Bahá’í World/Volume 26/The Year in Review

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[Page 89]

YEER IN

REVIEW

he outstanding characteristic of the Bahá’í year from Riḍván

1997 to Riḍván 1998 can be summed up in one word: growthdynamic growth in the range and number of activities undertaken by Bahá’ís worldwide, and significant growth in membership in various Bahá’í communities around the globe. Most noteworthy was progress in the evolution of permanent training institutes. Since the call of the Universal House of Justice in December 1995 for the establishment of national or regional permanent institutes designed “to provide well—organized, formally conducted programs of training on a regular schedule,”1 hundreds of institutes have been founded and thousands of individuals have taken their courses.

While no brief survey such as this can do justice to the full range of diverse and stimulating endeavors undertaken by the followers of Bahá’u’lláh throughout the globe, it does offer a collage of the large numbers of activities undertaken by the Bahá’ís, their communities, and their institutions in the past year. The material is organized under

1. The Universal House of Justice, letter to the Bahá’ís of the world, Ridvz’m 153 BE. (1996, unpublished).

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., i. _J_AL;J_LL,Jum_-LLL liljr Iiu , 7 _

THE BAHA'J’ WQJLJQ

the following categories: Institutes and Other Training Activities, Bahá’í Institutions, Sharing the Message of Baha’u’llah, Community Life, Houses of Worship, Scholarship, Involvement in the Life of Society, Social and Economic Development, Interfaith Activities, Race Unity, Contact with Prominent People, Recognition, Advancement of Women, Youth, the Special Role of Indigenous Peoples, the Arts, and Environment. Certain events are not being covered here but are reported in detail in separate articles: the gathering of religious leaders with World Bank officials at the Lambeth Conference, the fiftieth anniversaries Of the establishment of the Bahá’í Faith in Spain and Luxembourg, and a report on the progress of the construction projects on Mount C armel.

Institutes and Other Training Activities

The development ofhuman resom-‘Ces on a large scale requires that the establishment sz'nstitutes be viewed in a new light. In many regions, it has become imperative to create institutes as organizational structures dedicated to SfiS‘lemaliC training. The purpose Ofsueh training is to endow ever-growin g contingent? of believers with the spiritual insights, the knowledge, and the skills needed to early out the many tasks Ofaceelerated expansion and consalz'a’ation, including the teaching and deepening Ofa large number ()j’people—aa’u/ts, youth and Children.2

Twenty-one Bahá’ís from ten countries—Brazil, Colombia, Costa Rica, the Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Honduras, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, and Venezuela—met at the Ruhi Institute in Puerto Tejada, Colombia, from 3 t0 8 November 1997 to create a unified vision of the institutes being developed in Latin America. Each session began with a discussion of basic concepts of education, during which the point was stressed that the development of human resources is an organic, dynamic process. The purpose of the institutes, their relationship to the institutions of the Faith, and the formulation of curricula and methodology were all discussed. Individuals who had helped to develop institutes in their national communities shared their experiences and the Challenges they had encountered.

2. The Universal House of Justice, letter to the Conference of Continental Counsellors, 26 December 1995 (Riviera Beach: Palabra Publications, 1996).

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A member of the National Spiritual Assembly of Brazil gave a presentation on how to prepare a plan of action for an institute, defining its obj eetives and activities and producing a time line. Another speaker looked at the development of Colombia’s Institute Study Groups facilitated by tutors trained at the Ruhi Institute. With the help of these tutors, small groups ofbelievers in Villages and towns throughout the country have entered the Institute’s basic program and are systematically studying its courses.

Programs formumted by In Colombia, Ruhi Institute participants Germany’s regional insti- Cleaned a schaol in the community of tutes address three aspects of PeriCO Negro in Cauca in 1 99 7. the participants’ lives: “mind, hand and heart.” Started in October 1997, regional institutes throughout the country held one-year courses on “Living the Bahá’í life.” Topics included “The Dispensation Of Bahá’u’lláh,” “the essence of a human being,” “Bahá’í identity,” and “relating the Bahá’í teachings t0 the problems of society.” Participants felt an increase in their knowledge and their desire to serve humanity.

A ten-day training course for college students was held at the National Training Institute in Debre Zeit, Ethiopia, at the end of J anuary 1998. Interested students who were not affiliated were invited to attend the institute training along with Bahá’ís. For five days, classes were given in basic Bahá’í topics and then the youth participated in workshops. The Counsellor and members of the National Spiritual Assembly Visited the students, and a group of youth also entertained the participants with Bahá’í songs. 011 the last day of the course, thirteen Of the non-Bahá’í students declared their belief in the teachings of Bahá’u’lláh.

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Some thirty participants from Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda attended the first Institute course for trainers from East Africa, held in Nakuru, Kenya, in June 1997. A variety of study methods was used, including group discussion of the Bahá’í writings, talks by facilitators, general consultations and small—group discussions of practical applications of Bahá’í principles.

All three ethnic groups of Rwanda were represented at the first institute course held since the war. Twenty-six Bahá’ís from fourteen Local Spiritual Assemblies gathered in June 1997 at the national Bahá’í center in Kigali. Participants consulted on the goals of their community with the members of the National Spiritual Assembly.

In September 1997, a study Class on the Four Year Plan and the institute process was held in Pohnpei, Eastern Caroline Islands. About twenty adults, five youth, and ten children participated in a program that included talks, a round of prayers, and the sharing of news from various Bahá’í communities. A session was also held to train Auxiliary Board members and their assistants.

In July 1997, the Bahá’í Institute of Greenland offered its first set of Bahá’í courses. The overall aim was to give the participants a

Participants at the Menty-secona’ COurse Ofthe Natianal Institute of Uzbekistan,from 28 April to 4 May 1997, hold apz'cm'c at thef00t Ofthe mountains othalik.

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Dances and Bahá’í' songs were featured at Rwanda 3‘ second

Bahá’í' Institute, held in Kigalifrom 6 to 12 October 1997.

greater understanding of the verities of the Bahá’í Faith, with the View of enhancing their personal lives. Courses were taught in Greenlandic, Danish, and English.

Twelve participants from Kaolaek, Pikine, Tataguine and other areas of Senegal attended classes held at the site of the Permanent Institute of Bambilor from 19 October to 2 November 1997. Their study focused on three booklets based on Ruhi Institute materials on the themes of prayer, life and death, and understanding the Bahá’í sacred writings. Study was conducted in the Wollof language, through participatory workshops and everyone played an active part.

Some forty youth from five districts of Lesotho attended an institute course from 1 to 20 December 1997, with local youth serving as facilitators. Topics studied included Bahá’í laws, the benefits of leading a chaste and holy life, and Bahá’í administration. Evening programs included performing arts which contributed to the spiritual atmosphere of the occasion and the unity of the group.

Following the Visit of two Bahá’ís t0 the Sudan in June 1997, the Bahá’í community of that country established the “Mirza Haydar‘Ali Institute.” Courses that cover Bahá’í administration, the history of the Bahá’í Faith, methods to expand the Bahá’í community, and spiritual topics have been prepared.

Meherangiz Munsiff, a long-standing Bahá’í who has traveled to more than 180 countries, visited Bermuda for the first time in February 1998 to conduct two weekend courses sponsored by the Bermuda Bahá’í Permanent Institute. One course focused on prayer and meditation and the second addressed two topics: the need for

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sharing with others the message of Bahá’u’lláh and Bahá’í administration.

Other training activities included regional seminars on “Education in Human Rights,” which were successfully carried out from 16 to 18 January 1998 in Asuncién, Paraguay, and from 23 to 25 J anuary in San Salvador, El Salvador. Representatives of sixteen national communities of Latin America and the Caribbean attended the seminars to learn how to approach the work of education in human rights.

Bahá’í Institutions

...it behooves us to reflect on the animating purpose and the primaryfunctions Ofthese divinely-established institutions, the sacred character and the universal efficacy of which can be demonstrated only by the Spirit they diffuse and the work they actually achieve.3

The specific duties of the institution of the Hands is to protect and propagate the Bahá’í Faith. During her trip to Europe, Hand of the Cause of God Amatu’l-Bahá Rúḥíyyih Ehénum Visited Luxembourg. Some 230 Bahá’ís from Belgium, France, Germany, and Luxembourg were present at a gathering on 18 August 1997 to honor their distinguished guest Amatu’l-Bahá. Prayers were read in Luxembourgish, English, and Persian, and sung by the Luxembourg Bahá’í choir. In her talk, Rúḥíyyih Khánum emphasized the importance of the time in which we live and urged those present to make increased efforts to teach the principles of the Bahá’í Faith.

The second annual meeting of the National Spiritual Assemblies of southern Latin America was held in Buenos Aires, Argentina. The National Assembly is an elected council in which is invested legislative, executive, and judiciary powers over its national Bahá’í community. Present at this annual meeting were a member of the Continental Board of Counsellors and twenty—one members of National Assemblies from Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Paraguay, and Uruguay. Consultations were marked by an open and sincere flow of ideas, proposals, and achievements on aspects involving

3. Shoghi Effendi, The World Order of Bahá’u’lláh.‘ Selected Letters. 2nd ed. (Wilmette: Bahá’í Publishing Trust, 1991), p. 9.

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YEAR m REVIEW

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In May 1997, local Bahci ’z's erected a Sign welcoming visitors to the Bahá’í' Center in Nakuru, Kenya.

the Youth Year of Service programs and the state of the institute process in each country through the sharing of materials, publications, course outlines, and methodologies applied. They also discussed issues pertaining to the growth and maturation of institutions.

On 21 May 1997 a reception was held for the authorities and people of prominence in Brasilia, Brazil, to celebrate the inauguration Of the new national Bahá’í center in the federal capital. This event was attended by more than seventy leaders of thought, including Ministers of State representatives, F ederal Deputies, the Director-General of the Brazilian Senate, ambassadors and diplomats, writers, artists, media representatives, and other friends of the Faith. The ceremony included prayers, readings from sacred scriptures, and music presented by the Brasilia Bahá’í Choir. The official inauguration of the new headquarters of the Brazilian Community took place on 23 May in the presence of two hundred Bahá’ís representing several state and local communities. The dedication plaque, which was uncovered for the occasion, read in part, “The Brazilian Bahá’í Community dedicates this Bahá’í national office to the service of God and humanity, inspired by the following words of Baha’u’llah: The earth is but one country and mankind its citizens.”

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Victoria, Seychelles, was the venue for an exhibition and a conference held on 23 August to mark the Silver Jubilee of the National Spiritual Assembly. The exhibition attracted a large crowd. The highlight of the day was a conference in the main hall of the International Conference Center, attended by more than four hundred guests including dignitaries of the island who heard a presentation about the Faith. National television and radio covered the event and excerpts were featured in both daily news broadcasts.

Ground breaking for the new local Bahá’í center in the Arno community of the Marshall Islands took place on 26 J uly 1997 in the presence of about two hundred people, including traditional and Church leaders. Following the formal presentation, everyone joined makat

Representatives of four F reneh-speakjng communities took part in a conference on Bahá’í institutions held in Martinique in late 1997. The countries represented were French Guiana, Guadeloupe, Haiti, and Martinique.

Students from the Tirana School Of F ine Arts performed for an audience of 150 during the inauguration of the Albanian National Bahá’í' C enter, held in Tirana on 10 January 1998.

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The inaugural meeting Ofthefirst Regional Bahd ’z' Councils in the United States was held in Wilmette, Illinois, from 12 to 14 December 1997.

Sharing the Message of Bahá’u’lláh

The primary reason for anyone becoming a Bahá’í' must of course be because he has come to believe the doctrines, the teachings and the Order of Bahá’u’lláh are the correct thing for this stage in the world ’5 evolution.4

In the Makira Province of the Solomon Islands, a gathering was held from 21 to 23 November 1997 to proclaim the message of Bahá’u’lláh t0 the leaders of the community. More than fifty invitation cards were sent to traditional chiefs, religious leaders, and selected individuals. As more people than expected attended the gathering, the venue had to be changed from the Togori Bahá’í Center t0 the open air in the shade of the palm trees. The first day of the conference featured an open discussion on progressive revelation, while the following day a representative of the National Spiritual Assembly gave an introduction to the Bahá’í Faith. The highlight

4. From a letter written on behalf of Shoghi Effendi to an individual Bahá’í, 5 July 1947 (unpublished).

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of the conference was an afternoon presentation relating the practices of the people of the Are Are region and the Bahá’í Faith. The event concluded with talks on the “Vision Beyond Year 2000” and on the Mount Carmel Projects in the Holy Land.

In Denmark, the Local Spiritual Assembly of Copenhagen took advantage of public festivities in celebration of May Day to proclaim the Bahá’í message. At least two hundred thousand people attended the event at a large park on 1 May 1997. Four of the six entrances to the park were staffed by Bahá’ís holding large banners which read “Bahá’í—Global Solidarity and World Citizenship.” The Local Assembly had also rented space in the tent for exhibits by non-governmental organizations, and invitations to the weekly meetings at the national center were handed out. At least two hundred invitations and about eight thousand pamphlets were taken. The presence of the Bahá’ís was mentioned in several of the media coverages of the May Day festivities.

Afemata Moli Chang, a member of the Continental Board of Counsellors and a traditional chief in Samoa, Visited Vanuatu in September 1997 as part of the “Ocean of Light” project, using traditional customs to teach the Faith of Baha’u’llah to Pacific Islanders. On the island of Efate, Mr. Chang met Chief Peter Poilapa of Melli and elders of that Village. Later, at a special ceremony held in the national Bahá’í Center in Port-Vila, he presented the message of Baha’u’llah along with a customary gift to members of the Vaturisu Council of Chiefs. While on the island of Tanna, the Counsellor met members of the Council of Chiefs of the area, visited Middle Bush, North and East Tanna, and gave public talks in six Villages.

One hundred and ten Bahá’ís from seven provinces in Bolivia gathered in Omro for a two-day conference in August 1997. Following the event eight teams traveled within Oruro and North Potosi for seven days to present the Bahá’í Faith to the inhabitants of these areas. Over five hundred people expressed their desire to become Bahá’ís. The project also received press coverage.

Fifteen European Bahá’ís coming mainly from Belgium, France, and Switzerland joined fifty local believers in Cote d’Ivoire to bring the message of Baha’u’llah to the Danané region in the second phase of the “Audaee” project. The project, which began in the summer of 1996, resulted in the opening of more than one hundred new localities,

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In the Solomon Islands, traditional chiefs attended a gathering to proclaim the message of Bahá’u’lláh in November 1997.

the enrollment of hundreds of new believers in the Faith, and the formation of fifty new Local Spiritual Assemblies. The purpose of the second phase, which took place from 10 July to 31 August 1997, was to follow up the previous achievements by strengthening existing Local Assemblies, deepening newly enrolled believers, and extending activities to virgin localities. At the end of this phase, the Local Assembly of Danané reported that the number of newly enrolled believers was 2,672.

A campaign to teach people about the Bahá’í Faith in four regions of Seychelles brought together 108 Bahá’ís from Mauritius, Reunion, Madagascar, India and Seychelles. During the week preceding the campaign the Faith was featured prominently on national television news, national radio news, and in the island’s only daily newspaper. The two main weekly papers each carried an article on the Faith and special radio spots were aired three times daily throughout. Presentation of the Faith to the masses began on 18 August 1997. No less than four exhibitions were held daily, and several talks were given on all aspects of the Faith during the week. On 24 August, the National Spiritual Assembly announced that more than one hundred new believers had enrolled in the Faith.

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1n the North C aucasus Republic ofRuSSia, a Bahá’í' and hisfriend discuss the writings OfBahd ’u ’[lci/z in July I 99 7.

In J anuary 1998, a campaign to bring the Bahá’í Faith t0 thirteen areas of Colombia resulted in over eight hundred people accepting the Cause of Bahá’u’lláh. In the departments of Atléntico, Bolivar, Cauca, Cesar, Chocé, Cérdoba, Huila, La Guajira, Quindio, Santander, Sucre, Valle del Cauca, and the islands of San Andres and Providencia, 144 Bahá’ís took part in this campaign.

The first phase of the Angolan Peace Project, launched on 28 October 1997, ended with seventy-two new believers embracing the Cause of Bahá’u’lláh by the end of the month. Six full-time staff participated in the project, including one youth from $510 Tome. The first phase of the project focused on the municipality of Viana, Where the full-tirne teachers were supported by eight part-time V01unteers. The Bahá’ís concentrated on Visiting people in their homes and inviting those interested in learning more to attend weekly meetings. About six of the newly enrolled youth joined the Luanda Bahá’í Youth Workshop and Youth Choir.

Five American Bahá’ís of African origin Visited Togo from 18 to 25 J anuary 1998. During their stay, the team met and presented the Bahá’í Faith t0 the President and Vice President of the National

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Commission for Human Rights, the Minister of Feminine Promotion, the Minister of J ustioe and Human Rights, and the Director of the Cabinet for the Minister of External Affairs and Cooperation. The American team also Visited journalists from Togolese television and radio and were included in two television broadcasts“It’s Your Word,” which lasted about thirty minutes, and “Report,” which lasted for fifteen minutes.

A meeting of friendship was held between the Bahá’í community of Helsingborg and the Romany people of Sweden as a result of one Bahá’í being inspired to contact the Romany people after watching a program on television about them. Thirty people, twelve of them Bahá’ís, met at the Romany Center on 9 J une 1997 where the Nordic Romany Chairman gave a presentation on the Romanies. The Bahá’ís, in return, talked about the Bahá’í Faith. Entertainment provided by the Bahá’ís and the Romanies was another feature of the evening.

A Bahá’í from the United States visited Kyrgyzstan from April to July 1997, Visiting Cities where there were no Bahá’ís. He attracted two thousand people to meetings where he shared the message of Baha’u’llah, gave thirteen radio and television interviews about the Bahá’í Faith, had five newspaper articles published, and helped bring 157 new believers into the Faith. In addition, he met with the nation’s Prime Minister and the Speaker of the Parliament.

In 1997, the Local Spifl- In Namibia, Bahd ’z's taught the Faith of mal Assembly in Queljrnane, Bahd ’u 716311 to the people Omearuru in Mozambique launched a SEP‘embe” 1997' teaching campaign to be held

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from 12 November to 21 April 1998. The teaching campaign, named after the Hand of the Cause of God Enoch Olinga, was aimed at familiarizing the people who live in the suburbs of the area with the principles of the Bahá’í Faith. Many in the region responded positively to this initiative.

In the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, six Bengali-speaking Bahá’í musicians Visited Middle Andaman in December 1997 to present the Bahá’í Faith to the Island’s residents. The Bahá’ís adapted a number of songs in the Bhaj ans/Kirtana tradition—religious songs depicting the lives of holy men—to tell the story of Baha’u’llah and His teachings.

A Bahá’í from Céte d’Ivoire spent four weeks traveling through Guinea’s central regions of Labe and Zerekore in late 1997 to familiarize the people of the area with the message of Baha’u’llah. In Labe, discussions were held on progressive revelation, with particular emphasis on the station of Baha’u’llah and the principles of the Faith. As a result, a total of thirty-three people embraced the Bahá’í Faith. In Zerekore, an entire Village attended a meeting to discuss Baha’u’llah’s message. Twenty-two people declared their belief in the Bahá’í Faith.

An Australian Bahá’í traveling to Taj ikistan gave the message of the Bahá’í Faith to those he met and Visited local Bahá’í communities, teaching English, Persian, and Bahá’í moral education classes to approximately forty children aged eight and over. The Bahá’í also presented the Bahá’í Faith to government officials and gave talks to six hundred students at the polytechnic institute in Dushanbe on the topics of understanding God, the history of religions, the necessity of religion, the goals of the world religions, and the teachings of the Bahá’í Faith. These presentations took place from 12 September to 10 November 1997.

Over 145 participants from 13 countries together with representatives Of the National Spiritual Assemblies of Cyprus, F rance, Italy, Sicily, and Spain discussed the results of their efforts to develop their Bahá’í communities at the Mediterranean Conference, held in Sardinia, Italy, from 8 to 12 October 1997. A unique feature of this event was that two days of the conference were devoted to public meetings, held in cooperation with local and provincial resources, on themes related to work ethics. The initiative received full support

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Some of the participants in a Bahá’í children iv class who traveled to Kiribati to teach the Bahá’í' message to the people ofNorth Tarawa in May 1997.

from the Oristano Provincial authorities and the City Council. More than three hundred people attended the event, which included topics such as “Technology and Communication: New Ethical and Scientific Frontiers,” “Women and Work: New Service Economy,” and “School and Entrepreneurship: New Perspectives on Training and Work.”

Community Life

His constant hope is that the believers will conduct themselves, individually and in their Bahá’í' Community life, in such a manner as to attract the attention ofothers t0 the Cause. The world is not only starving for lofty principles and ideals, it is, above all, starving for a shining example which the Bahd ’z's can and must provide.

The Local Spiritual Assembly of Budapest, Hungary, has set up a marble plaque in the garden of the National Museum at the site where the Hand of the Cause of God Amatu’l-Bahá Rúḥíyyih @énum

5. From a letter written on behalf of Shoghi Effendi to an individual Bahá’í, 22 February 1945 (unpublished).

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planted a tree during her Visit to Budapest in 1993 to commemorate ‘Abdu’l-Bahá’s Visit to Budapest eighty years previously, during which He gave a talk in the National Museum. The plaque was unveiled on 31 J anuary 1998 in a ceremony which opened the National SpiIitual Assembly’s campaign marking the eighty-fifth anniversary of the Bahá’í Faith in Hungary. Inscribed on the marble plaque is the following: “Ye are thefruits Ofone tree and the leaves of one branch, Baha’u’llah (1817—1892).”

The second Bahá’í Education Conference was held from 13 to 20 August 1997 at the Ocean of Light International Primary School in Tonga. Thirty participants came from Australia, the Federated States of Micronesia, J apan, Korea, New Zealand, Samoa, and Tonga. His Royal Highness Crown Prince Tupouto’a officially opened the meeting and expressed interest in the outcome. Other prominent people at the opening were the Director of the University of the South Pacific Centre in Tonga, the local Director of the Red Cross, and the Australian High Commissioner and his wife. Highlights included presentations on the Virtues Project, curriculum development, Bahá’í-based moral education classes in public schools, the institute process, the use of technology in education, and educational programs for students with disabilities.

About 100 Bahá’ís from all around Europe gathered in Paris on 14 and 15 June 1997 for a special service to honor the memory of Thomas Breakwell, the first Englishman to declare his faith in Baha’u’llah. He was on a Visit to Paris from his work in a cotton mill in the southern United States in the summer of 1901 when he learned of the Bahá’í Faith and immediately accepted it. He quickly left for Acre to Visit ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, who asked him to remain in Paris on his return to Europe. He served the Faith there with great ardor until he died of tuberculosis a few months later, early in 1902. In recent years, after much searching, the Bahá’ís found the grave in which he had been buried in Pantin Cemetery, and purchased the plot. A service was held there on the morning of 14 June, after which the participants went to the Bahá’í Center for further readings, prayers, eulogies, and music. They also Visited the places associated with ‘Abdu’l-Bahá’s visit to Paris in 1911.

Twenty-four Bahá’ís participated in a seminar on family life sponsored by the National Committee for Bahá’í Education and

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F amily Life held at the National Bahá’í Center in Tenerife, Canary Islands, on 28 September 1997. Small groups studied a tablet about marriage by ‘Abdu’l-Bahá. Some theatrical sketches on the theme of consultation within the family were presented by the “Artesano” workshop, and those present were encouraged to perform sketches themselves.

The National Spiritual Assembly of Myanmar organized a study session on various topics relating to the Bahá’í Faith from 23 to 24 November 1997 in the Mandalay Bahá’í C enter. Among those participating were twenty-seven Bahá’ís from tribes in Shan State and nine Bahá’ís Of the Sagaing Division, as well as some native Bahá’ís Of Mandalay.

Seasonal schools are an integral part of Bahá’í community life. Spring, summer and winter schools were held around the globe, including the following:

Thirty-four participants attended a summer school in Nabran, Azerbaijan, from 26 to 29 July 1997. The program started each day with dawn prayers and ended with evening prayers and meditations. Morning Classes, held in the forest, were conducted on such topics as the Bahá’í sacred writings, the life of Bahá’u’lláh, the effect of

Participants at the Norwegian Bahá’í School, held 5—1] July 1997 in Alta, gatherfor a photograph.

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calamities and difficulties in the progress and development of the individual and the community, the Universal House of Justice, and the relations between the individual and the Local Spiritual Assembly. Evening programs consisted of music, songs, dances, and games.

The summer school held in the town of Alta, in the Sami region of Norway, brought together 115 Bahá’ís. Members of the National Spiritual Assembly, and guest speakers Omid Djalili of England,

In Pakistan, Mr. Bahadur Khan, viceChancellor OfBaluchistan University speaking at a ceremony held to mark the first translation of the Kitdb—i-Aqdas into

Urdu.

Shamil F attakhov of Russia, and Manohar Patil of India, delved into such themes as love, justice, tolerance, and unity. Two newspaper articles, two radio interviews, a letter to the editor, and a newspaper report about a one-man show by Omid Dj alili which was held in a restaurant with more than one hundred people in attendance, gave great attention to the fact that so many Bahá’ís were gathered in the

small northern town.

A four-day summer school attended by one hundred Bahá’ís in the Fiji Islands was held at the beginning of January 1998 on the

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Members ofsz'ritual Assemblies ofBelgium and the Netherlands receive copies Ofthefirst oflicz’al Dutch translation Ofthe Kitdb-i—Aqdas in Arnhem, the Netherlands, on 18 May 1997.

[Page 107]YEAR 13 REVIEW

Bahd 75 from throughout Europe gathered in Paris 14—15 June 1997 to commemorate the ninety-fifth anniversary of the passing of Thomas Breakwell, the first English Bahá’í'.

theme “For the Love of Baha’u’llah.” The first day focused on the prophecies of all the religions foretelling the coming of Baha’u’llah. The second day covered His life and teachings. The third day was devoted to Baha’u’llah’s prophecies and their fulfillment, and the final day was on the individual’s responsibility to serve Him.

In the beautiful mountains of Busteni, the Romanian summer school took place from 2 t0 7 September 1997, attracting eighty participants. The wide range of subjects covered concentrated on the spiritual and historic nature of the Faith, as well as the development of creative talents. One of the courses motivated the participants to dedicate a twenty-four—hour period to a prayer chain in memory of Bahá’í martyrs.

More than two hundred Bahá’ís from Canada, Estonia, F inland, Norway, and Russia gathered in J oensuu, in eastern Finland, to participate in the F innish Bahá’í Summer School held at the end of July 1997. Seminars were conducted on “The Requirements for 21 Just Global Society,” “Consultation—From Debate t0 Functioning,” “Islam in the Modern World,” “The Significance of Science and Religion for the Prosperity of Humankind,” “World Citizenship, a

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Global Ethic for Our Future,” and “The Bahá’í Cencept of Art.” The event was covered by the district radio and local newspapers.

The Botswana Summer School took place at Tlokweng from 17 to 22 December 1997 attracting about two hundred adults, youth, and children, including a large number of Visitors from countries as far away as Australia and Israel. Featured in the program were traditional dance and Bahá’í-inspired music, including a performance by the Children and youth of Kumakwane. Bahá’ís from different communities joined the Spirit of Africa Choir in singing beautiful harmonies by the end of the week.

In J izzakh, Uzbekistan, twelve young people embraced the Bahá’í Faith at a youth camp and summer school held in August 1997. Classes were held on the Hidden Words, prayer, the history of the Faith, teaching, the existence of God, the soul, prophecies from the Qur’án and the Bahá’í administrative system. Workshops focused on the principles of the Faith and youth problems, including drugs, morality, and crime. Picnics, games, and dancing were also a part of the festivities.

Topics such as the Covenant, sacrifice, the performing arts, and the Bahá’í Fund were covered at the vacation school in Paramaribo,

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In Nicaragua, Children participate in a Class at the national Bahá’í summer school in Diriamba, held in December 1997.

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[Page 109]A Bahá’í' Singing group performs at the 180m anniversary of the Birth of

Bahd '11 716211 on

12 November 1997 in Khulna, Bangladesh.

Suriname, from 25 to 28 December 1997. About thirty people attended, including two Bahá’ís from Barbados and Guyana.

In addition to summer and winter schools, there were special educational programs for Children. In Niger, a children’s camp was held in Niamey on 4 and 5 April 1998 for fifth- to eighth-year students. Twenty-two children participated in the program organized by the Bahá’í National Education Committee. Topics included the life of Baha’u’llah and environmental issues.

Another part of Bahá’í community life is the observance of special commemorative occasions. There are nine Bahá’í holy days each year, and each community has its own distinct way of celebrating or commemorating them. The following are a sampling of holy day Observances around the world:

A service commemorating the Birth of Baha’u’llah was hosted at the House of Worship in Samoa on the evening of 11 November 1997. Guests listened to prayers read in Samoan and English and chanted in Persian prior to gathering in the ancillary building for refreshments. On the following day, another celebration took place in the grounds of the House of Worship. About seventy people attended, including many children and youth. A TV Samoa crew arrived during the festivities and interviewed the secretary of the National Spiritual Assembly and some of the Children about Baha’u’llah and His teachings, resulting in a four-minute telecast the next mommg. On 25 May 1997, in celebration of the Declaration of the Bab, representatives of the Chiang Mai community of Thailand presented a copy of The Kitab-i-Aqdas (Baha’u’llah’s Book of Laws) and

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On 12 October 1997, Radio Bahá’í' in Ecuador marked its twentieth anniversary ,. with about two hundred J people attending. 1 Between presenta .1 tions ofmusic and dance, local dignitaries made " Speeches.

other Bahá’í sacred writings to more than ten officials, including the Director of Education, the Chief of the Social Welfare Department, the Head Librarian at the National Library, and Army and Air Force radio station officials. As a result, a history of the Faith and a color photograph of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá appeared on the front page of the Chiengmai News.

Bahá’í new year celebrations in Kyrgyzstan received media attention. The Bahá’í community of Bishkek celebrated the Bahá’í new year, also called Naw Rfiz, on 21 March with a program that included prayers in different languages, a talk on the significance of the Naw R112 celebrations, and a performance by the youth.

Houses of Worship

Blessed is the spot, and the house, and the place, and the city, and the heart, and the mountain, and the refuge, and the cave, and the valley, and the land, and the sea, and the island, and the meadow where mention of God hath been made, and His praise glorified.6

Nearly five hundred gathered at the Bahá’í House of Worship in Panama on 26 July 1997 to celebrate the twenty-fifth anniversary Of the inauguration of the Mother Temple in Latin America. The diverse assemblage was composed of Bahá’ís, their special guests, and members of the public, including a large number from

6. Bahá’u’lláh, Bahd’z' Prayers: A Selection of Prayers Revealed by Bahá’u’lláh, the Bath, and ‘Abdu’l-Bahá (Wilmette: Bahá’í Publishing Trust, 1991).

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hie agmizigs fifififlifi 5-:7xcu “

T he first Northwest Regional Bahá’í School in Russia was held in Petrozavodsk from 2 t0 5 January 1998.

the Guaymi, Kuna, and Choco tribes. F ollowing a devotional service at the House of Worship, the attendees gathered in the public meeting hall for a ceremony which culminated in the unveiling of a quilt dedicated to the theme “Moral Values in Diversity.” The gathering was addressed by Mr. Victor Barrios, representative of the Rotary Club of Panama, and Mr. Oscar Torres on behalf of the Panamanian Bahá’í community. Dr. Berta de Barretto, representing the F irst Lady of Panama, spoke to the gathering briefly and unveiled the quilt, which was comprised of forty-eight panels fashioned by different local organizations, students, and local Bahá’í communities.

A service to commemorate International Human Rights Day and the beginning of Human Rights Year was held at the Australian Bahá’í House of Worship in Sydney on 7 December 1997. The guests included the Governor General, His Excellency Sir William Deane and his wife. More than six hundred Bahá’ís and guests took part in the ceremony including representatives of various organizations, as well as members of the Continental Board of Counsellors and the National Spiritual Assembly. Sir William was the first to read at the service. The readings were drawn from the Bahá’í,

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T ms Bahá’í WORLD

7he twenty—fifih anniversaiy 0 f the dedication OfPanama ’s Bahá’í House of Worship was held in July 1997. A quilt dedicated to the theme “Moral Values in Diversity” was unveiled for the occasion.

Buddhist, Christian, Hindu, J ewish, Muslim, and Zoroastrian sacred scriptures, with a particular focus on themes relating to human rights.

A newspaper article in the Chicago Sun Times dated 27 July 1997 marked the eighty-fifth anniversary of the laying of the foundation stone dedicating the Mother Temple of the West in Wilmette, 0n the shore of Lake Michigan, by ‘Abdu’l-Bahá. “The dedication stone of the magnificent House of Worship was laid in 1912, but doors didn’t open until 1953. The years between built more than a structure; they built up the foundations of a faith,” reads the article.

The House of Worship in Uganda was featured on a Video program 0n Alliance Air during flights from South Africa to the United Kingdom in 1997. The airline is jointly owned by Uganda, Tanzania, and South Africa, and the program was shown as part of a profile of Uganda. An article on the Faith was also featured in Dine Out, a travel magazine.

Among the many dignitaries who Visited the Bahá’í House of Worship in Samoa during the period in review was the Vice-Premier of the State Council of the People’s Republic of China, His Excellency Mr. Zhu Rongji, and his wife Madam Lao An. They were received by a delegation of the National Spiritual Assembly of Samoa and members of the Bahá’í community. The distinguished visitor expressed admiration for the design of the Temple and the ideological basis of it. Bahá’í literature and a framed photograph of the Temple were presented to them.

In July 1997, the Bahá’í Temple of India received His Royal Highness Niranjan Shah, Prince of Nepal, who was accompanied

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by the acting Nepalese Ambassador and the Military Attache of Nepal to England. The delegation asked several questions about the life ofBaha’u’llah and the origin of the Bahá’í Faith. Other distinguished visitors to the House of Worship in India included the Jordanian Ambassador, accompanied by his wife and brother; the Hungarian Ambassador and his wife; and the Zambian Ambassador. The Ambassadors of the Ukraine and the Republic of Poland, and a Counselor with the Embassy of the People’s Republic of China were also received.

Scholarship

Knowledge is as wings to man is life, and a ladderfor his ascent

About 450 participants from around the world took part in the twenty-fourth International Conference of the Society for the Sociology of Religion, held from 7 to 11 July 1997 in Toulouse, France. Two sessions were devoted to the study Of the Bahá’í community, and another included a presentation of a Bahá’í paper together with other papers. One session was devoted to the launching of a new volume by Dr. Will C. van den Hoonaard Of the University of New Brunswick, Canada, on The Origins of the Bahá’í' Community ofCanada, 1898—1948.

“Fostering Human Rights: Developing Pathways to Peace” was the topic of the 1997 annual conference of the Association for Bahá’í Studies in North America held in Washington, DC, from 14 to 16 November. More than seven hundred people from the Americas, Asia, and Europe gathered for this event. The program consisted of plenary sessions and over fifty workshops on a broad range of issues. Among those making presentations were Rep. John Porter, cochairman Of the United States House of Representatives Human Rights Caucus; Payam Akhavan, legal advisor to the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Tribunals for the former Yugoslavia and Rwanda; and Richard Pierre Claude Of the University of Maryland and coeditor Of Human Rights Education for the 215t Century.

7. Tablets OfBahá’u’lláh revealed after the Kitáb-i-Aqdas (Wilmette: Bahá’í Publishing Trust, 1994), p. 51.

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This year’s Hasan Balyuzi Memorial Lecture was given by Dorothy W. Nelson, a senior judge of the US Court of Appeals and a member of the National Spiritual Assembly. She emphasized action in the promotion of human rights and called for national law to be placed in an international law context by judges, so that constitutional law can be augmented by human rights norms in deciding cases.

The 1997 Australian Bahá’í Studies Conference on the theme of “Global Governance: A Promise for Collective Security and Human Prosperity” was held at the University of Western Australia in Perth from 10 to 13 July. The Deputy Vice-Chancellor of the University opened the conference before an audience of about 350. The opening also featured a welcome by an elder of the Nyoongar Aboriginal peoples, who spoke movingly of the experiences of the indigenous population of the region. A special Persian-language Bahá’í studies session included Persian poetry and dancing, as well as scholarly presentations.

The Association for Bahá’í Studies in English-Speaking Europe held its annual conference in Oxford on 1 and 2 November 1997. The conference on “Spirituality and Civilization” consisted of fourteen presentations. The keynote address by Stephen Lambden, entitled “The Bahá’í Criterion of Truth,” showed how the more than twenty thousand sects in the world reflected the growing increase in religion and how this was linked to the search for truth. Other presentations included “A ‘Politics of Transformation’ in International Education,” “Striving for Excellence,” and “Religion in Society.”

The sixth annual conference of the Association for Bahá’í Studies in Japan, held at the Tokyo Bahá’í Center from 19 to 21 December 1997, focused on community development and spirituality in the cultural pursuits of J apan. In addition, a case study on Bahá’í community development in Kyushu was presented and the role of Japan’s Daystar International School in fostering community ties and designing a curriculum for the development of capacity was explored. The evening program featured J apanese arts. Paintings, calligraphy, and other crafts were displayed throughout the center. Musical performances included traditional songs, flute, and classical J apanese Koto music.

‘Irfan Colloquia, which are devoted to Bahá’í scriptural studies conducted in English and Persian, were held in the United Kingdom

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and the United States in 1997, sponsored by the Haj Mehdi Aijmand Memorial Fund. The theme of the fourteenth session of the ‘Irfan Colloquium, held in Manchester from 4 to 6 July, was “World Religions and the Bahá’í Faith.” An audience of thirty-five people from Europe took part in presentations on “Sectarianism and the Bahá’í Faith,” “The Bahá’í World Centre from the Perspective of the History of Religions,” and “The Bahá’í Approach to Other Religions: The Example of Buddhism.” In the United States, the fifteenth ‘Irfan Collquium was held at the Bahá’í National Center in Wilmette, 111inois, from 9 to 10 August. Presentations included the following: “A Comparison of Mass Movements in Hindu Villages: Bahá’í and Christian,” “Aseertaining the Validity of Islamic Hadith: A Personal Perspective,” and “Religion and Science in Harmony: A New Reality.”

In September 1997, the Landegg Academy in Wienaeht, Switzerland, established the Rabbani Chair for Bahá’í History. Each year, the Chair is to hold an annual colloquium on Bahá’í history to which contributors to this area of scholarship will be invited. A formal dedication ceremony, attended by Hand of the Cause Amatu’l-Bahá Ruhi'yyih Khánum, was followed by a banquet and concert.

Mr. Washington Araujo, a member of the Bahá’í community of Brazil and author of several books, was invited to become a member of the Academy of Letters of the F ederal District. “Considering your dedication to the high ideals of peace and brotherhood among the peoples, races and nations,” the invitation letter to Mr. Araujo began, “your concern for the distribution of justice and your literary work directed towards social transformation, with a way of thinking that knows no frontier of seetarianism. . .we have unanimously decided to approve your name as member of the Academy, occupying the seat which has as its patron the immortal Monteiro Lobato.”

Involvement in the Life of Society

It is our duty and privilege to translate the love and devotion we have for our beloved Cause into deeds and actions that will be conducive to the highest good of mankind.8

8. From a letter written on behalf of Shoghi Effendi to an individual believer, 20 November 1924 (unpublished).

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The Bahá’í community helped organize a national condolence service on 30 December 1997 at the Singapore Indoor Stadium for the bereaved families of the passengers and crew lost on SilkAir Flight MI-185. The organizing committee, chaired by the former President of Singapore, comprised community, business and religious leaders. More than 8,500 attended the service, among whom were the acting President of Singapore, the Prime Minister and senior government officials as well as Ambassadors from countries that had citizens on the ill-fated flight. F ollowing addresses from government officials, representatives from nine religions offered prayers for the solace of the bereaved families and the progress of the departed souls. After the prayer from the Bahá’í representative, all present at the stadium stood up for a minute of silence before the service ended.

The second annual celebration of “Bertha Dobbins Day” was held at Vanuatu’s Bahá’í Center in Namburu on 17 October 1997 with more than two hundred people present. The occasion marked the forty-fourth anniversary of the arrival of Mrs. Dobbins, the first Bahá’í in the islands. The environment was the theme of this year’s gathering. The thirty-five dignitaries who attended included the Minister of Agriculture and the Environment; the Minister of J ustice, Culture and Religion; the Head of the Environment Unit; and the Lord Mayor of Port Vila. Part of the program included the presentation of awards to the individual and the group or organization that have made significant contributions to the conservation of the natural environment. The winners of the 1997 Bertha Dobbins awards were Sawi Kalpukai of Ifira, who has been running a very successful nursery for some years, and the community of Erangorango for its activity in a large-scale tree-planting program initiated by the Local Assembly in the area.

Diplomats, senior government officers, and representatives of citizens’ groups were among the one hundred and fifty people in attendance at the fifth annual Blums’ Awards presentation held at the Bahá’í Center in the Solomon Islands on 14 September 1997. The awards, which were presented by the Governor General to highlight the achievements of Solomon Islanders were named in honor of the services of Alvin and Gertrude Blum, a Bahá’í couple who arrived in Honiara in 1954. There were three recipients of the 1997 Blums’

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Awards: a man who raised the funds to have a secondary school built in his community; a young woman who has overcome a physical handicap to organize a women’s group, work with youth, and translate material into the local language of her area; and a community that is working to preserve its environment by developing a small paper industry, the profits of which are being used to improve the village infrastructure.

A symposium on “Global Unity—A Work in Progress,” organized by the Office of External Affairs of the Bahá’ís of the Mariana Islands, was held at the University of Guam on 21 F ebruary 1998. F ifteen panelists spoke at the session, with four Bahá’ís serving as moderators. The panelists included a Superior Court Judge, university professors, and business people. F orum topics focused on moral education, sustainable global prosperity, upholding the dignity of humankind, and the destiny of women. In their presentations, panelists were asked to consider questions such as whether education prepares children for global unity; which values are being taught and whether these are the ones needed to thrive in a united world; what global prosperity means to them, including its material and spiritual elements; which human rights and obligations must exist to have a stable, safe, and just society; how to promote the idea of equality of men and women; and the role of women in establishing world peace. The local National Public Radio station taped the symposium and asked a Bahá’í broadcast professional to produce a thirteen-week thirty-minute radio show around the topics. Local television and a newspaper also covered the event.

Approximately one thousand people in New Zealand assembled on United Nations Human Rights Day, 10 December 1997, to take part in a Unity in Diversity Rally—a Celebration of Auckland’s Cultural Diversity. The event was first proposed by the National Spiritual Assembly’s Office of External Affairs, and soon gained support from New Zealand’s Race Relations Office, the Multicultural Society, the Peace Foundation, and the United Nations Association. Short talks were given by the nation’s Race Relations Conciliator, a Member of Parliament for Central Auckland, and representatives of the Bahá’í and Jewish communities, as well as other organizations that had promoted the event. Additionally, messages of support were read from about twenty prominent people,

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[Page 118]In Calcutta, India,

- representatives offlze

‘ Bahá’í community led

a procession of mourning dignitaries to St. Thomas ’ Church ' where two wreaths of ‘ lotus and rose flowers were laid beside the

9 body ofMother Teresa in September 1997.

including two former Governors General and a number of Members of Parliament.

T0 supplement the 1997 United Nations Day celebration which took place on 24 October in Santo Domingo, the Bahá’í community of the Dominican Republic arranged for the national representative of the United Nations, Paolo Oberti, to give a special program in the north of the country during the following week. In Santiago, Mr. Oberti spoke at a university, was interviewed on local television, and met with the provincial Governor. In Puerto Plata, Mr. Oberti talked to the student body at a public high school explaining the role of the United Nations and responding to the students’ questions. He also met with the Mayor of Puerto Plata and Visited the town of La Union, where the Bahá’í community is successfully working to promote social and economic development.

In Pedro Juan Caballero, Paraguay, the local Bahá’í community presented several modules on moral leadership to schools. F ortytwo teachers took the introductory course; seven teachers finished the first module and began another on teaching, with the intention of continuing until graduation. As a result, other schools requested training on moral leadership for their teachers.

The launching of a moral education project took place on 29 May 1997 in Riviere des Anguilles, Mauritius. The first class was attended by sixty-five non-Bahá’í participants, including thirtyfive children. Regular meetings for parents are scheduled to take place every three months. In Goodlands, a meeting with twenty-five parents was held on 1 July to make them aware of the importance of the moral education Classes.

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In 1997, more than thirty-five pupils attended the Bahá’í religion classes at Tereora College in the Cook Islands. The class received television and radio coverage. As a result, many people requested Bahá’í literature.

The National Spiritual Assembly of Cape Verde prepared a statement entitled “Consumption of Alcohol and Use of Drugs from a Bahá’í Perspective” and distributed it to all schools for use during their celebration of Civic Week. One of the largest newspapers in the country, Novo Jamal a’e Cabo Verde, published the statement in two parts on 11 and 15 October 1997.

On 19 November 1997, the National Spiritual Assembly of South Africa appeared before the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, as did other religious organizations. The purpose of the appearance of religious groups was to explain their role during the apartheid years. A statement read by the Bahá’í representative received a very positive response.9 Following the presentation, other religious leaders approached the Bahá’ís and invited them to cooperate on joint ventures.

“A Healthy Family for a Healthy Society” conference, organized by the Albanian Bahá’ís, attracted two hundred people, half of whom were not Bahá’ís. Held in early December 1997, the conference consisted of seminars and workshops. Speakers addressed such topics as stress, Violence, adolescence, family models, discipline, conflict resolution, and marriage. Representatives from seventeen NGOS and the Ministry of Health were present. Each participant received the Bahá’í International Community’s statement on the equality of men and women.

The Bahá’í community of Ireland participated in an event organized by Amnesty International to highlight the plight of refugees. All major religions were represented at the 9 October 1997 gathering entitled “Voices for Refugees.” Mrs. Alison Wortley, the Bahá’í representative, read a Bahá’í prayer. The event was reported on the main national evening news bulletin.

The European Bahá’í Business Forum (EBBF) cosponsored the “F ifth International Conference on Moral and Ethical Principles in a Social Market Economy” in Sofia, Bulgaria, from 24 to 26 October.

9. See p. 229—232 for the complete text of this statement.

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A Choir performed at the Sixth F eslz'val for International Understanding. This event, Olganized by the Baht? ’I's ofAlIenkirchen, German)", 11“"(15 held on

8 June 1997.

The gathering was attended by more than one hundred people. A member of the EBBF served as head of the organizing committee and Chaired the two round-table discussions on business ethics.

In St. Vincent and the Grenadines, the Bahá’í perspective on social issues received media coverage in 1997. A five-minute radio program broadcast four days a week and two live radio programs of a half—hour each on the themes of the Violence-free family and the mission of Baha’u’llah were aired. Six half—hour programs entitled “Bahá’í Visions” were also presented on television. The public reaction was so positive that some programs were aired twice. Articles on Bahá’í Views on pertinent issues were published as well.

The Bahá’í booth at the Cuban International Book Fair, held from 4 to 10 February 1998, was among the most popular of the many stands. Attracting the attention of intellectuals and government officials, the Bahá’í stand welcomed the Minister of Culture and the President of the Cuban Parliament. The book stand was supported by the Office of External Affairs of the National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of Mexico, as well as the Bahá’ís of Cuba. In conjunction with the Fair, the Bahá’ís took part in a reception for authors and publishers hosted by the Minister of Culture, they hosted a presentation by Washington Araujo on his book on the philosophy of Baha’u’llah, and they also attended a ceremony held by the Minister of Culture to present medals to prominent people who have made contributions to Cuban culture. The Bahá’ís congratulated the award recipients and presented each of them with materials outlining the Bahá’í vision for the advancement of society. During the week, Bahá’ís gave three radio interviews, one each with

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Radio Havana and Radio Tamie, and a forty-minute interview with Radio Rebelde.

More than twenty thousand people Visited the Bahá’í stand at Ethio-Book Fair ’97 in Ethiopia. From the booth, the National Assembly issued more than six hundred cards inviting the Visitors to a meeting at the national Bahá’í Center. Many accepted the invitation.

Social and Economic Development

The most important role that economic efforts must play in development lies, therefare, in equipping people and institutions with the means through which they can achieve the real purpose ofdevelopment: that is, layingfoundationsfor a new social order that can cultivate the limitless potentialities latent in human consciousness. 10

Over 220 people from diverse backgrounds representing almost all the regions of Guyana gathered in July 1997 at the School of the Nations in Georgetown for one week of intensive training to prepare for their role as literacy facilitators. The “On the Wings of Words” literacy project, an endeavor initiated by the Bahá’í community, has gained tremendous support and publicity in its effort to increase literacy in the nation.

In Malaysia, more than 140 people of diverse backgrounds attended the launching of the Virtues Project in the presence of the Minister of National Unity and Social Development, Y. B. Datuk Paduka Zaleha Ismail, on 27 May 1997 in Petaling J aya. The occasion was organized by the Bahá’í Office for the Advancement of Women in response to the call of the Prime Minister of Malaysia for religious groups and non-governmental organizations to combat social ills in the country. The Virtues Project aims at enhancing understanding of human values.

A Bahá’í in the pharmaceutical business in Iceland organized a first-aid course for fishermen in his area. In his work he had often prepared boxes with medical supplies for accidents or sickness at sea, and it had occurred to him that those using the supplies would

10. The Prosperity ofHunvzan/cind (Bahá’í International Community: Office of Public Information, 1995), published in full in The Bahá’í World 1994—95, pp.273—296.

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not be able to make full use of them if their knowledge was limited. Realizing that more knowledge would add to the safety of the fishermen and could even save lives, he arranged for doctors to give two courses to them. The first one attracted seventy participants—far more than expected.

Volunteers from the Dhaka Bahá’í community of Bangladesh vaccinated 220 children in Fatullah and other areas in Dhaka. Medical doctors from the Bahá’í community treated sixty patients, dispensing medicine and providing consultation without charge. Fatullah had not been Visited by any other medical team during National Immunization Days.

In April 1997, a group of Bahá’ís in Liberia developed the NGO “Liberia Community Development Incorporated” to provide muchneeded services to the country, as well as employment and job training. Its first initiative was a program to manufacture and teach others to manufacture cement roofmg sheets.

The Chilean Ministry of Education organized a day-long event attended by eighty southern Santiago school directors on 4 December 1997. The morning was dedicated to a talk and consultation on schools in general, and the afternoon focused specifically on the Nur School, a Bahá’í-inspired institution. The Bahá’í representative spoke openly about the Bahá’í Faith, detailing five areas of consideration for the educational establishment. These included the concept that human beings are essentially noble and given unique gifts; the role of consultation in the administration and daily work of the educational community; the importance of developing a shared Vision; the goal of developing fundamental capabilities in each student; and the need and techniques for concentrating efforts towards the acquisition of Virtues.

From 21 to 23 November 1997, twenty-two people took part in a women’s gathering in F ada Gourma, Burkina Faso. Participants representing Benin, Burkina Faso, Mali, Niger, and Togo discussed the development of a women’s project in the Sahel region. One goal resulting from this project is to provide literacy education for the women of the region so that they can read the Bahá’í writings.

In Battambang, Cambodia, a course for literacy trainers was held during four weekends in 1997. The goal of the program was to train more teachers to meet the literacy needs of the area. At the time of

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In Mongolia, participants in the Erdenbulgan Development Project display their harvested goods. This project is run by the Bahá’í community.

the training, there were more than one hundred children between the ages of eight to sixteen taking part in literacy classes.

In a remote Village of Kilalamba, seventy miles from Kampala, Uganda, the Bahá’í community started the only school within walking distance for the children of pre—primary-school age. The school, which has two teachers and over one hundred students, has a roof thatched with grass and walls of wattle and daub. The children sit on sacks brought from their homes as there are no chairs or benches.

Eight Bahá’ís from the United States arrived in Uganda on 26 June 1997, carrying boxes of wheel Chairs and leg braces to be donated to the Dr. Rodney Belcher Orthopedic Department at Mulago Hospital. The Department is named after the late Dr. Belcher, a Bahá’í pioneer who died in March 1996.11 On arrival, the group was met by a television crew who interviewed them and also visited the hospital and the Bahá’í National Center.

11. See The Bahá’í World 1995—96, pp. 309—3 11 for a memorial sketch of Dr. Belcher.

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TE—LE Bahá’í WORLD

The Masrour Bahá’í' Vocational School in Manaus, Brazil, has over 1,400 students from grades one to five.

Interfaith Activities

Consort with the followers of all religians in a Spirit of fi'iendliness and fellowship. 12

The Bahá’í community was invited to send representatives to the Interfaith Service of Prayer for the National Day of Commemoration in Ireland. Held on 13 July 1997 in the quadrant of the Royal Hospital Kilmainham, this event was attended by members of the government, Council of State and the diplomatic corps. Also present was the President and United Nations Human Rights Commissioner designate, Mary Robinson.

For the first time, the Ukrainian Committee on Religious Affairs invited the Kiev Bahá’í community to participate in a conference on “New Religions in Ukraine.” At the 11 July 1997 conference, the fifteen—minute presentation about the Bahá’í Faith met with great interest and respect. Bahá’í literature—The Promise of World Peace, T urning Point for All Nations, and an introduction to the Bahá’í Faith—was given to the conference organizers and various participants.

In Taiwan, the World Religion Exhibition, sponsored by the district government, was held in Taipei’s Da An from 19 to 21 December 1997. Among the organizations participating were the Bahá’í community, a Buddhist group, the Catholic church, Hare

12. Gleanings from the Writings ofBahd ’u ’Ildh (Wilmette: Bahá’í Publishing Trust, 1994), p. 95.

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Krishna groups, a Muslim organization, and the Taoist community. Hundreds of people attended the event. In addition to a booth, the Bahá’í contribution included performances by the Ocean Waves, a dance and drama workshop.

The Bahá’í Faith was covered on the weekly Guam television show“Is1and Focus,” which explored some of Guam’s non—Catholic religious groups. A full five minutes were focused on the Bahá’í Faith, featuring three local believers, two of whom talked about their attraction to the Faith and another who gave a presentation on progressive revelation.

An event to mark both Dominica’s first interfaith celebration and the fiftieth anniversary of the University of the West Indies was held in Dominica. More than two hundred people were present, including the Prime Minister of Dominica and government and religious officials. The Bahá’í Faith was mentioned during the presentation of the guest speaker, the Principal of the United Theological College in J amaica, and a Bahá’í prayer was also said.

On 1 April 1998, a representative of the Bahá’í community took part in a radio broadcast on Austrian Radio (ORF) with members of other religious organizations, which included the Buddhist, Christian, Hindu, Muslim and J ewish communities. The six representatives were asked to present their points of View on “The Last Seven Words of Jesus on the Cross.” The Bahá’í was asked to speak about Christ’s sentence: “It is done.” The presentations were complemented by an oratorio by Joseph Haydn and meditative quotations from world religions.

The Prince Rupert Bahá’í community in British Columbia, Canada, held a gathering to celebrate World Religion Day. Speakers delivered presentations on eight subjects: Aboriginal spirituality and the Christian influence, the Bahá’í Faith, Buddhist beliefs, the Christian Viewpoint on life after death, the Muslim Faith, Unitarian Faith, Sikhism, and the Zoroastrian religion. The oneness of humanity was a recurring theme throughout the presentations. A local newspaper profiled each of the topics covered, based on the World Religion Day presentations and further research.

For the first time in fifty years, an in—depth and largely accurate article on the Faith was published in a Greek newspaper. The full—page article in the national Ethnos tis Kiriakis on 22 March

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1998 explained the relationship of the Faith to other religions and described many of its central principles.

The Encyclopédie des religions a’e l’humanité, a French adaptation of Religions Of the World, included an entry on the Bahá’í Faith as one of the world’s ten major religions. Published under the direction of Michel Malherbe, a distinguished expert in the field of religious studies, the 160-page illustrated volume has a wide distribution and is also carried by most French libraries.

The Ministry of Justice of

Equatorial Guinea invited representatives of the country’s religious groups to participate in a special proclamation for justice held on 6 February 1998 at the stadium in Malabo. The Minister of Justice, the Minister of Education, other dignitaries, and some three hundred representatives from various religious groups were present. One of the

A. , f d. ‘ _. “~tt.‘;q,w . .5. .fiwfi’r rwv t"

In F rance, representatives of the Bahá’í' International Community, together with other religious groups, participated in the World Day Against Suffering (Journée Mondiale du Refus de la Misére) 0n 1 7 October 1997, observed annually by the ATD Quart Monde, a human rights organization.

Bahá’í representatives recited prayers for unity and a tablet from

‘Abdu’l-Bahá on peace.

Race Unity

O ye discerning ones! Verily, the words which have descended fiom the heaven of the WIN of God are the source ofunity and

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harmony for the world. Close your eyes to racial differences, and welcome all with the light of oneness.

Some three thousand people responded to the American Bahá’í community’s six broadcasts of The Power ofRace Unity 0n the Odyssey Interfaith Network from 28 March to 8 April 1998. The Power ofRace Unity was developed as a collaborative effort between a group of independent Bahá’í producers and the National Teaching Committee of the Bahá’ís Of the United States. The Video relates the stories of four Bahá’ís who are working to foster race unity in their communities.

The idea that racism destroys human dignity, and essentially impairs the perpetrator, the affected and society, was the basis of the Bahá’í perspective on racism presented during a meeting in Melville, Western Australia. Sixty guests attended the gathering, “Racism, a Violation of Human Dignity,” sponsored by the Local Assembly.

A multicultural feast against racism, organized by the Local Spiritual Assembly of Dudelange, Luxembourg, was held on 19 October 1997. The net profit of the event was given to Dideleng Helleft, an association that supports development projects in South America. More than two hundred people from various religious backgrounds participated in the event, which featured performances by the Diversity Dance Workshop from F rance and local dance groups.

“Human Resources and Unity” was the theme of a race unity proj ect in March 1998 in Tsatjbrdhur, Iceland, which is inhabited by many foreigners and refugees. The purpose of this project was to make people realize the potential and the great human resources that exist in diverse populations and to unite and introduce the various cultures. More than five hundred people participated in this event, which included a formal program, exhibitions, information booths, and culinary dishes from various nations.

Race Unity Day events were held in various parts of South Africa. In Port Elizabeth, around 150 people attended the “One City—One F amily” gathering, developed in support of the One City campaign to unite racially segregated areas of the city into one municipal entity.

13.Baha’u’llah, quoted in The Advent of Divine Justice (Wilmette: Bahá’í Publishing Trust, 1990), p. 37.

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The event was attended by city officials and a representative of the new Government of National Unity’s Department of Arts and Culture. Also in South Africa, about two hundred people gathered at the race unity celebrations in East London on 14 June 1997. Among the various performers were a Spanish dance group and Scottish bagpipers.

Contact with Prominent People

Some Of the loved ones Should establish ties offriendship with the notables Of the region and manifest towards them the most affectionate regard. In this manner these men may become acquainted with the Bahá’í' way oflife, learn of the teachings of the Merciful One, and be informed of the pervasive influence of the Word of God in every quarter of the globe. If but one of these souls were attracted to the Cause, others would quickly be Similarly moved, since the people tend tofollow in the footsteps of their leaders. 14

Each year the Bahá’í World Centre receives a broad spectrum of society, including government ministers, diplomats, academics, and religious leaders. These Visits provide opportunities to present such individuals with the history and tenets of the Bahá’í Faith and acquaint them with the stature and significance of the Faith’s worldwide activities. The following is a representative sampling of the prominent people received at the Bahá’í World Centre from April 1997 to 1998: His Excellency Arto Tanner, the Ambassador of F inland to Israel, and staff from the F innish Embassy; His Excellency Ibrahim M’baba Kamara, Ambassador of Sierre Leone to Israel and Ethiopia; Mr. Pjeter Anbori, a member of the Albanian parliament; a delegation from Okchin county in South Korea which included members of the City Council, businessmen, and a‘ farmer; and a four-member film crew from Starfield Productions in the United Kingdom fihning a documentary entitled “F or God’s Sake.”

Royalty and Heads of State Viewed the Bahá’í stand at the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in Edinburgh from 21 t0

14. ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, quoted in the compilation “Teaching Prominent People,” published in Teaching the Bahá’í Faith (Mona Vale: Bahá’í Publications Australia, 1995), p. 110.

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26 October 1997. Among those who Visited were His Royal Highness The Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, who looked at the examples of the Bahá’í social and economic development activities featured on the stand; The Princess Royal, who spoke to the Bahá’í volunteers about the equality of women and men and commented favorably on the Bahá’í principle of giving priority to the education of girls; the Prime Minister of Belize; and the Foreign Minister of South Africa. Towards the end of the week, Her Majesty the Queen hosted a reception for representatives of the non-governmental groups that were exhibiting at the Commonwealth meeting, which a Bahá’í representative attended.

The President of the Republic of South Africa, Nelson Mandela, sent a message to the nation’s Bahá’í community on the occasion of the 180th anniversary of the Birth of Baha’u’llah. The message, sent on 14 November, was in response to an invitation to Mr. Mandela by the Bahá’í National Office of External Affairs to attend a formal reception. In the message, the President extended his regrets at not being able to attend the occasion and commended the Bahá’ís, saying, “Your community’s pursuit of national and global unity and peace are worthy pursuits and welcome initiatives.” More than one hundred prominent members of the public attended the event.

The Governor General of J amaica, His Excellency Sir Howard Cooke, Visited the National Bahá’í Center for a dinner hosted by the National Spiritual Assembly on 11 October 1997. After the meal a recitation of a poem was made as a tribute to Sir Howard, and musical presentations were made by the Kingston Bahá’í Youth Workshop. Following these, Sir Howard spoke about the religions of the world

In the United States, a Bahá’í' (left) and the town M ayor carry a banner at the Race Unity Celebrations in Springfield, Oregon.

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and their Prophets and challenged the community not only to pray and be righteous, but to serve and do more.

On 30 September 1997, the former President of the Republic of Uruguay, Dr. Luis Alberto Lacalle, was honored by the Bahá’í community. The event, organized by the External Affairs Department of the National Spiritual Assembly, began with a presentation by the Bahá’ís in appreciation of Dr. Lacalle’s efforts in defending the rights of the Bahá’ís in Iran. In response, Dr. Lacalle praised the Bahá’í community and reminiseed about his Visit to the Bahá’í holy places in Haifa, Israel, and the spin'tuality he felt in the Shrine of the Bab. Among those present at this gathering were five Members of Parliament.

The Faith was represented for the first time at the inauguration of the President of the Republic of Ireland on 11 November 1997. The National Spiritual Assembly’s Chairman, Brendan McNamara, attended the event, which took place in Dublin Castle, where he was seated with other religious representatives. Later the same evening, Mr. McNamara and Patrick Dawson, representing the National Assembly, were guests at a reception hosted by the Prime Minister in honor of the newly installed President.

A representative of the United States Bahá’í Refugee Office met with First Lady Hillary Rodham Clinton on the occasion of the ground-breaking ceremony for the Hillary Rodham Clinton Women’s Park of Chicago, Illinois. This was an invitation-only gathering hosted by the Mayor of Chicago. Following the program, the Bahá’í representative welcomed Mrs. Clinton to Chicago on behalf of the Bahá’ís of the city.

The Local Spiritual Assembly of Papeete, Tahiti, held an exhibition 0n the Bahá’í Faith in the Town Hall of Punaauia which featured four wall panels with pictures and information on the Faith. In conjunction with the exhibit, three members of the Local Assembly met with the Mayor of the town and presented him with Bahá’í literature.

A Bahá’í delegation, including members of the National Spiritual Assembly of El Salvador, visited the Legislative Assembly on 23 May 1997 to deliver copies of The Prosperity ofHumankind, a statement by the Bahá’í International Community. Several Legislative Assembly members warmly received the delegation, listening to the

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Six representatives of the Bahá’í community met with the President Ofthe Republic of Cape Verde, His Excellency Dr. Mascarenhas Monteiro, 0n 7Janua1fy 1998 to extend greetings to him for the New Year and present him with Bahá’í' literature.

Bahá’í presentation and welcoming receipt of the document. The remaining copies, individually addressed with a special letter to each legislator, were given to the offices of each political party. In Swaziland, Princess Genaphi, with the agreement of King Mswati III, gave a speech during the Bahá’í Open Day event held at the Mountain Inn in Mbabane on 20 September 1997. The Princess referred to the long and cordial relationship the Bahá’ís have had with Swaziland, starting in the time of King Sobhuza 11. She stated that His Majesty King Mswati 111 carries on the tradition of religious tolerance. Referring to her own training as a medical doctor, the Princess acknowledged the enlightened Views of King Sobhuza II regarding the changing role of women in the Kingdom, and concluded with a quotation from the Bahá’í writings about the importance of women being on an equal level with men. Delegates from the National Spiritual Assembly of Papua New Guinea met with the Governor General, His Excellency Sir Silas Atopare, in early 1998 and made a presentation on the Bahá’í Faith. The Bahá’í representatives were warmly received by Sir Silas, who spoke highly of the efforts of the Bahá’ís and termed them “silent achievers.” The Governor General thanked the Bahá’ís on behalf of the people of the country and urged them to continue their work. Representatives of the Republic of Congo’s Bahá’í community met with the nation’s Minister of Communications in December 1997. The Bahá’í delegation presented various aspects of the Bahá’í Faith. During the meeting, which lasted for more than forty—five minutes, the Minister was touched by the words of Baha’u’llah, “The earth is

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but one country and mankind its citizens,” and requested Bahá’í literature.

Six government leaders in the Bahamas were contacted during November 1997 and given a copy of a compilation of Bahá’í writings on the subject of consultation. This was part of the National Spiritual Assembly’s plan to contribute to the betterment of society and to proclaim the message of the Bahá’í Faith to the people of the islands. This endeavor also included the publication of Bahá’í prayers and writings in the newspaper each week, and the placement of different Bahá’í writings every week on a sign read by many passersby in front of the National Bahá’í Center.

Recognition

There can be no doubt that the progress of the Cause from this time onward will be characterized by an ever increasing relationship to the agencies, activities, institutions and leading individuals of the non-Bahá’í' world. 15

Pym Trueman, Bahá’í non-governmental organization liaison officer for Tasmania, Australia, was recognized by the Tasmanian Human Rights Week Committee with an award for her voluntary service in the areas of peace, aboriginal reconciliation, and interfaith relations. The presentation took place during the launching of Human Rights Week on 3 December 1997. National and state dignitaries were among the 250-member audience who listened to the Reverend Bob F aser, General Secretary of the Tasmanian Council of Churches, speak about Mrs. Trueman’s involvement in the group “Tasmanians Against Racism: For Racial Harmony.” The group, which was formed in 1997 to promote a Vision of a racially harmonious Tasmanian society, had previously organized several activities including a march and rally for racial harmony.

A member of the Stuttgart Bahá’í community in Germany, Mr. Huschmand Sabet, was honored with a Planetary Consciousness Business Innovation Prize, given by the Club of Budapest during a ceremony on 25 June 1997. Dr. ERVin Laszlo, President of the Club

15. The Universal House of Justice, letter to the Bahá’ís of the world, Riḍván 1984. Published in Messages from the Universal House of Justice, 1963 to 1986 (Wilmette: Bahá’í Publishing Trust, 1996), p. 624.

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A UNESCO conference 011. “Society and Culture: Educationfbr Sustainability ” was held in T hessalanikz’, Greece, in December 1997. Seen here is Helen Kontos, a Bahd ’z' representative, speaking to F ederico Mayor, DirectorGeneral of UNESCO.

. ,

21 «r

of Budapest, wrote to Mr. Sabet: “[This prize] recognizes. .. a truly significant contribution to the evolution of the new thinking, new values, new behaviors, and the corresponding economic and business practices that are urgently needed if constructive and effective solutions are to be found to the growing problems that beset the human family. Your breakthrough innovation in the Terra Project makes you uniquely qua1ified to receive this Prize.” The Terra Project is an outgrowth of Care and Fair, Mr. Sabet’s idea for a voluntary tax system through which an economic sector of a country or region contributes to the social, economic, and environmental well-being of the country from which its prnducts come. The Care and Fair eoncept has begun to be applied in the European carpet trade. The Planetary Consciousness Awards ceremony was held in the Paulus Church in Frankfurt under the auspices of the city’s Mayor. During the same program, the prize for World Leadership was given to the former President Of the Soviet Union, Mr. Mikhail Gorbachev.

Tauaasa Ta’afaki, a Bahá’í formerly of Tuva1u and now residing in Wellington, New Zealand, received the title of Officer of the Most Excellent Order Of the British Empire (O.B.E.) at a special function in Auckland in September 1997. The Governor—General of Tuvalu, representing Her Majesty the Queen, presented the honor. Mr. Ta’afaki served for many years as Secretary to the Government of Tuvalu, while simultaneously serving as Secretary of the National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of that country.

In Canada, the Young Men’s Christian Association (YMCA) in Sudbury, Ontario, hosted its annual Volunteer Recognition Night on 12 November 1997, coinciding with the anniversary of the Birth

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Of Baha’u’llah. The event was attended by three hundred people. Fourteen awards were presented to individuals who were exemplary in their volunteer services to the community. The most prestigious of these, the YMCA Canada Peace Medal, has traditionally been offered to an individual for outstanding efforts in the promotion of peace. This year, it was presented to Heidi Lakshman, a member of the Sudbury Bahá’í community, in recognition of her relentless efforts in promoting the Bahá’í principles of unity. In front of those assembled, Mrs. Lakshman dedicated the award to Baha’u’llah 0n the anniversary of His birth and spoke passionately of His teachings and the need for a united effort in achieving peace in the world. She concluded her short speech by presenting The Promise of World Peace to the YMCA Board of Directors.

Ann Marie Danet, the first native Virgin Islands Bahá’í of French descent, received the 1997 Governor’s Award for Excellence in the Arts. Ms. Danet was honored at a Government House reception for presentation of her short stories, poetry, ballads, and frequent guest editorials 0n the culture and history of Virgin Islanders who, like herself, trace their roots to the island of Saint Barthélemy (SaintBarth) in the French Antilles. Ms. Danet accepted the award on behalf of her people, a minority whose contributions to Virgin Islands culture have received scant attention.

American President Bill Clinton announced that Mottahedeh Development Services (MDS) would receive the 1998 Martin Luther King Day of Service grant, given by the Corporation for National Service to organizations that show exceptional ability to implement service activities that honor Dr. King’s legacy of bringing

Judge Dorothy Nelson (right) Ofthe United States was the keynote speaker at the Clara and Hyde Dunn Memorial Lecture in Sydney, Australia. Judge Nelson is Shown here with her husband Judge James F Nelson and Stella Cornelius ofConflict Resolution Network.

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people together to solve community problems. MDS, established in 1992 under the aegis of the National Spiritual Assembly of the United States as a non-profit agency to promote social and economic development, will use the funding to initiate “Generation 21—Raising Socially and Economically Successful F amilies.” The project will assist refugee/immigrant women in developing the survival skills needed to build self—esteem and improve the quality of life for themselves and their families.

Beverly Banks, a Bahá’í whose efforts led to the founding of Caymans Against Substance Abuse (CASA), was awarded the Cayman Islands Certificate and Badge of Honor by the Governor, John Owen. A local newspaper, The Caymanian Compass, featured Mrs. Banks in an article published on 17 June 1997. In it, Mrs. Banks discusses how she was determined to do something about the growing problem of drug abuse and describes how CASA was conceived. For more than five years, Mrs. Banks served as Vice President and member of the Executive Committee of the organization. During that time, the “Parent to Parent, Youth to Youth” and “Choose to be Drug Free” programs were established under CASA. Additionally, her involvement in community service activities includes various programs administered by the Cayman Islands government’s Office of Women’s Affairs and the business and professional women’s programs against domestic abuse.

In 1996, the President of Botswana initiated a project called Vision 2016, the aim of which was to set a long-term Vision for how Botswana should be in twenty years’ time. The President then formed a task group of eminent citizens to oversee the formulation of this Vision; their first assignment was to gather ideas from various groups around the country. In 1997, the task group announced that they would be touring Botswana and holding public meetings to solicit suggestions for Vision 2016. Bahá’ís in various towns made submissions to the task force.

Advancement of Women

And among the teachings of Bahá’u’lláh is the equality of women and men. The world ofhumanity has two wings—one is women and the other men. Not until both wings are equally developed can the birdfly. Should one wing remain weak,

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flight is impassible. Not until the world ofwomen becomes equal to the world ofmen in the acquisition of virtues and perfections, can success and prosperity be attained as they ought to be.16

Roselyn Mazibuko, a Bahá’í woman and the Chief Director of Primary Health Care in the Northern Province in South Africa, was awarded the 1997 Nelson Mandela Award for Health and Human Rights. This national award is presented to the person who has contributed the most to the advancement of health and/or human rights issues in the country. Ms. Mazibuko is involved with the upliftment of primary health care standards, especially through the formation of support groups promoting nutrition and income development projects.

The religious section of the Dallas Morning News on 21 March 1998 ran a front page story on the promotional tour of Layli Miller Bashir and Fauziya Kassindj a for their book, D0 T hey Hear You When You Cry. Mrs. Bashir, a Bahá’í, defended Ms. Kassindja, a young African woman, seeking asylum in the United States after fleeing Togo to escape the ritual of female genital mutilation (FGM). Their case set legal precedent, making it possible for other women fleeing the practice of FGM to be granted asylum in the country. The article focuses on the importance that faith has played in their story.

A seminar on “Women in World Health and World Peace” was held in New Delhi, India, on 26 November 1997. This gathering, organized by the Bahá’í Office for the Advancement of Women and the United Nations Population Fund, brought to gether forty representatives from nongovernmental organizations in the field of development. Among the topics presented were “A New Global Health Policy for the 21 st Century” and “When the World Would be F ree of Maternal Mortality.”

Women for International Peace and Arbitration, a Bahá’í—inspired organization, cosponsored a seminar with the A11 China Women’s Federation in Beijing, China, from 4 t0 8 November 1997. Among the papers presented at this event were “Reflecting on the Meaning

16. Selections from the Writings of ‘Abdu ’l-Bahd (Wilmette: Bahá’í Publishing Trust, 1997), p. 302.

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of Profit and Sustainable Development,” “Family Education for Future Generations,” “Working in the Spirit of Service,” and “W0nien’s Literacy Campaign in China.”

In the Democratic Republic of Congo, Bahá’í women took part in a march for peace on 7 March 1998. More than five thousand women of different tribes, nationalities, religions, and social groups participated. The march began with a prayer gathering, which included a Bahá’í prayer 0n unity and ended with songs and a talk by the Chailperson Of the organizing committee. A great portion of this talk was devoted to the Bahá’í Views on women and peace.

In Bangui, Central African Republic, a nine-day conference was held covering topics that included learning about the Bahá’í View on the equality of women and men and the process of consultation. One of the nine days was devoted to field work and was primarily concerned with data collection on the status of women.

About four thousand people Visited a booth set up by the N’Djamena Bahá’í Women’s Group in Chad to celebrate International Women’s Week held from 1 t0 8 March 1998. The display booth was located with many others in the garden of the Foreign Affairs Ministry. Bahá’í brochures in Arabic, English, and French were distributed, and books on various subjects concerning women, and Bahá’í women in particular, were exhibited.

The Bahá’í community of Mongolia took part in the “Women’s Non-Governmental Organization Forum: International Women’s Day,” from 6 t0 8 March 1998 by offering an exhibit on the Bahá’í View of the status of women. More than six hundred women from throughout the country were present. The Bahá’í representatives presented the Minister Of Health with a compilation of Bahá’í writings on women.

A long-term project aimed at bringing the subject of “Responsible Fatherhood” t0 the attention of all citizens was launched in September 1997 in Brasilia, Brazil. The Bahá’í community, in conjunction with the Council of Women for the Federal District, announced the plan on 3 September in a ceremony held at Government Palace. This gathering was attended by representatives of the government, civil organizations, and the media. The Vice—Governor, Arlete Sampaio, introduced the Bahá’í community as the partner of the Council Of Women and spoke of the importance and timeliness

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of the campaign, since the number of fathers abandoning their families or pregnant women has become an alarming issue. Other speakers, including the President of the Council of Women and the President of the District Deputies Chamber, welcomed the Bahá’í community’s initiative. The event was covered by at least a dozen newspaper and radio reporters, including one from the most important television news journals, TV Globo, who announced the launching of the program.

Communities throughout the Bahá’í world held conferences on issues related to raising the status and improving the living conditions of women. The following is a representative sampling of these conferences:

Thirty-five participants from Cyprus, Greece, and Turkey gathered together on 11 and 12 October 1997 in Nicosia, Cyprus, for a Regional Women’s Gathering on “Encouragement.” The program included a presentation on one of the outstanding women in the history of the Bahá’í Faith, Martha Root, as an example of courage.

On 7 June 1997 the National Women’s Committee of the Bahá’í community of the Solomon Islands held a conference to help prepare women to serve humanity. A highlight of the event was a session on Violence-free families. Other topics included self—esteern, the education of girls, and the equality of men and women.

More than seventy adults, youth and children attended the National Women’s Conference held on 25 October 1997 in Asmara, Eritrea. Among the topics presented were the “Role of Youth,” “Women and Their Economic Responsibility,” “Suppression of Women and Religious Tradition,” “Women and the Role of Mothers,” and “Marriage, Family and the Upbringing of Children.” The program was further enlivened by musical presentations by the youth.

The fourth F SM [Federated States of Micronesia] Women’s Conference was held in Yap State from 22 to 27 June 1997. Presentations were made on the topic of family values, looking at traditional versus current practices, the roles of women, men, and children, and the spiritual dimension of family life.

Throughout the year Bahá’ís were also invited to participate and provide input for gatherings organized by various agencies. In India, four representatives of the Bahá’í community joined delegations from thirty parliaments from all over the world to participate in

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The International Women ’S F orum was held in Hong Kong in 1997.

the International Conference on Women and Governance held in New Delhi from 29 September to 1 October 1997. The conference was organized by Women’s Political Watch, a non-governmental organization based in New Delhi, and was cosponsored by the National Commission for Women, the United Nations System in India, and the Swedish International Development Agency.

Two Bahá’í women from Dumbéa, New Caledonia, represented the Bahá’í International Community at the Pacific Islands Women’s Conference held from 16 to 20 June 1997 in Anse—Vata, New Caledonia. During the conference, an NGO representative from Vanuatu commended the Bahá’í community of Vanuatu for its work and its collaboration with women’s associations and governmental agencies in Vanuatu on the Virtues Project.

India’s Bahá’í Office for the Advancement of Women participated in a meeting sponsored by the United Nations Population F und entitled “South and South East Asia Regional Conference on Girls’ Rights: Society’s Responsibilities Taking Action Against Sexual Exploitation of Children and Trafficking.” This event, attended by 350 delegates, was held in Mumbai from 8 to 10 December 1997. Copies of a Bahá’í paper on “Moral and Ethical Concerns of the Bahá’í International Community in the Face of Widespread Sexual Exploitation of Children” were distributed to the participants.

Youth

Aside from teaching the Cause, the greatest service the Bahá’í Youth can render is to exemplify in their lives the teachings and especially to be promoters...Oflove and harmony,

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qualities so sadly lacking in these days of hatred, suspicion, vindictiveness and prejudice.

The local Bahá’í youth committee of Murewa, Zimbabwe, organized an interreligious discussion day based on the theme “What can we as religious youth do to tackle the social issues in society?” About thirty-five people attended the 26 October 1997 event, including representatives from the Ministry of Health and Education and five churches. Discussions on themes including unemployment, AIDS, and alcohol and drug abuse resulted in agreement among all attendees that there is only one God and one religion. An interreligious youth committee was formed to explore spiritual solutions to social issues in Murewa.

Bahá’í youth representing the Baltic States, Bulgaria, Cyprus, France, Germany, Italy, Luxembourg, Moldova, Portugal, Turkey, Ukraine, and the United Kingdom attended the International Youth Follow-up for Habitat II and Agenda 21 conference which took place from 14 to 21 September 1997 in Eskisehir, Turkey. Organized by Youth for Habitat, a non-governmental organization network born of the youth caucus at the United Nations Conference on Human Settlements (Habitat II) in Istanbul, the conference drew over five hundred participants from youth NGOs and networks to review progress to date and develop methods and implementation of activities for improved future conditions. Contributions by the twenty Bahá’ís attending included a performance by a Bahá’í dance workshop and the facilitation of six seminars on such topics as sustainable communities, moral leadership, and world citizenship.

A Bahá’í youth retreat held in Luanda, Angola, in November 1997 brought together twenty-three attendees from various communities in the province. The program organized by the youth looked at the history and basic teachings of the Faith and the important role of young people in it. A number of small teams were organized to present the teachings through singing, dance, and theater.

The inaugural session of the new three-year Moral Leadership Certificate Program at Landegg Academy in Switzerland, held from

17.Frorn a letter written on behalf of Shoghi Effendi, 15 October 1944 (unpublished).

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27 July to 3 August 1997, brought together a group of twenty-three youth representing twelve countries. This program focuses on what it means to be a moral leader, to acquire the skills necessary for leadership, and to share these principles with other individuals. Before reeonvening at Landegg next summer, the participants were asked to initiate projects in their home countries through which they will practice their newly acquired knowledge and skills. These projects range from local educational initiatives to national youth programs.

More than forty Ethiopian and Eritrean Bahá’í youth who now live in the United States and Canada gathered for consultation at the Bahá’í Center in Washington, DC, from 30 August to 1 September 1997. The purpose of the endeavor was to discuss the contribution of Ethiopian and Eritrean Bahá’ís, and African Bahá’ís as a whole, in the process of the development of the Bahá’í Faith in America; to discuss the messages of the Universal House of Justice; and to overcome the barriers associated with adjusting to a new culture.

The ALCAN International Youth Training Camp, held in Anchorage, Alaska, for three weeks beginning in mid-June 1997, brought together sixty-two participants from Alaska and other places in the United States. Interactive courses included modules on sharing the message of the Bahá’í Faith, Youth Workshop development, core curriculum classes for working with younger children, youth issues, and spiritual transformation. Two hours a day of service activity was performed by those attending.

Six hundred and sixty-two youth from twenty-five countries were present at the first Latin American Bahá’í Youth Congress held in Santiago, Chile, from 8 to 12 January 1998. More than sixty indigenous believers from four countries took part, and the presentation of their music and folklore was a high point of the event. Participants Chose one of seven critical areas to study: artistic workshops, projects to bring Baha’u’llah’s message of unity to humanity, institutes, proclaiming the Bahá’í Faith in the indigenous areas, methods of deepening one’s understanding of the Bahá’í Faith, external affairs, and mass media.

The Spiritual Axis International Youth Conference, held in Wollongong, Australia, from 30 December 1997 to 3 January 1998,

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gathered about three hundred youth from countries as diverse as Canada, England, Malaysia, New Zealand, the Solomon Islands, Taiwan, Tonga, the United States, and Vietnam. The focal point of the conference was the development of the relationship between Bahá’í youth residing in the Spiritual Axis. The Spiritual Axis, mentioned in the Bahá’í writings, refers to the countries from J apan in the north to Australia and New Zealand in the south and reaching out to the neighboring Pacific Islands.

In July 1997, the European Bahá’í Youth Council organized “Focusing A11 Efforts” seminars in Jelgava, Latvia; Lille, France; Krakow, Poland; and Figueira de Foz, Portugal. All were marked with a high spirit of unity and dedication, featuring dramatic or artistic presentations and concluding with proclamation of the message of the Bahá’í Faith to the communities at large.

The Institute of Trinidad and Tobago hosted a training course for the “Sparks of Peace” Project in the Caribbean. “Sparks of Peace” encourages native West Indian youth to travel and teach others about the Bahá’í Faith and offers young Bahá’ís the opportunity to leam more about the Caribbean. The event, held in Trinidad from 17 June to 4 July 1997, brought together youth from Guyana, St. Vincent, and Trinidad. Following the course, the youth attended a one—week tutor—training course, then

In Port Vila, Vanuatu, the Bahá’í Youth music group “United AS One ” perforn’zed at the annualpublic

”Féte de la musique ”

in June 1997.

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traveled to Barbados to further participate in the “Sparks of Peace” training and teaching program on different islands.

In the West Leeward Islands, the “Sparks of Peace” teaching group met with the Mayor of French St. Martin, who welcomed them and presented them with a medal. The group was interviewed on three radio stations and on television, where they answered many questions. The television show was aired twice on cable.

Education was the focal point of the national Bahá’í youth conference held in Batouri, Cameroon, from 10 to 13 July 1997, with the participation of a member of the Continental Board of Counsellors, the National Spiritual Assembly, and more than 160 youth from twenty-six localities and five provinces. Subjects emphasized during the sessions included Bahá’í laws and their importance, education, and social and economic development. Songs, dances, and traditional music, readings by women and literacy class students, and children’s classes were other features.

Ninety Bahá’ís from all regions of Nepal attended a national youth conference held in Birendranagar, Chitwan, from 30 J anuary to 1 February 1998. The conference, attended by three Auxiliary Board members and all nine members of the National Spiritual Assembly, emphasized what it means to be a Bahá’í in this critical period of human history and how to prepare for a life of service to humanity. Other topics included Bahá’í marriage, non—involvement in politics, the equality of men and women, the role that youth must assume in this age, opposition to the Bahá’í Faith, living a chaste and holy life, and the unfoldment of world civilization.

“Youth Can Move the World” was the theme of a national youth conference held from 28 to 30 April 1997 in Tskheneti, Georgia. More than one hundred youth from Armenia, Azerbaij an and Georgia participated in discussions on the role that youth can play at the turn of the century. Drama and music were an important element of the event.

Held in Strasbourg, France, 26 to 31 December 1997, the May Bolles Maxwell Youth School—initiated by the European Bahá’í Youth Council and organized by the National Youth Committees of Belgium, F rance, Luxembourg, and Switzerland—was the first Europe-wide school for French-speaking youth ever held. About seventy young Bahá’ís attended. The program included discussions

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about the youth year of service program, workshops, and sessions on developing methods of sharing the Bahá’í Faith with others, whether by conducting questionnaires on religion, distributing balloons with Bahá’í ideals written on them, or performing songs or dances in busy public places. The public was invited to attend evening “philosophical cafes” to discuss Bahá’í principles in coffee houses with which the Local Spiritual Assembly of Strasbourg had made previous arrangements.

More than 550 Bahá’ís from 14 countries gathered in Perlis, Malaysia from 24 to 28 December for the fourth ASEAN Bahá’í Youth Conference on the theme “Towards a Dynamic Youth Movement.” The Opening ceremony featured the Chief Minister Of the State of Perlis, and topics covered at the conference included the role and standards of Bahá’í youth, teaching the Bahá’í Faith to others, consultation, conflict management, and music and the Faith.

Panacea, a youth dance and drama workshop based at the Bahá’í World Centre in Haifa, Israel, participated in two European projects, one with a team in Spain from 18 July to 1 August 1997, and another in Slovenia and Croatia from 17 to 30 August. Panacea

At the Olinga Institute in the Dominican Republic, youth are taught to promote the Bahá’í Faith through the arts.

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worked closely with the youth in these countries to help them form and develop their own Bahá’í youth workshops. The local youth worked with the Panacea group from early morning through the evening, participating in prayers, study sessions on the Bahá’í sacred texts, rehearsals, street demonstrations, consultations, performances, and social activities.

In 1997, the youth of Mulanje, Malawi, started an income generating project of selling carved boxes, which paid, among other things, for food offered to the four hundred people who attended a mass rally sponsored by the Local Spiritual Assemblies in the area. The youth also Visited the sick, built shelters for the elderly, and taught the Faith through drama and dance.

Special Role of Indigenous Peoples

[n the Divine Plan bequeathed to you by ‘Abdu ’l-Bahd is disclosed the glorious destiny Ofthose who are the descendants of the early inhabitants of your continent.18

In May 1997, a group of Bahá’ís, including three members of the First Nations Peoples of Canada and one Eskimo from Alaska, Visited Efate and Tanna, Vanuatu. The purpose of the tour, named “Teechma”—a F irst Nation word meaning “that which gives life”was to develop relations between Native Americans and Pacific Islanders. The group visited Villages where they addressed the people and shared something of their own customs. A memorable feature of the trip was taking part in traditional ceremonies which demonstrated that there is much in common between the two cultures.

The mother of a Bahá’í member of the Cowichan people of Vancouver Island translated a Bahá’í prayer into Hal’qumi’num, the Cowichan language. This prayer is being chanted at every gathering at which the “Honor All Nations Drum and Dance Group” performs.

Kevin Locke, a traditional Lakota Indian performer and Bahá’í from the United States, Visited Queensland and South Australia in April 1997, accompanied by his mother, Patn'cia Locke, and daughter

18. The Universal House of Justice, letter to the Bahá’ís of North America, Riḍván 153 BE. (1996, unpublished).

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Waniya. During their Visit, Mr. Locke met Australian Aboriginal elders, led two American Indian sweat lodge ceremonies, and gave performances featuring the hoop dance, the Northern Plains flute, and storytelling.

Thirty Bahá’ís representing seven indigenous peoples—the Aymara, Guarani, Kariri Yoco, Kiriri, Mapuche, Qom, and Quechuagathered for four days in November 1997 for the F irst Native Peoples Meeting of Conosur, held at the Chishi Institute in Puerto Tirol, Chaco, Argentina. Presentations were made by each delegation on how the Faith of Baha’u’llah was embraced by their people, their history and experiences, and cultural programs. Each group left with the goal of investigating their ancestors’ prophecies and histories in relationship to the Holy Prophets.

The week of 9 to 15 July 1997 was declared Indigenous Peoples Appreciation Week by the National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of Mexico. Among those participating in activities were Mr. Washington Arafijo, author ofEl Olvido esta Lleno de Memoria [F orgefulness is F ull ofMemory], which was especially dedicated to the indigenous peoples of Mexico, and Patricia Locke, a Lakota Indian and a member of the National Spiritual Assembly of the United States. Highlights of the week’s activities included a Visit to the School of Law at the University of the State of Oaxaca and an interview with its director to discuss the conditions in which indigenous people live; a presentation about the book at the Institute of Cultures in Oaxaca and in Guelatao de Juarez; and a reception by the Mayor.

The Arts

The craft ofevery craftsman is regarded as worship.19

Bob Porter, an American Bahá’í living in Guatemala who is best known for his compositions during the Swing Era, was honored by the Ministry of Culture and Sports with a special concert by the National Symphony Orchestra under his direction on 10 July 1997.

19. Baha’u’llah, quoted in “Extracts from the Writings concerning Arts and Crafts,” published in The Compilation ofCompilations, V01. 1 (Victoria: Bahá’í Publications Australia, 1991), p. 1.

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Approximately nine hundred people attended the performance, which received excellent national publicity. Throughout the entire program, as well as in all the publicity surrounding the event, positive reference was made to Mr. Porter’s outstanding character, his Bahá’í affiliation, his religious inspiration, and his service to all with whom he comes in contact.

Siona Neale, a Bahá’í teacher, radio show host, and classically trained soprano, was awarded the J ohn Holland Certificate of Recognition for the Arts by McMaster University’s Ontario Peoples Research Group in Canada. She was honored for her concert of Negro Spirituals, among other performances and workshops she has developed for schools and various associations. The award, which is named after a famous black Canadian and former slave, is presented annually in recognition of African descendants who have made significant contributions through the arts to the black community in the Hamilton—Wentworth region.

“Heart to Heart—A gift from the Bahá’í children of the Gold Coast,” a concert given by twenty-five children of different backgrounds, was held at Somerset College on the Gold Coast, Australia, on 8 June 1997. Various Virtues were presented throughout the program with a final portrayal of “unity.” The concert also featured the premiere performance of the song “Sunshine and Flowers,” which was specially written and recorded for the concert by well-known Australian entertainer Martin St. J ames. More than three hundred Bahá’ís and invited guests attended the event.

An international choir, the “Voices of Baha,” gathered in Asia in July 1997 to begin an eight-nation tour, that took them to Malaysia, Singapore, the Philippines, Macau, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Korea, and J apan. The forty-three-member group, conducted by Tom Price, came from sixteen different areas including Australia, the Czech Republic, the Faroe Islands, Germany, the Hawaiian Islands, Indonesia, Ireland, Israel, Japan, Korea, Macau, Malaysia, Puerto Rico, Singapore, Switzerland, and the United States. Crowds of six hundred to more than one thousand included many prominent people and dignitaries. The group also received extensive publicity and media attention.

During a music festival held on 21 June at Fayard Park in Dumbéa, New Caledonia, the Bahá’í group “Crescendo” won the first prize

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An Australian Aborigine playing the dz'dgeridoo at a gathering of reconciliation OfAborigines at Rockdale, Australia, in 1997.

in traditional song and music for its song “Nengone.” More than twenty groups had registered for the competition. Two weeks prior to this event, members of “Crescendo” attended the Islands Crafts F air held at Continent, Dumbéa, where they performed Bahá’í songs and dances to an audience estimated by the media to be fifteen thousand.

The Bahá’í community of Dominica raised approximately EC$2, 500 for the Children’ 5 Heart F und by hosting a piano recital on 12 July 1997. Frank Femandes, a Baha” 1 from Barbados, gave the performance before a crowd of eighty at the Fort Young Hotel in Roseau. Special guests included the President and First Lady of Dominica and the Ambassador of Venezuela to Dominica and his wife. Media coverage was extensive for the event, including reports of the recital 0n MARPIN Television, the Dominica Television Broadcasting Service, KAIRI-FM radio, and The Mirror newspaper. Additionally, interviews were carried on radio stations, one of which featured a fifteen—minute question-and-answer segment on the Bahá’í Faith.

Ten Bahá’í youth from the Kombo Area in the Gambia attended a two-week course on drumming and music in early 1998, following which they performed in Lamin Village and at a Sunday morning gathering in Latrikunda-Sabiji.

Nearly five hundred people attended the three performances of a presentation about Táhirih, the most outstanding woman disciple Of the Bab and a renowned poetess, by Ms. Muhtadia Rice on Maui in July 1997. Two of the shows were given on the University

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of Hawaii campus, and one was given in the Maui Arts and Cultural Center. The seventy-five—minute presentation is a narrative of Táhirih’s life using her own words and works, supplemented by a script written by Ms. Rice which draws parallels to historic events that occurred during Táhirih’s lifetime.

A record 1,500 parents, students, and staff were present at the annual “Santitham on Stage” production held on 14 February 1998 at the Santitham School, a Bahá’í—inspired school in Yasothon in northeastern Thailand. Eighteen performances involving about four hundred children were presented. This event assists in the development of good relations between the school and parents, as well as the school and community at large.

A Bahá’í family from the United States traveled to Belgium, Canada, Germany, Hungary, and Taiwan to present two theatrical productions about the Bahá’í Faith, The Seven Valleys and The Magic Bird. The presentations consist of music, dance, drama, and Visual arts. Their European tour, which took place at the end of 1997, began in Wiesbaden, Germany. Responses to the show were favorable, with the public purchasing at the end of every performance many copies of Baha’u’llah’s The Seven Valleys, which was the inspiration behind one of their theatrical productions.

A Bahá’í arts festival held in Gomel, Belarus, on 29 and 30 November 1997 brought together some fifty participants and guests from local communities and from neighboring countries. During the festival, participants displayed their skills in a variety of artistic activities such as poetry, drama, painting, clowning, acrobatics, electronic music, pantomime, humorous monologue, embroidery, and songs. The gala performance of the festival, open to the public, attracted two hundred people.

In the United Kingdom, the Tate Gallery in St. Ives, Cornwall hosted the exhibition A Quality osz'ght in August 1997. Thousands of Visitors daily were able to View the works of artists in the St. Ives area in the past century who were inspired by “light.” Among the works were those of prominent Bahá’í artists Mark Tobey and Bernard Leach. A caption on the wall stated that Tobey introduced Leach to the Bahá’í Faith. It went further to state that Baha’u’llah wrote, “So powerful is the light of unity that it can illuminate the whole earth.”

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Mark Tobey’s works were also exhibited at one of the world’s top

modern art museums in Madrid, Spain. Drawing from a range of traditional styles for his overall abstract paintings, Tobey (1890—1976) paved the way for modern abstract expressionism. The retrospective exhibition covered work from the 1920’s to 1950’s, and the exhibition catalogue mentioned that Tobey was a follower of the Bahá’í Faith. An art exhibition of watercolor paintings by a Bahá’í artist and her friend was hosted by the Municipality of Zografou at the Cultural Center in Athens, Greece, for one week in December 1997. Seven of the paintings were inspired by Baha’u’llah’s writings entitled The Seven Valleys.

Some twenty-eight people, both Bahá’ís and non-Bahá’ís, attended an all-day workshop on Arts, Creativity, and the Bahá’í Faith held on 14 June 1997 at the Bahá’í Information Centre in Lagos, Nigeria. The workshop, organized by Bahá’ís in the Surulere community, was the culmination of a program aimed at making the principles of the Bahá’í Faith known to creative people involved in the Video and film industry. Three more workshops under the topic of the arts, creativity, and the Bahá’í Faith are scheduled to be held during the Four Year Plan, focusing on music, media houses (television, radio, newspaper, advertising, and public relations), painting, arts and crafts, and literature.

The Light of Unity project, using the arts and culture to share the message of Baha’u’llah, continued in West Africa in December 1997. Mr. Istvan Dely, a Hungarian who learned Afro-Cuban hand drumming in Cuba before moving to Colombia where he became a Bahá’í, Visited Ghana, Guinea-Bissau, and the Gambia to train young people in traditional music and to help them establish artistic troupes. He received such a warm welcome in Cote d’Ivoire that he decided to stay for ten days. During a public talk on the role of traditional music in a global society, which was announced on one commercial and two national radio stations, he explained how Afro-Cuban and Latin-American music find their roots in African music. Attendees included the head of the National Music School, a cultural journalist from the national radio station, university lecturers, music teachers, intellectuals, students, and local residents. Local Bahá’í drummers with a dancer performed.

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Environment

Say: Nature in its essence is the embodiment of My Name, the Maker, the Creator. Its manifestations are diversified by varying causes, and in this diversity there are signs for men of discernment. Nature is God is Will and is its expression in and through the contingent world. It is a dispensation ofProvidence ordained by the Ordainen the All— Wise.20

Bahá’í representatives took part in the United Nations General Assembly Session “Earth Summit + 5” at the United Nations headquarters in New York from 23 to 27 June 1997. Earth Summit +5, which was attended by more than fifty Heads of State and GOVemment and seventy-five Ministers, was held to review and appraise efforts to implement Agenda 21. Bahá’í representatives served as floor managers for non-governmental organization input at the governmental negotiations. As well, approximately 1,900 copies of three Bahá’í statements—T he Prosperity ofHumankind, World Citizenship: A Global Ethic for Sustainable Development, and Sustainable Communities in an Integrating World—were distributed. A Bahá’í display focusing on themes from these three statements and their relevance to Agenda 21 was also set up.

The Peace Monument in Brazil was created in 1992 as a symbol of the Earth Summit and the ’92 Global Forum. The project was carried out by the National Spiritual Assembly of Brazil in conjunction with the Bahá’í International Community’s Office of the Environment and was supported by the Mayor’s Office of Rio de Janeiro. As part of the Closing ceremonies of those events, soil from forty nations was deposited into a five-meter high, hourglass-shaped concrete and ceramic monument. In commemoration of the anniversary Of the Earth Summit, each year on World Environment Day (5 June), soils from additional nations are added to the Peace Monument. In June 1997, samples were added from eleven countn'esAntigua and Barbuda, France, Guatemala, Luxembourg, Malta, Moldova, Monaco, Namibia, San Marino, the Solomon Islands, and Turkmenistan—bringing the total to 104 nations and territories contributing thus far to the monument.

20. Tablets OfBahá’u’lláh revealed after the Kitáb-i-Aqdas (Wilmette: Bahá’í Publishing Trust, 1994) p. 142.

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The International Ecology Congress, held in Almaty, Kazakhstan, from 21 to 24 April 1997, was attended by some 250 people from the scientific community and representatives of NGOs. The Bahá’í International Community was represented by Dr. Arthur Dahl, who works for the United Nations Environment Programme. As a keynote speaker, Dr. Dahl addressed the Congress on the topic “Principles for a Sustainable Future Society.” He also presented a paper during a workshop session on Bahá’í activities on behalf of the environment. Hundreds of copies of publications provided by the Bahá’í International Community were distributed, including copies of The Promise of World Peace, The Prosperity ofHumankind, and One Country magazine.

For the first time, the Bahá’í community of Mexico was invited to participate in the annual “Ecological Journey” held each year by the government’s Department of Ecology. The event took place in Mexico City from 6 to 9 June 1997. The Bahá’í contribution included a Bahá’í infonnation stand, the donation of literature to eight libraries, and a program consisting of two workshops, one for adults and one for children.

The Bahá’í community of Cochabamba, Bolivia, participated in Expotierra ’97, the fourth fair organized by Perspectiva, an environmental group made up of high school and university youth. More than eighty exhibitors, mostly schools, took part in the week-long event which ended on 14 September. In addition to an exhibit on the environment, the Bahá’ís also contributed dance presentations—a step dance and a dance expressing the equality between the sexes.

The Local Spiritual Assembly ofGombak, Malaysia, launched a tree

pl an tin g campaign on 11 October 1997. Thefirst phase consisted of planting five hundred trees by the end of the year.

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The Bahá’í Office of the Environment in Malaysia launched a tree planting campaign on 14 November 1997 with more than 160 students, teachers, Parent-Teacher Association members, and Bahá’ís participating. Souvenirs and Bahá’í folders were presented to the dignitaries who attended the launching, and 110 caps with the quotation “Ye are the fruits of one tree and the leaves of one branch” were given to students and teachers who planted trees.

A conference entitled “Society and Environment: Education for Sustainable Development” was held from 8 to 12 December 1997 in Thessaloniki, Greece. Over 1,700 participants from all over the world attended, including one Bahá’í representative. The gathering was organized by UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization) in collaboration with the Mediterranean Information Office for Environment, Culture and Sustainable Development in Athens. The conference was opened by the Mayor of Thessaloniki, the Ministers of Culture, Environment, and Education, and F ederico Mayor, the Secretary-General of UNESCO. The Bahá’ís held an exhibit on sustainable development with panels of photographs and a Bahá’í literature display.

More than seventy—eight people from twenty-five countries participated in the International Bahá’í Environment Conference, held from 24 to 26 October 1997 in De Poort, a Bahá’í conference center in the Netherlands. Presentations were made on such topics as “Sustainable Development and the Environment in the WorldAn Overview,” “A Bahá’í Perspective on Sustainable Development,” and “Environment Education for and by Bahá’ís.” More than half of the participants were able to take part in the proceedings through the Internet. Speeches and summaries of consultations were regularly put on a web site during the three days and participants responded Via email with questions and comments.

On 16 December 1997, a Bahá’í group in Colombo, Sri Lanka, was asked by the Institute of Human Rights, a local non-governmental organization, to lead a workshop on environmental degradation and its impact on human beings. More than twenty officials of governmental and non-goyernmental organizations dealing with environmental issues attended the event. Additionally, one of the Bahá’ís was interviewed on a live radio program about the Bahá’í approach towards development and environmental issues.

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