One Country/Volume 20/Issue 4/Text

←Issue 3

One Country
Volume 20 Issue 4 - Dec 2009 - Mar 2010

Return to PDF view

[Page 1]

Newsletter of the

= Bahd International Community December 2009-March 2010 Volume 20, Issue a

Inside this issue

oe?

par Hl Transforming 4 S collective 7 deliberation: valuing unity and justice

no

Quiet reassessment of Copenhagen finds reason for optimism

me

Parliament of the ‘World's Religions focuses on women and the environment

age LO

Portrayal or betrayal? How the media depicts women and girls

wel6

How Baha'is helped bring modem education to Iran

“The earth is but one country, and mankind its citizens” — Baha‘u'llah

{ONE COUNTRY

Trial of seven Baha’ leaders

in Iran begins; international condemnation follows

ENEVA — After several postponements last year, the trial of seven Iranian. Bahdf leaders began in January 2010 — an event that wasimmediately con- demned by governments and human rights groups and activists outside Iran,

Arrested in 2008 and held in Evin prison for nearly two years, the seven

leaders were transported to Branch 28 of the Revolutionary Courtin Tehran on 12

January 2010, There, in a dosed courtroom, prosecutors formally read the charges

against them. The seven categorically denied all the accusations and, after the hearing,

they were sent back to prison,

‘The fate of the seven remains uncertain, They were summoned to court again on 7 February, That session, also dosed, lasted about an hour and apparently focused on procedural issues, Cn 12 April, they were called to court for a third session, but that was cut short after the seven objected to the impr oper presence of a television crew and other non judicial officialsin what was ostensibly a closed court proceed- ing, As of this writing, no date for continuance has been set.

“The seven are Mrs, Fariba Kamalabadi, Mr, Jamaloddin Khanjant, Mr, Afif Naeimi, ‘Mr, Saeid Rezate, Mrs, Mahwash Sabet, Mr, Behrouz TavakKoli, and Mr, Vahid ‘Tigfahmn, They were responsible for tending to the spiritual and social needs of Iran's 300,000 Bahls, Formal Rah} institutions in Iran were dissolved in 1983,

According to the government-sponsored news media, the actual charges read against the seven in their January court appear ance were: espionage, propaganda adtivities against the Islamic order, the establishment of an illegal administration, cooperation,

Trial, continued on page ss

‘An undated photograph of the seven Baha’ leaders currently held in Evin prison, taken before their imprisonment, with their spouses. [Page 2]PERSPECTIVE

Transforming Collective Deliberation: Valuing Unity and Justice

IN BRIEF

" Efforts to promote social integration should draw on new models for cooperation and consciousness- raising

= One useful model is “consultation,” a Baha‘-inspired method for deliberation and decision-making

= Consultation emphasizes the search for justice, collective inquiry, detachment from ego, and respect for diversity

Detachment from one’s positions and opinions regarding the matter under discussion is imperative. Once an idea has been shared, it is no longer associated with the individual who expressed it, but becomes

a resource for the group to adopt, modify, or discard.

2 | December 2009-March 2010

[Editor’s note: The following editorial is adapted from a statement of the Bahai International Community to the 48th session of the UN Commission for Social Development. The original statement can be found at: http://bic. org/statements-and-reports/bic-state- ments/10-0203.htm]

he most compelling model for

the integration of the world’s

cultures and peoples may lie in

the complexity and coordina- tion that characterize the human body. Within this organism, millions of cells, with extraordinary diversity of form and function, collaborate to make hu- man existence possible. Every least cell has its part to play in maintaining a healthy body; from its inception, each is linked to a lifelong process of giving and receiving.

In the same manner, efforts around the world to build communities guided by values of cooperation and reciproc- ity are challenging notions that human nature is essentially selfish, competi- tive and driven by material consider- ations. The growing consciousness of a common humanity lying beneath the surface of our different identities is redefining our relationships with each other as peoples, as nations, and as co-stewards of our natural environ- ment. Whether stubbornly opposed in some societies or welcomed elsewhere as a release from suffocating oppres- sion, the understanding that we are all part of an indivisible human family is becoming the standard by which our collective efforts are judged.

In this time of transition to a new social order, processes of social inte- gration gather momentum alongside

related processes of disintegration. Collapsed moral foundations, outworn institutions, and a sense of disillusion- ment foment chaos and decline in the social order while, at the same time, integrative forces raise up new bases for collaboration and transform the nature and scope of collective action.

Such integrative processes are evidenced by growing social networks facilitated by information technology; expanded suffrage and formal partici- pation in governance; collective ap- proaches to knowledge generation and dissemination; the spread of education and consciousness-raising regarding human interdependence; the evolution of new mechanisms of international cooperation, and the like. Similarly, one discerns emerging processes of decision-making that are increasingly inclusive, unifying and just, and that challenge partisanship as a means of addressing problems facing increas- ingly interdependent communities.

In this context, the Baha’i International Community would like to offer its experience with a process of collective inquiry called consultation, which serves as the basis for delibera- tion and decision-making in Bahdi communities around the world.

Consultation is an approach to col- lective inquiry that is unifying rather than divisive. Participants are encour- aged to express themselves freely as they engage in discussion, yet take care to do so in a dignified and courteous manner. Detachment from one’s posi- tions and opinions regarding the matter under discussion is imperative. Once an idea has been shared, it is no longer associated with the individual who expressed it, but becomes a resource for the group to adopt, modify, or discard. [Page 3]As consultation unfolds, partict- pants strive to identify and apply mor- al principles relevant to the matter at hand, These may include the equality ofmen and women, stewardship of the natural environment, the elimination of prejudice, the abolishment of the eatremes of wealth and poverty, and the like, This approach, unlike those of partisan confrontation or debate, seeks to shift the deliberation towardsa new center, maneuvering away from com- peting claims and interests to the arena of principle, where collective goals and courses of action are more likely to surface and prevail

Great value isplaced on the diversity of perspectives and contributions that individuals bring to the discussion, Diversity isharnessed to enrich collec- tive inquiry and deliberation, Actively soliciting views from those tradition- ally exduded from dedsion-making not only increases the pool of intel- lectual resources but also fosters the ‘rust, ndusion and mutual commit ment, needed for collective action, For example, the valuing of diversity and the encouragement of minorities shapes the practice of decting local governing councils within BahéY communities: in the case of a tied vote, the position is awarded to the minority candidate,

Onits own, however, a diversity of perspectives doesnot provide commnu- nities with ameansto bridge differ- ences or to resolve so dal tensions, In consultation, the value of diversity is inextricably linked to the goal of unity. Thisisnot an idealized unity, but one that acknowledges differences and strives to transcend them through a process of principled deliberation. Itis ‘unity in diversity, While participants have different views or understandings of the issues at hand, they exchange and explore these differencesin a unifying manner within the framework of con- sultation and out of a commitment to the process and principles that guide it,

In environments where sects, politi- cal factions, conflicting groups and entrenched discrimination weaken communities and leave them exposed to exploitation and oppression—unity, based in justice, isa quality of hu- man interaction to be fostered and

wuconecountyong

ene) anit y VEN AY I Stamm ft) Rees 711 “Saye (

P Seynir

‘The National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahd‘és of Mongolia is one of more than 180 national-level Bahl governing bodies. All use a distin tive method of dedsion-making outlined in the Baha't writings, which is known as “consultation,” that inherently values unity and justice.

defended. The principle of ‘tunity in diversity” also applies to the manner in which the decisions of the consulting body are carried out all participants are called on to support the decision arrived at by the group, regardless of the opinions they may have expressed in the discussion. Ifthe decision

proves incorrect, participants will

learn from its shortcomings and revise the decision as needed.

The principles and objectives of the consultative process rest on the understanding that human beings are essential noble — they possess reason and consclence as well

as capacities for inquiry, understanding, compassion and service to the common good.

‘The principles and objectives of the consultative process rest on the un- derstanding that human beings are es- sentially noble — they possess reason and conscience as well as capacities

for inquiry, understanding, compas- sion and service to the common good. Labels such as "marginalized," “poor.” or “wilnerable," with their emphasis on needs and deficiencies, fade as partici- pants strive to see each other in light of their inherent nobility and potential. ‘They gradually become protagonists of their ovm development and full par- ticipantsin a world civilization,

‘The experience of the worldwide Bahai community, established in 188, countries and 45 territories, sug- gests that the consultative process

has universal application and does not favor any one culture, dass, race or gender, Bahdls strive to apply the principles of consultation within thetr families, communities, organizations, businesses and elected bodies, Asthis practice is refined, it allows partici- pantsto attain greater levels of insight and under standing about the matters ‘under consideration; to foster more constructive modes of expressions to channel diverse talents and perspec- tives towards common goals; to build solidarity of thought and action; and to uphold justice at every stage of the process, In order to develop and apply these integrative processes worldwide and to enable them to truly yield their fruit, they will need to be coupled with, effortsto provide universal education, to reform modes of governance, to eliminate prejudice and the extremes of wealth and poverty, aswell asto promote an international auxiliary Tanguage to facilitate communication among all peoples and nations, Such efforts will give rise to forms of social integration that are unifying and just and through which all peoples can strive together to build anew social order.

Decem ber 2009-March 2010 | 3 [Page 4]Cemerpeo meme

As commitments pour in, many find reason for optimism in Copenhagen climate summit

IN BRIEF

= Initially viewed as a failure, the outcome of the Copenhagen Climate Summit has been undergoing a quiet reassessment

+ Pledges to reduce greenhouse gases by 2020 have now been received from some 75 countries, which together account for 80 percent of global emissions from energy use

+ The real challenge of imate change may be to the UN‘s multilateral, consensus-based system of decision- making

Ata press conference on the Interfaith Declaration on Climate Change, Baha't representative Tahirih Naylor left said that dimate: change is “challenging humanity to rise

to the next level of our collective maturity’ The event was one of many side events and activities

in which Bahd'ts participated

4 | December 2009-March 2010

OPENHAGEN — Although ‘initially derided for its failure to reach a binding agreement to reduce greenhouse gases,

December's United Nations Climate

Change Conference hasin recent

months undergone a quiet reas-

sessment, and many are now saying that in fact considerable progress was made in the fight against global warming,

Expectations were high leading into the conference, held here 7-18 December 2009, With emission re- duction targets in the Kyoto Protocol set to expire in 2012, non-governmen- tal organizations and governments were pushing hard for more ambitious limits on the emissions of greenhouse gases, along with new funds to adapt to and mitigate global warming,

Instead, the final agreement was limited to a short, 12-paragraph “Copenhagen Accord” that emerged from backroom negotiations

involving just a few countries. Although itrecognized the need to stabilize warming, there were few spe- cifics, other than a promise to raise USsi00 billion by 2020.

“Well meant but half-hearted pledg- esto protect our planet from danger- ous climate change are simply not sufficient to address a crisis that calls for completely new ways of collabora- tion across rich and poor countries.” said the WWE formerly the World Wide Pand for Nature) a day after the conference,

But some who follow the process closely are these days feeling more optimistic about what happened in Copenhagen, saying that the con- tinuing international negotiations to prevent the worst effects of global ‘warming will find a solid basisin the documents and procedures that emerged there,

“This was first time the major- ity of the world’s leaders gathered to

ONE COUNTRY [Page 5]seriously discuss climate change." said ‘Tahirih Naylor, a representative of the Bahéi International Community to the United Nations, "The fact that 120 leaders attended wasin itself an indicator of the importance the issue has attained.”

‘Moreover, since the conference, anumber of countries have made substantial commitments to reduc {ing emissions in the context of the Copenhagen accord, As of March, pledgesto reduce greenhouse gases by 2020 had been received from some 75 countries, which together account for 80 percent of global emissions from. energy use, according to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC).

These commitments come not only from wealthy countries — members of the European Union pledged reduc- tions from 20to 30 percent — but also from nations defined as “developing” countries under the accord. China and India, for example, pledged to reduce the intensity of the greenhouse gas emissions of their economies by 40-45, percent and 20-25 percent, respec- tively, by 2020, Similar pledges have been made by Brazil, South Africa, and Indonesia, among others,

“This is a powerful demonstration ofthe determination of these countries to contribute their fair share to this global effort” said Ms, Naylor.

‘Ms, Naylor and others also said that many of the underlying do cuments that were negotiated in the Copenhagen process, even though not formally adopted, nevertheless reflect significant progressin anumber of areas.

For example, negotiations to reduce emissions catised by deforestation moved forward significantly, And the ‘underlying texts show an increasing focus on the social and humanitarian effects of dimate change,

Cate Oviren, program director ofthe Women’s Environment and Development Or ganization (WEDO), said for example that more than 4o ref- erences to gender-specific issues were incorporated in negotiating documents at Copenhagen,

"We felt that we as gender advo- cates had accomplished something we

wuconecountyong

Halldor Thorgeirsson of the UNFCOC Secretariat, center left, surrounded by delegates to the Copenhagen Conference on Climate Change. [Photograph courtesy of ISD /Basth Negotiations Bulletin}

werent sure we were going to be able to do — and that is to get beyond the per- ception that gender issues and human rights issues were a distraction from the ‘eal’ negotiations” said Ms, Owen,

We felt we were able “to get beyond the perception that gender Issues and human rights issues were a distraction from the ‘real’ negotiations”

— Cate Owen, WEDO

Others similarly noted that the moral and ethical dimensions of ci- mate change — such as its dispropor- tionate impact on developing coun- tries that have not been responsible for most carbon emissions — have

also become part of the mainstream discussions,

Behind the scenes

In an interview with ONE COUNTRY, Halldor Thorgeirsson offered insights from his personal perspective as a senior official in the secretariat of the UNFCCC, the treaty that governs climate negotiations. Among other things, Dr.

‘Thor geirsson said the way the partid- pation of so many world leaders was

managed contributed to the fact that the conference ended in acrimony

and fell short of meeting the high expectations,

“The fact that so many world lead- erswere coming acted as abrake on negotiations at the level of officials,” said Dr, Thorgeirsson, whose title at the UNFCCC is director of Bali Roadmap Support, “There was limited willingness to compromise in advance of the end game involving the leaders, Asa result, leader swere confronted with too many issues”

One stich issue was the dissonance between the needs and viewpoints of developed countries — who are largely responsible so far for carbon emissions — and those of developing countries, who are already starting to feel the impact of global warming,

Dr, Thorgeirsson, who is a Bahét , said the assumption that emerged from the 1992 Rio Earth Summit wasthat “developing countries would not be required to take action to reduce emis- sions, That would be up to the induus- trialized countries, because they were responsible for the historical load of greenhouse gassesin the atmosphere.”

This changed in Bali, with the negotiation of the Bali Roadmap, Dr. Thorgeirsson said, It created anew arrangement where all parties are

Decem ber 2009-March 2010 | 5 [Page 6]

in India, in a gesture of hope for progress at the Copenhagen Climate Change Conference, environmental activists released 2,000 eco-friendly lanterns into the evening sky above the Baha’! House of Worship in New Delhi, Representatives

of faith communities participated in the ceremony, which was organized by Greenpeace. The event in New Delhi was held on 10 Dacember 2003,

expected to contribute to the effort to reduce emissions, ‘And that raises fundamental geopolitical questions

— which were beyond the mandate of officlalsto address.”

‘The leaders made a major contribu- tion given the difficult circumstances, said Dr, Thorgeirsson, and they man- aged to come to an agreement forged mainly between the United States on the one hand and China, India, Brazil, and South Africa on the other.

Ry the time the leaders had reached an agreement there was very limited time available to garner support for it among the broader community of nations represented in Copenhagen and it proved impossible to go further than taking note of it, Many parties and non-governmental organizations dectied this as undemocratic and a harbinger for the end of multilateral- {smn in global negotiations on issues ike climate change.

“Points of convergence”

But Dr, Thorgeirsson said he believes the Copenhagen acoord is more positive

6 | December 2008-March 2010

than it might seem because it contains important "points of convergence” that

can now be integrated into ongoing ne- gotiations leading upto the next major

dimate summit, scheduled to be heldin ‘Mexico in December,

‘The practice in UN negotiations, he said, is based on consensus decision making, "Thistendsto provide veto power to the more conservative par- tes” he said, "This makes it difficult to reach agreement on progressive steps in a consensus process, The nature of the climate challenge, however, makes the UN the only legitimate decision- making forum.”

“This coming year will to a large extent determine if a multilateral imate process is capable

of delivering the required International response to a global Issue like dimate change”

= Halldor Thorgeirsson, UNFCCe

But Dr, Thor geirsson said the Copenhagen acoord provided some key ingredients for progress, “There

is the objective of limiting warming tolessthan 2 degrees," he said. "The commitment by developed countries to mobilize 100 billion U.S. dollars by 2020 to meet the needs of developing countriesis an important expression of political will”

Such agreements, although non- binding, can “unlock important tnre- solved issues in the negotiations and lead to aunified outcome in Mexico’ said Dr, Thorgeirsson,

‘To reach a final, binding treaty out- come on how to limit dimate change will nevertheless be a significant chal- lenge, said Dr. Thorgeirsson — one that will not necessarily be possible to conclude this year. "The foundation for stich an outcome can be laid in ‘Mexico,"he said, adding that the coop- erative mechanisms and institutional arrangements required to effectively addressa challenge like global warm- ‘ing will pose a significant test for the consensus-based UN system,

“This coming year will to a large extent determine ifa multilateral climate process is capable of delivering the required international response to a global issue like climate change." he said.

Climate science controversy

Dr, Thorgeirsson, whose doctorate isin plant physiology, also addressed some of the concerns, raised recently, over whether the science that predicts global warming is fundamentally sound,

“The discovery of a couple of errors in the IPCC [Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change] report are un- fortunate and need to be looked into,” said Dr, Thorgeirsson,

"But none of thishas changed any of the basic condusions of the science,” he said, “The problems that have come up are all in the domain of predicting specifically what will happen in certain regionsas the climate warms, But the fundamental science that predicts global warming as awhole has not changed”

ONE COUNTRY [Page 7]

Women and environment are highlighted at 2009 Parliament of the World’s Religions

IN BRIEF

+ Every five years, the Parliament of the World's Religions is a snapshot of of the interfaith movement

= The 2009 Parliament drew 5,000 people from 80 countries and 220 reli traditions

+ The over-arching theme was about interreligious tolerance and peace, with an emerging emphasis this year on women and the environment

Shadi Toloui-wallace, right, and her mother, Shidan, performed at the sacred music concert held during the Parliament of the world’s Religions. The duo ate from the Baha community

of Australia, (Photo by Rachael Dere]

ELBOURNE, Australia — As the largest regular global interfaith gather- ‘ing, the Parliament of the

‘World's Religions offers a chance every

five years to assess new directions and

qrosscurrents within the interfaith movernent.

Among the trends that stood out at the 2009 Parliament was the increasing role of women in interreligiows activi- ties, greater concer for environmental issues, and new effortsto involve youth and others in concrete action at the local level,

“The trend towards the greater involvement of women was reflected in the fact that some 60 percent of the 5,000 patticipants who gathered here in December were female — as were about 4o percent of the speakers,

‘The program featured a variety of presentations on topicslike "Breaking ‘Through Patriarchy: New Visions for ‘Women of Faith” and "Taking Our Place in the Interreligious Movement:

‘Women in Society, Peacemaking, and Interfaith Dialogue”

“There is an increased visibility of women at the parliament and we are very happy about that” said Dirk Ficca, director ofthe Chicago-based organization that puts the event to- gether every five years,

‘The Parliament of the World’ Religions is almost certainly the largest regular interfaith gathering, The 2009 patliament in Melbourne followed pre- ‘vious events in Barcelona, Spain (2004); Cape Town, South Aftica (1999), and Chicago, United States (1998).

‘More than 5,000 people from 86 countries, representing more than 220 religious traditions, attended the 2009 event, which featured more than 650 programs and 1,300 speakers and performers, Prominent speakers included the Dalai Lama and theologian Hans Kung,

‘The Bahai International Community was represented by some 70 people at all levels, They ranged

December2009-March 2010

? [Page 8]from youth volunteers to Lucretia (Lally) Warren of Botswana, who was a plenary speaker and a founding mem- ber of Interfaith Action for Peace in Africa (IAPA). At the parliament, Ms. Warren and several colleagues received the Carus Award, which recognizes “outstanding contributions to the interreligious movement”

‘The origins of the parliament lie with the 1893 World’s Parliament of Religions, held in Chicago. That gathering is widely seen as the dawn- ing place of the modern worldwide interreligious movement.

As with past parliaments, the overarching theme focused on inter- religious tolerance and peace.

“We need constant effort to bring closer all religious traditions, and then we will have a more effective role to bring compassion to this planet,’ said the Dalai Lama.

‘The focus on religious tolerance and its corollary, religious freedom, was emphasized throughout the program. [See box at right]

But many agreed that the new element at the 2009 parliament was the increased emphasis on the role of women in the interfaith movement — and in religious leadership generally.

“Three things stood out for me at the parliament. They were a great interest in the action on poverty, and the tremendous energy behind the gender issue and climate change”

— Katherine Marshall, World Faiths Development Dialogue.

“Three things stood out for me at the parliament,’ said Katherine Marshall, the executive director of the World Faiths Development Dialogue. “They were a great interest in the ac- tion on poverty, and the tremendous energy behind the gender issue and climate change”

‘The strong presence of women at the parliament was evident from the opening ceremony, where Wurundjeri Aboriginal elder Professor Joy Murphy

8 | December 2009March 2010

es a SO OO)

ee ee a Oo

A discussion about matters of religious tolerance and freedom

ELBOURNE, Australia — How can interfaith dialogue and religious freedom flourish when one religion declares that another is nota religion? Are tolerance and cooperation only possible among people who share the same doctrinal view of the world?

These questions were posed at the Parliament of the World’s Religions by Natalie Mobini, a representative of the Australian Bahdi community, during a 30-minute presentation on 7 December 2009 at a session on religious con- flict and persecution that focused on Myanmar, Thailand, and Iran.

Reflecting on the origins of the in- terfaith movement — in particular the first Parliament of Religions in 1893 — Dr. Mobini noted that its principal organizer believed that it had “eman- cipated the world from bigotry.”

“The interfaith movement has continued to be inspired by the vision of a world in which the followers of different faiths are able not merely to engage with one another in a spirit of tolerance and respect but also to collaborate in contributing to the advancement of society,” she said.

“At the same time, the havoc that religious intolerance is continuing to wreak in our world now poses a more serious threat to humanity’s progress and well-being than at any previous time in history”

Dr. Mobini asked how dialogue can occur when one religion attempts to delegitimize another because of underlying theological differences.

In the case of Iran, the results of such an attitude have included the imprison- ment of the Bahai community’s leaders, the desecration of its cemeteries, and the destruction of its holy places.

Noting that the Islamic govern- ment of Iran has denied that the Bahai Faith is a religion, Dr. Mobini asked, “Is this not the same as the

past, when Christianity claimed that Islam is not a true religion?”

“And when the machinery of the state is used for the purpose of elimi- nating that religion, the challenge moves into sharper focus,’ she said.

‘The lives lost during the crusades highlighted the prejudice that colored the attitudes of Christians towards Muslims in past centuries because Christianity did not recognize Islam as a “divine” religion, she said.

“Christians today have, however, been able to transcend that intoler- ance without compromising their own theological beliefs and engage in interreligious dialogue with Muslims with an open-minded spirit. The world needs to learn from this.

“Should not everyone seek to find within the particular framework of his or her beliefs how to set aside exclu- sionist claims in order to collaborate with followers of religions whose beliefs are different?” she asked.

In the case of Iran, the Bahai Faith does not need to be recognized as “divine” in origin, said Dr. Mobini, “but simply asks that the fact of its existence be accepted and the rights of its followers upheld?”

She said that the transformation of attitudes begins at the grass roots and urged individuals to take the spirit of the Parliament back to their communities.

“It is evident that growing numbers of people are coming to realize that the truth underlying all religions is in its essence one,’ Dr. Mobini said.

“This is the challenge of all of us here and to all who desire to over- come religious intolerance and hatred: how to live up to a ‘golden rule’ that is at the heart of each of the world’s reli- gions; urging us to treat the followers of other faiths as we ourselves would wish to be treated” [Page 9]

Gary Sterling sings a passage from the writings of Bahd‘ulah at the opening ceremony of the Parliament. [Photo by Rachael Dere]

‘Wandin welcomed participants. Dr. Sakena Yacoobi, founder of the Afghan Institute of Learning, a women-led grassroots NGO in Afghanistan, wasa keynote speaker,

‘Women were active in most ses- sions and addr essed the major themes ofthe parliament: gender equality, climate change, the rights of indig- enous peoples, the global economy, and poverty,

Benedictine num Joan Chittister spoke about the need for men to stand ‘up for equality, "When you eliminate half of the human race from the par- ticipation in solutions thet affect the entire human race you leave a society that is seeing with one eye, hearing with one ear, thinking with one half of the human brain — and it shows” said Sister Chittister

Arini Beaumaris, secretary of the Bahl community of Australia, also discussed the importance of women’s leadership in religious affairs

“We believe we will not achieve the peace and tranquillity of the world ‘until we have equality of men and women,” said Ms, Beaumaris during a panel discussion titled "East and West: Spirituality and Women’s Leadership in. Different Religious Perspectives.”

A path to leadership roles for ‘wornen was outlined in a session titled “Bxperience the Women’s Interfaith

Network" hosted by members of the Sydney-based Women’s Interfaith Network (WIN), whose member ship includes women from virtually every major faith tradition,

‘The organization, which promotes harmony and understanding among the followers of all religions, sought to encourage women to set up similar sgoups in other places,

Josie Lacey of Spdney’s Jewish community said that prior to the formation of WIN, interfaith dialogue in Australia’ biggest city was largely conducted by male religiousleaders,

“Today WIN members are often invited to provide a female voice alongside male leaders at interfaith, gatherings." said Ms, Lacey. "WIN provides an opportunity for women to come together and develop their own mode of dialogue.”

Environment a theme

‘There was also anew emphasis on environmental issues, The pro- gam featured many presentations

on the environment — and specifi- cally on climate change. That subject drew special attention because of the parliament’ coincidence with the UN Climate Change Conference, held in Copenhagen, also in early Decernber,

“There were many panels on reli- gion and ecology," said Mary Evelyn ‘Tucker, co-founder of the Forum on Religion and Ecology, writing in the groupsnewsletter,

“Moreover, the climate change meet- ing in Copenhagen loomed large at the patliament, Some people attended both meetings, and numerousmessages were sent to the negotiatorsin Denmark ‘urging climate justice to be part of the resolutions” Dr, Tucker wrote.

The role of youth

Another theme evident at the par- lament was the increased involvement of young people in various grassroots effortsto promote religious tolerance,

At asession titled "The After Party—Legacy and Young People” sev- eral participants said that local multi- faith service projects are an especially effective way to involve young people.

Jem Jebbia, a Mahayana Buddhist from the United States, described the “Faiths Act” work ofthe Tony Blair Foundation, which indudes on its agenda multi-faith cooperation by young people in the fight against malaria

Erin Williams, a staff member of the Interfaith Youth Core, based in Chicago, said her organization found that working together on multi-faith, service projects — even before at- tempts at dialogue — helped to unite the participants, leading to better exchanges on faith issues,

“Our basic goalis to promote religious pluralism.” said Ms, Williams, “We do a service project and then we have dialogue — the service project bringsit all together”

— By Michael Day

December 2009-March 2010

° [Page 10][eevameegenr OF WORD) 2 Portrayal or Betrayal? How the

media depicts women and girls

IN BRIEF

The UN Commission

‘on the Status of Women examined Progress for women since the 1995 Beijing conference

= A panel there considered how images of women in the media affed their status

+ The “sexualized” images in advertising, film, and TV demean women and gitls, said panelists

+ Positive solutions

include individual

action and moral education

EW YORK — When Jan Floyd-Douglass decided to buy a new car, she bypassed suitable mo dels from many

different companies — and then wrote

to tell them why,

“Lwrote to eight manufacturers saying, Tove your car but I didn't buy it because I don't like your advertise- ments because they demean women,” said Ms, Floyd-Douglass,

She told the story during apanel discussion titled "Portrayal or Betrayal: How the Media Depicts Women and Girls” which washeld 3 March 2010 at the UN offices of the Baha International Community,

The event was one of dozens of side events planned in conjunction with the annual session of the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women, held 1-12 March 2010, which this pear examined progress made for women since the 1995 Beljing conference,

‘Asa contribution to this theme, the panel sought to consider how images

Baroness Joyce Gould, left chair ofthe LK Women’s National Commission, and Jan Floyd-Douglass, right, on the board of the same commission, were among the speakers at a3 March 2010 panel discussion about the portrayal of women in the media

At center is Zatin Hainsworth-Fadaei, a Bahai! from the UK. The cover photograph referring to this story shows Sarah Kasule of the Mother's Union in Uganda.

10 | December 2008-March 200

in the media — whether television, movies, or advertising — affect the ‘way women are perceived and treated,

‘Ms, Floyd-Douglass was joined by Michael Karlberg, an asso ci- ate professor of communications at ‘Western Washington University, and Sarah Kasule of the Mother's Union in. Uganda, The panel wasmnoderated by Baroness Joyce Could, chair of the UK Women’ National Commission,

Baroness Gould opened by noting that several recent studies have shown. that images that objectify or demean ‘women are now more widely used in. the media than ever.

‘Moreover, she said, those studies show that such “sexualized” images have an unhealthy impact on the psy- chological development of young girls — and on young boys.

“Itgives a very disturbing peroep- tion to girls and young women.” she said. "For girls, it is about being told they need to be more attractive to men, And for boys, it is about looking ‘upon girls as sextal objects”

Dr, Karlberg said this trend in the media is a result of both individual choices and institutional forces,

“On one hand,” he said, “people everywhere are choosing to consume media that feedsbase appetites that we have inherited from our animal nature, On the other hand, media institutions have been constructed in ways that purposefully stimulate, reinforce, and exploit these base appetites”

“The result, he said, is a feedback oydle" that has created a media envi- ronment that is "unjust, unhealthy, and ‘unsustainable

Dr, Karlberg satd efforts to address the problem must consider the strtc- ture of me dia institutions,

“The assumption isthat the media is just another commodity” he satd “But the media is not just another

ONE COUNTRY [Page 11]commodity. It is a process that facili- tates democratic deliberations. It is a process that creates culture”

Part of the problem, he said, is that the media’s real product is not con- tent but the delivery of an audience to advertisers. The result is that the media strives to manufacture audiences in the cheapest way possible.

Media junk food

“The cheapest way to manufac- ture audience is through a high sex, high violence, high conflict content.

It doesn’t take talent or research or investigative journalism. Yet it stimu- lates the appetites, much the same way that a high salt, high sugar, and high fat junk food diet does”

Dr. Karlberg, who is a Bahai, also discussed efforts the Bahai community has undertaken to offer moral educa- tion for children and young people, which he said can help to counter the ill effects of exposure to sexualized or violent images.

“Bahdis, like people everywhere, are struggling to raise and educate children,’ he said. “They are trying to do this in a way that cultivates their inherent nobility, that releases their spiritual potential, and that helps them recognize the deep sources of purpose, meaning, and happiness in life.

“Such spiritual education can be avery important factor in making children less susceptible to messages in their media environment. It is also a very important factor in making children more likely to make thoughtful choices about media consumption as they grow older,’ said Dr. Karlberg.

Ms. Floyd-Douglass said she con- sidered her effort to write to various automobile manufacturers that use sexualized images of women in their advertising as one among many weap- ons in the battle against the problem of such images.

Like the other panelists, she noted that such images are so commonplace as to seem innocuous.

Parents, she said, should explain the existence of such images to their children — and make efforts to coun- ter their harmful effects. “We have to

WOMEN’ S

PROGRES §

How much have women advanced since Beijing?

na declaration, the 54th

Commission on the Status of

Women broadly concluded that

much progress for women has been made since the 1995 Beijing Fourth World Conference on Women. But it also stated that many “challenges and obstacles” remain be- fore the agreements forged in Beijing are fully implemented.

“Action is needed where it mat- ters most — in the lives of girls who do not have access to education or training,” said Rachel Mayanja, a UN assistant secretary general and Special Adviser on Gender Issues and Advancement of Women, in remarks at the end of Commission.

“We must act to empower women who risk death and disability in childbirth; those who work long hours for little, unequal, or no pay. We must commit ourselves to ensur- ing a place for women at the peace table, on the village council and in national parliaments. By ensuring equal opportunities for women and men, we promote the progress of our entire society,” said Ms. Mayanja.

Ms. Mayanja also hosted a presen- tation, held 3 March at the UN, that assessed the degree to which women have achieved higher levels of repre- sentation in government, civil society, corporations, and at the UN.

question stereotypes in the media. We have to laugh at them.

“My message is, if we don’t actually do anything about this, we are com- plicit in it? she said.

Ms. Kasule said the problem is not confined to western countries.

“In the African context, much of the time, the way women are depicted in the media is quite negative,” she said. “They are depicted as symbols of sex. Or as something to do with making men comfortable, or giving care”

Aparna Mehrotra, the UN’s focal point for women, reviewed some statistics. In 1995, the percent of women in national parliaments was 11.3 percent. “Today, it is slightly up, to 18.8 percent,’ said Ms. Mehrotra. “So there has been progress. But I don’t say it is great progress.”

Emma Sabin, a vice-president at Catalyst, a nonprofit organization that helps businesses become more inclusive of women, said similarly incremental progress has been made in the corporate world. “In 1995, point 1 (.1) percent of women were chief executive officers at the top 1,000 companies. Today, we are at 3 percent.”

Ms. Sabin said she believes more women will rise to senior manage- ment levels as women take seats on corporate boards, noting that percentage has risen from 9.6 in 1995 to 15.2 today.

Bani Dugal, the principal repre- sentative of the Bahdi International Community to the UN, spoke about the contribution that civil society has made in helping women achieve greater representation. “Women’s groups have been one of the main vectors through which women's needs and goals have been communicated to governments,’ said Ms. Dugal.

There are some counter trends to the problem, she added. She described a national television project in Uganda that gives free air time for women to talk about things that matter to them and noted that educational levels for women and girls are rising.

“There are many programs for girls to read and write. This is important because they will be able to access information, to access media reports, and then they can respond,” said Ms. Kasule.

December 2009-March 2010 | 11 [Page 12]Coe

At the Human Rights Council, the world objects to Iran’s record in a historic first review

IN BRIEF

= Iran faced its first Universal Periodic Review at the UN Human Rights Cound in February + 53 nations made oral statements, of which 28 were critical of Iran's record, especially its post-election crackdown on citizens + 21 nations made spedfic mention of Iran’s oppression of Baha‘fs. Many called for an end to religious discrimination and release of the seven Baha't leaders

(ie Ni i mt The UN Human Rights Coundl foaused on the situation in Iran in a session on 15 February at the Palace of Nations, the Geneva head quartars of the Linited Nations.

12 | December 2009-March 200

ENEVA — At ahistoric first review of its record before the UN Human Rights Council, Iran found itself sharply iticized by other nations for a wide range of violations — not the least of which were its treatment of citizens in post-election protests and its ongoing persecution of Bahds, Of the 53 national delegations that made oral statements during a 45 February 2010 meeting called to review Iran’shuman rightsre cord, at least 28 read statements that were in. some way critical. Another 25 govern- mentsfiled written statements, many of which also were critical of Iran. Nations were especially concerned about Iran’s crackdown since the 2009 presidential election, Hungary’ state- ment was typical; “Itis particularly worrisome that, according to reports, actions against participants in peace- ful demonstrations seen to become ever more violent and that the physical well-being of detainees aswell astheir right to fair trial is not guaranteed” ‘At least 21 nationsmade specific mention of the situation of Irantan Bahéis, Many in this group issued a

broad cal for an end to religious dis- crimination against Bah is and other minorities, while others expressed specific concern for the detention of seven Bahét leaders, [See page s]

“We recommend to the Islamic Republic of Iran to respect freedom of religion, to end the polices of diserim- ination against religious minorities and to assure a fair and transparent trial of the members of the Bahdt Faith.” said Romania in its statement,

‘The meeting was significant because it was the first time Iran has faced a procedure known as Universal Periodic Review (UPR), That proce- dure came into being with the creation of the Human Rights Coundl in 2007, ‘The idea is to review the human rights record of all 192 United Nations mem- ber states once every four years,

“The good newsisthat govern- ments and organizations are rallying to defend inno cent Iranians, who have over the last year seen their human rights so gravely violated.” said Diane Alai, the representative of the Bahai International Community to the United Nations in Geneva,

“The bad newsis that Iran contin- esto ignore such appeals" she said.

‘Ms, Ali noted, for example, thet the head of the Iranian delegation told the Coundil in histeply that no Bah is are persecuted for their beliefs — a state- ment that contradicts eviden ce put for- wardin numerous UN reports as well as those of human rights organizations,

‘Thehead of the Iranian delegation, ‘Muhammad Javad Larijani, also told the Couneil that there is religious freedom in Iran and that, if any Bahdts areim- prisoned, itis because of ‘legal activi- tes" asa cult —a statement that likewise ignores all outside evidence.

“It was astounding to those of us in the Council chamber to watch the Iranian delegates stand before the

ONE COUNTRY [Page 13]international community and repeat arguments and rationalizations that everyone knows are completely false,” said Ms. Aldi.

Even Iran’s friends concerned

Ms. Ala’i also noted that even countries that are known for their relatively friendly relations with Iran raised questions about Iran’s record on the treatment of women and religious minorities.

India asked the Iranian delegation to “share its views on ways to strength- en the role of civil society, including media, in public policy, [and] also ways to strengthen the empower- ment of women. We request [Iran] to strengthen developmental efforts for vulnerable groups, including religious minorities”

Brazil’s statement, likewise, ex- pressed concern over Iran’s discrimina- tion against women — and also specifi- cally called attention to the treatment of Bahais.

H UM AN aa

GHTS

“Democratic regimes tolerate diversity of opinion and religious beliefs. The Bahai community in Iran should enjoy the same rights extended to other groups. Brazil expects that the Baha’ leaders in prison will enjoy due process of law-’

— The government of Brazil

“Democratic regimes tolerate diver- sity of opinion and religious beliefs,” said Brazil. “The Bahai community in Iran should enjoy the same rights ex- tended to other groups. Brazil expects that the Bahai leaders in prison will enjoy due process of law”

After the session, the UN compiled a list of 188 recommendations made by other nations — along with Iran’s responses.

These recommendations included urging Iran to take “further concrete steps to promote the rights of dis- abled persons” and “further steps to

eliminate torture and other forms of ill treatment.

Iran indicated to the United Nations that it accepted 123 of these recommendations but had reservations on 20 and rejected 45.

Among the recommendations that Iran rejected were a call to cooperate with the UN Special Rapporteur on torture and the suggestion that Iran “repeal or amend all discriminatory provisions against women and girls.”

Iran also rejected eight recommen- dations that specifically mentioned is- sues facing Bahdis, including a request that it “release detained Bahéii leaders and end policies of discrimination against Bahdi and other religious and ethnic minorities”

[The complete UN report on the Universal Periodic Review of Iran can be found at: http://lib.ohchr.org/ HRBodies/UPR/Documents/Session7/ IR/A_HRC_14_12_Iran.pdf ]

Trial of seven Baha’ leaders in Iran begins; international condemnation follows

Trial, continued from page one

with Israel, sending secret documents outside the country, acting against the security of the country, and corruption on earth.

The closed nature of the trial, along with other irregularities, were widely condemned in the days and weeks after the first session.

Shirin Ebadi speaks

Nobel laureate Shirin Ebadi called for the immediate release and ulti- mate acquittal of the seven.

“If justice is to be carried out and an impartial judge [would] investigate the charges leveled against my clients, the only verdict that could be reached

wwwonecountry.org

is that of acquittal” said Mrs. Ebadi, who, along with three other colleagues, officially represents the seven. Ms. Ebadi has been outside Iran since the June 2009 presidential election and the turmoil that followed.

Mrs. Ebadi said she had carefully read the dossier of charges against them and “found in it no cause or evidence to sustain the criminal charges upheld by the prosecutor.”

Her comments came in a posting on WashingtonTV, a Web-based news service in the United States.

Others also expressed concerns about the fairness of the trial, call- ing for it to be open and held in accordance with international legal standards. Governments, human rights organizations, and prominent

individuals in the European Union, the United States, Brazil, India, and Canada all issued strong statements of concern.

The European Union said in a state- ment that it “expresses its serious con- cern about the start today of the trial against seven Bahdi leaders in Iran, as the charges against them appear to be motivated by their belonging to a minority faith”

In Brazil, Luiz Couto, the president of the Human Rights Commission of the Federal Chamber of Deputies, said ina letter to the Iranian ambassador to Brazil that it appears the “trial is not transparent and public? and that any closed trial would violate the right to a full and fair defense.

December 2009-March 2010 | 13 [Page 14]

Above are photographs of some of the 10 Balé'is arrested ‘on 3 January 2010, according to the Committee of Human Rights Reporters, which published the photographs on the Web.

""Wecemsider the freedema of religion and belief — that of Musas, Christians, Jews Buddhists, Babi, and allother religious expressicns —a fundamental huraan right for derenc- racy both inthe East and West" said Congressman Coss,

‘Many extended their expression of concern to the entire Irian Babi conmaunity, stating that the trial of the sevenleaders reflects just ome aspect of an'onghing repression”

For example the Intemational Federation for Huraan Rights (FIDE) and the Iranian League for the Defence of Human Rights (LDDHI issued a pressrelease om 11 February calling on. the Eanianauthorities to Yo imamae- diately cease all kind sof intimidation and harassmaent against the Bahdi conanaurity and release all persons arbitrarily detained

“tran should, under all crcurn- stances respect the international stan dards related to the right to fair tril" said the FIDH and LDDHI.

Continuing arrests

Such expressions of concem ac- companied new arrests of Iranian Babdis in January and February. On3 January, 13 Bahdis were arrested and tencf them were ater falely charged with helping to organize the Ashura deracnstrations in late Deceraber, According ta the govermmaent-spon- sored news media, some af those arrested were accused of possessing

1 | December 2009-March2010

“armsand ammunition” iroplying that they were to be used against the ‘government — a charge which was ira- mediately rejected as fale by the Bahai Intemational Corarasmity,

Among the 1 arrested on 3 January ‘were relatives of twa of the iraprisoned leaders, including Negar Sabet, daugh- ter of Mahvash Sabet; Leva Khanjani, granddaughter of araloddin Rhanjant and her husband, Babake Mobasher. Others arrested were Jinous Scbhani, former secretary of ‘Mrs, Shirin Bbadi, and her husband Artin Ghazanfark; Mehran Rowhani and Rarid Rowhani, who are broth- ers; Nasi Beiglni; Payarn Faraians Nikav Hoveydaie and his wife, Mona ‘Misaghisand Ebrahima Shadraehr and his som, Zavosh shadmnehr.

(On3o Janauarg cme of thoe ten — Payara Fanaian — was among 16 individuals put ontral in Tehran for allegedly patticipatingin the Ashura deraemstrations. Aspects ofthat trial ‘were broadcast on television, featur ing confessions that had clearly been, coatced,

Ina statement issued at the time, ‘the Bahdi Intemational Coraraunity said: "is well rawr that such com- fessions are obtained while prisan- ersare under extreme duress often after being exposed to such appalling tacticsasfood and sleep deprivation, fake executions threats against their families, and worse, Rather than ac- cepting responsibility for the turreail

inthe country, the nian government organizes such show tialsin order to ly the blame on irmocent citizens and others.”

Inkate March, it was leamed that ‘Mr, Fanaian had been sentenced to siz years in prison, Mos of the other Bahdis arrested omg January had been released on bail, and were avaiting ‘rial on unspecified charges

Revalving-dcor arrests of Babais, around the comntry confine. In March, some 14 Bahai were arrested, five inthe dity of Marvdasht, four in ‘Mashhad, and the others in Semman, Isfahan Shiraz, Kerreanshah, and Sari, Most af the detentions followed the faraliar pattem of agentsf the Ministry of Intelligence showing up atthe homes of Bahdis searching the premises and confiscating iteras such ascomputersand books, then arresting the residents

Inall, more than so Bahdishave been arrested since the begimingaf 2010. Asthisartice was written, there ‘were 45 Babdis in prison, all because of their religious beliefs,

“Iran should, under all circumstances, respect the international standards related to the right toa fair trial”

— Fédération Internationale

der ligues des Draits de Hamme (FIDH)

‘Owe couNmRY [Page 15]‘An image from The Forgotten Schools. Qazvin, Iran,1928.

Schools, continued from pagesé

high government officals and the aristocracy,

“The fact that Bahai scho ols were owned and run by individualsrather than by Baha¥ institutions could be one reason they are virtually unmentioned in histories of education in Iran, he sad.

But the Bahdt comnection was never secret, Dr, Shahvar believes akey fac- tor in their obscurity has been govern- ment coercion aimed at preventing historians from talking about the Baha Path,

“The Iranian government made it taboo to talk about [the Bahd¥ Faith] Ifa scholar wants cooper ation from the government, he has to go along.” he said, noting that what little hasbeen vritten tends to be by Bahéts them- selves, "Nobody else wants to touch it”

‘The Baha emphasis on education had broad ramifications, Dr. Shahvar said, "Everything stemsfrom educa- tion," he said, “Itis more important than money, The Bahéis excelled in everything they did. And it benefited the whole society, not just the Bah ds”

Aswell, Bahdis were well integrated into Persian society, "The Jews, the Christians, the Zoroastrians tended to have their own neighborhoods, even whole towns, Butthe Bahdis were ev- erywhere — villages, towns, cities”

“The influence of the Bahéts could be attributed in great measure to the model they provided, he satd,

wuconecountyong

The Bah4f-run Tavakkul Gitl's School in

For example, in the 1oth century, the intellectualsin Iran were beginning to read about reformistideas, "But the ideas from Europe — of equality, democracy —were more theoretical. ... The Baha community was an actual model, right there in Iran, The [Bahét] idea of demo- Gaticelections probably had amor effect on the population,"he said.

He believes the lack of scholarly material goes beyond the role of the Bahl community in modem Iran, extending even to basicinformation about the religion and its founders,

“Why, in the intellectual history of 2oth century Iran, is there no mention of Bahdu'lldh and Abdu’l-Baha®” he said, "They were talking about global- ization and intemational security be- fore anyone, How can you call yourself a scholar and not mention them?"

Other academicianshave agreed that there has not been much scholarly work to date in this field

Farhad Kazemi, professor of Politics, ‘Middle Eastern and Islamic Studiesat New Sork University, wrote: "[Shahvar’] fine scholarly book on the development of modem primary and secondary edu- cation in Iran through the efforts of the Bahéis ills an important gap in scholarly literature of the Islanic world”

— By Sally Weeks

ONE COUN TRY

ONE COUNTRY is published quarterly by the Ofice of Public Information of

the Bah international Community,

an international non-governmental organization which encompassesand represents the worldwide membership of the Bah Feith,

For more information on the stories in this newsletter, or any aspectof the Baha’ International Community and ts work, please contact

ONE COUNTRY Bah! International Community — Suite 120

£66 United Nations Plena

New York, New York 10017

USA,

Email onemuntry@bicorg htipsfrwnconecounty.org

Eior: Brad Pokorny

Associate Editors: Sally Weeks (Hate) Vladimir chupin (Moscow) Kong Siew Huat (Macau) Ralf Wolf (Germany)

Ectitorial Assistant: Veronica Shoftstal Design: Tom Mann

Subscription inquiries should be directed tn the above address. all material copyrighted by the Baha’ International Community and subjectto 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? International Community

Printed using soy-based inks

December 2009-March 200 | a5 [Page 16]

How Baha’is helped bring modern education to Iran

The Forgotten Schools: The Bahd'ts and Modern Education In iran 1899-1938

—By Soli Shahvar LB. Tauris, London

IN BRIEF

= Iran scholar Soli Shahvar says the role of Baha'ts in the modernization of Iran has been vastly overlooked

+ His new book tells the story of dozens of pioneering Baha‘f schools established in Iran before being closed in 1934 by government decree

+ Their progressive methods, academic excellence and

openness to the followers of all religions had

a wide ranging but previously unacknowledged impad on Iranian society at large

16 | December 2009-March 2010

fhe role of the Bahét Faith in the modernization of Iran remains a history largely waiting to be written, according to the author of anew scholarly work about Bahgi schools that once existed and flour- ished throughout the country,

“What I have learned from do- ing thisisthat there are alot more studiesto be done on the role of the Bahéis," said Soli Shahar, author of The Forgotten Schools: The Bahéis and ‘Modern Education in Iran, 1809-1034 “This book is just one example.”

His new work tells the story of the establishment by Bahdts of dozens of schools in Iran — in cities, towns, and villages — starting around the tum ofthe 20th century, In 193q, the Shah ordered most of the schools dosed.

Other religious minorities, includ ing Christians, Jews, and Zoroastrians, also operated schools, but those of the Bahdis were different, said the Iranian- bom Dr, Shahvar, who is senior lecturer in the department of Middle Eastern history and director of the Emi Center for Iran and Persian Gulf Studies at the University of Haifa in Israel, He is not a Bahl,

One way the Baha schools were different is that they welcomed stu- dents from all religious backgrounds, induding Mustims, Thismost likely made these schools one of the few placesin Iran where people of different faiths mixed as a community, he said,

And unlike the other religious schools, which used the academic set- ting for religious training, the Bahay schools did not offer instruction in the Bahai Paith itself

‘The main distinguishing feature ofthe Bahét schools was their excel- lence, said Dr, Shahvar during arecent interview.

"Because education was part of [the Bahai] belief, they did it the best they could, That's why their schools were better," he said, adding that the teachers were not well paid but were extremely devoted,

Progressive Bahl beliefs — the equality of women and men, demo- craticideals, the importance of science — spilled over into edtication, Bahét schoolshad maps and blackboards, and in some localities, they were the only schools available to girls or to children of certain backgrounds, he said,

‘Most schoolsin Iran at the time ‘were what Dr. Shahwvar called the "old type." The traditional educational systern was based on teaching by local religious leaders who usually had no training in educational methods, They often held classes in their homes, fo- cusing on memorization of the Qur'an and poetry,

‘The excellence of the Bahét schools drew many non-Bahdi students, satd Dr, Shahvar, including children of �