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Volume 5 Issue 1 - Jan-Mar, 1993

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ONE ”AA COUNTRY

Ianuary—March 1993 Vol. 5, Issue 1 Newsletter of the Baha’i International Community

“The earth is but one country, and mankind its citizens”— Bahé’u’lléh

Reconsidering Civic responsibility in Albania

Upcoming World Conference on Human Rights stirs much activity among NGOs.

A secret “blueprint” for

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the persecution Of Baha IS School children at recess at an elementary school In Tirana, Albania. Note the in Iran indicates high-lCVCl boarded-up windows, a legacy of the volcanic changes in AIbanian society.

Government complicity. A new approach to moral education seeks to fill the vacuum left by communism’s exit; the

appreciation of diversity suggests a model for human rights education

TIRANA, Albania —The trees have all been chopped down along the main boulevards and roads in and around this capital city in what was once the most isolated and is still the poorest country in Europe.

In Pakistan, tree-planting

becomes a common Shorton fueltoheattheirhomestwo wintersago,Albaniansfelledthetreesfor racti C C in 10 cal Bahé’i firewood. Most were cut right to the ground. Hardly a stump remains

p , _ The mlssmg trees tell of the many upheavals this otherwise naturally

commumtles. fertile and scenic Mediterranean countiy has gone through since the collapse

in 1991 of one of the most repressive regimes in the communist world.

At the first taste of freedom, some Albanians vented their anger on anything connected with the totalitarian regime that for some 40 years controlled every aspect of life here. They destroyed schools, the massive storehouses and greenhouses on the collective farms, and other govern- . . ment buildings. A second wave of ruination came as outmoded industrial RCWCW: Earth m the Balance complexes and other inefficient enterprises were simply shut down and by US, Vice President Al abandoned. Today, virtually none of the state-owned businesses function.

. - As Albanians face the task of reconstruction, many say that not only has (391:6 bajlanch pOhUCS and their outward world been destroyed and left vacant: their inner world has Spmtuahty 1n the searCh for also collapsed. Like the trees that once lined their boulevards, the commu- sustainable development. nist ideology that once dominated their mental world has likewise been razed to the ground. (Continued on page 10)

[Page 2]is published quarterly by the Office of Pubiic information of the Baha'i International Community, an international non-governmentai organization which encom- passes and represents the wortdwide membership of the Baha’i Faith.

For more information on the stories in this newsletter, or any aspect of the Baha’i International Community and its work, please contact:

ONE COUNTRY

Office of Public information Bahé’i International Community - Suite 120 866 United Nations Plaza New York, New York 10017 U.S.A.

Executive Editor: Douglas Martin

Editor: Brad Pokorny

Associate Editors:

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

Rosalie Tran (Hong Kong) Guilda Waiker (London)

Contributing Editor: Arman Danesh

Production Assistant: Veronica Shoffstall

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

ISSN 1018-9300

Printed on recycled paper

ONE COUNTRY / Ianuary-March 1993

Human Rights and Education

At the last World Conference on Human Rights some 25 years ago, many of the world’s most intractable human rights prob lems seemed to stem from the Cold War.

Now the Cold War is over.

But while the world’s human rights situation has vastly improved in many places since the downfall of communism and the departure of many right—wing dic- tators, new sources of conﬂict have emerged and moved to center stage.

The old struggle in human rights was over ideology: an East versus West argu- ment over governance and economics.

The new struggles are more about matters of belief and c u 1 t u r e : w h e th e r one group will allow their neighbors to worship God as they might choose; whether one group will al- low another to enjoy (or simply retain) their ethnic, racial or national heritage.

The short list of such conﬂicts includes “ethnic cleansing” in the former Yugosla- via, other ethnic conﬂicts in the former Soviet Union, communal Violence on the Indian subcontinent, tribal massacres in Africa, and the cauldron of conﬂict over religion, race and nationalism that is the Middle East.

These struggles are rooted in pas— sions that in many respects run far more deeply than the Cold War concerns over ideology. It will, accordingly, require ef- forts of a different sort if their malignancy is to be eradicated.

Many of the human rights violations stemming from matters of ideology, for ex- ample, could be addressed simply by focus- ing on the actions of governments. That is because in most cases it was governments who were violating someone’s rights.

Many cases of human rights viola- tions originating in differences over cul- ture and religion are stimulated and in- ﬂamed by governments —— consider the extent of Government involvement in the persecution of the Baha’is in Iran as re- ported on in this issue on page 6, or the

Perspective

situation in the Balkans.

Yet it can nevertheless be said that per— haps an equally large number of the human rights problem areas today arise more from the recrudescence of age-old hostilities and animosities at the grassroots level than from any specific government policy.

Tackling such prejudices and hostili- ties, accordingly demands the treatment of attitudes of individuals and groups in addi- tion to the traditional focus on laws and governments. And the best way to address such attitudes is through education.

Educating people about their rights, of course, has long been a bulwark 0f the effort to stem the tide of human rights violations. As Sue Nichols of the Unitarian Universalist United Nations office says in our story on page 4 about the activities of non-govern- mental organizations in relation to the World Conference on Human Rights, “The first step in human rights is to know your rights.”

However, the deeprooted nature of the passions that spur these conﬂicts over belief

Educational efforts must go beyond merely telling people about their rights. They must also focus on educating them about their responsibilities toward others and efforts to encourage a greater sense of understanding and tolerance.

and culture requires some retooling of this approach.

The educational efforts must go beyond merely telling people about their rights. There must also be a focus on educating them about their responsibilities toward oth- ers and efforts to encourage a greater sense of understanding and tolerance.

Governments, of course, must play a role in organizing, shaping and supporting

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[Page 3]ONE COUNTRY / JanuaryeMarch 1993

such education programs. Indeed, in this issue we report on the efforts of the Albanian Government to instill in its people a new sense of civic viItue through a pioneering effort in moral education.

As the story says, this effort draws on Bahé’i principles —- notably the concepts of unity in diversity, of religious oneness, and 0f the oneness ofhumanity. Farzam Arbab, a Bahé’i development specialist who has been involved in shaping the program in Albania, describes the approach:

“From our point of view, moral educa- tion is not simply a matter of teaching love and truthfulness. To say ‘Don’t tell a lie’ is avery little thing compared to helping some one to understand the concept of rectitude of conduct. In the 01d framework, someone can be truthful and honest, but still have a business that is basically exploitative with- out us seeing it.”

Dr. Arbab continues: “One often finds the same kind of contradictions surround- ing the issues of racial, ethnic or religious prejudice. You can be a very loving person,

full of love for God and for your friends but still feel prejudice towards foreigners and others of different races or religions. If, however, your moral framework comes from a fundamental understanding of the oneness of humanity and the unity of God, such prejudices evaporate.”

Such principles must form the bedrock values if we are to build a world civilization. By helping individuals to recognizes the fun- damental truth of such principles, which can be taught without reference to a specific religion, the path to greater tolerance and understanding between peoples is cleared.

“O contending peoples and kindreds of the earth!” wrote Bahé’u’lléh. “Set yourfaces towards unity, and let the radiance of its light shine upon you. Gather ye together, and for the sake of God resolve to root our whatever is the source of contention amongst you. Then will the effulgence of the world’s great Luminary envelop the whole earth, and its inhabitants become the Citizens of one city, and the occupants of one and the same throne.” 9

In India, Prime Minister Shrei Narismha Rao, right, received a delegation of Bahé'is at his residence on 12 September. Dr. G. Gopinath, left, director—general of the Baha‘i House of Worship in New Delhi presented Mr. Rao with a photograph of the House of Worship, which has become one of India's most visited sites.

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[Page 4]ONE COUNTRY / Ianuary—March 1993

The Baha’i International Community has participated in all of the regional meetings held in advance of the World Conference on Human Rights. Shown at right are members of the Baha’i delegation to the regional meeting for Asia, held in Bangkok from 29 March to 2 April this year. Left to right are: Badi Abhasakun, Dr. Tawatchai Wisoodthimark, and Diane Ala’i.

Upcoming World Cnference

, a Afiﬂv" ?ffi?

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on Human Rights expected to focus on broad questions

VIENNA — Although on a smaller scale than last year’s Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro, non-governmental organizations

“The real question around the world are preparing to attend—

before the and, if possible, to inﬂuence—the upcom— . ing World Conference on Human Rights.

Conference IS hOW The United Nations Conference, sched-

tO create a uled to run from 14-25 J une here, is billed as

a major opportunity to review and assess the progress made in the field since the adoption of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights in 1948.

NGOs hope to play a special role at the Conference by serving as catalysts for change.

‘The Conference is important because it is the first of its kind in 25 years, and it thus provides a chance to sitback and look at all of these great words that have been spoken about human rights and to see how it all is really working,” said Sue Nichols, the co- executive director of the Unitarian Universal- ist United Nations Ofiice in New York.

“I also believe that governments never would have done as much as they have done in human rights if it hadn’t been for NGOs,” Ms. Nichols added, “and that is why it is important for NGOs to work hard

universal human rights culture—a culture of conscience, so to speak—that cuts across all regions, religious beliefs, and social and economic

systems.” —Techeste Ahderom

0n the issue.”

Rather than focus on the examination of specific human rights cases, the agenda for the Conference aims to address a series of broad questions. These questions in— clude:

0 To what extent are human rights universal? Is it axiomatic that everyone has the same rights, or are there differences that can be laid to culture, religion and/or region? Can these concerns be reconciled?

0 To what extent must civil and politi- cal rights be balanced against so-called so— cial, economic and cultural rights? Should the right of association, for example, take precedence over the right to food and shel- ter? Can these concepts be integrated?

0 How can the rights of women, of indigenous peoples and of other so-called “vulnerable” groups, such as children, be better integrated into the international hu- man rights system?

Indeed, the question of integration— how to apply human rights to the full spec- trum of issue areas addressed by the United Nations, whether peacekeeping, develop ment or women and children—is shaping up as an underlying theme for the Conference.

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[Page 5]ONE COUNTRY / Ianuary—March 1993

“As we look ahead, the real question before the Conference is how to create a universal human rights culture—a culture of conscience, so to speak—that cuts across all regions, religious beliefs, and social and economic systems,” said Techeste Ahderom, main representative to the United Nations for the Baha’i International Com- munity. “In a subtle way, this is the real challenge before the Conference.”

NGOs are at the forefront in calling for the integration of human rights into other areas addressed by the United Nations.

For example, a 41-page position paper by Amnesty International, which calls for the establishment of a UN Special Commis- sioner for Human Rights, has been widely discussed and contributed considerably to the advance debate on the proposal. Among other things, the paper argues that human rights “are too often marginalized or exces- sively compartmentalized within the UN system,” when the aspirations of the Char- ter mean that human rights “should under- pin all of the UN’s activities.”

NGOs have played a leading role in the call for an increased focus on the rights of women, as well.

“The demands ofwomen’s groups, who are really organized at the grassroots level across the world can no longer be ignored,” said Reed Brody, the director of the Wash- ington—based International Human Rights law Group. “We expect that the World Conference will recommend concrete steps for the integration of women’s right into all of the human rights programs.”

NGOs have always played an impor- tant role in pushing for greater observance and recognition of human rights.

“Without NGOs, much ofwhatwe have today in terms of all of these mechanisms for protecting human rights would not be in place—or if they were in place, they would be less effective,” said Candy Whittome, the United Nations program coordinator for the Lawyer’s Committee on Human Rights, an international NGO that promotes the rule of law worldwide.

Whittome and other NGO representa- tives say non—govemmental organizations have proven especially effective at bringing to the world’s attention government viola- tions of human rights that would otherwise be suppressed.

“If, for example, the United Nations Spe~

cial Rapporteurs on Human Rights didn’t get information from NGOs, their task would be almost impossible. Because much of the in- formation on the situation in the countries they are reporting on comes from NGOs.”

This contribution is acknowledge by United Nations officials.

“Non-governmental organizations have already had a big impact on the Confer- ence,” said Elsa Stamatopoulou, chief of the New York Office at the United Nations’ Center for Human Rights. “All of the ideas that are being tossed around, from how to strengthen the monitoring of human rights to the idea of a high commissioner, have been debated at the many satellite meet- ings held by NGOs in preparation for the Conference.”

The role of NGOs in promoting human rights education, especially, is widely recog- nized. “The first step in human rights is to know your rights,” said Ms. Nichols of the Unitarian Universalists. “Which is why edu- cation is very important. There are a lot of people who don’t know about their human rights. And NGOs are the ones that do much of the educating and the disseminat- ing of information on human rights.”

NGOs will have a chance to provide input to the Conference in two ways. Those NGOs that have consultative status with the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) will be allowed to attend the Conference itself, said Ms. Stamatopoulou. Some 938 NGOs worldwide have such sta- tus, although not all are concerned with human rights.

In addition, regional and national NGOs that have participated in the regional prepa- ratory conferences on human rights will also be allowed to participate directly. More than 500 such NGOs have participated in this process so far.

NGOs of all types will also be allowed to participate in a parallel meeting, called sim- ply the NGO Forum, which will be held for three days in advance of the Conference, from 10 June to 13 June.

“As far as NGOs coming, the Confer- ence is going to be a big chance for us to network,” said Berit Collett, associate rep resentative t0 the United Nations for the Friends (Quaker) World Committee for Consultation. “That is the best part of such

parallel forums at a big world conference like this.” 9

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[Page 6]A copy of the secret memorandum on “the Baha'i question" has been obtained by the Baha’i International Community. A complete English translation begins on page 7.

ONE COUNTRY / Ianuary-March 1993

Secret Iranian Government memo outlines blueprint for

/9/

suppression of Iran’s Baha lS

1991 paper on “the Baha’i question” calls for “progress and development” to be “blocked” ; signed by President Khamenei

GENEVA — The emergence of a previ- ouslysecretGovemmentmemorandumhas provided startling new evidence that—de— spite a long history of denials—Iran has established a carefully considered high- level policy to suppress and persecute the 350,000-member Baha’i community in Iran.

The secret memorandum, which was drawn up by the Supreme Revolutionary Cultural Council in 1991, outlines a Govern- ment blueprint for the quiet strangulation of Iran’s Baha’i community, which is the largest religious minority in Iran.

The memorandum specifically calls for Iran’s Baha’is to be treated “such that their progress and development shall be blocked.” It then spells out a series of guidelines for achieving this goal.

Although the persecution of Baha’is in Iran has been well documented—more than 200 Baha’is have been executed or killed in Iran since 1979, hundreds have been im— prisoned, and thousands have been de- prived ofjobs, pensions, and/ or education— the memorandum for the first time pro- vides conclusive evidence that the cam— paign against the Baha’is is centrally or- chestrated by the Government.

“The discovery of this document eon- firms that the Iranian Government, despite its denials, has in fact engaged in a system- atic effort to oppress and persecute the Bahé’is in Iran, with the ultimate objective of eliminating them as a viable commu- nity,” said Mr. Techeste Ahderom, main representative to the United Nations for the Baha’i International Community.

“The document indicates for example that the Government aims to keep the Baha’is illiterate and uneducated, living only at a subsistence level, and fearful at every moment that even the tiniest infraction will

bring the threat of imprisonment orworse,” Mr. Ahderom said.

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[Page 7]ONE COUNTRY / JanuaryiMarch 1993 ...._..---.......--.___._..u--._.....--........--_._....-—-_.......-___......—..........-..__...._

In the Name of God! The IsIamIc Republic of Iran The Supreme Revolutionary Cultural Council

Number: 1327/.... Date: 6/12/69 [25 February 1991] Enclosure: None

CONFIDENTIAL

Dr. Seyyed Mohammad Golpayganl Head of the Office of the Esteemed Leader [Khamenei]

Greetlngs!

After greetings, wlth reference to the letter #1/ 783 dated 10/10/69 [31 December 1990], concerning the instructions of the Esteemed Leader which had been conveyed to the Respected President regarding the Baha’i question, we Inform you that, since the respected President and the Head of the Supreme Revolutionary Cultural Councii had referred this question to this Council for consideration and study, It was placed on the Council’s agenda of session #128 on 16/11/69 [5 February 1991] and session #119 of 2/11/69 [22 January 1991]. In addition to the above, and further to the [results of the] discussions held In this regard in session

112 of 2/5/66 [24 July 1987] presided over by the Esteemed Leader (head and

member of the Supreme Council), the recent views and directives given by the Esteemed Leader regarding the Baha’i question were conveyed to the Supreme Council. In consIderation of the contents of the Constitution of the IslamIc Republic of Iran, as well as the religious and civil laws and general policies of the country, these matters were carefully studied and decisions pronounced.

In arriving at the decisions and proposing reasonable ways to counter the above question, due consideratlon was given to the wishes of the Esteemed LeadershIp of the Islamic Repuinc of Iran [Khamenei], namely, that “in this regard a specific policy should be devlsed In such a way that everyone will understand what should or should not be done”. Consequently, the following proposals and recommendations resulted from these discussions.

The respected Presldent of the Islamic Republic of Iran, as well as the Head of the Supreme Revolutionary Cultural Council, while approving these recommendations, instructed us to convey them to the Esteemed Leader [Khamenei] so that appropri- ate action may be taken according to his guidance. SUMMARY OF THE RESULTS OF THE DISCUSSIONS AND RECOMMENDATION A. General status of the Baha’is within the country’s system

1. They will not be expelled from the country without reason.

2. They will not be arrested, imprisoned, or penalized without reason.

3. The Government’s dealings with them must be in such a way that their progress and development are blocked.

8. Educational and cultural status

1. They can be enrolled in schools provided they have not identified themseives as Baha’is.

Page 7

The complete text of the secret memorandum on “the Baha'i question," translated from Persian into English. Words in square brackets have been added by the translator.

[Page 8]

ONE COUNTRY / Ianuary-March 1993

2. Preferably, they should be enrolled In schools which have a strong and Imposing religious ideology.

3. They must be expelled from universities, either in the admission process or during the course of their studies, once it becomes known that they are Bahé’is.

4. Their political (espionage) activities must be dealt with according to appropriate Government laws and policies, and their religious and propa- ganda activities should be answered by giving them religious and cuitural responses, as well as propaganda.

5. Propaganda institutions (such as the Islamic Propaganda Organization) must establish an independent section to counter the propaganda and religious activities of the Baha’is.

6. A plan must be devised to confront and destroy their culturai roots outside the country.

c. Legal and social status 1. Permit them a modest livelihood as is available to the general population. 2. To the extent that it does not encourage them to be Baha’is, it is permissible to provide them the means for ordinary iivlng In accordance with the general rights given to every Iranian citizen, such as ration booklets, passports, burial certificates, work permits, etc. 3. Deny them employment If they identify themselves as Bahé’is.

4. Deny them any position of inﬂuence, such as in the educational sector, etc.

Wishing you divine confirmations, Secretary of the Supreme Revolutionary Cultural Council

Dr. Seyyed Mohammad Goipayganl [Signature]

[Note in the handwriting of Mr. Khamenel]

In the Name of God!

The decision of the Supreme Revolutionary Cultural Council seems sufficient. I thank you gentlemen for your attention and efforts.

[signed:] Ali Khamenei

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[Page 9]ONE COUNTRY / Ianuary-March 1993

Secret memo

(Continued from page 6)

The memorandum came to light in a United Nations report, Which was released to the UN. Commission on Human Rights in January. According to the UN. report, which was authored by Prof. Reynaldo Galindo Pohl, the document came as “reli- able information” just as the annual report to the Commission on Human Rights in Iran was being completed.

Following receipt of the report, the Commission passed a resolution express- ing “grave concern” over reports of human rights violations in Iran, making special mention of religious discrimination against Baha’is in that country. In voting on 10 March, the resolution was approved by a vote of 22 to 11, With 14 abstentions. Itis the ninth such resolution about Iran by the Commission on Human Rights.

All such resolutions have made spe- cific mention of the on-going persecution of the Baha’i community there. This year’s resolution, for example, expressed concern over the “discriminatory treatment of cer- tain groups of citizens for reason of their religious beliefs, notably the Baha’is.”

This year’s report to the Commission on Human Rights by Professor Galindo Pohl, for example, cataloged numerous in- cidents of persecution against the Baha’is during 1992, from the execution in April 1992 of Mr. Bahman Samandari, aTeheran businessman, to the confiscation of a “con— siderable number of private homes and other property belonging to Baha’is” in Isfahan, Teheran and Yazd.

Copies of the secret memorandum were also obtained by the Baha’i Interna— tional Community. [See page 7.]

Although some of its provisions appear to grant a measure of protection to Iran’s beleaguered Baha’is, its overall impact ap- pears to be to ensure that the Baha’i com- munity is slowly and quietly suffocated, said Mr. Ahderom.

“The policies put forth by this memoran— dum seem intended to create an environ- ment where the Baha’i community of Iran can be slowly strangled without arousing international attention,” Mr. Ahderom said.

The memorandum says, for example, that all Baha’is should be expelled from

Page 9

universities; that they shall be denied “posi— tions of inﬂuence”, and instead only be allowed to “lead a modest life similar to that of the population in general”; and that “a plan shall be formulated to combat and destroy the cultural roots which this group has outside the country.”

It also says that Baha’is will be allowed to go to school, only if they do not identify themselves as Baha’is, and even then that they should be sent to schools “with a strong religious ideology.”

“For years, the Baha’i community has been slowly persecuted on all of these fronts,” said Mr. Ahderom. “They have been

deprived of their economic livelihood, of access to education, and 0f the right to religious freedom. These abuses have all been well documented.

“This memorandum confirms every a1- legation the Baha’i International Commu- nity has made at the United Nations con- cerning the deliberate and systematic per- secution of the Baha’is based solely on religious intolerance and hatred,” said Mr. Ahderom.

“No other government document has revealed so clearly the determination of the highest Iranian authorities to uproot the Baha’i Faith from Iran—and even to attack it abroad,” said Mr. Ahderom. “It shows conclusively that the persecution of the Baha’is is controlled and condoned at the highest levels of the Iranian Govemment.”9

Mr. Bahman Samandari, a

Teheran businessman, was summarily executed by the Iranian authorities in March 1992.

[Page 10]

Dr. Kozma Grillo, right, the Director of the Albanian Institute for Pedagogical Research, with Dr. Erleta Mato, left, who is working on the pre—schooi curriculum at the Institute. The Institute is responsible for developing a new national curriculum for moral education in Albania.

“It is our duty to rebuild a new type of man in Albania, and for that reason we are working to create a new curriculum of moral

education.” — Dr. Kozma Grillo

ONE COUNTRY / Ianuary-March 1993

Reconsidering Civic responsibility in Albania

(Continued from page 1)

This has created something of a moral vacuum in Albanian life, and for many it has had a paralyzing effect. According to devel- opment workers and foreign residents, many people seem morally and spiritually exhausted. The Albanians have little initia- tive, they say, and there is a growing fear that the emptiness will soon be replaced with “Western” problems like drug abuse and prostitution—all while the economy remains in suspended animation.

While some say outside aid and invest- ment is the answer, others believe that Albania’s redevelopment hinges on the de- gree to which its people are able to change their attitudes from the xenophobia and servility fostered during the communist era to a more open—minded and resourceful way of thinking compatible with the mod- ern, interdependent world.

“Ultimately, everything will change here, but for that to happen it is first neces- sary to change the minds of the people,” said V1011ca Sinani, a 3&year-old hydroelec- tric engineer. “Nobody has initiative here in Albania. We all worked like robots under

the old regime. We only did what some— body else told us to do.” The Vacuum in Moral Education

At the forefront in the search for how to fill this vacuum is the Institute for Peda- gogical Research, which has been charged with the task of developing a new national curriculum for moral education.

The task is daunting. Having had its own moral center so thoroughly discred- ited, the country now faces a bewildering array of systems and values. On the menu of choices is everything from American- style capitalism to European socialism.

In the office of Dr. Kozma Grillo, the Director of the Institute, the bookshelves are now piled high with sample textbooks on civic and moral education from Europe and America, with titles that range from “Discovering Our World” and “A New Ge- ography of Britain.”

According to Grillo, the main challenge is to choose a path that meets the unique needs of Albania, offering something that will enable the country to thrive in the future, Without betraying its unique past.

“It is our duty to rebuild a new type of

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[Page 11]ONE COUNTRY / Ianuary-March 1993

man in Albania, and for that reason we are working to create a new curriculum of moral education,” said Dr. Grillo. “But it is a diffi- cult prospect. We are against the drugs and prostitution. We don’t like the destruction of the family that we see in the West. Until now, at least, the Albanian people them- selves were in a pure state, and we want to protect this state.”

Among the systems which the Alba- nians are drawing on in this effort to rebuild their inner values is the moral framework provided by the teachings of the Baha’i Faith.

Dr. Grillo and others at the Institute say that the Baha’i teachings, which present a modern world view that is socially progres- sive and yet strongly supportive of traditional family values and individual morality, offer an important model for the reconstruction of moral values in Albanian society.

The Institute has begun an exploration of how Baha’i concepts might fit into a new national moral education curriculum. That exploration is being undertaken with the Institute for International Education and Development GIED), which is based in VWenacht, Switzerland at the Landegg Acad— emy. Both the IIED and Landegg are spon- sored and operated by Baha’is. Collaborative projects between the Institute for Pedagogi- cal Research and the IIED include:

0 J oint sponsorship for a series of semi- nars on moral education for teachers, edu- cational administrators and academicians in Albania. So far, three such seminars

x M.

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have been held, in November 1991, May 1992 and February 1993, and more than 1,000 Albanian educators have participated.

0 The development of new national textbooks on civic and moral education in Albania. While these texts are being writ- ten at the Institute, specialists offered through the IIED are acting as consultants.

0 The publication of a new 16-page magazine for children from three to eight years old. The IIED will provide editorial content for four pages in each issue. Those pages will, according to a contract between the Institute and the IIED, promote “the spiritual development of children.”The IIED will also provide technical assistance in getting the magazine printed in Italy.

Religious Tolerance a Key Issue

Albanian education officials believe that spirituality must be addressed as a compty nent of moral education, in part because of the resurgence of religion in Albania—and the potential for inter-religious conﬂict. Before the Government of Enver Hoxha, the communist strongman who ruled Alba- nia from the end of World War II until his death in 1985, it was estimated that the country was about 70 percent Muslim, and 30 percent Christian. The Christians were principally Catholics and Orthodox.

The regime made great efforts to stamp out religion, however. In 1968, for example, all religious worship was outlawed, and most churches and mosques were destroyed. Ac- cording to individuals who lived under the

Among the systems which the Albanians are drawing on in their effort to rebuild their inner values is the moral framework provided by the teachings of the Bahé’i Faith.

In the new climate of freedom in Albania, dozens of newspapers and periodicals, covering the entire political spectrum, have begun to flourish. Shown at left is a newspaper vendor with his wares, spread out on the sidewalk by a busy Tirana street.

[Page 12]Vjollca Sinani, a 38-year-old hydroelectric engineer, believes that for Albania to develop properly, the attitudes of the people must first change. “Nobody has initiative here in Albania," she said. "We all worked like robots under the old regime. We only did what somebody else told us to do." She is shown in her apartment in Tirana.

There is concern that if people return to their religious roots, old rifts between Muslims and Christians may be re-opened.

regime, any display of religious feeling could result in a prison term. For example, said one Albanian, children were sometimes asked after religious holidays if their parents had made any special observance; if so, the par- ents sometimes went to jail.

During this period, say Albanian offi- cials, many of the old barriers between the religious groups were broken down. Men and women of Muslim and Christian back- ground freely intermarried, for example.

Yet by many accounts, the hunger for spiritual meaning and knowledge was not destroyed. In the current climate of free- dom, many Albanians say they never stopped believing in God and that they are now earnestly seeking to understand the truth about religion.

There is concern, however, that if people return to their religious roots, old rifts between Muslims and Christians may be re-opened.

“There are many common things in the values of the Baha’i teachings and tradi- tional Albanian society,” said Dr. Grillo. “For one, your religion opposes the divi- sions among all of the other religions. For our people, this is very good indeed. Be- cause it isn’t good for religion to divide people. This is not only true forAlbania, but for all humankind.”

Likewise, those involved in curriculum planning say the Baha’i emphasis on elimi- nating all forms of prejudice, whether over differences of race, ethnicity or sex, also

ONE COUNTRY / Ianuary-March 1993

offers an important principle for inclusion into a national program of moral education. The emphasis on women’s equality has espe- cially struck a chord.

“In some religions, and specifically Is- lam, I feel that the woman is a person without rights,” said Dr. Erleta Mato, who is working on the pre—school curriculum at the Institute. “In the communist system, the woman is treated in many respects just like a man—without difference—in terms of employment. At first, that was better. It was a form of emancipation. But it was incomplete under communismThewoman did men’s work, but she still had to do the housework, the cooking and the child care.

“Now we will teach that there are rights for every individual in our society. And the first thing to teach the new generation is the human rights of women,” Dr. Mato said.

Baha’i Principles, Not Propaganda

In providing assistance to the Alba- nians, the IIED has been careful to design a program that focuses on the needs and culture of the Albanian people. Although it draws on Baha’i principles, it does not pro- mote the Baha’i Faith as a religion.

“When we go to Albania, we don’t do it as Baha’i propaganda,” said Dr. Iraj Ayman, director of the IIED. “Always our seminars are a free forum for discussion. We do not tell them that we have all the answers. Rather, we say that we want to explore with them the choices.

“What we do have to offer, we believe,

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[Page 13]ONE COUNTRY / Ianuary»March 1993

is an entirely new approach to moral educa- fion. Most systems of morality, Whether they be based on religion or ideology, come in with a fixed set of values that they want to impose. ‘Do this. Don’t do that.’ What we are saying is that while there are some broad universal principles that offer guidelines, moral behavior must be allowed to evolve in each individual as a matter of free will.”

In the seminars offered to Albanian edu- cators, for example, the emphasis is on ex- ploring how individuals can be assisted to develop a moral conscience that operates on intemal ratherthan external reference points.

“From our point of view, moral educa- tion is not simply a matter of teaching love and truthfulness,” said Dr. Farzam Arbab, an international development specialistwho has played a key role in shaping the IIED program. “To say ‘Don’t tell a lie’ is a very little thing compared to helping someone to understand the concept of rectitude of conduct. In the old framework, someone can be truthful and honest, but still have a business that is basically exploitative with- out us seeing it.

“One often finds the same kind of con- tradictions surrounding the issues of ra- cial, ethnic or religious prejudice. You can be a very loving person, full of love for God and for your friends but still feel prejudice

towards foreigners and others of different races or religions,” Dr. Arbab said. “If, how- ever, your moral framework comes from a fundamental understanding of the oneness of humanity and the unity of God, such prejudices evaporate.”

While the IIED program focuses on how such broad principles should and can be incorporated in a curriculum of moral education, and not on the Baha’i Faith per se, there can be no question that the Alba- nians clearly recognize and appreciate the link between the IIED and the Baha’i Faith.

Teachers and educators who have at- tended the IIED seminars, for example, speak quite openly now about the impor— tance of including certain Baha’i concepts of spirituality in any program of moral edu- cation for Albanians.

“In speaking only of my opinion,” said Pranvera Kamani, who is the national inspec- tor—general for pre-school education and who has played a key role in organizing the IIED- led seminars, “I took on the task of being a main initiator of the symposia because all the teachings of the Baha’is about morals appeal to me. They seem the best for the present moment in Albania. The concept of building

a universal society, for example, seems to me to be a beautiful idea.” 9

Virtually all of Albania's native industrial concerns, such as this small factory on the outskirts of Tirana, now stand idle. According to the World Bank, economic output in Albania has dropped by more than 55 percent since 1990.

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History of the Baha’i community of Albania

The Baha'i Faith has been established in Albania since 1929. That year an Albanian- born man named Refo Qapari returned from New York, ‘ where he had become a Baha’i, and began to tell his friends about the new religion. He soon married, and his wife and her daughters became Baha'is.

Mr. Capari and his family ﬂed to Yugoslavia during World War ll. But he returned in 1944. in September of that year, he died. One of his step- daughters, Myrvete Cani, also returned to Albania in 1944. She remained, and continued a quiet and personal practice of the Baha’i Faith, even after the Communists took control of the Government and suppressed all open religious activity.

Baha’is from Austria were able to re-estabiish contact with Ms. Cani in 1988. She began to tell her friends and neighbors about the Faith and, in the climate of religious freedom that followed after the fall of the Communist regime in 1991, increasing numbers of Albanians became Baha’is.

As of this writing, there are more than 6,000 Baha’is in Albania. Some 34 local- level Baha'i governing councils have been established in cities and towns throughout the country, and the natiOnai community was recently able, with the financial assistance of some Bahé’is abroad, to purchase a building in Tirana for use as a national headquarters.

[Page 14]ONE COUNTRY / Ianuary-March 1993

A local tree—planting ceremony in 1990 in Pakistan reﬂects

Baha'i efforts at . . .. environmental education 4‘ there.

. 1:1“ i ,_ a a

w. " «a

ree-planting in Pakistan becomes a

13/

common practice among Baha IS

The following article is reprinted from The New Road, the newsletter of the WorldWide Fund for Nature’s (WWF) Network on Con- servation and Religion. It was written by Mr. SamsheerAh'.

SINDH, Pakistan — Baha’i communities in Sindh, like their fellow Bahé’is elsewhere have always been aware of their responsi- bilities towards nature and conservation. They decorate their community centres, graveyards and other properties by plant- ing trees, keeping green lawns and grow- ing ﬂowering plants.

But organized Baha’i environmental activities took a new turn with their leadership’s formal involvement with WWF’s Conservation and Religion Network, when the Baha’i International Community launched a major tree planting program.

As a result, the National Baha’i Commit- tee for Socioeconomic Development in Paki— stan adopted tree-planting as one of its goals. In all the training camps, deepening classes, summerandwinterschoolsand conferences, environment, U‘eeplanfing and conservation became a subject of study and discussion.

Even in very busy cities like Karachi and Hyderabad, Quetta, Lahore, Rawalpindi or Abbottabad, one can find a green spot with ﬂourishing high trees surrounding Baha’i centers and other properties, in the

midst of smoky and busy localities.

During official tree-planting seasons, Baha’is throughout Pakistan plant thou- sands of trees on their own properties and in public places needing reforestation.

Major breakthroughs have been no- ticed in the villages of Sindh Where many of the villagers are landless peasants. They live in one place for a specific period, rang- ing from a harvest season, a crop season or several years, depending on work. As a result, traditionally, they have taken little care of their environment.

Once environmental education was in- tensified by the Baha’i leadership, they be- came increasingly concerned about their responsibilitiestowards environment. They have now adopted treeplanting as one of their services to humanity and the Creator. They plant trees on land which they are certain to leave one day. They grow trees by the roadside and near their temporary huts. Throughout the villages of Sindh, green nim and gum trees stand proudly.

Those villagers with their own land and houses have made it a point to plant trees which are more shady and fruitful. It has become such a common practice that the number of such communities is increasing, that the Baha’is plant trees in memory of and while commemorating their Holy Days and report it back to their national leadership. 0

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[Page 15]ONE COUNTRY / Ianuary-March 1993

Book Review

(Continued from back page)

em religious and philosophical impulses that have tended to separate man from nature must be held partially responsible for our dysfunctional manner of living on the earth. The answer, he suggests, lies in “the rich— ness and diversity of our religious tradition throughout history...” He notes that most of the world’s major religions, as well as various indigenous spiritual systems, all have much to say about the relationship between hu- mankind and the earth.

He defends Christianity against charges that the Biblical concept of domin- ion implies that humanity should dominate the earth, arguing instead that the Bible actually promotes a deep sense of steward- ship. Other religions, too, offer similar coun- sel. Islamic concepts of unity, trusteeship and accountability, he says, all serve as “pillars for an Islamic environmental ethic.” He likewise mentions J udaism, Buddhism, Hinduism and the Baha’i Faith.

“One of the newest of the great univer- salist religions, Baha’i, founded in 1863 in Persia by Mirza Husayn Ali [Baha’u’llah], warns us not only to properly regard the relationship between humankind and na- ture, but also the one between civilization and the environment,” Mr. Gore writes.

Mr. Gore then quotes from the Baha’i writings: “We cannot segregate the human heart from the environment outside us and say that once one of these is reformed, everything will be improved. Man is or- ganic with the world. His inner life molds the environment and is deeply affected by it. The one acts on the other and every abiding change in the life of man is the result of these mutual reactions.”

In the final section, “Striking the Bal— ance,” Mr. Gore gives a sen'es of concrete recommendations. Once again, his approach is holistic, touching on a wide range of disci- plines. Humanity must take “bold and un- equivocal” action on a global scale if the earth is to be saved, he says. “We must make the rescue of the environment the central orga— nizing principle for civilization,” he writes.

Specifically, he calls for the execution of a “Global Marshall Plan” for the environ- ment, under which the wealthy nations of the West would finance and support five

Page 15

major strategic goals: 1) stabilizing world population; 2) developing and sharing ap propriate technology; 3) adopting a new set of economic “rules of the road” which ac- count for the impact of economic decision on the environment; 4) the negotiation and ratification of a new generation of environ- mentally sound treaties and agreements; and 5) the development of a new global environmental consensus.

In delivering his prescription, Mr. Gore stresses the interconnected nature of the crisis. He observes, for example, that among the best ways of controlling population is through literacy and the education of women, noting that these factors contrib— ute more than anything to the declining birthrates in industrialized nations.

There is very little to criticize about these proposals. They are, as noted, holis- tic, bold and quite comprehensive.

Two points, however, are worth mak- ing. At one point in outlining his Global Marshall Plan, Mr. Gore stops short of calling for any new supranational authority, or “world government,” to oversee such an endeavor. He believes instead that such a plan can be implemented through carefully negotiated international agreements.

Baha’iswould argue that, in the long run, some form of world authority or common- wealth of nations will ultimately be necessary if humanity is to undertake the kind of unified global effort that is necessary to solve the wideranging crises before it.

Likewise, Baha’is would say that Mr. Gore is slightly off target when he calls for making the “rescue of the environment the central organizing principle forcivilization.” World unity must be the central principle; only when that is the overriding goal can all other issues, from the creation of social justice to the protection of the environ- ment, be successfully addressed.

As Baha’u’llah said more than 100 year ago: “The well-being of mankind, its peace and security, are unattainable unless and until its unity is firmly established.”

Nevertheless, Earth in the Balance has surely established Mr. Gore as a particu- larly clear headed and forward-thinking fig- ure. His Vision is wide-ranging, his analysis is profound, and his solutions are integrated. Everyone concerned about the future should read his book. 9

One answer to environmental dysfunctionalism, Mr. Gore suggests, lies in “the richness and diversity of our religious tradition throughout history...” He notes that most of the world’s major religions, as well as various indigenous spiritual systems, have much to say about the relationship between humankind and the earth.

[Page 16]Balancing politics and spirituality in the search for sustainable

development

Earth in the Balance: Ecology and the Human Spirit

By Al Gore

Houghton- Mifflin

New York

ONE COUNTRY / Ianuary-March 1993

Ifby some miracle humanity manages to reverse the seemingly ever-accelerating degradation of the world’s ecosystem, fu- ture historians will likely recognize as sig- nificant the contribution of Albert Gore J r. and his best—selling book Earth in the Bal- ance: Ecology and the Human Spirit.

Written before Senator Gore became Vice President of the United States, this 407—page volume surely stands as one of the most insightful and accessible examina— tions of the e n V i r o n - mental cri- sis. It offers concrete, in- telligent and politically realistic solutions.

Although addressed primarily to an American audience, its message is global. It has risen to best—seller status in the United States and Germany and is slated for publica- tion in at least a dozen other countries.

What makes the book especially signifi- cant is the degree to which Mr. Gore’s analy- sis considers virtually all aspects of the world- wide environmental crisis, covering not only the scientific and technological, but also its economic, political and spiritual roots.

Indeed, as indicated by the book’s sub— title, “Ecology and the Human Spirit,” Mr. Gore believes that both the problems and solutions to the environmental crisis stem as much from matters of religious belief and moral values as from technology or politics.

“The more deeply I search for the roots of the global environmental crisis, the more I am convinced that it is an outer manifestation of an inner crisis that is, for lack of a better word, spiritual,” Mr. Gore writes. “As a politi- cian, I know full well the special hazards of using “spiritual” to describe a problem like this one. But what other word describes the collection of values and assumptions that determine our basic understanding of how we fit into the universe?"

Mr. Gore divides his book into three sections. In the first, “Balance at Risk,” he gives a comprehensive but concise overview of the outer manifestations of the crisis, cov- ering the threats posed by global warming, ozone depletion, water pollution and over— consumpfion of resources. He treats these issues in a highly readable manner, weaving together not only the latest scientific thinking about these problems but also historical par- allels and personal observations.

Review

In the second section, “The Search for Balance,” Mr. Gore delves into the political, economic and spiritual roots of the crisis. He draws on his 16 years in the US. House of Representatives and Senate and offers up a trenchant analysis of the political forces that retard intelligent, long-term action.

“For one thing,” he wn'tes, “the way we make political choices has been distorted by the awesome power of the new tools and technologies now available for political per- suasion. Thirty—second television commer- cials and sophisticated public opinion polling can now calibrate and target a political mes sage with frightening speed and accuracy, and they can do more to manipulate the opinions of voters in two weeks than all the speeches and debates and political organiza- tions together can accomplish in ten years.”

Mr. Gore argues also that classical eco- nomics severely under—values natural re

sources and fails to account for the cost of pollution, thus encouraging unsustainable development.

While Mr. Gore is highly knowledge- able when writing about both the political and economic aspects of the crisis, it is the insight he brings in talking about philo- sophical and spiritual roots of the environ- mental crisis that gives this book its heart.

In essence, he argues that those West- (Continued on page 15)

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