Bahá’í World/Volume 27/Eighth International Bahá’í Convention

Bahá’í World/Volume 27 Eighth International Bahá’í Convention

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[Page 39]The Eighth International Bahá’í Convention, held to elect the Universal House of Justice, took place in the spring of 1998 in Haifa, Israel.

EIGHTH INTERNATIONAL BAHÁ’Í CONVENTION

etween 29 April and 2 May 1998, Bahá’í representatives Universal House of Justice, the international governing body of the Bahá’í Faith. The Eighth International Bahá’í Convention was marked by focused consultation, universal participation, and warm fellowship among the delegates, whose task was to elect the members of the institution that will continue to guide the Bahá’í world in the work of building a global community. Held every five years since the establishment of the Universal House of Justice in 1963, the International Bahá’í Convention is an integral component of the process that safeguards the unity and strength of the worldwide Bahá’í community.

‘Abdu’l-Bahá first specified how the Universal House of Justice was to be established, writing, "At whatever time the beloved of God in each country appoint their delegates, and these in turn elect their representatives, and these representatives elect a body, that body shall be regarded as the Supreme House of Justice." This process begins at the grassroots of the Bahá’í community, when [Page 40]Bahá’ís establish governing councils called Local Spiritual Assemblies. Local communities of each country, in turn, elect delegates who vote for the members of their national Bahá’í governing body, the National Spiritual Assembly. The members of the world's National Spiritual Assemblies constitute the electorate of the Universal House of Justice. Local and National Spiritual Assembly elections occur annually, while the election of the Universal House of Justice takes place every five years, when members of the National Spiritual Assemblies serve as delegates to the International Convention. Believers in local Bahá’í communities throughout the world thus contribute to the process that ultimately results in the election of the head of their Faith.

The first International Bahá’í Convention, in 1963, was attended by representatives of 56 National Spiritual Assemblies; the Eighth Convention involved 175, each comprising nine members. The full membership of many National Assemblies journeyed from nearly every territory on earth to come to Convention, some at great personal sacrifice. In all, 986 delegates representing 161 Assemblies were able to come to Haifa; others mailed their ballots. The sacrifices made by many members in order to participate was a source of inspiration to their fellow attendees.

Delegates from all over the world, in Haifa to elect the Universal House of Justice, gathered in front of the Pilgrim House near the Shrine of the Báb.

Armen Khachatryan, for example, was the only member of the Armenian National Spiritual Assembly able to come to Israel. Traveling via several different countries and methods of transportation, it took him more than two weeks to arrive. Edna Banda from Zambia, the only female member of her National Assembly, was able to represent her country through the last-minute financial support of her fellow Africans. Jesus Coba, of Cuba, was another lone representative. "This is a miracle of God," [Page 41]

EIGHTH INTERNATIONAL BAHÁ’Í CONVENTION

During the Convention, delegates and invited guests from around the world were able to meet, consult, and visit the Bahá’í holy places. [Page 42]he said. "It was a miracle that I could even leave my country and come to participate in this Convention."

Five days were set aside prior to the Convention for delegates to visit the Bahá’í shrines and holy places in and around Acre and Haifa. To prepare spiritually for the important task lying ahead of them, delegates prayed and meditated in the resting places of the Báb and Bahá’u’lláh and were able to see the history of their Faith preserved in the houses occupied by Bahá’u’lláh, His prison cell, the gardens He frequented in His later years, and relics preserved in the International Bahá’í Archives. Tours of the unfinished terraced gardens and the Centre for the Study of the Texts were also included in their program.

Throughout the Convention, delegates seized the opportunity to consult closely with their fellow Bahá’ís from around the world. During the main sessions, two microphones were placed in the main hall for delegates to report on events in their countries and raise issues of concern with the entire assembly. Simultaneous translation was provided via radio headphones. Some were able to learn that problems and challenges facing them at home had been overcome elsewhere in the world, or could offer solutions that could be implemented in other countries.

During one of the Convention's main sessions, a delegate from India shared his community's experience in implementing the training institute process.

One of the distinguishing features of the Eighth International Convention was the dramatic increase in participation by indigenous believers, enabling National Spiritual Assemblies of large Bahá’í communities to learn from the experiences of their newly-established counterparts, particularly regarding the Bahá’í community's ongoing effort to systematically develop its human resources. Indigenous participation was evident not only in the membership of many National Assemblies, but also in frequent contributions of these delegates to the formal consultative sessions and meetings of the Convention. Many delegates represented [Page 43]

EIGHTH INTERNATIONAL BAHÁ’Í CONVENTION

Delegates many from newly established National Spiritual Assemblies—listen during one of the Convention’s main sessions.

newly formed National Assemblies. The National Spiritual Assemblies of Armenia, Georgia, Belarus, Eritrea, Sicily, São Tomé and Principe, Slovenia and Croatia, Cambodia, Kyrgyzstan, Mongolia, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, and Moldova have all been established since the last International Convention, making this the first Convention in which representatives from these countries were able to participate. Counsellor Lee Lee Ludher of Asia commented, "I’m so glad to see the diversity, the number of women that have come to Convention, and the number of young people. I think it is great to see the maturity of the new National Assemblies."

The Bahá’í International Community’s Office of Public Information produced a video called Creating a Culture of Growth specially for the Convention, which chronicled the way eight Bahá’í communities around the world are expanding and developing the spiritual and material resources of their populations. It was shown to the delegates on the Convention’s second day.

The Election

As an electoral institution, the International Bahá’í Convention is an example of democracy at the global level. Delegates, who are freed from the hindrances of campaigning and electioneering, elect the members of the Universal House of Justice by secret ballot. No one is nominated. Male Bahá’ís aged twenty-one or over are eligible to be elected. The Bahá’í writings state that delegates should vote for the nine men who they feel have the requisite experience, [Page 44]spiritual insight, and capacity to serve on the House of Justice.

The Eighth International Bahá’í Convention began on 29 April 1998 with an opening address by Hand of the Cause of God Amatu’l-Bahá Rúhíyyih Khánum.

Amatu’l-Bahá Rúhíyyih Khánum

She began by praising the delegates for their achievements, noted the state of the Bahá’í community, and exhorted them to "begin to enroll humanity under the banner of Bahá’u’lláh." Later during the Convention proceedings, Hands of the Cause of God Mr. ‘Alí-Akbar Furútan and Dr. ‘Alí-Muḥammad Varqá also addressed the Convention. Mr. Furútan spoke of the importance of educating children, and Dr. Varqá spoke of the institution of Huqúqu’lláh.

Mr. ‘Alí-Akbar Furútan

A bouquet of ninety-five red roses, sent to the Convention from the still-circumscribed Bahá’í community of Iran, was placed at the front of the stage for the duration of the proceedings, serving as a reminder of the persecution still endured by those living in the birthplace of the Bahá’í Faith. In a letter accompanying the bouquet, the Bahá’ís of Iran, "though deprived for a third successive occasion, through God's great wisdom, from participating in the International Convention," sent their "deepest heartfelt greetings and felicitations" to the assembly. "Though physically distant, yet in the world of spirit," they wrote, they were "united and at one with that sacred gathering." A brief counterpoint to the poignancy

Dr. ‘Alí-Muḥammad Varqá

1. While women serve in every other arena of Bahá’í administration, Bahá’u’lláh ordained membership of the Universal House of Justice to be restricted to men. The reason for the restriction, ‘Abdu’l-Bahá stated, will later become "as manifest as clearly as the sun at high noon." [Page 45]of their letter was occasioned by a letter of greetings and encouragement sent from His Highness Malietoa Tanumafili II, the Head of State of Western Samoa who accepted the Bahá’í Faith more than two decades ago, which was read to the assembly. His daughter, a member of the National Spiritual Assembly of Samoa, attended the Convention as a delegate.

The election itself was ushered in by prayer; ballots were distributed, and delegates sat in a silent, reverent attitude to reflect on the names they would write on their ballots. When the voting had been completed, all delegates walked to the stage, in alphabetical order according to their country of origin, and deposited their ballots in a lockbox. The procession made a powerful display of the diversity of the human family as the delegates appeared in the variety of their native costumes.

Her Highness Susuga To’oa Tosi Malietoa, daughter of His Highness Malietoa Tanumafili II of Western Samoa, attended the Convention as a member of the National Spiritual Assembly of Samoa.

Bahá’ís from the Central African Republic cast their ballots during the Convention. [Page 46]As the results of the election were announced, the members of the Universal House of Justice, elected to serve for the next five years, gathered on the main stage. Penelope Walker, chief teller for the Convention and a delegate from the Nepalese National Assembly, announced the election statistics and results the next day. Farzam Arbab, Hooper Dunbar, Hushmand Fatheazam, Peter Khan, Douglas Martin, Glenford Mitchell, ‘Alí Nakhjavání, Ian Semple, and Adib Taherzadeh were elected to serve as members of the Universal House of Justice from Ridván 1998 to Ridván 2003.

On 2 May, 1998, the Universal House of Justice sent a message to the assembled delegates. "We hail," the body said, "with uplifted hearts, what you have done here. For through your participation in a uniquely conceived electoral process, you have fortified the crown of that world-embracing administrative structure of which your Assemblies are the indispensable pillars. But what has impressed us even more deeply is that the manner of your conduct has reflected a degree of love and unity rare for so variegated a gathering of humanity as you represent."

No fewer than four Bahá’í holy days fell during this International Convention. The anniversary of the birth of the Báb fell the day before Convention began, on 28 April, and

The First Lady of the Seychelles, Mrs. Sarah Rene, attended the Convention as a delegate. [Page 47]

EIGHTH INTERNATIONAL BAHÁ’Í CONVENTION

the anniversary of the birth of Bahá’u’lláh was celebrated on 29 April. The ninth day of Ridván,³ on 29 April, also fell during the Convention, and three days later on the final day of the Convention the twelfth day of Riḍván was celebrated. It seemed appropriate that such a notable advancement in the affairs of the worldwide Bahá’í community as was demonstrated during the Convention should be mirrored by such a concentration of sacred anniversaries; the final International Bahá’í Convention of the twentieth century a century ‘Abdu’l-Bahá called "the century of light" will be remembered as a celebration not only of the strength and unity of the Bahá’í community, but also of the noble history of its Founders.

2. In the Holy Land, the twin holy days commemorating the birthdays of Bahá’u’lláh and the Báb are celebrated according the lunar calendar, which moves forward eleven days a year relative to the Gregorian calendar.

3. The Ridván festival is the name given to the twelve days Bahá’u’lláh spent in Baghdad just before His exile to Adrianople, the first time Bahá’u’lláh publicly announced His prophetic mission. The first, ninth, and twelfth days of the Ridván festival are celebrated as Bahá’í holy days.