Bahá’í World/Volume 28/New National Spiritual Assemblies

Bahá’í World/Volume 28 New National Spiritual Assemblies

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[Page 43]

New NATIONAL SPIRITUAL ASSEMBLIES

The Bahá’í Faith was first introduced to the Baltic States in 1927, when Martha Root-journalist and preeminent international teacher of the religion-visited the region. Sixty-five years later, in 1992, the collapse of the Soviet Union made possible the formation of the first Regional Spiritual Assembly of the Baltic States, to administer the Bahá’í communities of Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania.

At Riḍván 1999, owing to the maturation of the Bahá’í communities in these countries, separate National Spiritual Assemblies were established in Latvia and Lithuania, and the former Regional Spiritual Assembly of the Baltic States became the National Assembly of Estonia. Consequently the total number of National Spiritual Assemblies around the world reached 181.

Nearly eighty years ago, ‘Abdu’l-Bahá specified the purpose of these institutions in His Will and Testament, describing them as "secondary Houses of Justice." Their function is not only to manage the needs of each national Bahá’í community and to act as a representative of the Bahá’ís to the civil authorities, but also [Page 44]Members of the first National Spiritual Assembly of Latvia with Counsellors Maija Philainen, Hartmut Grossman, and Polin Rafat (rear row, from left to right).

to serve as the electorate for the Universal House of Justice. The first of these secondary Houses of Justice was established in 1923, under the direction of Shoghi Effendi, and given the temporary appellation National Spiritual Assemblies.

The Universal House of Justice decides when a national community has progressed enough to warrant the formation of a National Assembly. In addition to unifying and coordinating the activities amongst the Local Spiritual Assemblies and Bahá’ís within their respective countries, National Assemblies constitute the major links between the national communities and the Universal House of Justice.

The Assemblies are elected in a unique democratic process, without campaigning or nominations. Delegates from proportionally assigned electoral units within each country come together annually to vote for the members of that country's National Assembly.

Latvia

The first Bahá’í national convention of Latvia was held in the House of Architects, in the Old Town of Riga, on 29 and 30 April 1999. Approximately forty people attended, including Maija Philainen and Polin Rafat, both members of the Continental Board of Counsellors in Europe; members of the former Regional Assembly also attended. Hartmut Grossman, Counsellor member of the International Teaching Centre, represented the Universal House of Justice.

Mr. Grossman read the message of the Universal House of Justice to the Latvian community, which expressed its "hope that the deliberations of that gathering [the national convention] have [Page 45]

NEW NATIONAL SPIRITUAL ASSEMBLIES

provided direction for your future initiatives and will result in glorious victories throughout your country." Members representing seven different nationalities and ethnic groups were elected to the new National Assembly at the convention.

During the convention proceedings, the Assembly consulted with delegates on a number of issues immediately facing the Latvian Bahá’í community, such as the advancement of efforts to spread the Bahá’í teachings within the country, training institutes, and the consolidation and training of local communities. Sylvia Vice, an ethnic Latvian who grew up in Canada but returned to Latvia in 1989, gave a personal account of the early history of the Bahá’ís in that country.

All Local Spiritual Assemblies in Latvia are registered with the government, and the new National Assembly is currently in the process of seeking registration.

Members of the first National Spiritual Assembly of Lithuania, with Counsellors Hartmut Grossman, and Maija Philainen (seated in center).

Lithuania

Lithuania's first National Spiritual Assembly was elected during the country's national convention on 1 and 2 May, 1999, in Vilnius. Continental Counsellor Maija Philainen attended, as did members of the Auxiliary Board, members of the former Regional Assembly, and thirty-five others, including representatives from all local Bahá’í communities in Lithuania and visitors from surrounding countries. The proceedings were conducted in Lithuanian, with translation into English.

Hartmut Grossman, representing the Universal House of Justice, conveyed its special message to the Lithuanian Bahá’ís, which stated in part, "A new chapter in the history of the Faith in your country is opening. You can render no greater service to your [Page 46]people than sharing the life-giving Message of Bahá’u’lláh with your fellow citizens..." Mr. Grossman also offered a detailed analysis of the Four Year Plan, focusing particularly on the increase in human resources of the Bahá’í community, the development of which requires the effort of each individual and the goal of which is constant progress towards the personal and community ideals set forth by Bahá’u’lláh in His teachings.

A special tribute was paid to Helen Smith, the first Bahá’í to settle in Lithuania, who is currently serving as director of the national training institute and was elected to the new National Assembly. The convention also welcomed the first Lithuanian Bahá’í family into the community—a couple and their two children, who became Bahá’ís a few days before the convention, in the town of Krelinga.

Seven of the nine members elected to the National Spiritual Assembly were native Lithuanians, and two were pioneers from other countries.

The Universal House of Justice expressed high hopes for the region, saying, in a message written shortly after the election of the Assembly, "The doors are open wide for your Bahá’í community to attain unprecedented growth in the years immediately ahead."

The Future

In messages to the Bahá’ís and the Assemblies of both countries, the Universal House of Justice stressed the importance of unity to the continued success of the Bahá’í communities in these countries, which are viewed by much of the outside world as internally divided and lacking social cohesion.

The fact that these fledgling Bahá’í communities have matured during a time of upheaval gives them the opportunity to serve as a unifying force in a region beset with divisions of nationality, ethnicity, and culture, and the concurrent ills that clinging to these differences bring.