Bahá’í World/Volume 33/Worldwide Jubilee

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[Page 39]

Worldwide Jubilee

50TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE OPENING OF THE TEN YEAR CRUSADE

In 2004–2005, many Bahá’í communities celebrated their golden jubilees and remembered the beginning of an ambitious global plan for the expansion of the Bahá’í Faith.

In 1953 Shoghi Effendi, the Guardian of the Bahá’í Faith, initiated a decade-long plan to spread the Faith around the world, which he described as an “historic, spiritual venture, at once arduous, audacious, challenging, unprecedented in scope and character in the entire field of Bahá’í history.”¹ Known as the Ten Year Crusade, the plan called upon Bahá’ís to travel to those nations and territories that had not yet been “opened” to the Faith. Individuals arose to serve with selfless devotion, enduring many hardships and winning many victories for their beloved Cause.

As Bahá’ís journeyed to the far reaches of the globe in order to share Bahá’u’lláh’s unifying message and assist in the development of their new communities, this decade proved to be a dynamic period for the expansion of the Faith. These steadfast volunteers were responsible, in just 10 years, for increasing the number of National Spiritual Assemblies around the world from 12 to 56. Shoghi Effendi bestowed the accolade “Knight of Bahá’u’lláh” upon the individuals who first established the Faith in these virgin territories.

Among the many countries settled by Bahá’ís in 1954–1955 were Samoa and the Solomon Islands in the Pacific, Botswana and [Page 40]Burundi in Africa, and Monaco in Europe. The 50th anniversary festivities that were commemorated this year gave believers an opportunity to come together in celebration and to reflect on the history and progress of the Faith in their countries. The following presents highlights from the golden jubilees celebrated around the globe during 2004–2005.²

BOTSWANA

The minister of local government of Botswana, Dr. Margaret Nasha, commended the activities of the Bahá’í community and its efforts to “further the development of Botswana along moral and ethical lines” when she addressed its golden jubilee held 10 to 12 December 2004. The event brought together 370 participants from Australia, Canada, Chile, India, and the United States, as well as many nearby African countries.

Half a century ago, however, attempts to carry on Bahá’í activities based on the Faith’s fundamental principle of the oneness of mankind received no such official endorsement. Until independence in 1966, Botswana, then known as the Bechuanaland Protectorate, was administered from Mafikeng in apartheid South Africa. As such, Mafikeng was subject to strictly imposed conditions of racial segregation, and the Bahá’ís of Botswana had to meet under the cover of darkness.

At the jubilee, Lally Lucretia Warren described her childhood in apartheid-era Bechuanaland and her introduction to the Faith by the Robarts family. Bahá’í pioneers from Canada, John and Audrey Robarts, along with their son Patrick and daughter Nina, brought the Faith to Bechuanaland in 1954. Mr. and Mrs. Robarts and their son each received the accolade Knight of Bahá’u’lláh, and Mr. Robarts was later named a Hand of the Cause of God.

Mrs. Warren was 10 years old when the Robarts family would come to her house for meetings with her parents, James and Stella Moncho, the first local couple to become Bahá’ís. “They could only do this at night, and as they came towards the house they would switch their [car] lights on and off to say, ‘Is it OK, is it safe, can we come?’” said Mrs. Warren, who served as a member of the Conti- [Page 41]Botswana government minister Dr. Margaret Nasha (center) arrives for the jubilee celebrations with the vice-chairman of the National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of Botswana, Sheila Barongwi (left), and Assembly member Esther Moncho.

nental Board of Counsellors in Africa from 1985 to 2000. “There was no electricity in the black area during those days so my mother would take a lantern and stick it out through the window and wave it to say, ‘OK, it’s safe for you to come.’”

Nina Robarts, who was a teenager at the time, told the jubilee participants about the drama of those nights. “When we saw the lantern, that was the most glorious sight for us. It meant we were going to see our African friends that night,” said Ms. Robarts, who now lives in Canada. [Page 42]A message written on behalf of the Universal House of Justice to the jubilee participants said that “this historic event, at which the shining spirit and soul-stirring exploits of the early believers will be recalled, will surely inspire the friends to arise with renewed dedication to bring the healing Message of Bahá’u’lláh to the indigenous peoples of your beloved country.”

Among the other “soul-stirring exploits” described at the jubilee was the way Mr. and Mrs. Robarts were able to present the Faith to local people. They befriended Modiri Molema, a highly respected medical doctor and the only black man who was permitted to associate with whites. Dr. Molema invited his friends and family to hear about the Bahá’í Faith, and he gave the Robarts family letters of introduction to the dikgosi (traditional chiefs) of the Bechuanaland Protectorate.

Dr. Molema accepted the Faith, but his enrolment was not made public because of likely harassment due to his previous high-profile political involvement. In 1955 his relative, Stanlake Kukama, became the first native Tswana of Bechuanaland to become a publicly declared Bahá’í.

Mr. Kukama, who attended the jubilee celebrations, said he had been an anti-apartheid activist and was a member of the South African political party, the African National Congress. He said he had detested white people because of their attitude towards Africans, but that changed when he heard about the Bahá’í Faith from the Robarts family. “In 1955 I heard of the Bahá’í Faith,” Mr. Kukama said, “and [found] the principles of the Faith were the solution to [achieve] peace and harmony for mankind.”

The African National Congress tried to woo back Mr. Kukama for many years without success. The police kept him under surveillance even after he became a Bahá’í because they did not believe that he had given up partisan politics. Mr. Kukama later served for many years as a member of the National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of Bophuthatswana and of South Africa.

Other early Bahá’ís present at the jubilee celebrations included Goitsemodimo Bolokang, Gaolebale Komanyane, Mothusiotsile Matabane, Esther Moncho (a member of the first National Spiritual Assembly), and Michael Nthau. [Page 43]The participants made fond mention of others who had contributed significantly to the Botswana Bahá’í community but were unable to attend the jubilee, such as former member of the Continental Board of Counsellors Shidan Fat’he-Aazam, and a Bahá’í from the United States, Jeff Gruber, who organized the translation of many of the Bahá’í writings into the local language of Setswana and who personally translated Bahá’í scripture into several Bushman languages.

At the jubilee celebration, member of the Continental Board of Counsellors Enos Makhele spoke about the significance of the Bahá’í history in Botswana and the achievements and future plans of the community. There are 30 Local Spiritual Assemblies in the country, and Bahá’ís can be found in several hundred villages and other localities.

Bahá’í choirs from the villages of Oodi and Tlokweng, as well as the National Jubilee Choir and the Swaziland Bahá’í youth choir provided uplifting entertainment, and a dramatic presentation by a group of Bahá’í youth portrayed traditional and modern aspects of cultural life in Botswana.

BURUNDI

In a country that has endured many years of harrowing conflicts, the golden jubilee of the establishment of the Faith in Burundi was a time to reflect on principles of unity and peace.

The country has suffered terribly from the sustained violence that erupted in 1993. Bahá’ís have been among those killed during the fighting, and many others have fled to neighboring countries. The community has also suffered in other ways, experiencing the destruction of several regional Bahá’í centers. Despite the difficulties, the Bahá’ís of Burundi have opened their activities to the wider public, providing participants with spiritual solace, a respite from their sorrows, and a vision of a united, peaceful future.

In a message to the Bahá’ís of Burundi on the occasion of the jubilee, the Universal House of Justice expressed its wish that “this historic gathering may be a source of inspiration to the friends as they endeavor to further advance the Cause of God in Burundi.”

Other congratulatory messages arrived from a former member of the Universal House of Justice, Mr. ‘Alí Nakhjavání, and his [Page 44]44 THE BAHÁ'Í WORLD 2004-2005 A dance troupe that performed at the jubilee celebrations in Burundi in August, 2004. wife, Violette, and from the Continental Board of Counsellors in Africa. During the celebrations, held at the national Bahá'í center in Nyakabiga, Bujumbura, from 27 to 28 August 2004, a member of the Continental Board of Counsellors in Africa, Ahmad Parsa, spoke about the important role the Burundi Bahá'í community has played in this region. "Despite all the difficulties in Burundi, the Bahá'ís could keep their ideals and continue working for all the people of the country without any distinction," Mr. Parsa said. Mr. Parsa said many residents of Burundi who were originally from Rwanda and the Congo region became Bahá'ís in Burundi and then returned to their homelands where they have contributed to the Bahá'í communities and the wider society there. The jubilee gathering was also a time to hear about the history of the Faith in the country. [Page 45]WORLDWIDE JUBILEE 45 The Faith came to Burundi in 1953 when Mary and Reginald (Rex) Collison from the United States and Dunduzu Chisiza, a young Bahá'í from Malawi (then Nyasaland), arrived in Ruanda- Urundi (now the independent countries of Rwanda and Burundi). The Collisons, a retired couple, had previously rendered many services in their Bahá'í community in New York, through extensive travels in the United States, and in Uganda. Mr. Chisiza was their interpreter in Ruanda-Urundi. Govern- ment policies required the Collisons and Mr. Chisiza to leave the country some 18 months after their arrival, but by the time of their departure, there were about 20 Bahá'ís in the country. The first person to accept the Bahá'í teachings there was Selemani Bin Kim- bulu, of Congolese origin from Bukavu. For establishing the Bahá'í community in Ruanda-Urundi, Shoghi Effendi named Mr. and Mrs. Collison and Mr. Chisiza Knights of Bahá'u'lláh. At the jubilee celebrations, one of the first Bahá'ís of Burundi, Fidele Simwakira, age 75, spoke about his recollections of the early days of the Faith in the country. Jubilee participants also enjoyed artistic presentations, including poetry and traditional dances per- formed by a group from Kinama. Mr. Bin Kimbulu, the country's first Bahá'í, who now lives in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, was unable to attend the festivities because the border was closed. However, his grandson, Syl- vestre Kitenge, was present as a member of the choir that entertained jubilee participants. Others who addressed the jubilee gathering about the history of the community were Zuruzuru Ezekiel, Barbara and David Sunstrum, and Jean Baptiste Habimana. CAPE VERDE In January 1954 Howard and JoAnne Menking decided to leave their home in the United States to introduce the Bahá'í Faith to Cape Verde, then a poverty-stricken Portuguese colony. The Menkings left Cape Verde in 1959 after the local Bahá'í community was established. A half-century later, in November 2004, Mr. Menking returned for the jubilee celebrations of that community, accompanied by his daughter and grandson. Mr. Menking, now 79, told participants at the jubilee festivities held on 18 November 2004 about the challenging conditions and [Page 46]Some of the participants at the jubilee celebrations of the Cape Verde islands.

slow progress of the Faith on the islands in 1954. In fact, so barren were the results of the Menkings’ initial efforts to interest local people in the Bahá’í Faith that Mr. Menking wrote to Shoghi Effendi and asked about the wisdom of staying there when the needs of the Bahá’ís were so urgent on the mainland of Africa. Shoghi Effendi replied that victories in a difficult post were more meritorious than those easily won, and from that point onward the fortunes of the Faith in Cape Verde improved.

The first local person to become a Bahá’í was a good friend of Howard Menking, named Frutuoso (meaning “fruitful”). Others soon followed him into the Faith, including Claremundo (a name meaning “the light of the world”), Inacio Barbosa Amado, Avalino Barros, Octavio Brito, and Antonio Leon. By April 1956 there were enough Bahá’ís in Praia to form the first Local Spiritual Assembly. Three years later the Menkings returned to the United States, having each been awarded the distinction Knight of Bahá’u’lláh for their efforts.

At the jubilee festivities the chairman of the Local Spiritual Assembly of Praia, Manuel Jesus Moreno, spoke about the history of the [Page 47]Faith in Cape Verde. Cristina Menking addressed the participants on her Bahá’í experiences in Cape Verde and on the role of women and the importance of family life, and two members of the Continental Board of Counsellors also spoke to the gathering.

Also present were representatives of the Bahá’í community of Portugal, Aminullah Shahidian and Varqa Carlos Jalali. Dr. Jalali addressed the gathering about the aims and purposes of the Bahá’í Faith.

A photographic exhibition included photographs of the first Bahá’í institutions in Cape Verde, the early Bahá’ís, distinguished Bahá’í visitors to the country, and current activities of the Bahá’í community.

The National Radio of Cape Verde and Croule FM, a private radio station, broadcast coverage of the jubilee. Three newspapers of Cape Verde, Expresso das Ilhas, Horizonte, and A Semana, published articles about the celebrations.

EQUATORIAL GUINEA

When Elise Lynelle arrived in this West African country in 1954 to introduce the teachings of the Bahá’í Faith, she faced two major obstacles. The first was a restriction on free association between whites and blacks. The second was that she was allowed only a one-month visa, barely enough time to get settled, let alone explain the teachings of a world religion.

Nevertheless, she was able to help establish the Faith in this country, then known as Spanish Guinea, and was named a Knight of Bahá’u’lláh for her efforts. Fifty years later, she described those early days to participants in the jubilee celebrations, which the Bahá’í community held here from 20 to 21 August 2004.

A young journalist from the United States, Ms. Lynelle (then Elise Schreiber) arrived in Bata, Spanish Guinea, on 17 May 1954. While in Bata, Ms. Lynelle was unable to make contact with black Africans because of restrictions on association between the races, and any new religion was frowned upon. However, a Spaniard, José Ramos Espinosa, accepted the Faith.

With Mr. Espinosa’s help, Ms. Lynelle joined a group of surveyors who were traveling in the colony looking for places to build lighthouses. In June 1954, she sailed with them to the island of Co- [Page 48]Bahá’ís in Oveng, Equatorial Guinea.

risco, where she met the elderly king of the island, Santiago Uganda Mdelo and his nephew, Edward Robinson, both of whom readily accepted the Bahá’í teachings. King Uganda told Ms. Lynelle that he had had a premonition about someone who would come to him with a message.

Returning to the country for the first time in 50 years, Ms. Lynelle said she was impressed by the changes that had taken place in Equatorial Guinea and the progress of the Bahá’í community, which now has four Local Spiritual Assemblies.

Other speakers at the jubilee festivities to describe the early days were Alberto Ntutumu, a member of the National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of Equatorial Guinea, and Miguel Bielo, a member of the Auxiliary Board. Also present was José Maria Fierro Cueto (also known as Dr. Pepe), who came from Mexico to Equatorial Guinea in the 1980s to assist the Bahá’í community. Some prominent officials attended the celebrations, including the Health Minister, Dr. Justino Obama Nve. [Page 49]A slide presentation about the history of the Faith paid tribute to other early members of the community, among them Joseph Enonguene and Johanna Ngompex, who came from Cameroon in the 1960s. Theatrical and musical presentations entertained the participants, a highlight being traditional dances by members of the biggest tribe of Equatorial Guinea, the Fang.

The national television channel, RTV (Radio Television Malabo), covered the event. A monthly magazine, La Gazeta, later published an article about the celebrations.

GHANA

“Spiritual Solutions for Social and Economic Problems” was the theme of the celebrations held from 27 to 29 August 2004 to commemorate the establishment of the Faith in Ghana 50 years ago. “I sincerely believe that the theme chosen for this celebration is to engender our whole society to reflect on the principle that human nature is fundamentally spiritual,” Kwaku Agyeman Manu, the Deputy Minister of Finance and Economic Planning, told participants at the Bahá’í jubilee celebration. “I urge the rest of us who are non-Bahá’ís to exhibit some of the good principles of religious humility, to examine the noble principles of the Bahá’í teachings,” he said.

During the past 50 years, the Bahá’ís of Ghana have been active in social and economic development programs. A recent example is the work of the Olinga Foundation for Human Development, founded in 1999, which has been involved in promoting literacy and moral education classes in primary and junior secondary schools in rural areas of Ghana. In the Western region of the country, for example, more than 5,000 children in 150 schools participate in such classes with the help of the foundation.

Part of the jubilee was the awarding of prizes in a student essay competition organized by the Bahá’í community. Students throughout Ghana were asked to discuss four principles shared by at least four of the world’s main religions. On behalf of the National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of Ghana, Thelma Khelgati, a former member of the Continental Board of Counsellors for Africa, congratulated the winners and handed out the prizes. [Page 50]Two of the Bahá’ís who introduced the Faith to Ghana, David Tanyi (standing) and Benedict Eballa (left), with Samuel Njiki, one of those who took the Faith to Cameroon, 1954.

A special feature of the celebrations was the launching of the book titled Conquering the Hearts: A Brief History of the Bahá’í Faith in Ghana 1951–1995. Introducing the book, Diana Heymann-Adu, the managing director of Meridian FM radio station, said that “the [Page 51]Bahá’í Faith has much appeal and relevance to the modern world” and that the book, which tells about the lives of the early Bahá’ís in Ghana, will offer insights to future generations.

The Bahá’í teachings were first brought to Ghana (then under British rule and called the Gold Coast) in 1951 when Ethel Robertson Stephens, an African-American Bahá’í from Virginia, came to Accra. Mrs. Stephens stayed one year in the Gold Coast. In the early 1950s Bahá’í pioneers established Bahá’í communities in the Northern Territories, Ashanti Protectorate, and British Togoland. Those three regions, together with the Gold Coast, became the independent nation of Ghana in 1957.

Among the first Bahá’ís in those three regions were three young Bahá’ís from Cameroon, Benedict Eballa (Ashanti Protectorate), Edward Tabe (British Togoland), and Martin Manga (Northern Territories). Other pioneers were Julius Edwards, a Jamaican from Liberia (Northern Territories), and the first Bahá’í from the Gold Coast, Albert Buapiah (British Togoland). For their services in establishing Bahá’í communities in these regions the five men later received the accolade Knight of Bahá’u’lláh.

Another Cameroonian Bahá’í who assisted the Bahá’í community in Ghana in the early days was David Tanyi. In 1954, Mr. Tanyi was named a Knight of Bahá’u’lláh for introducing the Bahá’í Faith to Togo (then French Togoland). In 1957, he moved to Tamale (Northern Territories), and with his wife, Esther, and their children, remained in Ghana for more than three decades. Today the Bahá’í community has 63 Local Spiritual Assemblies.

During the three days of festivities, participants enjoyed a variety of artistic performances, including presentations by the local Bahá’í youth choir, Flight 009, and songs and dances by the Bawdie Bahá’í youth group. Other musical performers included George Olinga of Uganda and Ekua Mensah from the United States. Some of the first believers, among them Blanche Fredua-Agyemang, Emmanuel Budu, Ernest Bentsil, and Prince Abaidoo, gave accounts of the early years of the Faith in Ghana. After the celebrations, participants said prayers at the gravesites of two of the early believers, Joseph Musah and Beattie Casely-Hayford. [Page 52]

GAMBIA

The Bahá’í community of Gambia celebrated its golden jubilee from 24 to 26 December 2004. The festivities coincided with the opening of a new national Bahá’í center in the coastal town of Bakau, about 10 kilometers from the capital.

Among the 200 people attending the opening and dedication ceremony of the national center, held on 24 December 2004, were representatives of the Buddhist, Christian, Hindu, and Muslim communities. Also present were the nation’s solicitor-general, Raymond Sock; the headman (Alkalo) of Bakau, Alhaji Luntung Jaiteh; a representative of the local mayor of Kanifing municipality; and other dignitaries.

Bahá’í participants came from remote areas of Gambia, from Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Mali, Mauritania, and Senegal, and other countries in Africa, Asia, Europe, and North America.

An uplifting performance by the Dakar Bahá’í choir opened the dedication ceremony, followed by the reading of messages from the National Spiritual Assembly and other Bahá’í institutions around the world. Precious gifts from the beleaguered Bahá’í community in Iran were presented and gratefully received.

The keynote speaker was Wendi Momen, a member of the National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of the United Kingdom, who first went to Gambia in 1976 as a doctoral researcher. The ceremony continued with a performance by Les Etincelles, a Bahá’í dance troupe from Dakar, displays of books and historical photographs, and a celebratory dinner.

The center will provide a venue for administrative and devotional meetings, study circles, children’s classes, and social and economic development programs such as free computer lessons for the public.

The program for the jubilee celebrations, which began on 25 December 2004, opened with performances on the balafon (African xylophone). The history of the Faith in Gambia was told in both the Wolof and English languages, followed by a performance by the Bahá’í choir, the Nightingales of Gambia.

The story of the introduction of the Bahá’í Faith to Gambia by Fariborz Ruzbehyan was told by his grandson, Iraj Sarvian, who came from the United States for the jubilee celebrations. [Page 53]In Gambia in 1971, the Hand of the Cause of God ‘Amatu’l-Bahá Rúhíyyih Khánum (third from left), actively assisted in the election of village Spiritual Assemblies. She is pictured here at the National Convention of Upper West Africa.

Mr. Ruzbehyan arrived in Gambia on 19 February 1954 and was subsequently named a Knight of Bahá’u’lláh. Shortly after his arrival, suffering greatly from asthma and fever, Mr. Ruzbehyan had to be admitted to a hospital. His seeming misfortune turned into delight when he was able to introduce the Faith to a fellow patient, Nelson Ethan Thomas, who soon became the first indigenous Bahá’í.

During his two years in Gambia, Mr. Ruzbehyan saw 300 people accept the Bahá’í teachings and helped with the elections of six Local Spiritual Assemblies. He returned briefly in 1957 and purchased a house in ‎Serkeunda Serekunda‎ to serve as a Bahá’í center.

Other historical accounts at the festivities came from Bahá’ís who had left other countries to settle in Gambia and from Bahá’ís who had visited as traveling teachers of the Faith.

They recalled the dedicated service of many Bahá’ís who had since died, and recounted anecdotes of their experiences. Among the Bahá’ís recalled with great affection was a dedicated pioneer from Ghana, Yaw Asare, who served on the National Spiritual Assembly and passed away in a tragic accident in 1992. The first Gambian [Page 54]A traditional dance from Gatenga was one of the presentations that prompted joyous participants in the jubilee festivities of the Rwandan Bahá’í community to join the performers on the stage.

woman to be elected to the National Spiritual Assembly, Ramatoulie Dem, was warmly remembered by her granddaughter.

RWANDA

The jubilee festivities in Rwanda were a major victory in the history of the Bahá’í community in that country, a speaker told the participants at the celebrations. Uzziel Mihembezo, one of the early Bahá’ís of Rwanda, said that the event was proof that despite the genocide in 1994, the Bahá’í community continues to grow. Many Bahá’ís were among the 800,000 to perish during the violence, and many others fled the country. However, the community is thriving, with 28 Local Spiritual Assemblies and Bahá’ís living in 106 localities.

In a congratulatory message to the Rwandan Bahá’ís on the occasion of the 50th anniversary celebrations, the Universal House of Justice wrote: “We cannot help but marvel at the progress the Cause of God has made in that land and express our humble gratitude to Bahá’u’lláh for bestowing His healing Message upon the sorely tried peoples of that country.”

The official guest speaker at the festivities, Ndigabo Francois, a government official of Nyagisagara, praised the Bahá’í community [Page 55]for its efforts to build unity and understanding between Rwandans of different ethnic backgrounds. Those efforts include a statement in March 2000 by the National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of Rwanda to the National Commission for Unity and Reconciliation in which the Assembly urged that consideration be given to making the principle of the oneness of humanity the basis for reconciliation in the country.

The jubilee celebrations began on 11 December 2004 in Kigali and continued the following day in the village of Nyagisagara, 100 kilometers from the capital city. The 450 participants at the jubilee celebrations came from different regions of Rwanda, as well as from Burundi, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and Zimbabwe. Entertainment included Bahá’í choirs and dance troupes from Cyangugu, Gatenga, Goma, and Kigali that performed traditional and modern dances.

Among those recounting stories to the gathering about the early days of the Bahá’í community were Kitoko Mangili, now the secretary of the National Spiritual Assembly, Uzziel Mihembezo, and Isaac Ngwijebose.

The message of the Bahá’í Faith was introduced to Rwanda (formerly part of Ruanda-Urundi) in 1953 by Mary and Reginald (Rex) Collison, a retired couple from the United States, and Dunduzu Chisiza, a young Bahá’í from Malawi (then Nyasaland), all of whom were designated Knights of Bahá’u’lláh. Other members of the early Rwandan Bahá’í community included the late Alphonse Semanyenzi and a medical doctor, Dr. Ataollah Taaid, who came with his wife, Zahereh, to assist in the development of the Bahá’í community.

After becoming a Bahá’í, Mr. Semanyenzi worked at Dr. Taaid’s clinic in Kigali. In 1972, he was elected to the first National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of Rwanda. He also served as an interpreter during the visits in 1972 and 1973 by ‘Amatu’l-Bahá Rúḥíyyih Khánum, a Hand of the Cause of God.

Journalists from eight newspapers and magazines and from the Rwanda National Radio and Radio Flash FM covered the event. The three main newspapers in the country, one in French, one in English, and one in Kinyarwanda, published articles about the jubilee. [Page 56]

SWAZILAND

Members of the royal family and other dignitaries praised the Bahá’í community at celebrations marking the 50th jubilee of the Bahá’í Faith in Swaziland. “The contribution of the Bahá’í Faith in Swaziland is highly commendable,” said Zephania Hlatjwako, the principal secretary to Prince Gabheni, the Minister of Home Affairs. Mr. Hlatjwako made his comment at the National Library in Mbabane as he opened an exhibition of photographs depicting the early Bahá’ís in Swaziland.

“The Bahá’ís have established an educational complex in Malagwane hill [in Mbabane] which strives to provide excellent academic and moral education at pre-primary, primary, and high school levels,” Mr. Hlatjwako said. The school, founded in 1990, has more than 850 enrollments this year. Students sit their examinations under the Cambridge international examinations system. Another example of the Bahá’í contribution to education is the Tarbiyat School in Manzini. This institution assists pupils who have difficulties in regular schools, with a curriculum that focuses on moral education, youth enrichment, computer literacy, and HIV/AIDS prevention. There are four other Bahá’í schools in Swaziland.

The jubilee celebrations, held from 11 to 16 May 2004, featured presentations on the history of the Swaziland Bahá’í community, which now has 24 Local Spiritual Assemblies. The event was rich in cultural entertainment. The Swaziland Bahá’í choir sang and a local Bahá’í youth dance troupe gave performances inspired by Bahá’í principles. Thozi Nomvete and Crispin Pemberton-Pigott performed a song written for the occasion with lyrics about the history of the Faith in Swaziland. Guests received a color booklet produced for the jubilee, depicting the major events in the history of the Swaziland Bahá’í community.

Some 600 participants, who came from Botswana, Lesotho, Malawi, South Africa, and the United States enjoyed a traditional feast, known as braai, which was held at the Bahá’í center. Some longtime Bahá’ís, including Ben Dlamini, Chuck Ducker, and Jacob Mdluli, told touching stories about the first Bahá’ís in Swaziland, Bula Mott Stewart and John and Valera Allen.

Ms. Stewart arrived in Swaziland from the United States on 11 April 1954 and was designated a Knight of Bahá’u’lláh. She spent six [Page 57]Maina Mkandawire (left), member of the Continental Board of Counsellors for Africa, and Eva Mnisi wearing traditional dress at the jubilee celebrations in Swaziland.

weeks in that country and later moved to South Africa to serve the Faith. On 19 April 1954, John and Valera Allen, also from the United States, arrived in the country to help establish the Bahá’í community, and they, too, were named Knights of Bahá’u’lláh.

Mr. and Mrs. Allen were both elected to the first Local Spiritual Assembly of Mbabane in 1955. In 1959, Mrs. Allen was elected to the National Assembly of South and West Africa and served as secretary. Later Mr. Allen served as the chairman of the first National Spiritual Assembly of Swaziland, when it formed in 1971.

Among the first local people to become Bahá’ís were Isaiah Phala, a teacher, and his wife, Jemima. Others to follow were Ben Dlamini, Chris Kuhlase, Andrew Mofokeng, Maxwell Ndlovu, and some of [Page 58]the children of the late King Sobhuza II, including Princess Gcinaphi, a medical doctor and ardent promoter of Bahá’í principles.

On several occasions, Bahá’ís met the king, who often assured them of his support for the Bahá’í community. A tribute to him was offered at the jubilee by Beth Allen, a member of the Continental Board of Counsellors for Africa.

Representatives of King Mswati III and the Queen Mother were present at the jubilee festivities, a sign of the continuing good relations between Swaziland’s royal family and the Bahá’í community. A message from the king was read on his behalf by his brother, Prince Phinda, a member of the Swaziland National Council, in which he praised the Bahá’í community’s efforts in educational and agricultural projects and their “active participation in and contribution to the welfare of the Swazi nation.”

Several newspapers reported extensively on the jubilee, among them The Nation monthly magazine and the Weekend Observer. Radio Swaziland broadcast several talks on the Faith, both in English and the local language, SiSwati.

TOGO

A message from one of the Bahá’ís who introduced the Bahá’í Faith to Togo was a highlight of the jubilee celebrations, held from 20 to 22 August 2004 in Lomé and Djidjole. “I love you all so much, pray for your spiritual growth and that you may continue in faith and teaching the Cause of Bahá’u’lláh—the Cause of God,” wrote Mavis Nymon, 82, who now lives in the United States and was unable to attend the celebrations in this West African country.

Ms. Nymon, originally from Fargo, North Dakota, was 32 years old when she and 59-year-old Vivian Wesson of Chicago, Illinois, took the message of the Bahá’í Faith to what was then called French Togoland, arriving on 2 May 1954. In her letter, which was read to the jubilee participants, she vividly described their dramatic landing by large dugout canoe in Ghana and their subsequent night journey across the border, ending with their arrival in the capital city of Lomé just before midnight. In her letter, Ms. Nymon described the help she and Mrs. Wesson received from Togolese people and how, about one month after their arrival, they met another Bahá’í there, David Tanyi, from Cameroon. For introducing the Bahá’í teach- [Page 59]The Yoyovi Kondji choir from Togo at the jubilee festivities.

Performers from Korbongon at the national Bahá’í convention, Togo, 2000. [Page 60]60 THE BAHÁ'Í WORLD 2004-2005 ings to French Togoland, the three received the accolade Knight of Bahá'u'lláh. Fifty years after their arrival, the Faith is established in 665 locali- ties and there are 108 Local Spiritual Assemblies. Later, Ms. Nymon and Mrs. Wesson moved to Liberia to assist the Bahá'í community there. More than 300 participants from 20 countries gathered in the capital city of Togo to celebrate the golden jubilee of the Bahá'í community. Throughout the celebrations youth groups and choirs provided entertainment. A message from the National Spiritual Assembly described the early days of the Togo Bahá'í community and named those who first accepted the message of the Faith there, including Emmanuel Ocloo, Bruno Adjakly, Samuel Ggogbo, Michel Kokou, Negble Attigah, and the first Togolese woman to become a Bahá'í, Patience Adjakly. An integral part of the jubilee was a regional Bahá'í youth conference, the main theme of which was "unity in diversity." Performances came from the Henri Montra dance group, La Voix de l'Unité (Voices of Unity) choir of Djidjole, a choir from Yoyovi Kondji, the Rossignols d'Akká (Nightingales of Akká) choir, and a Some of the participants at a gathering at the port of Keelung commemorating the anniversary of the arrival in 1954 of early members of the Taiwanese Bahá'í community, Mr. and Mrs. Suleimani. [Page 61]WORLDWIDE JUBILEE 61 dance group from Niamey, Niger. Presentations were given on the history of the Bahá'í Faith in Togo, and a slideshow brought back memories of the early days. The jubilee received extensive coverage in the local and national media. The event was covered by Television Togolaise (a national tele- vision channel), Radio Lomé (a national radio station), the Grand Quotidien National d'Information Togo-Presse (a national daily news- letter), and other private news services. Asia TAIWAN A joyous event held in Tainan, Taiwan, from 22 to 24 October 2004 marked the 50th anniversary of the arrival in Taiwan of Suleiman and Ridvaniyyih Suleimani, a Persian couple who heeded the called for volunteers to move to the island to support the fledgling Bahá'í community there. The Suleimanis arrived on 22 October 1954, when there were only 10 Bahá'ís on the island. They remained in Taiwan for the rest of their lives as stalwart members of the Bahá'í community. Following in their footsteps over the decades, Bahá'ís came from a range of countries to help local members develop the Taiwanese Bahá'í community. When the Suleimanis passed away, Mrs. Suleimani in 1981 and Mr. Suleimani in 1989, they bequeathed their home to the Faith, which now serves as the Bahá'í center for this thriving community. On 21 October 2004, a group of Bahá'ís held a prayer gather- ing at the port of Keelung, where the Suleimanis first arrived. The next day more than 100 Bahá'ís from Taiwan, as well as guests from the United States, attended a morning devotional meeting at the Bahá'í center, during which prayers and selections from the Bahá'í writings were read, chanted, and sung. Musicians played the flute, guitar, and piano. The afternoon session included reading of con- gratulatory messages from the National Spiritual Assemblies of the Bahá'ís of Canada, Hawaii, Hong Kong, and the United States. A representative of the city's mayoral office also brought greetings to the participants. A video presentation featured excerpts from the diary kept by Mr. Suleimani. Some Taiwanese Bahá'ís who remembered the couple [Page 62]Left: Dr. Adelbert Mühlschlegel, a Hand of the Cause (second from right), with King Sobhuza II (center). Others pictured (left to right) are Helen Wilks, Mrs. Mühlschlegel, an aide to the King, and Valera Allen (far right).

Right: James and Stella Moncho, in 1986, the first Bahá’ís in Botswana (then known as the Bechuanaland Protectorate).

Below right: Knight of Bahá’u’lláh for Togo, Mavis Nymon, in 1956.

Above: David Tanyi (back row, fourth from left in white shirt) with Bahá’ís in Tamale, Northern Ghana, in 1960. Below: Participants at the third convention of the Bahá’ís of the South Pacific in Suva, Fiji, in 1961. [Page 63]Above left: Musicians performing at the golden jubilee of the Bahá’í community of Burundi. Above right: Dancers who performed at the Rwandan Bahá’í jubilee festivities in Nyagisagara.

Above: Friends reunited at the Botswana Bahá’í jubilee celebration: Nina Robarts (left) and Lally Warren. Below left: Some of the children at the jubilee festivities in Togo. Below right: Members of the Fijian Bahá’í community planting a Norfolk Island pine to commemorate the early Fijian Bahá’ís.

Above: Samoan men bearing torches during a jubilee reception at the residence of the Head of State. [Page 64]shared stories and fond reminiscences. After a feast including Persian and Chinese dishes, there was a family fun night characterized by music, singing, dancing, stories, and laughter. The next morning Bahá’ís gathered for prayers at the hilltop gravesite of Mr. and Mrs. Suleimani.

Australasia

FIJI

One Bahá’í community in Australasia that can trace its origins back long before the Ten Year Crusade is Fiji, which marked its 80th anniversary in 2004. Fijian Bahá’ís planted trees in honor of the occasion

Participants at the first regional convention of the Bahá’ís of the South Pacific, Suva, Fiji, in 1959. Hand of the Cause of God Collis Featherstone is at rear, fifth from left. A member of the Continental Board of Counsellors, Tinai Hancock of Fiji, is seated in the front row, fourth from left. Irene Jackson (later Mrs. Williams) is at front row, left. [Page 65]A traditional meke (dance) from Lau being performed at the Fijian Bahá’í anniversary celebrations.

and as a tribute to the Bahá’ís in Fiji and Iran. Four trees, each a different type of Norfolk Island pine (Araucaria) from different Pacific countries, were planted at the Bahá’í compound in Suva.

“A Norfolk pine from Australia signifies the services of Irene Jackson Williams, who came here in the mid 1950s to assist the Bahá’ís,” said Kim Bowden-Kerby, the secretary of the National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of Fiji.

“Another type of Araucaria, which can only be found in Fiji, stands in memory of the first Fijian Bahá’ís,” she said.

“An Araucaria from Papua New Guinea was planted at the national Bahá’í center to mark the 80th anniversary of the Faith in Fiji and one, a Cook pine from New Caledonia, for those Bahá’ís who have been martyred in Iran.”

Norfolk Island pines, distinguished by their height, beauty, and symmetry, are well known by Bahá’ís for gracing the approaches to the holiest places in the Bahá’í world, the Shrine of Bahá’u’lláh and the Shrine of the Báb in the Holy Land.

The plantings took place at the anniversary festivities, which were held from 12 to 15 November 2004. Present at the festivities were some longstanding members of the community including Victor [Page 66]Williams, Aisea Aisake (the first Rotuman Bahá’í), Apisai Matau, Yee Wah Sing (the first Fijian Chinese Bahá’í), and Lepani Vakaloloma. They spoke about the early days of the Faith in Fiji and shared stories about their first encounters with the Bahá’í teachings. Among the official guests at the celebrations was Ratu Joni Madraiwiwi, who subsequently became Vice-President of Fiji.

During those celebrations, Fiji-based historian Graham Hassall addressed participants about the history of the Fijian Bahá’í community and the individuals who played an important role in establishing it. Dr. Hassall highlighted the contributions of Irene Jackson (later Mrs. Williams), a Bahá’í from Australia, who arrived in Suva on 21 March 1954. Ms. Jackson, who worked as a bookkeeper in the capital, was soon elected as a member of the Local Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of Suva and served as its secretary. In 1959, when the first Regional Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of the South Pacific was formed, Ms. Jackson was elected secretary. Today there are 21 Local Spiritual Assemblies in Fiji, and Bahá’ís live in more than 80 localities.

A New Zealand Bahá’í, Nora Lee, had lived in Fiji from 1924 to about 1930, and before Ms. Jackson’s arrival there were already a number of staunch Bahá’ís in the country. Among the Bahá’ís who visited in the early days were Loulie Matthews and Alvin and Gertrude Blum. Among the first Fijians to accept the Faith were Nur and Violet Ali and Wali and Zainab Khan.

The celebrations were rich in music and dance. The Bahá’ís of the Lau Islands danced a traditional meke, while a youth group from the island of Rabi and a Bahá’í choir sang songs. The performance of a Nasinu youth troupe included European, Fijian, and Indian dances.

Following the public ceremony there was a joyous two-day celebration in the Bahá’í compound where Bahá’ís from all over Fiji shared stories and joined in group singing.

The Fiji Times, one of the ‎mostly most‎ widely read dailies in the country, published an article about the anniversary festivities.

MARIANA ISLANDS

On 2 May 2004, the Bahá’ís of the Mariana Islands celebrated the arrival of Cynthia and Edgar Olson, the Bahá’í couple from Delaware, [Page 67]The first Local Spiritual Assembly in the Marianas, 1956. At rear, left, is Robert Powers. At front, left, is Joe Ilengelkei. Cynthia and Edgar Olson are standing, second and third from right.

in the United States, who brought the teachings of Bahá’u’lláh to them 50 years ago. The dramatic story of the Olsons was recounted at the gravesite of Mrs. Olson, who passed away in 1988.

The Olsons arrived in Guam in 1954, and from that foundation the Bahá’í Faith has spread across the four inhabited islands of the archipelago, located in the Pacific Ocean. At the time of the Olsons’ arrival, the Mariana Islands were still a military area, controlled exclusively by the ‎us US‎ Navy, and security clearance was required even for short-term visitors. Cynthia Olson came first, completing the last leg of her 12,000-kilometer journey on a rare civilian Pan Am flight, having convinced the Navy that she could be useful on Guam. Meanwhile, Edgar had stayed behind to close up their store and was anxiously awaiting word of her safe arrival. She landed on 2 May 1954 and sent a cable the next morning, which was immediately read to a cheering audience at the ‎us US‎ Bahá’í National [Page 68]Convention. She was named a Knight of Bahá’u’lláh as the first Bahá’í to reach the Marianas.

In her memoirs, Mrs. Olson wrote about the first Bahá’í Feast on Guam, when she and Robert Powers, a young Bahá’í sailor who had been posted there temporarily, said prayers and had a picnic at the water’s edge in the southern village of Inarajan. Mr. Powers also received the title Knight of Bahá’u’lláh.

Her first job was as host of a popular daily program called “Women’s World” at the islands’ only commercial radio station. Edgar, widely known as “Olie,” followed a year later and also became a tv executive and presenter. In addition, the couple opened a popular Swedish pancake house on the island, which later functioned as a Bahá’í center for the community. The Olsons quickly fell in love with the friendliness and generosity of the indigenous people, the Chamorros. Other ethnic groups there include Filipinos, Micronesians, Asians, and a tiny minority of us mainlanders, often called “haoles” or “statesiders.”

In a message read at the commemoration event, Mrs. Madeleine Bordallo, Guam’s present us congresswoman, lovingly recalled Cynthia’s support and encouragement for her as a fellow radio presenter and later in Mrs. Bordallo’s official role as the First Lady of Guam. “As we remember Cynthia, let us remember a lady who was kind with her words, abundant with faith and hope, and generous with her love,” wrote Mrs. Bordallo.

Mrs. Olson later became a journalist for the United States Trust Territory of the Pacific, and then a supervisor responsible for arranging scholarships for island students. Many of those students, some of whom stayed in the Olsons’ home, became prominent members of Guam society, including legislators, teachers, and businessmen.

The first Micronesian islander to become a Bahá’í was Joe Erie Ilengelkei, who became the ninth member of the community, allowing the formation of the first Local Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of Guam on 21 April 1956. Today, the community includes seven Local Spiritual Assemblies.

PAPUA NEW GUINEA

The Bahá’ís of Papua New Guinea celebrated the golden jubilee of a community that includes more than 40,000 Bahá’ís living in all [Page 69]19 provinces of the country. Rather than holding the festivities in a central location of this mountainous country where communities are often separated by difficult terrain, the celebrations were held at a variety of venues.

Some 700 Bahá’ís from the New Ireland region and their guests gathered on 8 May 2004 for the anniversary festivities in Madina, where in 1958 the country’s first Local Spiritual Assembly was formed. There are now 252 of those nine-member local Bahá’í administrative councils spread throughout Papua New Guinea.

To mark the occasion, the local Bahá’ís built a memorial pool at the Madina Bahá’í center as a tribute to the Bahá’ís who introduced the Faith to the area. Colored lights illuminated two large stars that were placed in the middle of the pool to symbolize Bahá’u’lláh and the Báb.

The guest of honor was Rodney Hancock, who came to Papua New Guinea in July 1954 from New Zealand to help establish a Bahá’í community. Mr. Hancock addressed the participants at the jubilee

Tamun Kosep, a traditional chief and treasurer of the first Local Spiritual Assembly of Madina, Papua New Guinea (center), flanked by Rodney Hancock (left), and Jalal Mills, member of the Continental Board of Counsellors for Australasia, with other Bahá’ís at the jubilee festivities. [Page 70]Violet Hoehnke with children in Papua New Guinea, 1954.

about the exemplary life of Violet Hoehnke, an Australian Bahá’í who introduced the Faith to Papua New Guinea, earning her the accolade of Knight of Bahá’u’lláh, and who stayed at her pioneering post for 50 years. Confined to bed, Ms. Hoehnke was unable to attend the jubilee celebrations. She passed away one month later, on 4 June 2004, at the age of 87.³

Mr. Hancock also spoke of the difficulties of introducing the Faith in the 1950s, when the Australian administration disapproved of any friendly association between expatriates and local people. He had to obtain special permission from the government before visiting villages. It took more than a year before he and Ms. Hoehnke could introduce the Faith to the first Papua New Guinean to become a Bahá’í—Apelis Mazakmat, a teacher from Munawai village in New Ireland.

Participants at the jubilee also paid tribute to some of the other early believers who have passed away, among them Axomerang, Kelep, Romalus, Sairu, Salomie, Sanaila, and Tivien.

At the celebrations, New Ireland provincial administrator Robinson Sirimbat praised the efforts by the Bahá’í community to promote unity and understanding among the different religions in the region. Guests enjoyed a lavish traditional feast. Bahá’í choirs, [Page 71]string bands, and “singsings” (traditional dancing and singing) provided the entertainment.

In Rabaul, some 600 guests arrived on 3 April 2004 at the jubilee venue, Kulau Lodge, after traveling down a road decorated with streamers, flowers, and a large banner. Donald Tulai, who grew up in Rabaul, was the master of ceremonies. Among the participants at the celebrations was Roslyn Bale, the first Papua New Guinean woman to become a Bahá’í in that area. A dance group, wearing traditional costumes and headdresses, performed a dance that told the story of the first Local Spiritual Assembly.

The local Bahá’í communities in Alotau, Baimuru, Balimo, and Pencat will hold their jubilee celebrations later this year.

SAMOA

A royal welcome greeted participants at the “Waves of One Ocean” conference that marked the 50th anniversary of the introduction of the Bahá’í Faith to Samoa and the 20th anniversary of the opening of the Bahá’í House of Worship in Samoa. The conference, held from

The first Bahá’í Local Spiritual Assembly in Samoa, 1957. [Page 72]22 to 26 September 2004, attracted some 600 Bahá’í participants from 21 countries.

The Head of State of Samoa and member of the Bahá’í Faith, His Highness Susuga Malietoa Tanumafili II, extended his greetings to the participants and expressed his joy in the many accomplishments of the Samoan Bahá’í community. The conference began with the reading of a message from the Universal House of Justice, in which it praised the Samoan Bahá’í community for its “energy, devotion, and vitality.” “Your nation has won the everlasting distinction of being blessed by the presence of His Highness Susuga Malietoa Tanumafili II, the first reigning monarch to accept the Message of Bahá’u’lláh,” the Universal House of Justice said.

Present at the jubilee banquet, held on 22 September 2004, were acting Prime Minister Fiame Mataafa Naomi, other cabinet ministers, the chief justice, members of the diplomatic corps, and representatives of Christian churches. Welcoming the participants on behalf of the government of Samoa, Fiame Mataafa Naomi said she acknowledged with gratitude “the continuous and unwavering service rendered by the Bahá’í Faith to Samoa and its people for the

Performers in traditional costume at the jubilee festivities in Samoa. [Page 73]last 50 years.” “You have demonstrated in words and deeds that religion is the real basis of civilized life, which includes peace building, promotion of human rights, equality of men and women, education, healthcare, and sustainable development,” she said.

Among the Bahá’ís present were Lilian Wyss-Ala’i, who introduced the Faith to Samoa in 1954, and Hossein Amanat, the architect of the House of Worship. Mrs. Wyss-Ala’i, then single and aged 24, arrived in Apia, Samoa, in 1954, while her brother, Frank, introduced the Faith to the Cocos Islands. For their service, Shoghi Effendi designated both of them as Knights of Bahá’u’lláh.

Mrs. Wyss-Ala’i, who continues to reside in American Samoa, delivered an address to the conference in which she spoke of her admiration for the Samoan people and shared historical anecdotes. Today, the Bahá’í community there includes 29 Local Spiritual Assemblies.

The festivities included a traditional gift-giving ceremony, musical entertainment, the performance of a traditional dance by Samoan Bahá’í Saifale’upolu Tamasese, a dramatic performance by the Samoan Bahá’í youth dedicated to the Bahá’ís in Iran, and a Samoan dance performed by Mrs. Wyss-Ala’i.

Among gifts presented on that occasion was a traditional tapa cloth given by the Tongan Bahá’ís to Mrs. Wyss-Ala’i in memory of her late husband, Suhayl Ala’i, who served with great distinction in the region as a member of the Continental Board of Counsellors.

During a visit to the House of Worship at Tiapapata, Bahá’ís from the Samoan islands of Savai’i and Upolu performed songs and dances that depicted the arrival of the first Bahá’ís, the dedication of the Temple, and aspects of the Bahá’í teachings. A devotional service dedicated to those Bahá’ís who brought the Faith to the Pacific was held at the Temple and featured choirs from Samoa, American Samoa, Australia, Fiji, and New Zealand. Mr. Amanat delivered an address in the basement hall of the Temple.

The following day, more than 400 Bahá’ís attended a reception at the private residence of His Highness, the Malietoa. Among those present were members of the Continental Board of Counsellors, as well as representatives of the National Spiritual Assemblies of Australia, the Cook Islands, Fiji, Hawaii, New Zealand, Samoa, and Tonga. [Page 74]Later, members of the National Spiritual Assembly, accompanied by other members of the Bahá’í community, presented traditional gifts to the government of Samoa, which was represented by acting Prime Minister Fiame Naomi and other cabinet ministers, including Health Minister Siafausa Mulitalo Vui, who thanked the Bahá’ís for their contributions to the country.

Bahá’ís in Samoa have made significant contributions to the well-being of the Samoan people. There are five Bahá’í preschools in Samoa—two in Savai’i and three on Upolu. Members of the Bahá’í community have been active in human rights education and have also produced a television cooking show promoting nutritional recipes.

The Bahá’ís then visited the gravesites, located on the Temple property, of Hand of the Cause of God Dr. Ugo Giachery and Mr. Ala’i. They also visited the Bahá’í cemetery and the Bahá’í Montessori school.

On 27 September, many conference participants attended a joyous picnic at a local beach.

The festivities and conference received extensive coverage by national television, radio, and Samoan newspapers, published locally and abroad.

Europe

ANDORRA

On 17 November 2004, Bahá’ís from Andorra la Vella, Spain, and France attended the jubilee festivities of the Bahá’í community of Andorra. William Danjon Dieudonne, the first Bahá’í in Andorra, read the opening prayer at the celebration.

At a conference in Stockholm in August 1953, French-born Mr. Danjon decided to answer Shoghi Effendi’s call to establish the Faith in countries where there were no Bahá’ís. When a keynote Bahá’í speaker at the conference, the Hand of the Cause of God Dorothy Baker, asked for a Bahá’í to settle in Andorra, Mr. Danjon volunteered. He left his home in Denmark and arrived in this mountainous country, located between France and Spain, on 7 October 1953, thus earning the accolade Knight of Bahá’u’lláh. “To come to Andorra was the most important decision of my life,” said Mr. Danjon, who remains a resident. [Page 75]William Danjon (left) meets the Prime Minister of Andorra, Marc Forne Molne, at a reception for Bahá’í representatives before the anniversary celebrations.

In 1954, he saw the first fruits of his decision when two residents of Andorra, Carmen Tost Xifre de Mingorance and her husband, José Mingorance Fernandez, joined the Faith. They remained steadfast until they passed away. Their son, José Mingorance Tost, is now chairman of the Local Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of Andorra.

Although it was difficult initially for Mr. Danjon to obtain a job, he has since held prominent positions in the media, the public service, and the Red Cross. For eight years, he represented the Andorra Trust Board in France, where he formally presented a book of the Tablets of Bahá’u’lláh to two French presidents, who, by virtue of their office, held the title of co-prince of Andorra.

The jubilee celebrations included a dinner; musical performances with the piano, saxophone, and cello; presentations about the history of the Andorra community; and prayers for the Bahá’ís of Andorra. [Page 76]76 THE BAHÁ'Í WORLD 2004-2005 Some of the early Bahá'ís of Monaco: (seated from left to right) Guilda Navidi-Walker, Florence Ullrich-Kelley (with husband Larry Kelley), Shamsi Navidi (with granddaughter Alexandra Walker.) An early Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of Monaco. [Page 77]WORLDWIDE JUBILEE 77 who have passed away. Guests included representatives of Christian churches, the diplomatic corps, the Red Cross, and the media. MONACO More than 320 participants from 25 countries joined the Bahá'ís of Monaco to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the introduction of the Bahá'í Faith in the principality, including guests from Albania, Canada, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ghana, Italy, and Uruguay. The jubilee celebrations from 24 to 25 April 2004 were held at the Théâtre de Variétés in Monte Carlo and opened with the reading of a welcoming message from the National Council of the Principality. Present at the jubilee were members of the Continental Board of Counsellors and representatives of the National Spiritual Assemblies of France, Italy, and Switzerland. Congratulatory messages arrived from other European Bahá'í communities, and a message from the Board of Counsellors for Europe was delivered to the Monaco Bahá'í community. The president of the Monaco National Council sent representatives to the jubilee. Also present was a representative of the mayor of Monaco. To commemorate the jubilee, the postal authorities issued a special postal mark. The celebrations featured many artistic presentations, including performances by Tunisian-born singer Hatef Sedkaoui, also known as Atef, guitarist Serge Merlaud, and pianist Francine Astani. Par- ticipants viewed slides depicting the history of the Monaco Bahá'í community, as well as a short film on the late Hand of the Cause of God Ugo Giachery, who resided in Monaco during his later years. In September 1953, Nellie French, 85, was the first Bahá'í to ar- rive in Monaco, but she passed away a few months later. For her act of service in bringing the Faith to the country, she received the accolade Knight of Bahá'u'lláh from Shoghi Effendi. Shamsi Navidi arrived from Iran in February 1954 with her daughters Vida and Guilda, followed by her husband, Aziz Navidi, a few months later. They were named Knights of Bahá'u'lláh, as were Florence Ullrich (later Ullrich-Kelley), a young college graduate, and Olivia Kelsey, an accomplished Bahá'í author and poet, who arrived from the United States in March 1954. [Page 78]Some of the participants at the jubilee celebrations in San Marino. Sohrab Payman and his wife, Tabandeh, who introduced the Bahá’í Faith to San Marino, are pictured at right.

Ms. Ullrich-Kelley said the Bahá’ís initially found it difficult to establish contact with the locals. However, they made the effort to learn the language and soon met people who were interested in the Faith. The first person to become a Bahá’í in Monaco was Margaret Lantz, of Luxembourg. Soon after her, a Frenchman, M. Charbonnet, who owned an antique shop in Monaco, also accepted the Faith. Charlotte Campana was the first person of Monegasque nationality to become a Bahá’í. The first Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of Monaco was established in 1955.

One highlight of the jubilee was the reading of a prayer in Monegasque. The guests of honor at the jubilee were former member of the Universal House of Justice, Mr. ‘Alí Nakhjavání, who addressed the participants on spiritual matters, and his wife, Violette, who described the visit in the 1980s to Monaco of Amatu’l-Bahá Rúhíyyih Khánum, a Hand of the Cause of God and the widow of Shoghi Effendi.

SAN MARINO

Prominent government officials paid tribute to the Bahá’í community of San Marino at a gala dinner celebrating the 50th anniversary of the Bahá’í Faith in the country. The anniversary was “a very special and important occasion,” the Secretary of State for Industry, Claudio [Page 79]Felici, told 100 prominent citizens of San Marino and their Bahá’í hosts at the event held on 25 September 2004. He conveyed greetings from the government and praised the Bahá’ís’ efforts in human relations and their attitude towards peace.

The activities of the Faith in seeking peace and religious unity are well known in San Marino, a country surrounded by Italy, and a member of the United Nations since 1992, which lays claim to the description of “the world’s oldest republic.” A message read to the jubilee dinner from the captains regent, Paolo Bollini and Marino Riccardi, said, “the presence of the Bahá’í community in San Marino is of great significance and will help bring a future of certainty and peace.”

A prominent member of the Italian Bahá’í community, Julio Savi, delivered an address to the gathering in which he outlined the history of the Bahá’í Faith in San Marino. Dr. Savi described how Tabandeh (“Toby”) Payman of Iran was attending a Bahá’í conference in Stockholm in 1953 when she decided to introduce the Faith to San Marino as part of the Bahá’ís’ 10-year plan to take the teachings around the world. Without returning to her home in Tehran, she moved directly to San Marino, where her husband, Sohrab, and their daughter Ghitty joined her some months later. They established friendships, and soon the Bahá’í ideas and principles became better known in the country.

Mr. and Mrs. Payman received the accolade of Knight of Bahá’u’lláh for their service in introducing the Bahá’í Faith to San Marino. They still reside there and were honored participants at the jubilee festivities. The celebration continued with a concert in the Titano theater where a prominent singer from Ghana, Ranzie Mensah, performed, accompanied on the piano by Alfredo Matera and by singers Stefy Piovesan, Aurelio Pitino, and Lidia Genta Rigamonti.

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NOTES

¹ Shoghi Effendi, Messages to the Bahá’í World 1950–57 (Wilmette, IL: Bahá’í Publishing Trust, 1971), p. 42.

² More information about many of the jubilee celebrations can be found on the Website of the Bahá’í World News Service, http://news.bahai.org/. For a [Page 80]comprehensive list of countries and territories opened during 1954–1955, see Glenn Cameron with Wendi Momen, A Basic Bahá’í Chronology (Oxford: George Ronald, 1996), pp. 309–327.

³ For more information on the life of Violet Hoehnke, see her obituary on pp. 288–289.