The American Bahá’í/Volume 16/December Special/Text

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The American Bahá’í December, 1985

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[Page 1] Profoundly grateful presentation peace statement President United States Ronald W. Reagan. That the presentation occurred as part public event marking Human Rights Day and that chief executive great Republic West openly championed rights unequivocally proclaimed innocence our sorely wronged brethren in Iran have invested this achievement with significance that can be appreciated only within context glorious promises your country’s destiny recorded our sacred Scriptures. On this portentous occasion we recall with hope and joy prophetic words beloved Master addressed your illustrious community: 'The prestige of the Faith of God,' He asserted, 'has immensely increased. Its greatness is now manifest. The day is approaching when it will have cast a tremendous tumult in men’s hearts. Rejoice, therefore, O denizens of America, rejoice with exceeding gladness.'

The Universal House of Justice December 12, 1985

President receives peace statement

Above: President Ronald Reagan holds a copy of the Universal House of Justice’s peace statement, 'The Promise of World Peace,' and an inscribed porcelain plate presented to him by the National Spiritual Assembly during Mr. Reagan’s annual Human Rights Week ceremony December 10 in Washington. Right: The President accepts his special leather-bound copy of 'The Promise of World Peace' from Dr. Robert Henderson, secretary of the National Spiritual Assembly. Looking on is Linda Chavez, director of the President’s Office of Public Liaison.

The presentation to the President

'One of the more tragic cases (of human rights abuses) today is that of the Bahá’ís whose leaders are with us today. The government of Iran has engaged in rampant religious persecution, especially against Bahá’ís. Since 1979, 198 Bahá’ís have been put to death, 767 are imprisoned, some 10,000 made homeless and over 25,000 forced to flee the country. Only the continued world outcry can help bring an end to their suffering.'—President Ronald Reagan, December 10, 1985

On Tuesday, December 10, President Ronald Reagan received the peace statement from the Universal House of Justice, "The Promise of World Peace."

The presentation was made by the National Spiritual Assembly during ceremonies at the Executive Office Building in Washington commemorating Human Rights Week.

The President also was given an inscribed porcelain plate in recognition of his devotion to human rights and his efforts on behalf of the persecuted Bahá’í community in Iran.

In his remarks summarizing the status of human rights in countries all over the world, President Reagan said, "One of the more tragic cases today is that of the Bahá’ís whose leaders are with us today.

"The government of Iran is engaged in rampant religious persecution, especially against the Bahá’ís. Since 1979, 198 Bahá’ís have been put to death, 767 are imprisoned, some 10,000 made homeless, and over 25,000 forced to flee their country. Only the continued world outcry can help bring an end to their suffering."

Also taking part in the Human Rights Week ceremony were Richard Schifter, Assistant Secretary of State for Human Rights and Humanitarian Affairs, and Linda Chavez, deputy assistant to the President and director, Office of Public Liaison.

In the audience was a group of about 100 invited guests from various ethnic and religious organizations active in human rights causes.

The reception at the Sheraton

[Page 2]

President receives peace statement, new day dawns for the Cause of God

Dear Bahá’í Friends:

On Tuesday, December 10, 1985, the National Spiritual Assembly gathered at the White House Executive Office Building as invited guests of the President for his celebration of Human Rights Day. In his opening remarks, the President noted the presence of the members of the National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of the United States.

Later in his address, he stated:

"There is perhaps no more tragic case today than that of the Bahá’ís whose leaders are with us today. The government in Iran has engaged in rampant religious persecution, especially against Bahá’ís. Since 1979, 198 Bahá’ís have been put to death, 767 are imprisoned, some 10,000 made homeless, and over 25,000 forced to flee the country. Only the continued world outcry can help bring an end to their suffering."

Then, it was our turn. A delegation of three members of the National Spiritual Assembly joined the President on stage. James F. Nelson, chairman of the National Spiritual Assembly, addressed the gathering. He thanked the President for championing the defense of Iranian Bahá’ís and presented to him a porcelain plate which commemorates the highest ideals of the American nation and of the Bahá’í community.

After acknowledging the President's commitment to the establishment of peace among the nations, Judge Nelson proceeded to transmit to the President a leather-bound edition of the peace statement of the Universal House of Justice.

The picture of the President will never leave our minds. There he stood, with the commemorative plate in his left hand and in his right, the peace statement of the Universal House of Justice. Truly, a new day has dawned for the Cause of Bahá’u’lláh.

With warm regards,

National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of the United States

Statement

Present as special guests of the President were the members of the National Assembly and Counsellor Wilma Brady. Judge James F. Nelson, chairman of the National Assembly, acted as spokesman during the presentation ceremony, which took place immediately after Mr. Reagan signed the Human Rights Week proclamation.

"Mr. President," Judge Nelson said, "you have mentioned in your remarks the relentless persecution of the Bahá’ís in Iran, and though the Mullahs of that country may choose to perpetuate these atrocities, they must know that because of you and the voices that you will encourage to speak out against it, these cannot now be perpetrated except in the full light of public opinion.

"For this, we are deeply and eternally grateful.

"We are aware also, Mr. President, that this is not a one-dimensional commitment; that in addition, you are morally and spiritually committed to the establishment of the peace we all want among the nations of the world.

"Therefore, Mr. President, in recognition of your devotion to human rights, the National Spiritual Assembly presents to you on behalf of the 100,000 American Bahá’ís, a commemorative plate, and in recognition of your continuous commitment to world peace, we have the honor, Mr. President, to transmit to you from the Universal House of Justice, the international governing body of the Bahá’ís of the world, a statement on world peace."

Mr. Reagan, smiling broadly, accepted the porcelain plate from Soo Fouts and the peace statement from Dr. Robert Henderson, secretary of the National Spiritual Assembly, and thanked the Bahá’ís warmly for presenting them.

That the presentation was made as a part of a public event marking Human Rights Day, and "that chief executive great Republic West openly championed rights unequivocally proclaimed innocence our sorely wronged brethren in Iran," the Universal House of Justice said in a cable to the National Assembly, "have invested this achievement with (a) significance that can be appreciated only within context glorious promises your country's destiny recorded our sacred Scriptures."

The ceremony capped a 14-month effort by the National Spiritual Assembly and

Above: Judge James F. Nelson, chairman of the National Spiritual Assembly, thanks President Reagan for his support of the Bahá’ís in Iran before presenting him with the peace statement from the Universal House of Justice. Looking on are various government dignitaries and (at left) members of the National Spiritual Assembly Dr. Robert Henderson and Soo Fouts.

Left: The President signs a proclamation designating December 10 as Human Rights Day in the U.S. and the week beginning on that day as Human Rights Week.

Below: Also speaking at the Human Rights Week ceremony was Richard Schifter, Assistant Secretary of State for Human Rights and Humanitarian Affairs. [Page 3] More than 150 people attended a reception December 10 at Washington's Sheraton Carlton Hotel at which the National Spiritual Assembly thanked Bahá’ís in the Washington area for their support and help in presenting the peace statement to President Reagan and met with various government dignitaries and members of human rights organizations.

Ceremony

its Office of External Affairs to set up a meeting with the President, and marked the third year in a row in which Mr. Reagan has mentioned the persecution of the Bahá’ís in Iran during his Human Rights Week address.

That same evening, the National Assembly sponsored a reception at the Sheraton Carlton Hotel for Bahá’ís in the Washington area whose support was so vital in arranging the successful presentation and for various government officials who have shown an interest in and helped alleviate the plight of Iran's Bahá’í community.

The following day, Judges Dorothy and James Nelson presented copies of "The Promise of World Peace" to seven of the nine Justices of the U.S. Supreme Court.

The leather-bound copy presented to the President was specially prepared by the Universal House of Justice and included a brief letter of greeting to Mr. Reagan from the Supreme Body.

The porcelain plate, designed by Mildred Mottahedeh of New York City, a Bahá’í who is internationally known for her exquisite porcelain products, is inscribed: "To President Ronald Wilson Reagan, who raised his voice in defense of the persecuted Bahá’ís of Iran, a token of appreciation from the National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of the United States 1985."

A photograph of Mr. Reagan holding aloft the plate appeared December 11 in The Washington Post.

Publicity surrounding the event was good with major articles also appearing in The New York Times, the Washington Times and other newspapers and a segment on National Public Radio's evening news program, "All Things Considered."

Dr. Firuz Kazemzadeh, vice-chairman of the National Spiritual Assembly, was interviewed by the Voice of America for its overseas broadcasts.

The presentation to Mr. Reagan came some 18 days after "The Promise of World Peace" was given to United Nations Secretary-General Javier Pérez de Cuéllar by the Hand of the Cause of God Amatu’l-Bahá Rúḥíyyih Khánum, representing the Universal House of Justice, and one week after the U.S. State Department noted in a press briefing that it had "again received alarming reports of the Khomeini regime's severe persecution of Iran's Bahá’í community."

Citing the execution by firing squad of Azizu’lláh Ashjari, a 50-year-old Bahá’í from Tabriz, a State Department spokesman said, "It is tragically ironic that Mr. Ashjarí was executed on the very day the UN General Assembly opened its debate on religious persecution.

"We again call upon the Iranian authorities to abide by the declaration on the elimination of all forms of intolerance and discrimination based on religion and belief." [Page 4]

The Challenge of ACTION

"The National Fund must be firmly established, generously supported and universally and continually upheld, for it is the prerequisite of futur progress and achievement." -SHOGHI EFF

"PROFOUNDLY GRATEFUL PRESENTATION PEACE STATEMENT PRESIDENT UNITED STATES RONALD W. REAGAN..."

Each of us can best acknowledge the kind remarks made by The Universal House of Justice by taking action to fulfill quickly the National Bahá’í Fund's $1.5 million pledge to The Universal House of Justice.

How we will then... "Rejoice with exceeding gladness."

I'm taking action through my SPECIAL contribution of: S

"...our contributions to the Faith are the surest way of lifting once and for all time the burden of hunger and misery from mankind." -SHOGHI EFFENDI

The National Bahá’í Fund Wilmette, IL 60091 NON-PROFIT ORG. U.S. POSTAGE PAID WILMETTE, IL PERMIT NO. 479