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| Bahá’í News | November 1988 | Bahá’í Year 145 |
REJOICE EVE WORLDWIDE CELEBRATIONS ANNIVERSARY BIRTH BLESSED BÁB EVIDENCES GROWING NUMBER NATIONAL COMMUNITIES ENGAGED TEACHING INITIATIVES LEADING TO ENTRY BY TROOPS. THIRTY-FIVE NATIONAL ASSEMBLIES HAVE SPONTANEOUSLY REPORTED ENROLLMENTS TOTALING QUARTER MILLION NEW BELIEVERS SINCE RIḌVÁN. GRATIFIED NOTEWORTHY CONSOLIDATION ACTIVITIES ESSENTIAL SAFEGUARD HARD-WON VICTORIES. HOUR PROPITIOUS FRIENDS ASSEMBLIES EVERYWHERE REDOUBLE SACRIFICIAL HIGHLY MERITORIOUS EFFORTS CONCENTRATE THEIR ATTENTION ON ALL-IMPORTANT TEACHING ACTIVITIES DESTINED CARRY BAHÁ’U’LLÁH’S WORLD-REDEEMING FAITH INTO LONG-AWAITED PERIOD UNIVERSAL RESPONSE HIS LIFE-GIVING CALL.
OCTOBER 13, 1988
Bahá’í News[edit]
South Carolina’s Louis Gregory Institute hosts 3rd annual Peace Fest | 1 |
In Canada, the Maxwell Bahá’í School begins classes for grades 7-8-9 | 2 |
Nearly 1,200 attend 29th annual Green Lake (Wisconsin) Conference | 6 |
The Bahá’í International Community’s statement on the environment | 8 |
Around the world: News from Bahá’í communities all over the globe | 12 |
Bahá’í News is published monthly 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 the Periodicals Office, Bahá’í National Center, Wilmette, IL 60091, U.S.A. Changes of address should be reported to the Office of Membership and Records, Bahá’í National Center. Please attach mailing label. Subscription rates within the U.S.: one year, $12; two years, $20. Outside the U.S.: one year, $14; two years, 24$. Foreign air mail: one year, $20; two years, $40. Payment must accompany the order and must be in U.S. dollars. Second class postage paid at Wilmette, IL 60091. Copyright © 1988, National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of the United States. World rights reserved. Printed in the U.S.A.
United States[edit]
Gregory Institute hosts Peace Fest ’88[edit]
A second appearance by the Bahá’í “Peace Orchestra” and the presentation of an award to Mrs. Billye Aaron, vice-president of the United Negro College Fund and wife of baseball superstar Henry Aaron, were among the highlights of Peace Fest ’88 at the Louis G. Gregory Bahá’í Institute near Hemingway, South Carolina.
The third annual event, sponsored by the Gregory Institute and WLGI Radio Bahá’í, began Friday, September 16, with an evening of “music to inspire the soul” featuring Gospel singers and choirs from all over the Palmetto State.
Saturday’s activities included a “youth fest,” the presentation of the Louis G. Gregory Peace Award to Mrs. Aaron, and an evening jazz concert by the 15-member Peace Orchestra.
On Sunday, the Institute held a worship service for peace at which the speaker was Dr. Wilma Ellis, director of the Bahá’í International Community’s offices in New York City.
Following the service, Peace Fest ’88 ended with a barbecue and picnic lunch.
Also taking part in Peace Fest ’88 was Kevin Locke, a Lakota Indian Bahá’í who performed his well-known hoop dance, played the flute for those at the Peace Fest, and also performed for more than 600 black elementary school children at St. Mark School.
Besides receiving the Peace Award, Mrs. Aaron was keynote speaker at Saturday afternoon’s Peace Forum at which the Louis G. Gregory Ambassador of Education Award was given to Mrs. Ruby Forsyth for more than 50 years of service as a teacher.
Taking part in the forum with Mrs. Aaron were three representatives from nearby school districts: Joan Thompson, assistant superintendent of instruction, Williamsburg County; C.B. Dodson, superintendent, Georgetown District; and Muriel O’Tuel, assistant to the superintendent, Horry County District.
Above: Saxophonist Marvin (Doc) Holladay leads the Bahá’í Peace Orchestra during Peace Fest ’88 at the Louis G. Gregory Bahá’í Institute. Below: Kevin Locke, a Lakota Indian Bahá’í, performs the traditional hoop dance before another appreciative audience at the Peace Fest.
The Peace Orchestra dedicated its concert to the memory of Steve Perlow, a talented musician and Bahá’í who died in August.
The orchestra was directed this year by baritone saxophonist Marvin (Doc) Holladay.
The other members were trumpeters George Graham, Warren Kime, Roger Lewis and Paul Seaforth; saxophonists Jay Corré, Ernest Hensley and Roger Hogan; trombonists Bruce Clark, Laney Furr and Jim Tangney; bass trumpeter Ed Kraft; pianist John Di Martino; drummer Sherman Ferguson; and bassist Walter Urban.
Canada[edit]
Maxwell Bahá’í School opens its doors[edit]
Well over a year of hard work and careful preparation was culminated September 19 when the Maxwell Bahá’í School in Shawnigan Lake, British Columbia, the first full-time academic Bahá’í school in North America, began classes for grades 7-9. The following report from the school recounts some of the history of its development and discusses its plans for the future.
Maxwell’s first-ever group of students represents a variety of nations and cultural backgrounds—Japan, Samoa, Papua New Guinea, Tanzania, South Africa, New Zealand, Canada, United States, Native American, Persian, and black American—expressing one of the fondest hopes for Maxwell. As one looked around the dining hall at students and staff gathered for their first meals as the “Maxwell School family,” one truly had an opportunity to “consider the flowers of the garden: though differing in kind, color, form, and shape, yet ... invigorated by the rays of one sun, this diversity increaseth their charm, and addeth to their beauty.” (‘Abdu’l-Bahá)
As the school develops, it is hoped that students from all nations will attend. Dr. Ray Johnson, the principal, has invited local and national Bahá’í communities to consider funding scholarship programs to enable an ever-increasing number and diversity of students to attend Maxwell. “We remember the Master’s statement,” says Dr. Johnson, “that one of the purposes of education is ‘to bring those who have been excluded into the circle of intimate friends,’ and we deeply hope that Maxwell may be such a place.”
The story of the Maxwell International Bahá’í School actually began long before the National Spiritual Assembly of Canada purchased the property in the spring of 1987. The site was first developed at the turn of the century as a tourist retreat known as Strathcona Lodge. Later, in the early 1900s, the lodge became Strathcona Lodge School, a girls’ boarding school. Strathcona School continued until the late 1970s when financial difficulties forced it to close.
An aerial view of the lovely Maxwell Bahá’í School at Shawnigan Lake, British Columbia, which began classes in September.
Some years before the closing of Strathcona School, a major fire destroyed significant school buildings, which necessitated the rebuilding, expansion and modernization of the campus. It is this rebuilt and expanded version of the Strathcona School property which passed into the hands of the Bahá’ís. Because the school property had been unused for more than a decade, preparations to receive students included substantial work on the physical plant. Although work on buildings and grounds will be a continuing process, the major projects relating to making the campus safe, functional and lovely were completed by the time students arrived. Because of the efforts of school staff and many dedicated volunteers to refurbish the long-unused buildings and to beautify the grounds, visitors now are touched by the beauty of the campus—the freshly painted buildings, the lovely gardens, and the forested, lakefront setting. Maxwell School is, indeed, a developing jewel on Shawnigan Lake.
The Maxwell teaching staff were asked to arrive on campus five weeks before the coming of the students to allow for an extended period in which to develop a strong foundation of unity with respect to the school’s educational vision, curriculum, and methods of instruction. This period of orientation was intended, first, to “spiritualize” the vision—to orient thoughts toward the spiritual significance of education and to develop an educational ap-
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proach that was firmly grounded in the
Bahá’í principles. Intensive group consultation was focused on the Bahá’í
Writings, as they provide guidance regarding the human reality of body,
mind, soul and spirit; the purpose of
education; the role of the teacher; suggested curriculum and methods; and
other pertinent topics. Integrated in
this exploration was consideration of
contemporary “cutting edge” educational theory and practice, the goal being to develop an educational approach that best expressed a dynamic fusion of
the Book of Revelation and the Book
of Creation—of Bahá’í principles and
the best of contemporary research and
thought.
Before the opening, preparations were given special meaning through visits by the Hand of the Cause of God William Sears and Mrs. Sears, and two members of the Universal House of Justice, Hooper Dunbar and David Ruhe with Mrs. Ruhe.
The Maxwell teaching staff have a wide diversity of previous teaching experience and professional training. All staff teach classes in one or two “core” subject areas (visual arts, English, science, social studies, French, music, physical education, math and computers) but consciously approach these areas from a transdisciplinary perspective—creating a rich intermingling of ideas, approaches and concepts from many disciplines. Most of the teachers have taught in cross-cultural situations and/or have experience teaching in other countries—from native settlements above the Arctic Circle to European cities and African villages. When this wealth of personal backgrounds and diverse disciplines was brought together and encouraged to intensively study the spiritual meaning and significance of education, the most wonderful “unfolding” of Maxwell’s educational vision took place as the fruit of a truly consultative process.
The Maxwell International Bahá’í School sees learning as a process in which all branches of knowledge, human concerns, spiritual values and personal aspirations converge. Thus, the Maxwell curriculum expresses a wholistic concern for human spiritual, intellectual, social and physical development. As a learning community, Maxwell affirms nine core principles which guide the over-all program:
Young volunteers prepare a buffet lunch at the Maxwell Bahá’í School.
The Vision Principle: Infusing throughout the Maxwell program the spiritual vision and practical wisdom of the Bahá’í principles, and affirming these principles as the foundation of the over-all Maxwell program.
The Respect Principle: Expressing an unconditional positive regard for all persons and promoting, through word and example, a sense of reverence for God, oneself, other people, and the natural environment. Encouraging an awareness of the important relationships between oneself and all living things.
The Balance Principle: Recognizing the interconnection of spiritual, mental, emotional and physical health, and promoting the health of the whole person by providing balanced activities.
The Integration Principle: Demonstrating that each area of learning is highly valuable as a “window” on a rapidly changing global civilization. Exploring interconnections among all areas of learning and subject matter, showing through theory and practice the relationship of one area of learning to another.
The Excellence Principle: Providing clear, well-defined processes by which learners and teachers can together assess what is being learned and celebrate achievement. Helping each person to understand and value “excellence in all things.”
The Relevance Principle: Exploring the relevance of all learning for total life development (life—work, family, community service) and helping the process of understanding one’s own values in relation to real-life issues.
The Personal Development Principle: Developing a sense of personal responsibility for learning, and encouraging a capacity for independent investigation of truth. Aiding in developing creative and critical thinking abilities through all learning activities.
The Community Principle: Striving to promote the integration of the entire Maxwell School “family” (students, staff and families) into a caring and unified teaching/learning community. Helping each person to realize the fullness of potential within a nurturing community. Valuing both masculine and feminine attributes and encouraging respect for the necessary contributions of both to healthy community life.
The Global Citizenship Principle: Developing, through study and activities, a vision of “servant leadership” in the “global village.” Encouraging trans-cultural understanding by exploring the essence of diverse cultures and celebrating the contributions of all cultures, peoples and religions toward human advancement. Promoting an understanding that world peace is an urgent need of our time, and encouraging the attitudes and skills necessary for each individual to contribute to peace-
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Road construction for a new fire lane at the Maxwell School.
building.
Informed by these guiding “first principles,” the teaching staff have chosen five themes to provide a special focus of the curriculum throughout the school year. The themes are: “The Books Are Open” (referring to the need to study both the Book of Revelation and the Book of Creation for a balanced education); “The Oneness of Religion”; “The Oneness of Mankind”; “The Hidden Words,” and “Planetary Peace.” These themes will be followed throughout the Maxwell School program for 3-5 weeks each, and provide a common focus for inquiry and exploration. At the end of each theme period there will be a community-wide “celebration of learning” that will showcase special projects, provide opportunities for students to share learning, and include special arts and music programs.
The intent of the Maxwell School is to provide an excellent education infused throughout with the principles noted above. The core of the academic program, as far as content is concerned, is the curriculum recognized by the Provincial Government of British Columbia, a standard North American course of study providing broad exposure to central subject areas such as math, English and modern languages, arts, social studies and science. The Maxwell School will meet or exceed the government’s requirements in core subject areas and, additionally, provide courses in world religions, Bahá’í studies, visual arts, music, aquatics and computers that are not present in the regular government curriculum. Peace studies are infused throughout all curriculum areas. All students take part in weekly service projects. Although there will be no separate courses in those areas, environmental and outdoor education will play a large role in the Maxwell program because of the school’s setting in the heavily-forested mountains of British Columbia and the staff’s awareness of pressing ecological problems.
Preliminary steps are being taken for Maxwell to offer the International Baccalaureate Diploma, a highly regarded, internationally recognized secondary school degree. Because the International Baccalaureate program is quite rigorous and recognized for advanced placement purposes by colleges and universities around the world, an extensive application and preparation process is required for schools that request permission to grant the IB degree. Maxwell has taken the initial steps necessary to properly apply and prepare itself to offer the IB program, and the staff look forward to the time when the Maxwell School will be approved to offer the International Baccalaureate diploma.
Visiting classes at the Maxwell School, one sees an approach to learning characterized by (1) careful attention to assuring that high-quality learning takes place rather than a minimal compliance with standards; (2) a blending of various learning approaches to make the best possible connection with each individual student; (3) a classroom extended beyond the campus to include, as integral parts of the learning process, people, museums, libraries, arts events, and other resources from the culturally rich environment of Vancouver Island; (4) a focus toward trans-cultural and global learning experiences to help students learn from diversity, to see things that are common to different peoples, and to understand global issues; (5) opportunities to learn about all the great world religions from an attitude of respect and acceptance; (6) a balance of competitive and non-competitive activities with an emphasis on respect for common group goals and values in all of them; (7) exercises to teach creative conflict resolution; (8) use of group consultation to explore value questions and to encourage seeing issues from a thoughtful, compassionate perspective; (9) opportunities for public speaking; (10) the integration of arts and music throughout the curriculum; and (11) regular evaluation of students’ over-all progress using a variety of qualitative and quantitative measures.
Maxwell students are organized into “family groups,” in addition to grade-level and class groupings for other purposes. Family groups contain seven students and a faculty leader. These groups represent a mixture of ages and a balance of males and females. The family group always eat the noon meal together and meet frequently at other times for discussions and activities. As the family groups develop they will provide a trusting, comfortable atmosphere in which to develop consultative skills in such areas as problem-solving and exploring issues of moral development. Since most of the Maxwell School’s students are far from their own families, and many are away from
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home for the first time, the family
groups also provide a setting for
friendship and family-style intimacy.
Family groups are responsible, on a
rotating basis, for planning and leading the daily 15-minute all-school assembly program which normally includes prayers, singing, and a thought
for the day.
A Youth Year of Service program has brought eight young volunteers to the Maxwell School for a 10-month residence. Youth serve in such areas as gardening; office services; tutoring; kitchen; maintenance; helping supervise student activities such as recreation, sports, drama and service projects; housekeeping; leading deepening classes; and providing leadership in the residence halls.
During this first year of operation, most Maxwell students have come from outside the immediate area and thus live in residence halls on campus. There are a limited number of “day students” who live at home and commute each day to the school, and it is planned to increase that percentage of the student body each year. Each residence hall, besides housing students, has a live-in faculty “dorm parent” and several youth volunteers. The residence hall program includes daily group prayer, morning and evening.
Dr. David Ruhe, a member of the Universal House of Justice, speaks to staff at the Maxwell Bahá’í School.
Above: Among the recent visitors to
the Maxwell Bahá’í School were the
Hand of the Cause of God William Sears and Mrs. Sears. Below: Young
volunteers cut and stock firewood for
the cold, damp days ahead.
With the first academic year under way, the Maxwell International Bahá’í School looks to the challenges of its future development with a sense of expectation and optimism. Dr. Johnson and his wife, as principal and head of residence, respectively, are often heard speaking about this sense of expectation:
“We expect to produce students who will make a positive difference in these dramatic transitional years reaching toward the 21st century; we expect to develop approaches to education that will break exciting and healthy new paths; we expect to become a center of educational service and learning resources that will gradually come to infuse and enrich every Bahá’í community; we expect to become known throughout the world for the style of ‘servant leadership’ that characterizes our contribution to humanity; and we expect to work closely with the world-wide Bahá’í community to transcend the tests that will surely come. If we do not expect great things, and give every ounce of our faith and work to achieve even greater things, why should we exist?”
United States[edit]
Green Lake holds 29th Conference[edit]
Nearly 1,200 Bahá’ís and their guests gathered September 16-18 to “Have (Their) Vision Checked” at the 29th annual Green Lake Conference, held as always at the American Baptist Assembly’s conference center in Green Lake, Wisconsin.
Participants focused on “restoring vision ... where hope is lost,” as directed by the Universal House of Justice in its Riḍván 1988 message to the Bahá’ís of the world. The conference theme was “Have Your Vision Checked (Bring Your Contacts).”
Featured speakers included Auxiliary Board members Stephen Birkland, Javidukht Khadem and Morris Taylor; John Hatcher; Nadjla Birkland; Paul Lample from the U.S. National Teaching Committee office; and Claudius Adebayo from the National Treasurer’s Office.
In a spirit of unified action, four of the speakers joined Mr. Birkland on stage for a question-and-answer session called “Seeing Is Believing.”
The audience was captivated by the appearance of Allen and Mark Eghrari, five-year-old twins from Oak Brook, Illinois, who presented a memorized talk entitled “Humanity Is One Family.”
Two other children, who, like the Eghrari twins, are trained in public speaking by Gayle Woolson of Evanston, Illinois, also spoke: 10-year-old Erin Bodan of Glen Ellyn, Illinois, and 12-year-old Saba Firoozi of Glencoe.
Music was presented throughout the program, with one session devoted entirely to the arts.
Among those contributing their talents were singer/guitarist Mark Spittal of Minneapolis; pianist Cecilia Smith of Cleveland, Ohio; santour player Kiu Haghighi and his daughter, pianist Keely, of Glenview, Illinois; “Kindred Spirit,” singers Jill Simon and Rebecca Rice, also from Minneapolis, who performed the conference theme song, “Vision”; and vocalist Phyllis Peterson from Loves Park, Illinois.
Dorothy Marcic conducts a workshop at the Green Lake Conference.
Paul Baumgartner of Milwaukee shared some of his poetry including a poem dedicated to the memory of the Hand of the Cause of God Zikrullah Khadem.
The friends also enjoyed four audio-visual presentations: “Peace ... The Promise,” “Carmel,” “The Fourth Epoch Opens,” and “World Congress—1992.”
An exhibit hall featured a Bahá’í bookstore, arts and crafts, special interest booths, and a display of children’s peace posters.
A variety of activities was provided for the more than 350 children at the conference—everything from puppet-making to video taping, as well as gathering together to work on consultation skills and to talk about teaching the Faith.
Sessions for youth included presentations by some of the speakers, a soccer game, a watermelon feast, and the production of skits that depicted many ways to teach the Faith (as well as many ways not to teach).
As always, a number of optional sessions were offered on Saturday afternoon:
- With an Eye Toward Justice (Diane Loftus).
- Understanding and Promoting the Oneness of Mankind as a Requisite for Teaching (Morris Taylor).
- Close One Eye and Open the Other (Manouchehr Derakhshani and Puran Stevens).
- “I Care” Made Easy (Steve Suhm).
- Oshki Bemaudiziwin (Ojibwe for “Growth and Development”) Nick Hockings.
- Bahá’í Basics (Stephen Birkland).
- The Inner and Outer Covenant (Javidukht Khadem).
- Seeing and Creating Healthy Systems (Dorothy Marcic).
- Experiencing the Presence of God (Carolyn and Loren Ritacca).
- The Seven Valleys (Reza Shaker).
- Oneness of Mankind ... Youth Year of Service (Selma and Chuck Howard).
- Huqúqu’lláh: An Introduction (James Borland Jr.).
- Look, Then Leap ... Focusing Your Faith (Bob Reddy).
- Envision This ... Service at the World or National Center (Office of Human Resources, Bahá’í National Center).
- Eliminating Racism by Seeing Within (Rita Starr and Charles Young).
- Creative Visualization (Teddi Wehr).
- Brainstorming for Green Lake (Kamran Mesbah).
- Education Issues for the 21st Century (Joan M. Sayre).
- Yoga with Parents.
- Financial Planning for the Bahá’í Family (Gerald Helt).
- Choosing the Right Spouse for You (Sue and Khalil Khavari).
Green Lake: A photo album...
Top photo: Children at Green Lake busy themselves with some of the many activities provided for their enjoyment. Above: An impromptu ‘rap session’ engages some of the youth. Below: Youngsters are taught some of the basics of video equipment by a volunteer instructor.
Paul Lample, from the office of the
U.S. National Teaching Committee,
addresses the audience at the Green
Lake Conference.
Bahá’í International Community[edit]
A statement on the environment[edit]
Introduction[edit]
The Bahá’í International Community welcomes the request of the World Commission on Environment and Development to share its experience and views on environment and development within the framework of the Commission’s “Mandate, Key Issues, Strategy and Workplan.” This important document highlights a number of issues of vital concern to the Bahá’í International Community. We share the Commission’s perspective that this is “a time of unprecedented growth in pressures on the global environment.” More important, however, we also share the Commission’s relatively uncommon view that “it is possible to build a future that is more prosperous, more just and more secure.” Indeed, all of the activities and resources of the Bahá’í community are directed toward the establishment of a new world order.
The Bahá’í International Community agrees that “significant changes in current approaches: changes in perspectives, attitudes and life styles; changes in certain critical policies and the ways in which they are formulated and applied; changes in the nature of coöperation between governments, business, science and people; changes in certain forms of international coöperation which have proved incapable of tackling many environment and development issues; changes, above all, in the level of understanding and commitment by people, organizations and governments” are necessary. These far-reaching changes touch on all aspects of mankind’s collective life.
The recent Independent Commission
‘The economic resources of the world will be organized, its sources of raw materials will be tapped and fully utilized, its markets will be coordinated and developed, and the distribution of its products will be equitably regulated.’
on International Development Issues, in identifying and analyzing those factors which have inhibited progress, acknowledged the need “for a vision of the future without which no great task has ever been completed.” As we are in full agreement with that perspective, we feel it necessary to begin by presenting a brief summary of the vision we hold for the future along with some prerequisites for achieving it. This background places our subsequent comments on your report in context. It will be noticed that the major issues are seen by us as being defined by what may be called a “moral” or “attitudinal” agenda, which would be needed in addition to the “standard” and “alternative” agendas described by the Commission.
Vision of the future[edit]
World-wide, the Bahá’í community shares a common vision of the future which provides a focus for its many activities. It can be summarized as follows:
“The unity of the human race, as envisaged by Bahá’u’lláh,1 implies the establishment of a world commonwealth in which all nations, races, creeds, and classes are closely and permanently united, and in which the autonomy of its state members and the personal freedom and initiative of the individuals that compose them are definitely and completely safeguarded. This commonwealth must, as far as we can visualize it, consist of a world legislature, whose members will, as the trustees of the whole of mankind, ultimately control the entire resources of all the component nations, and will enact such laws as shall be required to regulate the life, satisfy the needs and adjust the relationships of all races and peoples.
| This statement was presented in June 1985 by the Bahá’í International Community to the World Commission on Environment and Development. |
A world executive, backed by an international Force, will carry out the decisions arrived at, and apply the laws enacted by this world legislature, and will safeguard the organic unity of the whole commonwealth. A world tribunal will adjudicate and deliver its compulsory and final verdict in all and any disputes that may arise between the various elements constituting this universal system. A mechanism of world inter-communication will be devised, embracing the whole planet, freed from national hindrances and restrictions, and functioning with marvelous swiftness and perfect regularity. A world metropolis will act as the nerve center of a world civilization, the focus toward which the unifying forces of life will converge and from which its energizing influences will radiate. A world language will either be invented or chosen from among the existing languages and will be taught in the schools of all the federated nations as an auxiliary to their mother tongue. A world script, a world literature, a uniform and universal system of currency, of weights and measures, will simplify and facilitate intercourse and understanding among the nations and races of mankind. In such a world society, science and religion, the two most potent forces in human life, will be reconciled, will coöperate, and will harmoniously develop. The press will, under such a system, while giving full scope to the expression of the diversified views and
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convictions of mankind, cease to be
mischievously manipulated by vested
interests, whether private or public,
and will be liberated from the influences of contending governments and
peoples. The economic resources of the
world will be organized, its sources of
raw materials will be tapped and fully
utilized, its markets will be coordinated
and developed, and the distribution of
its products will be equitably regulated.
“National rivalries, hatreds, and intrigues will cease, and racial animosity and prejudice will be replaced by racial amity, understanding, and coöperation. The causes of religious strife will be permanently removed, economic barriers and restrictions will be completely abolished, and the inordinate distinction between classes will be obliterated. Destitution on the one hand, and gross accumulation of ownership on the other, will disappear. The enormous energy dissipated and wasted on war, whether economic or political, will be consecrated to such ends as will extend the range of human inventions and technical development, to the increase of the productivity of mankind, to the extermination of disease, to the extension of scientific research, to the raising of the standard of physical health, to the sharpening and refinement of the human brain, to the exploitation of the unused and unsuspected resources of the planet, to the prolongation of human life, and to the furtherance of any other agency that can stimulate the intellectual, the moral, and spiritual life of the entire human race.”2
In the Bahá’í view, sustained progress is difficult to achieve (and perhaps impossible) if diverse elements of society are simultaneously pursuing different visions or goals. The issues of the standard agenda are often in conflict because isolated sectoral goals are usually not incorporated and balanced in a common vision of the future. Many features of the foregoing vision are no doubt shared by the Commission and, of course, implied in the Charter of the United Nations, since the Commission, established in 1983 by Resolution 11/3 of the Governing Council of the United Nations Environment Programme, was welcomed later that year by the UN General Assembly in Resolution 38/161, of 19 December. However, to achieve progress in the social and economic development of mankind and to minimize the destruction of the environment in which that development must take place, a clear common vision (even if at first it is general) is necessary.
Unity—A prerequisite to progress[edit]
Unity is essential if diverse people are to work toward a common future. However, there is little evidence to suggest that the peoples of the world have fully grasped the importance and implication of establishing unity. The Commission might wish to identify those aspects of unity which are essential to achieving the much-needed changes in the area of environment and development. In the Bahá’í view, “The well-being of mankind, its peace and security, are unattainable unless and until its unity is firmly established.”3
This contrasts with a widespread view that unity results from successful development. The Bahá’í community has, therefore, focused on the concept of unity and on actions designed to achieve it. Since, for Bahá’ís, humanity, an aggregate of spiritual beings dependent on the Creator of the universe, is one, unity does not imply “uniformity,” but means instead the achievement of harmony in diversity, the rich diversity of the one human race. Further, among the objectives, essential to world unity, which the Bahá’í community actively pursues are:
- The elimination of prejudice on the grounds of religion, race, nation, class or sex.
- The achievement of equal rights and opportunities for all human beings.
- The recognition and establishment of the effective harmony between science and religion.
- The unfettered search after truth by all individuals in society.
- The implementation of universal and compulsory education.
- The elimination of extremes of poverty and wealth.
- The preservation of the sanctity of marriage and family life.
Qualities of individuals and social groups[edit]
The Bahá’í community is convinced that the establishment of unity and the material and spiritual progress of mankind require individuals who are characterized by a high standard of morality and integrity. Historically, all of the world’s major religions have provided the guidance and motivating force for the establishment of the ethical standards essential to the development of human society. Although the Bahá’í International Community, through its local and national communities, is engaged in implementing development activities and in providing community services, its first and fundamental purpose is one of inculcating the moral standards and creating the social co-
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hesion required for successful and sustainable social and economic development by environment and development agencies and by individuals. In the Bahá’í view, individuals should strive to
be distinguished “for faithfulness and
sincerity, for justice and fidelity, for
firmness and steadfastness, for philanthropic deeds and service to the human
world, for love toward every human
being, for unity and accord with all
people, for removing prejudices and
promoting international peace.”3
Groups of people or communities also require certain essential qualities if they are to develop. From the Bahá’í experience, those characteristics include universal participation, the art of consultation, and self-reliance. In the Bahá’í view, universal participation is “a concept which means the involvement of all community members regardless of sex or age in the affairs of the community, (and) provides for full deployment of all human resources. This is a supportive climate for anyone who is aiming for the fulfillment of his or her potential, whether mentally, emotionally, artistically, spiritually, or educationally. Moreover, the consultative process achieves many goals in the local community by combining the rights of individuals to express their opinions and the requirements of the collectivity.”4
One of the challenges before the Commission, we feel, is to identify a strategy that could facilitate the mobilization of the world’s spiritual and human resources for the purpose of raising the moral standard of mankind and creating new environmental ethics. The Commission may also wish to identify and highlight those aspects of community functioning and development without which real progress is impossible.
Comments on ‘Mandate, Key Issues, Strategy and Workplan’[edit]
Bahá’ís accept that to achieve economic and social progress “the chief goal is the development of the individual and society, through the acquisition of spiritual virtues and powers.”5 Material development, although necessary, is a secondary goal intended to facilitate the intellectual and spiritual development of the individual. Material progress is largely a reflection of the degree of man’s spiritual growth. With respect to environment, from the Bahá’í perspective, “We cannot segregate the human heart from the environment outside us and say that once one of these is reformed everything will be improved. Man is organic with the world. His inner life moulds the environment and is itself also deeply affected by it. The one acts upon the other and every abiding change in the life of man is the result of these mutual reactions.”6 Thus we see that the environment includes the mind and that development of the mind is foremost in importance.
Key issues[edit]
The standard agenda given by the Commission reflects the most commonly mentioned issues of importance to environment and development. However, there are a few additions that are becoming increasingly important. Because of the relation between the human mind and the environment, we suggest that the key issues should also include pollution of the mind by noise. Particularly in urban settings, noise levels become excessive from traffic, machinery and other human activity.
There is evidence to suggest that “space” also is critical to the state of mind of people. Perhaps the depletion of living space and stress-creating crowd conditions should be included as either a natural resource or a human settlements issue. Religious communities, and also many non-religious groups and individuals, recognize the need for an undisturbed place for quiet thought and meditation. The physiological and psychological effects of lack of space can be a very real impediment to human progress.
The Commission’s alternative agenda provides a different point of view on the key issues of environment and development. It is fully agreed that it is valuable to consider causes rather than effects in order to avoid “react-and-cure” solutions. From an eco-system viewpoint, the alternative agenda emphasizes processes rather than the individual state variables of the standard agenda. Certainly an eco-system perspective is useful in that it allows an understanding of the process and gives a framework for multi-disciplinary approaches. The eco-system approach leads to conceptual models of energy flow and nutrient cycling. Adjusting the partitioning of the elements of such dynamic systems can give rise to technical solutions to some problems. The Commission’s example of “Energy: Environment and Development” is a case in point. Reducing entropy in processing energy will probably result in reduced production of atmospheric carbon dioxide.
While the alternative formulation of the Key Issues provides an eco-system perspective instead of isolated approaches to sectoral problems of environment and development, it does not really address the question of “sources” of problems as implied in the limitations of the standard approach (Page 20, V-43). The eco-system approach (alternative strategy), nevertheless, is quite useful from a technical perspective and will no doubt give rise to technical solutions to limited aspects of the environment-development problem.
As already indicated, the alternative agenda, in our view, needs to be supplemented because it does not deal with the root causes of environmental problems. Mankind is part of the global eco-system along with all the other biotic and abiotic components. Neither the processes which link these components together nor the individual components themselves can be called the sources of problems because the part is not the cause of the whole. All parts of a system act and react on one another directly or indirectly. That there is an imbalance is, however, evident, but the problem is not confined to any one part. Thus a comprehensive solution is needed. The dilemma is that because man is part of the system he cannot possibly comprehend the whole, and therefore is limited in his capacity to provide a remedy to the complex of global problems. It is in this context that people of religion view the crucial role of the teachings given by their Founders, who are perceived as being in touch with a Source external to the system.
The sources of the global crisis of environment and development, in the Bahá’í view, are the lack of a globally accepted vision or goal of the future; the lack of unity among the races, tribes, nations, creeds and sexes of the human population; the need for a higher moral standard among the individuals of the world; and the lack of skills for the effective functioning of groups. Although the technical perspectives of
[Page 11]
both the standard agenda and the alternative agenda are valuable and must be
considered, the Bahá’í International
Community does not expect the necessary progress without a commitment to
an “attitudinal agenda” such as that
outlined herein. We therefore recommend that the Commission incorporate
attitudinal and educational issues in its
strategy and workplan.
Strategy and Workplan[edit]
The objective of international coöperation does not seem to have been discussed by the Commission in the report. We agree with the general view expressed that there is a need “to strengthen international coöperation on environment and development and to assess and propose new forms of coöperation that can break out of existing patterns and influence policies and events in the direction of needed change.” The previously described “attitudinal agenda” can, in our opinion, be a basis for addressing these critical issues. In the area of practical international coöperation, it is our view that non-governmental organizations can play an important role. Recent efforts by the Environment Liaison Centre to encourage networking among NGOs is but one example of possible courses of action.
With respect to the short-term task of the Commission, the Bahá’í International Community stands ready to participate in the meetings that are planned in various parts of the world, and we would therefore appreciate receiving a schedule of events. Such meetings would enable us to exchange further views on the issues of environment and development and convey information from the Commission to members of the Bahá’í community throughout the world.
In the long term, we are prepared to participate in a number of areas to which reference is made on page 33 of the Commission’s document. The Bahá’í community has a global network of more than 40,000 communities which are dedicated to the establishment of a new world order in which development and environment are harmoniously interwoven. Bahá’í communities at local and national levels are increasingly applying themselves to bringing about also material progress. On a limited scale this is now being done with regard to health care, aforestation, primary education, and agriculture. What the Bahá’í communities have to offer is, however, not so much technical solutions to problems but rather a model of community decision-making and administrative structures which allow genuine progress to be made.
Concluding comment[edit]
The Bahá’í International Community appreciates this opportunity to contribute to the Commission’s worthwhile and difficult task. We are committed to progress in harmoniously solving environmental and development issues. We stand ready to coöperate with the Commission in its future activities and to partake in workshops, conferences and projects. We wish the Commission all success in its demanding undertaking.
- References
- Prophet-Founder of the Bahá’í Faith.
- From the Bahá’í Writings.
- From a message from the Universal House of Justice, the international governing council of the Bahá’í International Community.
- From the Bahá’í Writings.
- From the Bahá’í Writings.
- From the Bahá’í Writings.
The world[edit]
Historic North-South Conference held[edit]
On the weekend of September 3-4, an historic North-South Conference was held in Londonderry, Northern Ireland.
The conference was called by the Spiritual Assembly of Londonderry and endorsed by the National Spiritual Assemblies of the Republic of Ireland and the United Kingdom, each of whom was represented at the conference—Ireland by Gerry O’Mahony and the United Kingdom by Iain Palin.
The main purpose was to investigate the needs and promote understanding of the Faith among Catholics, especially in the north.
To this end a practical demonstration was arranged in Shantallow, a Catholic area of the city, when 26 of the friends gathered for prayers and went to meet some of the local people.
Of the 53 people at the conference, 14 came from the Republic of Ireland and 36 from Northern Ireland. In all, 19 separate areas of Ireland were represented.
A member of the Bahá’í community of Ireland gave a talk on “Spirituality” last March at a meeting commemorating International Women’s Day.
About 60 people including members of the local clergy attended the event, which was sponsored by the Waterford Federation of Women’s Organizations in Ireland.
Mauritius[edit]
The new national Hazíratu’l-Quds of Mauritius was inaugurated in a ceremony last September 24 in Port Louis that included the participation of the country’s Governor-General, Sir Veerasamy Ringadoo.
The dignified and spiritual occasion was publicized by the press, radio and television.
Bolivia[edit]
Students enjoy their day at Badí School, an educational institution established by a Bahá’í family in Sucre, Bolivia, in 1984. The school is bi-lingual and incorporates Bahá’í principles in its curriculum. In 1987, about 800 students were enrolled.
Nigeria[edit]
The united efforts of the Bahá’ís of Eket, near the southern coast of Nigeria, have resulted in 28 new local Spiritual Assemblies being formed there and 643 people embracing the Faith.
The campaign, named the Olinga-Akwa Ibom Teaching Project, was carried out by a group of 27 Bahá’í teachers. Other mass campaigns employing the same group teaching methods are planned.
Mina Jafari, executive secretary of the Bahá’í Women’s Development Board, has been told that her paper, “Educate Women, Build a Nation,” which was presented this year at the International Women’s Day celebrations for the Kaduna State Ministry of Health, is to be published as a booklet and distributed among the local governments in Kaduna State.
On that same occasion, a non-Bahá’í presented a paper entitled “Integration of Women in Economic Development” which began with three quotations from the Bahá’í Writings.
Panama[edit]
Pictured are participants and winners in the third annual athletic competition held last September 25 to commemorate the International Day of Peace and organized by Radio Bahá’í of Panama in Boca del Monte, Chiriqui Province. This year, besides cross-country races for men, women and youth, a variety of other competitions was held including drawing and painting contests among all the students in Chiriqui.
United Kingdom[edit]
Bahá’ís in Eniskillen, Northern Ireland, responded to a recent bombing incident in that city by organizing a vigil to promote unity in the strife-ridden community.
After receiving clearances from the National Spiritual Assembly of the United Kingdom, the Bahá’ís in Eniskillen began posting advertisements for the event.
A Methodist minister who contacted the Bahá’ís to inquire about the vigil continued to act as a liaison between the friends and the local clergy.
Instead of the 150 or so people expected, about 1,000 people gathered to take part in the procession and vigil. One report said, “It was the most dignified crowd I had ever seen.”
The people came together in silence. Song sheets were handed out and everyone began to sing, moving down the street “as one body, without any leader.” The feeling of unity was reported to be “tangible.”
As a result of contacts made in this bold initiative, the local Bahá’ís are now helping a new group that is promoting cross-community activities in Eniskillen.
Forty-eight participants from a variety of artistic disciplines met February 20-21 at the Bahá’í Center in Rutland Gate for the first national Bahá’í Arts Symposium in the United Kingdom.
The purpose of the gathering was to explore ways in which to use the arts for teaching and development projects.
The importance of integrating the arts into one’s individual Bahá’í life was stressed throughout the weekend.
Liberia[edit]
The Robert Doughbeh Elementary School in Liberia’s Gardnersville Community has applied to the National Spiritual Assembly of Liberia to be accepted as a Bahá’í school.
After studying the Faith for a period of several months, the school’s principal invited the Bahá’ís to teach the Faith during devotional services each Friday morning.
From June through August, besides teaching the Faith, Mrs. Beatrice Matthews, the Bahá’í National Librarian for Liberia, also taught personal hygiene at the school.
Other Bahá’ís who taught there were Henry Appleton, Elouise Sanders, Mr. and Mrs. William Hill, and Elham Springer.
Last June, the principal enrolled in the Faith, after which he attended a mass teaching institute.
Tanzania[edit]
Students from the Ruaha Technical Secondary School, a Bahá’í-run school in Iringa, Tanzania, are pictured during a recent three-week session at the Institute. In addition to classes on Bahá’í topics and the practice of public speaking, activities included a program attended by 80 townspeople, gardening work for the Institute, and a teaching trip to neighboring villages.
Spain[edit]
The Bahá’í community of Spain held its first Bahá’í Youth Conference last July 7-10 in Madrid.
Participants from Canada, the Canary Islands, Crete, Holland, Italy, Northern Ireland, Puerto Rico, Spain and the United States came together to discuss “entry by troops.”
Consultation was divided into four areas of concern: the Year of Service, teaching trips, contributing to the Fund, and recognition of the significance of the messages of the Universal House of Justice.
As a result of the conference, two families and one youth volunteered for a Year of Service, three teaching teams visited four local goal cities, nearly $100 (U.S.) was contributed to the Fund, deepenings on messages from the Universal House of Justice were held, and four young people embraced the Faith.
Important people in the town of Tarragona, Spain, were invited to a celebration of the 10th anniversary of the formation of its local Spiritual Assembly.
At the end of the festivities, which were enhanced by music from a talented group, “Catalonia,” seven people from communities in the area embraced the Faith.
Liberia[edit]
On October 24, 1987, United Nations Day, a Bahá’í in Liberia, Mrs. LaVerne C. Enoanyi, was recognized (with other Liberian women) by the Ministry of Information, Culture and Tourism for outstanding achievements in the field of communication.
The honor came as a result of Mrs. Enoanyi’s work (with her husband, Frank Enoanyi) in starting the first magazine in Liberia dedicated to advancing the status of women.
Chile[edit]
Last July, 27 participants from 15 communities including six from the rural Mapuche Indian areas gathered for the first instructional institute to be held by Radio Bahá’í in Chile since its founding in December 1986. They consulted on the potential of Radio Bahá’í, underwent volunteer training, and shared the joys and challenges of Bahá’í radio. To symbolize their spirit of unified action, those attending the institute planted 50 trees on the grounds of the station.
Tonga[edit]
Sione Tu’itahi, Auxiliary Board member for Tongatapu and ‘Eua, presented a talk on the Faith last August 20 to a meeting of the heads of the Department of the Free Wesleyan Church of Tonga.
The event, which was designed to bring together department heads and church volunteers from overseas to meet and to listen to a lecture on a topic of interest, drew about 40 prominent church members including the secretary, the principals of the three major church schools, heads of various departments, and many overseas volunteers.
A 30-minute question-and-answer session after the talk elicited questions about the persecution of Bahá’ís in Iran as well as many about the basic Bahá’í beliefs.
The Gambia[edit]
As part of an ongoing effort to distribute the peace statement and to promote an understanding of its contents, the National Spiritual Assembly of The Gambia organized a World Peace Seminar last January 31 at which speakers of various faiths contributed ideas about peace from the teachings of their respective religions.
An Indian medical doctor spoke on Hinduism; a Gambian educator spoke on Christianity; a Canadian pioneer to Senegal spoke about the peace statement; and the guest of honor, Sarjo Touray, parliamentary secretary of the government Ministry of Education, himself a Muslim, made positive remarks about the importance of religion in working for peace, and expressed his appreciation for the efforts of the Bahá’ís in that respect.
France[edit]
Six hundred-fifty people gathered at an assembly hall in Antibes, France, last February 23 to see an audio-visual program presented by Bahá’í André Brugiroux.
The presence of the assistant mayor and media representatives led to favorable reports in the newspaper Nice-Matin.
About 70 people remained after the formal program for more information.
Last March 3, about 50 people attended a public lecture in Grenoble, France, celebrating the European Year of the Environment.
Dr. Arthur Dahl, a consulting ecologist and Bahá’í presently living in France, spoke on the theme “Environment and the Future of Man.”
Dr. Dahl later met with the mayor-assistant of Grenoble and was interviewed for half an hour on France-Isère Radio.
Venezuela[edit]
An intense discussion is held during one of the workshop sessions at the International Youth Conference last August 18-21 in Maracaibo, Venezuela.
A few days after Venezuela’s first International Youth Conference, held last August 18-21 in Maracaibo, several groups of young people began to put their words into action. In Coro, the country’s oldest city, 270 new believers were enrolled in five days.
More than 220 youth from North and South America attended the conference to consult on “Youth at the Service of Mankind.” The impressive results of their teaching efforts exemplify their determination to be the “driving force” of the Bahá’í community.
The young people heard addresses by Counsellors Isabel de Calderón, Gustavo Correa and Peter McLaren. Also present were eight members of the Auxiliary Board and several members of the National Spiritual Assembly of Venezuela and its committees.
Dr. Rafael Yanes C., director of churches for the Ministry of Justice, presented the opening address, praising the Faith and the spirit of service of the Bahá’í youth.
After presenting an inspiring concert during the conference, Bahá’ís K.C. Porter and Rodolfo Castillo were interviewed on youth-oriented radio and television programs and by a local newspaper.
Conference participants were invited to make pledges of service to the Cause of God, and a cable was sent to the Universal House of Justice which read in part: “... Offers 21 Year of Service, 19 pioneers, 14 participants Youth Force, more than 25 youth groups and others....”
Sierra Leone[edit]
Last April 27, students at the Bahá’í Primary School in Yikandor, Sierra Leone, helped celebrate the 27th anniversary of that country’s independence.
The children paraded through the town singing “We are the boys/girls of the Bahá’í school.” As they approached the center of town they were joined by their parents and other townspeople, young and old alike.
On their arrival at the Town Hall, the children lined up with their teachers for a presentation to the Town Chief, Moibeh Jusu.
The national anthem of Sierra Leone was sung, and the head teacher, A.S. Momudu, delivered a message from Major General Joseph Saidu to the people of the village.
Malaysia[edit]
A Bahá’í in Gombak, West Malaysia, who always wanted to be a traveling teacher but was unable to obtain leave from work, conceived an idea for international teaching in Thailand by corresponding from his home in Malaysia.
He wrote to the Bangkok Post and asked that his name be placed in the “pen-pal” column. It didn’t take long for letters to begin flowing in, and for friendships to develop.
So far he has sent about 80 copies of the peace statement to various pen-pals, most of whom have heard of the Faith for the first time through this exchange.
Michael Soo, a Bahá’í from Bintangor, Malaysia, was recently rewarded for his literary talents when his work, “Getting the Malaysian Public to Read,” became the winning essay in the Borneo Post for January 1. He also won a consolation prize for another essay published in the same paper and entitled “Student Discipline.”
Six people embraced the Faith during the Tamil Summer School held last April 29-May 2 at the Yan Kee Leong Institute in Malaysia.
Two hundred-sixty Bahá’ís attended the school, whose theme was “Toward the Lesser Peace.”
Tan Hock Siew, an Auxiliary Board member from Malaysia, recently received a national award of the Scout Association for his excellent services and outstanding performance as a Scout leader.
Peru[edit]
Pictured is a group of young non-Bahá’ís from Cajamarca, Peru, who have begun promoting the concept of world peace using Bahá’í principles. They have placed Bahá’í posters in the public square, delivered copies of the peace statement to local officials, and produced a play, ‘The Flag,’ which ends with the unfurling of a white flag bearing the inscription ‘Unidad de la Humanidad’ (The Unity of Mankind).
A youth seminar called “A New World” was held last February 6-7 at the International Bahá’í Summer School in Lima, Peru.
The seminar brought together 16 non-Bahá’í youth groups, establishing their relationship with the Bahá’í community.
As a result, a youth group was formed in Lima with its first meeting convened by the Bahá’ís.
New Zealand[edit]
A “rescue plan” developed by the National Spiritual Assembly of New Zealand to achieve that country’s goal of 66 local Spiritual Assemblies inspired and directed the energies of New Zealand’s Bahá’í community for the three months between the first of the year and Riḍván 1988.
The final report reads: “The Rescue Plan rekindled the spirit of travel teaching in New Zealand; encouraged and directed the enthusiasm and energy of numbers of youth, giving the community a glimmer of their potential; inspired and assisted small communities to be courageous in their teaching efforts and confront or ignore their perceived limitations ... fanned to life a flame.”
Paraguay[edit]
One hundred-thirty women from seven countries in the Americas attended the first International Women’s Conference in Paraguay which opened last July 15.
Among those present were Counsellors for the Americas Isabel Pavón de Calderón and Shapoor Monadjem.
The conference was given extensive coverage for several days on both local television channels and all three newspapers.
Costa Rica[edit]
Nearly 120 people, mainly youth, from North, Central and South America came to the Charles Wolcott Youth Institute last January 22-25 to take part in Costa Rica’s third International Youth Conference.
The event, whose theme was “Youth Participation ... Vibrant Power,” was reported to have been “successful beyond all expectations.”
A television crew made up of two youth from El Salvador, a Bahá’í from Venezuela, and two non-Bahá’í volunteers filmed the conference for a program to be aired in El Salvador.
Immediately afterward, 20 young Bahá’ís went on teaching trips throughout Panama and Costa Rica.
Johnny Martin Bonilla, a Bahá’í from Costa Rica, has become the first blind person in Central America to graduate from a course of study that qualifies him to be a radio and television announcer.
Since finishing the course in July 1987, Mr. Bonilla has been looking for an opportunity to host his own program especially for youth.
Macau[edit]
Pictured in front of the school are students and teachers who took part in last summer’s program at the Bahá’í School of the Nations in Macau. Thirty-eight children were enrolled in the half-day language program, which is designed to help prepare students for school in September. The program for Chinese-speaking children is in English, and the program for English-speaking children is in Mandarin Chinese.
Kenya[edit]
The Bahá’í Faith is now listed as a topic of study in the Christian Religious Education syllabus of Kenya. As a result, the head of Christian Religious Education at Shanzu Teacher Training College in Mombasa invited speakers from the local Bahá’í community last February to address first-year students on the general beliefs and practices of the Faith.
Some 420 students heard an address on the history and principles of the Faith. They were most attentive, and asked many questions during the two-hour session.
Atieno Mboya, a young woman from Kenya, set much of Malawi alight during a recent teaching visit.
She began her work in the southern districts of Bangula, Mulanje and Ntechu, and completed it in the north.
At Rumphi Boys Secondary School, after being welcomed by the headmaster and talking to the students, she was invited to return the following day. After her second talk, 53 youth embraced the Faith.
Thailand[edit]
Pictured are the principals in the first Bahá’í wedding held in a refugee camp. The marriage took place last October 7 at Site 2 North Camp in Thailand.
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