broadened the horizons of the youth of Europe who could now see Europe as an undivided Whole, a continent burgeoning With the promise of unprece- dented teaching victories.

Against this background of profound change this new agency of the Faith began to take up its duties of stimulating and co- ordinating the activities of the Baha’i youth of a new Europe. The most outstanding feature of the period 1989—1990 was the way in which the youth rose to the challenge of taking the Faith to the countries of the former Eastern Bloc. During the summer of 1990 the European Baha’i Youth Council organized teaching projects in five Central and Eastern European countries which were all dedicated to outstanding women from the early years of Baha’i history, and each asso— ciated with a specific theme. These projects set a number of highly significant, historic precedents. They served as the first formal Baha’i youth teaching enterprise in the former communist countries of Europe; the first continental youth activity to be spons ored by the newly—established Youth Council; and the first time that the Baha’i youth of Europe had arisen in such large numbers and with such resolution and vigour to serve together in a challenging joint endeavour in Europe. Indeed, as a result of the participation of so many young European Baha’is in these projects, continent—wide youth collaboration had scaled new heights.

Teaching projects were held in Czecho— slovakia (the Martha Root Project), Hungary (the Renée Szanto Project), Poland (the Lydia Zamenhof Project), Romania (the Tahirih Project), and Yugoslavia (th'e Louisa Mathew Project). Particularly noteworthy was the project in Czechoslovakia, sub- titled, “Peace through Participation”, in which over 160 Baha’is from twenty-seven different countries took part. The Faith enjoyed extensive media coverage and was particularly well received by public officials, academics, and representatives of non-gov~ emmental and political organisations. At the

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close of the project strong foundations were laid for the establishment of the first Spiri— tual Assemblies in the project cities of Bratislava and Brno, which came into being in January1991.

In addition to these summer projects, the highly successful George Adam Benke project, named after the first European Baha’i martyr, took place in Bulgaria between October 1990 and January 1991. Among the fruits of the project were the establishment of the Spiritual Assembly of Plovdiv, the first Local Spiritual Assembly formed in Bulgaria since World War II, the opening of over half a dozen localities to the Faith, and national television coverage. Project participants also made a pilgrimage to Edirne, Turkey, where they had the oppor~ tunity to visit the House of Baha’u’llah.

Capitalising on the success of these projects, the European Baha’i Youth Council set in motion a long-term strategy for these newly—opened countries to ensure that ade- quate and regular follow-up and assistance was given to these new, thriving centres of Baha’i activity.

The mobilisation of youth throughout the continent continued through 1991 in prepa- ration for the Holy Year with a clear focus on teaching. In response to the Council’s call, significant Victories were won, many Baha’i communities were invigorated by the Visits of the youth, contacts were established with prominent people and organisations, and many souls brought into the Faith. Among the activities were the four regional youth conferences held during the summer of 1991 with the theme “Baha’u’llah—The King of Glory,” in Kabli (Estonia), Strasbourg (France), Berlin (Germany) and Neptune (Romania). The 150 participants from seven Republics of the former Soviet Union and nine other countries attending the confer— ence in Kabli, Estonia, commented in their message to the Universal House of Justice that “this gathering has played a unique role in the forging of strong bonds of friendship and understanding between the youth from

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Bahd ’z’s gathered in Neptune, Romania, I in July 199], for one of the four regional youth conferences :5 _ held that summer by V the European Bahd ’1' ' Youth Council.

East and West.” The Estonia conference was also significant in that it was only the second Baha’i youth conference to be held in the then—Soviet Union. Particularly noteworthy also was the conference in Neptune which attracted 250 participants from twenty coun~ tries around the world. Over 600 souls embraced the Cause during the course of this conference and during teaching activities before and after it.

The European Baha’i Youth Council, in collaboration with national institutions and committees, also organized a number of other teaching projects in different parts of the continent during the course of 1991, including Bulgaria (George Adam Benke Projects 11 and III), Cyprus (Winds of Hope Project), Greece (Anis Project), Hungary, Italy, Poland (Lydia Zamenhof Projects 11 and 111), Spain and Turkey.

One of the first tasks given to the Euro— pean Baha’i Youth Council by the Universal House of Justice was a smooth transfer of functions between the Peace Moves Committee and the Council. The Supreme Body had described the five regional Peace Moves conferences held during the summer of 1989 as “outstandingly successful”. Early on in its first year the Council carefully considered the development of the Peace Moves campaign and recognised its poten~ tial as one of many possible means to

stimulate and motivate the teaching work of the youth. The Council identified Peace Moves as one of its four major focuses of activity for the summer of 1990. In the autumn of 1990 it issued a comprehensive statement outlining the features of Peace Moves. It read, in part, as follows: “Peace Moves is a Baha’i contribution to the estab— lishment of a lasting world peace. Peace Moves is a means of enabling the Baha’i youth to initiate and improve interaction With their peers in Europe. Peace Moves is the generation of activities inspired by, and realising, the contents of the Peace State- ment of the Universal House of Justice.” The statement helped to clarify for the Baha’i youth of Europe the relationship of Peace Moves to the teaching work. Since its launch several European youth communities enthusiastically had taken up the concept of Peace Moves as a focus for their teaching work. Indeed, much of the outstanding energy and enthusiasm generated by the 1989 Peace Moves events were channelled into the Vital teaching work carried out in the newly-opened countries of Central and East- ern Europe. An international Peace Moves project, “Winds of Hope”, which included a three—day pilgrimage to the Holy Land, was held during August 1991 in Cyprus. The Peace Moves campaign continued to be developed throughout the remaining years of

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the Six Year Plan in those countries in Which it was fe1t to be relevant to their needs and interests.

One of the outstanding developments of the Peace Moves events of the summer of 1989 was the launch of the Dr. Ugo Giachery Arc Fund Project estabhshed in memory of the valiant Hand of the Cause of God who passed away that summer during a Visit to Samoa. The aim was to encourage the Baha’i youth of Europe to make a substantial contri- bution towards the building of the Are on Mount Carmel, a venture which the Univer— sal House of Justice had announced to the Baha’i world in August 1987. The manage- ment of this project was taken on by the European Baha’i Youth Council upon its appointment, and at the First Annual Confer- ence of National Youth Committees in 1990, the representatives present unanimously requested that a target of one million dollars be set.

The project officially ended at Ridvan 1992. At the time of the Third Annual Con— ference of Youth Committee representatives in February 1992 a total of US $187,000 had been raised. In commenting on the signifi— cance of this collaborative venture by the Baha’i youth of Europe shortly after the Second Annual Conference of youth repre— sentatives in 1991, the Universal House of Justice stated through its Secretariat: “The

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Participants in the

' George Adam Benke

Project in Bulgaria

attending the National

" T eaching Conference

held in Plovdiv from 25 to 27 October 199] .

ralsmg of one hundred thousand dollars for the Dr. Ugo Giachery Arc Fund Project is a remarkable achievement and a fine example to the entire Baha’i community.”

One of the most important duties facing the newly-appointed Youth Council was the establishment of effective relationships with the European National Baha’i Youth Com- mittees. In order to facilitate communication with National Youth Committees and communities in Europe and to share with them its Vision for the development of youth work throughout the continent, the European Baha’i Youth Council called annual meet- ings of Youth Committee representatives. At the first of these Annual Conferences at De Poort, the Netherlands, from 26—28 January 1990, representatives from 22 National Youth Committees in Europe consulted with the Council and representatives of the Euro- pean Board of Counsellors on a common strategy for the continent for the 1990s. At the Second Annual Conference, 15—17 Feb- mary 1991, 26 representatives from both Western and Eastern Europe met and consulted under the inspiring guidance of a representative of the Board of Counsellors. The presence of Eastern European represen— tatives was highly appreciated by the other participants, and a strong, unified bond was created between East and West. The Third Annual Conference was held in Wiesbaden,

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Germany, 1~2 F ebruary 1992, when twenty-

two representatives from all over Europe'

gathered to consult primarily on the chal— lenges and the opportunities presented by the Holy Year.

At its third meeting held 16~l9 February 1990 in Berlin, the European Baha’i Youth Council felt it timely and important to Visit the European countries in order to further strengthen collaboration between the Council and the respective National Youth Commit- tees. This objective was to serve a number of purposes: to deepen the Council’s relation- ship with the National Youth Committees and their National Spiritual Assemblies; to establish personal contact with the Baha’i youth in the community and thereby to obtain a more accurate picture of the situa- tion in each country; to encourage co— operation between the National Youth Com- mittees on a regional level; to share news, ideas, plans and needs with the National Youth Committees and the youth of Europe; to assist the National Youth Committees, especially the newly-appointed ones, in their functioning where necessary and to encour- age all youth to raise their standard of the English language in order to better study and understand the writings of Shoghi Effendi. Since its formation, members of the Euro— pean Baha’i Youth Council have been able to Visit all National Youth Committees on at least one occasion and to consult with most National Spiritual Assemblies. Further, the Council intensified its working relationship with the Continental Board of Counsellors through regular consultations.

The work of the European Baha’i Youth Council during its first full year was success- fully carried out from a temporary Secretariat based initially at the United Nations Office of the Baha’i International Community in Geneva, Switzerland, and subsequently in the Netherlands. The Universal House of Justice had originally indicated that the European Baha’i Youth Council would need a full-time Secretariat and on 6 January 1991 wrote that the establishment of a permanent

secretariat would be “a great reinforcement to the services which the Council is already rendering with such distinction”. As of 1 February 1991 a full-time Secretariat, fully equipped with modern telecommunications facilities, was established in Sweden with one member of the Council employed in a salaried position. The European Baha’i Youth Newsletter, based on news and information gathered at the Secretariat, was first issued on 6 April 1990. National Youth Commit- tees either reproduced the entire newsletter and sent it promptly to their youth, or chose to. include items of information in their own youth bulletins and magazines or national Baha’i journals.

One of the three main functions assigned to the European Baha’i Youth Council by the Universal House of Justice is that of representation, on a continental basis, of the European Baha’i youth with non—Baha’i youth groups and other agencies. The first tentative steps in this arena of work had been taken by the Peace Moves Committee with its representation to the Council of Europe’s European Youth Foundation in Strasbourg, France, in December 1988. Soon after its formation the European Baha’i Youth Council participated in the Second Annual Conference on Intolerance held in Strasbourg, France, 10-15 December 1989, a conference organized under the auspices of the Euro- pean Youth Centre of the Council of Europe, at which a number of important contacts were made.

In November and December 1991, repre- sentatives of the Youth Council met with two representatives of the United Nations offices of the Baha’i International Commu— nity in Geneva and other individual Baha’is in Europe to discuss the legal status of the Council. Subsequently the European Baha’i Youth Council appointed a Representation Committee and a Legal Task Force. The former was given the responsibility of further developing relations with European youth organisations and other agencies on behalf of the Council and the organisation of

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a high—level representation conference with the theme “Overcoming Racism in Europe” scheduled for April 1993. The Legal Task Force, a group of three European Baha’i lawyers, began its work of drafting the legal status of the European Baha’i Council and seeking its official recognition by such bod- ies as the Council of Europe, the European Coordination Bureau of International Youth Organisations, and the Youth Forum of the European Communities. In March 1992 the European Baha’i Youth Council submitted an application for financial assistance to the European Youth F oundation, a most signifi- cant step, taken after formal contacts had been established as a result of meetings of some Council representatives with officials in Strasbourg.

Other matters given special consideration by the European Baha’i Youth Council were those of the Youth Year of Service and Jun- ior Youth. The Council made the promotion of the concept of the Youth Year of Service one of its highest priorities, encouraging all National Spiritual Assemblies and National Baha’i Youth Committees in Europe to emphasise this important area of service among the youth in their communities. To assist With this process the Council set up a database of available service positions in Europe and issued a Youth Year of Service Information Pack to all National Spiritual Assemblies and Youth Committees. The Youth Council also devoted special attention in its own consultations and in those with National Spiritual Assemblies and Youth Committees, to the needs of Junior Youth, especially their full integration into all aspects of Baha’i community life, particu- larly youth activities. Countries with a significant percentage of Junior Youth were asked to organize specific projects for this age group. Both the concept of the Youth Year of Service and Junior Youth figured prominently in the Council’s strategy for the Holy Year.

The European Baha’i Youth Council also placed special emphasis on Baha’i activities

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in universities, particularly the development of Baha’i student societies in universities where such possibilities exist. To this end, an Ad-hoc Committee on Student Societies was appointed in 1991 to undertake the necessary research into European Baha’i student activity on its behalf. As a result an information pack containing valuable mate- rial on the importance of Baha’i university societies, practical suggestions on setting up such societies, sample constitutions, discus— sion papers, ideas for activities, etc. was produced and sent to all National Spiritual Assemblies and Youth Committees in Europe. The Committee also organized a conference on Baha’i activities at universities in Europe held in Brno, Czechoslovakia, from 2 to 5 January 1992. Twenty-four delegates rep— resenting eleven countries consulted on the development of Baha’i activities at universi— ties, the need for increasing collaboration between Baha’i students throughout Europe. The Council began its planning for the Holy Year, 1992—1993, well in advance. Its strategy for the Year was sent to all National Spiritual Assemblies and National Baha’i Youth Committees of Europe in December 1991. In the preface to this document the Council stated: Every step we take in this Holy Year should be a step towards service. It is a time when the Baha’i youth of Europe must make extraordinary sacrifices and rise to the call of the Universal House of Justice. This strategy is offered to the Baha’i youth of Europe by the European Baha’i Youth Council as a means to channel our energies, realise our potential and raise us to new heights of service. It is a strategy calling for great sacrifice, spiritual discipline and personal transfor- mation. It is a strategy which calls for Vision, courage and certitude. It is a strat- egy made up of plans and activities which the Baha’i youth of Europe can humbly offer to Baha’u’lléh in this, His Holy Year, as a sign of our love, our devotion and our desire to serve Him.

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El Viento Canta, formed at the Bahd ‘1' World Centre by youth who served there from Mexico, Peru, the United States, and the United Kingdom. _

This photograph was ' taken in 1988, before the group began its European tour.

The plans of the Youth Council for the Holy Year included specific year of service projects; history tours to Visit the House of Bahé’u’llah in Turkey; a European prayer campaign; a “silent” conference to provide a unique opportunity for meditation and reflec- tion; a high—level representation conference with other youth organisations; and specific junior youth activities. The Council’s p1ans for national youth committees included ways of orienting the youth towards a greater understanding of Bahé’u’fléh and His Mis- sion; conducting proclamation events with the use of mass media; holding national con— ferences, projects and deepening weekends; dissemination of the statement on Baha’u’lléh, and organising events aimed at fostering greater correlation of the T eachings with current issues.

To execute its Ho1y Year strategy most effectively, the European Baha’i Youth Council appointed a Holy Year Board, a committee of seven European youth, to co- ordinate and monitor the Council’s intema~ tional activities for the Holy Year. It he1d its first meeting in November 1991. Foremost among the international activities for the Ho1y Year was the Year of Service Project, comprising fourteen specially designated teaching routes throughout Europe to which young believers could devote periods of

443

time ranging from three months to one year. By the opening of the Holy Year at Ridvan 1992 this unique project had caught the imagination of the friends far and wide. The strategy was later to Win the admiration of the International Teaching Centre, which in a letter dated 19 April 1992 to the Conti- nental Board of Counseflors for Europe wrote: “The breadth, directness and intended intensity of the effort envisioned by the H01y Year Board is such that we can but admire this new generation of Bahé’i planners.”

By the end of the Six Year P1an, the pattern and nature of European Baha’i youth activity had undergone a significant qualita- tive change, holding out hope and promise for the future. The degree of collaborative work among the youth made the wholeness of Europe a living reality. They responded magnificently to the challenges resulting from the collapse of social and political systems in the Eastern half of the continent, valiantly arising as resourceful pioneers, energetic travelling teachers and dynamic administrators in the establishment of the F aith 0f Bahé’u’lléh in virgin 1ands. In this, their 10fty endeavour, they were inspired and guided by the nascent European Bahé’i Youth Council, a unique instrument created by the Universal House of Justice for this

very 1311113086.

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C. SPECIAL YOUTH PROJECTS

A Significantfeature 0f the Six Year Plan was the use of the arts to share the Message of Bahd’u’lla’th. Many projects involving the arts were carried out by youth, who combined drama, music and dance to teach the Faith. T hree special projects have been featured here because of the international scope of their services.

El Viento Canta On 21 March 1987, the music group now known as E1 Viento Canta first performed during a talent show at the Baha’i World Centre. The ensemble was composed of youth who had volunteered to serve at the Centre and had a love of Latin American music. The members were: Cesar Cortes (Peru), Claudia Cortes (Mexico), Rolando Cortes (Peru), David Hadden (United States), Roxana Hadden (Peru), and Conrad Lambert (England). The audience’s response to the music was so positive that the friends con- tinued to perform for various gatherings in Haifa. The group formalized its name for a presentation at the Jacob’s Ladder Folk Fes— tival in northern Israel in September 1987. As a result of the performance at the J acob’s Ladder Folk Festival, the musicians were asked to give a fu11~1ength concert at the Israel Museum in Jerusalem. This con- cert was also successful, and the friends began to realize the teaching potential of their music. They began planning a trip to

share their Faith with people in Western Europe, writing to National Assemblies in Europe and receiving positive responses for sponsorship from thirteen. New members were added to the group: Miguel Cortes from Peru (Rolando and Cesar’s brother), and Lisa Srnith-Cortes from the United States (Cesar’s wife).

In June 1988, E1 Viento Canta began its tour in Cyprus, then proceeded on to Greece, Italy, Switzerland, Austria, Germany, Belgium, France, Spain, Portugal, Ireland, Scotland, Wales, and England. Each concert’s format varied slightly to accommodate the location, but generally the performance lasted between one and one-and-a—half hours and consisted of songs from Peru, Bolivia, Chile, Spain, Argentina, Venezuela, Mexico and Ecuador. The songs were sung in Spanish and Que- chua, the native language of the Indians in the Andes. In between the songs, members introduced themselves as Baha’is and talked about Baha’u’lléh and the principles He brought. Invariably, a few people would stay

. Members ofEl Viento Canta with children

0n the grounds of the Bahd ’1' House of Wor~ Ship in Kampala,

‘ Uganda, during their , tour ofAfrica in 1989.

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INTERNATIONAL SURVEY OF CURRENT BAHA’T ACTIVITIES

after the concert and participate in the impromptu firesides held in hotel rooms or onstage. At one concert in Spain, hundreds of copies of the Peace Statement were dis- tributed to an audience of 3,000! The group performed approximately forty-eight con— certs in three months.

During the 1988 International Convention in Haifa, several Continental Counsellors from Africa had heard the group perform and asked if it would consider travelling to that continent for three music festivals to be held in 1989. After E1 Viento Canta’s final concert in England in August of 1988 (which happened to be held at the Africa Centre in London), the members dispersed to several countries to work and study until their trip to Africa.

As the friends waited, sweeping changes were taking place in Eastern Europe and many opportunities for teaching the Faith opened up there. The International Teaching Centre asked E1 Viento Canta if it could extend its African trip to include Eastern Europe, the Soviet Union, Mongolia, and China! Of course the members agreed and set out with anticipation to meet in Liechten- stein (the home of Miguel’s new wife, Bernadette) in November 1989.

During December 1989, the group trav— elled through Botswana, Kenya, Uganda, and Liberia. The music festivals planned there

445

were held to encourage 10ca1 believers to perform their own native songs and dances, and E1 Viento Canta was to be an illustration of how this might be possible. All of the fes- tivals were inspiring and beautiful, and the friends had an opportunity to Visit the House of Worship in Kampala, Uganda, for a spiri- tual renewal. One of the most beautiful stories of the group’s experience in Africa occurred in Uganda. On the last evening of the band’s stay, they were to play at a spe- cial camp for handicapped children. They played in a room filled with about 200 chil— dren and lit only by a single dim lightbulb. At one point, a performer was to dance with a member of the audience. When she invited one happy-looking child, she didn’t realize that the boy had no legs. The child pro— ceeded to dance with great agility on his hands! Later, a deaf little girl told the group how much she enjoyed the music, and a young blind man asked very earnest ques- tions about Baha’u’lléh.

E1 Viento Canta returned to Europe at the end of December and travelled through Croatia and Slovenia in Yugos1avia, Hungary, Poland, Estonia, Russia, Ukraine, Siberia, Mongolia, China, Macau, and Hong Kong. Travelling in the dead of winter With sixteen people, instruments and luggage and a com— plete sound system, one could surmise that the group’s purpose was not tourism. In fact,

aw

Members ofEl Viento Canto in Ulaan- Baaz‘ar, Mongolia, with Knight ofBahd ’u 716% Sean Hinton (back left) and some offlzefirsz‘ Mongolian Bahd ’z’s; 1990.

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the members wandered through these coun- tries to spread the divine fragrances of the Cause of God. They knew that wherever they went people would be attracted to the joyful, upbeat music, and would stay after the concerts to hear more of the Message that was presented on stage. They didn’t know how many sacrifices, delights, tears, and adventures they would share along the way.

One of their biggest adventures took place on the train between Poland and their first stop in the Soviet Union, Estonia. The group missed one train and had to catch three to make up for lost time. The band had experienced several robberies in Poland, and the train was no exception. The weary travellers probably could have given up right then and there, but Lynda Godwin, the coor- dinator for the Soviet trip, suddenly pulled out a letter from the House of Justice and began to read from it. It was the letter informing the Baha’i world of the vast changes in Eastern Europe, the Soviet Union, and Mongolia which called for a new Two Year Teaching Plan for those countries.

The performers immediately felt exhila— rated and inspired by those words. They forgot about their hardship, became cheerful and loving once again, and felt so happy that they were a part of these changes and could teach in these countries. Even though they encountered more difficulty before they got to Estonia (Conrad had left his passport in Warsaw and had to go back for it), they had been given new strength and energy to continue their efforts for the Faith.

After El Viento Canta finished its Soviet tour in Siberia, it was time to travel to Mongolia. However, the group had no plans for Mongolia. No concerts had been set up, and no contacts had been made. The Interna- tional Teaching Centre had asked the friends to go there and do what they could. Every- one wished that Sean Hinton, a pioneer to Mongolia, would be able to meet them there but they knew he was back in England. They just decided to make the best of it, and if nothing happened, to go on to Beijing.

THE BAHA’i WORLD

They took the train from Ulan-Ude to Irkutsk, on Lake Baikal, where they would catch a plane to the capital of Mongolia, Ulaan-Baatar. They got to Irkutsk early in the morning and took taxis to the airport. When they arrived, Cesar suddenly shouted, “Ya Baha’u’l-Abha!” in a panic-stricken voice. Everyone turned to him and asked what had happened, and he said, “I left my bag on the train!” This travel pouch con— tained his passport and visas and US$2,3OO of the group’s money. He had put it under his pillow on the train so that it would be safe.

Immediately the group’s Russian transla— tor took him to a taxi so that they could try to catch the train. Meanwhile, two hours remained before boarding time. The Ameri- can guide, Bill Mahoney, told the friends to get some breakfast and see what would happen. Claudia and Lisa decided to stay with the luggage. As they were waiting, rather dejectedly, for their chance to eat, they suddenly heard a very British voice say, “My, you have a lot of luggage, don’t you?”

Shocked to hear English, they looked up and saw a young man with bright blue eyes. “Who are you?” Lisa asked. “Sean,” he said. “Sean Hinton? Allah’u’Abhé! We’re E1 Viento Canta!” He, just as shocked, said, “What are you doing here?” They told him that they were about to fly into Mongolia, and he told them he was on the same flight. They immediately took him up to the other members, who were also stunned to see him. He apparently had decided to come back to Mongolia for further studies for one month. He knew El Viento Canta was scheduled to be there, in Mongolia, but he had no idea how or when it was to arrive.

Finally everyone was to board the plane and Cesar still hadn’t come back. Bill told the friends he would wait for Cesar and do what they could to get him to Mongolia. But no one really believed that he could find the group in Ulaan—Baatar.

The band arrived in Ulaan-Baatar and half of the members got taxis to one of the two hotels; the other half stayed at the

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airport until another taxi was available. When the second group arrived at the hotel, who should they bring with them but Cesar!

Cesar and the Russian translator had rushed to the train station to find that the train had already left for the next town. They called ahead to the next town, described the bag to the train police, and got back in the taxi. When they arrived at the next station after a harrowing taxi ride, they found the bag and all of its contents perfectly safe in the police station. After verifying that every— thing was in order, they raced back to Irkutsk to find that the airplane had left fifteen minutes earlier. The next passenger plane was not scheduIed to leave for another week.

Bill asked Cesar if he minded riding in a cargo plane. Cesar said, “I’ll take it!” and flew to the Ulaan—Baatar airport, where half the group was still going through customs! Sean Hinton already had contacts in Ulaan- Baatar and went on to arrange four concerts and a Visit to the Mongolian steppes. Such wonders served to greatly confirm the dedi- cation of the young performers.

China was a very different experience for the group. The members could not teach the Faith openly there, and many of their concerts had been cancelled. However, in one area, Guiyang, they were able to give small concerts and Visit a lovely area in the mountains where the Miao minority live. The friends Visited on April 21 and were able to explain to their hosts that that was a very special day, the “King of Festivals” for Baha’is. The Miao shared their dances, food, and beautiful costumes with E1 Viento Canta, which was astonished at the similar- ity between the Miao people and the native people of South America.

The group returned to the western style of living when it flew to Macau and then later Visited Hong Kong. After having been among lovely, spiritual-minded people in China, Mongolia, the Soviet Union, Eastern Europe, and Africa, the group was pleas— antly surprised to find the same kind of pure hearts in such modern surroundings.

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E1 Viento Canta could not have travelled to any of these remarkable places without the love, kindness, diligence and support of countless Baha’is and their wonderful com- munities. In every city or town, the Baha’is could always be picked out of the crowds by their cheerful smiles and open faces. It is a testament to the power of Baha’u’llah’s Covenant that the Baha’i communities in all these lands exhibited such excellent hospi- tality and were able to arrange concerts and venues so well.

The Wildfire Theatre Group

In January 1988, a group of twenty-eight Baha’i youth toured Australia to share the Teachings of Baha’u’llah through a pro— gramme ofmusic, dance, and comedy entitled “It’s Not the End of the World”. Calling themselves the Wildfire Project, the youth met with an extraordinary response among the approximately three thousand people who saw the show. During the rest of the Six Year Plan, Wildfire embarked on a number of similar performing tours. The member- ship of the group and the content of the shows changed, but Wildfire remained dedi- cated to spreading Baha’u’llah’s message of peace through the arts.

In November 1989, the Wildfire Theatre Group completed its first international teach- ing tour. Composed of five youth, the troupe travelled to Hong Kong, Macau, Taiwan, and Thailand. Monty Engs (New Zealand), Simon Hinton (Australia), Glen Martin (Australia), Mary Sinclair (United States), and Kirsten Zemke (New Zealand) spent ten months performing in schools, universi- ties, shopping centres, refugee camps, public parks and other venues. During this tour, Wildfire shared the Baha’i F aith with approx- imately 120,000 people.

The Baha’i community of Hong Kong reported being deeply touched by the dedi— cation and enthusiasm of the members of Wildfire, whose performances in nine Viet- namese Refugee Camps and Detention Centres brought the joyous news of the

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Revelation of Baha’u’llah to hundreds of people. As the first entertainment group ever to enter some of the camps in Hong Kong, Wildfire was credited with helping ease mounting tension among the inhabitants, thereby winning for the Faith the admiration and praise of the United Nations High Com- mission for Refugees and local social service agencies with whom they cooperated.

Wi1dfire’s performances in Hong Kong generated unprecedented media coverage for the Faith in both Chinese and English news- papers, on television and on radio.

An audience of several hundred gathered to watch the group’s first official perfor- mance in Macau, which formed part of the community’s celebration of Naw-Rl'iz. Hun— dreds more watched and listened from the towering apartment blocks around the park.

The friends’ second performance in Macau took place in the Leal Senado Square, in the centre of the city, before an audience of 2,000. Spectators gathered long before the beginning of the show, having heard about it in one of the six newspaper articles pub- lished about the group. The one-hour show, which was repeated twice, included song introductions in Cantonese and short talks throughout about the principles of the Faith. A Baha’i information table was Visited by more than four hundred people who accepted literature on the F aith, and at the end of the evening eight people asked to enrol in the community.

As a resuit of its performances in Macau, the group was invited by the University of East Asia’s music society to be guest performers at its annua1singing competition. Wildfire performed at the beginning of the programme to a very appreciative audience of seven hundred in the cultural centre of the university. Later in the programme, Wildfire’s artistic director, Simon Hinton, accepted on behalf of the friends an engraved si1ver p1ate presented by the society.

Other highlights of the Asia trip were a seventeen—city tour of Taiwan, which included a performance for a group of tribal aborigines

THE BAHA’t WORLD

resulting in the enrollment as Baha’is of two daughters of the chief of the Beinan tribe, and a six—day tour of the South of Thailand, With performances in schools and colleges Which resu1ted in the enrollment of eight hundred and fifteen new believers.

The group was particularly blessed to spend time in the presence of the Hand of the Cause of God Amatu’l—Baha Rfihiyyih Qanum, who was travelling through Asia at the time and attended several of Wildfire’s performances. Her loving spirit and kindness greatly inspired the youth in their efforts.

Wildfire’s tour of Asia not only led many souls to embrace the Faith but motivated the Baha’i youth of that region. The youth of Melaka, Malaysia, who assisted With preparations for Wildfire’s performances in Sonbgkhla, Thailand, were so energized by the group’s example that they formed their own musical group called Wildfire II.

In 1991, Wildfire re—fonned with a new group of performers to tour South Queensland, Australia. “The Do-it—Yourself Peace Show” was seen by approximately 2,100 people in nine cities, and an additional 2,500 saw the friends perform promotional segments. The show’s premise is that at the first rehearsal for a new peace show, the director doesn’t arrive and the members must overcome their feelings of inadequacy to discuss the issues invo1ved with peace and suggest songs and dances to illustrate those points. Eventually they reach a unified approach and create a show outlining the maj or barriers to peace and ways to overcome them. Each perfor- mance ended with a brief explanation that the principles of Baha’u’llah had formed the basis for the presentation. Then the floor was opened for questions.

Venues for the show ranged from the National Baha’i Conference in Toowoomba where one thousand people crowded the hall, to a small Aboriginal settlement full of children who shared their own dance moves after the performance, to a prison in Brisbane where enthusiastic shouts of agree- ment followed a song about racial prejudice.

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Members offhe Wildfire Youth,

T Izeatre Group during one offlzeir pelformances in New South Wales, Australia, in February 1989.

A five—city tour of Western Australia fol- lowed in early 1992, involving fifteen youth Who performed, conducted workshops with their peers, and gave radio and newspaper interviews.

As the Six Year Plan ended, plans were being made to continue Wildfire’s teaching activities into the future.

Light in the Darkness

This group was made up of about twelve musicians, most of whom were students living in Italy. They represented various nationalities, and came together after finding themselves informally singing and perform— ing together at several Baha’i conferences. It was suggested that they form a more organized ensemble for the purpose of teaching the Baha’i F aith. An initial meeting was held in December 1988 in central Italy, and Olinga Mazlum acted as a director to help organize regular practices.

The first performance by Light in the Darkness was during the Easter 1989 Italian Youth Conference, then in July 1989 they sang two songs during the “Peace Moves” European Youth Conference held in San Marino. These efforts were enthusiastically received, and encouraged the friends to travel together to Portici, near Naples, to join in the special teaching project taking place there under the auspices of the Conti- nental Board of Counsellors.

449

The group gave a concert in Portici Which was attended by about one hundred people. Afterwards, many in the audience went to the Baha’i Centre and later enrolled in the Faith. This was the beginning of “mass entry” into the Faith in Portiei, with two to three people joining the Faith every day at first, and then up to ten people a day. The musicians stayed after the concert to help with deepenings, firesides, public meetings, and then performed at the summer school. Fifteen days later they performed in Paola, giving several concerts and helping with the teaching work.

In December 1989, Light in the Darkness performed at the Italian Baha’i Winter School, and in April 1990 they met to plan a summer tour under the guidance of the National Teaching Committee. During June, July and August 1990 the friends travelled to Campobasso, Italy, and Ljubljana and Zagreb in Yugoslavia where many activities involving their performances had been orga- nized by the European Baha’i Youth Council. Next, the group went to Portici, Sicily and Sardinia in Italy, and performed at the Medi— terranean Baha’i Conference held in Corsica.

During the winter of 1990/91, the Euro— pean Baha’i Youth Council and the National Teaching Committee of Austria organized two concerts each in Ljubljana and Zagreb, Yugoslavia. Light in the Darkness per— formed in each of these, and then in April

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1991 they performed during the Italian National Youth Conference.

In the summer of 1991, the group went on a tour of Poland, performing in Warsaw, Gdansk, Wroe1aw and Krakow. From Poland they travelled to Romania, Where they par— ticipated in the historic first European Bahé’i Youth Conference held in Neptune (near Constanza). After the Conference they performed in other localities in the area, With very positive response. Between songs they would invite people to find out more about the Bahé’i Faith, and during one of their concerts some eighty people enrofled.

Light in the Darlmess performing during the European Bahd ’2' Youth Conference held in Neptune, Romania, in July I 991 .

THE BAHA’i WORLD

In August 1991 the friends went back to Portici, Italy, to give a concert in support of the teaching project there. After the perfor— mance some members stayed in Italy to help With the teaching work, and some returned to Romania to participate in the extraordi- nary activities taking place in Eastern Europe.

Towards the end of the Six Year Plan, the group concentrated on expanding its reper- toire by writing original music inspired by Bahé’i themes. Its goal was to produce a cassette tape to raise the funds needed to undertake an extended tour to proclaim the Faith during the Holy Year in 1992.

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INTERNATIONAL SURVEY OF CURRENT BAHA’i ACTIVITIES 451

Musical entertainment beingpresented dur— ing a youth conference held in Dar es Salaam, T anzania; November/ December 199].

Participants in Austria ’S National Youth Conference held in Spiral am Pyhrn in 1992.

The Prime Minister oquyana, His Excel— lency Hamilton Greene, addressing the Caribbean Balzd ’1’ Youth Conference held in Georgetown from 11 t0 [4 August 1989.

[Page 452]452 THE BAHA’i WORLD

Friends attending a youth institute in Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea, 071 3 and 4 December 1988.

mffimfifi _, mfigfi 3E , 3

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Participants in a

quiz held during the National Youth Conference in Lahore, Pakistan, from 15 t0 1 7 September 1988.

A group photograph taken during the International Youth Conference held near Harare, Zimbabwe, from 15 to 22 August 1990.