Bahá’í World/Volume 32/The Year in Review

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[Page 77]

The Year in Review

There is perhaps no event more anticipated in the Bahá’í world than the international convention for the election of the Universal House of Justice, held every five years at the Bahá’í World Centre in Haifa, Israel. The Bahá’í Faith has no clergy, and its governance is carried out by democratically elected bodies, at the head of which is the House of Justice. That body was ordained by Bahá’u’lláh, and He wrote that it was “charged with the affairs of the people. They, in truth, are the Trustees of God among His servants and the daysprings of authority in His countries.”¹

The electorate is composed of the members of National Spiritual Assemblies around the world, who are subject neither to campaigning nor to nominations. They are each themselves elected as a result of a process in which electors are guided to vote in a prayerful and reverent attitude, focused on the Faith’s teachings that advise them to choose “the names of only those who can best combine the necessary qualities of unquestioned loyalty, of selfless devotion, of a well-trained mind, of recognized ability, and mature experience.”²

The exercise of casting the ballots in voting during the convention is ordinarily a dramatic event: members of National Spiritual Assemblies, many dressed in colorful national costumes, form a [Page 78]Nineteen Bahá’ís from 18 countries gathered in Haifa to serve as tellers for the election of the Universal House of Justice in April 2003.

procession and individually deposit envelopes into the ballot box. The importance of the election, though, goes far beyond this display—and in a year when it became impossible, it was replaced by something much more pragmatic but no less significant.

The House of Justice cancelled the Ninth International Convention in the midst of a year that it described as “agitated by a succession of crises,”³ and while those crises rattled great nations, they could not unsettle the unique process of the election of the Universal House of Justice.

Though the physical scene of the convention, a marvelous display of diversity and democracy, was gone, the Bahá’í world was still wrapt by the occasion. In place of the thousands of delegates came 19 tellers from 18 countries, representing every continent, who would each count the more than 3,300 ballots sent by post. On 29 April 2003, after the ballots were counted, a message was sent announcing the results of the election to Bahá’ís all over the world.⁴

The success of the process demonstrated that though the Bahá’í community is far from insulated from the outside world, the [Page 79]fluctuation and exigencies of the world do not disturb the foundations of the Faith. And all around the world Bahá’ís seek to counteract those changes and chances of the world, working diligently towards a prosperous future for mankind.

This article presents an overview of Bahá’í activities during 2003-04, and though capturing all of the events would be too daunting to attempt, the excerpts here should provide a salient glimpse of the character of the worldwide Bahá’í community in its efforts to uplift the whole of humanity as it moves through its "turbulent transition" to embrace unity and collective security.

Building Momentum for Transformation

A video entitled Building Momentum, which was planned for distribution at the convention, was instead forwarded by mail, along with a document prepared by the International Teaching Centre titled Building Momentum: A Coherent Approach to Growth, to all National Spiritual Assemblies. The document offers a structured analysis of the means by which Bahá’ís are implementing the goals of the Five Year Plan, a worldwide process of systematic development of human resources in which the Bahá’í community is currently engaged to effect its consolidation and expansion.

The process is bringing a fresh vitality to many Bahá’í communities, and the past few years have seen an evolution in the culture of those communities, centered around the training institute process and the "core activities" of the Five Year Plan: devotional meetings, children's classes, and study circles.³

The video Building Momentum offers an inspirational portrait of Bahá’í communities in Australia, Canada, Colombia, Italy, Malaysia, Nepal, and Zambia that are enacting transformation by applying the guidance of the Universal House of Justice in their development. The video allowed the Bahá’ís not only to reflect on the progress made so far during the Five Year Plan, but to see an image of themselves as an energetic, worldwide community on the move, with individuals and groups enthused about taking charge of their own spiritual and material development.

It also enabled Bahá’ís around the world to deepen their appreciation of the systematic processes in which the electors are [Page 80]Anis Mojgani recites a poem at the Southern Regional Conference in Nashville, Tennessee, USA, in November 2003.

engaged and to more keenly appreciate the reality of the words of the House of Justice, “The individual alone can exercise those capacities which include the ability to take initiative, to seize opportunities . . . to win the cooperation of others in common service to the Faith and society.”⁶

One observer, describing the impact of viewing the video, said that it was as if all the documents of the Universal House of Justice had come to life: “People were talking about their area’s level of growth and development, having reflection meetings, and carrying out the study circles, children’s classes, devotional meetings.” She said she had witnessed the truth of the assertion that Bahá’í communities had “unity in thought, cohesion in their work.”

That same unity and cohesion were evidenced at the Southern Regional Bahá’í Conference, in Nashville, Tennessee, USA, held from 27 to 30 November 2003. Some 4,000 Bahá’ís attended the conference, which was opened by Vice-Mayor Howard Gentry Jr. Among the speakers at the conference were Kenneth Bowers and Robert C. Henderson, members of the National Spiritual Assembly of the United States, and Eugene Andrews and Rebequa Murphy, members of the Continental Board of Counsellors.

Artistic presentations at the conference included many musical and dramatic performances, a journey for children through [Page 81]reconstructed historical places associated with the Faith, film screenings, displays of the visual arts, and creative devotional gatherings. The Bahá’í choir Voices of Bahá also gave a concert at the historic Ryman Auditorium, once home to the Grand Ole Opry.

Participants discussed the development of the three core activities in sessions aimed at furthering the process of the expansion of the Faith in the region. The Regional Bahá’í Council of the Southern States, which sponsored the conference, reported "extraordinary progress" in the number of study circles in the region and in the number of participants who have completed the sequence of courses and been trained as tutors. At the conference, which was open to the public, 18 people joined the Faith.

Southern states are currently home to several "clusters" in advanced stages of growth, and participants at the conference pledged to undertake systematic activities to ensure the region continues in that tradition.

Clustering is a key process shaping Bahá’í communities, entailing mapping and sectioning of countries and into clusters of a size and composition that maximize human resources and the potential for growth. This mapping, in conjunction with the development of the institute process, has allowed for a systematic vision of the evolution of Bahá’í communities.

Reflection meetings bring together members of clusters to consult about challenges and opportunities and make plans for the future. Bahá’ís in the Kigali cluster in Rwanda joined together on

Participants at a November 2003 reflection meeting in Kigali, Rwanda, meet to discuss plans for Bahá’í activities in their region. [Page 82]Youth provide entertainment at a training institute conference held in the Democratic Republic of the Congo from 27 December 2003 to 12 January 2004.

Bahá’ís at a reflection meeting in Sierra Leone in 2003. [Page 83]30 November 2003 in the third such meeting in the Kigali cluster of communities.

The Kigali cluster comprises five Local Spiritual Assemblies and is currently home to six regular study circles, five children’s classes, and nine devotional meetings. The 60 participants at the reflection meeting in November, half of whom were youth, studied the Building Momentum document from the International Teaching Centre and enjoyed songs and traditional dances.

The evolution being effected in Bahá’í communities has also brought a blurring of the lines between people who are and who are not Bahá’ís, and members of the public are participating in activities in increasing numbers. In the words of the Universal House of Justice, “The culture now emerging is one in which groups of Bahá’u’lláh’s followers explore together the truths in His Teachings” and “freely open their study circles, devotional gatherings and children’s classes to their friends and neighbors.”⁷

In Ethiopia, the local community in Zway experienced success by inviting high school students to join in study circles; several became Bahá’ís as a result and were encouraged to gain the training to become study circle tutors and continue to extend the influence of the process. The increase was remarkable, and in September 2003, when the Local Spiritual Assembly of Zway hosted 600 people for a luncheon, more than half of them were newly enrolled Bahá’ís who had been attracted through the study circles.

The “building momentum” that is animating Bahá’í communities was also the theme of a youth conference in Otavalo, Ecuador, held in February 2004. Some 180 participants from all over Ecuador, as well as visitors from Brazil, Canada, Panama, and the United States, joined in the conference.

Members of the National Spiritual Assembly of Ecuador, Continental Counsellor Leticia Solano, and Knight of Bahá’u’lláh Howard Menking all joined the conference as special guests. In addition to inspiring talks about the history of the Faith and the role of youth, the conference included artistic evenings, devotional periods in the mornings, and sports and games.

After Ms. Solano spoke on the main theme of the conference, the participants were grouped by cluster, each group designing a plan in which all members would play a role. The conference resulted [Page 84]in commitments from the youth to engage in service projects and campaigns to spread the teachings of the Faith. Two people declared themselves Bahá’ís as a result of the conference.

Bahá’í youth, both in their home communities and in gatherings such as the conference in Otavalo, hope to rise to fulfill the expectations expressed by Bahá’u’lláh in His statement, “Blessed is he who in the prime of his youth and the heyday of his life will arise to serve the Cause of the Lord.”⁸ Youth are called upon to use their energy and vitality for the service of their Faith and humanity.

In Hluboka, Czech Republic, a six-day gathering to inspire Bahá’í youth to make their contribution to the welfare of humanity attracted participants from more than 30 countries. The atmosphere of the seminar, which was held at the Townshend International School from 26 December 2003 to 1 January 2004, was characterized by the joy and camaraderie of the some 220 participants. In addition to the many European Bahá’ís, attendees came from places as far away as Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and the United States.

In a talk that drew on analysis by Shoghi Effendi and messages from the Universal House of Justice, Robert Henderson, Secretary-General of the National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of the United States, told the youth that they were “witnessing the disintegration of international order.”

Bahá’í youth, he said, should strive to become examples of the transforming power of Bahá’u’lláh, even as “sovereign states are unable to stop the spread of terrorism and war, to stabilize the

One of the workshops at the “Changing Times” youth conference in the Czech Republic, held from 26 December 2003 to 1 January 2004. [Page 85]world economy or to alleviate the sufferings of millions.” He told the youth that they should “elevate the atmosphere” in which they live, face challenges with confidence, and become the embodiment of excellence in their personal lives, academic training, professions, and spiritual qualities.

Topics by other speakers included the importance of ethics in business, the equality of men and women, Bahá’í history, and preparation for marriage.

Workshops aimed at inspiring the youth to incorporate Bahá’í principles in their lives included a focus on two current themes in Bahá’í activities worldwide—the arts in Bahá’í community life and the importance of devotional meetings.

Finding new ways to incorporate arts into community life was also the goal of a national festival in Scarborough, England, that drew more than 1,200 people. The festival focused on exploring ways to creatively portray the themes in Reflections on the Life of the Spirit, the first book of the Ruhi series of courses.

This sequence of courses, created at the Ruhi Institute in Colombia, is widely used in study circles by Bahá’ís around the world. Bahá’ís and others are participating in rapidly increasing numbers in the courses, and the books’ use has had a positive impact on the development of spiritual insights, knowledge, and skills. The first book is primarily about understanding prayer, life after death, and the spiritual nature of human beings.

Festival coordinator Rob Weinberg said that the Scarborough event, held 7–9 November 2003, was aimed at encouraging people to reflect on their spiritual nature through its portrayal in dramatic and musical performances, audio-visual presentations, and talks.

The spiritual realities that underpin human existence, the main theme of the first book in the sequence of Ruhi courses, was the topic of an address by Sohrab Youssefian, a member of the Continental Board of Counsellors. The theme of prayer was expressed through an exhibition that showed the development of Bahá’í Houses of Worship around the world, with rare drawings and photographs of those Temples displayed alongside architectural models. Illustrating the theme of life after death, Arabella Velasco, a British writer and actress, presented A Light at the End of the Tunnel, her play based on first-hand accounts of near-death experiences. [Page 86]Members of the musical group Soul Tunes, which performed at the “Reflections on the Life of the Spirit” festival in Scarborough, England, with friends. Singer Hatef Sedkaoui is second from the left.

Creators of the theatrical production Pure, about the life of Ṭáhirih, which was performed in Scarborough. Pictured (left to right) are director Jessica Naish, actor Shirin Youssefian-Maanian, and playwright Annabel Knight.

Bahá’ís in the UK study the first book of the Ruhi courses, Reflections on the Life of the Spirit, in a study circle. [Page 87]Other themes explored by the presentations at the festival included the status of women, illustrated through a play depicting the life and death of the nineteenth-century Persian poet, Táhirih, who heralded a new age of emancipation for women and challenged the religious fundamentalism of her time.

Prominent musicians at the festival included Conrad Lambert, who gave a solo performance, and Tunisian-born Hatef Sedkaoui, who played a blend of Western and traditional Arabic music with his Marseilles-based band, Soul Tunes.

Shoghi Effendi affirmed the importance of the arts in attracting people to the Faith: "The day will come when the Cause will spread like wildfire when its spirit and teachings are presented on the stage or in art and literature as a whole. Art can better awaken such noble sentiments than cold rationalizing."9

That sentiment is well known by Bahá’í dance workshops such as the Portuguese group Geração Viva ("Living Generation"), which has been a dynamic tool for spreading the teachings of the Faith through the arts. On 19 February the group performed in Barcelos, Portugal, to an audience of 500 people, including teachers, students, and parents. After the event, the school requested that a tape be made of the performance.

Members of a Bahá’í youth workshop performing at a conference in Sydney, Australia, in 2003. [Page 88]In Singapore, the Bahá’í choral group In Unison staged a public performance for 300 people at the Raffles Hotel on 25 May 2003. The choir’s members come from a variety of ethnic and national backgrounds: American, Australian, Chinese, Filipino, Japanese, Korean, Persian, and Sinhalese. They performed songs based on the Bahá’í writings as well as those with Bahá’í themes, each introduced with an explanation of the relevant Bahá’í principle. The choir, which formed in 2000, has performed in the past at many private and public functions, including events sponsored by the Interreligious Organization of Singapore.

Building Communities

The ongoing process of building distinctive Bahá’í communities means not only concentrating on individual spiritual development but also finding ways to promote creativity and increased capacity, and to create distinctive social patterns.

For many Bahá’í communities, celebrating their progress in the time since their founding has offered a way to show how much has been accomplished. During 2003–04 several countries celebrated the 50th anniversary of the arrival of the Bahá’í Faith in their lands.¹⁰

In Switzerland, meanwhile, Bahá’ís had the opportunity to reflect on a century of the Faith in the country at a gathering in Interlaken in September 2003 which brought together Bahá’ís from all parts of Switzerland and guests from 26 other countries. The celebrations followed an official reception for dignitaries held at the national Bahá’í center in Bern, during which a senior Swiss political leader paid a high tribute to the country’s Bahá’í community.

Federal Chancellor Annemarie Huber-Hotz congratulated the Bahá’ís “for the ideas you stand for and to which you are committed: the unity of humankind, world peace, tolerance towards people of other cultural, linguistic, ethnic, and religious backgrounds. I am here because I share your ideals and consider your efforts for their implementation as essential steps on the path towards a more peaceful world.”

Among the 450 participants at the celebrations were guests of honor ‘Alí Nakhjavání, a former member of the Universal House [Page 89]Some of the 450 participants from 27 countries who came to Interlaken, Switzerland, for the celebration of the Bahá’ís’ 100th anniversary there.

of Justice, and his wife Violette. Other guests included government officials, parliamentarians, and representatives of nongovernmental and religious organizations. Also present at the centennial celebrations was Annemarie Krüger, granddaughter of Swiss Bahá’í Auguste Forel, noted scientist and humanitarian.

Participants enjoyed various artistic presentations and heard about the history of the Bahá’í community in Switzerland. Ariane Schaller related the stories of her grandparents, Joseph de Bons, from Switzerland, and his French American wife, Edith, who were the first Bahá’ís to reside in Switzerland. Nils Semle recounted stories of his father, Fritz Semle, who accepted the Faith in 1920 and was elected a member of the first National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of Switzerland in 1962.

In Kingston, Jamaica, Governor-General Sir Howard Felix Hanlan Cooke proclaimed 25 July 2003 as “Bahá’í Day” to commemorate the 60th anniversary of the establishment of the first Bahá’í Local Spiritual Assembly in the country.

His official proclamation read: “Whereas the Bahá’í Faith teaches that ‘The earth is but one country and mankind its citizens,’ and [Page 90]Governor-General Sir Howard Felix Hanlan Cooke presenting the proclamation establishing “Bahá’í Day” in Jamaica to mark the 60th anniversary of Jamaica’s first Local Spiritual Assembly.

embraces as its supreme goal the unification of the entire human race, consisting of divers peoples and cultures . . . I do hereby proclaim July 25, 2003, ‘Bahá’í Day’ and urge the members of the Bahá’í Faith, and likewise all citizens of goodwill, towards the high ideals of spiritual brotherhood, and of carrying humanity forward in an ever-advancing civilization.”

The announcement came at the end of two weeks of events throughout the country, which included local celebrations such as a picnic and a dance party, talks on Bahá’í topics, and a blood drive organized by the Bahá’ís of Kingston. An official reception was held at the national Bahá’í center in Kingston on 25 July and a public devotional gathering, with more than 150 participants, involving prayers and readings from the Bahá’í holy writings, was held two days later.

Bahá’ís in Belarus also celebrated an anniversary, hosting a festival to mark the 25th year since the arrival of the Faith in the country. Held 7 December 2003 at the Kastrychnitski Hotel in Minsk, the festival drew participants from all over Belarus. Special guests included Helmut Winkelbach, the German Bahá’í who was the first [Page 91]to bring the teachings of the Faith to the country, an act for which he was named a Knight of Bahá’u’lláh.

Participants viewed a multimedia presentation on the history of the Belarusian Bahá’í community and heard commentary from some of its first members. The festival also drew attention to social projects undertaken by the Bahá’í community, such as distribution of scientific literature presented by the international Sabre Fund among universities and schools, rendering charitable assistance to children's homes and boarding schools, philanthropic performances of the Bahá’í youth dance group in different cities, and the promotion of the "My Home" project on improving family relations.

The next day, news about the presentation was covered by the largest Belarusian news organization, BelaPAN.

While these Bahá’í communities had opportunity to consider the milestones of the past, Bahá’ís also look towards future developments. Foremost among these is the impending construction of the House of Worship to be built in Santiago, Chile, which will stand as the "Mother Temple of South America." The Temple will be the eighth in the world and last of the "continental" temples."

After reviewing 185 submissions, the Universal House of Justice announced in 2003 that it had selected Siamak Hariri as the architect for this project. A partner at the Toronto-based Hariri Pontarini firm, Mr. Hariri was the winner of the Toronto Urban Design Award in 2000 and has completed many high-profile projects in Canada.

His design for the Temple, which is already attracting attention in architectural circles, is striking for its lack of straight lines-its body will be constructed of nine gently curved alabaster "wings," and even the paths of its gardens will be slightly oblique.

Architecture critic Gary Michael Dault described the building as a "hovering cloud, an architectural mist," saying that it "acknowledges blossom, fruit, vegetable and the human heart-but rests somewhere between such readings, gathering them up and transforming them into an architectural scheme that is simultaneously... engagingly familiar and brilliantly original."

The loose parameters offered by the House of Justice's guidelines required only that the Temple have nine sides and a dome of at least 30 meters. The planned structure will be about 30 meters tall, between 25 and 30 meters wide, and will be surrounded by an [Page 92]Siamak Hariri, architect of the Bahá’í Temple to be built in Santiago, Chile, stands with a model of the building.

extensive radiating garden comprising nine reflecting lily pools and nine prayer gardens. Mr. Hariri said the building would take its place as a sister Temple to the other Mother Temples—and yet “find its way into its own gentle and compelling uniqueness.”

Other Bahá’í communities were also engaged in building projects, albeit on smaller scales, and new national centers in Africa, Europe, and the Pacific Islands have invited praise from prominent people.

The President of the Republic of the Seychelles, France Albert René, attended the official dedication ceremony in Victoria of the country’s new national Bahá’í center. Also among the some 400 guests were the Vice-President and other government ministers, as well as Bahá’í visitors from India, the Maldives, Mauritius, Nigeria, and the United Kingdom. The design concept for the center integrates classical Greek style on the ground floor with traditional Seychelles architecture on the upper floor.

In Ireland, the Mayor of Derry, Councillor Kathleen McCloskey, officially opened the city’s new Bahá’í center on 1 May 2003. “Your community adds to the richness and diversity of life within this city, [Page 93]Bahá’ís Rosemary O’Mara and Brendan McNamara talking to the Mayor of Waterford, Ireland, Alderman Tom Cunningham (center), who visited the Bahá’í summer school there in 2003.

and I look forward to many more years of Bahá’í involvement and good work within the wider community,” said Councillor McCloskey. She also acknowledged, “Important contributions have been made by the local Bahá’í community on the proposed appointment of a Commissioner for Children, and the community has also done sterling work in the struggle to overcome racism, discrimination, and prejudice within our city.”

In Kiniving, Papua New Guinea, a town where all the residents are members of the Bahá’í Faith, more than 300 people gathered from 11 to 14 July 2003 for the opening of the Bahá’í center on the remote island.

The center’s architect, Roro Kugewa, gained his inspiration for the building’s nautical design from a picture of an ark on the cover of a Bahá’í publication. Mr. Kugewa incorporated ship-like aspects such as the resemblance of the center’s ground-floor meeting room to a ship’s hold, with slightly curved half-walls and windows at eye level. The upper level of the building has an enclosed room for the [Page 94]meetings of the Local Spiritual Assembly and outside the upper room is a deck, the view from which overlooks the whole village.

Marsha Milani, a representative of the National Spiritual Assembly of Papua New Guinea, presented photographs of the Shrine of the Báb and the terraces on Mount Carmel as gifts for the centers in Kiniving and nearby Doi and Bulu. In return, the Local Spiritual Assemblies and individual Bahá’ís presented gifts of treasured woven bags, known as bilums, to the national Bahá’í institution.

Bahá’ís in Cyprus had cause to celebrate for entirely different reasons, when northern and southern Cypriot communities were able to meet together for the first time in 30 years. Sixty Turkish and Greek Bahá’ís joined together at the Bahá’í center in Nicosia for a devotional meeting on 27 April 2003, when they were permitted to cross the demarcation line that has divided the island since 1974. The event followed the decision by the Turkish Cypriot authorities to lift the ban on travel across the cease-fire line.

Scholarship, not only excellence in traditional academic environments, but also studying the Bahá’í writings, the history of the Faith, and the ways in which the Bahá’í teachings can be applied

Bahá’ís in Papua New Guinea at the opening of the new center in Kiniving, in July 2003. [Page 95]to modern problems, is another important facet of Bahá’í activity, which is promoted by organizations such as the Association for Bahá’í Studies. Founded in 1975, the Association for Bahá’í Studies now has chapters in dozens of countries, each dedicated to advancing the study of the Faith.¹²

More than 1,300 participants attended the 27th annual conference of the Association for Bahá’í Studies in North America, held 29 August–1 September 2003 in San Francisco, California. A wide range of lectures, panel discussions, workshops, and artistic performances evoked the conference’s theme, “Religion and Community in a Time of Crisis.”

Prof. Suheil Bushrui delivered the Hasan M. Balyuzi Memorial Lecture, proposing that scholars should move away from competitive and adversarial modes. “Contemporary academic scholarship,” he said, “is often vindictively vicious in attacking an idea or an author regardless of the merit of the thesis proposed. All knowledge in the Bahá’í point of view is measured by its benevolent influence and contribution to the unity and prosperity of the human race.”

In all, more than 90 papers, panel discussions, and workshops were presented at the conference, featuring topics such as “Creative Dimensions of Life Crisis and Suffering,” a discussion on “Faith, History, and Community Building in the Bábí and Bahá’í Faiths,” and a panel discussion on “The Press as a Consultative Forum,” with Bahá’í journalists. Other presentation and workshop topics included human rights and religious extremism, applying principle-based indicators of development, multiracial community building, bioethics, economics and social justice, and gender and ethics.

Special interest groups within the association held presentations on topics ranging from agriculture and ecology to marriage and family life, and the conference welcomed the inauguration of a new special interest group on indigenous studies, which opened with a panel discussion that explored the diverse ways of “knowing” and “seeing” among indigenous peoples.

Building a United Society

In addition to the effort expended in consolidating their own communities, Bahá’ís are actively involved in public outreach projects [Page 96](Above) Some of the participants at the 27th annual conference of the Association for Bahá’í Studies—North America, in the summer of 2003. (Left) Members of the Asako Takami Dance Group, which performed at the conference. [Page 97]and initiatives that use the spiritual principles and ideals of their Faith to promote a more unified and peaceful society. By doing so, they are contributing to an “ever-advancing civilization,” in which the bonds that unite humanity can transcend the barriers of race, gender, and nation.

Bahá’ís have been particularly active in projects to promote the advancement of women. Equality between women and men is described as a vital element to the success of humanity as a whole, and ‘Abdu’l-Bahá explained that humanity’s full potential cannot be reached unless equality is realized: “until this equality is established, true progress and attainment for the human race will not be facilitated.”¹³

In many places, pursuing this ideal requires a struggle against entrenched ideas and practices that have allocated to women a lesser place in society and have ignored their potential for contributing to social development. Bahá’ís in Ipoh, Malaysia, organized a public forum on “Women and Peace” in order to demonstrate the role that women have in fostering a peaceful society. The speakers who addressed the 70 people gathered at the Royal Ipoh Club included Valarmathi Arumugam, a member of the Bahá’í community of Ipoh, and Yuet Mei Nambiar, a member of the National Spiritual Assembly of Malaysia. Ms. Arumugam chaired the event and highlighted the conference’s theme in her speech about the contributions of women to the processes of peace in the world. Other speakers were Sharifah Zuriah alJeffri, one of the founding members of the Sisters in Islam, and Sister Kala, a member of the Persatuan Brahma Kumaris.

The European Bahá’í Women’s Network, which serves to coordinate and stimulate activities by Bahá’í women across Europe, established a Web site in the spring of 2004, at http://www.ebwn .net .net‎. The site provides an opportunity for European women to publish reports and articles and exchange views on the subjects of moral education, spiritual enhancement, social development, the arts, and academic subjects. The network succeeds the European Taskforce for Women, which for 10 years functioned as the main Bahá’í women’s association in Europe.

The Bahá’í International Community, which collaborates with the United Nations and nongovernmental organizations (NGOs), has long been a vocal promoter of the equality of women and men.¹⁴ [Page 98]Bani Dugal, the principal representative of the Bahá’í International Community to the United Nations, was recognized this year for her contributions to the advancement of women. Elected to serve for two years as the chair of the NGO Committee on the Status of Women, Ms. Dugal will work with all departments at the United Nations to promote the equality of women and men in countries around the world.

She also received a “Women Helping Women” award from Soroptimist International on 11 February 2004 at the Williams Club in New York City. The award is one of three offered under an umbrella program, “Making a Difference for Women,” established in 1986 by the Soroptimists to acknowledge those who work to improve the status of women in society. Linda Stillman, the representative of Soroptimist International to the United Nations, nominated Ms. Dugal for the award, which honors “women who consistently and effectively use their resources, talents, and influence to help other women achieve their potential.”

Students at a seminar on “Science, Religion, and Development” given by the Bahá’í-inspired Institute for Studies in Global Prosperity at the Indira Gandhi Institute of Technology, New Delhi, India, October 2003. [Page 99]

YEAR IN REVIEW

Ms. Dugal spoke at her acceptance about the importance of using international mechanisms of human rights to assist women in their advancement, saying, "Many women are unaware of their human rights, and others see them as abstract and unattainable. Thus, while activism in past years has drawn attention to women's rights, the challenge is now to make them more accessible by implementing agreed strategies and commitments made by governments."

Promoting unity among people of all races is another area in which Bahá’í communities are active. Bahá’ís come from more than 2,100 ethnic and cultural backgrounds, but their Faith teaches them that "[d]iversity of hues, form and shape, enricheth and adorneth the garden, and heighteneth the effect thereof. In like manner, when divers shades of thought, temperament and character, are brought together... the beauty and glory of human perfection will be revealed and made manifest."15

In Auckland, New Zealand, Bahá’ís annually honor young people who speak out in support of equality through the Hedi Moani Memorial Speech Award, a competition sponsored jointly by the Hedi Moani Charitable Trust and the New Zealand Bahá’í community. The competition is open to all students in their last three years of high school in New Zealand. This year Dr. Rajen Prasad, the former Race Relations Conciliator for New Zealand, was the chief judge of the competition.

Xavier Black, a 17-year-old woman of Maori descent, received the 2003 award with her speech on the topic "From the head to the heart-beyond tolerance to the celebration of human diversity." Her prize-winning address described her experience facing the challenges of integration and being in a minority as "a gentile in a Jewish primary school, as Maori in descent but not growing up in my iwi [tribe], as a middle-class New Zealand girl with limited Spanish attending a school in a poor part of Madrid."

The ideals expressed in Ms. Black's speech offered the same attitudes outlined in the teachings of the Faith as necessary for overcoming racism and discrimination. She said that people need to see their differences as a cause of celebration rather than as a threat. She urged individuals to face their fears, develop their sense of belonging, and said we should listen with "generosity in our hearts" in a way that "creates a dialogue and a way forward." [Page 100]The late Mr. Moani, for whom the award is named, was a member of the Bahá’í Faith and a prime mover in the establishment in New Zealand of what is now known as Race Relations Day. It is observed on 21 March, the International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination.

The Association for Bahá’í Studies in Australia played a role in promoting equality and understanding through its cosponsoring of an international conference on “Indigenous Knowledge and Bioprospecting.” Held from 21 to 24 April at Macquarie University in Sydney, the conference attracted more than 150 participants and was called to mark the close of the United Nations International Decade of Indigenous Peoples, as well as to contribute towards social and economic development and the protection of the environment.

The conference addressed bioprospecting, the process by which the knowledge of indigenous people about their environment is explored to develop new resources and commercially valuable products. The practice is increasing around the world in the search for cures for diseases such as HIV/AIDS and cancer, but it carries the risk of trampling on indigenous communities in the pursuit of scientific and commercial progress. The conference drew on the perspectives of a variety of disciplines, such as law, history, science, economics, and education. The university’s Center for Environmental Law, its Department of Indigenous Studies, and five other university departments and centers contributed.

The conference opened with a traditional Aboriginal smoking ceremony, symbolizing purification, and participants were welcomed by a representative of the Darug people, on whose traditional lands the event was held. An indigenous member of the Australian Parliament, Linda Burney, gave the opening address, in which she pointed out that Australian Aboriginal culture is the oldest surviving culture on earth.

Henrietta Marrie, formerly of the UN Environment Programme Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity, reported on recent developments in the global arena. The International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture has been signed by 77 countries. The treaty is regarded as a landmark, placing traditional farmers on the same level as modern ones, thus protecting indigenous knowledge as well as farmers’ rights. [Page 101]Conference organizer Chris Jones referred to the need for new social, legal, and political relationships based on justice. “We are all part of one human family, while we recognize the value and beauty of diversity,” he said. “This perspective of ‘one family’ needs to be applied to the issue of bioprospecting. While relationships between people are unequal, you cannot have a productive outcome.”

During the conference, a workshop was held to launch a year-long project to revise university ethics guidelines relating to biodiversity research and benefit sharing with indigenous peoples. Macquarie University has committed AU$90 million to the project.

Another field in which the Bahá’ís focus energy is cooperation with international groups and nongovernmental organizations. Though the Bahá’í Faith is fundamentally nonpolitical, its aims embrace the whole of humanity, and its involvement with governmental and civil bodies, collaborating on projects and promoting the Faith’s social ideals, is a key aspect of its work. Involvement with the United Nations and other international organizations, and dialogue with governments and leaders of thought, are means by which Bahá’ís strive to contribute to the discourse of society and demonstrate how the Bahá’í teachings can create the basis for a civilization founded on peace, unity, and justice.

On 21 September 2003, Bahá’ís in Uganda commemorated the UN’s International Peace Day in a gathering at the House of Worship in Kampala. More than 250 people attended the service, which included songs by the Kampala Bahá’í Choir and readings from Bahá’í, Christian, and Hindu holy writings.

Afterwards, participants gathered at the national Bahá’í center to listen to a panel of speakers who addressed questions relevant to peace in Uganda, including the issue of the rebel fighting in the north of the country. Panel speakers included the ‎us US‎ ambassador to Uganda, Jimmy Kolker; the Minister of State for the Northern Uganda Reconstruction Program, Grace Akello; and a representative of the United Nations Association, Alice Tabingwa.

Since 1994, through its annual World Citizenship Awards, the Brazilian Bahá’í community has been honoring those who have devoted themselves to supporting human rights. The most recent event, held on 9 September 2003, was covered by major television channels Rede Globo and TV Nacional. The jury that selected the award [Page 102]

THE BAHÁ’Í FAITH

WORLD PEACE NOT ONLY POSSIBL BUT INE ABLE

A panelist speaks at an event in Uganda organized by the Bahá’ís on the occasion of the UN's International Peace Day in September 2003.

recipients this year included a representative of a major newspaper, Folha de São Paulo, as well as members of the National Movement of Human Rights, UNESCO, and the Bahá’í community.

Among the 250 attending were members of the Association of Brazilian Lawyers and representatives of government ministries, the Supreme Court of Labor, and United Nations agencies. Government representative Hildesia Medeiros and representatives of the National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of Brazil presented the awards in the auditorium of the Ministry of Justice.

Award recipients, including individuals and organizations, were active in areas such as poverty reduction, education, race unity, and the advancement of women. A special posthumous award went to the Brazilian diplomat Sergio Vieira de Mello, the United Nations' special representative who was killed in Iraq in August 2003.

"The creation of this award put a spotlight on the efforts of the Bahá’í community to defend human rights, for world peace, the status of women, and the preservation of the environment," said Washington Araujo, a member of the National Spiritual Assembly of Brazil.

In Greece, the Bahá’í community once again participated in the National Exhibition of Volunteerism for Humanity and the [Page 103]Environment, held 25–26 October 2003 at the Zappeion in Athens. The exhibition was held under the auspices of the Department of International Cooperation for Development of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Coalition of Nongovernmental Organizations in Greece.

The display sponsored by the Bahá’ís featured panels with Greek texts and photographs explaining the principles that guide the work of the Bahá’í community in social and economic development projects. This year the text was based on the recent exhibition held by the Bahá’í International Community at the European Parliament.¹⁶ The Greek Bahá’ís also distributed statements in Greek and English prepared by the Bahá’í International Community on subjects including sustainable development, racism, and the advancement of women. More than 2,000 copies of a Greek pamphlet that included the text of the exhibition panels were distributed over the two-day exhibition.

The youth dance workshop Flame of Unity attracted many people to its two performances in support of the event, which drew enquiries about the work of the Bahá’í community and requests for collaboration with it.

Dialogue with educators and students is also important in presenting the Bahá’í Faith and its teachings. Global Discourse, a Bahá’í-inspired discussion forum created at a Finnish university to

Bahá’ís in Greece welcome visitors to a display of books at the 2003 National Exhibition of Volunteerism for Humanity and the Environment, held in Athens. [Page 104]promote dialogue on global issues, has been holding weekly two-hour seminars that are regularly attended by faculty, students, and the general public.

Global Discourse works as an interdisciplinary academic association at the University of Jyväskylä, and was founded by young Bahá’ís at the university. Since starting in 1998, the association has organized more than 60 seminars, with each drawing between 10 and 30 participants. Past speakers have included ambassadors, a former advisor to the chairman of the EU Commission Romano Prodi, experts in nongovernmental organizations, as well as local students and concerned citizens. The association has attracted not only interest and offers for collaboration from prominent NGOs and the United Nations Association of Finland, but also media interest whenever a high profile guest speaker has been invited to the seminars. The Local Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of Jyväskylä has now also founded a sister organization in another town.

In Manila, a total of ‎400 hundred 400‎ students from the University of the Philippines at Los Baños, Laguna, visited the national Bahá’í center in Manila as part of their studies on Asian civilization.

The students came in groups on Sunday mornings during February 2004. Each meeting included prayers and a featured speaker who gave a talk on some aspect of the Faith. Following the talk, the students interacted with the Bahá’ís and asked questions ranging from traditional Christian subjects to the Bahá’í position on a variety of contemporary topics, like world unity in the midst of war and chaos, the role of religion in modern life, and the death penalty, an issue that is currently being debated in legal circles and on national ‎televison television‎ talk shows.

The Bahá’ís were also invited to a symposium on religions in Asia on 19 February at the university, where Vic Samaniego, a member of the National Spiritual Assembly and university teacher, represented the Faith. Afterwards, several instructors requested permission to continue the inclusion of Bahá’í speakers in the courses and to bring students back to the Bahá’í center during the following semester.

Social and economic development activities are increasingly becoming a part of Bahá’í communities’ efforts to make a direct and positive impact on the world. Contributions to development come in a variety of forms and sizes but are united by their aim [Page 105]to uplift not only the social and material circumstances of people, but their spiritual condition as well, and ultimately to 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."17

ZIPOPO, a moral education program that began in Kazan, Russia, this year celebrated its 10th anniversary. Since its beginnings in 1994, the program has been presented in some 62 countries, with more than 2,000 hosts trained in the course of some 200 training seminars; a total of nearly half a million people have participated worldwide in the project. The word ZIPOPO is the abbreviation of "Zaochniy Institut Pozitivnovo Povedeniya," which translates as "The Academy of Positive Behavior." In English the program is called "The Happy Hippo Show" or "Stop and Act." It has been used by Bahá’í communities in Europe as part of the Stability Pact for Eastern Europe (formerly known as the Royaumont Process).18

The concept underlying ZIPOPO is to present viewers with an opportunity to look at moral issues through specific dramatic examples and to provide them with the means to approach life problems and find positive solutions. It can be implemented in a variety of formats, including workshops, TV talk shows, and discussion groups. ZIPOPO encourages audiences to express their thoughts and allows them to affect the outcome of situations through discussion of moral principles.

Moral education, specifically the importance of moral values in youth education and moral leadership in family life, was the key to training offered to secondary school teachers by a Bahá’í-inspired NGO in Shillong, India. Sessions held in 2003 brought together 30 participants to focus on issues related to stemming the spread of HIV. Though the sessions, offered by the Foundation for Global Education and Development, had the objective of helping teachers to improve awareness of students about HIV prevention, the inclusion of a moral framework for behavior was seen as vital to changing behavior.

Bahá’ís in Nepal also participated in consultation about the spread of HIV/AIDS. The UNICEF Regional Office for South Asia organized a three-day regional workshop on "South Asia Interfaith [Page 106]Consultation on Children, Young People and HIV/AIDS,” held 4–6 December 2003 in Katmandu. The summit brought together more than 140 representatives of Bahá’í, Buddhist, Christian, Hindu, and Muslim communities.

Participants came from Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, the Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka to address this pressing issue—close to five million people in South Asia are currently living with HIV, and the region is experiencing one of the fastest growth rates of HIV infection in the world. An estimated five to six million additional people will be infected in the next 10 years.

In Turkey, Bahá’ís took part in an oral hygiene education project with the Prime Minister’s Directorate of Social Services and Institution to Protect Children. In the first stage of the project, which took place in April 2003, some 120 children at the Sincan, Ankara, disabled children’s dormitory were given tools and training in oral hygiene. Each child received a new toothbrush and toothpaste, and watched a stage show with costumes and music that demonstrated proper use of the brushes and other aspects of proper care for their teeth.

The Bahá’í community afterwards received a certificate of appreciation from the Turkish government, and Ali Riza Sahindokuyucu, the principal of the school, sent a letter to the Bahá’í community, thanking it for its “interest, donations, and involvement with our children.”

Participants at health training seminar in Shillong, India, in 2003. [Page 107]Volunteer educators in Panama at a teacher training session held in 2004 at the Ngabe-Bugle Cultural Center.

The many efforts of Bahá’í social and economic development projects to promote education seek to bring to each particular population educational means that suit its needs. At the Ngabe-Bugle Cultural Center in Soloy, located in the Chiriqui Province of Panama, a group of indigenous schoolteachers attended an intensive two-week training session towards becoming government certified teachers. Though they are currently volunteers, they serve full-time as teachers for the native children who live in the remote mountain communities of Chiriqui.

The training includes classes in curriculum development, lesson planning, teaching strategies for active learning, methods of teaching elementary math, and the production of hands-on materials. FUNDESCU, a Bahá’í-inspired nongovernmental organization in Panama, and the Mona Foundation, a Bahá’í-inspired nonprofit organization based in the United States, sponsor the program.

Most of the teachers are Bahá’ís and are attempting to set instructional goals that not only meet Ministry of Education requirements but are also in harmony with Bahá’í teachings and local cultural values. The teachers have generated a list of topics which they feel are [Page 108]of high importance, such as moral values, practical skills for useful work, and preservation of traditional culture.

After setting goals, the teachers practice writing educational objectives using an integrated thematic approach. They work in teams to design lessons based on those objectives, and they demonstrate a variety of teaching strategies, including the use of art, music, and drama.

In the math workshop each afternoon, participants use hacksaws, drills, and other tools to craft practical, inexpensive materials that will help their students learn to sort, classify, count, understand the decimal system, and perform basic math operations. These items must be produced using hand tools, since there is no electricity in the area.

Promotion of dialogue, understanding, and cooperation between religions is also a key part of the Bahá’í vision of a united world. In its letter addressed to the world’s religious leaders in 2002, the Universal House of Justice wrote that the “danger grows that the rising fires of religious prejudice will ignite a worldwide conflagration the consequences of which are unthinkable. . . . The crisis calls on religious leadership for a break with the past as decisive as those that opened the way for society to address equally corrosive prejudices of race, gender, and nation. Whatever justification exists for exercising influence in matters of conscience lies in serving the well-being of humankind.”¹⁹

One of the most widespread of the efforts by Bahá’ís to offer a message of religious harmony is World Religion Day. Established in 1949 by the National Spiritual Assembly of the United States as a means of emphasizing the spiritual ties that unite the world’s religions, the day provides an opportunity to affirm the unity of the world’s religions and to demonstrate that despite the divisions that have existed in the past, religion can be a positive, unifying force.

Bahá’ís around the globe celebrate the day on the third Sunday in January by hosting discussions, conferences, and other events that promote understanding and communication among the followers of all religions. Events in January 2004 included programs in Australia, Austria, Bangladesh, Bulgaria, Canada, the Republic of the Congo, England, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Ireland, New Zealand, Peru, Scotland, and the United States. [Page 109]In some instances, the ties formed through these interfaith gatherings have led to wider collaboration between religious groups, such as in Bolivia, where following an interfaith devotional gathering organized by Bahá’ís, with the participation of representatives from Christian, Islamic, Jewish, and other religious organizations, the religious communities began holding regular interfaith meetings at the national Bahá’í center in La Paz.

In Ukraine, the First Ukrainian Youth Festival of Religions was held on 3 March 2004. The event, which grew out of celebrations for World Religion Day first held in Ukraine in 2003, was hosted by the National Institute of Philosophy, part of the Academy of Sciences of Ukraine.

Participants included the Youth Association of Religious Scientists, the Association of Religious Scientists of Ukraine, the State Committee on Religious Affairs of Ukraine, the Center of Religious Information and Freedom, and the Ukrainian Association of Religious Freedom. The festival serves as evidence of the increasing understanding and dialogue among the different religious groups in the country, a process that has gained support from the scientific and religious communities as well as from the government.

As part of its contribution, the national Bahá’í community of Ukraine presented a film about the terraces of the Shrine of the Báb and a musical performance. The program included presentations from about 20 different religious groups and associations, and addresses by government ministers and religious scholars. Some 400 youth and students participated and together made a decision to have an even larger festival the following year.

At another interfaith event, held in Madrid, Spain, Bahá’ís joined with members of other religious groups to pay tribute to the 191 victims of the 11 March 2004 commuter train bombings in Madrid. The Platform for the Inter-Faith Dialogue of Madrid attracted 500 people to the public event, which was held on 9 May in Alcalá de Henares.

A silent march began from the Atocha railway station, and more people joined the group in Alcalá de Henares to walk to the local university. There, the Vice-Director of the university, the Mayor of Alcalá, and the President of the UNESCO Center welcomed the participants and underlined the need to strive together for peace and to [Page 110]create the roots for tolerance and respect to grow despite ideological, cultural, and religious differences.

Bahá’í youth present at the event read holy writings on themes of peace, love, and forgiveness. A Bahá’í representative was also interviewed live on the midday news of the national television station TVEI.

NOTES

1 Bahá’u’lláh, Tablets of Bahá’u’lláh revealed after the Kitáb-i-Aqdas (Wilmette, IL: Bahá’í Publishing Trust, 1988), p. 27.

2 Shoghi Effendi, Bahá’í Administration: Selected Messages 1922–1932 (Wilmette, IL: Bahá’í Publishing Trust, 1974), p. 88.

3 The Universal House of Justice, Riḍván message 160 BE, 21 April 2003.

4 For more information about the results of the election, see p. 35.

5 For more information about the training institute process, see “Creating a Culture of Growth: The Institute Process in the Bahá’í Community,” in The Bahá’í World 2000–2001 (Haifa: World Centre Publications, 2002), pp. 191–99.

6 The Universal House of Justice, Riḍván message 153 BE, 21 April 1996.

7 The Universal House of Justice, letter dated 22 August 2002.

8 Bahá’u’lláh, cited in “Youth: A Compilation,” The Compilation of Compilations, vol. 2 (Ingleside, NSW: Bahá’í Publications Australia, 1991), p. 415.

9 From a letter written on behalf of Shoghi Effendi, 10 October 1932, in “The Arts,” The Compilation of Compilations, vol. 1 (Ingleside, NSW: Bahá’í Publications Australia, 1991), p. 7.

10 For an account of the many 50th anniversary celebrations held during the year, see the report on pp. 41–76.

11 In addition to the seven Houses of Worship currently standing and the one planned in Chile, there was also a Temple in Ashkhabad, Turkmenistan. It was the first Bahá’í House of Worship to be completed but was damaged by an earthquake in 1948 and subsequently torn down.

12 For a directory listing of the various national Associations for Bahá’í Studies, see pp. 245–48.

13 ‘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. 375.

14 See pp. 127–29 for more about the Committee on the Status of Women and the Bahá’í International Community’s contribution to the advancement of women through its involvement with UN agencies and like-minded NGOs.

15 ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, Selections from the Writings of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá (Wilmette, IL: Bahá’í Publishing Trust, 1997), p. 305. [Page 111]¹⁶ For more information about this exhibit, see the article on pp. 113-18.

¹⁷ Bahá’u’lláh, The Kitáb-i-Íqán (Wilmette, IL: Bahá’í Publishing Trust, 1993), p. 240.

¹⁸ For more information about this initiative, see The Bahá’í World 1998–99 (Haifa: World Centre Publications, 2000), pp. 145–50.

¹⁹ The Universal House of Justice, letter to the world’s religious leaders, April 2002. For the full text of this statement, see The Bahá’í World 2002–2003 (Haifa: World Centre Publications, 2004), pp. 89–98.