Bahá’í World/Volume 31/The Year in Review

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[Page 41]

The Year in Review

Of the imprisonments and indignities Bahá’u’lláh unjustly suffered during His life, perhaps none was more terrible than confinement in the Síyáh-Chál, the “black pit.” Describing the conditions, Bahá’u’lláh wrote, “No pen can depict that place, nor any tongue describe its loathsome smell. Most of these men had neither clothes nor bedding to lie on. God alone knoweth what befell Us in that most foul-smelling and gloomy place!”¹

History was made in that prison, despite those inhuman conditions, as Bahá’u’lláh received the intimations of His divine mission. Shoghi Effendi wrote, “Bahá’u’lláh lay wrapped in the gloom of the Síyáh-Chál of Tehran, His feet in stocks, His neck freighted with chains, and surrounded by vile and wretched criminals,” but it was there that the “most glorious and momentous stage in the Heroic Age of the greatest religious Dispensation in the spiritual history of mankind” was ushered in.²

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¹ Bahá’u’lláh, Epistle to the Son of the Wolf (Wilmette, IL: Bahá’í Publishing Trust, 1995), p. 21.

² Shoghi Effendi, Messages to America: Selected Letters and Cablegrams Addressed to the Bahá’ís of North America, 1932–1946 (Wilmette, IL: Bahá’í Publishing Committee, 1947), pp. 99–100. [Page 42]In October 2002, Us Congressman Mark Steven Kirk recalled the 150th anniversary of Bahá’u’lláh’s imprisonment in the Síyáh-Chál with a statement to Congress that recalled not only His sufferings, but also the triumphs that resulted from it:

On the 150th anniversary of Bahá’u’lláh’s imprisonment and the founding of the Bahá’í Faith, we salute along with the American Bahá’í community the ideals of universal brotherhood, peace, cooperation, and understanding espoused by Bahá’u’lláh. These are Bahá’í values, they are American values, and they are universal values. I also would like to recognize the immense sacrifices that many around the world have made striving to ensure that true liberty and justice for all becomes not just an American dream, but also a global reality.³

That global reality is being actualized by the Faith’s more than five million members, spread throughout nearly every country in the world.

Throughout the history of the Faith, crisis and victory have been intertwined, with the persecutions and sufferings of the community matched by its advancement. Neither imprisonment nor tragedy has been able to extinguish the flame of Bahá’u’lláh’s Cause. Instead, it has ignited growing and vibrant communities. Whether through establishing educational programs, contributing to social and economic development, or advancing processes of unity, the Bahá’ís are actively engaged in creating a better, more prosperous world for all humanity. Though the scope and sheer number of activities makes a complete record impossible, this article offers a brief survey of some highlights of the activities in the past year.

Advancement of Women

Despite the advances made in recent decades, sexual inequality remains a problem in all nations. The energy wasted keeping women from their rightful place in society has had the effect not only of depriving them of the opportunity to contribute fully to society,

³ Congressman Mark Steven Kirk, 16 October 2002, to the 107th Cong., 2nd session, Congressional Record: Extensions of Remarks, pp. E1906-07. [Page 43]but also of retarding the progress of all people. ‘Abdu’l-Bahá made this clear in His statement, "Until the reality of equality between man and woman is fully established and attained, the highest social development of mankind is not possible."4

In the United Kingdom, a 13-year-old Bahá’í, Anisa Fadei, used that quotation in her presentation to the annual "Girls Speak Up" conference, held on 7 December 2002 at the Cranfield Management Development Centre in Bedfordshire. More than 100 people from around the United Kingdom attended the conference, which was organized by the British Association of Bahá’í Women.

Miss Fadei's paper, titled "Prosperity," reflected one of the central themes identified by conference organizers. Other young Bahá’í women speakers offered papers that elucidated the key themes, including talks titled "Citizenship," "Partnership," and "Information Technology." Workshops and panels on related themes gave participants an opportunity to explore the topics further, with each participant requested to put forward action points that could be presented to decision makers in the country.

Expert presenters offered responses to panel discussions, and among the responders were Soroptimist member Valerie Evans, CBE, a former elected chair of the Women's National Commission and current chair of the UK Gender Statistics Users Group; Roz Ozborne of the Royal College of Nurses and a member of the Women's National Commission Steering Group; and Dr. Val Singh, Senior Research Fellow in organizational behavior and a lecturer associated with the School of Management at the University of Cranfield.

Additional presentations at the event were made by the Bahá’í Office of Social and Economic Development and the Bahá’í Agency for Social and Economic Development-UK, Soroptimist International of Bedford, and the YWCA (Young Women's Christian Association). Artistic elements included paintings by women artists displayed at the art gallery and entertainment by two young Indian dancers.

Support for the conference was given by the United Nations Development Fund for Women (UNIFEM), the Bedford County Council,

• ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, The Promulgation of Universal Peace: Talks Delivered by ‘Abdu’l-Bahá during His Visit to the United States and Canada in 1912, rev. ed. (Wilmette, IL: Bahá’í Publishing Trust, 1995), p. 76.

[Page 44]and the Cranfield Centre for Women Business Leaders; Jordans Cereals and the Marks and Spencer's national chain store provided sponsorship.

In Cyprus, Bahá’í Suha Vakil Fanaiean took part in a televised two-hour debate as part of activities for United Nation's Women's Day on 8 March 2003. Mrs. Fanaiean shared Bahá’í perspectives on the station of women and the value of the family during the live show. Other local Bahá’í women attended forums and panel discussions organized for the day. They also supported other activities of like-minded organizations and received an invitation from the newly formed nongovernmental organization (NGO) Urban Women to offer workshops at two distant villages.

Women of all ages were attracted to the workshops, which used stories, visual aids, symbolic elements, and music to portray the purpose of life as an individual woman and as a member of both a family and a world community. One village project drew more than 55 people, many of whom stayed for several hours asking questions and sharing their experiences, and in another village a similar response came from the 45 attendees there. National television in Cyprus reported on the workshops, and participants said they were deeply affected by the programs because of their appeal to the heart and the soul.

Bahá’ís in Zimbabwe also participated in International Women's Day, taking part in an event that drew more than 2,000 people to Harare's International Convention Center. A Bahá’í banner proclaiming "Bahá’í Faith fosters Equality of Man and Woman: Without Equality the Bird of Humanity Cannot Fly" hung at the entrance to the main hall. The event opened with Bahá’í and Christian prayers. Bahá’ís also distributed 300 copies of the Bahá’í International Community's pamphlet entitled "HIV/AIDS and Gender Equality," a topic of particular relevance in Africa and one of the themes of the celebration's discussions.

During the program the organizing committee, which included the Bahá’í representative Flora Teckie, was introduced to the gathering. The group sang a song and was asked to offer support and good wishes to the gathering. Mrs. Teckie explained that the equality of women and men is a prerequisite to world peace and wished the participants peace and prosperity on behalf of the Bahá’ís of Harare. [Page 45]Women at the Barli Institute in Indore, India, learn practical skills, such as dressmaking, that help them to gain self-esteem, become financially independent, and aid their village communities.

The principle of equality between women and men animates many Bahá’í social and economic development efforts, and when the Bahá’í community in the United Kingdom was invited to present a project highlighting its contributions to the environment, it chose one that has offered training and empowerment to more than 1,300 women. The Barli Development Institute for Rural Women (BDIRW), based in Indore, India, focuses on giving poor young women literacy training, practical knowledge of health, nutrition and sanitation, skills for income generation, and an awareness of village-level environmental conservation."

The BDIRW works to enable women to become agents for social change and "pillars" of their families and communities through a holistic approach to education that provides each trainee with leadership training courses in such subjects as literacy, tailoring, agriculture, environmental awareness, and self-esteem. Its spiritually oriented curriculum empowers women as they examine caste, tribal, and

> For a report on the BDIRW, see The Bahá’í World 2000-2001, pp. 219-27. [Page 46]class prejudices in the light of Bahá’í principles such as the oneness of humanity, equality of women and men, respect for diversity, and service to the community.

The presentation was part of a special gathering held in honor of the Golden Jubilee of Queen Elizabeth II. Organized by the Alliance of Religions and Conservation (ARC), the event sought to explore the religions' understanding of the place of humanity in creation. Bahá’í representatives joined with leaders of Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism, Islam, Jainism, Judaism, Sikhism, Taoism, and Zoroastrianism to celebrate the significant role that religions can play in caring for the environment. Held 13 November 2002 in London's historic Banqueting House in Whitehall and titled "Our Place in Creation," the event featured the presentation of a series of environmental projects to Her Majesty, as well as a program of sacred artistic, musical, and dance performances by representatives of each religion.

In Istanbul, Turkey, three Bahá’í women, including two members of the National Spiritual Assembly, were invited to attend the Women Parliamentarians Conference on "World Peace and Cooperation," held from 17 to 19 October 2002. It was the fourth

The Tondod Public High School Dance Troupe performs at the opening of the new Bahá’í radio station in Bulac, Philippines, on 26 November 2002. [Page 47]annual international conference organized by the Marmara Group Foundation, a prominent Turkish NGO supported by the First Lady of the Turkish Republic, Semra Sezer. The invited speakers and attendees came from a variety of backgrounds and included women parliamentarians, academics, Turkish and foreign office members of embassies, and many representatives of NGOS from neighboring countries such as Albania, Azerbaijan, Cyprus, Georgia, Hungary, Israel, Romania, Russia, and Turkmenistan. The Bahá’í women, who were acknowledged for the excellence of their presentations, particularly highlighted the importance of the education of children in achieving peace.

Social and Economic Development

The contributions of Bahá’í communities to social and economic development differ both in their nature and character. Their efforts, though, are united by their aim to uplift not only the social and material circumstances of people but also their spiritual condition. Ultimately, they reflect the fundamental purpose of religion, "to effect a transformation in the whole character of mankind, a transformation that shall manifest itself both outwardly and inwardly, that shall affect both its inner life and external conditions."

In Bulac, Philippines, more than 300 people, including local officials and nearby residents, attended the inauguration ceremony for the Bahá’í radio station, which will feature programs designed to promote social and economic development in the community at large. The 26 November 2002 event featured speeches by visiting Bahá’í dignitaries and local officials, as well as performances by children and youth from nearby schools.

The station currently has a full-time staff of four, and as volunteer personnel gain experience the station will increase its offerings, with the goal of including short-term courses, seminars, and workshops in its broadcasts.

Local government officials praised the establishment of the station, which is located in a rural district about 30 kilometers from

6 Bahá’u’lláh, The Kitáb-i-fqán (Wilmette, IL: Bahá’í Publishing Trust, 1993), p. 240. [Page 48]the city of San Jose on the main island of Luzon. It will provide programming designed not only to assist in social and economic development but also to promote moral, spiritual, and human resource development in Bahá’í communities by aiding in the organization of spiritual activities. Specifically, the station will help to encourage the holding of study circles, devotional meetings, and children's classes.

Due to the flat topography of the region, the new Philippines station is able to reach a wide area, encompassing the entire province of Nueva Ecija and a portion of the Tarlac and Pangasinan provinces a potential listenership of more than 2.3 million people. Six other Bahá’í radio projects operate similar stations in Bolivia, Chile, Ecuador, Panama, Peru, and the United States.

Development efforts are not always the result of projects and plans, however sometimes they are an immediate response to an immediate need. When the Mt. Pago volcano in Papua New Guinea erupted in August 2002, the local government of Kimbe turned to the Bahá’í community for assistance in housing some 200 people from Galilo village who were displaced by the disaster. The large Bahá’í center in Kimbe provided shelter to many of them, and the local Bahá’ís tried to make their stay as pleasant as possible by providing food, tents, and other necessities. Bahá’ís from neighboring communities in Garu and Kambili also contributed food.

The hospitality of the Bahá’ís also included inviting the displaced villagers to Bahá’í functions held at the center. For most of them, it was their first encounter with the Faith. As a result of the experience, several of them became Bahá’ís.

After the Provincial Disaster Committee declared it safe for people to return to their homes, it requested a "farewell night" with the Bahá’ís of Kimbe to be held on 21 November to show its appreciation and gratitude. William Hosea, a government representative and member of the Provincial Disaster Committee, conveyed his gratitude on behalf of the government and thanked the Bahá’í community for its support and sacrifices.

Most long-term Bahá’í projects are focused on creating sustainable practices, and therefore ensuring protection of the environment and natural resources. At an interreligious conference in Germany, three representatives of the Bahá’í community offered their perspectives [Page 49]Students in the fifth grade at the Puka Puka village school, a Bahá’í-run educational initiative in rural Bolivia.

on the contribution of religion to environmental protection. The goal of the meeting, held 6-7 May 2002 under the auspices of the German Federal Environment Ministry, was to widen the dialogue on environmental issues between the government and various religions in Germany.

Gottfried Orth, director of the Ernst Lange Institute for Ecumenical Studies, chaired the meeting, and other participants included three representatives of the Catholic and Protestant churches; the general secretary of the Central Muslim Council and a Muslim scientific advisor; and a member of the council of the Buddhist Union and two other Buddhists. Also present were observers from the World Conference of Religions for Peace and a group representing the Earth Charter. The dialogue was designed as a follow-up to a meeting of G-8 environment ministers and religious leaders in Trieste in March 2001, at which religious leaders appealed for governments to give environmental concerns a higher priority.

The final memorandum, jointly drafted by the participants and accepted at the end of the conference, established the common ground between them on the issues of nature and the environment and the need for a common responsibility for action. The joint [Page 50]memorandum identified elements such as love, justice, and ethics as a foundation for sustainable development.

The memorandum expresses the commitment to continue the dialogue locally, regionally, and at the European level, and the religious communities pledged to continue the process of discussing environmental issues both inside and outside their own communities. A book containing the statements of the various religious communi- ties was also prepared.

In the United Kingdom, "Tranquility Zones" have been growing in popularity since they were first conceived by the Bahá’í commu- nity in Swindon. They are spaces created for prayer, meditation, and reflection and have been provided as a service for police, hospitals, and businesses as well as for the general public. Recently they have been used in youth empowerment projects, and in 2002 a Tran- quility Zone was introduced as part of a pilot program run by the Trowbridge Probation Service in an effort to reduce reoffending. The program also includes group and one-on-one counseling, medical attention, literacy lessons, storytelling, and art and color therapy. Each week, a Bahá’í member of the Probation Team sets up a Tranquility Zone room, which is prepared with cushions, flowers,

Bahá’ís in Finland offer literature at a booth during a multiethnic festival in Helsinki in May 2002. [Page 51]and candles. The 20 young offenders, joined by the other staff, are encouraged to view themselves in terms of their spiritual capacities. Gentle music is played throughout the session and the overall atmosphere aids in taking the youth on a meditative journey with music, stories, and quotations from the Bahá’í sacred writings.

Introducing the spiritual component of prayer and meditation into the rehabilitation process has been praised by participants, staff, and local government for its effectiveness. In addition to expanding the number of clients who use the room, the Probation Service plans to use it for a 10-minute meditation session at the end of each day.

Children participate in a Bahá’í class at the Mushuk Pakari Center for Integral Education of Indigenous People in Santa Rosa, Ecuador.

Racial Unity

The Bahá’í Faith represents one of the most diverse collections of people on the planet. Though they come from more than 2,000 ethnic and tribal backgrounds, their difference of color and culture is not a cause for separation, but rather a rich and diverse heritage of humanity to be celebrated. Both within Bahá’í communities and in the world around them, Bahá’ís strive to create a society free from [Page 52]A participant at the Afro-Descendants Gathering, held in Brazil in 2003, displays a mask he made during the African mask workshop.

racial prejudice where “humanity is one kind, one race and progeny, inhabiting the same globe.”

From 31 January to 2 February 2003, more than 170 Brazilian Bahá’ís came together to foster personal transformation and promote the principle of the oneness of humanity. Deepening unity, increasing self-esteem, and enhancing spiritual understanding were the themes of the “Afro-Descendants Gathering,” held in the regional Bahá’í center in Salvador, Brazil.

In order to better understand racial prejudice and how it operates in today’s society, the participants spoke in a session about their personal experiences of day-to-day discrimination. Then they examined the contributions made by “Afro-descendants” to technological and scientific development in both ancient and modern times. Participants also studied selected Bahá’í principles such as the oneness of the human family and the need for unity in diversity.

This was the seventh such gathering in Brazil since 1996, and similar initiatives in the United States—the Black Men’s Gathering and the more recent Black Women’s Gathering—shared the

7 ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, Promulgation of Universal Peace, p. 118. [Page 53]Participants at a training institute campaign for indigenous peoples held in Wakpala, South Dakota, United States, in 2002.

objectives of the Brazilian meeting. Nearly 100 attended the 16th annual Black Men's Gathering, held at the Green Acre Bahá’í School in Eliot, Maine. The week-long conference, held the last week of July 2002, included participants from Kenya, the Gambia, and Suriname.

The fourth annual Black Women's Gathering was held at Louhelen Bahá’í School in Davison, Michigan, from 27 to 29 September 2002. Fifteen women participated in the weekend, which was filled with prayers, singing, music, fellowship, and consultation.

Discussions at both gatherings included sharing experiences common to people of African ancestry and learning new ways to progress beyond feelings of victimization. Also expressed was the desire to include more forms of African-American culture in Bahá’í events and the need to attract more people of African descent to the Bahá’í Faith.

The Black Men's Gathering ended with a procession and memorial program presented at the graveside of Hand of the Cause of God Louis Gregory and his wife Louisa Gregory.

Louis Gregory, an early American Bahá’í who was a leader in promoting racial harmony, was also honored by the local Bahá’í [Page 54]community of Charleston, South Carolina, through the creation of a museum in his former home.

Born in 1874, Mr. Gregory was a successful lawyer and rising star among early black intellectuals who grappled with issues of race relations in the United States at the turn of the century. In 1909, he embraced the Bahá’í Faith and turned his energies towards promoting unity among the races. He was posthumously given the title Hand of the Cause of God in 1951 as a result of his efforts in promoting the aims of the Faith.

The Louis G. Gregory Bahá’í Museum was dedicated in a two-day celebration in February 2003, which was attended by more than 300 people. Dedication program highlights included a multicultural arts presentation, two workshops on race relations, a tour of the museum and nearby sites important to Mr. Gregory, and a devotional gathering. The museum, which resides in a two-story house in the heart of the Charleston peninsula, is the first museum in the city dedicated to a single person.

In Bosnia and Herzegovina, a country whose short history has been marred by constant ethnic tensions, Landegg International University's Education for Peace program (EFP) is creating bonds among the different groups. The program has been running for more than two years and now involves more than 6,000 students, 10,000 parents, and 400 teachers. It offers training in conflict resolution, democracy, ethics, and leadership, and aims to create mutual respect and understanding among the country's people. Operating within the school system, it is integrated into the curriculum and is designed to assist in reconciling the rifts among the country's main ethnic and religious groups—Catholic Croats, Orthodox Serbs, and Muslim Serbs.

Parents, teachers, administrators, support staff, and students are all crucial to the project, as they strive to create an atmosphere of peace and mutual understanding. Lessons are consolidated through artistic expression, and participants go on to educate the wider community through creative presentations that include poetry and dance. Some of the teachers involved with the project have started to write a curriculum acceptable to members of all three ethnic groups. At present, each has its own curriculum, and education is strictly segregated. [Page 55]The government of Bosnia and Herzegovina has been so impressed with the project's efficacy that it issued a statement on the Education for Peace program to the heads of state and heads of delegations at the United Nations Special Session on Children, held in New York 8-10 May 2002. Within six years, the program will be introduced into all schools in Bosnia and Herzegovina, eventually reaching over a million participants. It will also be offered to many French- and English-speaking African countries in the coming year and is being started in two private US schools.

Another country where the Bahá’ís are helping to address long-standing racial and cultural issues is Australia, where events held in conjunction with National Reconciliation Week, from 27 May to 3 June 2002, included a special service dedicated to reconciliation between indigenous and other Australians. Bahá’ís, members of the Manly Pittwater Warringah Aboriginal Support Group, and the public joined together in the service, held at the Bahá’í House of Worship near Sydney, Australia, on 26 May. Featured were readings from the scriptures of the major world religions and a performance by the Bahá’í Temple Choir. The reception included reading of the prayer distributed for National Sorry Day by the Aboriginal and Islander Commission of the National Council of Churches.

The service was preceded by a reception at which Ann Thomas, a native woman of the Biripi tribe, shared her thoughts on reconciliation. "Reconciliation at this time means a lot," she said, "but it can only be by the spirit." The Bahá’í Faith, she said, offered a means for all Australians to work together in unity.

Education

The upliftment of humanity begins with its education. Instruction in the arts and sciences, particularly with attention given to moral development, is the means by which people understand themselves and their environment, and create an "ever-advancing civilization." Bahá’í schools and educational projects are dedicated to uplifting the minds and spirits and each year expand in both enrollments and

8 For more information about reconciliation efforts by the Bahá’í community in Australia, see pp. 120-22. [Page 56]prominence as more people become attracted to the principles and methods that animate Bahá’í education.

At the opening ceremony for two new Internet-ready buildings, the Ocean of Light International School in Tonga earned high praise from Crown Prince Tupouto'a Tupou V for its technological advancement. The school is owned by the Bahá’í community of Tonga and its curriculum, which is dedicated to developing not only intellectual but spiritual potential, is based on Bahá’í principles; it aims to raise up students committed to the service of humanity. The school fosters the spiritual development of its students through classes in spiritual values in the primary school and moral education in the high school.

"The opening of the buildings could not have come at a better time in Tonga's history because for the first time this school is breaking new ground in using the technology to mitigate the negative effects of the economy," Prince Tupouto'a said in a speech at the ceremony on 25 January 2003. The Prince said he would follow the progress of the school with "much interest and great affection."

The official opening of the new buildings was followed by a luncheon and entertainment for the 600 guests, who included Prince

Children take part in a race as part of World Health Day events at the Louis Gregory Memorial Bahá’í School in Tilling, Uganda, in April 2002. [Page 57]Tupouto’a’s brother, the Honorable Maatu, and his wife Alaileula, the granddaughter of His Highness Susuga Malietoa Tanumafili II, the Head of State of Samoa.

Located on the outskirts of Nuku’alofa, the capital city of Tonga, the school opened in 1996 and started its program with only nine students. During its seven years of operation the school has outgrown its rented facilities. Now the two new buildings will provide some 2,000 square meters of space for classrooms, laboratories, and a library. Classes are available for students ranging in age from 3 to 16, but a 12th grade will be added in 2004 and high school diplomas will be awarded to graduates. Currently 250 children are enrolled at the school. About 80 percent are from Tonga, but the student body also includes children from Australia, Canada, Japan, New Zealand, and the United States.

Another long-standing Bahá’í education project, FUNDAEC, was honored by the Club of Budapest with a “Change the World—Best Practice Award” for its achievements in providing high school education and training to more than 50,000 people living in rural areas in Latin America. In a speech at the award ceremony, Peter Spiegel, the Secretary-General of the Club of Budapest, characterized the project

Participants in a Bahá’í study circle in Bahia, Brazil, use training materials developed at the Ruhi Institute in Colombia. [Page 58]as "the most considerable revolution of education in the twentieth century" because of its efforts to assist people in developing countries to actively engage in the development process.

The project is known as SAT (which stands for Sistema de Aprendizaje Tutorial, or "System for Tutorial Learning"). It is a tutorial learning program based on a series of interactive workbooks that enables trained tutors to offer a high-quality secondary educational program in rural areas with minimal overhead cost. In most cases, even the tutors themselves lack formal education.

SAT is keyed to the realities of rural life and based on the needs of the local residents, aiming to strengthen local economies and communal identity. It offers students a high school education that not only provides them with theoretical knowledge, as most traditional educational curricula do, but also allows them to become economically independent and to serve their communities.

The "Change the World-Best Practice Award" was given to four international educational projects during the awards ceremony, held at the historic St. Paul's Church in Frankfurt, Germany, on 6 October 2002. Some 1,000 people attended, including honorary Club of Budapest members actor Sir Peter Ustinov and author Paulo Coelho, who were granted the Club's Planetary Consciousness Award. Also at the event was Istvan Hiller, personal assistant to the Hungarian Prime Minister Peter Medgyessy, whose presence reinforced the support of the Hungarian government for the Club's efforts in promoting the emergence of planetary consciousness.

Bahá’í education efforts are not solely focused on elementary and high school education. At the University of Bari, the second-largest university in Italy, a permanent course on Bahá’í-inspired ethics and economics was established in March 2003. Giuseppe Robiati was appointed as the coordinator of the course. A member of the Bahá’í community of Italy and the European Bahá’í Business Forum, Mr. Robiati is a businessman with extensive experience in engineering and business management and in the fields of human resources and economics. The course was approved by the Academic Senate and the Rector of the University of Bari in July 2002 and began in March. The "Ethics and Economy: Towards a New World Order" course consists of 10 seminars focused on essential Bahá’í values such as consultation, justice, equality, universal education, [Page 59]A study circle in Turkey at the Association for the Unity of Mankind in Antalya, June 2002.

and the unity of science and religion as they relate to the world of business and economics.

And in Switzerland, scholars and academics from 10 countries attended the Second International Conference on Modern Religious Movements in Judaism, Christianity, Islam, and the Bábí and Bahá’í Faiths, held at the Landegg International University campus 27–29 November 2002. It was the second in a series of conferences jointly convened by Landegg and the Hebrew University of Jerusalem.⁹

Participants came from Australia, Canada, France, Liechtenstein, Iran, Israel, Spain, Turkey, the United Kingdom, and the United States. Professor Moshe Sharon, holder of the Chair in Bahá’í Studies at the Hebrew University, cochaired the conference with Dr. H.B. Danesh, Landegg’s Rector. Professor Sharon opened the conference with an address on “Millennialism: Significance of the Nineteenth Century” and the following day presented his ideas on “The Problem of Ritual.”

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⁹ A report on the First International Conference on Modern Religious Movements in Judaism, Christianity, Islam, and the Bábí and Bahá’í Faiths can be found in The Bahá’í World 2000–2001, pp. 103–07. [Page 60]In total, 17 papers were presented on a wide range of topics including "New Forms of Moving towards the Unity between Faith and Reason in the Catholic Church," "Modern 'Hebrew Christians': An 'Imagined Community," "Bahá’í Education in Shiite Iran," and "The Silences of God."

In addition to formal presentations, the conference featured mu- sical performances and a banquet. All papers from the conference will be made available on Landegg's Web site, and the dates for the third conference, to be held at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, are forthcoming. 10

Arts

‘Abdu’l-Bahá eloquently expressed the high station of the arts in His statement that "in this wonderful new age, art is worship. The more thou strivest to perfect it, the closer wilt thou come to God." There is no distinct category of "Bahá’í art"; rather Bahá’í artists, musicians, and performers strive to express aspects of divinity in their work and thereby contribute to the continual growth and maturation of human culture.

In New York City, a week-long Festival of the Arts was held from 26 June to 2 July 2002. The project was an initiative of Global Music, Inc., a Bahá’í-owned company, and other individuals. The highlight was a concert by the Voices of Bahá choir, a 550-voice group composed of Bahá’ís from some 24 countries, at Carnegie Hall. Voices of Bahá has performed in a variety of incarnations at more than 80 concerts in 30 countries over the past 10 years. The entire choir actually consists of more than 1,000 members, but since its first performance at the Second Bahá’í World Congress in 1992, seldom have more than 200 performed together.

The Bahá’í Gospel Singers, also featured at the World Congress, performed in an event at the Manhattan Center, as did well-known Persian performers who showcased an evening of Persian music.

10 Landegg's Web site can be found at http://www.landegg.edu/. 11 ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, in "The Importance of the Arts in Promoting the Faith," The Compilation of Compilations, vol. 3 (Ingleside, NSW: Bahá’í Publications Australia, 2000), p. 22. [Page 61]Choreographer Ben Hatcher’s award-winning “Covenant” premiered 24 July 2002 at the Banff Center, in Canada. The work was inspired by the opening of the Terraces of the Shrine of the Báb on Mount Carmel.

Members of the Artworks Visual Arts Theater group in Australia, whose performances are a unique mix of painting, drama, and contemporary dance. [Page 62]Other events included a theater festival at the 47th Street Theater and a four-day conference on the arts at the Hotel Pennsylvania. The conference on the arts focused on the role of the arts as described in the Bahá’í writings and applied in the Bahá’í community. It included talks, music, drama, dance, and devotions in an attempt to highlight the spiritual and transformative power of creative endeavor. The theater festival showcased the growing theatrical talent that has emerged within the Bahá’í community in recent years.

The effects of the festival even carried over to other countries. After being informed that two Belgian Bahá’ís had performed in the Voices of Bahá choir at Carnegie Hall, a Belgian national radio station, Radio Musique 3, aired four programs on the Faith and Bahá’í choral music. The 20-minute shows concluded on 1 September after being aired four consecutive weeks on the station's "Chorissimo" program, which focuses on Belgian amateur choirs. The shows included information about the Faith and the New York event, interviews with Belgian singers Lorraine Hetu and Concetta Difrancesco, and music by Tom Price, the conductor of Voices of Bahá, and Van Gilmer, the conductor of the Bahá’í Gospel Singers.

Throughout the worldwide Bahá’í community, arts workshops have contributed both to developing identity within the community and to spreading the message of the Faith. One such workshop, Geração Viva, based in Portugal, performed in front of some 500 people in Lugo, Spain, as part of the "World Citizenship" program organized by the Bahá’í community there. The group's performance was part of a festival of dances from around the world that took place during the last week of July. The newspapers El Progreso and La Voz de Galicia published articles and photographs of the performance.

In July and August, three members of the Geração Viva group visited Brazil to help in training workshops for Brazilian youth. The structure of the training hinged on both physical and spiritual elements, with the participants learning dance steps and dramatic techniques in addition to studying the Bahá’í writings and focusing on generating love, cooperation, and unity within the group. The dances that the participants learned to perform dramatize Bahá’í principles.

Public presentations were held after each training session, with the largest in Bahia, where close to 400 people gathered to watch the [Page 63]youth perform. In all, seven Bahá’í communities in four different Brazilian states benefited from the training workshops. In São Paulo, the training was held at the Soltaniéh Bahá’í Educational Center, where both Bahá’í and non-Bahá’í young people who completed the training were asked to reproduce it in other cities. The newly trained youth were also invited to make a public presentation for 200 people during a conference in Rio de Janeiro held by the United Religions Initiative.

An Australian group, Artworks Visual Arts Theater, Inc., received a grant from the Department of Immigration, Multicultural, and Indigenous Affairs to promote harmony in diversity in schools throughout Western Australia, South Australia, and the Northern Territory. Among the aims of the grant, which is worth approximately AU$50,000, are to aid in the elimination of racism and prejudice and to help build a peaceful future for children.

Artworks is a performing arts and workshop group whose programs are meant to empower young people. Its widely acclaimed techniques are based on a combination of painting, drama, and contemporary dance. Thanks to the grant, the five-year-old group will be traveling to some 60 schools in total, performing shows about harmony and facilitating workshops where students can learn to use the arts to promote understanding and unity. About half of the schools involved also sponsored extended workshops culminating in community arts performances by the students themselves. Part of the project, known as "Harmony in Diversity Project 2003," will focus on Aboriginal schools in the Northern Territory.

Another arts group, Phoenix Theater, organized a tour for its performance of a play about human rights in July 2002 with the encouragement of the National Spiritual Assembly of Greece. The group of 11 youth inaugurated the tour with a performance at a multicultural school in Athens, attended by some 100 people, mostly from the Turkish-speaking minority.

Other performances included shows in Volos, Thessaloniki, Larissa, and Kalamaria, which drew a crowd of close to 170 people. The municipality of Larissa assisted with the preparations for the show there, where more than 100 people attended-despite adverse weather conditions during the outdoor show. [Page 64]The group's final performance was on 13 July at a gypsy camp in a former military base outside of Thessaloniki. The performance was arranged by Arsis, an organization for the support of disadvantaged youth, as part of an emerging cultural program. A large crowd from the local gypsy community attended, and after the performance the gypsy children and youth mingled with the Phoenix members in a spirit of warmth and friendship.

News coverage of the performances included stories in local newspapers and a large article in the Thessaloniki-based newspaper, the Sunday Angelioforos. The national television channel ERT 3 broadcast part of the performance in Thessaloniki and interviews with participants.

Members of the Phoenix Theater group on their tour in Greece in 2003.

Involvement in the Life of Society

Though the Bahá’í Faith is fundamentally nonpolitical in character, its aims embrace the whole of humanity, and work with governmental and civil bodies, collaborating on projects and promoting the Faith's social ideals, is a key aspect of its activities. Involvement with the United Nations and other international organizations, and dialogues with governments and leaders of thought, are means by [Page 65]which Bahá’ís strive to contribute to the discourse of society by elucidating the position of the Bahá’í Faith and demonstrating how the Bahá’í teachings create the basis for a civilization founded on peace, unity, and justice.

In the Solomon Islands, the National Spiritual Assembly met with Prime Minister Sir Allan Kemakeza during the first week of July 2002. The purpose of the meeting was to discuss the nature and status of the Bahá’í community in the Solomon Islands, and to explain the role of the National Assembly in administering the affairs of the community. The Assembly also used the opportunity to present examples of the work of Bahá’ís around the world, including the projects on Mount Carmel at the Bahá’í World Centre and the recent letter of the Universal House of Justice to the world's religious leaders. The Prime Minister expressed his appreciation of the support for peace that the Bahá’í community had shown throughout the recent difficulties in the country, specifically mentioning efforts Bahá’ís had made in villages throughout the islands.

The Bahá’í community in India hosted a visit of the country's President, Dr. Abdul Kalam, to the Bahá’í House of Worship in New Delhi on 18 March 2003. It was the first official visit by an Indian Head of State since the Temple was opened in December 1986. Dr. Kalam was joined by Deputy Prime Minister Lal Krishna Advani and Mrs. Advani, and Defense Minister George Fernandes. During the visit, Dr. Kalam also met briefly with representatives of the National Spiritual Assembly of India and the Continental Board of Counsellors.

Members of the National Spiritual Assembly of the Solomon Islands, during their July 2002 meeting with Prime Minister Sir Allan Kemakeza (back row, third from right). [Page 66]The President also visited the Temple's recent addition, an information center for visitors that features a visitor's gallery, comprising a main auditorium with a seating capacity for more than 400 people and two 70-seat auditoriums. The gallery focuses on the history of the Bahá’í Faith, its philosophy, and the development activities of Bahá’ís around the world. On display are photographs, text, and films on the history of the Faith, and excerpts from Bahá’í holy writings. The auditoriums screen films on the Temple itself as well as on the Bahá’í Faith.

Annually, more than three and a half million people visit the Temple, making it one of the most visited sites in the world. Other prominent visitors have included the Prime Ministers of Norway and Sri Lanka, the President of Iceland, the Vice-President of Uruguay, and the Dalai Lama.

In Puerto Rico, the Bahá’í community gave support to International Peace Day celebrations held on 1 November 2002. Bahá’ís participated in three events for the day, which is an observance created by the Puerto Rican legislature. The events included a Harmony for Peace celebration at the botanical gardens in San Juan, a Walk for Peace in Rio Piedras, and a Commitment for Peace rally in San Juan's Central Park. The activities were organized by the Coalition against Family Violence, with support from various other civic and humanitarian organizations.

The first event brought together political leaders and young students who called for peace in Puerto Rico and in the world. Among the speakers was Yolanda Zayas, the Secretary of Family Affairs in Puerto Rico, who said that in order to achieve peace, work must begin in the family. She called for reflection on what each individual might contribute to create a world in harmony. The activity ended with an artistic presentation by the choir of the University of Puerto Rico.

The Walk for Peace was a trip by public and private school students along the streets of the Rio Piedras section of San Juan to the Puerto Rico Art Museum, and the celebration of Peace Day ended at San Juan's Central Park with a gathering of religious leaders from many faiths who made a "Commitment for Peace."

In Kosovo, Global Perspectives, a Bahá’í-inspired NGO, was asked to host moral leadership seminars in the region. The invitation [Page 67]came due to the success of Global Perspectives' first seminar, which brought together 35 people from the region's diverse ethnic groups. Although participants in that seminar, who came from groups that are historically antagonistic, started the seminar by avoiding contact, they ended with warm embraces.

The project is subsidized and supported by the United Nations International Children's Fund (UNICEF), the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), the Embassies of the United States and Germany, and the Ministry of Education and Culture of Kosovo. It was initiated by the Global Motion Social Dance Theater, a group that aims to raise awareness of social problems and is dedicated to advancing education of its peers through the arts. The group is particularly relevant in Kosovo, where close to 40 percent of the population is under 20. The dance group takes youth between 15 and 18 through a 20-session process of social, moral, and artistic training, to launch them as active agents of personal and social change.

Another ongoing effort in which the Bahá’ís are involved is the newly formed Center for Studies of Holocaust and Religious Minorities in Norway. Although still in the development stages, the center aims to combine studies of the Holocaust with an examination

Bahá’ís cut a ceremonial ribbon at the inauguration of a new devotional center in Guatemala City, Guatemala. [Page 68]of the role of religious minorities in the modern world. It was formed at the instigation of the Jewish community and the Norwegian gov- ernment, and founded by the University of Oslo. It will contribute new research, educational and informational activities, exhibitions, and conferences on the topic.

Britt Strandlie Thoresen, a member of the National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of Norway, was elected to represent religious minorities on the center's council. Mrs. Thoresen chairs the work- ing group that plans the themes to be discussed and the religious minorities to be presented at the center.

During a study trip by the center's six board members to the United States, the Bahá’í International Community's Office at the United Nations helped arrange a meeting with more than 20 like- minded NGO representatives, and during a trip to England, Bahá’ís there arranged for the representatives to meet with Brian Pearce, leader of the Interfaith Network of Great Britain, Sandra Barath, from the Oxford Interfaith Centre, and representatives of the Beth Shalom Centre near Nottingham. Mrs. Thoresen also told Katusha Otter Nilsen, coordinator of the Norwegian center, about the work of Landegg International University, and in July Mrs. Otter Nilsen attended a course on "Religion and Conflict Resolution" there.

Interfaith Activities

The activities of Bahá’í communities to promote religious understand- ing are founded on the idea that "There can be no doubt whatever that the peoples of the world, of whatever race or religion, derive their inspiration from one heavenly Source, and are the subjects of one God."12 It is in this spirit that Bahá’ís around the world recognize a kinship with worshippers from all religions and are involved in dia- logues that promote tolerance and unity. Most recently, the need for greater clarity on the relationship among the major religions was the subject of a letter written by the Universal House of Justice addressed to the world's religious leaders. 13

12 Bahá’u’lláh, Gleanings from the Writings of Bahá’u’lláh (Wilmette, IL: Bahá’í Publishing Trust, 1994), p. 217. 13 For the text of the letter, see pp. 89-98. [Page 69]

YEAR IN REVIEW

Promoting understanding between religions was also the focus of a recent effort by Bahá’ís in Peru. Their cooperation with the Peruvian human rights organization INTERDES has helped to energize an ongoing interfaith collaboration aimed at winning wider governmental recognition for non-Catholic religions. The result has been the creation of a Peruvian Interfaith Council, which will be the official liaison for non-Catholic organizations with the Ministry of Justice. As well, the government has agreed to appoint a National Director of Interfaith Affairs, which will become a parallel position to the Directorate of Catholic Affairs within the Ministry of Justice.

INTERDES, a nongovernmental organization with the full title of Ministerio Internacional de Desarrollo (Ministry of International Development), had been seeking wider freedoms for non-Catholic religions for several years but had worked mainly with evangelical Christian groups. Ultimately, some 15 different non-Catholic religious organizations in Peru, including the Bahá’ís, joined in asking the government, which has traditionally granted favored status only to the Catholic Church, to grant greater religious freedom for all.

World Religion Day, a celebration held annually since 1949, is a forum for religions to join together and celebrate their common ground. Since its inception by the National Spiritual Assembly of the United States, World Religion Day has grown in scope, with the list of countries observing the day in the past year including Albania, Austria, Australia, Bulgaria, Canada, Republic of the Congo, Finland, Germany, Hong Kong, India, Ireland, Italy, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, New Zealand, Norway, Panama, Portugal, Slovakia, Sweden, Switzerland, the United Kingdom, and Vanuatu.

The celebration in the Republic of Mauritius, organized by the Catholic Church at the invitation of the Bahá’í community, was marked by the presence of the nation's President, Karl Offmann, and senior representatives of the Bahá’í, Buddhist, Christian, Hindu, and Muslim faiths. Each of the religious representatives read prayers to the audience of 500 and spoke on the teachings of his or her respective religion, and each emphasized the same theme—that all the religions teach unity and peace.

Another commemoration, United Nations Day on 24 October 2002, created an opportunity for an interfaith discussion on world peace organized by the local Bahá’í community in Buea, Cameroon. [Page 70]

InGairdín do Chrol, na cuir aon rud ach rós an ghrá

In Cork, Ireland, a state primary school where there are no Bahá’í students celebrated the Bahá’í festival of Ridván. The Irish-language school, Gaelscoil Goirt Alainn, chose to celebrate the festival as part of a program of multicultural enrichment. Many of the children constructed banners with the words of Bahá’u’lláh in Irish.

Sponsored by the Local Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of Buea, the discussion featured speakers representing Bahá’í, Christian, Hindu, and Muslim perspectives. Each of the speakers stressed the importance of religion in contributing to peace and put a special emphasis on the need for religious tolerance. The Reverend Father Alosius Ituka Ndifor, secretary to the Bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Buea, said that peace begins with God because God is peace, and this can affect all of mankind if people open their hearts.

The role of religion was also the theme of a multifaith panel discussion in Jena, Germany. More than 100 people gathered at the Friedrich Schiller University in Jena on 12 November 2002 for discussion on the topic of "Jews, Christians, Muslims, and Bahá’ís: The World Religions' Common Responsibility for World Peace." Sponsored by the Intercultural Council of Germany, the panel explored ways religions could take joint responsibility for promoting international I peace, both in relation to the world at large and to each other. The Intercultural Council of Germany was founded in 1994 [Page 71]by a group of governmental and nongovernmental organizations with the aim of promoting social integration. Representatives of the Jewish, Evangelical Lutheran, Muslim, and Bahá’í communities took part, as did Prof. Udo Tworuschka, Chair of Comparative Religious Sciences at the University of Jena; Dr. Nadeem Elyas, President of the Central Muslim Council of Germany; and Christopher Sprung of the National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of Germany. Dr. Jürgen Miksch, the Chairman of the Intercultural Council, hosted the panel.

Children and Youth

In a letter written on behalf of Shoghi Effendi, the plight of young people in the modern age is drawn in a dim but succinct light: "Life is not easy for the young people of this generation. They enter life with a heart full of hope, but find before themselves nothing but failures, and see in the future nothing but darkness. What they need is the light manifested by Bahá’u’lláh, for that brightens their soul and stimulates their vigor in facing difficulties." It is the brightness of hope that Bahá’í communities try to bring not only to their own children, but to the whole of the younger generation, in whose hands lies the future of mankind.

More than a thousand people attended a Cambodian Bahá’í festival for children held on 30 March 2003 at the Psar Leur Bahá’í Center in Battambang. The event created an opportunity for children and youth of all social classes to meet each other and also to give provincial authorities an overview of the Bahá’í educational program for children. Children presented stories about ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, recited quotations from the Bahá’í writings, made drawings and displayed their art, performed traditional Khmer music and dance, and played games together.

Organizers of the Battambang event coped with the large crowd, though they were surprised at the turnout-they expected closer to the 400 people who had attended the previous year's festival. Several

14 Letter written on behalf of Shoghi Effendi, in "Youth," in The Compilation of Compilations, vol. 2 (Ingleside, NSW: Bahá’í Publications Australia, 1991), P. 423. [Page 72]Teachers and students in a children’s class in Madagascar, October 2002.

Participants in a Bahá’í children’s class in Belmopan, Belize, in 2002. [Page 73]senior government officials were invited guests, including the Director of the Battambang Education Department and Battambang’s Director of Religious Affairs. Among the Bahá’í guests were four members of the National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of Cambodia and two Auxiliary Board members. The festival followed another successful children’s festival, held in Saang on 27 March, an event that attracted another 400 participants.

In Australia, Bahá’í education classes in state schools have been running for 15 years and have now grown to an enrollment of more than 4,000 students. The classes began in New South Wales and have since spread to the Northern Territory, Queensland, Victoria, and Western Australia, where they are offered as an option within the religious education program in government schools. The Bahá’í education classes are based on the teachings of Bahá’u’lláh and are designed to contribute to the awakening and development of the spiritual nature of every child attending the classes, complementing the traditional education provided by schools. Teachers of the classes are accredited and go through a standard approval process, which includes fulfillment of state education department requirements.

While the classes were originally started by Bahá’í parents who wanted their children to learn about their own religion, almost 90 percent of the students now attending the classes come from families of other religious backgrounds. The classes are open to all students regardless of their cultural or religious background, subject to parental approval. Many parents choose the classes for their children because they are attracted by the emphasis placed on the oneness of religion. Parents have also noted their appreciation of the focus placed on the development of virtues such as kindness, honesty, and love.

Bahá’í youth conferences offer opportunities for learning, sharing experiences, and gaining inspiration. More than 120 youth attended the national youth conference in Kampala, Uganda, from 23 to 28 December. Participants came from a variety of countries, including Burundi, Ethiopia, Italy, Kenya, the Netherlands, the Philippines, the Seychelles, Rwanda, the United States, and Zambia.

The conference had sessions on topics such as heroes and heroines of the Bahá’í Faith, marriage and chastity, and the Five Year Plan. The evenings were enlivened by celebrations that included music, dance, and dramatic performances. Following the formal sessions, [Page 74]participants dispersed from the conference in an organized effort to spread the Bahá’í teachings in the area.

"Changing Times" was the theme of the European Youth Seminar, held at the Townshend International School in the Czech Republic from 26 December 2002 to 1 January 2003. One hundred and eighty youth from more than 20 countries attended, to discuss topics such as the Bahá’í standard of life and ethics, the situation of the world and solutions from the Bahá’í writings, Bahá’í scholarship and its practical implications, the Five Year Plan, and Century of Light, a document prepared by the Universal House of Justice that describes the emergence of the Bahá’í Faith against the background of the turmoil of the twentieth century. Other issues related to topics about living the Bahá’í life, such as Bahá’í marriage, the equality of the sexes, career management, and socioeconomic development, were presented and discussed in various talks and workshops.

Another large youth conference was held in Norway from 17 to 21 April 2003. The Nordic Youth Conference, titled "Learning in Action," gathered 169 participants, with most coming from Denmark, Finland, Norway, and Sweden. Through group consultation and workshops, participants examined such topics as "The Time We Live In," "You and the Minor Plan," and "Youth at the Forefront."

Children at the Tahirih Center for Excellence in Mexico, in October 2002. [Page 75]

Community Development

Unity is the motivating principle of the Bahá’í Faith—a unity that not only binds together individuals but also creates the framework for a new society. Bahá’ís strive to create unity in the world around them and in their own communities; ‎In in‎ more than 200 countries and territories and in thousands of localities they are establishing models of unified life based on consultation, learning, and growth.

On 28 and 29 June 2002, the national Bahá’í community in Zambia had cause for celebration as it marked 50 years since the Faith was first introduced to the country. The celebrations were officially opened by the Honorable Lackson Mapushi, Minister of Home Affairs. Bahá’í visitors included Counsellor-member of the International Teaching Centre Dr. Firaydoun Javaheri, Continental Counsellors Enos Makhele and Maina Mkandawire, and Daphne Masetlha, widow of the late William Mmutle Masetlha, a prominent member of the early Bahá’í community in Africa.

More than 300 participants from 28 regions of Zambia and 17 other countries gathered for two days of “golden jubilee” commemorations. Events included personal recollections recounted by many Bahá’ís about the early history of the Faith in Zambia. Special acknowledgement was also given to the unique positions held by Eric Manton and Christopher Mwitumwa in the history of the Faith in Zambia.

The community was inaugurated in 1952, when Eric Manton and his son Terry arrived from the United Kingdom as the first Bahá’ís in what was then known as Northern Rhodesia. Mr. Manton and his son eventually settled in Lusaka, where he became known for his loving manner and his ideals of peace. His closest Zambian companion was Christopher Mwitumwa, who accompanied him to Nyasaland (now Malawi) where they met other Bahá’ís. On their return in late 1954, Mr. Mwitumwa declared his belief in Bahá’u’lláh and thus became the first Zambian to embrace the Bahá’í Faith. The first National Spiritual Assembly formed in 1967, and the country is now home to nearly 15,000 Bahá’ís, with more than 80 Local Spiritual Assemblies.

For Bahá’í communities, particularly in countries where the Faith has only recently been established, becoming legally incorporated [Page 76]Some of the participants at the 50th anniversary celebration of Zambia’s Bahá’í community, held in June 2002.

adds to the prestige and independent character of the Faith and has many advantages for the Bahá’ís in those countries. It increases the influence of the National Spiritual Assembly and allows the body to hold property, enter into contracts, and can lead to the recognition of Bahá’í marriage ceremonies, holy days, and other community matters.

On 12 June 2002, the Estonian Bahá’í communities in Pärnu, Narva, and Tartu were registered as legal bodies by the Estonian Interior Ministry. Registering at least two local communities was a necessary requirement for the incorporation of the national community, whose legal status is as a union of local communities in accordance with Estonian law. The registration of the national community, which has only existed in the years since the collapse of the Soviet Union, followed on 17 June.

Two communities in South America, Peru and Chile, gained legal incorporation in December 2002. The National Spiritual Assembly of Peru was registered as a legally incorporated entity and the Chilean National Spiritual Assembly was officially recognized by the Ministry of Justice under the new Law of Religious Worship.

The national governing body of the Bahá’í community in Chile played a part in another major development in September 2002 [Page 77]when it called for the submission of designs for a new continental Bahá’í House of Worship. The building, to be constructed southeast of Santiago, will be the eighth House of Worship in the world. The call came after an announcement in 2001 by the Universal House of Justice that efforts should begin to build what would be known as the "Mother Temple of South America."

The announcement specified requirements for the design of the building; it must be nine-sided, it should have an auditorium capable of seating at least 500 people, and its primary feature should be a dome 40 to 45 meters tall. Design submissions must also include basic landscaping features, as the surrounding gardens are a key feature of the other Temples. There are currently seven Houses of Worship, and the design of each is unique, with most reflecting the culture of the lands in which they were built.

The Temples themselves are meant to be not only beautiful structures but also places to commune with God in silence and reverence. Their Arabic name, Mashriqu’l-Adhkár, means "dawning place of the mention of God." In the future, each Bahá’í House of Worship will be the central feature in a complex designed to provide a variety of community services such as health care and education, open to use by followers of any religion.

The Bahá’í community of Hungary, having grown from some 70 Bahá’ís in 1990 to more than 1,200, inaugurated its new national

Participants in a Ruhi study circle in Bulgaria. [Page 78]Bahá’í center designed to accommodate the growth of the community. A reception was held on 27 November 2002 and more than 50 people attended, including two members of the Hungarian Parliament, representatives of the Prime Minister’s Office, a representative of the Ministry of the Interior, a pastor from the Unitarian Church, a representative of the Club of Budapest, and several national media personalities.

The celebration opened with the reading of a congratulatory letter from a former President of Hungary, Arpad Goncz, who conveyed his appreciation and support to the community. The guest of honor was Istvan Szalay, State Secretary for Religious Affairs, who remarked that the Bahá’í community is unique in its promotion of harmony and stability among the population. Peter Koczoh, the secretary of the National Spiritual Assembly of Hungary, said that acquiring the new Bahá’í center was “a turning point” in the life of the Hungarian community.