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One Country Volume 11 Issue 4 - Jan-Mar, 2000

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Newsletter of the Bahd’i International Community January-March 2000 Volume 11, Issue 4

4

At the United Na- tions, women look ahead to June and Beijing Plus Five

In Botswana, a village- level sewing club offers new opportunities for women without jobs.

In India, the Baha’i community helps with relief efforts after a “super-cyclone.”

16

Review: The Saddlebag — Bahiyyih Nakhjavani produces an evocative first novel set in nine- teenth century Iran

“The earth is but one country, and mankind its citizens” - Bahd’u‘llah

Madame Ruthiyyih Rabbani, leading

Baha'i dignitary, passes away in Haifa An author, filmmaker and lecturer who cared deeply for the environ-

ment and indigenous peoples, she held a preeminent position as a Baha'i representative; millions mourn.

HAIFA, Israel — Madame Ruhiyyih Rabbani, the preeminent international dignitary of the Baha’i Faith, passed away on 19 January 2000.

An author, poet, filmmaker and lecturer, Madame Rabbani was a tireless champion for peace, environmental conservation, and respect for the rights of indigenous peoples.

As a Hand of the Cause, the highest position occupied by individuals in the Baha'i Faith, she also played an important role in promoting the unity and integration of the Baha'i community over the years. She traveled extensively, visiting some 185 countries and territories to encourage the spiritual and moral development of Baha’t communities.

In addition, as the widow of Shoghi Effendi, who headed the Baha’i Faith from 1921 to 1957, she was the Baha’i world’s last remain- ing link to the family of ‘Abdu’l-Baha, who headed the Faith from 1892 to 192] and was the eldest son of the Faith's Founder, Baha’u'llah

Thousands of memorial services have been held by Baha’i communities around the world, and the Baha’i International Commu- nity received condolences from heads of state and government, including US Presi- dent William Clinton, French President Jacques Chirac and Canadian Governor Gen- eral Adrienne Clarkson. Other persons of prominence, including HRH The Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, also sent con- dolences. Her passing was widely reported in the world’s news media, including The New York Times, Le Monde, the Associated Press, Agence France Presse, and the Brit- ish Broadcasting Corporation

“Down the centuries to come, the follow- ers of Baha'u'llah will contemplate with won- der and gratitude the quality of the services — ardent, indomitable, resourceful — that she brought to the protection and promotion of the [Baha’i] Cause,” wrote the Universal House of Justice, the international governing council of the Baha’i Faith, in a message to the Baha'i world that announced Madame Rabbani’s passing.

She represented the Universal House of Justice on numerous occasions, both at Baha’i com- munity events and in contacts with government officials and other dignitaries. On its behalf, she presented its statement, “The Promise of World Peace,” to the Secretary-General of the United Nations in November 1985, and attended the second Baha'i World Congress held in New York City in November 1992.

Madame Ruhiyyih Rabbani

Madame Rabbani, continued on page 10 [Page 2]

is ed quarterly by the ice of Public Information of the Bahd’t International Community, an international non-governmental organiza- tion which encompasses and represents the worldwide membership of the Baha’t Faith.

For more information on the stories in this newsletter, or any aspect of the Baha’t International Community and its work, please contact:

ONE COUNTRY

Baha'i International Community - Suite 120 866 United Nations Plaza New York, New York 10017 USA.

E-mail: lcountry@bic.org http:/www.onecountry.org

Executive Editor: Ann Boyles

Editor: Brad Pokorny

Associate Editors:

Nancy Ackerman (Moscow) Christine Samandari-Hakim (Paris)

Kong Siew Huat (Macau) Guilda Walker (London)

Editorial Assistant: Veronica Shoffstall

Design: Mann & Mann

Subscription inquiries should be directed to the above address, All material is copyrighted by the Baha'i International Community and subject to all applicable international copyright laws. Stories from this newsletter may be republished by any organization provided that they are attributed as follows: “Reprinted from ONE COUNTRY, the newsletter of the Baha'i International Community.”

© 2000 by The Baha’'t International Community

ISSN 1018-9300

Printed on recycled paper ®

FRSA

Religion and the advancement of women

[Editors note: The following article first appeared in The Greatness Which Might Be Theirs, a booklet published by the Baha’i International Community in advance of the 1995 Fourth World Conference on Women, under the title: “Religion as an Agent for Promoting the Advancement of Women at all Levels.” The author, Janet A. Khan, has a Ph.D. from the University of Michigan and taught psychology at the University of Queensland in Australia before moving to Haifa, Israel, where she currently serves in the Research Department at the Baha’t World Centre. Given its broad relevance to the upcoming Beijing Plus Five conference at the United Nations, we are reprinting this article now.]

“According to the spirit of this age, women must advance and fulfill their mission in all departments of life, becoming equal to men. They must be on the same level as men and enjoy equal rights. This is my earnest prayer and it is one of the fundamental principles of Baha'u'llah.” — ‘Abdu’l-Baha

The Platform for Action of the Fourth World Conference on Women in Beijing stresses the importance of safeguarding women’s human rights and emphasizes-the principle of shared responsibility and part- nership between women and men as the basis for achieving equality, development and peace. It sets out an Agenda for Equal- ity which calls for immediate action to cre- ate a peaceful, developed, and just world, based on the principle of equality and built on the strength of women’s knowledge, en- ergy, creativity and skills, for peoples of all ages and from all walks of life. The Plat- form for Action thus addresses the issues associated with the advancement of women from the standpoint of moral prin- ciple, as distinct from pure pragmatism. Effective implementation of these objec- tives will, necessarily, require changes in values, behavior, and procedures and modification of the internal dynamics of power and organizational structures.

The great religions of the world have tra- ditionally been important sources of vision and values, and primary agents of socialization. The spiritual principles and values they incul-

cate not only form the basis of a unifying world-view, but also serve to motivate indi- viduals and social institutions both to act on these principles and to use them as a standard against which to weigh practical actions. Religious values have a dual potential — either to foster human solidarity or to in- tensify the processes of division and social fragmentation. Indeed, the history of the role of religion in promoting the advancement of women discloses a most uneven record. While, typically, in the early years of their existence, religions tended to encourage the advancement and participation of women, at other times, women have been actively held back and oppressed by religion, espe- cially when the forces of extremism prevail. While many commentators acknowledge the enduring relevance of the universal spiri- tual values inculcated by religion, they ex- press the view that the application of these values needs to be re-examined in light of the trend towards globalization as well as the changing social circumstances and their impact on women. As a contribution to this discourse we offer the example of the Baha’ Faith, which has a system of values that cat- egorically upholds the principle of the equal- ity of women and men in all areas of human endeavour and whose worldwide commu- nity is actively working for the emancipa- tion of women, most especially in those parts of the globe where the rights of women are traditionally and persistently denied. We will highlight those moral and spiritual prin- ciples, which, in our view, facilitate the shift in values required for the effective imple- mentation of the Agenda for Equality. Recognition of the basic oneness of hu- mankind is a prerequisite to social evolu- tion and the future well-being of the earth and its peoples. Integral to this concept is the principle of the equality of the sexes. The rights of women are clearly upheld by the Founder, Baha'u'llah. He emphatically asserts that, “Women and men have been and will always be equal in the sight of God.” The rational soul has no gender, and the social inequalities that may have been dic- tated by the survival requirements of the past can no longer be justified in an age when

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ONE COUNTRY / January-March 2000 [Page 3]the members of the human family are be- coming daily more interdependent.

The principle of equality has profound implications for the definition of the roles of women and men. It impinges on all aspects of human relations and is an integral element in domestic, economic, and community life. The application of this principle must necessarily entail a change in many traditional habits and practices. It rejects rigid role delineation, pat- terns of domination and arbitrary decision- making; calls for women to be welcomed into full partnership in all fields of human en- deavor; and allows for the evolution of the roles of men and women.

The principle of equality also influences the manner in which the advancement of women is fostered. The Baha’ Writings con- tain the image of humanity as a bird in which one wing is woman and the other man. Un- less both wings are strong and well-developed, the bird will not be able to fly, The develop- ment of women is considered vital to the full development of men and is seen as a prereq- uisite to peace. Hence, the members of the Baha'i community, male and female alike, and its democratically elected administrative coun- cils share a strong commitment to the prac- tice of the principle of equality in their per- sonal lives, in their families, and in all aspects of social and civic life. Individuals and social institutions collaborate in encouraging the development and emancipation of women, and in designing and implementing programs to enhance their spiritual, social, and economic development.

Great emphasis is placed on education in the Baha'i Faith as a means of promoting the advancement of women. The religion not only upholds the principle of universal edu- cation, but it accords priority to the educa- tion of girls and women when resources are limited, since it is only through educated mothers that the benefits of knowledge can be most effectively and rapidly diffused throughout society. It advocates that girls and boys follow the same curriculum in school, and women are encouraged to study the arts, crafts, sciences, and professions and to enter all fields of work, even those tradi- tionally the exclusive province of men.

Education is considered an important means of empowering women. Apart from the acquisition of knowledge and moral val- ues conducive to social evolution, education provides such benefits as the development of the mind, and training in logical and ana- lytical thinking, organizational, administra-

tive and management skills, as well as en- hanced self esteem and improved status within the community.

The type of education envisaged and ac- tively pursued by the Baha’f community strengthens the role of mothers and encour- ages the spirit of cooperation in men. It pre- pares women for participation in all fields of endeavour and provides them with the practical skills to enable them to share power and decision-making. Women serve at all levels of the Baha’i administrative sys- tem, playing a distinguished role on the in- ternational level and being elected to mem- bership of Baha’i national and local govern- ing councils in all parts of the world.

The system of values embodied in the Baha’ Faith is giving rise to the develop- ment of a vibrant worldwide community which is committed to promoting the eman- cipation and advancement of women. The approach which has been adopted is con- scious and evolutionary. This religion is en- gaged, long term, in implementing system- atic plans, plans that are guided and sus- tained by the vision of the principle of equal- ity of the sexes, developed through consul- tation and with the full participation of women, implemented in a spirit of coop- eration, and fully supported by its govern- ing institutions. Such an approach is con- ducive to effecting fundamental social re- construction and to lending significant sup- port toward achieving the objectives of the Agenda of Equality as set out in the Plat- form for Action. %¥

In London, the Baha'is of the United Kingdom held a reception on 21 March 2000 to formally launch the All Party Parliamentary Friends of the Baha'is, a group of parliamentarians concerned with the ongoing persecution of the Baha'is in Iran. Some 100 guests, including at least 14 parliamentarians, attended the reception, Member of Parliament Peter Hain is shown above at left with the Hon. Barnabas Leith, Secretary-General of the Baha'i community of the United Kingdom. Mr. Hain is Minister of State at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office.

ONE COUNTRY / January-March 2000 [Page 4]

Women of the world look ahead to Beijing Plus Five in June

UNITED NATIONS — For the better part of March, the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) worked to assess progress for women around the world since the 1995 Fourth World Conference on Women in Beijing.

The goal was to prepare for a Special Session of the United Nations General As- sembly scheduled for June 5-9, which seeks to produce international agreement on the next steps towards implementing the Beijing Platform for Action, the ground-breaking plan for the worldwide advancement of women adopted by the Beijing Conference.

Although the 45 governments that com- pose the CSW were successful in negotiat- ing many points, agreement was not reached on numerous passages in the draft document that will be adopted at the June Special Ses- sion, which is known colloquially as “Beijing Plus Five” and officially as “Women 2000: Gender Equality, Development and Peace for the 21" Century.”

The key points of debate involved sexual and reproductive rights, human rights, eco- nomic issues related to globalization, and the unwillingness of governments to pro- vide the amount of funding for international development that was agreed on at previ- ous UN conferences. In the lingo of the UN diplomacy, passages concerning those points were left with many “brackets” — meaning they will be edited or changed later, in spe- cial conferences before June or at the June event itself.

Nevertheless, a number of positive points emerged from the Commission’s annual meeting, held from 3-17 March. For one thing, it was decided that new non-govern- mental organizations (NGOs) can apply for accreditation to the Beijing Plus Five meet- ing in June. In addition, many speakers high- lighted the importance of women’s equality in a broad range of international issues.

The president of the UN Security Coun- cil, for example, spoke about the essential role of women in the maintenance of peace and security. In an address on 8 March, Interna-

tional Women’s Day, Ambassador Anwarul Karim Choudhury said that women must be “empowered politically and economically, and represented adequately at all levels of decision- making” at every stage of the process of estab- lishing and maintaining peace.

Felicity Hill, director of the UN office of Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom, said she was “thrilled” by Amb. Choudhury’s comments. “All the issues that we're very concerned about, including the inclusion of women in peace-building, peace-negotiation and conflict reconstruc- tion work were very clearly articulated by the president of the Security Council and this is a big first,” said Ms. Hill.

Bani Dugal-Gujral, director of the Office for the Advancement of Women of the Baha’i International Community, said this year’s meeting was also notable for the degree to which the importance of “partnership” be- tween women and men was highlighted. “I heard governments talking about the impor- tance of the involvement of men, and I heard NGOs talking about it,” said Ms. Dugal- Gujral. “This is important because on so many issues of concern to women, progress will not really be possible without the full cooperation of men.”

Increased Access for NGOs

Another significant development was the decision to allow newly formed NGOs to participate in Beijing Plus Five. The Gen- eral Assembly decided on 15 March that any NGOs, even those without previous consul- tative status to the UN or accreditation to the 1995 Beijing Conference, could apply for accreditation to the Special Session. It was also decided that a limited number of NGOs with consultative status will also be allowed to make statements to the main meeting of the Special Session.

While the Commission stated that these arrangements would not “create a prece- dent” for General Assembly special sessions, many viewed the decision as another sign that the atmosphere at the United Nations

~~ ONE COUNTRY / January-March 2000 [Page 5]is increasingly receptive to NGO input

“| think there’s no question but that the NGO community has been really heartened by the decision to expand the possibilities of NGO participation,” said Susana Fried, Beijing Plus Five Advisor for the United Nations Fund for Women (UNIFEM).

Some 1,300 NGOs participated in this year's Commission meeting, the most ever. Many, for the first time this year, were from groups with a strong position against abor- tion — something that created its own dy- namic among NGOs.

An estimated 400 delegates were regis- tered under the accreditation of various North American NGOs — groups such as the International Right to Life Movement, the Franciscan Friars, the Movement of Mothers, United Families, the Couple to Couple League — that stood against abor- tion and took the plainly stated goal of re- opening discussion on elements of the Plat- form for Action, a viewpoint that is oppo- site to the majority of NGOs that have typi- cally attended past Commission meetings.

The result was a number of uncomfort- able interactions, especially since many of the newcomers seemed unfamiliar with the procedures and protocols at UN meetings.

“They're mostly young people out on spring break, most of whom have no under- standing at all about the UN nor the CSW nor the Platform for Action nor the outcome docu- ment— no understanding of why they're here except to push one issue, which is traditional families and pro-life issues,” said Shireen Lee, coordinator of the Youth Caucus. “They were present in large numbers and some of the lead- ers would sit off to the side and refuse to iden- tify themselves, kind of as monitors. It was really intimidating.”

Members of the pro-family coalition ad- mitted they did not know much about UN protocol, but nevertheless wanted to make their point. “We did come here in large num- bers,” said Elizabeth Daub, a member of the World Youth Alliance, a Virginia-based group accredited to the conference under the National Right to Life Committee. “We felt that was one of the ways we'll be heard.”

The draft document

Organized into four sections, the draft document that will be presented at Beijing Plus Five reaffirms governments’ commit- ments to the goals stated in the Platform for Action, summarizes the achievements and the obstacles in implementing each of the

12 critical areas, presents current challenges to implementation, and suggests actions and initiatives to overcome obstacles and achieve full implementation.

The 12 critical areas of the Platform, as they relate specifically to women, are: pov- erty; education and training; health; vio- lence; armed conflict; the economy; power and decision-making; institutional mecha- nisms for advancement; human rights; the media; the environment, and the girl child.

Among the achievements noted in the draft document was a wider recognition that criti- cal issues such as poverty, health, and armed conflict, among others, affect women in spe- cific ways; an acknowledgment of the need to mainstream a gender perspective; and an over- all increase in the participation of women at all levels in addressing these issues.

Specific achievements highlighted in- clude the success of microcredit, progress in education and literacy, more government- initiated policy reforms and services for abused women, international policy support for eradication of female genital mutilation, the recognition of rape as a war crime, and the adoption of policies and mechanisms to protect women’s human rights.

Lack of funding and resources topped the list of obstacles in all the areas and dis- criminatory practices and attitudes continue to obstruct women’s advancement world- wide, the document reported. It said that insufficient attehtion is paid to the link be- tween women’s education and labor market dynamics, and poverty is increasing among women. Gender biases continue to hinder educational and employment opportunities, and the weak response of legal officials to violence against women continues to leave them vulnerable to abuse. **

— Reported by Veronica Shoffstall

On Saturday, 4 March, NGOs at the Commission on the Status of Women focused on “Strategies for Implementing the Beijing Platform for Action: 2000 and Beyond.” In the afternoon, women met in various areas of the UN to consult about the issues. Shown above are members of the Institutional Mechanisms caucus, meeting in the UN cafeteria, which was one of the designated consultation areas.

ONE COUNTRY / January-March 2000 [Page 6]Members of the Oodi Sewing Club. Shown left to right are: Boitumelo, Nooran Mahmoudi, Segametsi, Tinny, Shiela, and Sekgopi.

The Oodi Sewing Club is modest as development projects go. It takes no money from the outside and its membership has numbered a total of 25 women, mostly poor single mothers. Yet more than half have found jobs since joining and virtually all say they have found a new confidence.

TEEREERSERICEE Se

In Botswana, a simple sewing club for women makes a big difference

OODI, Botswana — As a young unmarried mother in this small village of 2,000 people some 25 kilometers north of Gaborone, Segametsi struggled for many months to find enough money just to feed and clothe her 18-month-old baby.

Now she earns a modest income mak- ing clothing in her home, thanks to her membership in a sewing cooperative es- tablished as a small-scale economic devel- opment project by the local Baha’ com- munity here.

“Before joining this sewing club, life was difficult because my baby needed food and clothes, but I didn’t know how to get them,” said Segametsi, who is 20 years old and like other women in this region uses just a single name. “I didn’t have money. But I am very happy now, because I am learning and working every day. I have my own money. After buying what my baby needs, | help my parents.”

As development projects go, the Oodi Sewing Club, as the cooperative is known, is a modest one. Since its beginning in 1995, about 25 women — the majority of whom are poor single mothers like Segametsi — have cycled through the club’s membership. In terms of results, however, the club has been a small-scale success story — and a case study in grassroots community devel- opment. As of early 2000, nearly all of its first 15 members had found jobs. One is now working in a clothing factory, at least three are working as tailors, and most of the oth- ers have started their own home businesses.

“As the result of this project and other projects for women, the women start work- ing in the village instead of going to town to work,” said Chief Semile, the village head- man. “The wages are less, but the women are closer to their children and family. In town they get more money, but they had to travel far and be away from their children

ONE COUNTRY / January-March 2000 [Page 7]and their family all day.”

According to the United Nations, the average per capita income in Botswana is about $2,500 per year. About 50 percent of the country’s population, however, remains below the poverty line. And, as might be expected, single women compose many of those who are among the poorest of the poor.

In an effort to address such social and economic conditions, the Baha’i community of Oodi began some years ago to consult about possible development projects. Com- posed of roughly 30 members, and inspired by Baha'i teachings that emphasize the equality of women and men, the commu- nity felt there was a great need to help women, especially for teenage mothers, to develop a greater sense of self-worth by learning a skill that could provide steady income and independence. The idea for a sewing club and training project emerged from these consultations.

Nooran Mahmoudi, a Baha’i of Iranian background who came to Oodi in 1995, had expertise in establishing sewing coopera- tives, and she undertook to organize the club. With the assistance of Chief Semile, the Club received permission from the Vil- lage Development Committee to use the community hall one day a week.

“Many of the women were complaining that it was hard to find jobs and feed their families, especially their children,” said Ms. Mahmoudi. “I felt I could be of service by giving free sewing classes and establishing a sewing cooperative to channel the skill and efforts of the ladies in a productive way.”

The club has received no outside funds and is entirely self-supporting. Ms. Mahmoudi provided the initial materials. In the course of their instruction, members made cushions and clothing and sold them. Part of those earnings was then used to pur- chase more material.

Those who joined the club soon found that sewing was not difficult. This discov- ery brought hope, which in turn motivated participants to work harder and produce more and better quality items.

“My children are happy now, because I am working and able to buy what they need for school, such as shoes, clothes and food,” said Sekgopi, a 31-year-old single mother with three children, “I want in the future to buy my own sewing machine and work at home as a dressmaker. I always wanted to learn to sew.”

The Oodi project is modeled after a simi-

lar project near Mutare, Zimbabwe, which Ms. Mahmoudi started in 1992. Located in an outlying village, at one point it had some 45 members and was an inspiration to women in neighboring villages, where at least two similar clubs were launched. All three Zimbabwe clubs are still functioning, and at least 9 members have bought their own sewing machines and established their own businesses.

Although trained as a mechanical engi- neer, Mrs. Mahmoudi now sees herself as a community development worker. “In Zim- babwe, when we asked people what they wanted to learn, they all said ‘sewing,’ so I just taught people what I knew,” said Mrs. Mahmoudi. “I've tried to use the same ex- perience in Botswana.”

In mid-1996, the Oodi project was moved to a new location, a small hut which is open to members every day. Classes are held one afternoon per week. The club has received several sewing machines, and with their arrival members developed a new mar- keting idea. They decided to make several samples of school uniforms and take them to the local schools for sale, as there is no uniform shop or a tailor in the village to provide this service. For some club mem- bers, making school uniforms has now be- come a regular source of income.

“This club is very good for our village,” said Diana Meswele, a member of the Vil- lage Development Committee. “The girls and women are learning. They did not have hope, but now they are able to work and feel good about themselves.” 4

— Reported by Ladan Doorandish-Vance

“Many of the women were complaining that it was hard to find jobs and feed their families, $ especially their — children. | felt |

could be of

Boitumelo sews while Nooran Mahmoudi, who provides the training in sewing, looks on. At right is Segametsi.

ONE COUNTRY / January-March 2000 [Page 8]The State Baha’i Council of Orissa used this truck to distribute food after the 29 October 1999 cyclone that hit India’s east coast. More than 10,400 kilograms of rice and other staples were distributed by the Baha’t community of Orissa by early December.

Local Bahai councils provided a network through which the Bahai community of India was able to assist both its co- religionists and the population at large after a “super-cyclone” struck India’s east coast last November.

SASTER

Bahda’is pitch in after “super-cyclone”

ORISSA, India — It has been roughly six months since the one of the worst cyclones ever to hit India took 10,000 lives and left upwards of a million people homeless. Yet much remains to be done

Although immediate need for food has been generally satisfied, many individuals and families remain without proper shelter, warm clothes, or electricity. An estimated 11,000 schools were destroyed by the storm. Many farmers in the region lost a signifi- cant portion of their livestock.

Through its network of grassroots com- munities along India’s eastern coast, the Baha'i community of India has played a sig- nificant role in humanitarian relief opera- tions following the 29 October 1999 cy- clone, acting to provide help immediately after the storm and then in the continuing process of rebuilding.

“Conditions in many places are still far from normal,” said Riaz Motallebi, secretary of the State Baha’i Council of Orissa, which coordinated the Baha’i response to the di- saster. “It may take another six months to bring some kind of relief to many families So far electric connections have not been restored in many places and therefore it has a great impact on the preparation of fodder for cattle.

“But now communities have learned not

merely to sit and wait, but rather to con- sult, plan and then act upon their plan in cooperation with each other,” Mr. Motallebi said in a recent interview. “This is the main theme that the Baha’i community has urged and demonstrated — and we see the com- munity at large responding to it.”

Local councils provide a network

Located on the east coast of India, Orissa state is considered one of poorest regions of the country. Some 90 percent of its popula- tion of 32 million people live in rural vil- lages, and the state's literacy rate is about 35 percent.

There are some 65,000 Baha'is in Orissa, spread throughout the state’s 30 districts. In at least 88 villages, Baha'is have established local Spiritual Assemblies, freely elected lo- cal governing councils that are the basic unit of Baha’i administration.

These local councils provided a network through which the Baha'i community of In- dia was able to assist both its co-religionists and the population at large.

The 29 October “super-cyclone” brought winds of up to 260 kilometers per hour, battering the Orissa coast for some 36 hours. Among the 10 million people in the 14 hard-

ONE COUNTRY / January-March 2000 [Page 9]est-hit districts were about 25,000 Baha’is, organized into 40 local Spiritual Assemblies.

On 31 October, immediately after the weather had cleared, the State Bahai Coun- cil met to decide how best to mobilize to assist in relief efforts. “Everyone was in the state of shock, so great was the devastation,” said Mr. Motallebi. “But we found that our strength was in our local Assemblies. Com- pared to many NGOs and their resources, our level of activity may not be much. But we discovered our real manpower was in the field, in the grassroots resources which our Assemblies had.”

Mr. Motallebi said, for example, that al- though many outside relief agencies came in with food and other resources, they had no way to distribute it quickly. On the other hand, even the poorest of Baha’i Assemblies was able to mobilize itself rapidly. “One lo- cal Spiritual Assembly, even in its utmost poverty and humility, arranged all on its own for food and distributed it to more than 600 people,” he said.

Mohand Abul Kalam, Project Officer for water supply and sanitation in the Orissa State UNICEF Office, agreed that a major strength of the Baha’i effort was its network of community councils.

“Since the cyclone, the Baha’is have come to the UNICEF office for regular coordina- tion meetings with other NGOs,” said Mr. Abul Kalam. “They did contribute their ideas and they did participate in the relief work. I must say they have some good, grassroots level workers, dedicated workers, who have direct contact with the community.”

No donations from outside

By December, Baha’is had gathered and distributed more than 10,400 kilograms of rice, 4000 kilograms of rice flour, and 4000 kilograms of potatoes. This food was either purchased, donated or bought on credit by the community itself — none of it came from outside sources. Through the Baha'i net- work, this food was distributed to some 12,000 families in Orissa. Later, warm clothes were distributed to roughly the same number of families.

Local Baha’i Assemblies also sought to assist in other ways immediately after the storm. In a some areas, they worked to set up makeshift schools for children. Others distributed pamphlets and information on sanitation and hygiene.

More recently, Baha’i communities have followed up by distributing clothing, work-

ing with local governments and other non- governmental organizations to do long-term planning, and assisting in the rebuilding of homes and buildings.

In collaboration with the Indo German Social Service Society (IGSSS) and the New Era Development Institute, the Baha'i com- munity of Orissa is currently working to set up a vocational course that will provide training in house wiring and electric motor re-winding — two skills in demand after the cyclone. As well, courses are being estab- lished to teach village health and hygiene, reforestation, and water sanitation. The first course started in January and will graduate 16 students at the end of April. In all, six courses are scheduled, running until De- cember 2002.

Some local Spiritual Assemblies are help- ing in the reconstruction work by purchas- ing bricks, bamboo and other building ma- terials and then giving those materials di- rectly to needy families. “It works better than simply giving money directly, because this method ensures the funds will be used for rebuilding houses,” said Tooraj Moghbelpoor, treasurer of the State Baha’i Council.

Mr. Motallebi said Baha’is were inspired to help because of their belief in the one- ness of humanity. “When there is a pain in any part of the body, the whole body will be disturbed and so it was with Baha'i commu- nity all over India and the world,” said Mr. Motallebi. “Many Baha'i communities as- sisted in cash and kind, helping their fellow Baha'is in Orissa.” #

“One local Spiritual Assembly, even in its utmost poverty and humility, arranged all on its own for food and’ distributed it to more than 600 people.”

— Riaz Motallebi

Bahd’is talk with a couple whose dwelling was destroyed by the cyclone.

ONE COUNTRY / January-March 2000 [Page 10]In 1967, Madame Rabbani visited with participants in a literacy campaign in Sucre,

Bolivia

“To an extraordinary extent, Madame Rabbani’s own work exemplified the priority the Baha’i Faith gives to the unification

of humankind.” — Statement of the Baha'i International Community

Madame Ruhiyyih Rabbani, leading Baha’i dignitary, passes away in Haifa

Madame Rabbani, continued from page one

In the course of her travels, Madame Rabbani was received by many heads of state and government and other prominent fig- ures as diverse as: Emperor Haile Selassie of Ethiopia; Malietoa Tanumafili II of Western Samoa; President Houphouet-Boigny of Cote d'ivoire; President Carlos Menem of Argentina; Prime Minister Indira Gandhi of India; Prime Minister Edward Seaga of Ja- maica; and Secretary-General of the United Nations, Javier Pérez de Cuellar.

“To an extraordinary extent, Madame Rabbani’s own work exemplified the prior- ity the Baha’i Faith gives to the unification of humankind,” said a statement issued by the Office of Public Information of the Baha’ International Community following her passing. “The greater part of the last 35 years of her life were devoted to travels that took her to 185 countries and dependent territo- ries, and that served as a major factor in in-

tegrating the world’s several million Baha’is into a unified global community.”

Born as Mary Sutherland Maxwell

The only child of William Sutherland Maxwell, a premier architect of Montreal, Canada, and his wife May Bolles, Madame Rabbani’s given name was Mary Sutherland Maxwell. She was born in New York on 8 August 1910.

Both parents were prominent Baha'is of their day. Mr. Maxwell designed the super- structure of one of the Faith’s most holy sites, the Shrine of the Bab, which adorns the slope of Mt. Carmel in Haifa, where the Faith has its world headquarters. He him- self received the designation of Hand of the Cause. Madame Rabbani’s mother was the first Baha’i in Europe and another impor- tant Baha’i personage of her day.

In her youth, Madame Rabbani was ac- tive in Baha’ activities in and around Montreal, where she was raised. At the age

10

ONE COUNTRY / January-March 2000 [Page 11]of 15, she became a member of the Execu- tive Committee of the Fellowship of Cana- dian Youth for Peace. At 21, she was elected to the local Spiritual Assembly of the Baha'is of Montreal, the local Baha’i governing coun- cil there.

Madame Rabbani’s education was wide- ranging. She attended a Montessori school as a young girl, then studied with tutors and for a time attended McGill University in Montreal. She also began to write at an early age, working on various books, plays and poetry.

On 25 March 1937, the young Miss Max- well married Shoghi Effendi Rabbani, who was then head of the Baha’i Faith, and took the name Ruhiyyih Rabbani. Known as the Guardian of the Baha’ Faith, Shoghi Effendi was the great-grandson of the Faith’s Founder, Baha'u'llah.

For some sixteen years, she served as Shoghi Effendi’s chief secretary, helping him with the voluminous correspondence that his position required, and traveling to represent him.

Yet, Madame Rabbani’s reputation as the preeminent member of the worldwide Baha'i community derived from more than her rela- tionship by marriage to Baha’u'llah’s family.

In 1951 Shoghi Effendi appointed her to the Baha’i International Council, a nine-mem- ber body that served as a precursor to the Universal House of Justice. In 1952, she was elevated to the rank of Hand of the Cause.

In these positions, she played a crucial role in effecting a successful transition in the leadership of the Faith after the passing of Shoghi Effendi in 1957. With eight other Hands of the Cause, she managed the af- fairs of the Faith from 1957 until 1963, when the Universal House of Justice was estab- lished and its first nine members elected, in accordance with the Baha'i scriptures.

Globe-girdling travels

After 1963, Madame Rabbani undertook a series of continental and oceanic tours, visiting many thousands of Baha’i commu- nities around the world.

In 1964, she visited India, Sri Lanka, Sikkim and Nepal, traveling more than 55,000 miles. In 1967-68, she visited every country in South America, after laying the cornerstone for the first Baha’i temple in the region, which is located in Panama.

From 1969 to 1973, Madame Rabbani undertook a grand tour of Africa, driving with a companion ina Land Rover for some

36,000 miles, visiting 34 countries. During the tour, she was received by 17 heads of state, including Emperor Selassie of Ethio- pia, President Senghor of Senegal, President Houphouet-Boigny of the Ivory Coast, and King Soubhuza of Swaziland.

On another occasion, she visited nearly 30 countries in Asia and the Pacific within a span of some seven months. And during a 1975 trip to Latin America, she produced a full-length film, called “The Greenlight Ex- pedition,” which documented her visits to the native peoples of South America, focus- ing on her travels in the jungle areas of Suriname, Guyana, and up the Amazon River in Brazil.

Rapport with indigenous peoples

Throughout her travels, she took a spe- cial interest in the plight of illiterate villag- ers and indigenous populations. In her speeches and writing, she repeatedly ex- pressed the view that the fundamental de- cency, spirituality, intelligence and upright- ness which distinguishes the core of human nature is more often to be found among people in remote areas than in the material- istic civilizations of the West.

“Probably the greatest crime of the white man is that in his folly and conceit in the great power of his money-civilization, he has made other men feel inferior,” she wrote in 1961. “How deep this acid has bitten into the souls of other men I suppose we white people can never know.”

Her rapport with indigenous peoples won great friendship among them. She was given the name “Natu Ocsist” (Blessed Mother) by the Blackfoot Indians of Canada, she was adopted into the Eagle Tribe of the

Madame Rabbani, née Mary Maxwell, at age 16.

Madame Rabbani, on a visit to Gbendembou village, Sierra Leone, in March 1971

ONE COUNTRY / January-March 2000 [Page 12]“To read of Ruhiyyih Rabbani's wide- ranging interests in literature, the environment, the arts, and of her pursuits is to understand in small part what her loss means not only to your community, but

also to the world.” — US President William Clinton

In 1985, Madame Rabbani presented a statement, The Promise of World Peace, written by the Universal House of Justice, to the Secretary General of the United Nations, Javier Perez De Cuellar.

Tlingit Indians of Alaska, and she was adopted by the grandson of the famous Sioux Indian Chief, Sitting Bull, and given the name “Princess Pretty Feather.”

A person of prodigious interests and ca- pabilities, Madame Rabbani, in addition to being an administrator and world traveler, was an author, poet, lecturer, and film pro- ducer. Her several books include The Price- less Pearl, a full-length biography of Shoghi Effendi, and Prescription for Living, which deals with the application of spiritual prin- ciples to practical life.

Fluent in English, French, German and Persian, she lectured widely, including occa- sions on which she shared a platform with HRH Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh. Out of her concern for the environment, she supported the activities of the World Wide Fund for Nature, addressing a fund-raising banquet at Syon House in London in 1988 that launched its influential “Arts for Nature” initiative. She was also present at the 1994 World Forestry Charter Gathering, held at St. James’ Palace. Her love for the arts involved her in the planning and direction of the resto- ration of a number of historic buildings asso- ciated with the Baha’i Faith.

In 1996, Madame Rabbani was honored by Brazil's highest legislative body, the Chamber of Deputies. In a two-hour solemn session commemorating the 75th anniver- sary of the Baha'i Faith in Brazil, Madame Rabbani was honored in speeches by 14 rep- resentatives of all major political parties as a defender of the environment, a promoter of world peace and unity, and a protector of

the rights of indigenous peoples.

Worldwide commemorations

Upon learning of her passing, Baha'i com- munities around the world organized memo- rial services and sent messages of condolence.

“Our Community prays that this extraor- dinary soul wing its flight with the same intrepidity that characterized her life on earth and we are consoled with the certainty that, after nearly half a century..., Amatu’l- Baha finally reunites with her Guardian,” wrote the local Spiritual Assembly of the Baha’is of Maringa, Parana, in Brazil.

On the worldwide web, sites were estab- lished where individuals could post remem- brances. Verity Adib Bidenjeri posted a story about a time when Madame Rabbani visited a village outside Bangalore, India.

“Indian villagers are very hospitable people, especially if you show kindness and respect towards their culture,” Verity Bidenjeri wrote.” They offer you to eat of their bizarre dishes as a courtesy to their visitors. [Madame Rabbani] sat on the floor with her legs crossed Indian style, then wet the banana leaf that was spread before her (Indian villagers use them as plates for their food), and started eating with her hands as they all did, not showing the slightest discomfort when consuming the hot and spicy curries

“The friends were baffled and could not believe their eyes. Later when asked, she said that it was her love for Baha’u'llah, that made it the tastiest dish she had ever eaten.”

U.S. President William Clinton sent his condolences to the Baha’fs of the United

12

ONE COUNTRY / January-March 2000 [Page 13]States, saying: “To read of Ruhiyyih Rabbani’s wide-ranging interests in litera- ture, the environment, the arts, and of her pursuits is to understand in small part what her loss means not only to your commu- nity, but also to the world. Please know that our thoughts are with you and the entire Baha'i community.”

Madame Rabbdani was laid to rest in Haifa on 23 January 2000. About 1,000 people at- tended the funeral, including Mr. Chris Greenshields, Minister-Counsellor of the Ca- nadian Embassy; Mrs. Marsha Von Duerckheim, Consul-General of the U.S. Em- bassy; Mr. Ariel Kenet of the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs; Dr. Roman Bronfman, Mem- ber of the Knesset; Mr. Amram Mitzna, the Mayor of Haifa; and Mr. Shmaryahu Biran, the Mayor of Acre. Dr. Nissim Dana of the Minis- try of Religious Affairs represented the Israeli Government

Many of the Baha’i Faith’s senior officers attended, including members of the Univer- sal House of Justice, international Counse-

lors, and members of some 80 national Baha'i governing councils from as far away as Mongolia and Samoa. The simple cer- emony consisted of readings from the Baha’ sacred scriptures. #

RRS

Adib Taherzadeh, member of the Universal House of Justice, passes away

HAIFA, Israel — Mr. Adib Taherzadeh, member of the Universal House of Justice, passed away on 26 January 2000 after some months of illness. He was 78.

Born in Yazd, Iran, Mr. Taherzadeh stud- ied electrical engineering at Teheran Uni- versity and then pursued advanced studies in the United Kingdom. During the 1960s and 1970s, he served on various national governing councils for the Baha’i commu- nities of Great Britain and Ireland. In 1976, he was appointed to the Continental Board of Counsellors for Europe, a high level Baha’t advisory body.

An accomplished author, Mr. Taherzadeh published a number of books on Baha’i his- tory, including a four-volume series on the life and writings of Baha’u'llah, the Founder of the Baha’i Faith, entitled The Revelation of Bahd’w'llah.

In 1988, he was elected to the Universal House of Justice, the international govern- ing body of the Baha’i Faith, which is head- quartered in Haifa, Israel.

“We recall with admiration his devoted

and unremitting services to the Cause of God for over half a century,” wrote the Uni- versal House of Justice in a message about his passing. “[A]s a member of the National Spiritual Assemblies of the British Isles and of the Republic of Ireland, as a member of the Continental Board of Counsellors in Europe, and as a member of the Universal House of Justice, he evinced complete con- secration, unshakeable faith, and unyield- ing resolve.”

Members of Mr. Taherzadeh’s immedi- ate family, who had been able to spend time with him in the days prior to his pass- ing, attended the funeral, which was held in the central hall of the International Teaching Centre on the morning of Sun- day, 30 January.

Some 700 people, including the staff at the Baha'i World Centre, were present at his funeral. He is survived by his wife, four children and six grandchildren. Me- morial services have been held in Baha’i Houses of Worship and communities throughout the world. x

While approaching the

village of Kurwita on a visit

to Sri Lanka in 1964,

Madame Rabbani crossed a

small bridge followed by villagers

Adib Taherzadeh

ONE COUNTRY / January-March 2000

13 [Page 14]“To move forward we must : recognize that in the midst of a magnificent diversity of cultures and life

To read the full text of the final draft of the Earth Charter, visit http:// www.onecountry.org

SPREE

Earth Charter final draft issued

PARIS — After eight years of deliberations, involving more than 100,000 people in at least 50 countries, the Earth Charter Commission issued a final version of the Earth Charter af- ter a meeting here 12-14 March 2000.

The Charter is designed to be a univer- sal statement of ethical and environmental principles that will guide the conduct of people and nations towards a peaceful, just and sustainable future.

The Commission, which is composed of some 25 leaders in business, politics, reli- gion, education and the environment, hopes the Charter will be adopted by the United Nations and regarded as a primary docu- ment on a par with the Universal Declara- tion of Human Rights.

The preamble offers both a stirring vi- sion and a grave warning.

“We stand at a critical moment in Earth's history, a time when humanity must choose its future,” the Charter begins. “As the world becomes increasingly interdependent and fragile, the future at once holds great peril and great promise. To move forward we must recognize that in the midst of a magnificent diversity of cultures and life forms we are one human family and one Earth commu- nity with a common destiny. We must join together to bring forth a sustainable global society founded on respect for nature, uni- versal human rights, economic justice, and a culture of peace.”

The Charter also emphasizes humanity's “universal responsibility” to and for everyone and all life, stating “we must decide to live with a sense of universal responsibility, iden- tifying ourselves with the whole Earth com- munity as well as our local communities.”

“We are at once citizens of different na- tions and of one world in which the local and global are linked,” the Charter says. “Everyone shares responsibility for the present and future well-being of the human family and the larger living world. The spirit of human solidarity and kinship with all life is strengthened when we live with reverence for the mystery of being, gratitude for the gilt of life, and humility regarding the hu- man place in nature.”

Fewer than 2500 words in length, the fi-

nal version of the Charter spells out a broad code aimed at promoting “respect and care for the community of life,” restoring “the integ- rity of Earth’s ecological systems,” encourag- ing “social and economic justice,” and uphold- ing “democracy, nonviolence and peace.”

It states, for example, “that all beings are interdependent and every form of life has value regardless of its worth to hu- man beings.”

It urges an “open exchange and wide application of the knowledge acquired” and “support [for] international scientific and technical cooperation on sustainability, with special attention to the needs of developing nations.”

According to a statement from the Earth Council, which has managed the process of drafting the Charter, the “focus will now move to using the Earth Charter as an edu- cation tool in formal and non-formal edu- cation, andas the basis for business and pro- fessional codes of conduct and national de- velopment plans.”

“The Earth Charter is a declaration of interdependence and responsibility and an urgent call to build a global partnership for sustainable development,” said the Coun- cil. “The principles of the Earth Charter are closely interrelated. Together, they provide a conception of sustainable development and set forth fundamental guidelines for achieving it.”

Throughout the decade-long initiative, the Baha’t International Community has been an active international partner in the drafting process, giving input, hosting and participating in meetings to solicit com- ments, and serving on various Earth Char- ter committees.

“The Earth Charter has become the de- finitive earth ethics declaration,” said Peter Adriance, who has followed the Charter pro- cess for the Baha’i International Community since its inception. “The drafting exercise has been going on for nearly a decade and it has reached thousands of people in virtu- ally every sector of society. The document was born out of a consultative, consensus- based process that gives it a legitimacy around the world.” *

14

ONE COUNTRY / January-March 2000 [Page 15]Review: The Saddlebag

Review, continued from back page

found the traces of their will in rocks and desert valleys.”

While the theft destroys his fragile ex- istence, it also leads him, in dying, towards a mystical transcendence that endows him with the literacy, wealth, and belief denied to him in life: “It was clear now. He heard the words of the merchant as he began to read them spread across the blue scroll of the sky. He read the prayer as he heard it, spanning the heavens like a bridge of light. Clear-sighted and wide open he died then, as rich as a prince of the realm, with eyes the colour of angels’ wings.”

The Saddlebag is an impressive first novel from author Bahiyyih Nakhjavani, who was born in Iran, grew up in east Africa, attended boarding school in Wales, and studied at universities in England and the United States. Born in to a Baha’i family and the author of several nonfiction works on mat- ters relating to the Faith, Ms. Nakhjavani has taken the core incident of this work’s plot from a Baha’i historical narrative titled “The Dawn-breakers” which mentions

briefly that a saddlebag belonging to the Bab — the prophet-herald of the Baha'i Faith — was stolen during His pilgrimage to Mecca.

The characters and incidents are fic- tional, however, and the author has commented that one motive for writing the book was “to see how it was pos- sible to weave the different threads so that the paths of a group of people from different races, cultures and back- grounds could cross and re-cross by perfect accident while making perfect sense. It seemed that if one could achieve this in a narrative form there was no reason why it could not be rec- ognized as a valid metaphor at other levels: political, religious, economic.”

The result of this amalgam of fact and fiction, of cultural juxtapositions and dis- parate character types, is a lyrical prose nar- rative that is as richly textured, as colorful, and as intricate as a Persian carpet

The novel, which was Britain’s Good Book Guide “Fiction Book of the Month” for February, is also being translated into Spanish, Germany, Dutch, and French The U.S. edition will be published in Sep- tember by Beacon Press. #

Mildred Mottahedeh, first Baha'i International Community representative to the United Nations, passes away

NEW YORK — Mildred Mottahedeh, the first Baha’ International Community repre- sentative to the United Nations, passed away on 17 February 2000. She was 91.

A world-renowned producer and collec- tor of fine porcelain, a promoter of social and economic development, and an early supporter of the United Nations, Ms. Mottahedeh had been a Baha’i since 1929 and had served at many levels on Baha'i ad- ministrative councils.

“Her more than half a century of tireless endeavor in [Baha’i] service involved her in teaching and administrative activities at the local, national, continental and international levels,” wrote the Universal House of Jus- tice, the international Baha'i governing council, in a message announcing her pass- ing. “At the same time, she maintained a rig- orous schedule as a business woman, a con- tributor to the arts, and a promoter of hu- manitarian works. To these manifold tasks, she brought the combined resources of a

selfless spirit, a compassionate heart, a cre- ative mind, a practical sense, and a leonine will tempered by humility, candor and wit.”

Born in Seabright, New Jersey, on 7 Au- gust 1908, she met and married Rafi Y. Mottahedeh, an Iranian-born importer, in 1929. The couple founded Mottahedeh & Company, which became world renowned for its reproductions of fine porcelain.

An early advocate of the United Nations, Ms. Mottahedeh was present in San Fran- cisco at the signing of the Charter and in 1948 she became the Baha’ International Community’s first representative to the UN, a position she held until October 1967.

Ms. Mottahedeh was also active in pro- moting social and economic development In 1958, she and her husband established a foundation to support projects in the devel- oping world. Ms. Mottahedeh was also in- strumental in providing early support for the New Era High School and the New Era De- velopment Institute in India. #*

The result of this — amalgam of fact

Persian ree

Mildred Mottahedeh

ONE COUNTRY / January-March 2000

15 [Page 16]

GST

A first novel weaves “an intricate Persian carpet” about a thief, a priest, a spy and a saddlebag

Among the new cultural expressions that have arisen in our contracting world, with its shifting and blurring of national bound- aries, are “world music” and “world litera- ture.” In the latter category, one thinks of writers such as Michael Ondaatje, Vikram Seth, and Salman Rushdie, whose works are informed by the authors’ cultural back- grounds but framed by a modern, cosmo- politan sensibility. The result is a literature with broad appeal that draws readers com- pellingly into what would once have been considered “foreign” worlds. The combina- tion is appealingly exotic and even educa- tional, but also familiar and accessible.

The Saddlebag by Bahiyyih Nakhjavani isa fine recent contribution to this genre of literature. With its exotic setting — prima- rily the route between Mecca and Medina in the mid-nineteenth century —a plot that circles tantalizingly around the enigmatic saddlebag of the title, its lyrical prose style, the disparate perspectives that comprise the narrative, and a fascinating collection of characters, the novel skillfully weaves to- gether nine tales so immediate and com- pelling that the reader can taste the desert dust on her tongue. Yet at the same time the novel transcends the limitations of the specific setting, in the best tradition of lit- erature, in its big-hearted portrayal of hu- man quirks and foibles.

The Saddlebag possesses a fable-like quality, beginning with its first sentence: “There was once a Thief who made his liv- ing by stealing from pilgrims along the road between Mecca and Medina.” The charac- ters are a panoply of cultural and religious types: the Bedouin thief (a pagan), the Arab chieftain (an atheist), the Zoroastrian bride, the Indian moneychanger (who morphs from Hindu to Moslem to whatever else the occasion demands), the Felasha slave woman, the pilgrim who has amalgamated Confucian, Buddhist and Moslem beliefs, the Persian Shi'ah Moslem priest, the En- glish spy (a lukewarm Anglican Christian), and the corpse of a rich Persian merchant.

The stage for the interweaving dramas

that follow is set by the story of the illiter- ate Bedouin, who gambles his freedom and his life on the theft of a saddlebag from a pilgrim praying at the side of the road. From this act flows all that follows. The saddlebag’s mysterious contents — bundles of written documents that the Thief, ironically, cannot read — cast their shadow on all the charac- ters, challenging them to the depths of their being and granting redemption to some unlikely characters.

The Thief’s story is perhaps the most exquisitely realized of the collection, in terms of the lyrical quality of the prose as well as the evocation of character and set-

BAHIYYIH NAKHJAVANI

ting, as seen in the following passage: “De- spite his illiteracy, the desert made a scholar of him too. He discovered whole treatises hidden in sandstorms; he read a thousand poems inscribed across the wide horizon. When his soul was unsullied, at the hour of sunrise, he could understand the language of the sand.... The wind was his religion and the planet Venus was his love and he had

Review, continued on page 15

16

ONE COUNTRY / January-March 2000 �