Bahá’í World/Volume 25/Brazil, Celebrating 75 Years of Community Growth

Bahá’í World/Volume 25 Brazil, Celebrating 75 Years of Community Growth

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[Page 47]This article reports on the activities held to celebrate the 75th anniversary of the founding of the Bahá’í community of Brazil, and, in particular, the visit of Hand of the Cause of God Amatu’l-Bahá Rúhiyyih Khánum to that country.

Amatu’l-Bahá Rúhíyyih Khánum in Brazil: CELEBRATING 75 YEARS of COMMUNITY GROWTH

The first Bahá’í pioneer to settle permanently in Brazil, and indeed in all of Latin America, arrived in Rio de Janeiro at dawn on 1 February 1921. Leonora Stirling Holsapple (later Armstrong) was a single woman of 26; in her purse was barely enough money to support her for two weeks; she had no job and spoke no Portuguese. She knew no one in the city. Yet the arrival of this lone woman signaled the establishment of the Brazilian Bahá’í community. And the results of her tireless efforts are clear today: by 1996 the stature of the Bahá’í Faith had grown in Brazil to such an extent that whereas Leonora Holsapple Armstrong had arrived alone and friendless, a visit paid by Hand of the Cause of God Amatu’l-Bahá Rúhíyyih Khánum in August, to participate in the celebrations of the Brazilian Bahá’í community’s 75th anniversary, garnered a reception in the highest offices of the land.

The history of the Bahá’í Faith in Brazil had begun two years before Mrs. Armstrong’s arrival with the visit in 1919 of Martha Root, the most outstanding Bahá’í teacher to arise in America, [Page 48]who was identified as a Hand of the Cause of God by Shoghi Effendi upon her passing in 1939. Miss Root had determined to visit every country in the world to spread the Bahá’í message and went to Brazil as part of her trip to the major cities of South America. Though she spoke no Portuguese and had no literature in that language, she succeeded in attracting the attention of a group of Brazilians who undertook to translate a Bahá’í booklet into Portuguese. These same people assisted Mrs. Armstrong when she took up residence in Bahia.

Amatu’l-Bahá Rúhiyyih Khánum and International Counsellor Shapoor Monadjem in the Brazilian Chamber of Deputies during the Solemn Session held in honor of the Bahá’í Faith on 16 August 1996.

Despite the patient and courageous work of Mrs. Armstrong and others, progress was slow in the beginning; there were only three Local Spiritual Assemblies in Brazil by 1947, when special efforts were undertaken to assist the Latin American Bahá’ís to assume responsibility for the functioning of their communities. But from that time, the Brazilian community's growth gathered momentum. In 1951 the National Spiritual Assembly of South America was elected, followed in 1957 by the election of the Regional National Spiritual Assembly of Brazil, Peru, Colombia, Ecuador, and Venezuela, and in 1961 by the first election of the National Spiritual Assembly of Brazil. During the Ten Year Plan (1953-1963) a total of 13 new Local Spiritual Assemblies were established in Brazil (twice the goal of six called for in the Plan), including in 1962 the first all-Indian Local Assembly in the Kiriri Indian community of Lagoa Grande, Bahia.

1. As of Ridván 1996, 198 Local Spiritual Assemblies had been established in Brazil. [Page 49]

BRAZIL'S 75TH ANNIVERSARY

The years from 1968 to 1977 saw the Brazilian community moving from strength to strength, assisted and inspired by many visits from various Hands of the Cause, including Amatu’l-Bahá Rúḥíyyih Khánum. By 1977 the features of today's vigorous Brazilian Bahá’í community life had emerged: involvement in public efforts to promote the status of women; the broadcasting of radio programs; participation in book fairs; the use of the arts; and a colorful community life punctuated by conferences, summer and winter schools, and continuing efforts to share the Bahá’í Faith with the Brazilian people of all social conditions and ethnic backgrounds.

It is in the context of such a vibrant community life that the 75th anniversary activities were carried out. The most significant of these was the special Solemn Session held on 14 August 1996 by the Brazilian Chamber of Deputies, which Rúhíyyih Khánum attended as a representative of the Bahá’í World Centre.

"This special session," remarked Deputy Wilson Campos (PSDB, Perambuco), who was presiding, "...is intended not only to serve as a moment of reflection on the teachings of the Bahá’í Faith and to receive one of its most notable leaders, but primarily to provide an occasion for the Brazilian people, who we represent, to manifest their gratitude for the magnificent work begun among us 75 years ago by Leonora Armstrong."

More than 90 representatives of the Chamber of Deputies―Brazil's main legislative body-were present for the two-hour session. Representing the full range of that country's political parties, 14 deputies spoke, honoring Amatu’l-Bahá as a defender of the environment, a promoter of world peace and unity, and a protector of the rights of indigenous peoples. Some 70 deputies, from all of the different parties and regions of Brazil, had signed the declaration calling for the session.

Among her other accomplishments, Rúḥíyyih Khánum was honored for her six-month "Green Light Expedition" through the Amazon basin to survey the impact of development on the environment and on indigenous cultures. Motivated by her deep concern for the environment and indigenous peoples, the expedition was a ground-breaking effort to highlight the importance of indigenous cultures and the need to preserve them. [Page 50]Tribute was also paid during the session to Mrs. Armstrong, who labored valiantly for almost 60 years to foster the growth and development of the Brazilian community; for the last seven years of her life she also served as a member of the Continental Board of Counsellors in the Americas. Deputy Alzira Ewerton (PPB Block, Amazon) commented, "In 1921, the young Leonora Armstrong, sent to Brazil to spread the teachings of Bahá’u’lláh, made a long journey through the North and Northeast of Brazil, and went to Manaus, before settling in Bahia. One can only imagine what this must have meant, taking into consideration not only the isolation of the Amazon, but also the fact that it was a woman who made this trip, which must certainly have been surprising at a time when women simply did not do things of this nature."

The speeches by the deputies covered a wide range of other topics related to the presence and activities of the Bahá’í Faith in Brazil, from its involvement in social and economic development projects to the efforts of the Brazilian Bahá’í community to promote unity and tolerance.

"In many cities," remarked Deputy Flávio Arns (Brazilian Social Democratic Party, Paraná), "in addition to the spiritual and moral development work, Bahá’ís also carry out projects in the economic and educational fields, such the School of the Nations in Brasília; the Monte Carmelo Association in São Paulo; the Educational Center of Salvaterra, in Salvaterra, Pará; and the rural Polytechnical Institute in Iranduba, Amazonas."

Both Alzira Ewerton (PPB Block, Amazon) and Maria Vadão (Liberal Front Party, Goias), praised the Bahá’í Faith for its promotion of the principle of the equality of women and men. "The Faith of Bahá’u’lláh did not merely foresee equality in theory but, above all, presented a concrete model of how equality should become real in society," said Ms. Valadão.

"I believe that only the bringing together of the spiritual forces of all origins and this is where I see that the Bahá’í Faith is a very strong example of tolerance for other beliefs—will make us move forward," said Deputy Tilden Santiago (Labor Party, Minas Gerais). "Certainly, it is a very strong spiritual force that is needed to face the world of conflict and contradiction in which we live." [Page 51]

BRAZIL'S 75TH ANNIVERSARY

At the close of the session there was a call for a Bahá’í prayer, and as one of Bahá’u’lláh’s prayers for unity was recited the entire company stood in reverent silence.

That evening, Rúḥíyyih Khánum was the honored guest at a dinner party attended by authorities and prominent people in the capital, including the Minister of State for Administration and Senators, Federal Deputies, Ambassadors, and members of some international organizations.

Rúḥíyyih Khánum’s itinerary included visits with a number of other dignitaries. The day following the Solemn Session, she met with President Fernando Henrique Cardoso at the presidential palace.

Amatu’l-Bahá Rúhiyyih Khánum at the First Latin American Conference on World Citizenship, in Bahia, August 1996. ENLACI-1º Encontro La

They spoke together about the environment, global governance, and the development of the Bahá’í Faith in Brazil. In addition, she was received on 8 August by the Acting Governor of Bahia, Dr. Otto R. Mendonça de Alencar, at which time she granted an interview to the press. That evening, a reception offered in her honor brought together city council members, artists, intellectuals, and other figures in Bahian society. On 15 August she received, in Brasília, Yaacov Keinan, the Israeli Ambassador to Brazil, who paid a formal visit.

For a total of one month, Amatu’l-Bahá traveled throughout Brazil, inspiring Bahá’í communities, meeting dignitaries, and participating in conferences. She also granted a number of interviews with newspaper and television reporters. [Page 52]Among her other activities, Amatu’l-Bahá attended, along with some 250 participants from 13 countries, "The First Latin American Conference on World Citizenship-Practicing Unity in Diversity," held on 22 and 23 August at the Permanent Seat of the Latin American Parliament in São Paulo. The conference, the first of its kind in the region, brought together a wide range of elected officials, representatives of non-governmental organizations (NGOs), and social activists. It resulted in a 10-point declaration on world citizenship, for presentation to heads of state at the Sustainable Development Summit for the Americas, in Santa Cruz de la Sierra, Bolivia.

The statement declared that "the establishment and promotion of world citizenship" is "the greatest means for achieving peace, security and prosperity" in the world. It also called for all states to join into "some sort of world federation," saying it was "the best form of sociopolitical organization for the present-day world."

The conference was organized by Instituto Para a Cidadania Mundial (Institute for World Citizenship), an NGO whose founders include the Local Spiritual Assembly of São Paulo, and it featured speeches by a wide range of regional and international figures. Among them were Amatu’l-Bahá, Professor Ervin Laszlo of the Club of Budapest; the Brazilian Minister of Culture, Francisco Weffort; the Brazilian Minister of Administration, Luis Carlos Bresser Pereira; Brazilian Federal Deputy Luiz Gushiken; Maria Terezinha Godinho, São Paulo State Secretary for Childhood, Family, and Social Well-Being; and Pierre Weil, President of the City of Peace Foundation.

During the event, tribute was paid to Amatu’l-Bahá as a living example of a world citizen. A video about her life was shown and transmitted via satellite to a large audience and she offered a brief speech after the tribute.

A world citizenship award ceremony was also held during the conference by the National Assembly of Brazil. Sixteen women of prominence, representing different races and social classes, all of whom are actively involved in the betterment of society, were honored.

A highlight of Rúhíyyih Khánum’s visit to Brazil was her return to the Amazon to commemorate the 20th anniversary of [Page 53]

BRAZIL’S 75TH ANNIVERSARY

DEAR AMATUL BAHA Ruhiyyih WELCOME TO MANAUS Rabbani. Children gathered at Manaus International Airport to receive Amatu’l-Bahá, August 1996.

the Green Light Expedition. On 17 August, Rúhíyyih Khánum traveled to Iranduba, making part of the journey on a boat placed at her disposal by the Amazonas State authorities in recognition of her expedition 20 years before. In Iranduba, she visited the Djalal Eghrari Rural Institute of the Amazon, where a Bahá’í conference was held at which she spoke on the destiny of the indigenous peoples and the power they have to influence the evolution of humanity.

On 18 August, the Mayor of Manaus offered the use of his boat to Rúḥíyyih Khánum for a one-day trip in the Amazon, also in honor of the 20th anniversary of her expedition. Amatu’l-Bahá was accompanied by state and municipal officials concerned with the environment and five of the expedition’s original seven members.

The Manaus Municipal Theater saw another event to commemorate her trip on the evening of 19 August. Amatu’l-Bahá spoke before a crowd of over 400 people, including governmental authorities and other leaders of thought, about the elimination of prejudice, the equality of all humanity, and the important international role of the Amazon and its people. The program also included folk dances, music, a showing of the video on the life of Rúḥíyyih Khánum, and a film on the Green Light Expedition.

Concurrent with these activities, on 16 August, the Legislative Assembly of the State of the Amazon passed a law recognizing Naw-Rúz as a Bahá’í Holy Day.

Brazilian Bahá’í communities were delighted by the chance to have Rúḥíyyih Khánum amongst them in their gatherings. From [Page 54]9 to 11 August she attended the Second National Integration Conference in Bahia. Distinguished by the participation of many indigenous Bahá’ís from the area and by the use of the arts in its program, the conference gathered some 400 people from nine countries, five indigenous nations, 19 states, and 42 communities. Amatu’l-Bahá spoke at the opening and at the closing of the conference and participated in a special youth meeting during the event. A discussion was held on the evening of 9 August with a panel of two city council members, a former university president, and the founder of a non-governmental project for the defence of children and youth. All the speakers addressed the theme "Bahá’u’lláh and the New World Order." The next day a devotional meeting was held in memory of Leonora Armstrong. From 28 August to 1 September, Amatu’l-Bahá was in Foz do Iguaçu, where, upon her arrival, she was greeted at the airport by the mayor's brass band and was warmly welcomed by his special deputy. While in the area, she visited Itaipu Binacional, the largest hydroelectric dam in the world, and was received with the highest respect and dignity by the dam's personnel. Invited to plant a tree in a grove planted by visiting heads of state, she carried out the task with characteristic joy and expertise, dispensing with any assistance and commenting on the great number of trees she has planted over the years.

The culmination of her trip to Brazil was a two-day conference organized by the National Spiritual Assemblies of Brazil and Paraguay, attended by some 650 people from nine countries, with many Indian tribes represented. During her remarks, Rúḥíyyih Khánum pointed out the importance of the education of children in the formation of their character and emphasized the special destiny of indigenous peoples described in the Bahá’í writings.

This event represented a suitable end to a memorable journey, rich in opportunities for reflection on past achievements and new resolutions for future progress.