Bahá’í News/Issue 550/Text
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| Bahá’í News | January 1977 | Bahá’í Year 133 |
International Bahá’í Conference
Hong Kong, November 27-29th 1976
The Universal House of Justice[edit]
Contract signed for Seat Universal House of Justice[edit]
Joyfully announce signature agreement general contractor for erection Seat Universal House of Justice at cost just over two million dollars. First shipment finished marble delivered site.
Loving greetings,
Universal House of Justice
6 January 1977
Message to Hong Kong Conference[edit]
To the Friends assembled at the International Teaching Conference in Hong Kong
Dearly-loved Friends,
With grateful and joyous hearts we extend our warmest greetings and express our highest hopes to the followers of Bahá’u’lláh gathered, at this critical point of the Five Year Plan, in this Conference on Asia’s eastern shore. This great continent has nourished mighty civilizations; above its horizons the suns of major Revelations of God have risen; on its soil many of the heroes of this New Age have shed their blood and offered their lives in token of their love for Him Who is the Beloved of the World and the Desire of the Nations.
What an imperishable glory has been bestowed upon the people of Asia, the first to be illumined by the rays of God’s Faith, the first recipients of His Call and the first promoters of His Cause. Their spiritual capacity is extolled and the great role they are destined to play in the strengthening of the foundation of the New World Order of Bahá’u’lláh unhesitatingly affirmed by ‘Abdu’l-Bahá in His Tablets of the Divine Plan.
This great continent contains within its boundaries the heart of the Faith and its Cradle, the lands wherein its Founders toiled and suffered, and not only the great majority of the human race but the great majority of the followers of Bahá’u’lláh. The potentiality of such a situation cannot be underestimated, nor must the great force latent within so large a proportion of the Army of Light be neglected. They must be mobilized to accelerate the expansion of the beloved Cause, to consolidate its victories, to enhance its prestige and to augment its influence. We appeal to every participant in this historic Conference to become conscious of these tremendous but hidden potentialities which, if properly tapped and directed, can hasten the process of the spiritualization of the nations of Asia, the influence of which will extend far beyond the confines of that continent—even to the entire planet.
We eagerly await news that from this Conference will surge throughout Asia a wave of vigorous activity devoted to the execution on the individual, local and national levels, of systematic plans designed to attract the great masses of that continent to the life-giving, all-embracing Message of Bahá’u’lláh. Such plans must provide opportunities for those thousands who in recent years have swelled the rank and file, as well as for those veterans who have, for so many years, striven in the path of service to the Cause. It is through active participation of more and more new believers in both teaching and administration that the consolidation of the Bahá’í community can best be achieved.
In this continent so richly endowed, so greatly blessed, new generations of Bahá’ís must continually be raised up, trained from childhood in the love of God, and nurtured under the shadow of His Cause. Bahá’ís in every country must be constantly urged and, wherever necessary, assisted to pass on to their children as their most cherished legacy, the precious Faith they themselves have embraced. Those new generations of Bahá’ís will have a vital role in consolidating the Cause of God on a firm foundation.
The establishment of Local Assemblies as the basic administrative unit of the World Order of Bahá’u’lláh and as rallying points for the Bahá’ís of every community should, in accordance with the objectives of the Five Year Plan, be multiplied no matter at what cost of effort and endurance. The process of invigorating the Local Assemblies requires, during the Five Year Plan, the consultation of all the institutions of the Cause.
Publication of literature in many languages as part of a determined campaign to win thousands upon thousands of diverse peoples in all spheres of life must be vigorously pursued. Participation of all believers in supporting the Bahá’í Funds, the lifeblood of the Cause, must be given adequate attention, and the blessings which reward the act of voluntary giving for the promotion of the Faith, no matter how small the amount may be, must be lovingly and wisely explained.
May this Conference become a landmark in the process of attracting vast numbers of the great Chinese race scattered throughout the world. May it be a prelude to the unprecedented expansion of the Faith in all the countries of Asia. May it become a source of strength to the supporters of the Most Great Name so that despite the rising tide of trials and upheavals afflicting the world, and whatever forces of opposition may be mounted against the Cause of God itself, the believers will not waver or become diverted from their course, but be ever more confirmed in their determination to raise the edifice of the Faith of God as the last bastion of hope to a lost and wayward humanity.
The Universal House of Justice
November, 1976
New Books[edit]
Two children’s books from the United Kingdom[edit]
Let Thy Breeze Refresh Them is a compilation of excerpts from tablets and prayers for children. It is published by the Bahá’í Publishing Trust of the United Kingdom, bound in cloth, and illustrated with full-page color photographs of flowers, animals, birds, and landscapes.
Another book published by the Bahá’í Publishing Trust of the United Kingdom is Pokka’s Stories, written by Betty Reed of the Continental Board of Counsellors of Europe. The book contains seven stories written in language suitable for very young readers or children who cannot read.
The main character is a Finnish child named Pokka, who tells stories of the early days of the Faith and the life of Bahá’u’lláh, including His journeys and exile, and His passing and burial at Bahjí.
Around the World[edit]
Belize
Bahá’ís sponsor quiz program on U.N. Day[edit]
In observance of United Nations Day, October 24, the National Spiritual Assembly of Belize organized a quiz program for students of secondary schools. Participating were teams from Wesley College, St. Hilda’s College, and Government Secondary Schools 1 and 2. The teams competed in correctly answering questions on the subject of the United Nations its main bodies, their duties and functions, their activities and achievements in preserving peace and aiding developing countries.
A representative of the United Nations Organization in Belize was present to answer questions after the quiz from the audience of close to 300 teachers, parents, and students.
The quiz was publicized by three newspapers and over Radio Belize.
Canada
Remembrance of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá given to Canadian Bahá’ís[edit]
The National Spiritual Assembly of Canada has been bequeathed the shoes of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá by the Donald Kinney family at the request of the Hand of the Cause Rúḥíyyih Khánum.
Bahá’í Canada called the gift “an exquisite token of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá’s presence in Canada: the shoes in which he paced the streets and walks of Montreal.”
The shoes will be permanently on display at the Shrine in Montreal as soon as a fit place for their safekeeping is made. Until that time, according to instructions from Rúḥíyyih Khánum, the gift will be kept in the vault at the National Ḥaẓíratu’l-Quds in Toronto and brought out on special occasions for the friends to view, said Bahá’í Canada.
Bahá’í Book Month held[edit]
October was Bahá’í Book Month at the municipal library of Sainte Foy, Quebec. The Spiritual Assembly of Sainte Foy displayed most of the Bahá’í literature available in French and some in English.
A representative of the mayor of Sainte
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Bahá’í News In this issue
Bahá’í News is published monthly for circulation among Bahá’ís only by the National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of the United States, as a news organ reporting current activities of the Bahá’í world community. Manuscripts submitted should be typewritten and double spaced throughout; any footnotes should appear at the end. The contributor should keep a carbon copy. Send materials to: Bahá’í News Editorial Office, 112 Linden Avenue, Wilmette, IL 60091, U.S.A. Change of address should be reported directly to Office of Membership and Records, National Bahá’í Center, 112 Linden Avenue, Wilmette, IL 60091, U.S.A. Please attach mailing label. Subscription rates: one year, US $8; two years, US $15. Second class postage paid at Wilmette, Illinois 60091. Copyright © 1976, National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of the United States. World Rights Reserved. Printed in the U.S.A. |
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Cover photo:
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Around the World[edit]
Foy attended the official opening of the display and was presented with The Proclamation of Bahá’u’lláh.
Two public meetings were held in conjunction with Bahá’í Book Month. The first meeting was on the topic of Bahá’í literature, and the focus of the second meeting was the book The World is One Country by Andre Brugiroux, a French Bahá’í who spent six years hitchhiking around the world and who discovered the Faith in his travels.
Six Bahá’í books were donated to the library.
Congo Republic
Bahá’ís teach in Kinkala[edit]
Brazzaville Bahá’ís and traveling teachers from France and Switzerland have been visiting the nearby village of Kinkala to teach the Faith and deepen believers there.
The visiting Bahá’ís said meetings have been held in Kinkala several times in the past months, often lasting three hours. They said children from the village would approach them calling “Alláh’u’Abhá.”
The Bahá’í visitors made a courtesy call to the chief of the district. “Although it was Sunday, his day of rest, he greeted us warmly, and asked questions for more than an hour,” they reported. The chief encouraged them to return to Kinkala to teach and offered to assist the Bahá’ís in the construction of their local center.
Ghana
Village exemplifies Bahá’í way of life[edit]
When Counsellor Thelma Khelghati visited the Bahá’í village community of Kokofu No. 1 in Ghana, she said it was as we dream every village will someday be.
Kokofu No. 1 is hidden away in the bush and has no more than ten families. The road is impassable in the rainy season. Notwithstanding, Kokofu No. 1 is “a gem radiating light upon light,” Mrs. Khelghati said in a report about her visit to the West African community.
Kokofu No. 1 has not only elected a Local Spiritual Assembly, she reported, but has taken important steps to consolidate the community, and has accomplished these in exemplary fashion.
A few months before Mrs. Khelghati’s visit, the Bahá’ís of Kokofu No. 1 were told about a correspondence course for deepening in the Faith. When Mrs. Khelghati visited the village, the Bahá’ís had already received and completed two lessons, which had been orally translated for the friends who did not speak English.
The Bahá’ís knew the law of obligatory prayer. They said that the short prayer is recited before going to the farm, again at noon, and again in the evening. The prayer was translated into Twi, the local language, by members of the Local Spiritual Assembly.
Just before a scheduled meeting started at the Bahá’í Center, Mrs. Khelghati noticed a man carrying something into the room wrapped in newspaper and cloth. He gently unfolded it to reveal a framed Greatest Name, which is carefully put away after each meeting.
The Secretary of the Local Assembly showed Mrs. Khelghati a notebook in which all the names of the Bahá’ís were neatly inscribed, and at the back of which were filed copies of ingoing and outgoing correspondence.
Cyprus
First Bahá’í School held[edit]
Friends at the first Bahá’í School in Cyprus held in Nicosia December 27—January 2. The Hand of the Cause Adelbert Mühlschlegel and Counsellor Hooper Dunbar of the International Teaching Center are standing second and first from the right on the first row.
Guyana
Bahá’í media workshop for more effective proclamation of Faith[edit]
A Bahá’í Radio-Television Workshop was held in Georgetown, Guyana, in December, attended by 27 representatives
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from several Caribbean countries and the United States. Some of the countries represented were Belize, Guyana, Netherlands Antilles, Puerto Rico, Surinam, and Trinidad.
The purpose of the workshop was to bring together Bahá’ís who, in their own countries, are involved in the production and distribution of radio and television programs about the Faith. The friends shared experiences and ideas for more effective proclamation of the Faith through radio and television.
One representative said it is “no exaggeration that the Message will be spread on the mountaintops and in the villages.” He said radio, more so than television, is a part of daily life in even the most remote villages.
He said most countries represented at the workshop have a national radio service which airs all programming, and that programs are often repeated. Broadcasts reach entire countries and often neighboring countries.
Most countries air weekly Bahá’í programs on a regular basis. The Bahá’ís usually produce their own material but sometimes exchange material with other countries. He said this is possible because of similar languages and cultures in many of the Caribbean countries.
The representative said an import result of the workshop was the increased willingness on the part of the participants for international collaboration in programming. The friends at the workshop consulted on the idea of a radio and television program clearinghouse to be located in San Salvador, El Salvador, so that programs could be used by more than one country.
The Bahá’í programs are usually a combination of talk and music.
One idea which resulted from the workshop was that the development of deepening through radio and television is important, especially because of the lack of printed matter in many areas, and the easy accessibility of broadcast media into people’s homes.
Hawaii
75th Anniversary celebrated[edit]
The Bahá’í community of the Hawaiian Islands observed the 75th anniversary of the establishment of the Faith in the islands by a banquet held on December 26th in Honolulu. The dinner was attended by more than 270 people including the Hand of the Cause William Sears; Elena Marsella and Rúḥu’lláh Mumtází of the Continental Board of Counsellors in North-eastern Asia;
Hilo Hattie, a famous Hawaiian entertainer, received a Bahá’í award for service to humanity.
Twenty-six Bahá’ís learned about effective use of the media at a Radio-Television Workshop held in Georgetown, Guyana, in December.
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the Governor of Hawaii, George R. Ariyoshi, and Mrs. Ariyoshi; a member of the United States Senate; two United States Congressmen; a State Senator and many other distinguished guests.
During the evening a presentation was made of the Agnes Baldwin Alexander Award for Service to Mankind. Recipient of the honor was Clara Haili Nelson, known as “Hilo Hattie”, a well-known and much-loved entertainer whose performances, the citation stated, “bring joy everywhere and cross racial and age barriers” and whose life “exemplifies a concern for the happiness of others.” The award piece was carved in wood by Bahá’í sculptor Louis LeClaire.
During the banquet an exhibit of new paintings of the Holy Land and other paintings inspired by Bahá’í themes by Bahá’í artist Leonard Herbert were on display. A painting of the Hand of the Cause Agnes Baldwin Alexander, who first established the Faith in the Hawaiian Islands, was part of the exhibit.
Mr. Sears, principal speaker at the banquet, discussed the role of the Bahá’í Faith in changing the world, and received an enthusiastic ovation at the conclusion of his talk.
The award, the painting exhibit and the banquet were given publicity in newspapers throughout the islands.
“The New World” aired[edit]
A series of television programs made last year in the Hawaiian Islands, The New World, has been shown three times there on Channel 4 television, said a report from the Continental Board of Counsellors in North-eastern Asia. The series will be shown again beginning in January, 1977. Another station carries a weekly Bahá’í announcement each Sunday and a regular Bahá’í program is broadcast on television in Kauai.
“The New World” has been used in Guam and the Marshall Islands, and may soon be used in Ponape where television is to become available.
India
500 new believers in twelve villages[edit]
A one-month teaching project in Lucknow, organized by the State Teaching Committee of Uttar Pradesh, resulted in
Ecuador
Media Workshop held[edit]
An International Radio and Television Workshop was held in Otavalo, Ecuador, December 17-21. Two members of the Continental Board of Counsellors in South America, Auxiliary Board members and representatives from many countries attended.
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acceptance into the Faith of 500 new believers in 12 villages, said the National Spiritual Assembly of India.
A 30-day deepening institute held simultaneously with the teaching project was attended by representatives of Local Assemblies in all parts of Uttar Pradesh. The Secretary of the Assembly of Phuntsoling, Bhutan, who is Bhutanese, was also present.
Follow-up consolidation meetings and continued teaching activities are taking place, reported the National Assembly of India.
Niger
Twenty believers enrolled[edit]
Many participants at a recent National Teaching Conference in Niger responded to a call by the National Spiritual Assembly to spend part of their holidays on teaching trips.
One team, comprised of a member of the Auxiliary Board, two pioneers and five Niger Bahá’í youth, spent 22 days traveling 1,500 kilometers. They visited isolated Bahá’ís, and taught and proclaimed the Faith in several villages. They enrolled approximately 20 new believers and formed two Local Assemblies.
Pakistan
Bahá’ís active in Minority Week[edit]
At the invitation of the government, the National Spiritual Assembly of Pakistan participated in the official observance of Minority Week from June 1-7. The press and other media reported the activities of the Bahá’í community in connection with this event. Because of Minority Week, the Bahá’ís had the opportunity to present the principles of the Faith in the Gorji language in a radio broadcast.
Liechtenstein
Winter School held in goal town[edit]
The first Bahá’í Winter School in Liechtenstein was held December 26-January 2 in the capital city and goal town of Vaduz.
Rhodesia
Traveling teachers on national television[edit]
Two New Zealand Bahá’ís recently spent ten days in Rhodesia, teaching in the villages, and offering encouragement to the friends to continue their efforts. They held more than 13 meetings between August 24 and September 4, addressing audiences of up to 100 people.
While in Salisbury, Russ and Gina Garcia were interviewed on national television. They described their careers as musicians in Hollywood, their travels to the
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Polynesian islands aboard their boat The Dawn-Breaker, their present life in New Zealand, and in response to direct questions about religion, gave a summary of the Faith.
“Everywhere they visited,” said the National Spiritual Assembly, “the Garcias charmed the friends with their Bahá’í songs. They left behind in Rhodesia some new Bahá’ís and many songs, gifts by which we shall warmly remember them.”
Sierra Leone
Hand of Cause visits Sierra Leone[edit]
During his recent visit to Sierra Leone, the Hand of the Cause Raḥmatu’lláh Muhájir consulted with members of the National Spiritual Assembly and National Teaching Committee on measures for promoting the process of entry by troops into the Faith. Encouraged by his suggestion that whole villages could be taught at once, teams of believers visited a number of small villages to make the effort.
In each village the headman was approached and asked to summon the people for a presentation on the Faith. After prayer and songs, the Teachings were presented. The Bahá’ís then broke into small groups to answer questions and present additional information.
In the village of Kebbie Town, consisting of 19 houses, 13 people embraced the Cause, including the headman. In another village, 11 adults and 20 children accepted the Faith within a week.
Accompanying Dr. Muhájir on these projects were representatives of the National Spiritual Assembly and of the Auxiliary Board, as well as local believers, including women and children.
“Dr. Muhájir’s simplicity in presenting the Teachings and his wisdom in not speaking on controversial issues or allowing others to be discouraged by traditions of the past that would hinder them from recognizing the new Messenger of God was an example to all of us,” said the National Spiritual Assembly.
Seychelles
Bahá’í teacher visits President[edit]
Lea Nys, a travelling teacher from Belgium, visited the first President of the newly independent Seychelles, James R. Mancham, on November 11. She explained to him the route of Bahá’u’lláh’s long exile and imprisonment.
South and West Africa
White stone teaching reminder[edit]
The National Teaching Committee of South and West Africa has come up with a novel idea to encourage the friends to teach the Faith. They have given each believer a white stone as a symbol of the individual’s Covenant with God to live the Bahá’í life and teach. When the Bahá’í teaches someone, he passes the white stone along to the new Bahá’í. He tells the new Bahá’í that the white stone is a reminder for him to teach one new person every year, and that he should pass the white stone along to the person he teaches.
The National Teaching Committee said the idea for the white stone came from a verse in the Bible found in Revelations 2:17: “He that hath an ear, let him hear what the spirit saith unto the churches: To him that overcometh, will I give of the hidden manna and give him a white stone, 17 and in the stone a new name written, which no man knoweth saving he that receiveth it.”
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Spain
Spanish Bahá’ís attend winter school[edit]
The Bahá’ís of Spain met in Liria, Valencia, for Bahá’í Winter School, where they saw The Green Light Expedition and heard talks by Betty Reed, Continental Counsellor for Europe.
The friends were encouraged to arise and fulfill the goals of the Five Year Plan. Mrs. Reed encouraged the believers to pioneer, travel teach, and “find new fields of service to the Cause of Bahá’u’lláh.”
As a result of the school, teaching teams were formed to reach three goal cities.
Tobago
Two hundred declare after teaching project[edit]
Two hundred Tobagonians became Bahá’ís during a thirteen-day teaching project which began December 11. Traveling teachers arrived from Canada, Iran, Trinidad and the United States to teach from town to town.
By the end of the teaching and consolidation project, five communities, Canaan-Bon Accord, Charlottesville, Glamorgan, Pembroke and Speyside had attained Assembly status, said the Bahá’í Bulletin of Trinidad-Tobago.
Togo
First Women’s Institute held[edit]
The National Spiritual Assembly of Togo reported in September that a Bahá’í Women’s Institute has been held there for the first time. Twenty-five women attended, drawn mostly from three villages situated in one of the most populated Bahá’í areas of Togo.
Thelma Khelghati, Continental Counsellor for the West Africa Board, stimulated discussion on the education of children, teaching the Faith to other women, and the role of women in Bahá’í communities.
“The responsiveness and enthusiasm of the participants was high,” the National Assembly said. “As Bahá’í women begin to imbue their homes with the spirit and principles of the Faith, the progress of the Cause in Togo will be greatly increased.”
United States
Birthday greeting from President[edit]
David Brockington, Sr., the oldest Bahá’í in the United States, celebrated his 101st birthday on December 24th. Among his birthday greetings was a telegram from Gerald R. Ford, President of the United States. The message said:
“Mrs. Ford and I were delighted to learn that you will be celebrating the grand occasion of your hundred and first birthday, and we want to be sure to be included among those expressing congratulations to you at this time.”
Zaïre
Pygmy Bahá’ís contacted[edit]
Two Bahá’í pioneers recently returned from a one-month teaching trip through the jungles of Ituri in Zaire where they located five camps of nomadic Pygmy Bahá’ís and helped to deepen the friends further.
“The Pygmies, who live by hunting, are truly kings of the jungle,” the pioneers wrote. “Their camps change often because they follow the animals.
“We found the Pygmies to be noble and spiritual, and they have a deep belief in God,” the pioneers reported.
Due to changing economic circumstances, many Pygmies have left the jungle, the teachers reported. Five members of a Local Assembly that was formed a year and a half ago have now moved, the report said. However, the pioneers were still able to hold deepenings in five small Pygmy camps.
In one of these camps the Bahá’ís were very receptive and had a thorough knowledge of the Faith because one village believer devoted time to teaching them and to reading to them from available Bahá’í Writings. In general, however, the report said, village dwellers treat the Pygmies badly. In one Pygmy camp, having been informed that the Bahá’ís had arrived, two chiefs, though very apprehensive, presented them with a gift of eggs and mushrooms, saying they were happy to see Bahá’ís and that the message of love the Faith brought was true.
During the teaching trip, the pioneers opened 15 villages. In eight of these, the Cause was embraced by all the residents.
In Haut-Zaïre the Cause was accepted by people of different religious backgrounds. A number of youth were included among the new believers.
“The result,” the pioneers reported, “was a gift of land to build a Center and a spirit of joy mixed with tears, as if they had discovered the mysteries of the New Kingdom.”
Zambia
Five villagers declare[edit]
In the village of Mpuka, near Chilanga, two Zambian believers recently spoke with the village chief and were given permission to hold a meeting to teach the Faith.
The visitors were encouraged by the attitudes of their audience and decided to return to Mpuka a second time. When they arrived, the chief called the villagers together to hear about Bahá’u’lláh. Approximately 50 people attended the meeting. After a lively discussion, five villagers, including the chief, accepted the Faith.
Bahá’í Center to be built[edit]
The Bahá’ís of Kachenge, Zambia, have set themselves the goal of making 2,000 bricks with which to construct a Bahá’í Center for their community. Through the combined efforts of the believers, 1,400 bricks have already been made.
Hong Kong:[edit]
Foundation for victory[edit]
More than 600 Bahá’ís from 34 countries congregated in Hong Kong November 26-28 for the fifth of eight International Teaching Conferences called for in the Five Year Plan. Twenty-one National Spiritual Assemblies were represented.
The National Spiritual Assembly of Hong Kong, which was formed in 1974, was host for the conference. Most sessions were held in Chinese, with English and Persian translations.
The Hands of the Cause present at the conference were ‘Alí-Akbar Furútan, representative of The Universal House of Justice; H. Collis Featherstone and Raḥmatu’lláh Muhájir.
The results of the Conference were cabled to the World Center: “... over 60 friends forward to pioneer, travel teach; 3 public meetings; 8 radio interviews; 2 press conferences; 1 VIP luncheon for 100
Top, p. 8: Hands of the Cause present at the conference were Alí-Akbar Furútan, representative of The Universal House of Justice, center; H. Collis Featherstone, left; Raḥmatu’lláh Muhájir, right. Bottom left: William Maxwell officially represented the National Spiritual Assembly of the United States. Bottom right: More than 600 Bahá’ís from 34 countries met in Hong Kong.
Top: Hand of the Cause Alí-Akbar Furútan told stories to the children. Bottom left: Continental Counsellor Yan Kee Leong, left, and Lawrence Ip, right, Secretary of the National Spiritual Assembly of Hong Kong. Bottom center and right: Moments of contemplation and smiles were part of the conference.
non-Bahá’ís, 20 Bahá’ís ...”
Many Asian countries reported on the state of their goals. Malaysian believers have completed their goals and hope to double their accomplishments by the end of the Plan. The believers in the Philippines are well on the way to victory and report a winning spirit dominant in the community. The Bahá’ís of Iran achieved their financial goal the day they received the Plan and by the midpoint had achieved 85 per cent of their foreign goals. Hawaii reported that all overseas pioneer goals are achieved. Hawaii enjoys a high level of proclamation and the Faith is mentioned regularly on television. Due to government restrictions, Burma could not send delegates to the conference, but it was stated that the youth there have taken on the responsibility of achieving their goals and are confident that these will be won quickly. There are now more than 8,000
Top and bottom: A garden of humanity filled the conference hall.
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Bahá’ís in Burma, it was stated.
It was frequently stressed in the keynote addresses that women must play an increasingly important role in teaching work and in service on institutions. Bahá’í women were urged to go to other homes in friendship and introduce other women to the Faith.
The conference organizers reported that proclamation in Hong Kong prior to and during the conference had been excellent. Several public meetings were held and these were attended mainly by people who had not heard about the Faith. An estimated 30,000 pieces of Bahá’í literature were distributed to the general public and five displays of Bahá’í material were on view.
By the end of the conference, over $17,000 had been donated to the Fund.
Top: The friends socialized over meals. Below right and left: Bahá’í women were urged to go to other homes in friendship and teach other women the Faith.
Top left: Hand of the Cause Alí-Akbar Furútan addressed the gathering. Top right and bottom: Six continents and thirty-four countries were represented at the conference.
Persian Bahá’ís in U.S. meet to discuss role in Five Year Plan[edit]
Nearly 500 Persian Bahá’ís currently residing in the United States attended a special conference in Wilmette, Illinois, on December 25-26, called by the National Spiritual Assembly of the United States to inform the Persian believers about pressing homefront needs of the Five Year Plan and ways they can assist in winning the goals of the American community.
An estimated 100 of the participants were Persian Bahá’í youth, most of them in the United States to pursue degrees at American colleges and universities. The National Assembly encouraged them to become fully integrated into the American Bahá’í community and to beware of political involvement in the affairs of any government.
A message sent to the conference by The Universal House of Justice depicted the critical needs of the Five Year Plan in international fields of service. The Universal House of Justice requested four volunteers for each of six zones to spend three-to-six months traveling teaching. The zones named were Australasia; Central and South America; Central, East, Southern, and Western Africa.
Before the end of the conference, 40 people volunteered for traveling teaching. About half volunteered to travel on the homefront and half internationally. Two volunteered to resettle pioneer posts abroad.
As each volunteer walked to the front of the conference, he or she was personally greeted by the Hand of the Cause Dhikru’lláh Khádem. The volunteers were joined by the remaining Bahá’ís in an old Persian Bahá’í song, singing “Take my hand, Abdu’l-Bahá, take my hand ...”
One of the Persian friends said the conference gave him a feeling reminiscent of “the spirit in the old country”. He said because of that spirit, the conference was precious to him, even more so because he
Left: Persian believers met each morning at the House of Worship in Wilmette for devotions and prayers. Below right: Hand of the Cause Dhikru’lláh Khádem urged the friends to teach. Below: Mr. Khádem visited with the friends. To his right is Kazem Kazemzadeh, trustee for the Ḥuqúqu’lláh in North America.
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knew he could teach freely when he left the conference.
The friends met Saturday morning in the House of Worship for a memorial service for Adelaide Sharp, who spent nearly 50 years in Iran. She educated Bahá’í children, enriched the spiritual life of the youth, translated the Writings, and consolidated the administrative institutions. She was the first woman elected to the National Assembly of Iran. She died in September, 1976.
Speakers for the conference, which was conducted in Persian, included Mr. Khádem; Continental Counsellor Edna True; members of the National Spiritual Assembly of the United States Firuz Kazemzadeh, Chairman, Glenford Mitchell, Secretary, and Soo Fouts, Assistant Secretary; Auxiliary Board members Javidukht Khádem and Jalil Mahmoudi, and trustee for the Ḥuqúqu’lláh in North America, Kazem Kazemzadeh. Hormoz Bastani, assistant to the Auxiliary Board, and Vahid Rafati also addressed the conference.
Hand of the Cause Alí-Akbar Furútan sent a taped message to the conference, and the National Assembly of Iran sent a letter to the Persian believers residing in the United States.
Mr. Khádem told the friends they must think about their duty to teach now that they are in the United States. He told them they will be blessed and assisted by God if they make a serious effort to teach.
Mr. Mahmoudi spoke on the absolute requirement for non-involvement in politics. He said Bahá’ís have their own world plan and are interested in solving problems on a universal scale rather than piecemeal or nationally. Bahá’ís’ participation in politics in one country might work against Bahá’ís in another country, he said. Sometimes we do not understand Bahá’u’lláh’s wisdom, he said, but we obey His teachings out of love for Him and because of His station as a Manifestation of God.
1. Continental Counsellor Edna True, left, greeted the friends through an interpreter, right. 2. On Sunday morning the friends attended a memorial service for Adelaide Sharp at the House of Worship. 3. Jalil Mahmoudi, Auxiliary Board member, addressed the friends on the subject of non-involvement in politics. 4. Vahid Rafati was one of several speakers at the conference. 5. Kazem Kazemzadeh spoke about the Ḥuqúqu’lláh. 6. Javidukht Khádem, Auxiliary Board member. 7. A santour concert inspired Iranian dancing among the friends.
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The National Assembly of Iran sent a message to the conference counselling Persian Bahá’ís to obey the Ḥuqúqu’lláh, conduct themselves in their best manner while in the United States, deepen in the Faith, teach the Persian language to their children, help Bahá’í youth who come to the United States to study, and not to involve themselves in politics.
The Ḥuqúqu’lláh, a tax on wealth established in the Kitáb-i-Aqdas, was the topic of a talk by Kazem Kazemzadeh, a former Secretary of the National Assembly of Iran. He reminded the Persian believers of their duty to pay the tax to The Universal House of Justice.
Sunday afternoon, approximately 50 Bahá’í youth and some adults met with Glenford Mitchell, Secretary of the National Assembly of the United States, to discuss their perceptions of living in the United States. Questions were answered on the understanding of cultural differences, obedience to Bahá’í laws, the relationship between the individual and institutions of the Faith, the teaching of Muslims in the United States and non-involvement in politics.
Saturday night the friends were entertained with a santour concert by Manochehr Sadeghi. He sang well-known Persian Bahá’í songs, including an adaptation of a poem by Bahá’u’lláh.
1. Hand of the Cause Dhikru’lláh Khádem greeted those who volunteered to pioneer and travel teach. 2 and 3. Nearly 500 Persian believers who reside in the U.S. attended the conference. 4. Persian Bahá’í youth discussed ideas between sessions the conference. 5. Firuz Kazemzadeh, left, Chairman of the National Spiritual Assembly of the United States, and Jalil Mahmoudi, right, Auxiliary Board member. 6. Persian Bahá’í youth had a question and answer session with Glenford Mitchell, standing center, Secretary of the National Assembly of the United States. 7. A table with information about pioneering and
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travelling teaching was manned by
members of the International Goals
Committee. 8. The forty-two children who
attended the conference met in classrooms
for stories, games and entertainment.
