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National Spiritual Assembly announces goals of newest Plan for the U.S. Bahá’í community

Dearly loved Friends:

Half a century ago Shoghi Effendi called upon American Bahá’ís boldly to offer the healing message of Bahá’u’lláh to the people of their great country. Today the opportunities of influencing the course of events, of putting the teachings of the Faith into practice, are infinitely greater than ever before. The Faith is emerging from obscurity and society, desperate for solutions to its intractable problems, is more willing to hear the truths proclaimed by the Supreme Pen.

Today, the wind of change is sweeping the earth, rapidly transforming the political and economic map of the world. Empires fall, new countries spring up, ideologies wither, old and new conflicts intensify, enmeshing every people and nation in a global crisis of undreamt of proportions.

Our own country is beset with problems to which it has failed to find solutions. Rampant materialism, the degeneration of morals, economic injustice, crime, and, worst of all, inveterate racism, threaten the very fabric of American society.

However, our capacity to influence the course of events, to provide solutions, to lead our fellow citizens out of the morass of conflict, cynicism and despair, is gravely limited by the smallness of our numbers. The greater the opportunities, the sharper the realization of the inadequacy of our human and financial resources. A large increase in the numbers of avowed adherents of the Faith is therefore imperative if we, Bahá’ís, are to fulfill our spiritual destiny.

History has accelerated its course. The immediate future is unpredictable. Yet our tasks and duties are clear.

The Universal House of Justice has written that the main purposes of the Three Year Plan on which we are about to embark are "to pursue three closely related developments which can be summarized as enhancing the vitality of the faith of individual believers, greatly developing the human resources of the Cause, and fostering the proper function of its local and national institutions." The Universal House of Justice then states that:

"To achieve this we must know well His Teachings and put them into practice with ardor and conviction in every aspect of our behavior. Our desire is to effect a transformation in the character of the worldwide Bahá’í community that will inspire admiration and emulation on every side and greatly increase the number of those who acclaim the coming and follow the Teachings of Bahá’u’lláh."

Thus the Universal House of Justice repeats the Guardian's call to the American believers "first to regenerate the inward life of their own community and next to assail the long-standing evils that have entrenched themselves in the life of their nation."

It is inward regeneration, rectitude of conduct, holiness and chastity, and "an inter-racial fellowship completely purged from the curse of racial prejudice" that can "more than the furtherance of any particular plan, or the devising of any particular scheme, or the accumulation of any amount of material resources...prepare them for the time when the Hand of Destiny will have directed them to assist in creating and in bringing into operation that World Order which is now incubating within the... See PLAN page 2

Amatu’l-Bahá Rúhíyyih Khánum takes part in Southern California radio talk show

The Hand of the Cause of God Amatu’l-Bahá Rúhíyyih Khánum is pictured as she took part March 13 via telephone from the World Center in Haifa, Israel, in a Bahá’í-sponsored radio program, 'The Bahá’í Faith in Southern California,' broadcast in the greater Los Angeles area.

On March 13, the Hand of the Cause of God Amatu’l-Bahá Rúhíyyih Khánum took part in an hour-long telephone interview from Haifa on the Bahá’í-sponsored radio talk show "The Bahá’í Faith in Southern California."

The program was broadcast live from 11 p.m.-midnight to approximately 2,000 listeners in the greater Los Angeles area. The interview was conducted by the regular program host with help from Judge James F. Nelson, chairman of the National Spiritual Assembly.

The Bahá’í program, which recently celebrated its first year on the air, focused for this special evening on the theme "Walking the Spiritual Path with Practical Feet." Among the topics discussed by Amatu’l-Bahá Rúhíyyih Khánum were spiritual education as an ongoing process for people of all ages; the importance of keeping in touch with nature to stay spiritually well-balanced; and the tremendous impact each person can have on society as a whole. This, she said, is especially true of America, whose history has been shaped by courageous and high-principled individuals.

She also spoke about the spiritual dynamics of tests and difficulties, and invited the listening audience to investigate "the ocean of Bahá’u’lláh's Revelation" and fill their spiritual cup to the brim, regardless of its capacity.

The Bahá’í radio program will continue through October 1993. Other notable guests this past year have included David Hofman, retired member of the Universal House of Justice, and members of the National Spiritual Assemblies of the U.S., the U.S. Virgin Islands, and Ciskei, a homeland within South Africa.

Also featured have been an ecumenical panel discussion on the interfaith dialogue process, and a round table discussion about the Faith with non-Bahá’í guests.

Besides accepting occasional telephone calls from the audience, the program makes available a 24-hour toll-free telephone number that has led to numerous requests for information and Bahá’í literature.

More information about the program is available from its sponsor, c/o the Spiritual Assembly of Glendale, Attn: Radio Program P.O. Box 9069, Glendale, CA 91208.

Woodburn, Oregon, teaching project passes torch from ‘one generation to another’

BY RACHEL GRECO

"Let him [the Bahá’í teacher] not be content until he has infused into his spiritual child so deep a longing as to impel him to arise independently, in his turn, and devote his energies to the quickening of other souls, and the upholding of the laws and principles laid down by his newly adopted Faith." (Shoghi Effendi, The Advent of Divine Justice, pp. 43-44)

One wonderful outcome of the teaching project that began two years ago in Woodburn, Oregon, has been the spread of the Bahá’í Faith from one spiritual generation to the next. By using the teaching institute process, believers are being raised up who help teach the Faith and work for the Cause. Here are some examples:

Benigno Vasquez became a Bahá’í at the Teaching Institute Center in Woodburn last year. He then taught Doro Lopez about the Bahá’í Faith. Doro in turn taught Abraham Velasco, who is also teaching others.

Doro became so on fire with the love of See WOODBURN page 2

INSIDE

• The Ridván message 3
• Teaching goals, statistics 5
• National Fund highlights 9
• The annual reports 13
• Summer Schools list 26
• Parliament of Religions 28

[Page 2]love of Bahá’u’lláh that when he was transferred to work in a cannery two hours away from the Woodburn Center, he and a friend, unbeknown to anyone else, were holding firesides in the evening after work. The first those involved in the Woodburn project knew that Doro and his friend were so busy teaching the Faith was when the two of them came to the Bahá’í Center late one evening because they had "run out of Bahá’í literature and needed to stock up."

Jaime A. Valerio's brother became a Bahá’í. He taught Jaime and Hector Ruiz the Faith. All are active participants at the Woodburn Center, energetically teaching the Faith to others.

Another project member taught throughout Oregon for more than a year. He finally decided to travel back to his home in Mexico to tell his mother and father about the Faith. In a recent telephone call from Mexico, he told the friends in Woodburn of his parents' declaration and his plans to return and continue his teaching efforts in Oregon this summer.

These and other stories are heard all the time at the Woodburn Center and are part of a process outlined by the International Teaching Center in its message of November 14, 1988, to the Policy Conference on Entry by Troops held in Canada:

"[The institute] would not be a single weekend event, or a five-day event, but a process which seeks to create human resources for the Faith, and to raise up servants who fully accept the gift of teaching with all its ecstasy, sacrifice, and spriritual discipline, a process which attracts and sustains the incoming stream of new believers."

Our Sacred Obligation National Bahá’í Fund Wilmette, IL 60091

'Spiritual generations' are represented in this photograph taken April 10 at the Woodburn Teaching Institute Center. Left to right: Benigno Vasquez taught Doro Lopez the Faith, and Doro taught Abraham Velasco. Jaime A. Valerio's brother (not pictured) taught both Jaime and Hector Ruiz the Faith. Jesus Mateo (right) is also actively involved in the teaching work.

Located in downtown Woodburn, Oregon, the Woodburn Teaching Institute Center welcomes all in Spanish, English and Russian. Damage from the earthquake on March 25, which registered 5.5 on the Richter scale, appeared mainly upstairs and to the rear of the building.

Woodburn Teaching Institute suffers quake damage

The Woodburn (Oregon) Teaching Institute Center suffered damage March 25 as the result of an earthquake. The earthquake registered 5.5 on the Richter scale and took place exactly one year after the passing of the Hand of the Cause of God William Sears. Fortunately, no one in Woodburn was seriously injured.

Sheet rock damage and cracks appeared in the upstairs area of the Institute Center. The facility, which had been abutted to a neighboring building, has separated from that structure. Chimneys on the roof are damaged and other structural damage appears to have occurred.

Other area agencies were harder hit. The Salud Clinic, dedicated to serving the medical needs of the migrant population, was forced out of the building they occupied. The Bahá’ís responded to the crisis by offering the use of Teaching Institute Center; however, the governor of Oregon allowed the clinic to set up temporary headquarters in a National Guard Armory.

As the Institute Center has no insurance coverage for earthquake damage, the institute has set up a "Buy a Brick" fund. Each $1 donation buys a brick in the Center. All funds collected are being used for earthquake repair.

Jan House, the Institute coordinator, said that the building has been operational since the earthquake but cracks in the upstairs walls appear to be widening. Repairs are expected to begin soon.—Rachel Greco

Bahá’ís of Monterey share ‘Vision of Race Unity’ with people of influence in area

The Spiritual Assembly of Monterey, California, is making a concerted effort to share "The Vision of Race Unity" with people of influence in the Monterey area. Copies of the booklet have been given to the 450-member faculty at Monterey Peninsula College and to faculty at Monterey High School. Deluxe editions of the booklet were presented in person to members of the city council during a regular meeting, and sent with a cover letter to members of the board of directors of the Monterey Peninsula Unified School District.

The Spiritual Assembly sponsors an Institute for the Healing of Racism that has been active for more than two years and is attended by a large number of non-Bahá’ís. The Assembly is represented at the annual Human Rights Day observance and has membership in the local Coalition of Minorities group.

Bahá’í family profiled in anti-drug newsletter

John and Colleen Gometz and their 16-year-old daughter JoAnn, Bahá’ís in Greenwich, New York, were featured in the winter 1993 issue of Decade of Challenge, a substance abuse prevention newsletter for Washington County, as an example of a family that has chosen to abstain from alcohol and drugs, pointing out that the choice is based on their religious belief as Bahá’ís.

The article focused on their active lives and the example they set for others as a family that has chosen alternatives to alcohol and drug use.

Reminder to pioneers

Reminder to overseas pioneers who may be traveling to other countries or returning to the States for a short visit or permanently: Please get a membership card or a letter from your National Spiritual Assembly stating that you are a Bahá’í in good standing. Your U.S. membership card is no longer valid once you have been transferred to another country.

Plan

world-wide administrative institutions of their Faith." (The Advent of Divine Justice, pp.34-35)

GOALS

1. Intensify study of the Sacred Writings as a means of fostering spiritual strength and transformation;

2. expand vastly the human resources of the Faith;

3. raise at least 3,000 traveling teachers;

4. settle at least 500 homefront pioneers on Indian Reservations, in the South, and in other areas of greatest need;

5. establish local Spiritual Assemblies in every city with a population of (75,000 or 100,000) resulting in no fewer than 150 new Spiritual Assemblies;

6. strive to become leaders in the movement for race unity and to make Bahá’í communities models of unity which inspire emulation and lead to growth;

7. teach Bahá’í and other children and youth to become the first generation of Americans free of all prejudices and truly united;

8. expand programs of education for Bahá’í children, youth and adults and for the strengthening of Bahá’í family life;

9. promote the advancement of women and publish a statement on women;

10. foster the maturation of local and national institutions with particular emphasis on the development of spiritual assemblies, the refinement of the art of consultation, the refinement of the Feast, and the operation of the Funds;

11. strengthen the financial position of the national community;

12. extend the range of the National Spiritual Assembly's collaborative projects with the Bahá’í communities of Alaska, Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, Eastern Europe, Greenland, Mexico, the countries of the former Soviet Union, and the United Kingdom. [Page 3]

Ridván Message

To the Bahá’ís of the World

Dearly loved Friends,

We have come to the King of Festivals in the undiminished glow of the marvelous benedictions of the Holy Year through which we have just passed, confirmed, renewed and energized in our sacred pursuits. For it was a time when the Abhá Beauty shed upon His worldwide community the radiance of His grace in such effulgence as to invest with astonishing success the efforts of His followers to observe so significant a double anniversary as the centenary of His Ascension and of the inauguration of His Covenant. It was the memorial pause that yielded a proclamation of the Most Great Name that resounded throughout the earth as never before; but what was so clearly an external phenomenon was quite markedly a reflection of an inner attainment to a deeper understanding of our relation to Bahá’u’lláh than hitherto obtained. The greater appreciation in ourselves of the universality of the community, of its embodiment of the first and overarching principle of His Faith, has left a new and compelling impression upon our hearts; the effects of that awareness were strikingly demonstrated at the commemoration in the Holy Land last May and more broadly at the World Congress last November, as if to confirm our assurance in these desperately troubled times that the world of humanity is moving inexorably toward its as-yet elusive destiny of unity and peace. Indeed, during the Holy Year, we were transported on the wings of the spirit to a summit from which we have seen the fast-approaching glory of the Lord's immemorial promise that all humankind will one day be united.

The thrilling details of the happenings throughout the year are too numerous to describe here, for the workings of the Holy Spirit were universally felt, imbuing the activities of the friends with a mysterious force. Let it suffice, then, to recall such highlights as the gathering last May of the largest number of Bahá’ís to participate in an event in the Holy Land; the circumambulation of the Shrine of Bahá’u’lláh by the representatives of virtually every nation; the presence of the majority of the living Knights of Bahá’u’lláh at the time of the depositing of the Roll of Honor at the entrance door of the Most Holy Shrine; the unprecedented size of the World Congress and the vast variety of its participants, including a huge body of youth who engaged in their own auxiliary program; the procession of the representatives of the races and nations of the world on that spectacular occasion; the satellite broadcast which linked the Congress and the World Center with all the continents. These were of a rare category of experience, and they have immortalized the fame of the centennial commemorations.

The innumerable, imaginative efforts undertaken by the friends around the world, from remote villages to great cities, in observance of these important anniversaries illustrated afresh the profound degree to which the Faith of Bahá’u’lláh has been consolidated, and they generated the teaching work in many areas, with unusual and surprising results. The unprecedented publicity accorded the purpose and activities of the Holy Year through the mass media in large and small countries, the notice given by legislative bodies and public officials to the centennial, the gestures of recognition and appreciation of the Faith by governmental agencies, the involvement of representatives of the Bahá’í International Community in major global events, including the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development held in Rio de Janeiro last June, in connection with which a public monument bearing an inscription from the writings of Bahá’u’lláh and a large imprint of the Greatest Name was dedicated—such developments gave clear indications that the profile of the community has been raised in the public eye.

Apart from all these outstanding events and developments, but of even greater magnitude because of its far-reaching implications for the whole human race, was the release at Naw-Rúz of the annotated English translation of the Kitáb-i-Aqdas, the Most Holy Book. We draw a stage closer, then, to a time envisaged by ‘Abdu’l-Bahá: "When the laws of the Most Holy Book are enforced," the Master said, "...universal peace will raise its tent in the center of the earth, and the blessed Tree of Life will grow and spread to such an extent that it will overshadow the East and West."

The centennial year was also a period in which the situation in the world at large became more confused and paradoxical: there were simultaneous signs of order and chaos, promise and frustration. Amid the convolutions of the current global state of affairs, but with such feelings of wonder and joy, courage and faith as the Holy Year has induced in our hearts, we, at this Ridván, in the one hundred and fiftieth year of our Faith, are embarked upon a Three Year Plan. Its brevity is compelled by the swiftly changing tides of the times. But the Plan's primary purpose is indispensable to the future of the Cause and of humankind. It is the next stage in the unfoldment of the divine charter of teaching penned by the Center of the Covenant. The Plan will be a measure of our determination to respond to the immense opportunities at this critical moment in the social evolution of the planet. Through resolute pursuit of its stated objectives and full realization of its goals, as suited to the circumstances of each national community, the way will be made clear for a fit projection of the role of the Faith in relation to the inevitable challenges facing all humanity toward the end of the fast-fleeting, fate-laden twentieth century.

A massive expansion of the Bahá’í community must be achieved far beyond all past records. The task of spreading the Message to the generality of mankind in villages, towns and cities must be rapidly extended. The need for this is critical, for without it the laboriously erected agencies of the Administrative Order will not be provided the scope to be able to develop and adequately demonstrate their inherent capacity to minister to the crying needs of humanity in its hour of deepening despair. In this regard the mutuality of teaching and administration must be fully understood and widely emphasized, for each reinforces the other. The problems of society which affect our community and those problems which naturally arise from within the community itself, whether social, spiritual, economic or administrative, will be solved as our numbers and resources multiply, and as at all levels of the community the friends develop the ability, willingness, courage and determination to obey the laws, apply the principles and administer the affairs of the Faith in accordance with divine precepts.

The new Plan revolves around a triple-theme: enhancing the vitality of the faith of individual believers, greatly developing the human resources of the Cause, and fostering the proper functioning of local and national Bahá’í institutions. This is to lend focus to requisites of success as the Plan's manifold goals are pursued in these turbulent times.

Against the conspicuous signs of moral decadence which daily is corroding the foundations of civilized life, these graphic words of Bahá’u’lláh assume an acute urgency: "The vitality of men's belief in God is dying out in every land; nothing short of His wholesome medicine can ever restore it. The corrosion of ungodliness is eating into the vitals of human society; what else but the Elixir of His potent Revelation can cleanse and revive it?" Such words have particular implications for the actions of anyone who has recognized the Lord of the Age. A crucial consequence of this recognition is a belief that impels acceptance of His commandments. Depth of belief is assured by the inner transformation, that salutary acquisition of spiritual and moral character, which is the outcome of obedience to the divine laws and principles. Toward this end the release of the annotated Kitáb-i-Aqdas in English, and its anticipated early publication in other major languages, provide a mighty infusion of divine guidance for realizing the vitality of faith which is essential to the spiritual well-being and happiness of individuals and the strengthening of the fabric of the community. No less essential to nourishing this vitality is the cultivation of a sense of spirituality, that mystic feeling which unites the individual with God and is achieved through meditation and prayer.

Training of the friends and their striving, through serious individual study, to acquire knowledge of the Faith, to apply its principles and administer its affairs, are indispensable to developing the human resources necessary to the progress of the Cause. But knowledge alone is not adequate; it is vital that training be given in a manner that inspires love and devotion, fosters firmness in the Covenant, prompts the individual to active participation in the work of the Cause and to taking sound initiatives in the promotion of its interests. Special efforts to attract people of capacity to the Faith will also go far toward providing the human resources so greatly needed at this time. Moreover, these endeavors will stimulate and strengthen the ability of Spiritual Assemblies to meet their weighty responsibilities.

The proper functioning of these institutions depends largely on the efforts of their members to familiarize themselves with their duties and to adhere scrupulously to principle in their personal behavior and in the conduct of their official responsibilities. Of relevant importance, too, are their resolve to remove all traces of estrangement and sectarian tendencies from their midst, their ability to win the affection and support of the friends under their care and to involve as many individuals as possible in the work of the Cause. By their constantly aiming at improving their performance, the communities they guide will reflect a pattern of life that will be a credit to the Faith and will, as a welcome consequence, rekindle hope among the increasingly disillusioned members of society.

As National Spiritual Assemblies, with the ready support of the Continental Counselors, chart the course to be followed in this brief span, the World Center will attend to coordinating widely diverse activities throughout the planet, giving further direction to the external affairs of the Faith as the Bahá’í International Community is drawn more deeply into dealing with world issues. It will do this while at the same time pursuing with deliberate speed the gigantic building projects on God's Holy Mountain, which constitute part of a process clearly perceived by Shoghi Effendi as synchronizing with two no less significant developments: the establishment of the Lesser Peace and the evolution of Bahá’í national and local institutions. By the end of the Plan all remaining construction phases of the Mount Carmel projects will have been set in motion; the structural framework of the International Teaching Center, the Center for the Study of the Texts and the extension to the International Archives Building will have been raised up; and seven terraces below the Shrine of the Báb will have been completed.

The dramatic expansion of the work of the Cause in recent years and the developments expected during this new Plan demand material resources which have not been adequate for some time, even though substantial increases have been made in the contributions to Bahá’í Funds. The economic crises so widely reported seem destined to grow even worse, but neither the economic nor other pressing problems confronting humanity will ultimately be resolved unless the Cause of Bahá’u’lláh is given due regard by nations and peoples and unless it receives the adequate material support of its avowed adherents. May the friends everywhere consider, together with their Bahá’í institutions and individually, undaunted by the uncertainties, the perils and the financial stringency afflicting nations, what must now be done by each and all to meet this inescapable, sacred responsibility resting upon them.

Our appeal for immediate, redoubled and sustained action on all aspects of the Plan is addressed primarily to the individual believer of every locality, who possesses within himself or herself the measures of initiative that ensure the success of any global Bahá’í enterprise, and "on whom, in the last resort," as our beloved Guardian plainly stated, "depends the fate of the entire community." The goals of the Three Year Plan will not be easily won, but they must be magnificently achieved, whatever the sacrifice. There should therefore be no hesitation or delay on the part of individuals or Spiritual Assemblies in attending to them, lest the problems of mankind pile up unchecked, or the rise of internal crises slows us down. Let it ever be borne in mind that we earn our victories through test and trial; we turn crisis to the advantage of progress by seizing the opportunity it provides to demonstrate the viability and winning power of our principles. In the onward surge of the Cause of God, crisis and victory have always alternated and have ever proven to be the staple of progress. As we savor the triumphs of the Holy Year, let us not forget the reality of this recurrent experience. Let us also remember that our blessings are equal to our challenges, as repeatedly shown by our glorious history.

Beloved friends: Do not be dismayed or deterred. Take courage in the security of God's law and ordinances. These are the darkest hours before the break of day. Peace, as promised, will come at night's end. Press on to meet the dawn.

The Universal House of Justice

Ridván B.E. 150 AZAMÁT B.E. 150/ MAY 17, 1993. [Page 4]

SNAPSHOTS... of creative race unity efforts

Many communities are now in the process of planning activities around Race Unity Day, June 13. In years past, some Bahá’ís have told the National Teaching Committee that, after Race Unity Day, their community runs out of creative ways to continue to express its commitment to race unity throughout the year. "Snapshots" of creative race unity initiatives are shared below to provide some fresh ideas.

Little Rock, Arkansas—Twenty non-Bahá’í and four Bahá’í youth take part in a program called "Youth Against Racism." The meetings are usually held at the Bahá’í Center but occasionally at other locations. The Bahá’í youth have ongoing firesides, and some of the other youth from the group attend.

Gary, Indiana—The Assembly sponsors periodic breakfast meetings for community leaders at which presentations on race unity are offered. These meetings have been well attended by those invited.

Council Bluffs, Iowa—The Assembly initiated a non-denominational social group called "One Nation Together Opposing Prejudice" which meets monthly. About 20 non-Bahá’ís and five Bahá’ís support each other's efforts to create and build greater unity in Council Bluffs.

Kansas City, Kansas—A Bahá’í teaches a class on Race and Ethnic Relations at a local college. Students are required to interview residents of Kansas City about issues relating to the class. A list of Bahá’ís willing to be interviewed is offered to the students so that Bahá’í views will be heard.

Minneapolis, Minnesota—The Assembly wrote letters of appreciation to community leaders who spearheaded the Minneapolis Initiative Against Racism. The letter included quotations by Bahá’u’lláh and ‘Abdu’l-Bahá about racial harmony. "The Vision of Race Unity" was enclosed as an encouragement for their effort.

Great Falls, Montana—Bahá’ís have adopted a project to present books on human rights, civil rights and cultural diversity to public schools and public libraries.

Las Cruces, New Mexico—Last summer, the Assembly sponsored a poetry reading with race unity as the theme. A diverse group of people took part, and two individuals came to a fireside immediately following the reading. Firesides continue in the homes of individual Bahá’ís.

Nashua, New Hampshire—the Assembly co-sponsored with the Nashua Women's Resource Center a four-part program on racial harmony during January and February.

Albany, New York—Members of the Bahá’í community have joined the NAACP. They suggested the formation of a Unity Subcommittee to the Education Committee, with the aim of fostering the appreciation of unity as the best approach in overcoming the ills of the community. The suggested non-confrontational model was greeted with enthusiasm.

Mint Hill, North Carolina—In November, the Bahá’í Group of Mint Hill sponsored a "Unity in Diversity Weekend." Among other activities was a panel discussion on the vision of race unity. A member of the National Spiritual Assembly agreed to serve as moderator while members of the panel included a former mayor of Charlotte, Mint Hill's director of Community Relations, and a Bahá’í author.

Washington County, Oregon—The Assembly worked with the Community Education coordinator of a community college to offer a 10-week Race Unity Workshop during the winter. Each week, a different person led the workshops, and half of them were not Bahá’ís. Workshop enrollment was also about 50 percent non-Bahá’í. Discussions usually continued after class at a coffee shop. The workshops were considered so successful that the college asked that the class be repeated during the spring session.

Chattanooga, Tennessee—A race unity mini-institute was held in Chattanooga last summer to explore paths of service in teaching the Faith and promoting race unity. An Auxiliary Board member facilitated a deepening during the institute.

Olympia, Washington—Founded by Bahá’ís three years ago, "Race Unity in Action" is a community group of about 20 Bahá’ís and 20 non-Bahá’ís dedicated to bringing about race unity in the Olympia area. They have meetings about once a week to talk about racial issues. Once a month, they gather at a believer's home for the "Friendly Supper Club," where others of diverse backgrounds are invited to talk about race relations. They started a "Models of Unity" study and there have been about 15 people conducting interviews. The group was asked to address the City Council, and was given an award of recognition by the Rainbow Coalition on Martin Luther King Day.

Bahá’ís in San Marcos, CA offer race unity statement, ‘Models of Unity’ to schools, clubs, groups

The Bahá’í community of San Marcos, California, has undertaken the task of presenting copies of the National Spiritual Assembly's statement on race unity to the city's schools, clubs and organizations. Presentations have been made to City Council members, school district board members, the local college's governing board, the local education foundation, the community services department, and the Rotary Club, with appointments scheduled with about 50 other clubs and organizations in San Marcos.

Included with the statement on race unity is a copy of "Models of Unity" and information about local groups that provide workshops and related services in the field of human relations.

Members of the Bahá’í community are deepening weekly using the book and study guide "Creating Patterns of Unity: Getting Beyond Prejudice and Racism."

An interview with a traveling teacher

To familiarize the friends with the role of a traveling teacher, the National Teaching Committee asked Charles George, a retired high school teacher who has traveled to teach the Faith all over the country, to share some of his experiences:

How many years have you been traveling teaching?

Off and on for 18 to 20 years. Until I retired in 1990, I'd go on spring or Christmas break, or during the summer. But now I try to go somewhere every month or so. My trips last anywhere from eight days to seven weeks.

How do you decide where you're going to go?

In the years I've been a Bahá’í, I've gotten to know a lot of people. Since 1967, I've missed only two years not working in the Bahá’í bookstore or helping in other ways during National Convention, and I run into so many friends! We meet each other we say, "We really ought to get together sometime." And we do!

I get out my address book, call old friends, and make arrangements to come do a fireside or help in some other way with the teaching work. And if I'm going to be traveling through areas where I don't know anybody, I call the Regional Traveling Teaching Coordinators and they take it from there in planning my itinerary.

What do you usually do when you travel teach?

It depends on what the folks arrange. I usually do firesides or public meetings, in various formats. I have two sets of slides, one of pilgrimage and one of my trips to Micronesia, and if the hosts feel it's appropriate to show them, I do. I also have two basic fireside talks, one on the Lesser Peace and one entitled "Who is Bahá’u’lláh?" But I don't say exactly the same things each time. I consult with the friends first about the seekers they expect to attend and try to get a feel for what the seekers are responding to. I adjust what I say according to that.

What do you like best about traveling teaching?

I get to meet so many people! It's great because everywhere I go I find the same spirit, warmth, and desire to promote the Cause. It's so uplifting. And I find that so many other people are uplifted and encouraged that a traveling teacher has taken the time to come see them.

I remember one trip, several years ago, I traveled to a Reservation in Montana to see a Bahá’í woman who lived 40 or 50 miles from other Bahá’ís. We spent the whole evening just talking about the Faith. I didn't show slides or anything. She said it was like a feast to her; a spiritual feast. This is the reason that I now have no hesitation about going into areas where there aren't many people. When you're out there alone, the importance of having another Bahá’í come by is immeasurable.

What is your most memorable experience as a traveling teacher?

Well, you know where it says in the Writings that if you turn toward God and open your mouth you will be provided with the right words to say? [See, for example, Selections from the Writings of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, p. 269.] Again, I think I was somewhere in Montana. I was leading a fireside and we were talking about the Lesser Peace. One seeker kept asking, "How can you say we're about to have peace when there's so much violence and pain and suffering in the world?" I had no idea how to answer him.

But he asked about three different times, so I knew I had to give him an answer that would satisfy him. I felt desperate. I prayed for help and then I spoke. I compared the progress of humanity to the pain and suffering of childbirth. I turned to a woman in the room who had come with her children and I asked, "Would you give them back if you didn't have to feel the pain?" Anyway, through that analogy we were able to demonstrate that beauty can come after suffering and that it can all be worth it. And the seeker seemed satisfied with the answer. But it hadn't been my idea to say that. I really knew at that moment that I was being assisted.

How do you usually travel—do you drive?

I always drive. It's convenient and I get to go to more out-of-the-way places. Last year I put 24,000 miles on my car while traveling teaching. It's funny how this works out, because traveling this way I end up being able to contribute more to the Fund.

What do you mean?

It increases my tax deductions. Traveling teachers should keep their receipts for mileage, tolls, hotels, food. The deduction for mileage is only 12 cents, and you might think that's not much, but at 24,000 miles that's almost $2,900 I can deduct right there.

Do you have any other advice you'd give potential traveling teachers?

Do it!

Okay, but what else?

Well, I think it's good to make arrangements well in advance, at least three or four weeks so the community has time to make plans. But what I've found is that once in a while they forget I'm coming, and I end up either surprising them or finding no one home. So now, I always send them a post card 10 days before I'm scheduled to come, just to remind them and assure them that I'm still planning to come.

What advice would you give to a community who wants to host a traveling teacher?

Well, offering hospitality is up to the community, and a community can decide whether they want to or not. I don't expect it, but it's nice when it's offered. I think it's most important, though, for the community to make arrangements to do something a little different in regard to teaching when a traveling teacher comes. A traveling teacher can't always arrange to be in a community exactly on the day the community usually has firesides, for example, so if the community can be flexible and change things around a bit it helps.

Any other thoughts you'd like to share about traveling teaching?

Just that it's a fantastically beautiful experience. Once you get into it you'll love it. If you want to teach and enjoy meeting people, really, this is the thing to do! [Page 5]

3 YEAR PLAN GOALS

U.S. Bahá’í Community Current Goals and Status ’Azamat 150 May 17, 1993

3 Year Plan Goals for the United States

1. Intensify study of the Sacred Writings as a means of fostering spiritual strength and transformation; 2. Expand vastly the human resources of the Faith; 3. Raise at least 3,000 traveling teachers; 4. Settle at least 500 homefront pioneers on Indian Reservations, in the South, and in other areas of greatest need; 5. Establish local Spiritual Assemblies in every city with a population of (75,000 or 100,000) resulting in no fewer than 150 new Spiritual Assemblies; 6. Strive to become leaders in the movement for race unity and to make Bahá’í communities models of unity which inspire emulation and lead to growth; 7. Teach Bahá’í and other children and youth to become the first generation of Americans free of all prejudices and truly united; 8. Expand programs of education for Bahá’í children, youth and adults and for the strengthening of Bahá’í family life; 9. Promote the advancement of women and publish a statement on women; 10. Foster the maturation of local and national institutions with particular emphasis on the development of spiritual assemblies, the refinement of the art of consultation, the refinement of the Feast, and the operation of the Funds; 11. Strengthen the financial position of the national community; 12. Extend the range of the National Spiritual Assembly’s collaborative projects with the Bahá’í communities of Alaska, Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, Eastern Europe, Greenland, Mexico, the countries of the former Soviet Union, and the United Kingdom.

With this issue of The American Bahá’í the National Teaching Committee introduces a page of goals, statistics and other information that it considers vital for the American Bahá’í community to have at its disposal. Included here are the goals for the Three Year Plan as well as information about traveling teaching.

Traveling teachers—youth on summer break—vacationing families! Opportunities exist in many areas of the country to promote the Bahá’í Faith by assisting with a teaching project. Some of the areas in which you may be of service are listed below with the name of a person to contact for further information:

Location	Project Name	Project Dates	Contact Person
San Francisco, CA	William Sears Entry by Troops	Ongoing	Chris Tara-Browne 415/626-4478
Apopka, FL	Apopka	Ongoing	Antoinette Bianchi 407/438-6563
Belle Glade, FL	Lake Okeechobee	Ongoing	Elinor Walker 407/996-0730
Atlanta, GA	Fruit of the Holy Year	August, 1993	Miriam Evans 404/438-6563
Marion Co., OR	Woodburn	Ongoing	Jan House 503/678-5162
Renton, WA	William Sears Hearts-Afire	Ongoing	Aaron Lewis 206/277-8326

If your Assembly is sponsoring a teaching project, please contact the National Teaching Committee, Bahá’í National Center, Wilmette, IL 60091. Phone 708/869-9039.

TRAVELING TEACHING COORDINATORS

Region	Coordinator	Contact Information
ID, MT, OR, WA, WY	Jack Hansen	Rt. 1 Box 50, Touchet, WA 99360 509/525-3978
CA, NV	Sandra Huit	4890 Steele Way, Fair Oaks, CA 95628 916/961-0807
AZ, CO, NM, UT	Terri Agahi	2210 W. Utopia Rd., Phoenix, AZ 85027 602/582-7979
IA, KS, MN, MO, NE, ND, SD	Janet Haworth	2348 N. Prospect, Springfield, MO 65803 417/862-9218
AR, OK	Will Sutter	632 NE 15th, Oklahoma City, OK 73104 405/235-2802
IL, IN, KY, MI, OH, WI	Rose Wendel	46 Tranquil Trail, Dayton, OH 45459 513/433-1120
LA, MS, TX	Riaz Haghpajuh	3800 Spring Valley, #107, Addison, TX 75244 214/243-1540
CT, ME, MA, NH, NJ, NY, PA, RI, VT	Nancy Duggan	61 Beachview Dr., Malden, MA 02148 617/324-7915
DC, DE, MD, NC, SC, TN, VA, WV	Bruce Barker	410 Circle Drive, Mt. Airy, NC 27030 919/789-7878
AL, FL, GA	No Regional Coordinator	Contact National Coordinator

Want to go traveling teaching this summer? Please contact the Regional Traveling Teaching Coordinator in the area to which you would like to travel (listed above). If you are planning to travel through more than one area, or if you would like assistance in deciding where to go, contact the National Traveling Teaching Coordinator, Bahá’í National Center, Wilmette, IL 60091. Phone: 708/869-9039, ext. 236. [Page 6]

Healing Racism in America

by Nathan Rutstein SC $12.95

A powerful new book on racism in the United States which takes a penetrating look at America’s historical racial tensions and offers a “vaccine” against the disease of racism.

Unlike most books on the subject, Healing Racism offers a solution to America’s most challenging issue—a blueprint for change. Rutstein cites powerful scientific data as evidence that all human beings are of the same family. He introduces the Institutes for the Healing of Racism and tells us how this grass-roots movement is spreading across the United States.

The positive response to his 1989 account of his own racism, To Be One: A Battle Against Racism, led Rutstein to study the root cause of racism in America and to search for a cure. Healing Racism is Rutstein’s tenth book.

HEALING FACISM AMERICA

6-1/8"x9-1/4", 184pp., foreword, preface, appendix, index NATHAN RUTSTEIN Whitcomb Publishing

Ministry of the Custodians

by Amatu’l-Bahá Rúhíyyih Khánum HC $23.95

FORWOOD WOODALL HD

In a letter dated September 24, 1992, to all National Spiritual Assemblies from the department of the secretariat of the Universal House of Justice, the secretariat states that “the Universal House of Justice rejoices to inform all the friends that at its request the Hand of the Cause of God Amatu’l-Bahá Rúhíyyih Khánum has compiled the major communications of the body of the Hands of the Cause of God, and of the Hands of the Cause residing in the Holy Land, during the years from 1957 to 1963, and has written an introduction placing in perspective the events of those critical years. The House of Justice is particularly gratified that this precious record of the years when the Hands of the Cause preserved the unity of the Faith following the passing of Shoghi Effendi, and piloted the Bahá’í world to victory in the Ten Year Crusade, will appear during the Holy Year.”

6" x 9", 485pp., table of contents, reference sources, index World Centre Publications

Ridván Message for Children (1992)

prepared by the Australian Bahá’í Children Education Task Force SC $2.25

This special adaptation of the 1992 Ridván message is suitable for children. However, many adults will also find this publication useful. The booklet is full of helpful graphics and study questions. Ridván Message for Children was designed for families, teachers of children’s classes, youth at colleges and campuses, and Feasts in your community.

5-7/8" x 8-1/8", 14pp. Bahá’í Publications Australia

Teaching Tools Sale

BAHÁ’U’LLÁH The Baha’s Faith EDUCATION THE PROMISE OF WORLD PEACE TO THE PEOPLES OF THE WORLD Rople World 276 Relay Fail World Ridván Message 1992 1/2 Off for two more weeks! THE VISION RACE UNITY AMERICA’S MOST CHALLENGING ISSUE

Spiritual Conquest of the Planet

Our Response to Plans by Melanie Smith and Paul Lample SC $8.00

The Spiritual Conquest of the Planet is the fifth in a series of study books that includes The Word of God, The Covenant: Its Meaning and Origin and Our Attitude Toward It, The Significance of Bahá’u’lláh’s Revelation and Youth Can Move the World.

Shoghi Effendi wrote: “In every continent of the globe...this mighty Plan, devised for the systematic execution of the Design conceived by the Center of Bahá’u’lláh’s Covenant for the propagation of His Father’s Faith, is forging ahead, gaining momentum with every passing day...as it marches towards the spiritual conquest of the entire planet.”

This book focuses on the mission of the Bahá’í Faith to spiritually conquer the world—and our role in that mission. It provides an overview of more than fifty years of effort to execute ‘Abdu’l-Bahá’s Divine Plan through a series of national, international, and global plans beginning in 1937. Among the topics covered are common elements conveyed in global plans; the organic unfoldment of the Cause; the pattern of unfoldment found in successive plans in the areas of growth, development, and involvement with society; vision and systematic planning; leadership and participation; and the characteristics of mature action and implementing plans.

The Spiritual Conquest of the Planet offers an indispensable perspective for communities, institutions, and individuals in planning and initiation work on the new Three Year Plan.

7-1/2" x 10", 96pp., index Palabra Publications

The Role of the Mirroring Principle and the Word of God in Recovering from Child Abuse

by Phyllis K. Peterson SC $1.50

A glimpse at childhood sexual abuse and the undeserved shame of the victims. Using excerpts from the writings of Bahá’u’lláh, the author argues that the survivors of sexual abuse were not born evil, as the doctrine of original sin states, but that the survivor’s potential to mirror both good and evil was unjustly taken advantage of before there was an opportunity to develop the power of choice. This booklet illustrates how the victim’s childhood environment often limits their ability to trust their own feelings and leaves them with a distorted view of reality. A fine introduction to an often misunderstood condition.

5-1/2" x 8-1/2", 16pp., bibliography Phyllis K. Peterson

Tablet of Carmel

HC $16.95 SC $9.95

This moving and powerful Tablet brings to life the ancient spiritual mysteries of God’s holy mountain. We are pleased to offer this beautiful gift edition featuring a splendid collection of original photographs of Mount Carmel, especially commissioned for this publication. A superb item for presentation to friends, contacts, and dignitaries, and for use in public displays and exhibitions.

7" x 6-1/4", 66pp., introduction, key to photographs Bahá’í Publishing Trust of the United Kingdom Tablet of Carmel Bahá’u’lláh

Meditations of the Blessed Beauty

HC $29.95 SC $16.95

A new selection of extracts from Bahá’u’lláh’s writings on themes of creation and spiritual regeneration. His profound and powerful words are complemented by a beautiful set of specially commissioned photographs.

A wonderful book for giving to friends, contacts, and prominent people. It will affect the heart and soul of all who take time to dwell on its words and images. Each book contains a commemorative stamp on special manuscript paper as a life-long souvenir of the Holy Year.

8" x 9-1/4", 96pp., introduction, references Bahá’í Publishing Trust of the United Kingdom [Page 7]

THE KITÁB-I-AQDAS

The Kitáb-i-Aqdas, termed by Shoghi Effendi the "brightest emanation of the mind of Bahá’u’lláh," has been officially released to the Bahá’í world community. This long-awaited English translation will, the Universal House of Justice says, "usher in a new stage in the evolution of the Bahá’í world."

25,000 copies of this limited 1st edition have been purchased for the U.S. Bahá’í community. At the time of this printing, all but 6,000 copies have been sold.

THE KITÁB-I-AQDAS

Supplies are limited, so we urge you to place your order now for the "Mother Book" of Bahá’u’lláh’s Dispensation.

Blessed those who peruse it! Blessed those who apprehend it! Blessed those who meditate upon it! Blessed those who ponder its meaning! So vast is its range that it hath encompassed all men ere their recognition of it. Erelong will its sovereign power, its pervasive influence and the greatness of its might be manifested on Earth. —BAHÁ’U’LLÁH

52" x 8", 296 pp., contents, preface, introduction, supplementary texts, questions and answers, synopsis and codification, notes, glossary, key to passages translated by Shoghi Effendi, index

$12.50

SHIP TO PAYMENT METHOD -CASH CHECK

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Please add 15% (min. $3.00) for orders shipped outside the U.S.

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DAYTIME TELEPHONE

Bahá’í Distribution Service. 5397 Wilbanks Drive, Chattanooga TN 37343 1-800-999-9019 FAX 615-843-0836 [Page 8]

New Bahá’í Youth Service Corps posts

Last in a series of five listings

AFRICA

Guinea Bissau needs traveling teachers and volunteers to help with teaching and consolidation work. French, Spanish and Portuguese are spoken.

AMERICAS

Ecuador: The Escuela Bilingue Bahá’í Raúl Pavón has several years’ experience providing the opportunity for North American youth volunteers to teach bilingual children’s classes and assist with youth groups, and is ready to receive more youth.

West Leeward Islands: Under the direction of a coordinator appointed by the National Spiritual Assembly, members of the H. Ahmadiyeh Youth Teaching Project visit many of the West Leeward Islands offering youth and children’s classes and attracting receptive souls to the Faith.

Honduras: Project Bayan is a social and economic development project assisting in health care and health education, kindergarten teacher training, and building Bahá’í communities with the rural Garifuna and Miskito Indian populations. Youth volunteers take part in various aspects of the project work.

United States: The wide range of service opportunities right here in the U.S. includes: teaching and consolidating the Faith through the Magdalene Carney Bahá’í Institute in Belle Glade, Florida; administrative and teaching work through the Bahá’í Center in Woodburn, Oregon; working as a youth coordinator or maintenance volunteer at the Native American Bahá’í Institute in Burntwater, Arizona; serving as a full-time youth teacher with the William Sears teaching project in San Francisco, California, or in Renton, Washington; coordinating a variety of teaching initiatives and special projects in Los Angeles, California; or working closely with the local Spiritual Assembly of Sioux City, Iowa, to develop and implement a teaching program to reach Native Americans living in the city.

ASIA

Malaysia: The National Spiritual Assembly seeks youth teachers to assist with firesides, musical proclamation events, street teaching, Chinese teaching activities and deepening classes, and to visit Bahá’ís.

Thailand: The National Assembly asks for help from youth in teaching English and supporting local area teaching work at the Santitham School, and in travel teaching with Thai youth along the Mekong River bordering Laos.

EUROPE

Finland: An office assistant is needed at the Bahá’í National Center of Finland. Duties include photocopying, filing, orchestrating mailings, and working with book sales administration. There is also an opportunity for youth to assist with the activities of several local Spiritual Assemblies.

France: Help is needed in both the National Assembly and Public Information offices in translation, desktop publishing, accounting, general clerical assistance, representation of the Office of Public Information at various conferences in Paris, and receiving guests.

Ireland: Service opportunities exist at the Bahá’í National Center to help with the office workload of typing, filing, photocopying, and production of the monthly Bahá’í magazine and newsletter.

Czechoslovakia: The Regional Spiritual Assembly of the Czech and Slovak Republics offers possibilities for a full-time traveling teacher; a media assistant; an organizer of special projects and events; an assistant at the National Office; and an assistant to the Bahá’í Publishing trust.

Norway: The gamut of opportunities includes traveling teaching; teaching in the north while living with a family; working at the National Office and/or Bahá’í Publishing Trust; youth teaching activities focusing on university areas around the country; musical and theater group proclamation; and representing the Faith in visits to newspapers, radio stations, schools and official meetings.

United Kingdom: The National Spiritual Assembly offers the opportunity to serve as assistant at the Treasury office of the National Spiritual Assembly.

Twenty-five prospective pioneers and Youth Service Corps volunteers attended the Pioneering Institute at Green Acre Bahá’í School April 1-4. Destinations include China, Bolivia, Honduras, Bophuthatswana, Mongolia and French-speaking Africa.

New opportunities announced for traveling teaching this summer

Every spring the Office of Pioneering surveys most National Spiritual Assemblies about their needs for traveling teachers for the next Bahá’í year. We have so far received replies telling of a wide range of teaching projects and activities for which your help is urgently needed from:

AFRICA: Botswana, Cameroon, The Gambia, South Africa, Transkei, Uganda, Vanuatu, Zambia, West Africa (for Benin, Côte D’Ivoire, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea Bissau, Guinea, Liberia, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Togo).

ASIA: China, India, Korea, Sri Lanka.

AUSTRALASIA: Cook Islands, Eastern Caroline Islands, Fiji, New Caledonia and the Loyalty Islands, New Zealand.

CARIBBEAN: Barbados, Belize, Guadeloupe, Haiti, Jamaica, Puerto Rico, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, West Leeward Islands.

EASTERN EUROPE: Albania, Croatia, Hungary, Macedonia, Poland, Ukraine, Yugoslavia.

LATIN AMERICA: Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Mexico.

WESTERN EUROPE: Canary Islands, Finland, France, Greece, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Malta, Portugal, Spain, Switzerland.

Watch the next editions of The American Bahá’í for more!

TRAVELING TEACHERS

Area / Country	Goal	Filled
Ukraine	185	10
Kazakhstan	100	6
CIS (Other Republics)	150	247
Bulgaria	5	14
Czechoslovakia	30	47
DDR/East Germany	10	4
Hungary	35	21
Poland	15	23
Romania	10	16
Yugoslavia	40	9
Mongolia	4	2
China	35	91
Totals	440	669

GOING ABROAD? Make your trip count!

Beloved friends, the international travels of the followers of Bahá’u’lláh from the U.S. form a significant part of the history of the development of the Faith. The Universal House of Justice has asked us to keep detailed records of our international trips of any nature. It is important to remember that your mere presence as a Bahá’í in another country can potentially bring the spirit of the Faith of Bahá’u’lláh to that land.

To record your international travels as a U.S. Bahá’í, contact the Office of Pioneering, Bahá’í National Center, Wilmette, IL 60091. Phone 708-869-9039; Fax 708-869-0247, Attn. Office of Pioneering.

ONGOING TRAVELING TEACHING OPPORTUNITIES

AUSTRALIA; ALBANIA; BAHAMAS; BANGLADESH; BELIZE; BULGARIA; BURKINA FASO; CAMBODIA; CHINA; CISKEI; COLOMBIA; COOK ISLANDS; COSTA RICA; DOMINICAN REPUBLIC; EAST GERMANY; EQUATORIAL GUINEA; FIJI; FRENCH POLYNESIA; GAMBIA; GERMANY; GUATEMALA; GUADELOUPE; GUINEA BISSAU; GUYANA; HAITI; HONG KONG; HUNGARY; ICELAND; INDIA; IRELAND; ITALY; MALAYSIA; MALTA; MOZAMBIQUE; NEPAL; NEW CALEDONIA; PAKISTAN; PANAMA; PHILIPPINES; PORTUGAL; PUERTO RICO; ST. VINCENT & GRENADINES; SAMOA; SIBERIA; SIERRA LEONE; SWEDEN; TAIWAN; THAILAND; TONGA; TRANSKEI; TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO; TUVALU; UGANDA; UNITED KINGDOM; VANUATU; WEST LEEWARD ISLANDS; YUGOSLAVIA; ZAMBIA.

UPCOMING PIONEERING INSTITUTES

June 17-20 Louhelen Bahá’í School, Davison, Michigan. Labor Day weekend—Louis Gregory Bahá’í Institute, Hemingway, South Carolina.

If you are interested in pioneering, please contact the Office of Pioneering, Bahá’í National Center, Wilmette, IL 60091, or telephone 708-869-9039 or fax 708-869-0247 for more information.

‘China, China, China-ward the Cause of Bahá’u’lláh must march’

March 31, 1993

To 15 specially selected National Spiritual Assemblies:

"The Universal House of Justice joyfully announces to you goals for the People's Republic of China during the Three Year Plan. You are invited to assist in their achievement...

• the urgent need for short-term and long-term pioneers as well as visiting teachers;
• maintain a regular flow of visiting teachers, especially among Bahá’ís who are Chinese-speaking;
• encourage Bahá’ís outside China with expertise in their fields to interact with their peer groups inside China and to engage in professional endeavors which would introduce a greater number of Chinese professionals to the Faith.

"The challenges ahead are immense and the promised victories glorious. The House of Justice is fully confident that Bahá’u’lláh will aid each of the friends in your community who will arise to help accomplish these goals."

From 1992 letters to the Bahá’í Committee for China:

"Time is passing; opportunity fleeting. Yours is an urgent and critical task."

"The Universal House of Justice therefore believes that a new drive to strengthen our presence in China should proceed without delay."

"...the House of Justice regards the teaching of the Faith amongst the population of China as one of the highest priorities for the entire Bahá’í world."

There are presently 24 U.S. Bahá’ís settled in China as long-term pioneers and eight as short-term pioneers. During the Holy Year, 32 traveling visitors went to China from the U.S.

One quarter of the world's population (1.1 billion souls) awaits the healing Message of Bahá’u’lláh, and the Bahá’í community of the United States has been offered the great bounty of helping to achieve this tremendous task!

To learn how you can be among the champions in this great work, call or write the Office of Pioneering, Bahá’í National Center, Wilmette, IL 60091 (phone 708-869-9039). [Page 9]

THE FUNDS

Reviews by independent Bahá’í advisers. The National Assembly's ongoing operations, its financial and properties functions and the Bahá’í Home were all the subject of detailed reviews during the year by working groups of Bahá’ís with expertise in each of the respective fields. In each case, the visitors expressed satisfaction with the quality of the work being done, the spirit of the friends who carry out these tasks, and the reputation created for the Faith among outside service providers or recipients. Each task force offered detailed recommendations to the National Assembly, many of which are already being acted upon.

Financial advisers recommend structural changes for the National Fund. Several Bahá’ís, accomplished professionals in the fields of financial management and investment banking, met with the National Spiritual Assembly at its request shortly before the World Congress and suggested ways in which the Assembly could reduce its reliance on short-term debt from banks and individual Bahá’ís. Many details remain to be settled, but in aggregate the steps outlined point the way toward the gradual creation of an internal economic system that will substantially reinforce the community's strength.

Patterns of Unity Inc. Important progress is reported in the creation of a consulting enterprise in the field of race unity. Building on the results of two earlier meetings of Bahá’í training professionals, a task force has been established to create an action plan for the National Assembly's review prior to National Convention. The expected result of these plans will be a consulting enterprise which, operating under the auspices of the Assembly, will provide referral services and training to a variety of organizations that wish to foster interracial harmony.

Mottahedeh Development Services. March 27 was the date for the first meeting of the board of directors of a new agency for social and economic development, Mottahedeh Development Services. Following months of work by Bahá’í volunteers with a diverse body of experience in the development field, as well as members of the Assembly's Development Department, the seven-member Board came together to begin its work.

Efforts are well under way to raise seed capital and program funding for projects in the US and abroad; links have already been formed with the Office of Social and Economic Development at the Bahá’í World Center, Canada's Bahá’í Development Agency, and a number of Bahá’í agencies and programs in Latin America.

Area seminars receive consistent praise. Between February and April, the Development Department of the Office of the Treasurer convened nearly 40 seminars across the country, with the generous support of host local Assemblies in each location. While attendance averaged 10 to 15 Assembly representatives, those who participated reported the sessions to be thought-provoking, useful and well-done.

Bahá’ís from Long Beach, Lakewood, Los Alamitos and San Pedro, California, marched January 16 in the annual Martin Luther King Jr. parade in Long Beach. They wore T-shirts that proclaimed racial unity and a banner that read 'Bahá’í Faith: Uniting Mankind.' Afterward, the Bahá’ís set up an information booth at Martin Luther King Jr. Park where copies of 'The Vision of Race Unity' were given to parade-goers.

ATTENTION REGISTERED BAHA’I GROUPS: Local Contribution Goals for the Bahá’í National Fund

A number of Bahá’í groups from around the country have asked whether they can participate in the program of local contribution goals for the Bahá’í National Fund.

The National Spiritual Assembly was delighted to hear of this sense of initiative on the part of these friends. Indeed, it views such a step as an important advance toward full local Spiritual Assembly status.

Groups who wish to establish goals for their unrestricted contributions to the National Fund are welcome to set a goal that reflects their sense of the group's capacity, and to communicate that number to the National Spiritual Assembly via its Office of the Treasurer.

The training sessions are expected to continue in the coming year, exploring in detail such topics as financial management, Bahá’í financial institutions and instruments, and the local Assembly as a resource manager.

CONTRIBUTIONS KEEP PACE WITH INFLATION

At the end of March, contributions to the Bahá’í National Fund were $9.5 million, up about 3 percent from the previous year's $9.2 million and a bit ahead of the '91 level of $9.3 million. This coincides with the rate of inflation reported by the federal government for the first quarter of the calendar year.

Estate bequests on the same date stood at $2 million. Contributions through the National Center for other Funds continued their steep declines from previous years' levels.

For the past several years the Bahá’ís of Issaquah, Washington, have taken part in the annual Salmon Days Festival by staffing an information booth for the city and a Bahá’í hospitality booth where they distribute literature on the Faith and make cold drinking water available. This year's booth had as its theme 'Bahá’u’lláh: His Mission, His Vison, His Life.' To focus on the theme, only one piece of literature was given out—'Bahá’u’lláh: A Brief Introduction to His Life and Work.' Also, the video tape 'The Jewel in the Lotus' and the Bahá’í newsreel were shown continuously.

Bahá’ís in Detroit report success with 'modified' firesides designed to promote racial harmony

The Bahá’ís in the Detroit, Michigan, area report considerable success in reaching a widening audience for the Faith by using a modified form of fireside teaching.

Two Bahá’í couples—one black, one white—co-host a monthly program in a Bahá’í home on a topic designed to promote harmony among various racial, ethnic and religious groups. A prominent non-Bahá’í is invited to speak each month. Formal invitations are prepared and mailed, primarily to non-Bahá’í friends of the co-hosts and a few other Bahá’ís. One hundred seventy-five invitations usually result in about 50 persons attending, most of whom are not Bahá’ís.

An accomplished musician is hired to perform while attendees are arriving. After a prayer, the musician is asked to play a brief selection for the audience. The speaker is then introduced and invited to conduct a discussion following his/her talk. After the discussion, the musician resumes playing while guests help themselves to refreshments.

Unlike firesides, speakers are not asked to discuss the Faith. About the only direct reference to the Faith is the pamphlets are available near the refreshments if anyone wishes to take one.

The programs are offered as a service to the community, and the "low-key" format has resulted in the Faith's being introduced to many people who probably would not attend a talk if they felt it would be about "religion."

Many people including physicians, professors, judges, lawyers, a university president, directors of non-profit groups, leaders in civic affairs, and others from a variety of economic, educational and religious backgrounds have attended the programs, which began in June 1992 and have continued each month under the sponsorship of the Bahá’ís of Detroit and Grosse Pointe.

Speakers have included: • Dr. Sandra Packard, president of Oakland University. • Dr. Arthur Johnson, then president of the Detroit NAACP and vice-president of Wayne State University. • Lawrence Patrick, past president and current member of the Detroit school board. • Prof. Kevin Early, department of sociology, Oakland University. • Prof. Richard Thomas, department of history and urban affairs, Michigan State University. • Vivian Buffington, director of race relations, New Detroit Inc. • Rabbi Ernst Conrad, the Rev. Nicholas Hood III, and Paula Drewek, humanities department, Macomb Community College.

In June, the program is to be expanded with a second monthly gathering to be co-sponsored by the Bahá’ís of Southfield and Bloomfield Township.

For information about how to start such a program, please phone Winifred White (313-521-1468) or Ted Amsden (313-568-6554). [Page 10]

CLASSIFIEDS

Classified notices in The American Bahá’í are published free of charge as a service to the Bahá’í community. Because of this, notices are limited to items relating to the Faith; no personal or commercial ads can be accepted for publication. The opportunities referred to have not been approved by the National Spiritual Assembly; the friends should exercise their own judgment and care in responding to them.

SERVICE OPPORTUNITIES

THE NATIONAL Spiritual Assembly is seeking a General Manager for the Bahá’í Publishing Trust. This position requires a strong general manager capable of managing large numbers of people, preparing and managing significant budgets, developing plans and strategies for producing desired results. Publishing experience a plus. Please send résumé to the Bahá’í National Center, Department of Human Resources, Wilmette, IL 60091.

AS THE MAXWELL International Bahá’í School continues to strive to meet the growing demands of an international residential school, there are a number of new and replacement positions that arise each year. The school has been privileged to have a number of talented, qualified volunteers in such areas as the health center, buildings and grounds, food services, administrative and academic support. While it would be a great asset to find qualified, self-supporting volunteers for service in these areas, the school may be interested in individuals who have the expertise and desire to serve the Faith at this residential school but who may require a small level of financial support. Positions for which we are currently seeking employees or volunteers are (1) a nurse to augment the health center staff. The center consists of a 12-bed medical unit and an emergency room. It provides a variety of health-related services to students and staff. Hours include shift work and on-call duty in the evenings, nights and on weekends. (2) A secretary/administrative assistant for the academic section for a period of 1-2 years. (3) Academic staff: qualified secondary level teachers, eligible for certification in B.C., in all fields are invited to submit résumés. Those who are interested should write to The Principal, Maxwell International Bahá’í School, Bag 1000, Shawnigan Lake, BC, Canada VOR 2W0.

THE LOUHELEN Bahá’í School invites individuals or couples who would like to serve the Cause this summer to volunteer for Louhelen's 1993 summer staff. The period of service would be from late June until late August (although we would also be pleased to consider applications for youth and adult year-of-service). The most important attributes necessary are a strong desire to serve the friends, a firm commitment to high moral standards, flexibility and willingness to contribute in several areas of school operations, and a desire to work with other Bahá’ís to make the school a friendly, hospitable and loving place for those who come there. Diverse specific skills can be used, as can a general willingness to learn and work hard. Those providing service would receive hospitality at the school (room and board) and take part in a dynamic Bahá’í environment. Those accepted to serve at Louhelen must have personal health insurance and be at least 18 years old. Apply to Dr. Rick Johnson, director, Louhelen Bahá’í School, 3208 S. State Road, Davison, MI 48423. Telephone 313-653-5033; fax 313-653-7181.

THE GREENACRE Bahá’í School is seeking applicants for the 1993 summer program. Help is needed in a variety of areas. Persons with little or no experience as well as skilled professionals are encouraged to apply. Skilled and unskilled: Food service-assistant cooks, dining room coordinator, dishwashing, general help. Maintenance-housekeeping, groundskeeping, general cleaning, gardening. Skilled and experienced: Recreational leader, librarian, children's class teachers, office assistant, program assistant, painters, carpenters, gardeners. Help is needed from mid-June through August with the duration of service varying in some instances. Opportunities for service are in great supply-volunteers are eagerly sought. Compensation, including room and board, is available. For more information, please contact the Green Acre office by phone, 207-439-7200, Monday-Friday from 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Eastern time, or send a letter of intent to: Administrator, Green Acre Bahá’í School, 188 Main St., Eliot, ME 03903.

PIONEERING: OVERSEAS

EMPLOYMENT opportunities overseas: AFRICA Lesotho: retired couple to serve as caretakers at the National Bahá’í Center. AMERICAS-Brazil: elementary school teachers. Guadeloupe: electro-mechanical technicians. Honduras: elementary school and junior high school teachers. Paraguay: chiropractic practice for sale. ASIA-India: program officer needed by the Ford Foundation for its Governance and International Affairs program office. Macau: primary school teachers. Sakhalin: teachers. AUSTRALASIA-Marshall Islands: elementary school teachers. Yap, Western Caroline Islands: retired couple to serve as caretakers at the National Center. EUROPE NIS: Country Directors to provide supervisory and managerial responsibility at offices in Kazakhstan, Kosovo and Albania. Ministry of Finance adviser, Central Bank advisers, Financial Regulatory Agency advisers. Portugal: retired couple to serve as caretakers for a local Bahá’í Center. For more information on any of these positions, please contact the Office of Pioneering at the Bahá’í National Center, Wilmette IL 60091 (telephone 708-869-9039 or fax 708-869-0247, Attn: Office of Pioneering).

PIONEERING: HOMEFRONT

CHEYENNE, a priority capital city in Wyoming, urgently needs homefront pioneers. Ideal for retired and/or professional people; no state income tax, and a 5 percent sales tax (increasing to 6 percent in July). Jobs in medical field and other professions are available. Rental housing is tight, but houses can be purchased for around $80,000. Cheyenne has a wonderful community college, good schools, business opportunities for entrepreneurs, is close to many scenic wonders such as the Grand Tetons, Snowy Range, the Buffalo Bill Cody monument, and areas for skiing, camping, hunting and fishing. No traffic congestion and a healthful lifestyle help make Cheyenne a good place to live. Bahá’ís will help in any way they can to relocate and find employment for you. For more information and a packet of information from the Chamber of Commerce, please contact the Assembly secretary at P.O. Box 2063, Cheyenne, WY 82003, or phone Natalie Reyes, 307-635-0943.

DUBUQUE, Iowa's first Spiritual Assembly needs bolstering. City of 60,000-plus is actively seeking minority-group families with experience in such professions as attorneys, police, and others. Dubuque is in the tri-state area (Illinois, Iowa, Wisconsin) and home to several college, universities and seminaries. For information, write to McDowell, Dubuque, IA 52001, or phone 319-556-1982.

THE BAHÁ’Í community of Smyrna, Tennessee, warmly welcomes homefront pioneers. We have seven fairly active adult Bahá’ís in this community, which is less than 30 minutes by car from Nashville or Murfreesboro, both of which have many fine educational institutions. Smyrna has a plant of the Nissan Motor Co. and other industries. For more information, please phone Susan Hakiman, 615-355-4981.

FLORENCE, Alabama, is an ideal place for homefront pioneers to consider. It has an incorporated Assembly but only six adult Bahá’ís at present. There is a university with accredited programs, low tuition, and a Bahá’í Club eager for new members. The University of North Alabama is a major employer, is looking for a director of student activities and a director for its laboratory school, among other positions, and is eager to employ minorities. Florence has a lovely southern climate and low cost of living, which makes it ideal for retirement living. Most important, the Bahá’ís in the area have worked diligently for years to prepare the soil for teaching success. For more information, please phone Jacquie Osborne, 205-764-1766 (evenings) or 205-760-4244 (days).

COME to beautiful Florence, South Carolina, home of the newly acquired first Bahá’í Center in the state, and help us begin entry by troops. Only an hour away from the Louis Gregory Institute and within listening range of WLGI Radio Bahá’í. Many children and activities for youth. Don't delay! For information, phone 803-664-9766.

PICTURE THIS: a small community in the midst of a big city with all the amenities-many schools and colleges, two major universities, good employment opportunities, excellent shopping, sunny beaches, and more-and all within 10 minutes of the largest Bahá’í Center in Southern California. Come join the Culver Judicial District, low in numbers but high in spirit. For information, write to P.O. Box 10355, Marina del Rey, CA 90295, or phone 310-822-3174 or 213-299-2218.

ARCHIVES

THE NATIONAL Bahá’í Archives is seeking, at the request of the Universal House of Justice, original letters written on behalf of the Guardian to the following individuals: Agnes Parsons, Mahdah Paton, William Paton, Herbert J. Patzer (died New Haven, CT, 1979), Vira Jewell Paxton (died Tulare, CA, 1971), Leila Y. Payne, Olga Payne, Betty Pazman, Madeleine H. Pecke, and Willard V. Pelton (died Lawton, MI, 1954). Anyone knowing family members or relatives who might have these letters from the Guardian is asked to contact the National Bahá’í Archives, Bahá’í National Center, Wilmette, IL 60091 (phone 708-869-9039).

THE NATIONAL Bahá’í Archives is seeking copies of local community bulletins or newsletters, especially from larger communities. They can be from any time period. Anyone having bulletins or newsletters they could donate is asked to send them to the National Bahá’í Archives, Bahá’í National Center, Wilmette, IL 60091.

WANTED

WANTED: Stories about the life and teaching of Roxanne Terrel. Anything you can contribute either written or spoken on tape-would be appreciated. Please include dates, names of places (cities, countries), and full names of those involved. Send to Jene Bellows, P.O. Box 361, Northbrook, IL 60065. Thank you.

THE GREEN LAKE Bahá’í Conference Committee is looking for an IBM 386 or above compatible operating system to enhance its efficiency during committee meetings and at the conference. If anyone has such a system and would like to contribute it to our committee, please phone Kamran Mesbah, 608-873-3467 after 7:30 p.m. CST.

THE NATIONAL Committee for Service to the Hearing Impaired and Deaf is seeking help and correspondence from hearing impaired/deaf Bahá’ís in the U.S. and other English-speaking countries. The committee is also seeking contact from any others who are knowledgeable about hearing impairment or deafness. The committee is working on universal signs to be used for the Central Figures of the Faith. If you are interested in helping, or would like to contact other deaf Bahá’ís, please write to the committee at P.O. Box 2650, Olympia, WA 98507, or phone (TDD or voice) 718-981-3550.

CARTOONS on Bahá’í themes are needed for the upcoming publication of a collection of Bahá’í cartoons. All formats (single panel, multi-panel, strip) accepted. Submit up to 25 photocopies of your original black and white artwork to Arman Danesh, Ontario L7N 2C3, Canada. The deadline is August 31, 1993. Only accepted submissions will receive a response unless the submission is accompanied by a self-addressed envelope and International Reply Coupon (IRC).

THE NATIVE American Bahá’í Institute needs a four-wheel drive wagon-style vehicle for a mobile teaching institute to reach the Navajo and Hopi peoples. Please contact NABI, P.O. Box 3167, Houck, AZ 86506, or phone 602-367-5126, ext. 8595.

SINCE about 1985, work has been proceeding on the publication of a Bahá’í Encyclopedia under the auspices of the U.S. National Spiritual Assembly and U.S. Bahá’í Publishing Trust, with the encouragement and support of the Universal House of Justice. It is hoped that within the next two years it will be possible to publish A Short Encyclopedia of the Bahá’í Faith. At present we are looking for a small number of volunteers to help with one aspect of the project. We need volunteers with computers who are able to type articles onto computer disks and thus make them available to the editors on disk for editing. The computer will need to be MS-DOS or Apple Macintosh. Most of the common word processing formats can be accommodated. If you are able to offer your services to the Short Encyclopedia of the Bahá’í Faith, please contact Dr. Betty J. Fisher, Bahá’í Publishing Trust, Wilmette, IL 60091, or phone her at 708-251-1854 (fax 708-251-3652).

WANTED: stories, thoughts, reflections or transforming experiences from the World Congress for publication in a book, In the Eyes of His Beloved Servants: Accounts from the Second Bahá’í World Congress. Please reply to J. Michael Kafes, Peekskill, NY 10566 (phone 914-737-4789).

THE INTERNATIONAL Bahá’í Audio-Visual Center (IBAVC), a field agency of the Universal House of Justice, is looking for radio script writers. We are especially interested in obtaining script series on topical issues such as the environment, racism, and world peace. IBAVC offers scripts to Bahá’í communities around the world-a wonderful way to multiply the effects of your teaching efforts. For more information, or to submit scripts, write to IBAVC, Maracaibo, Venezuela, or fax (59) (61) 618572 or (59) (61) 912958.

AN OPPORTUNITY to be of service to the National Spiritual Assembly: NSA Properties Inc. is looking to purchase a 7-9 passenger van with automatic transmission (new or nearly new). The van will be used to transport members of the National Assembly and visitors to the Bahá’í National Center. For more information, Please contact Heather Marshman, NSA Properties Inc. Phone 708-256-6552.

MISCELLANEOUS

AN ALBANIAN Bahá’í youth, Arthur Adham, was recently chosen by the U.S. Embassy to visit America for one year on the condition that he has an offer of a job in this country. He is a mechanic, but would be happy to do anything as long as he can live in a Bahá’í community and have a chance to deepen his knowledge of the Faith. If you can help, please phone Rouhi Huddleston, 703-790-0870, or fax the National Spiritual Assembly of Albania, 011-355-42-22039.

DO YOU REMEMBER Brattleboro, Vermont? This year we'll be celebrating 50 years since the first Assembly was formed here. All former residents of Brattleboro, Windham County, and anyone who was ever a student at area colleges are urged to contact the 50th Anniversary Celebration Committee, c/o Martha Schmidt, Newfane, VT 05345, and send a letter, photos, or any information about dates you lived here, where you lived, and any reminiscences you may have to help us prepare for this event. We need to hear from you by June 15, if at all possible. Thank you. [Page 11]

World News

In January, 19 people embraced the Cause of God in St. Vincent and the Grenadines as the result of a three-week campaign organized by the National Teaching Committee. Traveling teachers from Canada and Guyana helped local Bahá’ís in the effort. Special deepening classes for new believers have been established to supplement the regularly held Sunday Bahá’í devotional programs.

In the Kadai region of Cameroon, a dozen women traveled for two weeks recently, stopping at eight localities to teach the Faith. As a result, nine women embraced the Cause of Bahá’u’lláh.

On January 28, Naina Yousefovna Yeltsina, wife of Boris Yeltsin, president of the Russian Federation, visited the Bahá’í House of Worship near New Delhi, India. She was accompanied by Galina Alexandrovna Drukova, wife of the Russian Ambassador in Delhi; Kalpana Sen, wife of the Ambassador of India to Russia; Singh Deo, wife of India's Minister of Information; and diplomats from the Russian Embassy. "Perhaps the people of the world must embrace the Bahá’í Faith if they wish to have peace and unity," Mrs. Yeltsina said during her visit to the Temple. She assured the friends that she would tell Mr. Yeltsin about her visit and that he would see the Temple through her eyes.

Immediately after the second Bahá’í World Congress last November, representatives of 18 Bahá’í schools and a number of other Bahá’í educators gathered for a week at the Maxwell International Bahá’í School at Shawnigan Lake, British Columbia, Canada, for the first International Bahá’í Schools Networking Conference. Delegates from 21 countries on six continents were joined by two special guests from the Bahá’í World Center: Dr. David Ruhe, a member of the Universal House of Justice, and Hassan Sabri, who directs the Office of Social and Economic Development (OSED). Dr. Ruhe was accompanied by his wife, Margaret Ruhe. The conference was planned and delegates chosen, under the direction of the Universal House of Justice, by the OSED.

More than 200 participants including more than 40 children and nearly 60 youth gathered in mid-January in Neumünster, Germany, for the northern German Bahá’í winter school. A highlight of the session, which was devoted entirely to the life and teachings of Bahá’u’lláh and included the participation of Counselor Foad Kazemzadeh, were the declarations of faith by two youth.

A banquet to commemorate the centenary of the Covenant of Bahá’u’lláh was held last December in Novo Hamburgo, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. Of the approximately 150 people attending, about 120 were persons of prominence who had received special invitations.

In St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Emily Providence and Hooshmand Badi’í tape Bahá’í readings for the national radio station which broadcasts two Bahá’í programs on a regular basis: 'Dawn of a New Day,' a five-minute devotional program that is carried five days per week; and 'The Bahá’í Vision,' a 15-minute variety show that is broadcast once each month.

Planned as a proclamation to reach Maori dignitaries and people of capacity nationwide, New Zealand's major national commemoration of the Holy Year was held February 19-21 near Hamilton. Honored Bahá’í guests were Princess Tosi Malietoa of Samoa, accompanied by Pua Chang, and Sir Thomas Davis of the Cook Islands. Also attending were Counselor Gayle Morrison, most members of the National Spiritual Assembly of New Zealand, and four Auxiliary Board members. The most honored non-Bahá’í guest was Dame Ata-i-rangi-kaahu, the leader of the Kingitanga Movement, an expression of nationalist unity among a loose federation of tribes which was developed in the 1850s and remains an influential focal point for Maoris.

On January 23, the Bahá’ís of Poznan, Poland, were joined by about 60 friends including members of the National Spiritual Assembly and an Auxiliary Board member for the official opening of the first Bahá’í Center in Poland, located in a rented apartment on the outskirts of Poznan. Local radio and television were on hand to record the historic event, and a short excerpt was shown on local television news the following day.

More than 300 people, more than half of whom were non-Bahá’í children and their parents, attended a special service at the Bahá’í House of Worship in Australia to commemorate Universal Children's Day. Most of the readers were children from scripture classes held in Mona Vale and Manly, near the House of Worship.

On January 11, two representatives of the National Spiritual Assembly of El Salvador presented a copy of the Statement on Bahá’u’lláh to Alfredo Cristiani, president of the Republic, during a conference entitled "Reconciliation in Times of Transition," organized by the Center for Strategic Studies to Strengthen the Salvadorean Democracy. Attending the gathering were participants from a dozen countries in the Americas and western Europe.

On February 16, the mayor of Offenbach/Main, Germany, unveiled one of nine segments of the national Holy Year exhibit on Bahá’u’lláh, dedicating it as a "permanent exhibition" in a public section of the City Hall. In his address given during a reception, the mayor said he himself had chosen two illuminated quotations from Bahá’u’lláh—one on the future World Order, the other on justice—to be permanently displayed on a wall that is passed each day by a large number of people. He said further that the words of Bahá’u’lláh exactly match the needs of society today, and expressed his hope that the exhibit might influence the understanding of the people from 106 countries who reside in Offenbach.

Pictured are many of those who took part in a day-long 'Story of Law' Institute held last October at the Bahá’í Center in Rabaul, Papua New Guinea. More than 60 adults heard a number of talks on the significance of Bahá’í Law while children had a separate session conducted by Kesia Ruhe.

Ecologia y Unidad Mundial ("Ecology and World Unity") is a new publication of the local Spiritual Assembly of Buenos Aires, Argentina, for use in public relations work. The book is related to ecology in a broad sense, covering the arts, sciences, development, indigenous cultures, urbanization and agriculture, world peace, and other topics. It has been sent to hundreds of non-governmental organizations and is being sold at kiosks in principal cities throughout the country.

On December 9, Mikhail and Raisa Gorbachev visited the National Congress in Brasilia, Brazil, as part of their four-country tour of South America. On this occasion, representatives of the Bahá’í Office for External Affairs presented Mrs. Gorbachev a copy of the book Tomorrow Belongs to the Children, a copy of "The Bahá’ís," recently produced by the Bahá’í International Community's Office of Public Information, and a copy of the periodical "One Country" in Russian. Mrs. Gorbachev "was very nice," the Bahá’ís reported, "and expressed her warm thanks for the materials she had received."

On January 17, the Spiritual Assembly of Roberto Durán, in an urban area of Panama City, Panama, held a march to commemorate World Religion Day. About 50 Bahá’ís wearing T-shirts with "Bahá’ís" printed on the front and "One Mankind, One Religion" on the back sang and distributed pamphlets to people who stood along the seven-kilometer (4.34-mile) route.

The mayors of Hillingdon and Harrow, United Kingdom, both spoke at a celebration of the anniversary of the Birth of Bahá’u’lláh hosted by the Bahá’í communities of Hillingdon and Harrow. More than 200 people, about 130 of whom were not Bahá’ís, attended the event, news of which was published in the local newspaper.

During October, three weeks of intense activity was carried out by traveling teachers to Mahaica, Guyana, where Bahá’í children's classes were held in four public schools. Some 300 students attended each class, and 19 copies of the Statement on Bahá’u’lláh were presented to school administrators.

"O Friends! Abandon not the everlasting beauty for a beauty that must die, and set not your affections on this mortal world of dust." -Bahá’u’lláh [Page 12]

KITÁB-I-AQDAS: An overview of Bahá’u’lláh’s Most Holy Book

Title: The Kitáb-i-Aqdas: The Most Holy Book Author: Bahá’u’lláh

Bahá’u’lláh’s "Charter of His New World Order," in which He sets forth the Laws of God for the Bahá’í Dispensation and ordains the necessary institutions through which the integrity and unity of His Faith can alone be safeguarded.

This volume contains the full, copiously annotated text of the Kitáb-i-Aqdas. In the book Bahá’u’lláh prescribes the twin inseparable duties of recognizing the "Dayspring" of God’s Revelation and of observing "every ordinance" revealed by Him; announces the promulgation of the "Most Great Law," pronouncing the kings to be His vassals and Himself to be the "King of Kings"; disclaims any intent to lay hands on their kingdoms but reserves for Himself the right to "seize and possess the hearts of men"; warns the kings and rulers not to weigh the "Book of God" with current standards; and affirms that the Book itself is the "Unerring Balance" among men.

Bahá’u’lláh also ordains and defines the institution of the "House of Justice"; alludes to the future Center of His Covenant, ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, investing Him with the right of interpreting Bahá’u’lláh’s writings; and anticipates the institution of the Guardianship. The laws and ordinances deal with, among other things, prayer and fasting; Huqúqu’lláh; inheritance; the Mashriqu’l-Adhkár; the Nineteen Day Feast; Bahá’í festivals and Intercalary Days; various prohibitions and punishments; the obligation of engaging in some trade or profession; the necessity of providing for the education of children; and the duties of writing a will and of obeying one’s government.

Bahá’u’lláh also exhorts the Bahá’ís to consort with members of all religions; warns against fanaticism, sedition, pride, dispute, and contention; inculcates countless virtues; counsels Bahá’ís to be unified; calls on them to arise and serve His Cause; and assures them of His aid.

The book contains an introduction by the Universal House of Justice and a description of the contents of the Kitáb-i-Aqdas by Shoghi Effendi. Paragraphs in the text of the Kitáb-i-Aqdas are numbered for ease of reference. The text of the Most Holy Book is followed by other texts revealed by Bahá’u’lláh supplementary to the Kitáb-i-Aqdas; "Questions and Answers" clarifying some of the laws; a synopsis and codification of the laws and ordinances of the Kitáb-i-Aqdas; notes; a glossary; a key to passages translated by Shoghi Effendi; and an index.

The Kitáb-i-Aqdas was revealed around 1873 during Bahá’u’lláh’s confinement in the House of ‘Údí Khammár in ‘Akká. This long-awaited English translation, published during the Holy Year 1992-93 commemorating the centenary of Bahá’u’lláh’s ascension and the inauguration of His Covenant, will, the Universal House of Justice says, "usher in a new stage in the evolution of the Bahá’í world."

Prophets of the past have alluded to this Book as the "new heaven," the "new earth," and the "New Jerusalem coming down from God." Shoghi Effendi terms it "the brightest emanation of the mind of Bahá’u’lláh" and says it "stands out, by virtue of the principles it inculcates, the administrative institutions it ordains and the function with which it invests the appointed Successor of its Author, unique and incomparable among the world’s sacred Scriptures."

The Kitáb-i-Aqdas is the "Mother Book" of Bahá’u’lláh’s Dispensation. Bahá’u’lláh Himself characterizes it as His "weightiest testimony unto all people, and the proof of the All-Merciful unto all who are in heaven and all who are on earth." The provisions of the Kitáb-i-Aqdas are confirmed, supplemented, and correlated by the Will and Testament of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, which, together with the Kitáb-i-Aqdas, forms a complete unit that constitutes, in Shoghi Effendi’s words, "the chief depository wherein are enshrined those priceless elements of that Divine Civilization, the establishment of which is the primary mission of the Bahá’í Faith."

Bahá’u’lláh enjoins us to "Hold...fast unto" the Kitáb-i-Aqdas "and fulfill that which is revealed therein," promising, "Indeed better is this for you than whatsoever hath been created in the world, did ye but know it." ‘Abdu’l-Bahá describes it as "the remedy for a sick and suffering world,...a healing balm for the sores on the body of mankind" and as "the spirit of life, the ark of salvation, the magnet to draw down eternal glory, the dynamic power to motivate the inner self of man."

The Universal House of Justice exhorts us to "ever be mindful of" the "exalted rank" of the Kitáb-i-Aqdas "among the sacred texts of the Faith; treasure it as the bread of life; regard possession of it as a sacred honor, as a priceless legacy from the Pen of the Most High, as a source of God’s greatest bounty to His creatures," and encourages us to place our "whole trust in its provisions; recite its verses; study its contents; adhere to its exhortations," and thus transform our lives "in accordance with the divine standard."

Bahá’u’lláh says, "Blessed those who peruse it! Blessed those who apprehend it! Blessed those who meditate upon it! Blessed those who ponder its meaning! So vast is its range that it hath encompassed all men ere their recognition of it. Erelong will its sovereign power, its pervasive influence and the greatness of its might be manifested on earth."

Size: 5-1/2"x8-3/4", 296 pp., preface, introduction, supplementary texts, questions and answers, synopsis and codification, notes, glossary, key to passages translated by Shoghi Effendi, index. Available from the Bahá’í Distribution Service for $12.50. They can be reached at 1-800-999-9019.

SUBSCRIPTION RATES

1 Year First class: $24 Air Mail: $32

2 Years Surface: $45 Air Mail: $60

Please make check payable to: Bahá’í Subscriber Service, c/o Bahá’í National Center, Wilmette, IL 60091. All orders must be pre-paid in U.S. currency. VISA/MasterCard accepted; please include full account number and expiration date.

BAHA’I HOUSE OF WORSHIP SPECIAL VISIT PROGRAM JULY 15-18, 1993

REGISTRATION FORM DEADLINE TO SEND IN REGISTRATION FORM IS MAY 30

Print Name: _________________ Bahá’í I.D. _________________ List additional names as applicable, Bahá’í ID#’s, ages of children. Attach extra sheet as needed. Address: _________________ City: _________________ State: _________________ Zip: _________________ Telephone/Work/Home/Area code: _________________

A children’s program will be conducted each day for ages 4-11. No other child care will be available. The registration fee is $7.00 per person. Please make checks available to the Bahá’í Services Fund. Do not send any other payment to us.

HOTEL INFORMATION Based on our two hotel selections, we can make your reservations. However, you will handle all financial arrangements with the hotel. For those who wish to select their own accommodations, we will send you a list of hotels. All registrants will be sent transportation information and an itinerary of program activities. Please circle your hotel choice and indicate the number in your party.

(1) Skokie Howard Johnson

• Buffet breakfast included
• 2 miles from the House of Worship
• 1bd. rm. is $57.00/ 2bd. rm. is $67.00

(2) Marriott Courtyard

• Breakfast Additional
• 10 miles north of the House of Worship
• Flat rate is $49.00

Both hotels will provide full day shuttle service. Please indicate yes or no for an alternative hotel listing.

Return this form to: Bahá’í House of Worship Activities Office Special Visit Program Wilmette, IL 60091

HELEN LEMKE PROFILE

Helen Lemke, an 80-year-old Bahá’í from Corpus Christi, Texas, took part recently in the ‘Religion Notebook Profile’ column of the Corpus Christi Caller Times, in which representatives of religious groups in Corpus Christi are invited to answer questions about their beliefs. Her answers to the questions posed gave Mrs. Lemke an opportunity to acquaint some 200,000 readers with Bahá’í teachings about the oneness of humankind, the unity of all religions, and the Bahá’í attitude toward Christ and other Messengers of God. The article was placed on the bulletin board of the retirement community in which Mrs. Lemke lives, and one resident asked for books to read so he could learn more about the Faith.

NEW JERSEY GROUPS RESPOND TO APPEAL WITH FUND-RAISER

In response to the National Spiritual Assembly’s Feast letter of February 5, the Bahá’í Groups of Aberdeen, Matawan and Old Bridge, New Jersey, held a fund-raising dinner at Naw-Rúz. About 30 adults and 15 children attended the event which raised more than $450 for the National Fund.

Other notable activities during the Holy Year included a race unity picnic, participation in the 75th anniversary celebration of the Girl Scouts of America, and in a panel discussion at a local high school centering on the question, "Where did we come from?"

The number of firesides, deepenings and prayer gatherings since the formation of the Groups in Matawan and Old Bridge at Ridván 1992 has increased dramatically, resulting in the declarations of two new believers, one of which took place during the commemoration of the Ascension of Bahá’u’lláh.

The three Groups were to take part April 24 in the sixth annual Children’s Peace Fair at which the Bahá’í Youth Workshop from Washington, D.C., was to perform. [Page 13]

THE ANNUAL REPORT Of the National Spiritual Assembly

The Holy Year has ended. A moment of unique spiritual and historical importance has passed. The world and its people will never be the same. We have been eternally blessed and privileged to partake in this year of homage and veneration of the Lord of Hosts and of His Covenant. Such a blessing, such a privilege will never come again.

The crowning event of the Holy Year was the publication in English of the Kitáb-i-Aqdas: The Most Holy Book. This priceless treasury, the Mother Book of Bahá’u’lláh’s Revelation, is the chief repository of His laws, the Harbinger of His Covenant, and the Charter of His World Order. It is to serve as the foundation for the construction of the Kingdom of God on earth and will inspire the spiritual transformation of the peoples and nations of the world. Words cannot adequately express our humble gratitude for this gift, which is the fulfillment of thousands of years of prophecy and expectation.

SIGNIFICANT EVENTS AND TRENDS OF THE HOLY YEAR

The Holy Year was a period of spiritual celebration and deep reflection on the significance of the station, Person and Mission of Bahá’u’lláh and the significance of His Covenant. Activities of the American Bahá’í community reflected a concentration on these pre-eminent themes. Throughout the year, individuals and institutions, challenged by the privileges and obligations of the Holy Year, evinced a new standard of reverence, devotion and consecration befitting the occasion and indicating a quickly growing maturity.

The commemoration of the centenary of the Ascension of Bahá’u’lláh, the holding of the second Bahá’í World Congress in New York, and the universal application of the Law of Huqúqu’lláh focused our efforts on translating belief in Him into constructive deeds. Among the deeds resulting from these efforts were a campaign to emblazon the Name of Bahá’u’lláh; the race unity movement; and the development of our Bahá’í schools, educational programs, and administrative institutions—advancements that have proceeded at a pace exceeding anything our community has ever achieved. The friends pursued their work with a spiritual vitality, clarity of purpose, and competence that strongly suggests the American Bahá’í community is ready to meet the challenges and the responsibilities of significant growth.

The exalted character of the centenary observance of the Ascension of Bahá’u’lláh will linger in our memories for a lifetime. At Bahjí the Universal House of Justice, the Hands of the Cause of God and the Boards of Counselors were joined by the Knights of Bahá’u’lláh and many other believers from around the world in special observances. Among them were 19 American Bahá’ís chosen by the National Spiritual Assembly for their meritorious service. In Wilmette 2,000 Bahá’ís filled to capacity the House of Worship’s auditorium and Foundation Hall. Elsewhere in our national community the friends participated in candlelight vigils, solemn marches, and special programs at Bahá’í schools and institutes. Others gathered in homes or in parks to mark the anniversary of the passing of the most precious Being ever to have drawn breath on this planet.

Teaching and proclamation activities centered around the dissemination of the statement on Bahá’u’lláh, prepared by the Office of Public Information in Haifa, "The Promise of World Peace," and "The Vision of Race Unity." Many communities published newspaper articles explaining the significance of the Holy Year and its attendant historical events.

SECOND BAHÁ’Í WORLD CONGRESS

"The Bahá’í World Congress," the Universal House of Justice writes, "the second major event of the Holy Year, ended on the Day of the Covenant in a blaze of celestial glory. Far exceeding the brightest expectation anyone might have entertained, it was a triumph of the spirit in which, on all continents, the friends in their magnificent diversity witnessed a solidarity of the Bahá’í world community at a level new to their experience." The House of Justice noted with "immense gratitude" the "magnetic and transformative" effects of unity on a vast collective scale, evident in the personal conduct of the friends, signifying a new stage in the evolvement of the Faith.

Extraordinary support for that historic gathering of the world’s people was provided by 7,000 volunteers and 27 task forces handling such details as the coordination of 45 programs during the Congress, the international satellite broadcast, participant registration, venue coordination, and shuttle bus transport. The Congress was a symphony of international collaboration in which American Bahá’ís played a prominent role. The logistical demands of the Congress stretched the capacity of every institution and individual involved. It was potently demonstrating Shoghi Effendi’s principle of the alternation of crisis and victory. Many unforeseen difficulties developed during the planning and implementation of this complex venture. Yet, in the end, the spiritual and practical results were magnificent. We can add nothing to the expressions of gratitude the Universal House of Justice conveyed to those whose sacrifices made this brilliant victory possible: "As for those who devoted their specialized talents and expertise toward meeting the programmatic and logistical challenges of this conglomerate occasion, and the thousands of eager volunteers who staffed the event, our admiration and loving appreciation know no bounds."

SIGNS OF MATURITY

The spiritual blessings of the Holy Year are evident in an array of accomplishments that reinforce our confidence in the growing maturity of the American Bahá’í community.

Defense of the Iranian Bahá’ís grew stronger with the passage of a fifth United States Congressional Resolution that cites increasing persecutions and calls for the complete emancipation of the Bahá’í Faith in Iran as a condition for normalized diplomatic relations between the United States and Iran. Collaboration between the Bahá’í International Community and several National Spiritual Assemblies, the United States among them, reached a new level. The recent disclosure of an official state document outlining a plan of systematic persecution by the Islamic Republic underscores the importance of that collaboration.

The inauguration of the Bahá’í Chair for World Peace at the University of Maryland in January 1993 in College Park, Maryland, and the installation of the Chair’s first incumbent, Professor Soheil Badi Bushrui, was a stellar event. The Universal House of Justice hailed this historic occasion as one that has enhanced the "relations, influence and appeal" of the Faith in the eyes of the world, and "will give rise to a great increase in academic efforts to examine the Cause of Bahá’u’lláh."

Eleven hundred media representatives facilitated the publication of 7,800 articles in the nation’s newspapers, almost doubling our previous annual high of 4,000. Among the news coverage were 662 articles and editorials in national newspapers such as The New York Times, the Wall Street Journal, the Washington Post, the Chicago Tribune, and The Los Angeles Times. The publications covered a wide array of topics and consistently highlighted the station and mission of Bahá’u’lláh. Radio and television coverage on local stations and on nationally syndicated programs also increased.

The quality, variety and scope of race unity activities has increased significantly. A survey of the American Bahá’í community indicates that almost every Bahá’í locale was involved in a race unity endeavor of some kind and that noteworthy patterns are emerging. It has become common for Bahá’ís to collaborate with civic leaders, including mayors, human relations commissioners, school principals and teachers, and social, religious and business leaders. Bahá’ís are often the initiators and leaders of projects that bring together people of various races and religions in cooperative efforts. Increasingly, Bahá’ís are called upon to help government agencies, schools, social institutions and large corporations in working to foster unity in diversity. Most important, sharing information about the station and mission of Bahá’u’lláh is becoming an integral part of the race unity work.

We are confident that the American Bahá’í community is setting a national standard for leadership in race unity work. One week after the National Spiritual Assembly sponsored the Vision of Race Unity Conference for social, political, business and media leaders at the Carter Presidential Center in Georgia, the Rodney King verdict in Los Angeles engulfed the nation in riots. Bahá’í communities in the greater Los Angeles area arose to provide psychological counseling for children and parents and, in collaboration with the mayor of Los Angeles, held race unity forums. The Elbow Learning Lab, a literacy program and sterling model of race unity initiated by Bahá’ís, was designated a Point of Light by President George Bush. Race unity programs can be found on college campuses, on Native American Reservations, in Chinese and Southeast Asian communities, in Appalachian towns, and almost everywhere that Bahá’ís reside. The campaign for racial unity is at the forefront of our efforts, just as the Guardian told us it should be. Race unity work is our most prominent and effective activity, for it addresses our nation’s most vital and challenging issue and, at the same time, promotes the Faith.

Many gratifying and favorable signs reinforce our confidence that Bahá’í institutions in the American community are maturing. Among such signs are a marked increase in observance of the Law of Huqúqu’lláh; the attendance of some 17,000 American Bahá’ís at the second Bahá’í World Congress; the support of thousands of volunteers at the World Congress; the excellent programs stimulating higher attendance at permanent and regional Bahá’í schools, institutes and conferences; a steady increase in contributions to the Funds of the Faith; and the launching by local Spiritual Assemblies of intensive programs of teaching, race unity work, and community service. The simultaneous growth taking place in all of these areas provides an important measure of the spirit, character and maturity of our community.

Other signs of institutional maturation include:

• The reorganization of the national Bahá’í administration and its committee structure to meet growing needs, reduce operating costs and further decentralize administrative operations. The reorganization included the appointment of several committees of visitors, experts who were asked to inspect and review the operations, systems and procedures of various agencies and to advise the National Spiritual Assembly. This year they have examined the areas of publishing and distribution, education, financial strategy and Fund development, management information systems, N.S.A. Properties, and teaching.
• The systematic use of volunteers throughout the national administration which has provided thousands of hours of services valued in the millions of dollars, helping to develop our administrative capacities.
• The establishment of the Mottahedeh Development Service, a philanthropic organization designed to expand our mission to serve humanity.
• The planning of a race unity training and consulting organization designed to offer help to a broad range of social institutions, schools and businesses.

AZAMÁT B.E. 150/ MAY 17, 1993 [Page 14]The increase by 40 percent in sales of the Sacred Writings and the works of Shoghi Effendi, suggesting growing study of the Sacred Scriptures and the literature of interpretation.

• The reorganization of the Bahá’í Publishing Trust and the introduction of "The Master Key" with lower prices for the authoritative texts, which has spurred a rise in sales of the Sacred Texts and the works of Shoghi Effendi from a previous high of $1,400,000 to an unprecedented $2,000,000 (only 5 percent of which came from the World Congress).
• The reorganizing and relocating of the Bahá’í Distribution Service which has lowered operating costs and increased efficiency, as evidenced by the one-day turn around time on order fulfillment for most of the year.
• The publication, according to the Bahá’í calendar, of 19 issues of The American Bahá’í and a special, four-color edition on the Bahá’í World Congress and the special editions of Brilliant Star magazine.

The steady progress of program development, facilities maintenance, and financial self-sufficiency at the permanent Bahá’í schools, due in part to the hundreds of thousands of dollars' worth of volunteer services the friends have contributed.

The establishment of the National Teacher Training Center at the Louhelen Bahá’í School and the implementation of the teacher training component of the core curriculum for the education of Bahá’í children. Eight hundred Bahá’ís have completed the teacher training course.

• The encouraging increase of teaching and service activities by children and youth, reflected in their participation in Bahá’í youth academies, the Bahá’í Youth Service Corps, domestic and international traveling teaching, full- and part-time teaching projects, and Bahá’í youth workshops.
• The placement of 123 long-term pioneers; an additional 65 to Eastern Europe and China; 367 international traveling teachers of whom 153 went to Eastern Europe and China; and the logging of 171 months of short-term pioneer service.
• The near completion of a decade-long program of restoration of our beloved Mashriqu’l-Adhkár, the holiest House of Worship ever to be built.

One sees in the American Bahá’í community's profile of activities during the Holy Year signs of a swelling spirit of devotion to the Faith and signs of growth in our capacity to advance the Cause and revitalize the soul of our nation. The reverent posture taken by the believers and the patterns of worship and service evident throughout the community demonstrate that we are "a people becoming seasoned in the truths and virtues of the Revelation of Bahá’u’lláh." These qualities stand in sharp contrast to a nation, and a world, which has "plunged...into an unprecedented state of worry and confusion," having "lost its bearings through the operation of forces it neither understands nor can control."

The blessings of the Holy Year have raised us to a new level of understanding of Bahá’u’lláh and His Covenant and heightened our capacity to pursue the great redemptive work of our Faith. Bahá’u’lláh summons us to exert every effort to overcome those faults, habits and tendencies inherited from our nation and to cultivate the spiritual qualities that will enable us to see things as they are and make them what they should be. At this pivotal moment in the great spiritual revolution of human history, we must search our souls to find the strength to surrender our will to God and to serve only His purposes. Such a spiritual conquest would be a befitting and enduring legacy of the Holy Year. We conclude with the following words of instruction and admonition from Bahá’u’lláh's Kitáb-i-Aqdas:

"This is not a Cause which may be made a plaything for your idle fancies, nor is it a field for the foolish and faint of heart. By God, this is the arena of insight and detachment, of vision and upliftment, where none may spur on their chargers save the valiant horsemen of the Merciful, who have severed all attachments to the world of being. These, truly, are they that render God victorious on earth, and are the dawning-places of His sovereign might amidst mankind."

External Affairs

On February 22, 1993, when the United Nations Special Representative on Iran gave his report to the UN Human Rights Commission, he made public a document that "codified for the first time the repressive actions of the Iranian government" and "confirmed an Iranian blueprint to destroy the Bahá’ís in and out of Iran."

The National Spiritual Assembly, in collaboration with the Bahá’í International Community and several other National Assemblies, immediately launched a major campaign to inform the communications media, government officials and human rights organizations about the formerly secret document outlining the policy of the Iranian government, a document that had been initiated and endorsed by the highest leaders of the country, Ayatollah Khamenei and President Rafsanjani.

For more than a decade the secretary for External Affairs, Professor Firuz Kazemzadeh, has spoken with U.S. officials and the communications media about the true nature of the persecution in Iran. Often those individuals have known little about the Bahá’ís and about Iran. Bahá’í spokespersons have always stressed that the persecutions have not been just a series of random actions against individual Bahá’ís as the Iranian Government has claimed but a coordinated and deliberate plan to eliminate the Bahá’í community in Iran. Such assertions have been confirmed by the discovery of the Iranian government's formal policy to suppress the Iranian Bahá’í community.

The words quoted above were spoken by Rep. John Porter and by Dr. Kazemzadeh at a press conference sponsored by the National Assembly and held in the Capitol Building on March 4, 1993, to publicize the Iranian government's document. Also in attendance were Sen. John McCain and Rep. Ben Gilman. Rep. Porter read from a statement by Vice President Al Gore that stated, "I have long been interested in the plight of Iran's Bahá’ís....The Administration is deeply concerned by Tehran's violations of...fundamental human rights."

Publicity about the Iranian document was unprecedented in the communications media. Editorials in The New York Times, the Washington Post, the Chicago Tribune, and the Atlanta Journal/Constitution were among the highlights. Countless articles resulted from an Associated Press release that broke the story of the secret policy of the Iranian government. The National Spiritual Assembly, in consultation with the Bahá’í International Community, with the advice of its public relations firm, Fleishman Hillard, and its consultant, Marjorie Sonnenfeldt, is devising a strategy for publicizing more broadly the document called by The New York Times' editorial writer "Iran's Nuremberg Laws."

The defense of the Bahá’ís in Iran and other Muslim countries has been the most important part of the work of the National Spiritual Assembly at its office in Washington, D.C. The past year included many activities related to news of the execution of Mr. Bahman Samandari last March in Tehran. His murder was the first execution of an Iranian Bahá’í by the Iranian government since December 1988. There were statements by U.S. congressmen, editorials in several newspapers, and an initiative by a group of 52 expatriate, mostly non-Bahá’í, Iranian scholars in North America and Europe, who for the first time in the history of the Faith published an appeal to the Iranian government to halt its persecution of the Bahá’ís.

Continued defense of the Iranian Bahá’ís requires regular contact with the various bureaus and offices of the State Department and the White House as well as visits to Congressmen and their staff. During the year several visits with heads and members of U.S. delegations took place before the various United Nations sessions dealing with human rights, such as the General Assembly, the Human Rights Commission, and the Subcommission on Discrimination and Protection of Minorities.

The secretary for External Affairs and staff members from the Washington office helped Rep. Porter in November 1992 in contacting several foreign parliamentarians about the Bahá’í case so that they might speak with their own government's delegation before the UN General Assembly considered a resolution on Iran that included mention of the Bahá’ís. Mr. Porter had announced this international parliamentarian initiative in May 1991 at the time of the introduction of the fifth Congressional resolution protesting against the persecution of the Faith in Iran.

In June 1992 the house of Representatives passed the fifth and most recent resolution condemning Iran's treatment of the Iranian Bahá’í community. Plans are under way to introduce in June 1993 a new Congressional resolution that will highlight the Iranian government's policy on the Bahá’ís as revealed in the recently published secret memorandum.

The Bahá’í World Congress was a high point for the entire Bahá’í world during the last year. The external affairs offices assisted the National Assembly in three major areas. Two staff members, Shirley Lee and Ron Precht, were appointed to the World Congress Media Task Force, which was responsible for fostering relations and contact with communications media for the Congress. The staff in Washington, D.C., were involved in those instances when it was necessary to have contact with the U.S. government to help Bahá’ís in various parts of the world to obtain American visas to attend the Congress. The staff member of the Refugee Office ensured the presence of four prominent Southeast Asian Bahá’ís at the World Congress.

The National Spiritual Assembly concluded 18 months of collaborative activity with the Bahá’í International Community and other National Assemblies when its staff member, Peter Adriance, attended the United Nations Conference on the Environment and Development (UNCED) in Rio de Janeiro in June 1992. The official UN conference, the Earth Summit, and the simultaneously held non-governmental (NGO) conference, the '92 Global Forum, were opportunities to promote Bahá’í principles and themes essential to the reorganization of the planet. Mr. Adriance served for 18 months as the secretary of the largest U.S. coalition of NGOs involved with UNCED, met frequently with State Department officials and congressmen, traveled throughout the U.S. to speak about the conference, and was the co-chairman of a drafting group that submitted recommendations for the Earth Charter, a UNCED document. In May 1993, the secretary-general of the National Spiritual Assembly, Robert Henderson, will speak in Kentucky at a Governor's Conference that will explore how states may implement the UNCED recommendations.

In May 1992, after rioting broke out in Los Angeles, the National Spiritual Assembly wrote and published in The New York Times, the Washington Post, and the Los Angeles Times a letter to the President of the United States. The President's staff acknowledged the letter and several citizens called the National Assembly in Washington, D.C., and Wilmette to declare their support and approval of the principles expressed in the open letter.

The National Spiritual Assembly's eight-year involvement with ratification of UN human rights treaties by the United States reached a new level of commitment and activity during the past year. The Bahá’ís took the responsibility for becoming the NGO leader and coordinator for efforts to ratify the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination. Kit Cosby and Jeff Huffines of the Washington staff host regular meetings at the Bahá’í office to plan ratification strategies for action by the Senate and Administration. They coordinate meetings with State Department officials, Congressmen, and their staff; draft and circulate letters; and work with the other NGOs interested in the Race Convention. In September 1992 the Bahá’ís organized a reception held on Capitol Hill to celebrate the ratification in June 1992 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.

Efforts to ratify the other pending UN treaties [Page 15]continue. Bahá’í representatives collaborate with the staffs of Amnesty International, the American Bar Association, B'nai B'rith Women, the Lawyers Committee on Human Rights, the American Association for the Advancement of Science, the United Nations Association, and the International Human Rights Law Group to hasten ratification of the Torture Convention, the Women's Convention, the Convention on the Rights of the Child, and the Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights.

In October 1992 the Bahá’ís joined a newly formed coalition of NGOs that will be involved in the UN World Conference on Human Rights to be held in Vienna, Austria, in June 1993. The National Assembly's representative, Kit Cosby, collaborates closely with the Bahá’í International Community, which is responsible for Bahá’í positions at the conference. In April 1993 Ms. Cosby was asked to be the chair of a meeting of the NGO coalition at the Austrian Embassy in Washington at which the Ambassador welcomed those present and encouraged the NGO community to persevere in its efforts to educate and prod the governments of the world on the issues of human rights. This past year she was also invited to become a member of a group of directors of Washington offices of human rights organizations that meets monthly to provide support and to share information on human rights activities worldwide.

United Nations conferences on population and development (1994) and on women (1995) will offer further opportunities for the Bahá’ís to share relevant principles with the public and will develop even more deeply the relationships between the National Assemblies and the offices of the Bahá’í International Community.

The National Spiritual Assembly, through its staff in Washington, D.C., continues to guide and educate the U.S. Bahá’í community on its contact and involvement with government officials and non-governmental organizations. During the year the National Assembly sent representatives to several events including the Joint Appeal of Religion and Science, hosted by then-Sen. Gore; the United Church of Christ Commission on Racial Justice Awards dinner; the Global Tomorrow Coalition "Agenda 21 in Action"; the International Development Conference; a United Nations Association reception honoring UN Secretary-General Butros-Ghali; and the Environmental Inaugural Ball in the program of which the National Spiritual Assembly placed an ad. Peter Adriance served as secretary of the Council of Washington Representatives of the United Nations Association this year.

A major effort was begun this past year by the National Assembly, in collaboration with the Bahá’í International Community and the Spiritual Assembly of Chicago, to ensure Bahá’í representation at the August 1993 Parliament of the World's Religions. There will be several Bahá’í speakers and workshop leaders, visits to the House of Worship, cultural and artistic presentations, and worship services. The event, which is the centenary of the World's Parliament of Religions, will commemorate also the first public mention of the Bahá’í Faith in North America. Last June, Bahá’í representatives attended an interfaith conference in California where preparation for the Parliament and the involvement of the North American Interfaith Network were discussed. The Interfaith Network's board of directors welcomed its first Bahá’í representative this year.

The National Assembly's secretariat for external affairs added its fifth office during the past year. In addition to the secretariat in Washington, D.C., the U.S. Representative at the United Nations, the representatives in Atlanta, and the Office of Public Information in Wilmette, the Refugee Office in Wilmette became a part of the Office of External Affairs because of its continuing contact with government agencies and its collaboration with other NGOs involved in refugee issues. The office coordinator, Puran Stevens, works with State Department officials, the Immigration and Naturalization Services, and U.S. embassies and local Bahá’í communities to assist in the resettlement of Southeast Asian and Iranian Bahá’ís in the U.S.

As coordinator for refugee affairs, Mrs. Stevens traveled frequently throughout the U.S. to meet with local Spiritual Assemblies and Southeast Asian Teaching Institutes and to assist and encourage the building of a strong network for newly arrived Bahá’ís. A highlight of the year was her attending the Hmong New Year celebration in Fresno, California, as the National Assembly's representative.

Mrs. Stevens also attended several conferences related to refugee and immigration issues including the annual Conference on Indochinese Education and Social Services, the annual National Legal Conference on Immigration and Refugee Policy, regular state meetings of the Illinois Refugee Consortium, and the Chicago Consortium for Immigrant and Refugee Protection. She represented the Bahá’í National Center at functions sponsored by the Human Relations Foundation of Chicago, the Council of Negro Women, and the DuSable Museum of African History.

At the end of April 1993, Shirley Lee, who has been the National Spiritual Assembly's representative to the United Nations since 1987, will retire after a decade of service to the Assembly. The role of the U.S. UN representative has expanded greatly during her tenure. Ms. Lee's last year included several UN activities and service on the World Congress Media Task Force. She and her assistant recruited and trained more than 150 volunteers who worked on media-related activities at the World Congress.

For the second year, Ms. Lee was chairman of the Conference of UN Representatives Council of Organizations. In that capacity she organized an orientation tea and monthly meetings for NGOs, set up meetings with the U.S. Ambassador to the UN, and spearheaded a communications conference in April 1993 sponsored also by the UN Department of Public Information/ NGO Executive Committee and the UNA-USA Executive Committee, of which she is a member.

Ms. Lee was the co-author of UN in the Classroom, a compilation of information for teachers and local organizations interested in encouraging the study of the UN system in grades K-12. As a member of the Environmental Sabbath Committee Advisory Board, she arranged for articles on the Bahá’í perspective on environmental ethics and on various activities around the country to be included in that organization's publications.

After six and one-half years of service to the National Spiritual Assembly, Ron Precht, director of the Office of Public Information, will be leaving at the end of April 1993. As part of the tasks related to the Holy Year, he and the staff of the office in Wilmette helped the U.S. community through the Public Information Network to provide materials to the media about Holy Year activities, organized and provided staff for the media centers at the World Congress, and assisted the public information representatives and national public information officers with media contacts during the Congress.

The number of references to the Bahá’í Faith in newspapers and magazines far surpassed any previous year. Approximately 8,000 articles, twice the number ever published in a single year, referred to the Faith. Media coverage of the commemoration of the Ascension of Bahá’u’lláh and the Bahá’í World Congress generated thousands of articles and hundreds of radio and TV stories. The passing of Dizzy Gillespie resulted in hundreds of newspaper articles that mentioned his commitment to the Faith.

The number of public information representatives appointed by local Spiritual Assemblies and groups increased by 10 percent during the year to 1,100. The PI representatives and members of 96 committees gathered information from the Bahá’í electronic bulletin board and disseminated news releases by the National Spiritual Assembly. The office published four public information bulletins to help the local representatives in their efforts to establish relations with local communications media.

Mr. Precht served on the board of directors of the Illinois and Chicago chapters of the United Nations Association and was elected the president of the Chicago chapter of the Religious Public Relations Council. He also coordinated visits to the House of Worship by Master Zhang Yuanming, vice president of the International Martial Arts Medical University of China; the senior deputy director-general of marketing for the Israeli Ministry of Tourism; and the Rev. Sonia Lim from the Philippines.

The National Spiritual Assembly increased its representation in Atlanta this year when it asked Pat Steele to join Dr. Carole Miller in the activities related to the King Center, the Carter Center, and plans for the 1996 Olympic Games to be held in Atlanta. In October 1992 Dr. Miller was appointed a commissioner on the Martin Luther King Federal Holiday Commission. She traveled to Hawaii and American Samoa in February 1993 and, on behalf of Mrs. Coretta Scott King, met with the King Holiday State Commission in Hawaii and with Gov. Lutali of American Samoa to discuss plans for next year's King holiday. Dr. Miller continued this year to serve as chairman of the Federal Holiday Commission's Religious Involvement Committee.

In January 1993 the secretary-general of the National Assembly was again the grand co-marshal of the King Holiday March in Atlanta. The Bahá’ís in Atlanta planned, organized and attended many of the activities during King Week. In August 1992 the National Assembly's representatives took part in the King Youth Assembly in Raleigh, North Carolina, where a conference had been organized with volunteer Bahá’í assistance in Washington, D.C. Several Bahá’ís gave talks and workshops and the Bahá’í Youth Workshop performed for the conference.

Ms. Steele and Dr. Miller are members of several committees related to the upcoming Olympic Games including ones on interfaith advisory and religious involvement, values and principles in education, and the Olympic Village. Opportunities for extensive Bahá’í service during the Games is the goal of such involvement. At the Carter Center the representatives continue to be active on the Religious Involvement Committee of the Atlanta Project.

THE HOLY YEAR: A TIME FOR INTENSE REFLECTION AND ACTION

We entered the Holy Year grappling with an anticipated cash deficit of more than $3.5 million. Including non-cash expenses such as depreciation, the total anticipated deficit would have been more than $4.5 million. Evaluation and reflection that began long before the Holy Year did not suggest an immediate or easy solution.

Recognizing that the Faith is in a new epoch and that demands for our limited resources will continue to grow, we felt it imperative to build an infrastructure and an administration that can bring about and sustain vast expansion. None of the alternatives for significantly reducing expenditures by the necessary amount—several million dollars per year—seemed viable. The only long-term alternative that remained appeared to be large-scale growth and expansion. With reflections on these challenges in mind, the National Spiritual Assembly arrived at a decision.

ANNOUNCEMENT OF A SPECIAL PERIOD OF AUSTERITY

At the beginning of the Holy Year, the National Spiritual Assembly, as a further step to current austerity measures, announced a special austerity plan aimed at:

1. Further controlling and reducing expenditures; 2. Expediting and intensifying studies to design and implement a series of five major restructuring plans to provide long-term solutions.

AUSTERITY IN THE HOLY YEAR

The implementation of the first goal of the special austerity plan had a significant effect in reducing operating expenses during the 1992-93 fiscal year. Realizing that we could not make any major reductions [Page 16]in cost to balance the budget to cover both operating and capital expenditures, we redoubled our efforts to reduce expenses as much as possible. By carefully reviewing and monitoring over-all operations, implementing a targeted job hold, postponing hiring and canceling many operating and capital expenditures, we were able to reduce the anticipated cash deficit of more than $3.5 million to approximately $2.3 million—a significant victory, particularly considering the challenges of the Holy Year.

REFLECTION AND ACTION—ACCOMPLISHMENTS AND THE EMERGENCE OF A CLEAR PATH FOR THE FUTURE

The implementation of the second goal of the special austerity plan expediting and intensifying studies to design and implement a series of five major restructuring plans to provide long-term solutions—resulted in the examination of the following areas: over-all administrative organization, communications systems, teaching work and organization, properties management and maintenance, and financial operations. One of the aims was to determine the future structure of our administration and to examine the potential for cost reduction. Additional studies on the Bahá’í Publishing Trust, the Bahá’í Distribution Service, Bahá’í schools and institutes, and the Bahá’í Home were also concluded.

An overarching study of current operations and alternatives indicated that any meaningful cost reduction that could produce balanced operating and capital expenditures budgets could only be accomplished through a major staff reduction of 50 to 60 percent. However, that study and others proved such a reduction would be impossible. For example, providing security for the holiest House of Worship ever to be built and maintaining the properties entrusted to the National Spiritual Assembly as the "Spiritual Trust" of the American Bahá’í community requires an annual payroll of approximately $1 million.

The following creative solutions to the challenges have emerged, many of which are well on their way to being implemented.

1. A plan for restructuring the Bahá’í Publishing Trust has been completed and is being implemented. The Trust is expected to achieve financial self-sufficiency by the end of the next fiscal year.

2. The Bahá’í Distribution Service has been reorganized and moved to Chattanooga, Tennessee. Its operations have been streamlined and its efficiency greatly enhanced. For the first time, book sales of $2 million are anticipated.

3. The mission, role and responsibility of the permanent Bahá’í schools and institutes have been examined. Authority, responsibility and accountability have been fully defined for the councils and for the directors and their staff. The schools are expected to become financially self-sufficient by the end of the Three Year Plan. The Bosch Bahá’í School projects that it will become financially self-sufficient in the coming year. Operational subsidies to the Louhelen Bahá’í School have been significantly reduced to less than $50,000 in the coming year, with the goal of the school’s achieving financial self-sufficiency in the following year. The Green Acre Bahá’í School is scheduled to complete the reconstruction of Sarah Farmer Inn in the upcoming year.

REVENUES VS. EXPENDITURES $20,000,000- 18,000,000- 16,000,000- 14,000,000- 12,000,000- 10,000,000- 8,000,000- 6,000,000- 4,000,000- 2,000,000- 0 Expenditures Non-cash- Depreciation 1992-93 Revenues Total Deficit: $3,370,000 Cash Deficit: $2,401,000 Cash

Revenue-generating programs have been planned to reduce the Green Acre subsidies to no more than $100,000 in the next year, with the goal of the school’s becoming financially self-sufficient during the next two years. Bahá’í institutes are now beginning the process of achieving financial self-sufficiency.

$5,000,000- 4,500,000- 4,000,000- 3,500,000- 3,000,000- 2,500,000- 2,000,000- 1,500,000- 1,000,000- 500,000- 0 PROJECTED DEFICIT Projected Before the Austerity Plan 1992-93 New-Depreciation Cash Expenditure Estimated After the Austerity Plan

4. The communications systems are being restructured to support the National Spiritual Assembly’s efforts to stimulate and sustain large-scale growth in the community.

ANNUAL PAYROLL Subscriber Service- Brilliant Star Meeting and Travel Services School Coordinator NSA Research Archives NABI Legal Affairs Refugee Persian Integration The American Bahá’í- Green Acre Pioneering Fund Development Louhelen Bosch Human Resources Community Administration Media Services House of Worship Teaching Committee Bahá’í Home LGI and WLGI General Operation Bahá’í Publishing Trust - Finance External Affairs MIS Properties 0 200000 400000 600000 800000 1000000 1200000 1992-93

5. A development strategy, including Mottahedeh Development Services, Health for Humanity, and a relationship with the Rockefeller Foundation, has been developed. Work continues on implementing a race unity consulting entity.

6. A new national teaching organization has been put in place, and a new National Teaching Committee has been appointed to aid in bringing about entry by troops and mass conversion.

7. Expenses have been reduced by a number of measures, including a targeted job hold, the dissolution of national committees, the cancellation or postponement of many expenditures, postponing cost-of-living adjustments for staff, and the formal coordination of volunteer work. The Louhelen Bahá’í School, for example, valued its volunteer services last year at $215,000.

8. The Properties Department has been restructured and reorganized after an intense study of almost one year's duration. To refine property operations further, an asset management group consisting of Bahá’í experts has been appointed.

9. The purpose and operations of the Bahá’í Home have been reviewed and found to have successfully fulfilled the mission Shoghi Effendi entrusted to it to "establish a Home for the Aged and crippled or infirm" and to be the first to "bind the community of the Most Great Name to the general public." To ensure that the Bahá’í Home continues to meet changing needs and to prepare for diversification and growth, a restructuring plan for the Home, to be implemented in the coming year, was also formulated. The services of the Home will be extended and diversified to include expanded home-sheltered care, adult and child day care, and home health-care services and facilities. The Home is to become financially self-sufficient in no more than three years, and excess revenues are to be used to extend further support to the "poor, crippled and infirm"—an action that will constitute a significant step toward "the commencement of another design to culminate in the establishment in its plenitude of the institution of the Mashriqu’l-Adhkár as conceived by Bahá’u’lláh and envisaged by ‘Abdu’l-Bahá."

10. Promissory notes (similar to bonds) in the amount of $50 million will be issued to the American Bahá’í community. The notes will provide a "financial bridge" giving the additional revenues needed to support the restructuring plans by underwriting capital expenditures, paying back bank loans, and building financial reserves.

Managing the financial affairs of the second Bahá’í World Congress was a blessing entrusted to the National Spiritual Assembly by the Universal House of Justice. The intense activities and efforts required to manage and control the financial affairs of the one-time $40 million Bahá’í enterprise paralleled our intensified restructuring work on the home front. It was not a coincidence that after months and months of study, deliberation and examination, the National Spiritual Assembly made its decision to approve most of the major restructuring plans at its last meeting before the World Congress. At the end of the Holy Year we have achieved a clearer picture of our entire national operations, have undertaken an intense planning and budgeting process, and have achieved a balanced operating budget for the 1993-94 fiscal year.

LOCAL ASSEMBLY GOALS PROGRAM

The 1,210 local Spiritual Assemblies taking part in the Local Spiritual Assembly Goals Program have to date contributed some $3.7 million to the Bahá’í National Fund. As of April 8, 1993, the local Assemblies, on average, had contributed 38 percent of their committed amounts, with 90 percent of the year having elapsed. Local Spiritual Assemblies have accounted to date for about 40 percent of the total contributions to the national Bahá’í Fund. Efforts have been made to improve the accuracy of the data used in the program, to obtain specific commitments from every Spiritual Assembly and Group, and to correspond with participants. [Page 17]pating Assemblies. The Assemblies’ responses have been positive and encouraging, which indicates progress in building unity between the national and local institutions.

Weekend Visit Program

Four weekend visits to the Bahá’í National Center were held to acquaint Bahá’ís with the scope and nature of the National Spiritual Assembly’s work. The Weekend Visit program, now in its third year, has hosted 152 guests from 30 states. Five meetings are planned for next year, and program enhancements are being considered. One long-term benefit of the Weekend Visit program is that a number of visitors have volunteered service in their areas of expertise, ranging from financial planning, care for the aged, and development, to asset management and health-care, and have thus extended the National Spiritual Assembly’s circle of advisers.

Mottahedeh Development Services

Three task-force meetings held during the year culminated in the appointment of a board of directors for the Mottahedeh Development Services. A transition manager has been hired for six months to oversee start-up activities. The MDS has begun to build a network of public and private funding agencies and has received commitments for more than $150,000 in project funding. The MDS was represented at the Latin American Conference on Development in Santa Cruz, Bolivia.

Race Unity Consulting and Referral Service

As part of a broad agenda for institutional development, an analysis has been conducted to evaluate the potential for a race unity training and consulting organization. This organization will operate under the aegis of the National Spiritual Assembly but will be incorporated separately. A conference to begin this process was held in June 1992. Several work groups have looked at detailed aspects of the enterprise, and an organizational development work group was formed in March 1993 to make final recommendations to the National Spiritual Assembly.

Area Treasurer Seminars

The National Treasurer’s Office planned and implemented a new series of training seminars for local treasurers and interested community members. The content of the seminar was based on a 1992 survey of local treasurers, the majority of whom expressed a need for training in fund development and promotion. As of Ridván 1993, more than 20 of these meetings will have been held in every part of the country; an additional 15 are planned for late April and May. These meetings are the first in a series that is expected to continue over the next year. A second round of seminars is expected to include consultation on Fund management issues, while a third round will center on local Spiritual Assemblies’ management of human and financial resources in addressing growth and community development.

Automatic Contribution Program

The automatic contribution system continues to provide a stable base of funding for the National Spiritual Assembly and accounts for about 25 percent of contributions to the Bahá’í National Fund.

Honor Roll

This year some 900 communities were placed on the Treasurer’s Honor Roll, an increase of 161 communities over the previous year. The Assemblies and groups on the listed on the Honor Roll contributed to the National Bahá’í Fund at least 15 out of the 19 Bahá’í months. Of this group, 410 communities were enrolled in the Automatic Contribution Program and provided an increasingly sound foundation of income to the Funds of the Faith. This development indicates significantly the growing maturity of local institutions.

THE NATIONAL SPIRITUAL ASSEMBLY OF THE BAHÁ’ÍS OF THE UNITED STATES YEARS ENDED APRIL 30, 1993 (ESTIMATED) AND 1992 FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS

1993 1992 CONTRIBUTIONS National Bahá’í Fund $10,288,977 $10,376,986 -1% Bahá’í International Fund 416,999 1,114,426 -63% Arc Projects Fund 738,133 1,310,634 -44% Continental Bahá’í Fund 216,032 179,263 21% Total $11,660,141 $12,981,309 -10%

COMBINED OPERATING RESULTS Total Revenues $16,371,234 $18,275,569 -10% Total Operating Expenses, (including Contributions to the Bahá’í International and Arc Projects Funds) (17,740,410) (16,402,094) 8% Excess Revenues (Expenses) ($1,369,176) $1,873,475 -173%

FINANCIAL CONDITION National Bahá’í Fund: Assets $2,638,006 $1,977,692 33% Liabilities (11,115,093) (8,197,121) 36% Fund Balance (Accumulated Deficit) ($8,477,087) ($6,219,429) 36%

All operations and agencies combined: Assets $22,417,915 $21,007,679 7% Liabilities (11,604,644) (8,825,233) 31% Fund Balance $10,813,271 $12,182,446 -11%

AZAMÁT B.E. 150/ MAY 17, 1993 [Page 18]

NATIONAL SPIRITUAL ASSEMBLY OF THE BAHÁ’ÍS OF THE UNITED STATES

COMBINED REVENUES: $16,371,234

Amount	Category
$3,891,187	Earned Revenues
$135,102	Contributions For Properties
$10,288,977	General Contributions
$69,648	Contributed Properties
$1,986,320	Estate Bequests

COMBINED OPERATING AND CAPITAL EXPENDITURES: $19,741,723

Amount	Category
$2,620,000	International Funds
$2,588,010	Secretariat: General & External Affairs
$969,338	Depreciation
$1,884,970	Publishing Trust
$3,863,223	Services
$1,132,347	Committees & Projects
$1,429,360	Properties
$433,352	Bahá’í Home
$1,377,006	Bahá’í Schools
$681,253	Bahá’í Institutes
$84,954	Debt Retirement
$1,916,360	Capital Expenditures
$761,550	Arc Projects Fund

[Page 19]

SUMMARY OF OPERATING AND CAPITAL EXPENDITURES FISCAL YEAR ENDED APRIL 30, 1993 (ESTIMATED)

SUMMARY OF OPERATING AND CAPITAL EXPENDITURES

SECRETARIAT: GENERAL & EXTERNAL AFFAIRS: General Operation 1,093,802 Legal Affairs 90,673 Community Administration 250,747 District & National Convention 33,796     External Affairs Offices 1,005,774 Refugee Program 113,218     Contributions to Int’l Bahá’í Funds   International Funds 2,620,000 Arc Project Funds 761,550   5,969,561 COMMITTEES: Bahá’í Services for the Blind   Services for Hearing Impaired 3,595 Continental Indigenous Planning 1,796 National Committee on Women 2,561 National Education Task Force 77,002 National Teaching Committee 481,930 National Youth Committee 5,587 Race Unity Task Force 24,193 Quad State 2,400 Regional Indian Teaching 2,040 Total Committees 601,104 PROPERTIES: Maintenance, Grounds, Security, etc. 1,394,274 Wilhelm 35,086 Total Properties 1,429,360 PROJECTS: Assoc. for Bahá’í Studies 40,937 Bahá’í Encyclopedia Project 95,836 The Bahá’í Newsreel 86,922 Bahá’ís and Their Faith 4,333 Deepening Series Video 59,568 El Ruiseñor 4,000 Emerging Projects 54,096 Louhelen Residential College 8,469 LSA Development 2,432 Media Productions 3,840 Promissory Note Issue 28,700 Race Unity Walk 263 South Carolina Coord. Project 23,863 Souvenir Picnic 2,996 Special Projects Video 32,052 World Congress Operations 82,935 Total Projects 531,243

SERVICES: Publications:     Brilliant Star 91,967   Herald of the South 8,058   The American Bahá’í 383,054   World Order 6,654 Archives 78,926 Chinese Teaching 12,457 Coordinating Committee 8,924 Finance 636,024 Fund Development 227,522 H.O.W. Visitors Center 214,276 Human Resources 353,947 Management Information Systems 692,779 Media Services 288,574 NSA Research 47,528 Persian Integration 147,324 Pioneering 260,999 School Coordinators 11,354 Special Meetings 60,862 Subscriber Service 29,850 Visitors’ Center Book Shop 302,144 Total Services 3,863,223 BAHÁ’Í INSTITUTES: Louis G. Gregory Institute & WLGI Radio 589,456 Native American Bahá’í Institute 91,798   681,253 BAHÁ’Í SCHOOLS: Bosch Bahá’í School 605,727 Green Acre Bahá’í School 284,645 Louhelen Bahá’í School 486,635   1,377,006 Bahá’í Publishing Trust 1,884,969 Bahá’í Home 433,352 Total BPT & Bahá’í Home 2,318,321     Capital Expenditures 1,916,359     Debt Retirement (Mortgage) 84,954     Grand Total 18,772,384

[Page 20]

SECRETARIAT

Community Administration

Goal: To provide administrative support to the National Spiritual Assembly by monitoring the development of Bahá’í communities; offering guidance to local Spiritual Assemblies in their formations, dealing with violations of Bahá’í law, problems of disunity and disputes, personal status issues, withdrawals and reinstatements of Bahá’í membership; helping Persian believers with issues of immigration and naturalization and with applications for aid from the Persian Relief Fund; assisting Management Information Systems with enrollments and membership transfers of individuals from the Middle East; maintaining files of all correspondence received from the Universal House of Justice; and coordinating arrangements for pilgrimage to the Bahá’í World Center.

Activities: Received and processed 5,100 letters and handled approximately 10,000 telephone calls. Prepared 152 personal status cases for the consideration of the National Spiritual Assembly. A total of 384 requests for withdrawal were granted, and 26 people were reinstated after having been withdrawn from Bahá’í membership.

Persian/American Affairs Office

Goal: To further the integration of Persian-speaking Bahá’ís in collaboration with local Spiritual Assemblies, groups and individuals and the development and distribution of integration programs and materials that can be used also by other agencies.

Activities: Facilitated a consultation held at the Bahá’í National Center with 40 Bahá’ís from around the country on the integration of Persian believers and conducted formal and informal surveys to assess such integration prior to developing goals for the Three Year Plan.

Arranged intensive deepening weekends in the New York City, Houston and San Francisco areas, conducted in Persian, on topics related to the Holy Year and the current responsibilities of Bahá’ís, which were attended on average by 250 participants.

Helped the relatives of one of the recent martyrs prepare petitions to the Islamic Republic representatives in the United States.

Created regional Persian Arts and Culture Association groups in Chicago, Dallas and Houston devoted to the study and promotion of the culture and language of the Cradle of the Faith. The third Persian Arts and Culture conference was held April 1-4, 1993, in Monteagle, Tennessee.

Coordinated the U.S. fund-raising tour of Mrs. Ahdieh Badiee Pakravan and the subsequent sale of her videotape, "The Fragrances of Mercy," which raised $192,000 for the Fund.

Coordinated the work of the Persian Reviewing Panel; edited and typeset four issues of the magazine Payam-i-Badi’, including the special Holy Year issue; received subscription fees for Payam-i-Bahá’í from friends residing in the U.S.; and worked also on the following publications: a reprint of a booklet by Mr. Badi'ullah Farid about the Kitáb-i-Aqdas which was originally published in Iran, the proceedings of the first two Persian Arts and Culture conferences, an introductory pamphlet about the Bahá’í Faith in a style accessible to contemporary readers, and a compilation of Bahá’í writings in Persian and in English related to unity and cultural integration.

Office of Research and Review

Goal: To perform research, literature review, and scholarship functions for the National Spiritual Assembly.

Activities: Wrote 1,516 items of correspondence concerning literature review, special materials review, the Models of Unity Project, World Order magazine, the Bahá’í encyclopedia project, the Association for Bahá’í Studies, and other aspects of the Research Office, an increase of almost 50 percent over last year. Completed the review process on 44 items.

Worked intensively on the Chicago Models of Unity project and facilitated distribution of about 15,000 copies of its completed report; 26 local spiritual assemblies inquired about starting their own projects and three (San Leandro, CA; Portland, OR; Greensboro, NC) initiated efforts; and a Models of Unity project, sponsored by the National Spiritual Assembly, was initiated in Atlanta. Presentations by the Research Office were made in Atlanta, Portland and San Leandro about the Models of Unity effort.

Conducted a non-credit course on world religions at the Bahá’í House of Worship and pursued opportunities to offer courses on the Bahá’í Faith for college credit at two universities.

Provided guidance to three non-Bahá’í scholars about their articles on the Faith.

Composed three articles on the Faith for scholarly encyclopedias; published three articles on the Faith, two in non-Bahá’í scholarly works; wrote eight articles for A Short Encyclopedia of the Bahá’í Faith; and wrote six articles on the Holy Year for The American Bahá’í.

Served on the Association for Bahá’í Studies International Advisory Committee, its Executive Committee, and the editorial board of its Journal of Bahá’í Studies, and served on the editorial board of World Order magazine.

EXTERNAL AFFAIRS OFFICES

Office of Public Information

Goal: To develop the Bahá’í Public Information Network nationwide as a source of news and background material about the Faith, the activities of the Bahá’í community, and the major developments affecting the Bahá’í world; to inform the National Spiritual Assembly and its agencies about the content of media coverage of the Faith; to expand contacts with national and regional public media; and to further external affairs efforts.

Activities: Coordinated the annual appointments of public information representatives and the establishment of 96 public information committees. A total of 1,120 representatives were appointed, an increase of 11 percent over last year, of whom 399 were new.

Documented references to the Faith in national publications and more than 7,000 local publications. The second Bahá’í World Congress and the Holy Year were dominant topics in hundreds of articles, followed by the release by the UN of the secret Iranian document giving a blueprint for the destruction of the Bahá’í community in Iran and the passing of Bahá’í Dizzy Gillespie. The New York Times published two editorials about the persecution of Bahá’ís in Iran and several other articles about the Faith. The Washington Post published its first editorial about the persecution of Bahá’ís in Iran and its first feature article about the Faith in many years. The Wall Street Journal published a front-page article about the Faith. Significant mention of the Faith also was made in: Iran Times, Christian Science Monitor, Christianity Today, Christian News, India Abroad, Chicago Tribune, Chicago Sun Times, New York Daily News, Washington Times, The Miami Herald, Dallas Morning News, Houston Chronicle, Houston Post, Charlotte Observer, Denver Post, Rocky Mountain News, New Orleans Times-Picayune, Philadelphia Inquirer, Baltimore Sun, The Atlanta Constitution, The Arizona Republic, Columbia, SC State, Los Angeles Times, San Diego Union, San Jose Mercury News, USA Today, Nashville Tennessean, Portland Oregonian, Baltimore Afro-American, Boston Globe, "Time" magazine and "People" magazine.

Documented references to the Faith published in books such as Replenish the Earth by Lewis G. Regenstein, Mating by Norman Rush, and Earth in the Balance: Ecology and the Human Spirit by then-Sen. Albert Gore.

Coordinated arrangements with CNN International for the videotaped interview with retired member of the Universal House of Justice David Hofman and with the producers of the ABC-TV program "20/20" regarding a proposed segment on the Bahá’í Faith.

Issued news releases through the Bahá’í National Center Electronic Bulletin Board and the Bahá’í Public Information Network about the 1992 National Convention and the beginning of the Holy Year; the visit of the Prime Minister of Guyana; the commemoration of the Ascension of Bahá’u’lláh; the second Bahá’í World Congress; the execution of Mr. Bahman Samandari; the inauguration of the Bahá’í Chair for World Peace Studies at the University of Maryland; the '92 Global Forum and Earth Summit; the Bahá’í emancipation resolution taken by Congress; and an appeal for an end to racism.

Responded to media questions about the National Spiritual Assembly's open letter to President George Bush.

Coordinated national publicity with the World Congress Media Task Force, helped local Bahá’í communities publicize the event, and coordinated media centers at the World Congress.

Arranged for the broadcast of a one-hour program about the World Congress on VISN national religious television network.

Arranged visits to the House of Worship for the vice-president of the International Martial Arts Medical University of China; the senior deputy director-general of marketing for the Israeli Ministry of Tourism; and, at the request of the National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of the Philippines, the Reverend Sonia Lim, a Philippine evangelist.

Coordinated arrangements with the Chautauqua Institute for a presentation by the Secretary for External Affairs to the Chautauqua lecture series in New York State about the centenary of the passing of Bahá’u’lláh.

Met with representatives of the National Spiritual Assemblies of Argentina, Spain and Romania about public information issues.

arti

Corresponded with publishers, writers, libraries, universities and other groups to provide correct information about the Faith, including Grolier Publishing, Compton's Encyclopedia, Encyclopedia Britannica, World Book Encyclopedia, Gale Research, Who's Who in Religion, National Selected Morticians, Americans for a Sound AIDS/HIV Policy, the National Conference of Christians and Jews, and the U.S. Armed Forces Chaplains Board. Corrected misinformation published about the Faith in the Chicago Tribune, Chicago Sun Times, and Christian News.

The director of the Office of Public Information accepted the position as president of the Chicago chapter of the Religious Public Relations Council and continued membership on the board of directors of Illinois and Chicago chapters of the UN Association.

U.S. Bahá’í Refugee Office

Goal: To assist Bahá’ís seeking refugee status due to persecution in other countries, including obtaining Humanitarian Parole for urgent medical cases, and to represent the Bahá’í community in refugee and immigrant matters at state and national levels.

Activities: Monitored the flow of Iranian Bahá’í refugees to the U.S. from various countries, particularly those who traveled through Pakistan and Turkey in spite of instructions from the Universal House of Justice that those entering Pakistan from Iran after February 9, 1991, would not be helped by Bahá’í institutions.

USBRO helped bring 475 new Southeast Asian enrollees and transfers into the U.S. this past year, and verified and updated more than 1,000 membership records.

At least 200 Southeast Asian Bahá’í refugees transferred into the U.S. via the Philippines. The number of Southeast Asian Bahá’ís coming to the U.S. as refugees may be considerably higher than known because the voluntary agencies resettling them are not obligated to report their arrival due to the Privacy Act.

Maintained and extended cordial working relationships with the U.S. Department of State, the Immigration and Naturalization Service and other government agencies resulting in the effective resolution of Bahá’í refugee problems.

Represented the Chicago Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Protection (CCIRP) and its Refugee Issues Committee as a voting member, attending annual and monthly meetings of the CCIRP and the Illinois Refugee Social Services Consortium to stay informed of news, issues, governmental legislation and [Page 21]programs of concern to Bahá’í refugees and immigrants.

Attended the CMS 16th annual National Legal Conference on Immigration and Refugee Policy in Washington, D.C. and the 14th annual Conference on Indochinese Education and Social Service in Boston, Massachusetts.

Sponsored the third annual Southeast Asian Bahá’í Conference at the Louhelen Bahá’í School.

Visited with local Assemblies and individuals in California and Texas about the importance of contacting promptly newly-arrived Southeast Asian refugees.

Arranged for the secretary of the National Spiritual Assembly of Laos to meet with Southeast Asians and others following the second Bahá’í World Congress. Also arranged for the production of a video tape of his introduction of the Bahá’í Faith in the Laotian language and of an audio cassette from the video for consolidating areas with a high concentration of Hmong and Laotian people.

Produced and distributed four issues of the Southeast Asian Helpers Bulletin to more than 170 Bahá’í individuals and institutions throughout the country who are helping with the integration of Southeast Asian Bahá’ís into the U.S. Bahá’í community.

Published the compilation on Huqúqu’lláh in Laotian for distribution to Bahá’í communities in areas where there are high concentrations of Laotian believers.

Duplicated and distributed a Bahá’í prayer book, The Hidden Words, sets of three prayer cards, the program for commemorating the Ascension of Bahá’u’lláh, and the statement Bahá’u’lláh in Laotian.

Produced for distribution a Vietnamese-language booklet on the Bahá’í Faith entitled "Duc Tin Bahá’f" and duplicated and distributed Bahá’í prayer books in Vietnamese. Also, a short description of the World Congress was published in Vietnamese and was distributed widely to Bahá’í communities and individuals for use in deepening the Vietnamese Bahá’ís.

U.S./UN Representative

Goal: To represent the National Spiritual Assembly to non-governmental organizations and the Department of Public Information at the United Nations; to inform the Bahá’ís of the U.S. about UN-related issues and the work of the Bahá’í International Community; and to encourage American Bahá’ís to participate in UN activities at various levels.

Activities: Submitted a complete report on Bahá’í environmental activities for inclusion in the "Environmental Sabbath Newsletter" published by the North American Environmental Sabbath for distribution to colleges, churches and environmental organizations.

Co-authored "UN in the Classroom," a compilation of information for teachers and local organizations interested in encouraging the study of the UN system in school grades K-12, and presented copies of it to member organizations of the Council of Organizations.

Served as the chair of the Conference of UN Representatives of the United Nations Association of the U.S.A. (UNA-USA) Council of Organizations, holding monthly briefings for non-governmental organizations on topics of current interest, an orientation tea for new NGO's, meetings with the U.S. Ambassador to the UN, and the annual meeting and Eleanore Schnurr Award presentation.

Attended a meeting in Denver for the UNA Council of Organizations at the meeting of the Presidents of UNA chapters and divisions and presented workshops on joint projects.

Represented the National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of the United States at a press conference launching of the "Year of Inter-Religious Understanding and Cooperation and 100th Anniversary of the Parliament of the World's Religions."

National Teaching Committee

Goal: To support and guide regional and district teaching committees, regional school committees, and local teaching and race unity efforts; to help the National Assembly restructure the administrative aspects of the teaching work; and to help prepare a working agenda for the Three Year Plan.

Activities: Produced an analysis of the teaching work, entitled "Profiles in Teaching," for the information of the National Spiritual Assembly.

Coordinated the functioning and activities of 84 District Teaching Committees, 7 Regional American Indian Teaching Committees, 9 Regional Traveling Teaching Coordinators, the South Carolina Coordinating Committee, and the Atlanta Task Force.

Monitored the activities of the 36 regional school committees, which held 43 individual sessions for a total of 161 school days on the central theme of the Covenant, attended by more than 3,000 people and at which at least nine people declared their faith in Bahá’u’lláh.

Supported and guided numerous teaching efforts across the country including those among African-Americans, American Indians, Chinese, Latin Americans, and Southeast Asians, through correspondence, personal visits, teacher training sessions, deputization of teachers, and literature distribution.

Assisted in deepening the understanding of the friends on the significance of the Holy Year through correspondence and articles in The Direct Line and The American Bahá’í and emphasized teaching the Faith and building race unity as necessary complements to the process of reflection and action called for by the Universal House of Justice.

Produced five issues of The Direct Line, a newsletter designed to provide guidance and direction for the teaching work, and six issues of Guang Ming, a newsletter designed to stimulate and guide Chinese teaching.

Surveyed and analyzed race unity activities to identify patterns of Bahá’í involvement and to determine the level of support, cooperation and participation from other religious, cultural, humanitarian, business and educational organizations. A highlight of the report was that Bahá’ís were increasingly recognized as leaders in the movement to achieve race unity in the United States, resulting in government agencies and officials seeking information and assistance from Bahá’ís on a higher level than ever before.

Encouraged the teaching activities of youth through their participation in the Bahá’í Youth Service Corps, Bahá’í college clubs, and Bahá’í performing arts workshops around the country.

Provided continuous support to the World Congress Logistics Office through a variety of services.

A National Teaching Committee was appointed late in the year and devoted much of its time to preparations for the Three Year Plan including two extensive consultations with the National Spiritual Assembly and the Continental Board of Counselors on major objectives and the formulation of an action strategy to be commenced at Ridván.

The committee also began the process of restructuring the administration of the teaching work as part of a National Spiritual Assembly initiative whose goal is to increase the level of collaboration between all national agencies while better serving the needs of local communities. Included will be the appointment of Regional Teaching Committees to serve each of the four regions delineated by ‘Abdu’l-Bahá in the Tablets of the Divine Plan and the establishment of four regional teaching offices staffed by regional coordinators to serve the committees. Operations at the Bahá’í National Center will be tailored to complement the efforts of the Regional Teaching Committees and the National Teaching Committee. An important feature of this reorganization was the hiring in January of a national teaching operations coordinator, whose primary responsibility, in addition to executing the decisions of the committee, will be to act as liaison between the National Teaching Committee and the Regional Teaching Committees and between the National Teaching Committee and the National Spiritual Assembly and its agencies.

Office of Pioneering

Goal: To complete the long- and short-term international pioneering and traveling teaching goals assigned by the Universal House of Justice for the Six Year Plan and to consolidate the Falkland Islands and Turks and Caicos Islands.

Activities: Settled 123 long-term pioneers abroad, 33 in Six Year Plan goal areas and 88 in other areas. Short-term pioneers completed 171 months of service during the Holy Year, fulfilling to date 660 of the 708 such goals of the Six Year Plan, and 65 pioneers went to goal countries of the Two Year Plan (the Soviet Union, Eastern Europe, Mongolia and China) settling in all countries except Kazakhstan and Eastern Germany. Helped 367 international traveling teachers who undertook 541 teaching trips in the Holy Year, 153 of whom participated in 215 trips to Two Year Plan goal countries.

Assisted 23 youth taking part in the Bahá’í Youth Service Corps to embark upon short-term pioneering service abroad during the Holy Year.

Combined the training of prospective Bahá’í Youth Service Corps volunteers with that of prospective pioneers in the Pioneer Training Institutes, providing youth with two additional days of classes geared toward their special needs and service projects.

Monitored the consolidation goal communities of the Falkland Islands and the Turks and Caicos Islands. The status of the Faith on the Falkland Islands was enhanced greatly when the Archbishop of Canterbury accepted an invitation to meet with the Bahá’ís, the only non-Anglican group he included in his schedule.

In the Turks and Caicos, the Bahá’í community continued to strengthen its relationship with the community at large and with the government. Two new pioneers settled on Providenciales and two pioneers moved to Grand Turk, the seat of government and an island where there has not been previous pioneer support.

Task Force for the Bahá’í House of Worship

Goal: To serve and work with Bahá’í communities to spread the message of the Faith and to involve greater numbers of people in the activities held in the Temple.

Activities: Welcomed 165,600 visitors from 101 countries, a 14.2 percent increase over last year, 7,350 of whom attended Sunday devotional programs, an increase of nearly 10 percent over last year. Twenty-five people declared their belief in Bahá’u’lláh.

Conducted 144 tours for 4,289 people and served approximately 17,650 customers in the Bahá’í Book Shop.

Processed 852 inquiry cards and mailed 726 introductory books to seekers.

Observed all Bahá’í Holy Days. Especially noteworthy were the commemorations of the Ascension of Bahá’u’lláh, the Day of the Covenant, and the commemoration of the Ascension of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá. Many attending the latter were travelers returning from the World Congress.

Hosted "The Light Exchange," a regular monthly discussion-format meeting and two regular monthly firesides, one in English and one in Spanish. A highlight was a presentation given by the vice-chairman of the Regional Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of Russia, Georgia and Armenia to the Russians in the Chicago area on "What Bahá’u’lláh Means in my Life."

Offered a three-part introductory class on the Faith every month and collaborated with the Research Office in presenting a series of classes on "Religion in Bahá’í and Comparative Perspectives."

Hosted weekly youth and pre-youth deepenings.

Provided facilities for area-wide programs including: presentations by members of the Universal House of Justice Glenford Mitchell and David Ruhe and by Mrs. Margaret Ruhe; presentations on "The Covenant of Bahá’u’lláh," "The Life of Bahá’u’lláh," "Teaching in the Holy Year," "The Role of the Faith in China and Teaching the Chinese," "The Holy Year and South East Asia," and one by the Bahá’í House of Worship Choir called "Abdu'l-Bahá in the City of the Covenant"; and an evening with representatives of the community who attended the observance in Haifa commemorating the centenary of the Ascension of Bahá’u’lláh.

Held public meetings for Universal Children's Day, United Nations Day, UN Human Rights Day, International Day of Peace, World Religion Day, and the ninth presentation of the David Kellum Awards.

Hosted more than 800 Bahá’ís traveling to and from the second Bahá’í World Congress and provided them with hospitality, tours of the Bahá’í National Center, presentations on the Temple Restoration project and a slide show on the history of the House of Worship.

Welcomed more than 300 people on November 26, 1992, for the historically unique celebration of the Day of the Covenant to view the four-hour satellite [Page 22]broadcast of the second Bahá’í World Congress. Conducted two House of Worship Special Visit Programs, a tour for participants in the Office of the Treasurer's Special Visit Programs, four Quarterly Planning Teas with communities and committees involved in program and hospitality planning and coordination at the Temple, and a tea for the Bahá’í National Center staff.

Expanded the membership of the Bahá’í House of Worship Choir to include singers from other states and included the choir in all Sunday devotional programs, Holy day programs, and special event programs.

Coordinated the visits of three guest choirs: the Tennessee Bahá’í Choir, the Unity Harmonium Choir, and the Cleveland Heights High School Choir.

Provided training for volunteers to the House of Worship that was focused on teaching in the Holy Year, teaching Christians, and teaching about Bahá’u’lláh and His station. Volunteers gave more than 12,000 hours of service to the House of Worship during the Holy Year. Provided facilities for the National Convention, the District Convention for Illinois Northern No. 2B, seven memorial services, a 24-hour prayer vigil for the success of the North Shore Race Unity Day walk, and 22 weddings.

National Core Curriculum and Teacher Training Task Force

Goal: To develop a core curriculum and training for the Bahá’í education of children and youth.

Activities: Established the National Teacher Training Center at the Louhelen Bahá’í School and trained eight faculty to assist in the Center's programs. Produced a Teacher Training Manual for core curriculum training; developed a script and began the filming and production of a core curriculum informational video tape; and trained and certified 45 trainers of teachers who, in turn, trained more than 800 teachers throughout the U.S.

Sent a representative to the International Schools Conference held at the Maxwell International School to make a presentation about the core curriculum.

Consulted with the Brilliant Star Editorial Board on mutual interests related to curriculum for ages 6-12; presented the core curriculum at the annual conference of the Bahá’í Justice Society in June 1992; and consulted with the Office of the Treasurer to discuss that office's role in imparting the direction of the curriculum.

Continued to review educational materials and completed the second edition of the Educational Materials Catalog.

Collaborated with the Education Committees of Alaska, Hawaii, the United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand and Canada in the continued exchange of educational materials.

Bosch Bahá’í School

Goal: To provide an environment that helps participants internalize and put into action the moral and spiritual principles of the Faith.

Activities: Established the Ronald S. Gilpatrick Memorial Fund for the Education of Children and Youth following the death of the school's director in January 1993.

Held a unique overnight program for the observance of the Ascension of Bahá’u’lláh that was attended by more than 200 people.

Welcomed more than 2,200 Bahá’ís to classes, conferences and special programs including nine five-day summer sessions; two winter sessions; Youth Service Corps and Pioneer Training Institutes; a Race Unity institute; a national Hispanic conference; Adult and Marriage Enrichment sessions; three special "Rendezvous of the Soul" weekends for the Holy Year; three special summer Youth Institutes; a graduate Youth Institute; a Junior Youth Institute; and four Youth Research Institutes with 50 to 100 youth attending each of four such weekends.

Hosted volunteer work weekends resulting in 1,980 volunteer hours of maintenance, repair, and forestry management work. Youth and Adult Intensive Program participants involved in work-study projects contributed more than 1,000 hours of service to the school. In addition, three Bahá’í Youth Corps volunteers served at the school.

Helped two local Spiritual Assemblies to sponsor special weekend programs for their own and surrounding communities; hosted three six-day Elderhostel programs; and rented Bosch facilities to other organizations and individuals.

Received the personal library of retired member of the Universal House of Justice David Hofman and began negotiations to build the David Hofman Library and two classrooms.

Instituted a quarterly newsletter entitled "Bosch Calls," restructured day fees to encourage attendance, and extended book store and office hours.

Undertook maintenance and capital expense projects including resurfacing washed out roads, trimming trees, repairing the pool, expanding staff housing, and refurbishing the ventilation, fire-prevention and exhaust/cooling systems in the kitchen.

Green Acre Bahá’í School

Goal: To provide an environment that helps participants internalize and put into action the moral and spiritual principles of the Faith.

Activities: Welcomed more than 1,100 adults and children who took part in programs including: six family sessions, one weekend, and one Youth Institute on subjects related to the significance of the station of Bahá’u’lláh, the Covenant, and the Holy Year; a program in Mandarin Chinese; a conference entitled "Mobilizing for the Healing of Racism"; three weekend meetings for Auxiliary Board members and their assistants; a five-day meeting of the International Bahá’í Audio/Visual Committee; a Pioneer Training Institute; a Youth Service Corps Training Institute; a spiritual retreat weekend for adults; several local community events, Holy Day observances and Feasts.

Reopened the 200-year-old Rogers Cottage, following its restoration, to house the Green Acre Library until the library building is restored.

Hosted three "Picnic on the Piscataqua" events which each attracted 200-300 people from all over New England.

Louhelen Bahá’í School

Goal: To provide an environment that helps participants internalize and put into action the moral and spiritual principles of the Faith and to support the development of the National Teacher Training Center at Louhelen in collaboration with the National Core Curriculum & Teacher Training Task Force.

Activities: Hosted a total of 129 days of Bahá’í education, training, and deepening sessions emphasizing the life and station of Bahá’u’lláh and the significance of His Revelation in all programs and placing race unity as a major theme in seven sessions directly focused on that topic.

Hosted a Pioneer Training Institute and held conferences and sessions for Bahá’í teacher training, family and marriage, child and family development, the role of women in society, music and dance as teaching tools, environmental camps for children and youth, and race unity conferences and dinners.

Provided a Monthly Intensive Bahá’í Studies course giving structured deepening on the life and station of Bahá’u’lláh.

Initiated a comprehensive deepening and orientation program for staff on the spiritual significance of service, integrated service into the regular program of the school for everyone attending sessions, and expanded opportunities for voluntary service, resulting in 14,739 volunteer hours of service donated.

Included opportunities for teaching in two summer youth conferences that included participation in a race unity walk and a public proclamation incorporating dance. Held three public teaching events associated with youth conferences including presentations to public groups by Youth Workshops from a variety of cities who joined together to perform.

Initiated a two-year drama program to involve Bahá’ís and others in presentations of dramatic portrayals of the lives of prominent early Western Bahá’ís.

Worked with the National Core Curriculum & Teacher Training Task Force to implement the National Teacher Training Center and hosted the first series of Core Curriculum Teacher Trainings including four national and two regional level training sessions.

Louis G. Gregory Bahá’í Institute

Goal: To serve as a resource center for training Bahá’ís to enable them to become more actively involved in the promotion of the Faith and the development of strong communities in South Carolina and to bring the Faith to the attention of the local population.

Activities: Hosted the South Carolina Summer and Winter Schools, with approximately 130 people attending each session, on themes of "The Holy Year" and "The Lesser Peace."

Continued to hold quarterly Children's Camps and Bahá’í Leadership Association youth training programs which emphasized teaching strategies, developing Bahá’í patterns of behavior, and study of the Writings. Also continued the nine-week basic Bahá’í Academy for youth, junior youth and children during the summer and included an advanced multi-age group whose participants spent an intense four weeks of service, teaching and deepening while living with Bahá’í families in a sponsoring Bahá’í community.

Hosted the plenary session of the International Bahá’í Audio Visual Committee, the seventh annual Bahá’í Black Men's Program, and a Pioneer Training Institute.

Observed all Bahá’í Holy Days with special programs for Naw-Rúz and Ridván, which attracted hundreds of friends from around the State; held observances for Human Rights Day, Race Unity Day, World Religion Day, and Founder's Day (the 20th anniversary of the Institute) including in each program devotions, music, meals and fellowship; and continued to hold the Unity Worship Service each Sunday, combining talks on Bahá’í principles, devotions, music, fellowship and hospitality.

Held Fun and Fellowship Days every second Saturday which provided a social time for picnics, games, fishing and relaxing for the Bahá’í and general communities.

Held the seventh annual Peace Fest, a three-day program attended by more than 600 people. The Peace Fest was highlighted this year by the presentation of the Ambassador Award for Community Service to Mrs. Vashti Smith, a nationally honored civil rights worker and community developer.

Continued to sponsor a quarterly Teacher-in-Residence program where veteran Bahá’ís spent a week at the Institute sharing their experiences, recording their memoirs on audio and video tapes, speaking at a public meetings, and attending public receptions in their honor.

Co-sponsored, with the South Carolina Department of Mental Health and the Action Council for Cross-Cultural Mental and Human Services, the first State Department-level sponsored conference focusing on the welfare and development of young black males. Additional public service was provided by staff members who served on six local and state boards, councils and task forces dealing with public education, community cross-cultural development, radio broadcasting, African-American history and culture, the fine arts, and human relations.

Received an average of 49 calls per month on the 800 telephone line requesting information about the Faith and various programs, a 145 percent increase over last year.

Native American Bahá’í Institute

Goal: To develop local educational projects related to the indigenous culture as a means for teaching the Faith; to develop teaching materials for use on the Navajo Reservation; and to help local Assemblies with their teaching work and their participation in social programs with nearby Native American tribes.

Activities: Held a school-overnight "Nobility Class" for children and youth where the children were given dinner, help with homework, time for arts, crafts and recreation, a video workshop, education in traditional Navajo culture, and exposure to the Bahá’í writings.

Held monthly youth retreats for district youth, a Four Corner Youth Conference initiated by the Auxiliary Board, a Winter Youth Academy, and two nine-day children's institutes focused on the Holy Year and the life and mission of Bahá’u’lláh.

Hosted a variety of deepening programs, visits from performers and traveling teachers, a 10th anniversary celebration of the establishment of the Institute, and monthly work weekends helped by Phoenix-area volunteers. A new shower house was built, and septic systems and camper parking were installed using [Page 23]mostly volunteer help. Conducted Core Curriculum training for district children's teachers. Provided facilities for the local Spiritual Assembly of Houck Chapter, Arizona, to host various local events. Continued translating prayers into the Navajo language.

WLGI Radio Goal: To increase Radio Bahá’í's participation and involvement in community affairs. Activities: Started a new outreach program called "We Thought You Might Like to Know" in which interviews were held with individuals and agencies that offer unique community services. Aired Martin Luther King Jr. Day events, both locally and regionally, including events of the Atlanta King Day celebration. Provided recorded music and twice per month disk jockey service to a new Georgetown, South Carolina, skating rink whose owner desired up-to-date music that promotes a safe and racially integrated rink, and to local schools who have grown to have confidence that the music, while appealing to youth, will be appropri-ate in content and intent.

PROPERTIES

House of Worship Restoration Goal: To adopt, initiate and sustain a well-defined, phased plan for the restoration of the Mother Temple of the West and to establish a comprehensive program for the conservation of the House of Worship over the next millennium. Activities: Constructed and placed a cornice nearly five feet high and three feet deep to conceal the large gutter around the base of the Temple's dome. Five of the nine sections have been completely restored ahead of schedule and below budget. Conducted a thorough engineering analysis and inspection of the reinforced concrete walls and beams supporting the circular monumental stairs and the auditorium floor, which comprise the oldest portion of the building, and determined these components to be in fine condition. Conducted research and testing on the erosion and weathering of concrete and stone, historic concrete construction techniques, water-resistant sealers, and long-term maintenance.

NSA Properties Inc. Goal: To oversee the maintenance and development of all nationally owned Bahá’í properties in the U.S. and to provide support to local Assemblies on property acquisition and/or development. Activities: Consulted with the National Spiritual Assembly about the acquisition and disposition of properties. Remodeled the Activities Office in the House of Worship to reduce distracting noise levels and built a Control Room in the Media Services office. Installed new security hardware throughout the National Center facilities and a new lawn sprinkler system for the House of Worship along Linden Avenue.

PUBLISHING

Bahá’í Distribution Service Goal: To distribute Bahá’í publications and materi-als, to increase the sales of and profit from such materials, to diversify the product line, and to create more efficient service and customer satisfaction. Activities: Reduced the selling price of the Sacred Texts and achieved increased profit through better purchasing, reduction of operating costs, increased selling, and careful planning to avoid duplication and waste. Projected sales for 1992-1993 are approxi-mately $2 million, a 40 percent increase over last year. Increased the diversity of products offered to consumers by developing in-house capability to provide all-purpose greeting cards and framed prints with Bahá’í quotations. Made an agreement with the Spiritual Assembly of New York City to market its design of "Racism: Just Undo It" on T-shirts, sweatshirts and buttons. Contributed to increased sales, customer satisfaction, and a new customer base by providing next-day turnaround on incoming orders. In the past year the Bahá’í Distribution Service gained 2,601 new custom-ers and processed approximately 1,300 orders each month with an average order of 23 books valued at $78.

Bahá’í Encyclopedia Project Goal: To advance Bahá’í scholarship and to publish a one-volume Bahá’í Encyclopedia that defines Bahá’í belief and practice for the general public. Activities: Continued efforts to secure articles on every national Bahá’í community to ensure that the encyclopedia is truly international. Recruited people from diverse backgrounds and a number of countries to review edited articles to try to eliminate cultural bias. To date, 90 percent of all articles have been collected and 50 percent of those have been edited and reviewed.

Bahá’í Publishing Trust Goal: To support the teaching and consolidation of the Faith by publishing the Bahá’í Writings, introduc-tory and historical works, literature for children and youth, teaching literature, and audio-visual materials; to promote the use of Bahá’í literature; to foster the translation, publication and distribution of Bahá’í literature in the Kazakh and Ukrainian languages; and to implement the Bahá’í Publishing Trust reorganiza-tion plan. Activities: Published two new literature titles, Call to Remembrance and Transform My Spirit, for release at the Bahá’í World Congress. Completed reprints of seven titles: Tablets of Bahá’u’lláh, The Kitáb-i-lqán, Epistle to the Son of the Wolf, Bahá’í Prayers, Bahá’u’lláh: Refer (twice), Tablet of the Heart, and Bahá’u’lláh, presentation edition. Helped the Bahá’í Publishing Trust of the United Kingdom with the initial production and two reprints of the Bahá’í World Center Office of Public Information's publication The Bahá’ís magazine. Published "The Master Key," a combination catalog and study guide to the authoritative texts of the Faith published by the Trust, and distributed 50,000 copies to the Bahá’í community resulting in a 50 percent increase in pocket edition sales of the identified titles. Prepared and distributed 20,000 Bahá’í Publishing Trust catalogs, more than 64,000 brochures, 32,000 price lists, and special one-page promotional pieces to Bahá’í communities and individuals. Complimentary copies of Call to Remembrance, Transform My Spirit, and a new export price list were sent to National Spiritual Assemblies and Bahá’í publishing agencies around the world. Purchased 138 new titles from other Bahá’í publish-ers, increasing the distribution inventory to 1,500 items in 19 languages. Took part in the annual meeting of the Executive Committee of the International Association of Bahá’í Publishers in Oxford, England. Planned, coordinated and implemented the com-memorative sales operation and worldwide Bahá’í publications display at the Bahá’í World Congress. The display included materials from 125 publishers in more than 100 languages. The endeavor required the efforts of seven Bahá’í Publishing Trust staff members and more than 75 volunteers and resulted in sales of more than $650,000. Coordinated book sales at the annual Green Lake Bahá’í Conference in Wisconsin, selling approximately $11,000 in materials. Established 1,921 new individual accounts, an increase of 850 percent from last year's 200 new accounts. Added 261 other new accounts to the customer list. Filled 15,737 orders for 244,872 items, averaging 403 orders per week. Average orders included 15 items and totaled $78.69. Instituted new inventory and accounts receivable control systems that resulted in reductions in both overdue accounts and inventory value. Sent a representative to Ukraine to ascertain the current status of Bahá’í publishing and donated two Bahá’í libraries to Ukraine, one to the city of Odessa, via traveling teachers. Each library included more than 50 titles with a value exceeding $650. Continued correspondence with the translation committee in Ukraine and forwarded translations of material provided by a Canadian translator. Sent letters to several hundred authors explaining the reorganization of the Bahá’í Publishing Trust in preparation for the establishment of several editorial boards and the Bahá’í Publications Board called for in the reorganization plan. Completed the relocation of the Bahá’í Distribution Service to Chattanooga, Tennessee, and the necessary modifications to the Distribution Service building to allow for the transfer of several thousands of dollars worth of inventory from printer storage, resulting in savings of more than $12,000 a year in storage fees.

Brilliant Star Editorial Board Goal: To produce six issues of Brilliant Star magazine per year, designed to serve the needs of children by confirming their Bahá’í identity and helping them to become Bahá’í teachers. Activities: Produced the following series of issues emphasizing the key themes of race unity and the Holy Year: The Ascension of Bahá’u’lláh, Children and Youth Choosing to Teach, The 1992 Bahá’í World Congress, The Center of the Covenant: ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, and My Bahá’í Community. Produced a special edition about the Covenant for use at regional summer schools which also was distributed to Bahá’í schools throughout the world. Provided help to the National Core Curriculum & Teacher Training Task Force to support use of the core curriculum by keying indices in the magazine to the curriculum.

Periodicals Office Goal: To produce The American Bahá’í every 19 days. Activities: Produced 19 regular issues of The American Bahá’í and two special editions, one devoted to Huqúqu’lláh and the other to the second Bahá’í World Congress. The World Congress issue marked a breakthrough for The American Bahá’í with the inclusion for the first time of four-color pages. Negotiated with a new printing vendor for services that will save the National Fund up to $15,000 over the next year.

Subscriber Services Goal: To fulfill subscriptions, to distribute and promote The American Bahá’í (foreign subscribers), Brilliant Star, One Country, Tian Xia Yi Jla, Herald of the South, and World Order magazines, and to provide attendant services. Activities: Furnished Bahá’í periodicals to 3,852 subscribers, of which 1,065 are foreign subscribers.

World Order Editorial Board Goal: To publish World Order magazine, a direct teaching and deepening effort of the National Spiritual Assembly focusing on topics of broad social concern from a Bahá’í perspective. Activities: Published the Spring/Summer 1990 issue (social and economic development, the meaning of freedom, and House and Senate Debate leading to a concurrent resolution in support of the Bahá’ís in Iran).

SERVICES

National Bahá’í Archives Goal: To help and support the National Spiritual Assembly, its agencies, and the American Bahá’í community by maintaining archival records and materials, providing research assistance, and educating and assisting local Spiritual Assemblies in the proper care and management of local records and archives. Activities: Provided more than 100 photographs and 40 archival items for the ‘Abdu’l-Bahá theme pavilion at the Bahá’í World Congress. Developed four archival displays and conducted seven tours of the Archives including open houses and relics displays for National Convention and the World Congress. Sent biographical sketches of noteworthy African-American, Asian, Hispanic and Native American Bahá’ís to 22 local communities for use in proclama-tion activities, and information on local records and archives to 12 local communities in nine states and in Canada. Corresponded with Bahá’ís concerning missing letters of Shoghi Effendi, acquiring 27 original letters written on his behalf and thus far accounting for 1,676 dates on a list received from the World Centre of almost 7,200 dates of letters of the Guardian. Welcomed 16 researchers who made 48 visits to the [Page 24]Archives; answered 125 reference requests from scholars; provided 7,815 photocopies of archival materials; processed 891 historical photographs; and provided publishers and scholars with 272 prints. Opened for research 26 collections of personal papers, including: Margaret Danner Papers, Elisha and Martha Shaw Papers, Jean Masson Papers, Albert Frank Hoffmann Papers, Nicholas Giammarrese Papers, Nancy Bowditch Papers, May Stebbins Papers, Maud Gaudreaux Papers, Myrtle Wendler Papers, Mildred Elmer Papers, Josephine de Langel Papers.

Acquired 10 new collections of personal papers and 27 additions to existing collections, including papers of Anna and Harry Crawford, Joyce Lyon Dahl, Zylpha Mapp-Robinson, Maud Gaudreaux, Sarah Pereira, Ethel Murray, Marvin Newport, Roan Stone, Adele and Carol Varo, A.F. and Nina Matthisen, Kenneth Jeffers, Nicholas Giammarrese, Kazem Kazemzadeh, Richard St. Barbe Baker, Zara and Major Dunne, Elizabeth Martin, Mabel and Howard Colby Ives, Fred Reis, David Bond, Emma Jones.

Bahá’í Service for the Blind

Goal: To provide the literature of the Faith in mediums such as cassette, Braille, and large-print formats for those unable to use standard print due to physical or mental handicaps.

Activities: Maintained a lending library of materials for the blind. Advertised the Faith in many world-wide publications for the blind, resulting in the distribution of packets of information to inquirers from countries in Africa and from the People's Republic of China. Provided the "Participants Information Packet" in Braille for the Bahá’í World Congress.

Bahá’í Service for the Hearing Impaired and Deaf

Goal: To facilitate understanding and acceptance of individuals with hearing loss in the American Bahá’í community and to provide services for deaf individuals and their Bahá’í communities.

Activities: Provided information on interpreter services and other services for the deaf to the House of Worship and to the World Congress Logistics Office, and met with various agencies of the National Spiritual Assembly to consult on potential areas of collaboration.

Submitted to the National Spiritual Assembly a draft of a manual designed to help local Bahá’í institutions and agencies become knowledgeable about deafness and hearing loss and how to identify local resources to meet the needs of deaf individuals.

Human Resources

Goal: To attend to the human resource needs of the National Spiritual Assembly and its employees and to serve as a resource for the coordination of activities among the agencies, institutes and departments of the National Spiritual Assembly.

Activities: Assisted in the reorganization and restructuring of the administrative and teaching organizations to eliminate or consolidate redundant functions and to increase the responsibility, authority and accountability of all agencies reporting to the National Spiritual Assembly.

Served the World Congress Human Resources Task Force which recruited and trained 12 regional recruiters, designed and delivered a World Congress orientation training program for all volunteers, and recruited and assigned more than 5,000 volunteers at the World Congress.

Implemented a new performance appraisal process to help managers and employees evaluate their work performance and contribution to the unity of the organization and a new employee personal development process to ensure that every employee of the National Spiritual Assembly is encouraged and supported to pursue continuous improvement.

Helped conduct organizational assessments of the Native American Bahá’í Institute, the Louis G. Gregory Bahá’í Institute, and the Bahá’í Home.

Filled 86 vacated or new positions during the year, provided employee and management counseling services, and re-established an Employee Activities Committee.

Implemented a Section 125 program for child care and unreimbursed medical expenses and a new medical/dental/life insurance program resulting in $292,000 total savings to the National Spiritual Assembly and its employees.

Management Information Systems

Goal: To provide computer hardware, software, communications equipment management, records management, and mail services to the offices and agencies of the National Spiritual Assembly.

Activities: Developed polices and procedures for the acquisition of computer hardware and software throughout the Bahá’í National Center offices.

Developed and implemented procedures and forms for use by all National Center departments to request services from MIS, to set priorities, and to track the volume of such requests.

Expanded the user base of the Bahá’í National Center Bulletin Board System (BNCBBS) to 1,751 users in the 48 contiguous states, the District of Columbia, Hawaii, Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands and Canada, an increase of 32 percent within one year, at a current rate of 1,345 messages per month. The BNCBBS served as a principal means of disseminating press releases for the Office of Public Information during the World Congress.

Chose a vendor to provide a new telephone system for all National Center facilities.

Scanned membership records files using newly acquired software to correct misspelled or incorrectly formatted addresses and append the ZIP+4 code.

Made preparations to generate postal service codes on all mailings to yield substantial savings in postage costs, and designed and developed software to provide near real time data validation and editing of all addresses entered into the membership and records system.

Completed design of a Local Area Network and Bahá’í National Network for electronic mail for communication at all National Center facilities.

Conducted an analysis with the directors of the permanent schools and institutes for the schools' registration systems and recommended software and hardware solutions.

Developed a prototype Geographic Information System on a single work station for use at the Bahá’í National Center mapping data on Bahá’í communities and individual populations.

Completed automation of the major manual sub-systems of the Automatic Contributions System.

Completed approximately 650 service calls through PC Services which provides support for troubleshooting problems, maintenance, and upgrading hardware and software at the National Center. PC Services also acquired software training material to help improve the use of existing programs; began an inventory of computer hardware and software; instituted new inventory control procedures and began the development of an inventory reporting system; and acquired diagnostic tools and technical documentation to increase the capacity to perform in-house computer repairs.

Implemented file room automation and a document retrieval system using laser disk and imaging technology to enable on-line access to all membership files. To date, 54,393 pages from 8,679 files have been scanned into the imaging system.

Processed 24,982 address changes, 1,970 enrollments, 915 child registrations, 2,331 name changes and identification card replacements, 1,643 administrative changes, 967 transfers into the American Bahá’í community, and verified and processed 1,408 local Spiritual Assembly formations including the resolution of 410 problem formations.

Implemented the Mail Return Project with the help of local Spiritual Assemblies to reduce greatly the number of individuals who are coded as mail returns, updating 5,230 addresses in targeted communities to date.

Sent out 230,643 pieces of mail through Mail Services.

Bahá’í Media Services

Goal: To expand media production capacities to serve the interests of the Faith both nationally and internationally; to increase greatly the availability and use of video materials in languages other than English; to increase the capacity to generate broadcast quality video productions; and to chronicle and disseminate video accounts of the most significant events of the Holy Year.

Activities: Achieved the goal of developing broadcast quality production of videos about the Faith for television programs.

Provided staff and organization for the production of the four-hour satellite broadcast and the 13 hours of edited video programs on the World Congress.

Oversaw the World Congress satellite broadcast production team of nearly 70 people from at least nine countries; the operation of a temporary production facility; a library of stock footage; a communications center; two satellite trucks which served as the origination point for the telecast; and linking nine sites by live teleconference for the telecast of the message delivered to the world by the Universal House of Justice.

Prepared daily video news releases of World Congress activities for release to public broadcasting. Four one-hour broadcast masters were prepared the day following the Congress to respond to requests from various international outlets, including CBC (Canada), NHK (Japan), and Norwegian Television.

Produced a 51-minute documentary program on the World Congress that aired nationally on 1,200 cable systems via Vision Interfaith Satellite Network on December 5, 1992.

Produced "Lasting Remembrances," an 11-hour set of five tapes containing nearly all of the contents of the World Congress plenary sessions at the Jacob Javits Convention Center and the contents of the satellite broadcast.

Produced a retrospective on the Holy Year for the seventh International Bahá’í Convention and an expanded edition for the U.S. Bahá’í National Convention.

Increased the network of resources for The Bahá’í Newsreel generating 200-300 hours of footage for each, thereby expanding the newsreel into a one-hour program reporting on activities from more than 50 countries since its inception three years ago as an 18-minute compilation of six stories from five countries.

Developed guidelines for news reporting, camera, lighting, and audio work for local camera persons and their sponsoring Assemblies to increase the quality of the newsreels.

Designed a high quality film and television audio production room to meet the expanded demands for translation of The Bahá’í Newsreel into Spanish, French, Hindi, German, Russian, Mandarin Chinese, Japanese, Bulgarian, Rumanian, Polish, Hmong, Navajo and Portuguese, and to translate other projects into various languages.

Built a second video editing suite to meet the demands of production and initiated a more sophisticated approach to scheduling, maintenance and systems development for these growing facilities.

Coordinated international distribution of The Bahá’í Newsreel through the Visual Services Office of the International Bahá’í Audio Visual Centre (IBAVC) in all world television standards and through a number of national distribution outlets in various countries, making it the most widely recognized media product in the Bahá’í world today.

Provided facilities for and supported youth in video production work on The Youth Movement Forum, an inspirational piece about youth in the Holy Year; Time to Serve, a documentary about the Year of Service performed by youth serving in several countries; Youth Perspectives on the Holy Year; and Youth at the World Congress, a story for the satellite broadcast.

Prepared for sale to the community a commemorative set of 72 slides in advance of the commemoration of the Ascension of Bahá’u’lláh.

Generated the following video productions: LSA Development Program training video; deepening on the Kitáb-i-Aqdas (spring release); public service TV spots with Michael Jordan and Ramsey Lewis; The Parliament of the World's Religions information/ promotion video; an orientation video for hotel and venue staffs at the World Congress; a promotional video for the Visual Services Office; a video clip reel for the World Congress Media Committee; and a video clip reel on Dizzy Gillespie.

Produced audio tapes of "National Convention Highlights," "Address by Hon. Hamilton Green, Prime Minister of Guyana," "Amatu’l-Bahá Rúhíyyih Khánum: Address to the Knights of Bahá’u’lláh," and World Congress Choir training tapes. [Page 25]

Race Unity in Action

An example of what an intercommunity Race Unity Committee can accomplish in an ongoing effort to promote race unity

Since its inception in 1987, the Bahá’í Race Unity Committee of Long Island, New York, sponsored by the Spiritual Assembly of the Town of Babylon with membership representative of all the island, has been dedicated to the promotion of the oneness of humanity and to the ultimate elimination of racism and prejudice throughout Long Island. Toward these goals the committee has organized and taken part in a variety of events and functions.

On April 4, 1992, the anniversary of the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., the committee held its second annual candlelight vigil in memory of Dr. King. The program is called, "His Dream Lives on."

The vigil was held at a local African-American Community Center. A member of the committee served as master of ceremonies for the program and spoke on the significance of Dr. King's life and dream. A Bahá’í prayer for the unity of mankind was also read.

The committee presented a copy of "The Vision of Race Unity" to the executive director of the center. A local television news station covered the vigil. The broadcast was repeated throughout the night and early morning.

On Race Unity Day, June 14, the committee hosted its fourth annual Race Unity Day picnic. About 75 Bahá’ís attended with their families and friends. Fortunately, the weather has always been good for the picnic.

County executives of Long Island proclaimed it to be Race Unity Day in their respective counties of Nassau and Suffolk and formal proclamations were made during the program. The committee also honored the co-directors of the Shining Lamp School for Character Development, a Bahá’í-operated school for children on Long Island. The program included musical performances by both Bahá’ís and non-Bahá’ís.

On October 10, the committee hosted its fifth annual International Dinner in celebration of United Nation's Day. This is its most popular event of the year, and last year's dinner attracted nearly 150 people representing a wide diversity of races and cultures. Non-Bahá’ís out numbered Bahá’ís.

A variety of ethnic dishes were prepared by the Long Island Bahá’í community and served smorgasbord style. The program included a talk given by one of the Bahá’ís on the theme, "America: Let's Celebrate Our Diversity." The entertainment consisted of classical Indian dancing, Haitian folk dancing, and a "Unity of the World" dance performed by two Bahá’í women from New York City.

Past years' performances have included Vietnamese folk dancing, African folk dancing, classical Puerto Rican music, gospel singing, and a skit on the unity of the world. The dinner, as with the picnic, brings together people of diverse races and cultures who live on Long Island for a day of unity and fellowship. New friendships are formed that will last throughout the year and years to come.

Through these events families and friends are introduced to the Bahá’í Faith and shown what the spirit of the Faith is all about. At these events there is always a table with Bahá’í literature and pamphlets for the friends to take and learn more about the Faith.

In addition to these annual events, the committee also works closely with organizations and people sharing similar ideals and goals.

Two physicians, Peter Bresler (violin) and Robert Harway (piano), neither of whom is a Bahá’í, perform March 27 during a public meeting at the Nine Oaks Bahá’í School in Arroyo Grande, California. The audience of more than 50, including 10 members of the Methodist Church who are studying comparative religion, heard a talk by Tom Tai-Seale, a Bahá’í from Los Angeles who is a scholar of Bible topics.

Last June, the committee took part in the annual Long Island Black American Day parade. The committee has always participated in this parade. The Long Island Black American Day Committee is a multi-racial, multi-cultural organization dedicated to bringing the diverse cultures and races together. The local television news station always cover this parade and the Bahá’ís are prominently featured.

This year the Bahá’í float, with its banner, "America- Let's Celebrate Our Diversity," was featured on the news coverage. The float was also mentioned in the Long Island newspaper, Newsday. The secretary of the Bahá’í Race Unity Committee of Long Island, who also happens to be the secretary of the Long Island Black American Day Committee, was interviewed for that article.

The committee has also been dedicated to fighting racism and prejudice whenever and wherever it rears its head. In June 1991, Jermaine Ewell, a black high school football star, was attacked by a gang of white youths at a party who beat him because he was associating with a white girl. Although this happened more than a year ago, he is still recovering, and a once-promising football career was cut short. It is doubtful that he will be able to play football again.

There was a great deal of justifiable outrage over this blatant act of racism. A march through the town where it happened was organized by prominent black community leaders. Members of the committee, along with other Bahá’ís, took part in this march. Their participation served as a calming influence during the march and kept a potentially volatile situation from turning violent.

Indeed, through the committee's influence the march resulted in an affirmation of the oneness of humanity. The committee also participated in a walkathon organized by the Long Island Black American Day Committee to help raise funds for the needed medical care for Jermaine's recovery.

The Bahá’í Race Unity Committee of Long Island has also attended numerous organizational conferences, luncheons and seminars dealing with issues of prejudice, racism and injustice, as well as cultural awareness and appreciation, such as human rights, African-American issues, fair housing, and the Martin Luther King birthday celebrations. At some of these events the committee has had a table with Bahá’í literature focusing on race unity.

The committee has also taken part in various Black History Month celebrations and observances. This past year at a Black History Month celebration held at a firehouse in an African-American community, a member of the committee was part of the program. He offered greetings on behalf of the committee, discussed some of their events, and read a Bahá’í prayer for mankind.

Also in February, the committee presented a portrait of Martin Luther King to the supervisor of one of the townships on Long Island. The portrait is prominently displayed in the Town Hall.

Members of the committee also serve on planning boards of other organizations. As mentioned, the secretary of the race unity committee also serves as secretary of the Long Island Black American Day Committee. Another committee member serves on the board of the Suffolk County Clergy Anti-Bias Task Force, an interfaith organization dedicated to fighting prejudice and discrimination in the county.

In addition to organizing their annual events, fighting prejudice, and working with other like-minded organizations, the committee is committed to deepening the Bahá’í community of Long Island on America's "most vital and challenging issue."

For the past three years the committee has taught a block at the Bahá’í Discovery Sunday School held at the Long Island Bahá’í Center. The first year concentrated on the issues of segregation on Long Island. The second year the committee led a deepening on the National Spiritual Assembly's "Vision of Race Unity" statement. The committee recently completed a block with the focus being on ‘Abdu’l-Bahá as our model and exemplar for the promotion of race unity and fighting racism.

Stories Wanted: Race Unity Activities

The National Teaching Office wants information on various efforts in which Bahá’ís are engaged to promote race unity. We would like to be able to share more news and information in upcoming issues of The American Bahá’í and create a network that will enable the friends throughout the country to replicate successful initiatives. Please send a summary of your efforts, with photographs, if possible, to: National Teaching Office, Bahá’í National Center, Wilmette, IL 60091. Phone 708-869-9039; Fax 708-869-0247.

The committee has had the honor of hosting talks by two prominent community leaders during the first two blocks. The first year, the executive director of the Suffolk County Human Rights Commission spoke at the Discovery School class. For the second block, the committee invited the executive director of the Long Island Housing Services, a fair/open housing agency, to speak. Both were very informative. The Bahá’ís were quite impressed by them, and they in turn seemed to be quite impressed with the Bahá’ís.

Earlier in the year the committee co-sponsored, with the Spiritual Assembly of Babylon and the Babylon Teaching Institute, two sessions of the "Leaves of One Tree" workshop for the Bahá’í community of Long Island.

Barbara Arrington and Susan Cody, Bahá’ís from White Plains who developed the workshop, facilitated the deepening. They reviewed the historical and sociological aspects of racism and how it affects all of us in our day-to-day lives. The committee hopes to host more such workshops for the Bahá’ís, as well as for the non-Bahá’í community of Long Island.

The committee is now busy preparing a deepening on what Bahá’ís can do as individuals and as a community to handle racist and prejudicial events as they occur. They will be focusing on the open letter by the National Spiritual Assembly to the President of the United States on a call to eliminate racism; the letters between the National Spiritual Assembly and the Los Angeles Spiritual Assembly during the riots in April and May; and Models of Race Unity study.

It has indeed been a busy year, indeed five years, for the Bahá’í Race Unity Committee of Long Island. However, the committee will not be resting on its laurels. Its membership was recently expanded in order to enable it to broaden its focus and endeavors.

Since this is America's most vital and challenging issue, the committee will continue to persevere in its continuing efforts to promote fellowship and unity among the diverse races and cultures who make Long Island their home, to eliminate racism and prejudice throughout the Island, and to make Long Island a happier and more peaceful place for all to live.

If you would like more information on any of these activities, you may call or write the Bahá’í Race Unity Committee of Long Island, c/o Marc Hensen, Smithtown, NY 11787 (phone 516-979-9162).

AZAMÁT B.E. 150/ MAY 17, 1993 [Page 26]A complete listing of Bahá’í Summer Schools

BOSCH BAHÁ’Í SCHOOL

500 Comstock Lane, Santa Cruz, CA 95060 (408) 423-3387; fax (408) 423-7564

Week 1, June 26-July 1: Camp Bosch. Special recreation for all ages, plus discussions on education, music, and interracial marriage. Study of the Kitáb-i-Aqdas. Option: Core Course I (bring copy of The Promised Day is Come).

Week 2, July 3-8: Law and Society: The Kitáb-i-Aqdas. Discussions on the next phase in the evolution of the Bahá’í community, Huqúqu’lláh, environmental issues, and international Bahá’í videos.

Week 3, July 10-15: Junior Youth Institute. For youth ages 12-15. Course of study: "Shoghi Effendi and the Bahá’í World Order." Students participate in active learning and study, physical exercise, recreation, service to the school, and prayer. This program will be offered again week 6.

Week 4, July 17-22: The Kitáb-i-Aqdas: Charter of a World Civilization. Discussions on the next phase in the evolution of the Bahá’í community, and multicultural/multiracial community life.

Week 5, July 24-29: The Bahá’í Concept of Law. Study of the Kitáb-i-Aqdas. Also discussion of the vision of race unity, including a special audio-visual program.

Week 6, July 31-August 5: Junior Youth Institute. For youth ages 12-15. Course of study: "Shoghi Effendi and the Bahá’í World Order." Students participate in active learning and study, physical exercise, recreation, service to the school, and prayer.

Week 7, August 7-12: The Dynamics of Group and Individual Action. Texts: The World Order of Bahá’u’lláh, The Advent of Divine Justice, Ridván letters 1983-1993. Also, Law for the New Age: The Kitáb-i-Aqdas (intensive study). In addition, there will be discussions of the making of the World Congress and showing of international audio-visual materials.

Week 8, August 14-19: The Bahá’í Concept of Law: A Study of the Kitáb-i-Aqdas. Also, The Art of Drama and a Time for Poetry.

Week 9, August 21-26: From Design to Example. A discussion of how to put principles into action. Also, a study of the Kitáb-i-Aqdas.

Bosch Youth Institute will run concurrent with general sessions during weeks 7 & 8. For admission, contact: Angelina Allen, Cardiff-by-the-Sea, CA 92007; (619) 944-1345

GREEN ACRE BAHÁ’Í SCHOOL

188 Main St., Eliot, ME 03903 (207) 439-7200; fax: (207) 439-7202

All summer sessions include classes for adults, youth, and children except as noted. Programs are enhanced with recreation, music and a weekly visit to the Maine Coast.

May 28-31: The Art of Presenting the Healing Message of Bahá’u’lláh. Topics will include speaking with wisdom and eloquence and teaching versus philosophical or theological arguments. This course will be tailored to the specific needs and interests of those in attendance.

July 4-9: The Kitáb-i-Aqdas: The Most Holy Book. Study will include lecture and discussion in the context of the Covenant and the individual believer, with attention to its setting in world history.

Also, The Seven Valleys. Students will read and discuss this work together, as well as the pertinent references in Attar's poem.

July 11-17: Youth Institute. For youth 15-19. This educational program provides a structured, disciplined environment for the study of the Bahá’í Writings with application to major issues confronting youth today. Includes classroom lecture, interaction, discovery groups, private study recreation and a service project. Special application required.

July 18-23: The Kitáb-i-Aqdas: Bahá’u’lláh's Choice Wine. The Most Holy Book is studied in context of the Covenant and the individual believer.

Also, Transforming Material Obligation into Spiritual Privilege. Investigate the unique outlook of the Faith pertaining to the connection between material resources and our personal, spiritual development.

July 25-30: Bringing Up Parents. The family is the foundation of a mature, developed society. This class will study how we must inculcate in our lives the principles, laws and teachings of the Bahá’í Faith if we are to witness the dawning of the World Order of Bahá’u’lláh.

Also, The World Order of Bahá’u’lláh. Class will focus particularly on the essentials of bringing about racial unity and the equality of men and women.

August 1-7: Junior Youth Institute. For ages 12-14. This educational program provides a structured, disciplined environment for the study of the Bahá’í Writings with application to major issues confronting youth today. Includes classroom lecture, interaction, discovery groups, private study recreation and a service project. Special application required.

August 8-13: Developing Communities for a New World Order. Examine the internal and external barriers that stifle one's personal involvement in the community development process. Will study effective methods and techniques through workshops, consultation and role-playing.

Also, Transforming for a New Age. Knowledge of self is explored as a prerequisite for empowering the individual to arise nobly in meaningful contributions to an evolving society.

August 15-20: The Kitáb-i-Aqdas: Charter for a World Civilization. Study will include lecture and discussion with emphasis on the historical significance and relationship to early Writings of the Báb.

Also, God's Request, Our Response: The Covenant and Personal Transformation. This class will examine how total obedience to the Covenant is the key to transforming ourselves into spiritual beings with true happiness and freedom as the rewards.

August 22-27: Are You Happy? A workshop aimed at discovery of spiritual tools that when properly applied can lead to inner peace and happiness. Will include exploration of prayer and meditation.

Also, The Kitáb-i-Aqdas: An Introduction. The study will examine the context of this remarkable work and its implications for personal conduct and the shaping of a new society, with attention to the cultural and historical setting.

September 3-6: Race Unity and the Revolutionizing Agency of Bahá’u’lláh. This conference will analyze the specific nature of racism and various means by which campaign plans of action to foster race unity can be implemented. Open to adults and mature youth over 15.

LOUHELEN BAHÁ’Í SCHOOL

3208 South State Road, Davison, MI 48423 (313) 653-5033; fax: (313) 653-7181

May 14-16: Parents and Children. Discussions will include "Bringing Up Bahá’í Parents" and "Extraordinary Family Life." A full children's program is offered.

June 4-6: Women. Discussion of "To Praise His Name," with Jacqueline Delahunt, member of the Continental Board of Counselors.

June 11-20: Youth Institute. For ages 14-19. Study of "The Needs of the Age." The educational program incorporates lecture, study, discussions, service, teaching, and other activities.

June 15-20: Bahá’í Youth Service Corps Training. This training is offered for youth intending to participate in a Youth Year of Service, either in the U.S. or abroad. For an invitation to attend, contact the Office of Pioneering at the Bahá’í National Center.

June 17-20: Pioneer Training Institute. This training for prospective pioneers provides the spiritual and practical foundation for serving humanity and promoting the teaching of Bahá’u’lláh in a new environment. For an invitation to attend, contact the Office of Pioneering at the Bahá’í National Center.

June 25-30: Core Curriculum Teacher Training. This program is geared to the National Spiritual Assembly's core curriculum for the spiritual education of children ages 6-12. Admission is by LSA recommendation only. Contact Louhelen for information. A full children's program is offered.

July 3-8: Persian-American Bahá’í Studies. Classes include "The Bahá’í Life," "The Kitáb-i-Aqdas: An Introduction," and a full children's program. Adult classes will be taught in both Persian and English. Children's classes will be taught in English.

July 11-17: Camp Louhelen. For ages 8-12. Summer camp in a Bahá’í environment. Campers of all religious backgrounds are welcome. The program is coordinated by experienced camp leaders.

July 18-23: Junior Youth Institute. For ages 11-15. Bring your most difficult questions. Active and interactive sessions designed to arm youth with answers to the most difficult questions of their peers.

July 23-25: Models of Race Unity. This conference is specifically intended for all people interested in exploring working models of unity.

July 30-August 4: Family and Friends, Session 1. Discussions will include "The Kitáb-i-Aqdas: Foundation of Spiritual Life," and "Soul, Mind and Spirit." A full children's program is offered.

August 6-August 11: Family and Friends, Session 2. Discussions will include "The Kitáb-i-Aqdas: Foundation of Family Life," "Family Life: The Sign of Unity," and "Roar Like Unto a Lion: Workshop of Public Fireside Speaking." A full children's program is offered.

August 13-18: Family and Friends, Session 3. Discussions will include "The Kitáb-i-Aqdas: Foundation of Unity," and "Oneness: A Triumph of the Covenant." A full children's program is offered.

August 20-25: Youth Eagle Institute. For ages 14-19. The Eagle Institute is a youth project dedicated to strengthening the spirit and vision of youth who will arise to build a new world order...without hesitation or delay. Discussions include "Foundations of Faith," "Winning Spiritual Victories," "Teaching Through the Arts."

August 27-29: Arts Academy. Discussion of "The Arts: Food for the Spirit." Format includes lectures, prayer and meditation, deepenings, interactive workshops, hands-on demonstrations, round-table discussions, displays of art, and performances.

September 3-6: Homecoming. Discussions of "The Spirit of Oneness" and "Teaching Oneness." A full children's program will be offered. Other highlights: a homecoming choir, a "One Planet Music Festival," and a proclamation event, "Invite the Neighborhood Home."

1993 Regional Bahá’í Summer Schools

CALIFORNIA (Southern): Theme: "The Kitáb-i-Aqdas: Source of All Blessings" Dates: August 7-9 Location: Cherry Valley, near Beaumont Facilities: motel-style rooms with linens and private bath; buffet/restaurant-style meals Recreation: pool, jacuzzi, weight room, sauna, tennis, hiking trails, volleyball courts Rates (meals included): adults (15 and up) $170; youth (10-15) $140; children (3-9) $75; infants (0-2) $15; credit cards accepted Day rates (meals included): adults $40; youth $30; children $20; infants $5. Day rates (no meals): adults $20; youth $15; children $10; infants $3 Pre-registration: June 4 (5 percent discount if pre-registered) Registrar: Susan P. Millett, Rancho Cucamonga, CA 91730; (909) 987-7129.

COLORADO (East) Camping Weekend Theme: "Physical Laws Can Teach Us About Spiritual Laws" Dates: July 16-18 Location: Pike Community Campgrounds, near Woodland Park Facilities: bring own equipment and food for camping Classes: all-ages classes with science stations; all-family learning Recreation: camping and lake facilities including boating Rates: $6 per person (any age) Registrar: Sandra Bolz, Lafayette, CO, 80026; (303) 666-9275

COLORADO (East) Summer School Theme: "The Kitáb-i-Aqdas" Dates: August 18-22 Location: Trinity Ranch, near Wetmore Facilities: dormitories for men and women; limited family cabins Classes: indoor and outdoor classes; also a meeting lodge and craft barns Recreation: beautiful surroundings offer horseback riding, archeological caves, fishing, volleyball, horseshoes, hiking trails Rates: very inexpensive; call for details Registrar: Sandra Bolz, Lafayette, CO, 80026; (303) 666-9275

COLORADO (West) Theme: "The Kitáb-i-Aqdas" Dates: June 17-20 Location: Camp Ilium, 5 miles east of Telluride Facilities: dormitory cabins, cafeteria-style meals Recreation: beautiful mountains at 8100 ft. elevation with cool, brisk nights; activities include hiking and volleyball Rates: adults $45; youth $35; junior youth $15; children $10; infants free Pre-registration: June 9 Registrar: Deby Allen-Bussard, P. O. Box 162, Ignacio, CO 81137; (303) 563-9359 [Page 27]

FLORIDA [Southern Flame Bahá’í outdoor activities School]

Theme: "Obedience to the Laws of Bahá’u’lláh: Footsteps to Glory" Teachers include NSA member Jack McCants, NTC member Paul Lample, Tahereh Ahdieh, Bob Harris. Performers include World Congress Gospel Choir, Tom Price, Nargus Fani. Exceptional pre-youth program highlighting the various systems of justice through role-playing. Dates: June 30-July 5 Location: Florida Institute of Technology, Melbourne, FL Facilities: air-conditioned dormitories (please bring own linens); cafeteria with salad and dessert bars (vegetarian meals available) Recreation: tennis and basketball courts, swimming pool. Bring your sunscreen! Dance floor for 2 youth dances and square dance. Rates (approximate): adults $200; youth (15-20) $190; junior youth and children (6-14) $170; infants (0-2) free Pre-registration: June 25 (rates discounted if pre-registered) Registrars: Phil and Vicki English, Pembroke Pines, FL 33024; (305) 435-0204

GEORGIA

Theme: "The Kitáb-i-Aqdas: Unsealing the Choice Wine of Bahá’u’lláh's Dispensation" Dates: August 6-8 Contact: Reginald and Natalie Colbert, Atlanta, GA 30342; (404) 239-0357

IDAHO (Southern)

Theme: "The Kitáb-i-Aqdas" Dates: June 26-July 1 Location: Luther Heights, at Alturas Lake Facilities: cabins, RV space, tent sites, trailer space Recreation: swimming, volleyball, horseshoes, canoeing, horseback riding Rates: adults and youth (11 and older) $100; children (3-11) $50; small children (0-3) $5 Pre-registration: May 21 Registrar: Andrea Determan, Blackfoot, ID 83221; (208) 785-0063

ILLINOIS [Heartland School]

Theme: "The Universal House of Justice" Dates: July 21-25 Location: Greenville College, Greenville, IL Facilities: air-conditioned dorms; cafeteria-style meals; air-conditioned classrooms Recreation: gymnasium, tennis courts, Pre-registration date: June 30 Registrar: Carl Clingenpeel, Naperville, IL 60563; (708) 778-0705

IOWA

Theme: "Shoghi Effendi: A Life of Obedience" Dates: July 7-11 Location: Briarcliff College, Sioux City Facilities: dormitories (some air-conditioned); camping; handicapped rooms available; cafeteria-style meals Recreation: gymnasium, arts/crafts rooms, green space on campus Meal prices (for set of 3 meals): adults and youth (12 and older) $14; children (5-12) $8.50; small children (0-4) free Rates: adult (21 and older) $40; youth and children $25; family maximum $130. Rates (if pre-registered): adults $30; youth $15; family $90 Pre-registration date: June 15 Registrar: Autumn Wagner, Boone, IA 50036; (515) 432-5162

KENTUCKY

School To Be Announced Contact: Susan Wilde, Jackson, KY 41339; (606) 666-4018

MARYLAND/VIRGINIA [Dayspring Bahá’í School]

Theme: "The Kitáb-i-Aqdas: The Most Holy Book of Bahá’u’lláh, The Charter of the Future World Civilization" Location: Frostburg State University, Frostburg Dates: July 30-August 2 Facilities: air-conditioned university dorms; university cafeteria Recreation: indoor pool, ballfields Registrar: BiBi Kearney, Vienna, VA 22180; (703) 938-9261

MINNESOTA

Theme: "The Charter of His New World Order: The Kitáb-i-Aqdas" Dates: August 18-22 Location: Camp Onomia, in Onamia Facilities: dormitories, camping, 4- and 6-person "apartments"; indoor classrooms with separate arts and crafts rooms Recreation: lake activities, boating, swimming, paddle boats, fishing, ball parks, children's play area with equipment, hiking trails in woods; join us for dawn prayers in boats on the lake! Registrar: Steve Grams, Willmar, MN 56201; (612) 235-6530

MISSISSIPPI

Theme: "The Kitáb-i-Aqdas" Dates: June 11-13 Location: University of Southern Mississippi, Gulf Port Branch, at Long Beach Facilities: nice air-conditioned facilities Recreation: school located on Gulf of Mexico, next to beach Contact: John Smith, Vicksburg, MS 39180; (601) 636-8628

MONTANA

Theme: "The Kitáb-i-Aqdas" Teachers include Farhad Sabetan, representative of the Trustees of Huqúqu’lláh Dates: July 25-31 Location: Luccock Park, near Livingston Facilities: rustic cabins with meals provided Recreation: near Yellowstone Park; hiking, swimming, horseback riding, rafting, volleyball Rates: Adults (16 and older) $115; youth (12-15) $90; children (5-11) $60; small children (0-4) $20 Day rates: adults (12 and older) $30; children (5-11) $20; small children $ 5 Pre-registration date: July 17 Registrar: Linda Wanzenreid, Lewistown, MT 59457; (406) 538-8047

NEBRASKA [Great Plains Bahá’í School]

Theme: "The Kitáb-i-Aqdas, Charter of the Future World Civilization" Dates: June 18-20 Location: Camp Comeca, near Cozad Facilities: meals served family style; 11 cabins with 14 beds, 8 cabins with 6 beds; also RV hookups and tent camping; air-conditioned craft and meeting rooms; cabins are on a hill overlooking Midway Lake in the Platte Valley Recreation: canoes, fishing, swimming pool, hiking, volleyball, basketball, horseshoes, softball, foosball, ping pong Rates: adults $45; youth (8-16) $35; children (4-7) $15; small children (0-4) free Pre-registration date: June 4 Registrar: Colin Taylor, North Platte, NE 69101: (308) 534-4939

NEVADA [Mountain Rose Bahá’í School]

Theme: "The Kitáb-i-Aqdas: Mystical and Social Implications" Dates: June 18-20 Location: special session at Bosch Bahá’í School, Santa Cruz, California Special pre-youth and youth classes; complete children's program Rates: adults $96; youth (11-20) $73; children (1-10) $47; infants free Day rates: adults $30; youth $26; children $20; Sunday only $20 (all ages) Pre-registration date: June 1 Registrar: Cathy Thayer, Carson City, NV 89703; (702) 882-4599

NEW JERSEY

Theme: "Connecting Our Hearts to the Covenant of Bahá’u’lláh" Dates: July 1-4 Location: Georgian Court College, Lakewood Facilities: dormitories; cafeteria-style meals Recreation: swimming, tennis, volleyball, basketball, bowling Registrar: Betty Ann Turko, Lakewood, NJ 08701; 908/367-2755

NEW YORK

Theme: "The Kitáb-i-Aqdas" Dates: August 13-22 Location: Oakwood School, Poughkeepsie Facilities: dormitories; cafeteria-style meals; air-conditioned classrooms Recreation: gymnasium, tennis courts Enjoy a trip to Mohonk Mountain House where ‘Abdu’l-Bahá spoke during His visit to America, and a performance of the play. "The King Fisher's Wing." Registrar: Charles and Barbara Clark, Middletown, NY 10940; (914) 342-4082

OREGON (East)

Theme: "The Kitáb-i-Aqdas" Dates: July 27-31 Location: Meadowood Speech Camp, Weston (35 miles north of Pendleton) Facilities: handicap-accessible; dormitories and private cabins; indoor and outdoor classrooms Recreation: swimming, hiking Registrar: Karlene Truax, Irrigon, OR 97844; (503) 922-5188

OREGON (West) [Badasht Bahá’í School]

Theme: "The Kitáb-i-Aqdas" Dates: August 11-15 Location: Camp Myrtlewood, 50 miles west of Roseburg Facilities: dining hall, cabins, a few RV spaces, tents, rustic forest setting with outdoor classes (adult classes in dining hall); limited cabin space-first come, first served Recreation: large meadow for field sports, some swimming in creek, hiking Rates: adults (21 and older), $60; youth (9-20), $48; children (2-8), $36; infants (0-1), free; maximum family rate (regardless of number), $205. Some youth work scholarships available. Pre-registration: by July 31 ($5 late fee) Registrar: Norman Ives, Coos Bay, OR 97060; (503) 267-3157

SOUTH CAROLINA

Theme: "The Kitáb-i-Aqdas: The Laws That Will Shape the Destiny of Humanity" Dates: June 10-13 Location: Louis G. Gregory Bahá’í Institute For scholarship information: phone Moses and Ursula Richardson at (803) 332-2411 Registration: Louis Gregory Bahá’í Institute, Rt. 2, Box 71, Hemingway, SC 29554; (803) 558-5093

TENNESSEE

Theme: "Rendezvous of Souls" Dates: September 3-6 Location: DuBose Conference Center, Monteagle Contact: Kaihan Strain, Hixson, TN 37343; (615) 842-1750

TEXAS

For information, contact: Walter Palmer, Allen, TX 75002; (214) 727-4310

WASHINGTON (East)/IDAHO (North)

For information, contact: Wendy Diessner, Lewiston, ID 83501; (208) 746-0273

WASHINGTON (West)

Theme: "The Kitáb-i-Aqdas and the Three Year Plan" Dates: August 6-10 Location: Brighton Creek Conference Grounds, McKenna Facilities: dormitory cabins; buffet- or family-style meals; indoor and outdoor cabins Recreation: swimming, outdoor activities, hiking Rates: adults (13 and older) $99; children (6-12) $60; smaller children (0-5) $25; family maximum, $250 Pre-registration: July 15 Registrar: Becky Cleere, P.O. Box 67, McKenna, WA 98558; (206) 458-3910

WISCONSIN

Theme: "The Kitáb-i-Aqdas: A Source of Blessing" Dates: July 12-16 Location: Byron Center, Brownsville Facilities: dining hall for family-style meals; semi-private with shared bath; separate classes grouped by age; nursery provided Recreation: volleyball, baseball, swimming pool, hiking trails, campfire pit Pre-registration date: June 30 Registrar: Lisa Riemer, West Bend, WI 53095; (414) 338-3023

GREEN LAKE CONFERENCE, WISCONSIN

Theme: "The Charter of the Future World Civilization" Dates: September 17-19 Location: American Baptist Assembly Conference Center, Green Lake Facilities: All rooms (including meals) are reserved through the Conference Center. Also camping and cabins available. For information regarding rates or to make reservations, contact: Green Lake Conference Center, 1-800-558-8898 Recreation: Beautiful 1,000-acre private conference grounds, with indoor swimming, golfing, hiking, boating, bicycling, and tennis Conference registration rates: adults (12 and older) $15; children (0-11) $10 Day students registration: facility fee of $2.50 per person (ages 12 and older); adults $10; family maximum $40 Note that Bahá’í Conference Fees are payable only at the time of registration. Do not send this payment in advance.

Program for youth and children (pre-registration required): A unique program of activities arranged to provide children and youth with a positive and memorable experience where bonds of friendship can be developed. This program focuses on reaching the hearts. Pre-registration deadline: August 20

Pre-registration correspondence: Janine Peterson, Stoughton, WI 53589; (608) 873-0962 For additional program-related information, contact: Carolyn Malouf, Cedarburg, WI 53012; (414) 375-0159 (after 6 pm)

The National Spiritual Assembly will hold its September 1993 meeting at the Green Lake Conference. In addition, the members of the National Assembly will present plenary addresses and workshops on the themes and issues of the Three Year Plan.

If you are traveling outside the United States for any reason, please contact the Office of Pioneering (708-869-9039) for information.

AZAMÁT B.E. 150/ MAY 17, 1993 [Page 28]

REGISTRATION FORM

(Please Print) NAME (Underline family name) How name should appear on registration badge. ORGANIZATION (If any) ADDRESS CITY STATE/PROVINCE COUNTRY PHONE (including area/country code) FAX (Optional) POSTAL CODE

HALF-PRICE REGISTRATION FOR YOUTH Check if person is a minor (under the age of 18) accompanied by an adult. Age: years..

REGISTRATION INFORMATION

Name of adult Full registration includes admission to all sessions of the Parliament (including seminars and workshops), August 28 - September 5, 1993. It includes preferential access to plenary events open to the public. Note: For a few events, seating is limited and tickets will be issued on a first-come, first-served basis. There may be an admission charge for some of the off-site cultural events, exhibits, and for post-Parliament retreats which are being organized by other groups in conjunction with the Parliament. Full registration DOES NOT include meals or accommodations. Refunds (less $25 for administrative costs) will be made on request, until July 31, 1993.

FULL REGISTRATION

Please circle appropriate dollar amount. Youth under age 18 (accompanied by an adult with full registration) may register for half the amounts shown below. Couples and families with children may save money by choosing family registration. Registrations received: Before June 1, 1993 $200 After June 1, 1993 $350

FAMILY REGISTRATION (For couples and/or parents with children)

For each additional person, please list: name, name for badge, relationship, and age. You may attach an additional page or duplicate of this form. Registrations received: Before June 1, 1993 $350 After June 1, 1993 $500

THREE-DAY REGISTRATION (Single person, no discounts)

The price of a three-day registration is $200. It includes all the benefits of a full registration but is limited to any three consecutive days of the Parliament. Please indicate desired dates and dollar amount enclosed. Dates $200

ONE-DAY REGISTRATION (Single person, no discounts)

The price of a single-day registration is $75. It includes all the benefits of a full registration but is limited to any one day of the Parliament. Please indicate desired date and dollar amount enclosed. Date $75

A limited number of half-price registrations will be available to persons without income. Please call or write for information. All payments must be made in U.S. funds. For checks drawn against non-U.S. banks, please add a $25 surcharge. Please make checks payable to the Council for a Parliament of the World's Religions, Post Office Box 1630, Chicago, IL 60690 U.S.A.

Total Payment $ Name of Cardholder Card expiration date Signature Card # Method of payment: Check VISA MasterCard Date

MOST OF THE EVENTS OF THE 1993 PARLIAMENT OF THE WORLD'S RELIGIONS WILL BE HELD AT THE PALMER HOUSE HILTON HOTEL, 17 EAST MONROE STREET, CHICAGO ILLINOIS 60603

LODGING (Individuals are responsible for making their own hotel arrangements)

A block of rooms has been set aside at the Palmer House at $78/room/night. Rooms may be occupied by up to four persons at no increase in the room price. Rooms will be available on a first-come, first-served basis. If you plan to stay at the Palmer House, call your travel advisor or Hilton Reservation Service at 1-800-HILTONS (445-8667). Outside the U.S., consult your travel advisor. The telephone number for the Palmer House is (312) 726-7500. Request the special room rate for the 1993 Parliament of the World's Religions.

There may be many suitable hotels in downtown Chicago. You are welcome to stay in any one of them. A list of hotels with special room rates for the Parliament is available. Please call or write to us for the list.

The following information will be helpful in case we need to communicate with you while you are attending the Parliament: I will be staying at: Palmer House, or other (Please indicate) I will have none 1 2 3 roommates, and they will be: 1 2 3 Telephone Number:.

MEALS

Meals are not included in the price of registration. Full-priced meals will be available at the Palmer House to Parliament registrants(with badge) at a cost of between $25-$30/day for three meals in any of the six hotel restaurants. There will be two Common Meals. Price and registration information for these events will be sent to you after receipt of your Parliament registration form and payment.

Parliament of Religions builds on a century of interfaith dialogue

One hundred years ago the people of the world came together in Chicago-there's no better time than now for this to happen again.

The 1993 Parliament of the World's Religions builds on a century of interfaith dialogue. One of the most far- reaching themes of the 1993 Parliament is its focus on the critical issues facing humankind.

All are welcome to gather in Chicago to listen to one another, to be challenged to find new ways of living peacefully and sustainably together, and to seek new visions for the future

Glimpses of the Parliament

A unique gathering of the world's religions to cel- ebrate their diversity in a spirit of harmony and under- standing . The centennial celebration of the 1893 World's Parliament of Religions, held in Chicago as part of the World Columbian Exposition, which marked the begin- ning of interfaith dialogue in the modern world. · Addresses and presentations by prominent religious leaders opening address by Native American elders- closing address by His Holiness the Dalai Lama · Consultative Assembly of religious and spiritual leaders 21st presentation of The Templeton Prize for Progress in Religion ⚫ Worship services, interfaith celebrations, medita- tions, sacred art, music, poetry, dance and theater

The Parliament will feature a variety of programs on a broad range of themes, including: The Human Community • Science and Technology ⚫ Government • Indigenous Peoples • Environment and Ecology • Peace The Next Generation Religion and Spirituality Race Harmony Ethics, Morality and Values •Interfaith Dialogue • Education Myth, Ritual and Tradition Women's and Men's Issues .The Inner Life Art, Music and Dance •Health, Healing and Wellness Business Economics and Justice

The time is right for this gathering. It coincides with a growing awareness of the limitations of our technological and political ingenuity. It responds to a growing confidence in the power of spiritual under- standing and the desire for wisdom.

If you are interested in attending the 1993 PARLIA- MENT OF THE WORLD'S RELIGIONS, please fill out the registration form and send it to: Council for a Parliament of the World's Religions, Post Office Box 1630, Chicago, IL 60690 U.S.A. Tele- phone 1-312-629-2990; Fax 1-312-629-2991

Bahá’í Center in Los Angeles hosts Black History Jubilee focusing on history through music, spoken word

On February 28, the Bahá’í Center in Los Angeles, California, was host to a Black History Jubilee, offering a brief but significant glimpse of black history through music and the spoken word.

Focusing on the various kinds of music spawned by the African-American community, the program included a medley of traditional songs by special guests the Delta Choraliers; a Bahá’í prayer chanted in Swahili by Muhtadia Rice; the prayer-song "Precious Lord," sung by Nicole Evans; the song "Forty Acres and a Mule" sung by Loni Kaye Harkless; jazz by the father-and-son duo of Steven and James King; a performance by the Los Angeles Bahá’í Youth Workshop; remarks on black history by Burrell Bullock; and an audience sing-along to "Lift Every Voice and Sing."

Art work by Nekessa Brooks and a photographic exhibit entitled "Africans in the Americas" were dis- played. [Page 29]

Reston, Virginia, Bahá’í community honors community leaders

On February 20, the Bahá’í community of Reston, Virginia, honored eight community leaders at an awards ceremony held as part of the community’s observance of Black History Month.

Receiving the awards were:

• Margaret Boyd for years of business, educational and community leadership.
• Beverly Colsham for music activities at the Reston Festival.
• Mel DeGree, a volunteer in the Mentor Program at Dogwood School.
• Emma Henri, an organist at Heritage Christian Church and active member of the Northwest Center for Community Mental Health’s advisory board.
• Otis Jones, a parent liaison and counselor at Terraset Elementary School.
• Dorothy Pearson, volunteer coordinator at Hunters Woods Elementary School.
• William B. Robertson, a former State Department official, educator and founder of the sister cities program between Reston and Nyeri, Kenya.
• Eileen Welch, a director of the Reston Board of Commerce who is active in community programs.

EXCELLENCE IN ALL THINGS

ERIC S. MONDSCHEIN, a Bahá’í who is director of the New York State Bar Association’s Law, Youth and Citizenship program, has been chosen by the American Bar Association to receive its 1993 award for outstanding achievement in law-related education. Mr. Mondschein, a leader in law-related education at the state level for more than 12 years, has gained national recognition as an advocate for such programs. Under his direction, the New York State Mock Trial Competition has become the nation’s largest statewide mock trial competition, involving nearly 7,000 students from more than 500 high schools. In 1988, President Reagan recognized the outstanding achievements of the state bar’s program, and Mr. Mondschein’s efforts, when he presented the Presidential Citation for Private Sector Initiative to the New York State Bar Association. Two years later, Mr. Mondschein directed an innovative program involving students from the U.S., Russia, Holland and Denmark in drafting a treaty on global reforestation that students presented to the International Court of Justice in The Hague.

DR. JAVAD KASHANI, a Bahá’í from Columbia, Missouri, who is a professor of psychiatry at the University of Missouri, was honored recently by the National Alliance for the Mentally Ill for his years of dedication and compassionate advocacy of the plight of the nation’s mentally ill.

MEHR MANSURI, a Bahá’í from Los Angeles, has received excellent reviews in the local press for her performance in "Red Devils," a play about racial and class discrimination in Great Britain. "[Her] characterization," said one critic, "is honest and detailed..." "...the self-assured actors," said another, "turn in memorable performances that make their characters both lovable and repellent." "Mansuri’s peculiar gift as an actor," said a third, "is her restraint, her poise, her fortitude in the midst of a hurricane of hostility." Ms. Mansuri, who was born in Iran, earned a B.A. degree in English and drama from the University of California-Irvine.

JOHN S. HATCHER, a Bahá’í who is a professor of English at the University of South Florida in Tampa, is listed as one of five scholars of the Faith in the most recent edition of the prestigious Encyclopédie Philosophique Universelle, Vol. III, published by the Presses Universitairs de France. Dr. Hatcher’s book, The Purpose of Physical Reality, now in its third printing, was reviewed in this volume by Dr. Robert Stockman, head of the Research Department at the Bahá’í National Center. Also, on February 5, Dr. Hatcher was promoted to 5th Dan Black Belt (the rank of Master) in the Korean martial art of Tae Kwon Do, which he has been studying for 18 years.

SHIREEN TAYLOR, a Bahá’í youth from Ashland, Oregon, was chosen by the Ashland Rotary Club as a recent Student of the Month. She is secretary-treasurer of the Ashland High School senior class, editor of the school newspaper, vice-president of the Honor Society, captain of the varsity girls swim team, a member of the International Club and Key Club, and a volunteer coach for the Special Olympics.

MICHAEL FITZGERALD, a Bahá’í from Winchester, Virginia, was recently made a permanent member of the Academy of American Poets. Mr. Fitzgerald has also entered into an agreement with a publishing company to distribute in the U.S. and abroad tapes of his music and poetry including his work with Bahá’í musician Marvin (Doc) Holladay.

DR. ORVILLE H. MINNEY, a Bahá’í who lives in Cambridge Springs, Pennsylvania, has been elected president of Youth Activities of Cambridge Springs Inc., a non-profit group established in 1952 to unify community programs for young people. Since moving to Cambridge Springs last year from New York, Dr. Minney has been elected chairman of the Cambridge Springs Senior Center Council and now president of Youth Activities.

FUAD AKTAR-KHAVARI, a Bahá’í from Shawnee, Oklahoma, has received a service award from his employer, the Eaton Corporation, for his work with the NAACP, a local elementary school, and American Indians. The award includes a $1,000 grant to be given to his favorite charity.

In March, KRISTIN LEINA'ALA MCCARTER-VEECK, a Bahá’í fourth-grade student at Boulder Creek (California) Elementary School, received awards for outstanding academic achievement, perfect attendance during the first half of the school year, and a perfect score in the school’s Spell-a-Thon contest. She was also recognized for raising the most funds to help purchase athletic equipment for the school.

Pictured (left to right) are members of the Bahá’í Association of the University of Texas Health Science Center-San Antonio: Babak Tashakkor, Ruth Hernandez, Shahed Ziari, Alison Ziari, Julie Dearrington, Jennette Rush and Teresa Scott. Not pictured are Letreise Winkfield, John Dearrington and Kambiz Derakhshani.

Bahá’í Association at U. Texas Health Science Center establishes Forum on Race Unity to discuss issues

The Bahá’í Association of the University of Texas Health Science Center-San Antonio (UTHSC-SA) has established a Forum on Race Unity to give students, faculty and staff on campus an opportunity to discuss issues of race unity and cultural awareness, especially in the health-related professions.

As of April, the Forum had met nine times with attendance ranging from 35 to 100 non-Bahá’ís, many of whom have accepted information about the Faith including copies of "The Promise of World Peace" and "The Vision of Race Unity." Topics have included stereotyping, unconscious racism, the roles of blacks and whites in promoting race unity, interracial marriage, and racism in health care provider-patient situations.

The Bahá’í Association sponsors weekly firesides to supplement the Forum. Since the project began last September a medical student, two dental students, and the spouse of one have declared, while many others have heard of the Faith for the first time.

As a direct result of the Forum on Race Unity, the UTHSC-SA administration is organizing a campus-wide afternoon retreat for cultural awareness for faculty and staff. The Bahá’í Association was the only campus group invited to take part in the planning.

Also, a Nursing Student Association has applauded the efforts of the Bahá’í Association, and incorporated a Race Unity Forum into the schoolwide observance of Black History Week in February.

The Forum has also been featured in two campus newspapers. It has been supported by the Bahá’ís of Bexar County and San Antonio who have attended the meetings and provided lunches for the students.

LETTERS

"The shining spark of truth cometh forth only after the clash of differing opinions."—‘Abdu’l-Bahá

The American Bahá’í welcomes letters to the editor on any topic of general interest. The purpose of the "letters" column is to allow a free and open exchange of ideas and opinions, never to denigrate another’s views or to attack anyone personally. Opinions expressed in these columns are those of the writers, and are not necessarily those of the National Spiritual Assembly or the editors.

Letters should be as brief as possible (a 250-word maximum is suggested) and are subject to editing for length and style. Please address all letters to The Editor, The American Bahá’í, Bahá’í National Center, Wilmette, IL 60091.

Thornton Chase memorial

To the American Bahá’í community

The Spiritual Assembly of Inglewood, California, and the Thornton Chase Memorial Bahá’í Intercommunity Committee greet you with love and respect. We are making plans for the 81st annual Commemorative Service for the esteemed Thornton Chase.

It is incumbent upon this committee to maintain this hallowed spot in a beautiful and tasteful condition. The past few years we have been working diligently to complete the plans for a simple and elegant monument to be erected at the gravesite of Thornton Chase. We want you to know that the devoted Bahá’ís working on this monument are not paid for their services.

‘Abdu’l-Bahá visited this spot and made it sacred by His presence. He gave a wonderful description of Thornton Chase. He then said:

"I came from San Francisco to see you and visit Mr. Chase’s grave. Truly Mr. Chase was a glorious personage, having no desire save the good pleasure of God. His attention was directed to the Kingdom of God. He served during his lifetime. He was not at all wanting in service. He compiled several books proving the validity of the Movement. As much as he could, he endeavored to guide the people. You will never forget him, may you ever remember him, be ever respectful to his family and be a source of comfort to them. As many times as possible, at least once a year, you should make it a point to visit his tomb, for his spirit will be exhilarated through the loyalty of the friends, and in the worlds of God will it be happy. The friends of God must be kind to one another whether it be in life or after death."

Afterward, ‘Abdu’l-Bahá revealed a lovely prayer for Thornton Chase and said that he was the first American Bahá’í.

It had been suggested to this committee that the American Bahá’í community should be informed of this remarkable project, as the Bahá’ís have a right to know and to have the privilege, bounty and joy... [Page 30]

ENTREVISTA El Noticiero Bahá’í

El Sr. Charles Nolley es director del Media Services de la Asamblea Espiritual Nacional de los Bahá’ís de los Estados Unidos.

IB: Sr. Nolley, ¿quién es el productor actual de Noticiero Bahá’í?

CN: El productor is la Asamblea Espiritual Nacional de los Bahá’ís de los Estados Unidos. Al principio, la idea era producir un programa de video para difundir las noticias a los bahá’ís estadounidenses. Poco a poco, se ha convertido en algo más internacional. El trabajo de producción lo hace el personal de Media Services; por supuesto, contamos con la ayuda de muchos amigos en todo el mundo.

IB: ¿Con qué frecuencia se produce el Noticiero?

CN: Es una producción trimestral. Generalmente sale en Abril, Agosto y Diciembre, en inglés, francés y español.

IB: ¿Más o menos qué cantidad de cinta grabada reciben para cada edición del Noticiero?

CN: Ya que la gente se ha ido enterado del Noticiero, y de cómo se hace para contribuir al mismo, la cantidad de cinta grabada ha incrementado. Para el Noticiero 3.1, que salió para Ridván, recibimos más de 300 horas de grabaciones. Si lo calculamos en términos redondos, representa más de 7 semanas solo para revisarlo, y una enorme cantidad de horas para editarlo.

IB: ¿De dónde viene esta cinta?

CN: ¡Qué se imaginan! Hay cada vez mayor número de bahá’ís que están intersados en la producción de video, y, en lo posible, tratamos de tener contacto con todos ellos. Nos mantenemos en contacto con las Asambleas Nacionales, los Consejeros, los maestros viajeros, y todos los que de alguna manera pudieran ser de ayuda. También recurrimos a fuentes profesionales fuera de la Fe, tales como canales de T.V. nacionales y locales, las Naciones Unidas, y los archivos de CNN, de modo que, a nivel profesional, estamos, estableciendo buenas relaciones. A veces, nosotros mismos registramos los eventos.

IB: ¿Hay alguna parte del mundo de donde quisieran recibir más material?

CN: Creo que necesitamos de todas partes del mundo. Quizás el área más difícil ha sido Africa. También tenemos dificultad en cubrir al Pacífico, aunque sabemos que hay muchas actividades importantes allí. Quisiéramos recibir más información de América Latina. El área que ha sido mejor reportada durante los últimos años ha sido Europa Oriental, debido al gran flujo de visantes que recibe.

IB: ¿Quién está filmado las actividades allí?

CN: En verdad, todo el mundo. Siempre que un miembro de nuestro personal tiene que viajar, tratamos de coordinar el viaje con la cobertura de algún evento. A veces lo coordinamos con otra produción que tenemos entre mano. Por lo general, los camarógrafos son profesionales en el campo, o si no, semi-profesionales o aficionados con bastante experiencia. Pero no todos son así; algunas son novatos en esta tecnología, sin conocimientos del campo. Una gran parte del Noticiaro se toma con cámaras comerciales, en vez de Betacam o cinta de 3/4 pulgadas.

Como ejemplo, tenemos la historia de los refugiados liberianos en la Costa Marfil. Hablamos con Joany Lincoln, ya que ella tiene interés en el campo. Le prestamos un camcorder pequeño para que se lo llevara a la Africa. Ella lo entregó a otras personas que lo llevaron a las aldeas remotas donde los bahá’ís habían construido sedes y estaban realizado proyectos de desarrollo y enseñanza de la Fe. Todas las entrevistas para esta producción, con los jefes de las aldeas, los bahá’ís, los miembros del Cuerpo Auxiliar, los Consejeros y los demás; todas fueron realizadas por bahá’ís residentes en la zona. La historia se desarrolló bien, fue muy conmovedora en cuanto a los esfuerzos y logros de los bahá’ís; de hecho, parecía un reportaje profesional, aunque dudo que las personas involucradas tuviesen alguna experiencia anterior en este tipo de cosa.

EL SR. CHARLES NOLLEY

IB: ¿Que consejo les daría a los que quieren hacer aportes al Noticiero?

CN: Primero, planifiquen bien lo que se va a grabar; identifiquen la historia que quieren contar. Luego, piensen en términos del desarrollo de la historia, en vez de simplemente tomar imágenes de un evento interesante. Este método les permitirá tener una estructura, lo que en sí va a hacer que se tome las imágenes necesarias para que las podamos editar y así revelar la historia planteada. Además, hay que recordar que está relatando una historia a través de imágenes, entonces, es importante tratar de hacer la mejor grabación posible. Este es un asunto técnico que se puede resolver buscando personal con experiencia para registrar las historias. Tenemos disponible unos lineamientos generales, que se pueden solicitar a nuestra oficina....

IB ¿Qué sucede si alguna comunidad bahá’í tiene programado un evento de verdadero impacto, pero no hay nadie dentro del grupo con camcorder? ¿Qué puede hacer para registrar al evento?

CN: Las comunidades son ingeniosas para hacer esas cosas. En términos generales, la tecnología está bastante asequible. A veces, hemos mandado las cámaras, aunque esto es difícil a nivel internacional, porque no se puede enviar equipos no acompañados. A veces, se puede buscar los servicios de algún profesional. Si el evento es grande, se puede consultar con las instituciones bahá’ís y se hallará la forma de hacerlo. Tenemos un presupuesto de producción muy limitado, pero a veces, colaboramos con las comunidades locales y así, hemos podido reportar algunos eventos que, de otros modos, no hubieran llegado al mundo bahá’í, lo que hubiera sido lamentable. Me refiero en particular a los sucesos en Brasil, durante la conferencia sobre el medio ambiente en mayo, y la sesión solemne de la Cámara de Diputados en honor al Centenario de la Ascensión de Bahá’u’lláh.

IB: El Noticiero ha sido muy bien recibido en todas partes del mundo, según los comentarios que hemos recibido. ¿Cómo lo están usando?

CN: De muchas formas. Aquí en los EUA, todas las Asambleas y grupos lo reciben las Asambleas y grupos lo reciben y lo ven durante la Fiesta de 19 Días. Con frecuencia, lo estrenan en reuniones públicas. Aunque fue diseñado para ser órgano de comunicación para los amigos bahá’ís, muchas personas lo usan para enseñar la Fe a sus amigos. Por lo tanto, ahora tratamos de desarrollar las historias de forma que tengan sentido para una audiencia no-bahá’í.

Algunas personas lo editan, y agregan historias de interés local. En otros países, también los envían para uso en la Fiesta de 19 Dias. Ha salido por televisión en algunas partes, y se ha usado como material de procucción para hacer cintas de video de introducción a la Fe para personas no-bahá’ís. Nos complace mucho los mútiples usos que se han encontrado para el Noticiero.

IB: ¿Cómo se distribuye el Noticiero?

CN: A nivel internacional, se hace la distribución principalmente por medio de la oficina de Servicios Visuales del IBAVC. Queremos que las personas se hagan suscriptores al Noticiero, en ves de comprarlo a detal. Así podemos bajar los costos. Se están usando diferentes modalidades de distribución. A veces enviamos un sub-master a un país dado, además de las etiquetas y ellos lo duplican y lo distribuyen en su país o región. Otros países optan por conseguir las copias VHS necesarias para su país directamente de Servicios Visuales. Ya dije que en los EUA se distribuye directamente a las Asambleas y grupos bahá’ís; así lo hacen en algunos otros países también. Además, en los EUA, los particulares se pueden subscribir al Noticiero.

IB: ¿Cuáles son los pasos a seguir si alguna comunidad quiere transmitir partes del Noticiero y necesitan cinta de calidad profesional?

CN: Si alguien tiene posibilidades de transmitir el Noticiero, puede obtener la cinta directamente de nosotros; estamos trabajando en la adaptación del Noticiero para la transmisión televisiva. Los Noticieros y otras producciones de video se pueden obtener de la oficina de Servicios Visuales en formatos profesionales y en cualquier de los standards; NTSC, SECAM y PAL. También se les suministra cualquier información acerca de derechos de autor y restricciones en cuanto a su transmisión, etc.

IB: Se puede imaginar que hay muchas instituciones que quisieran publicar y promocionar sus proyectos. ¿Qué política tiene en cuanto a lo que se puede incluir en el Noticiero?

CN: De hecho, estamos luchando para definir el rol apropiado para un noticiero de este índole, en cuanto a los objetivos bahá’ís. Si el Noticiero va a salir como un instrumento de reportaje sobre actividades bahá’ís en el mundo, entonces esto es lo que debe ser; no debe tener otros motivos. Es nuestra esperanza que el Noticiero apoye a los esfuerzos de las instituciones de la Fe. Paralelamente, tratamos de enfocar lo que es noticia, y no solamente los objetivos trazados para una actividad dada.

Es interesante tratar de determinar: ¿en base a qué decidimos lo que es noticia? en el contexto de que somos todos bahá’ís y trabajamos por las instituciones de la Fe. Hemos sacado algunas conclusiones tentativas, entre ellas, que se debe reportar aquellos sucesos que promueven el Plan de Dios, somo es expresado por los planes de la Casa Universal de Justicia. Ahora, si tomamos esto como definición de lo que es noticia, entonces debemos esforzarnos por informar sobre los objetivos de estos planes. Si lo podemos reportar de manera que estimule mayor actividad de parte de los demás bahá’ís, sería maravilloso. Sin enbargo, personalmente creo que esto deber ser un afecto secundario; es esencial para la probidad del proyecto. Si llega a ser nuestra meta, entonces no somos un órgano noticiero sino uno de manipulación El Noticiero no es sólo la expresión de nuestras esperanzas, sino una expresión de logros reales, No hay que exagerar el reportaje, ya que los logros de la comunidad bahá’í valen por si solos; sólo hay que decir la verdad.

IB: Charles, ¿cuál considera Ud. es el objetivo principal que se quiere lograr a través del Noticiero?

CN: A mí me parece que el objetivo debe ser el de crear un nexo que una a los bahá’ís de diferentes partes del mundo, para que en verdad podamos apreciar y ver el poder de esta causa en acción.

IB: Muchas gracias, Charles. En otra oportunidad, quizás podamos hablar de la capacidad de traducción en diversos idiomas que se está dessarrollando en Media Services. Será un placer para nosotros.

Esta entrevista es una reproducción de la revista AV Media, Boletin Noticiero del Centro Audio/Visual Bahá’í Internacional (Numero 14, November '92)

Si desea obtener una copia del Noticiero Bahá’í en Español, solicito de: Oficina de Servicios Visuales, P.O. Box 7010, Deerfield, IL 60015-7010. Su costo es de $16.95 mas gastos de envío.

Tyler, Texas, Bahá’ís organize memorial to Justice Marshall

On three separate days, newspapers in Tyler, Texas, credited the Bahá’í community for organizing a well-attended memorial service for U.S. Supreme Court Justice Thurgood Marshall. Each article referred to the Bahá’í emphasis on racial harmony.

About 400 people attended the interracial memorial service February 9 at the Catholic Cathedral in Tyler at which prayers and other passages were read by Jews, Muslims, Christians, Unitarians and Bahá’ís, and comments about Judge Marshall's life and career were offered by Federal District Judge William Wayne Justice.

Dr. David Morris, a member of the Bahá’í community of Tyler, was co-chairman of the event.

600 at Massanetta Springs

Six hundred Bahá’ís from a dozen states and the District of Columbia attended last September's Massanetta Springs (Virginia) Bahá’í Conference.

The annual event, which includes speakers, workshops, entertainment and recreation in a lovely woodland setting, is sponsored by the Spiritual Assembly of Staunton. [Page 31]

Entry by troops? In Merced, California, it's a fact

Last December, the Bahá’í community of Merced, California, consisted of four active believers. As of April, after a concerted effort to reach Southeast Asians in the Merced area, the community numbered 92-36 adults, eight youth, and 48 children, most of whom are taking an active part in helping the community grow and deepen.

Last New Year's eve, Puran Stevens, director of the U.S. Bahá’í Refugee Office, visited Merced with Jennifer Muratori of Modesto. With Bahá’ís from Merced, they visited Roger Chong Cher Chang, his wife, Phoua Thor, and their eight children.

Mr. Chang, after talking with his cousin, Chue Chang, who had recently returned from the Bahá’í World Congress in New York City, had expressed his desire to embrace the Cause of Bahá’u’lláh.

The Chang family became Bahá’ís, and at his first Feast, Mr. Chang asked if he could host the Naw-Rúz celebration at his home. Shortly afterward, Mr. Chang's brother, Xiong Chang; his wife, Tang, and their four children; their father, Xia Cho Chang; his wife, Kong, and their three teen-agers were enrolled in the Faith.

Five other Hmong Bahá’ís recently moved to Merced from Sacramento. Afterward, one of their wives, May Yang, embraced the Cause.

Roger Chang's brother-in-law, Chong Chee Thor of Suison City, was enrolled in Merced a few days later with his wife, Zou C. Thor, and their three children.

On March 27, a young man from Modesto declared his belief in Bahá’u’lláh at a fireside. He was the guest of the speaker's family.

The Bahá’ís in Merced are busily consolidating these recent gains, helping to deepen the new believers and providing opportunities for them to take an active part in community life.

Materials are in short supply, and literature in English, Hmong and Lao, cassette tapes, video tapes, prayer books, magazines, pictures of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, Bahá’í calendars, day books, and other materials would be most welcome.

If you are able to help in any way to keep the momentum going in Merced, please contact the U.S. Bahá’í Refugee Office, Bahá’í National Center, Wilmette, IL 60091 (phone 708-869-9039; fax 708-869-0247).

Bahá’ís from Merced, California, whose four-member community has grown over the past several moths from four adults to include 36 adults, eight youth and 48 children, gather for this year's Naw-Rúz celebration.

Landegg Academy offers Arjmand grant to provide financial help to researchers

To provide financial help for those who are conducting research and studies on the Faith, the Board of Directors of Landegg Academy is offering the Haj Mehdi Arjmand Fellowship Award.

The Fellowship is not normally meant to cover salaries, but such out-of-pocket expenses as purchasing books, supplies and equipment as well as expenses related to necessary travel, communications, photocopying, editing and publishing.

Awards are normally made for one year, with an application deadline of Naw-Rúz (March 21), for amounts from U.S. $500 to $3,000. Applications received after Naw-Rúz may be considered for the following year. (This year's deadline has been extended to Ridván.)

An application process is used to identify why the award is needed, how it would be used, and what would result. One's application is expected to include the following:

A form summarizing all information; a curriculum vitae; a personal statement, no more than three double-spaced pages, describing the research project and its anticipated results; a timetable stating when the applicant anticipates completing the various phases of the project; a budget of the project's expenses (whether to be covered by the award or not); and any appendices the applicant wishes to include, such as examples of previous research.

Awards are announced during Ridván and the award money made available for use at the beginning of the summer.

The Fellowship program is managed in collaboration with the Association for Bahá’í Studies in North America and English-speaking Europe and coordinated by Drs. Moojan Momen and Robert Stockman.

Inquiries and applications should be addressed to: Landegg Academy's Secretariat, St. Gallen, Switzerland. Telephone (41-71) 28 60 22: fax (41-71) 28 21 32.

New publications available in Vietnamese

The U.S. Bahá’í Refugee Office is pleased to announce the availability of two new publications in Vietnamese:

• "Duc Tin Bahá’í" is an introduction to the Faith written by Mr. Truong Tan Thanh and edited by Ms. Van Le. It can be purchased from the Refugee Office for $1 each.
• "Ban Kinh Cua Duc," published by the National Spiritual Assembly of Malaysia, is now available from the Refugee Office for $4 each. This wonderful 210-page book consists of daily readings and can help people learn English by comparing the quotations in Vietnamese with the exact quotation in English on the facing page.

To order, write to the U.S. Bahá’í Refugee Office, Bahá’í National Center, Wilmette, IL 60091.

Correcting an oversight

Although we tried to be as comprehensive as humanly possible in our coverage of the second Bahá’í World Congress last November, it was inevitable that some aspects would be overlooked. One of these was a well-received classical concert presented on Monday evening, November 23, at the Waldorf Astoria Hotel. Performers included vocalist Roya Bauman, pianist Lea Gentile, and cellist Lev Evgarov from Russia, accompanied by his mother on piano. We are happy to acknowledge their contributions in making the Congress such an artistic as well as spiritual success.

"The more one can give, the better it is..." National Bahá’í Fund Wilmette, IL 60091

of contributing to this historic monument. Contributions may be sent to the Spiritual Assembly of Inglewood, P.O. Box 587, Inglewood, CA 90301.

We plan to complete the monument in time for the 81st Memorial Service to be held Sunday, September 26, at the Inglewood Park Cemetery.

With loving Bahá’í greetings,

Barbara Bray West, secretary Thornton Chase Memorial Bahá’í Intercommunity Committee San Pedro, California

Mourning AIDS victims

To the Editor:

During the first week of 1993, people of all religions mourned the loss of renowned musician Dizzy Gillespie and acclaimed dancer Rudolph Nureyev.

At the same time many of us in America were grieved at the passing of two other magnificent, funny, talented, loving human beings whose deaths were not given notice on international news broadcasts: Byron Hopper and Mark Hopkins.

Each proudly proclaimed that they were Bahá’ís, and both unashamedly informed people that they had AIDS. I last saw my sensitive Bahá’í brother Byron and my expressive Bahá’í brother Mark a few months ago at a Bahá’í conference on AIDS at the Bosch Bahá’í School.

Byron spoke about his love for Bahá’u’lláh and for his wife, Maryann, a radiant Bahá’í who died of AIDS four years ago. Mark also spoke of his love for Bahá’u’lláh and for his "tower of strength," wife Barbara, whose love, he said, had sustained him through years of pain.

Each spoke of his intense, overwhelming love and concern for his children, and each shared his tests and difficulties, joys and bounties as Bahá’ís with AIDS.

Since news of their passing was not noted on the nightly news, I wanted to broadcast through the Bahá’í information channels that the American Bahá’í community has lost two beautiful Bahá’ís from AIDS; they aren't the first, nor will they be the last claimed by this dread disease.

But they didn't live their earthly lives alone, and they didn't pass on to God's other realms alone. They lived and died engulfed, surrounded, filled, and even enmeshed in love from many of their Bahá’í brothers and sisters. To Byron and Mark—Ya Bahá’u’l-Abhá, and thank you for your radiance!

Joseph Galata Reno, Nevada

No 'black' or 'white'

To the Editor:

I've seen so many letters about race, color, prejudice, etc., that it was refreshing to read Andren'ea (isn't that a lovely name?) King's well-thought-out and well-written letter to The American Bahá’í (‘Alá, B.E. 149).

It got me to thinking: I'm not a painter, but my mother was, and I've got some idea of what she put on her palette when preparing to paint one of the many portraits for which she became well known.

She would put maybe two or three blobs of blues of varying shades; ditto for greens, reds, and several other colors including probably some white and black. Then, as she painted the many skin tones of her subject, she would squint her eyes and furiously mix maybe some blue and white, with now a little green dashed in, or a spot of red or orange tone; maybe a brown splotch here, and a mixture of darker shades for shadow there, or a slash of white for a highlight.

But do you know what? White is the color of the paper on which you are reading this letter, and black is the color of the ink that makes up these letters and words. But I never saw my mother paint anyone whose skin was either of those colors.

Sometimes someone will ask me if it's true that my grandchildren are "black." I'll think for a moment and say, "Noooo...not really. Shanta is more of a dusty purple, and Leili is sort of tan-melding-to-brown, I think."

I've been in 36 countries, and as a cultural anthropologist, am interested in culture and the things that go to make it up. But would you like to know something strange? I've never seen a "white" person or a "black" person. Have you?

James Walker Brasilia, Brazil [Page 32]ای عزیزان، شما می‌توانید با استفاده از صفات ستوده میراث فرهنگی خود به گسترش وحدت حقیقی در جامعۀ بهائی مدد نمائید. محفل روحانی ملی به وفاداری و ایثار آن عزیزان نسبت به حضرت بهاء‌الله و فداکاری و استقامتی که جامعۀ مهد امرالله به درگاه الهی تقدیم نموده، اطمینان دارد و می‌داند که آن عزیزان به پا خواهند خاست تا نقشی مهم در ایفای وظائفی که بر عهده داریم بر دوش گیرند.

با تحیات گرم و دوستانه محفل روحانی ملی بهائیان ایالات متحده منشی: رابرت سی هندرسن

انتشار کتاب اقدس به زبان انگلیسی

PUBLICATION OF THE KITAB-I AQDAS

چنانکه دوستان عزیز آگاهی دارند، ترجمۀ کتاب اقدس به زبان انگلیسی یکی از اهدافی بود که بیت‌العدل اعظم الهی برای "سال مقدس" تعیین فرموده بودند. به تصریح معهد اعلی انتشار ترجمۀ مذکور سرآغاز مرحلۀ نوینی از پیشرفت امر مبارک به شمار می‌رود.

ترجمۀ کتاب مستطاب اقدس در ماه گذشته انتشار یافت. کتابی که اکنون در دسترس اهل بهاء قرار گرفته، حاوی ترجمۀ کامل کتاب اقدس و مشتمل بر همۀ فقراتی است که از پیش توسط حضرت ولی امرالله در آثار گوناگون آن حضرت ترجمه شده بود. تهیۀ مقدمۀ این ترجمه توسط بیت‌العدل اعظم صورت گرفته است. همچنین رسالۀ سؤال و جواب که از آن بعنوان متمم کتاب اقدس یاد شده، ترجمه و بر اصل کتاب افزوده شده است. دیگر ملحقات کتاب عبارت است از: مجموعۀ تلخیص و تدوین حدود و احکام کتاب مستطاب اقدس؛ حواشی و توضیحات؛ شرح کلمات و اصطلاحات؛ فهرست موضوعی.

دوستان عزیز می‌توانند ترجمۀ کتاب اقدس را از طریق مؤسسۀ توزیع مطبوعات امری Bahá’í Distribution Service تهیه فرمایند. تلفن: ۹۹۹-۹۰۱۹ (۸۰۰).

مصاحبه رادیویی با امة‌البهاء روحیه خانم

AMATU’L-BAHÁ ON BAHÁ’Í RADIO TALK SHOW

روز ۱۳ مارچ سال جاری ایادی امرالله، امة‌البهاء روحیه خانم در یک مصاحبۀ رادیوئی شرکت فرمودند. این برنامۀ رادیوئی یک سال است که آغاز شده است و با عنوان "امر بهائی در جنوب کالیفرنیا" در آن منطقه تهیه و در همانجا پخش می‌شود. برنامۀ مصاحبه از ساعت ۱۱ تا ۱۲ بعد از ظهر به طول انجامید و حدود ۲۰۰۰ نفر شنونده داشت. مصاحبه به طور مستقیم پخش می‌شد و در زمان مصاحبه روحیه خانم در حیفا بودند. مصاحبه‌کننده جناب جیمز نلسن، رئیس محفل روحانی ملی سال‌ها است که با حضرت خانم آشنائی دارد.

از جمله مطالبی که امة‌البهاء به بحث دربارۀ آن پرداختند، عبارت بود از: تربیت روحانی بعنوان یک جریان مداوم برای همۀ مردمان؛ اهمیت طبیعت و حفظ ارتباط با آن؛ تأثیرات شدیدی که هر فرد می‌تواند بر اجتماع داشته باشد؛ رمز و کارکرد روحانی سختی‌ها و امتحانات.

حضرت خانم در ضمن مصاحبه از شنوندگان دعوت کردند که دربارۀ دریای آثار حضرت بهاء‌الله تحری کنند و بدون ملاحظه ظرفیت خود بهره کاملی از آن برگیرند.

سومین کنفرانس انجمن ادب و فرهنگ ایرانی

THIRD CONFERENCE OF PERSIAN ARTS AND CULTURE ASSOCIATION

سومین کنفرانس انجمن ادب و فرهنگ ایرانی از اول تا چهارم آپریل سال جاری در مانت ایگل Monteagle واقع در ایالت تنسی تشکیل گردید. حدود ۱۵۰ نفر برای کنفرانس نام‌نویسی کرده بودند، اما در زمان اجرای برنامه‌های هنری تعداد شرکت‌کنندگان بیش از رقم مذکور بود.

در روز اول کنفرانس دکتر آهنگ ربانی بر اساس یادداشت‌های جناب میرزا حبیب‌الله افنان شرحی دربارۀ ۹ ماه آخر حیات عنصری حضرت بهاء‌الله بیان نمود. جناب افنان در دورۀ مذکور در حضور مبارک به سر می‌بردند. پس از شرح مذکور جناب دکتر نصرالله راسخ اهمیت ظهور حضرت بهاء‌الله را در تاریخ جهان بررسی نمود.

قرار است در برنامه‌های آینده از حضور جناب دیوید هافمن، عضو سابق بیت‌العدل اعظم، و برخی از اعضای محافل روحانی ملی ایالات متحده و جزائر ویرجین و یکی از توابع آفریقای جنوبی استفاده شود.

روز دوم کنفرانس دکتر عطاء‌الله راسخ و دکتر فیروز کاظم‌زاده تحولات فکری و فلسفی و اجتماعی جهان غرب را مورد بررسی قرار دادند و روندهایی را که از زمان صعود مبارک تا کنون در عرصۀ جهان رخ داده است، تشریح کردند.

شخصیت ادبی جناب میرزا علی‌محمد ادیب بیضائی کاشانی (۱۸۸۰-۱۹۳۳) را جناب دکتر علی توانگر و آقای بیژن بیضائی (برادر زادۀ ادیب بیضائی) مورد مطالعه قرار دادند و زندگی و آثار نظم و نثر و خدمات امری ایشان را بررسی کردند.

خانم ماه مهر گلستانه دربارۀ تعریف هنر و هنرمند و کاربرد هنر در ترویج امر الهی سخنرانی‌هایی کردند که یکی از آن‌ها با نمایش اسلایدهایی از آثار هنری ایشان همراه بود.

غروب و شب با برنامه‌های شعرخوانی و موسیقی و آواز و دکلمه گذشت و حاضران را از نشئۀ روحانی سرشار کرد.

در یکی از جلسات همزمان آثار خوشنویسی و نقاشی آقای بیژن فردوسی، عضو کانون خوشنویسان ایران، به نمایش گذاشته شد. آقای فردوسی در ضمن نمایش آثارش به بیان مقدماتی دربارۀ هنر خوشنویسی پرداخت. بعضی از علاقه‌مندان هم به شوق آمده دست به تمرین خطاطی زدند.

در یکی دیگر از جلسات همزمان شرکت‌کنندگان به راهنمائی دکتر علی توانگر مروری کلی بر کتاب اقدس کردند.

این کنفرانس در حدود ظهر روز یکشنبه پس از ارزیابی کلی از برنامه‌ها و منظور اصلی از تشکیل جلسات پایان یافت.

چهارمین کنفرانس انجمن قرار است در اواخر ماه می سال ۱۹۹۴ در شیکاگو تشکیل شود. از هم اکنون از اهل ادب و هنر و دیگر علاقه‌مندان دعوت می‌شود که برای شرکت در آن کنفرانس و ارائه مقالات و اجرای برنامه‌های هنری مربوط به ادب و فرهنگ ایران اعم از گذشته یا معاصر با هیئت اجرائی انجمن تماس حاصل نمایند.

برخی دیگر از موضوعات مورد نظر در زیر خواهد آمد:

• فرهنگ و تعاریف آن در معارف بهائی
• تعلیم و تربیت به علم و خط و تأثیرات فرهنگی آن
• علم و حکمت اساس ترقی عالم انسانی است.
• بررسی یکی از این الواح مبارک: لوح دنیا؛ لوح حکمت؛ لوح مانکجی صاحب

تلفن انجمن: ۹۰۳۹-۸۶۹ (۷۰۸).

Persian Arts and Culture association c/o Bahá’í National Center Wilmette, IL. 60091

آگهی دورۀ پنجم انجمن ادب و هنر آکادمی لندگ

LANDEGG ACADEMY ANNOUNCEMENT

پنجمین کنفرانس انجمن ادب و هنر آکادمی لندگ واقع در سوئیس از شنبه ۲۸ آگست تا جمعه ۳ سپتامبر سال جاری در محل آکادمی برگزار خواهد شد.

موضوع اصلی این کنفرانس جناب ورقاء و پسرش روح‌الله است. از دوستان عزیز دعوت می‌شود با شرکت در کنفرانس مذکور بر رونق آن بیفزایند و خود نیز از حضور استادان بهائی بهره‌مند گردند.

علاقه‌مندان می‌توانند برای کسب اطلاعات بیشتر با آکادمی لندگ تماس حاصل نمایند. تلفن: ۹۱۹۱۳۱_۷۱_۴۱.

Landegg Academy CH-9405 Wienacht/AR, Switzerland

خانم یلتسین در مشرق‌الاذکار هندوستان

MRS. YELTSIN VISITS HOUSE OF WORSHIP IN INDIA

همسر رئیس‌جمهور روسیه، خانم نائینا یلتسین، روز ۲۸ ژانویۀ سال جاری از مشرق‌الاذکار هندوستان دیدار کرد. همسر سفیر کبیر روسیه در دهلی و همسر سفیر کبیر هندوستان در روسیه و همسر وزیر اطلاعات هندوستان و برخی از کارداران سیاسی سفارت روسیه در هند نیز در این دیدار شرکت داشتند.

خانم یلتسین ضمن دیدار از مشرق‌الاذکار گفت: "اگر مردم جهان بخواهند صلح و وحدت داشته باشند، باید همگی بهائی شوند." همچنین ایشان ابراز اطمینان داد که شرح دیدارش را از معبد بهائی برای آقای بوریس یلتسین نقل خواهد کرد تا او بتواند مشرق‌الاذکار را از چشم خانمش ببیند.

حقوق‌الله
از دوستان عزیز مستدعی است تقدیمی‌های حقوق‌الله را در وجه Bahá’í Huququ’lláh Trust به نشانی یکی از امنای حقوق‌الله ارسال فرمایند.
Dr. Amin Banani Santa Monica, CA. 90402	Dr. Elsie Austin P.O. Box 927 Silver Spring, MD. 20910
Dr. Daryush Haghighi Rocky River, OH. 44116

[Page 33]...صورت می‌گیرد، منابع انسانی مورد نیاز را فراهم خواهد ساخت. بعلاوه، این کوشش‌ها باعث برانگیختن و تقویت قابلیت و قوای محافل روحانی خواهد شد تا بتوانند از عهدهٔ ایفای وظائف سنگین خود بر آیند.

انجام صحیح و مطلوب وظائف و مسئولیت‌های این مؤسسات به میزانی وسیع بر کوشش اعضای آن مبتنی است که خود را با مسئولیت‌هائی که بر عهده دارند، آشنا سازند و در رفتار فردی و نیز در اجرای وظائف امری خود با دقت بسیار به اصول و مبادی امر مبارک تمسک جویند. در ارتباط با همین امر نکتهٔ مهم دیگر آن است که اعضای محافل باید با عزمی استوار بکوشند همه آثار بیگانگی و تمایلات فردی و تفرقه جوئی را از میان بردارند و محبت و پشتیبانی یارانی را که تحت حمایت خویش دارند به خود جلب کنند و تعداد هر چه بیشتری از افراد را در انجام وظائف امری سهیم سازند. بدین ترتیب جامعه‌ای که به هدایت آن کمر بسته‌اند، با تلاش پیگیر آنان جهت بهبود کیفیت ایفای وظائف خود، نمونهٔ حیاتی را جلوه‌گر خواهد ساخت که سبب کسب اعتبار برای امرالله خواهد شد و بعنوان نتیجه‌ای مطلوب نور امید را در دل افراد اجتماع که روز به روز به نومیدی می‌گرایند، از نو خواهد افروخت.

در حالی که محافل روحانی ملی با حمایت بی‌دریغ هیئت‌های مشاورین قاره‌ای جزئیات مسیری را که باید در این دورهٔ کوتاه پیموده شود، طرح‌ریزی می‌نمایند، مرکز جهانی به تمشیت و هماهنگ ساختن فعالیت‌های گوناگون در سراسر کرهٔ زمین خواهد پرداخت و همزمان با وارد شدن بیشتر جامعهٔ جهانی بهائی در جریان مسائل جهانی، مسیر امور خارجی امرالله را هدایت خواهد نمود. در عین حال مرکز جهانی با سرعتی سنجیده مشروعات عظیم ابنیهٔ حرم مقدس الهی را ادامه خواهد داد. مشروعات مذکور بخشی از یک جریان را تشکیل می‌دهد که به تصریح حضرت ولی عزیز امرالله با دو رویداد مهم دیگر همزمان خواهد بود: تأسیس صلح اصغر و تحول و تکامل تشکیلات ملی و محلی بهائی. تا آخر نقشهٔ سه ساله تمامی مراحل باقیماندهٔ بنای ساختمان‌های کوه کرمل در دست اجرا خواهد بود. بنیاد اصلی دارالتبلیغ بین المللی، مرکز مطالعهٔ نصوص و الواح، و ملحقات ساختمان دارالآثار بین المللی تا آن تاریخ برافراشته خواهد شد و بنای طبقات هفتگانهٔ پائین مقام حضرت اعلی اتمام خواهد پذیرفت.

گسترش چشمگیر امور آئین الهی در سال‌های اخیر و تحولاتی که انتظار می‌رود در طی نقشهٔ جدید صورت گیرد، مستلزم وجود منابع مادّی است که علیرغم افزایش ‎مُعتنابِه معتنابه‎ مبالغی که به صندوق‌های امری تقدیم گردیده، چندی است که به حد کافی نبوده است. بحران‌های اقتصادی که گزارش آن از هر گوشه می‌رسد، وخیم‌تر خواهد شد، اما مآلاً مشکلات اقتصادی و دیگر مشکلی که جامعهٔ بشری با آن رو به رو است، برطرف نخواهد گردید مگر اینکه امر حضرت بهاءالله مورد توجه و اعتنای ملل و امم جهان قرار گیرد و آئین ربانی از مساعدت مادی پیروان دلیرش به نحو کافی برخوردار گردد. امید است یاران الهی در هر کجا که هستند، به اتفاق تشکیلات بهائی و نیز بطور انفرادی، بدون واهمه از امور نامعلوم و خطرها و دشواری‌هائی که ملل جهان را در بر گرفته، به این نکته بیندیشند که هر یک برای ایفای وظیفهٔ مقدس و اجتناب ناپذیری که بر عهده دارند، چه اقداماتی باید بنمایند.

تقاضای این مشتاقان به اقدام عاجل و مضاعف و مداوم برای اجرای جمیع جوانب نقشهٔ سه ساله، در وهلهٔ اول متوجه فرد فرد اهل ایمان در جمیع نقاط است، کسانی که به صریح بیان حضرت ولی امرالله "سرنوشت کل جامعهٔ بهائی مآلاً به همت آنان موکول و معلق است." (ترجمه) و قابلیت انجام اقداماتی را دارند که موفقیت هر یک از نقشه‌های جهانی بهائی را تأمین خواهد کرد. اهداف نقشهٔ سه ساله به آسانی تحقق نخواهد یافت، اما اهداف مزبور باید با هر نوع فداکاری و ایثاری که لازم باشد، با جلال تمام به انجام رسد. به همین جهت محافل روحانی و افراد یاران نباید در کوشش برای حصول آن اهداف درنگ ورزند یا تأخیر روا دارند، زیرا بیم آن می‌رود که مشکلات عالم انسانی بدون مانع و رادع افزایش یابد و یا حدوث بحران‌های داخلی از سرعت کار بکاهد. باید همواره به خاطر داشت که فتوحات اهل بهاء، از طریق بلایا و امتحانات به دست می‌آید. بحران را با بهره گیری از امکاناتی که جهت اثبات قوّهٔ فائقهٔ مبادی آئین الهی و قابلیت اجرائی آن فراهم میسازد، به وسیلهٔ پیشرفت امرالله تبدیل می‌کنیم. در سیر تکامل امر الهی بحران‌ها و پیروزی‌ها همواره از پی هم آمده و مایهٔ ترقی بوده است. در این زمان که حلاوت پیروزی‌های سال مقدس را در مذاق جان احساس می‌کنیم، از واقعیت این تجربه که مکرراً حاصل شده، غافل نباید ماند. همچنین باید به خاطر بسپاریم که برکات و تأئیداتی که نصیبمان می‌شود، چنانکه تاریخ شکوهمند امر الهی بارها نشان داده است، متناسب با مجاهدت و مشکلات ما خواهد بود.

دوستان عزیز، مأیوس نشوید و ترس به خود راه ندهید. در حصن حصین قوانین و احکام الهی جرأت و امان یابید. این زمان تیره‌ترین ساعات پیش از دمیدن روز است. چنانچه وعده داده‌اند، صلح پس از پایان شب فرا خواهد رسید. پای بیافشارید و به دیدار سپیده دم رهسپار شوید.

بیت العدل اعظم

ترجمه

نامه محفل روحانی ملی بهائیان ایالات متحده

LETTER FROM NATIONAL SPIRITUAL ASSEMBLY خطاب به احبای فارسی زبان جامعه بهائی ایالات متحده مورخ ۵ اپریل ۱۹۹۳

دوستان عزیز،

انقلاب ایران و نتائج نامطلوبی که برای جامعه بهائی ایران داشت، ده‌هاهزار تن از بهائیان مهد امر مبارک را به چهار گوشهٔ جهان روانه داشت. شرح فداکاری‌های برادران و خواهران روحانی ما در ایران و وصف دشواری‌های کسانی که مهد امرالله را ترک گفتند، اندوهگینمان ساخت و هم دلگرمی به ما بخشید و ما را به نیروی ایمان و استقامت آن عزیزان اطمینان داد.

آن دوستان، هر کجا که رفتند سنت‌های جامعه بهائی ایران را با خود به همراه بردند. میراثی را که از دلیران دوران نخستین امر الهی دریافت کرده بودند، به همراه خود آوردند و جوامع بهائی میزبان به زودی دریافتند که وجود یاران ایران در آن جوامع چه غنیمتی است و مشاهده نمودند که وفاداری آنان به مظهر امر و خشیت و احترامی که نسبت به او را می‌دارند، و ادب و میهمان‌نوازی و سخاوتمندی آنان به نحو مؤثری جامعه بهائی را تقویت می‌کند.

اما آن عزیزان در عین حال دشواری‌هائی را که گریبانگیر همه مهاجران و پناهندگان است، نیز تجربه کردند: بهت ناشی از تغییر مکان و فرهنگ و سختی برقراری تفاهم با دیگران. روشن است که زبان و رسوم و شیوهٔ زندگی جامعهٔ میزبان مشکلاتی برای تازه رسیدگان ایجاد می‌کند.

با این حال ما اهل بهاء راه حل‌هائی برای این مشکلات در اختیار داریم. کلید اصلی همانا مفهوم وحدت عالم انسانی یعنی محور تعالیم حضرت بهاءالله است. به فرمودهٔ جمال مبارک:

"حضرت موجود می‌فرماید: ای دوستان، سراپردهٔ یگانگی بلند شد، به چشم بیگانگان یکدیگر را مبینید. همه بار یک دارید و برگ یک شاخسار." (دریای دانش، ص، ۱۴-۱۵)

و نیز می‌فرمایند:

"ای اهل بینش، آنچه از سماء مشیت الهیه نازل گشته، علت اتحاد عالم و الفت و یگانگی امم بوده. از اختلافات جنسیه چشم بردارید و کل را در پرتو وحدت اصلیه ملاحظه نمائید." (ترجمه به نقل از ظهور عدل الهی، ص، ۷۶-۷۷)

مفهوم وحدت عالم انسانی حاکی از این است که جامعهٔ بهائی همگان را، بدون ملاحظه نژاد و ملیت و دیانت، در بر می‌گیرد. حضرت عبدالبهاء می‌فرمایند:

"الحمدلله قلوب احباء متحد و متفق است ولو یکی شرقی و یکی غربی، یکی جنوبی یکی شمالی یکی آلمانی و یکی فرانسوی، یکی ‎ژاپانی ژاپنی‎ یکی امریکائی یکی ابیض یکی اسود یکی احمر یکی اصفر و یکی اسمر. اختلاف الوان و اختلاف اوطان و اختلاف اجناس در امر بهائی حکمی ندارد، بلکه وحدت بهائی بر کل غالب؛ جمیع این اوهامات را زائل می‌نماید." (منتخباتی از مکاتیب حضرت عبدالبهاء، ص ۱۱۰)

بدون این وحدت نخواهیم توانست وظائفی را که حضرت بهاءالله و حضرت عبدالبهاء و حضرت ولی امرالله و در حال حاضر بیت العدل اعظم الهی بر عهدهٔ جامعهٔ جهانی بهائی نهاده‌اند، ایفا نمائیم. در حال حاضر مهم‌ترین امر تبلیغ امرالله و رساندن پیام شفابخش حضرت بهاءالله به بشر دردمند است. اما باید یقین حاصل نمود که جامعهٔ بهائی به راستی نمودار وحدت در کثرت است. چنانکه حضرت عبدالبهاء فرموده‌اند، بدون تأمین این مهم نخواهیم توانست دیگران را جذب نمائیم. به فرمودهٔ مبارک:

"امروز اهم امور اتحاد و اتفاق احبای الهی است که با یکدیگر یک دل و یک جان شوند، تا توانند مقاومت خصومت اهل عالم کنند و تعصبات جاهلیه ملل و مذاهب را ازاله نمایند. هر فردی از افراد بشر را تفهیم نمایند که کل بار یک دارید و برگ یک شاخسار. ولی تا نفس احباء اتحاد و اتفاق کلی نیابند چگونه توانند که احزاب سائره را به اتحاد و اتفاق بخوانند؟" [Page 34]

ترجمه پیام بیت‌العدل اعظم الهی

رضوان ۱۵۰ بدیع خطاب به بهائیان جهان

دوستان عزیز و محبوب،

سال مقدس را با ضیاء نقصان‌ناپذیر برکات شگفت‌انگیز آن پشت سر نهاده‌ایم و با تأیید الهی و روحی تازه و نیروئی جدید برای انجام وظائف مقدس خود، به آستانهٔ سلطان اعیاد رسیده‌ایم. چه که سال مقدس دوره‌ای بود که در خلال آن فروغ فضل جمال اقدس ابهی بر جامعهٔ جهانی حضرتش با چنان جلوه‌ای درخشید که تابش آن مساعی پیروانش را برای بزرگداشت دو واقعهٔ پراهمیت سدهٔ صعود جمال ابهی و صدمین سال آغاز و اعلان عهد و پیمانش با موفقیتی حیرت‌انگیز برکت بخشید. سال مقدس سالی برای یادبود و تأمل بود و باعث شد که اسم اعظم جمال قدم اعلان عمومی شود و رتبه‌اش در سراسر جهان به نحوی بی‌سابقه طنین اندازد. اما آنچه آشکارا رویدادی ظاهری و صوری بود، انعکاسی از دستیابی باطنی و درونی به درک عمیق‌تر رابطهٔ اهل بهاء با حضرت بهاء‌الله در برداشت، درکی که پیش از آن حاصل نشده بود. آگاهی و بصیرت بیشتر اهل بهاء نسبت به جامعیت و جهانی بودن جامعهٔ بهائی که تجلّی اوّلین و مهم‌ترین تعلیم امر مبارک است، تأثیر جدید و شدیدی بر دل و جانمان نهاده است. اثرات این آگاهی در مراسم یادبودی که در ماه مه سال گذشته در اعتاب مقدسه برگزار شد و نیز به نحوی گسترده‌تر در کنگرهٔ جهانی که در نوامبر سال گذشته انعقاد یافت، آشکارا به چشم می‌خورد و گوئی در این دوران بحرانی ما را اطمینان می‌دهد که عالم انسانی خواه ناخواه به سوی وحدت و صلح، سرنوشتی که هنوز از دسترس او دور است، گام برمی‌دارد. به راستی در خلال سال مقدس بر بال روح به اوج قلّهٔ فرا رفتیم و از فراز آن شکوه وعدهٔ ازلی الهی را به چشم دیدیم، وعده‌ای که تحققش سریعاً نزدیک می‌شود و بنا بر آن روزی همهٔ نوع بشر متّحد خواهد شد.

جزئیات هیجان‌انگیز رویدادهائی که در طی سال مقدس رخ نمود، بیش از آن است که در این مختصر بیان شود، زیرا اثرات نفحات روح‌القدس در همه جا محسوس بود و فعالیت‌های یاران را با نیروئی اسرارآمیز برکت می‌بخشید. بنابراین کافی است که فقط به یادآوری مهم‌ترین آن وقایع بپردازیم: در ماه مه سال گذشته جلسهٔ صدمین سال صعود جمال قدم در ارض اقدس برگزار گردید. از نظر تعداد شرکت‌کنندگان این عظیم‌ترین جلسه‌ای بود که تا کنون در ارض اقدس انعقاد یافته است. نمایندگان جمیع ملل روضهٔ مبارکهٔ حضرت بهاء‌الله را طواف نمودند. اکثریت فارسان امر حضرت بهاء‌الله که در قید حیات بودند در مراسم نصب "لوحهٔ افتخار" در مدخل حرم اقدس شرکت نمودند. عظمت بی‌سابقهٔ کنگرهٔ جهانی و تنوع فوق‌العادهٔ شرکت‌کنندگان آن و حضور جمع کثیری از جوانان که در جلسات ویژهٔ خود شرکت جستند، حرکت دسته‌جمعی نمایندگان نژادها و ملّت‌های جهان در آن مجمع چشمگیر و پخش برنامه‌ها از طریق ماهواره که کنگرهٔ جهانی را با مرکز جهانی و همهٔ قارات مرتبط گرداند از جمله وقایع نادری بود که آوازهٔ مراسم بزرگداشت صدمین سال را جاودانی ساخت.

کوشش‌های بی‌شمار و مبتکرانه‌ای که برای تجلیل این دو سالگرد مهم بوسیله یاران در سراسر جهان، از دهات دورافتاده گرفته تا شهرهای بزرگ، صورت گرفت، بار دیگر نشان داد که امر حضرت بهاء‌الله به چه شدتی تحکیم یافته است. این کوشش‌ها در بسیاری از نقاط به فعالیت‌های تبلیغی با نتایجی فوق‌العاده و شگفت‌انگیز منجر گردید. اشتهار بی‌سابقهٔ اهداف و فعالیت‌های سال مقدس بوسیله رسانه‌های گروهی در کشورهای بزرگ و کوچک جهان توجه هیئت‌های قانونگذاری و دولت‌مردان را به مراسم صدمین سالگرد صعود جمال اقدس ابهی جلب نمود. اقداماتی که برای بزرگداشت امر مبارک صورت گرفت، به ستایش و شناسائی امر مبارک بوسیله بسیاری از دوائر دولتی منجر گردید. نمایندگان جامعهٔ جهانی بهائی در مجامع مهم جهانی نظیر کنفرانس سازمان ملل متحد برای "حفاظت محیط زیست و توسعه" که در ماه ژوئن سال گذشته در ریو دوژانیرو تشکیل شد، مشارکت نمودند و همزمان با آن از یک بنای یادبود منقّش به اسم اعظم و مزیّن به آیات حضرت بهاء‌الله پرده‌برداری گردید. همهٔ این تحولات حاکی از آن است که تصویر جامعهٔ بهائی در انظار عموم از عظمت و اهمیتی بیشتر برخوردار گردیده است.

سوای این تحولات و رویدادهای برجسته، واقعه دیگری که عظمت و تأثیرات عمیقش در نوع انسان حتی از اهمیت بیشتری برخوردار است، انتشار کتاب مستطاب اقدس به زبان انگلیسی است که همراه با ضمائم و توضیحات در نوروز امسال انتشار یافت و بدین ترتیب اهل بهاء یک مرحله به زمانی که حضرت عبدالبهاء به آن اشاره فرموده‌اند، نزدیک‌تر شدند. به فرمودهٔ مبارک: "چون احکام کتاب مقدس اجراء گردد... صلح عمومی در قطب امکان خیمه برافرازد و شجرهٔ مبارکهٔ حیات چنان نشو و نما نماید که بر شرق و غرب سایه افکند..."

صدمین سال صعود جمال قدم همچنین با زمانی مقارن بود که در خلال آن اوضاع کلی جهان آشفته‌تر و پرتضادتر شد. بدین ترتیب که در زمان واحد علائم نظم و پریشانی و امید و یأس نمایان گردید. در بحبوحهٔ بحران‌های کنونی در اوضاع جهان و در عین حال با اعجاب و مسرّت و ایمان و شجاعتی که سال مقدس در قلوب این مشتاقان ایجاد نموده، از رضوان امسال که مقارن با صد و پنجاهمین سال تاریخ امر بدیع می‌باشد، نقشه‌ای سه‌ساله را آغاز می‌نمائیم. کوتاهی دورهٔ این نقشه بدلیل تغییرات پرشتاب زمانه است، اما هدف اصلی این نقشه از آیندهٔ امر مبارک و آتیهٔ بشریت جدائی‌پذیر نیست و در واقع مرحلهٔ بعدی بروز و ظهور منشور الهی تبلیغ و توسعهٔ امر مبارک است که از قلم مرکز میثاق عزّ صدور یافته است. نقشهٔ مذکور معیار عزم اهل بهاء در سبیل استفاده از فرصت‌های بی‌شماری است که در مرحلهٔ کنونی تکامل اجتماعی مردم کرهٔ زمین وجود دارد. با پیگیری مجدّانهٔ مقاصد این نقشه و تحقق کامل اهداف آن، به تناسب شرایط هر یک از جوامع ملی، راهی مناسب برای مجسّم نمودن نقشی که امر مبارک جهت رویاروئی با مشکلات اجتناب‌ناپذیر جامعهٔ بشری در پایان قرن بیستم بر عهده دارد، هویدا خواهد شد، قرنی انباشته از وعد و وعید که با شتاب به پایان خود نزدیک می‌شود.

جامعهٔ بهائی باید گسترشی عظیم و بی‌سابقه حاصل نماید. کار انتشار پیام الهی به عموم اهل عالم در دهات و قصبات و شهرها باید سرعت یابد. نیاز مبرمی وجود دارد که انتشار پیام الهی هر چه زودتر صورت گیرد چه بدون آن مؤسسات نظم اداری که با زحمت بسیار استوار گردیده، فرصت لازم را برای رشد نخواهند یافت و نخواهند توانست قوای باطنی خود را برای رسیدن به فریاد نفوسی که نومیدی آنان رو به افزایش است، به ظهور رسانند. در این مورد باید ارتباط متقابل بین تبلیغ امرالله و ادارهٔ امور تشکیلاتی آن کاملاً مفهوم گردد و تأکید شود، زیرا هر یک از این دو امر دیگری را تقویت خواهد کرد. مشکلات اجتماع خارج که بر جامعهٔ بهائی اثر می‌نهد و نیز مشکلات اجتماعی، روحانی، اقتصادی یا اداری که بالطبع در درون جامعهٔ بهائی حادث می‌شود، با ازدیاد تعداد و افزایش منابع جامعه برطرف خواهد شد. همچنین با افزایش توانائی و تمایل و جرأت و عزم راسخ یاران در همهٔ طبقات جامعهٔ بهائی برای اطاعت از قوانین، و بکارگرفتن اصول، و ادارهٔ امور امر مبارک مطابق با احکام الهی مشکلات مزبور رفع خواهد گردید.

نقشهٔ جدید بر سه اصل استوار است: ازدیاد شوق و شور ایمانی افراد احباء، بسط هر چه بیشتر منابع انسانی امر الهی و تقویت نحوهٔ اقدام و ایفای صحیح وظائف و مسؤولیت‌های تشکیلات محلی و ملی بهائی. غرض از تعیین این سه اصل ایجاد نقطهٔ تمرکزی است که شرایط و لوازم موفقیت در تحقق اهداف گوناگون نقشه را در این دوران بحرانی تضمین نماید.

در برابر علائم آشکار فساد اخلاقی که روز به روز تیشه بر ریشهٔ تمدن بشری می‌زند، این بیانات حضرت بهاء‌الله اهمیت و فوریتی خاص می‌یابد. به فرمودهٔ مبارک: "قوّه و بنیهٔ ایمان در اقطار عالم ضعیف شده، ‎دریاق تریاق‎ اعظم لازم. سواد نحاس امم را اخذ نموده، اکسیر اعظم باید." اینگونه آیات در قبال رفتار همهٔ کسانی که سلطان ظهور را تصدیق کرده‌اند، مفهوم ویژه‌ای به خود می‌گیرد. یکی از نتائج حیاتی این تصدیق حصول اعتقادی است که آدمی را به قبول اوامر مظهر امر وا می‌دارد. اعتقاد راسخ نتیجهٔ تقلیب درونی است که از اکتساب فضائل روحانی و اخلاقی سودمند و سازنده و با اطاعت از قوانین و احکام الهی حاصل می‌گردید. بدین منظور نشر ترجمهٔ انگلیسی کتاب مستطاب اقدس با حواشی و توضیحات و انتشار آن به دیگر زبان‌های اصلی جهان در آیندهٔ نزدیک سبب خواهد شد که نفحات هدایت الهی برای ازدیاد شور ایمان که لازمهٔ سلامت روحانی و سعادت افراد و تقویت بنیهٔ جامعه است، هر چه بیشتر انتشار یابد. پرورش روحانیت افراد و حصول احساسات معنوی که با توسل به دعا و مناجات حاصل می‌شود و انسان را به خدا پیوند می‌دهد، برای تقویت حیات ایمانی به همان درجه ضرورت دارد.

آموزش احباء، و تلاش آنان جهت کسب معلومات امری از طریق مطالعات مجدّانه فردی برای عمل به اصول امر مبارک و ادارهٔ امور آن، شرط لازم برای توسعه منابع انسانی است و این خود لازمهٔ پیشرفت امر مبارک است. اما معلومات امری به خودی خود کافی نیست. ضروری چنان است که معلومات امری به نحوی ارائه شود که محبت و فداکاری به بار آورد و ثبوت بر عهد و پیمان را تقویت نماید و افراد یاران را به شرکت در خدمات امری و مبادرت به اقدامات متین جهت پیشبرد منافع آن برانگیزد. همچنین کوشش‌های ویژه‌ای برای جذب افراد کاردان به امر مبارک [Page 35]

Roger White, poet, longtime worker at Bahá’í World Center, dies

Roger White, often referred to affectionately as the "poet laureate of the Bahá’í world," died April 10 in Richmond, British Columbia, a suburb of Vancouver.

A native of Toronto, Canada, and Irish by descent, Mr. White was known worldwide as a writer of considerable talent. He was also, at various times, a justice of the peace, court reporter, designer, journalist and assistant editor in Canada's House of Commons.

In the 1950s Mr. White embraced the Bahá’í Faith and subsequently distinguished himself in its service. After serving from 1969-71 as secretary and research assistant for the Hand of the Cause of God William Sears, he began working at the World Center in Haifa, Israel, contributing his literary talents in various ways including compiling and editing volumes of The Bahá’í World.

While in Haifa he also served as secretary-aide to David Hofman, a member of the Universal House of Justice. Mr. White retired from service at the World Center and returned to Canada two years ago because of failing health.

Although he began composing poetry relatively late in life, Mr. White was prolific. His published volumes include Another Song, Another Season; The Witness of Pebbles; One Bird, One Cage, One Flight; Whitewash; Occasions of Grace; Notes Postmarked the Mountain of God; and The Language of There, the last two appearing in his final year.

Among his prose works are the novella A Sudden Music; an account of a martyr entitled The Shell and the Pearl; and Forever in Bloom. Mr. White's works, ranging in tone from light humor to penetrating depth, often deal with Bahá’í themes and content.

Mr. White was a friend, inspiration and literary mentor to dozens of people who knew or wrote to him. His voluminous correspondence with Bahá’ís and others around the world included artists in many genres who sought his advice, fellow poets who circulated their works, professors and thinkers with whom he kept up a lively dialogue, and fans who often wrote to tell him how much his writing had affected their lives.

One of his fondest hopes was to see the arts used in the service of the Faith and the Faith's increased respect for the artist in society.—Anne Gordon Perry

We are grieved to learn of the passing of Roger White who served the Faith with such great devotion for over four decades in North America, in Africa, where he provided secretarial support to the Hand of the Cause William Sears, and in the Holy Land. For a period of 20 years he rendered distinguished services at the World Center, the highlight of which was the major role he played in the preparation of materials for the volumes of The Bahá’í World published during that time. He will long be remembered for his humility and kindness, his humor, his dedication to the Cause, and for his outstanding poetic skills through which he enriched the literature of the Faith and contributed immeasurably to its proclamation. Kindly convey to the members of his family and his friends our condolences and the assurance of our prayers in the Holy Shrines for the progress of his soul.

Universal House of Justice April 13, 1993

Maurine Kraus, pioneer to Puerto Rico, dead at 91

Maurine Kraus, long-time devoted servant to the international work of the U.S. Bahá’í community and pioneer, died at her pioneering post in Puerto Rico on March 24 at the age of 91.

Ms. Kraus first served as a homefront pioneer to Stamford, Connecticut, and later to Yonkers, New York, between 1955 and 1965.

She also served tirelessly as secretary of the Western Hemisphere Teaching Committee (1957-1961), secretary of the Caribbean Goals Committee (1961-1963), and secretary of the Foreign Goals Committee, later known as the International Goals Committee and now the Office of Pioneering (1963-1970).

She then set off for an international pioneering post herself, arriving in Uganda in July 1970. While in that country, she served as director of its Publishing Trust.

After returning to the U.S. in 1975, Ms. Kraus responded to a request that she pioneer to the Bahamas, made an exploratory trip, but was unable to settle there. During a staff shortage, the International Goals Committee office called her to Wilmette to help out, and she again served in that office for almost a year (at age 75).

When Ms. Kraus was 79, she and her sister, Meredith Johnson, pioneered to Puerto Rico. Maureen remained at her post despite the death of her sister, in 1983, and her own advanced age.

The National Spiritual Assembly would like to remind the Bahá’ís that it is necessary to obtain permission from the Universal House of Justice before traveling to Israel, whether for personal reasons or to visit the Bahá’í Holy Places.

Dorothea Lacy, last member of Houston’s first Assembly

Dorothea Lacy, the last surviving member of the first local Spiritual Assembly of Houston, Texas, and a pioneer during the Ten Year Crusade to Switzerland, died in Bellaire, Texas, on April 7.

After returning from Switzerland, Mrs. Lacy became a homefront pioneer to help form the Bellaire Assembly in 1965, serving on that Assembly until her death.

Valera Allen, Knight of Bahá’u’lláh to Swaziland, dies at her 39-year pioneering post at age 89

Valera Fisher Allen, a Knight of Bahá’u’lláh to Swaziland, died in April at the age of 89, still at her pioneering post after 39 years.

Valera and John Allen were both stalwart servants of the U.S. Bahá’í community, serving on the National Teaching Committee, the National Youth Committee and the Geyserville Summer School Committee (now Bosch Bahá’í School) before they pioneered.

The Allens were members of the Asian Teaching Committee when they responded to a request from the Guardian that they try to settle in a virgin country of Africa. Within two months, they left their thriving business in Millbrae, California, and set off for Swaziland, arriving in time for Ridván on April 19, 1954.

Thus began a legacy of pioneering for the Cause of God that has been passed on to the whole family: the Allens' three sons—Dale, Dwight and Kenton—and to at least four of their grandchildren—Wayne, Dennis, Doug and Dana. At the time of Mrs. Allen's passing, the National Spiritual Assembly of Swaziland received the following cable:

SHARE YOUR ACUTE SENSE OF LOSS IN PASSING KNIGHT BAHÁ’U’LLÁH VALERA FISHER ALLEN, STALWART, INDEFATIGABLE TEACHER FAITH, FIRM, RELIABLE UPHOLDER ADMINISTRATIVE ORDER. HER OUTSTANDING RECORD DEVOTED SERVICES OVER PERIOD SEVERAL DECADES IN NORTH AMERICA AND MOSTLY IN SOUTHERN AFRICA, PARTICULARLY SWAZILAND, INDELIBLY INSCRIBED ANNALS FAITH AND WILL REMAIN AS INSPIRATION FOR GENERATIONS TO COME. KINDLY CONVEY OUR LOVING SYMPATHY MEMBERS HER DEAR FAMILY. PRAYING HOLY SHRINES PROGRESS HER RADIANT SOUL THROUGHOUT DIVINE WORLDS. ADVISE HOLD MEMORIAL GATHERINGS THROUGHOUT SWAZILAND BEFITTING HER STATION.

UNIVERSAL HOUSE OF JUSTICE APRIL 13, 1993

More than 350 gather at Los Angeles Bahá’í Center to remember Freddie DeGruy who died March 20

More than 350 Bahá’ís, family and friends gathered recently at the Bahá’í Center in Los Angeles to celebrate the life of Mrs. Freddie DeGruy, co-founder of the Los Angeles Bahá’í Youth Workshop, who died March 20 after a brief illness. She was 52 years old.

A Bahá’í since 1968, Mrs. DeGruy's contributions included service on the Spiritual Assembly of Los Angeles, Redding and Monrovia, California. At the time of her death she was attending Cal State University in Los Angeles working toward a degree in communications.

In 1974 she and her husband, Oscar DeGruy, founded the Los Angeles Bahá’í Youth Workshop to teach the Cause while promoting race unity. That workshop has since spawned some 40 others in the U.S., six in Canada and 13 in other countries.

Before establishing the Workshop, Mrs. DeGruy was a member of PASLA (Performing Arts Society of Los Angeles) where she worked with Bill Cosby, singer Roberta Flack and many other entertainers. While there she created the PASLA Youth Workshop, the prototype for the L.A. Bahá’í Youth Workshop.

Mrs. DeGruy also wrote and performed one-woman monologues at many Bahá’í events. Among them were "My Sons," "It's Never Too Late," and "Dream of One Mankind."

NYC launches ad campaign

To reach the more than one million readers of the city's three dozen weekly newspapers, the Spiritual Assembly of New York City has begun a three-month "Neighborhood Proclamation-Advertising Campaign."

Under the plan, individuals and/or groups are being asked to volunteer as neighborhood advertisers, placing an Assembly-produced ad in the paper that serves their area and assuming responsibility for the cost. The ad's theme is "The Bahá’í Faith Unites the World One Heart at a Time."

A list of neighborhood weekly newspapers is made available at the Nineteen Day Feast, and the friends are encouraged to contact the program coordinator for copies of the camera-ready ad.

IN MEMORIAM

Jim Beamer Jay, OK Date Unknown

Ollie J. Beamer Jay, OK Date Unknown

Julia Charon Glendale, WI December 1991

Wesley Dalleinng Commack, NY August 18, 1992

Carla L. Deever Tridelphia, WV July 2, 1990

Joseph DiPasquale Jacksonville, AR February 5, 1992

Mary DiPasquale Jacksonville, AR February 21, 1993

Charlene Durairaj Rockville, MD March 15, 1993

Donald R. Elliott Milford, OH March 2, 1993

Cardelia Hearn Boynton, OK Date Unknown

Roy C. Hines Boynton, OK Date Unknown

Larry Hogan Riverside, CA June 25, 1991

Elizabeth Hudson Lewiston, ID 1986

Robert McGriff Boynton, OK Date Unknown

Nathan Melendy Sequim, WA March 17, 1993

Michele Jardine Lansing, MI February 8, 1993

Patricia Kizer Dayton, OH February 11, 1992

Maureen Kraus Mayaguez, PR March 24, 1993

Shoghich Labib San Diego, CA April 30, 1992

Charles Love Boynton, OK Date Unknown

Carlos Monti Harris, NY October 1992

Lee Newman Salina, OK Date Unknown

Fay S. Parr Olympia, WA Spring 1991

Hector Perez Santa Clarita, CA December 23, 1992

Edgar Pitts Redbird, OK Date Unknown

Kirk Potter Waukesha, WI March 26, 1993

Ina Primm San Pablo, CA January 10, 1993

Johnny Rock Salina, OK 1992

Harry P. Sheafe Olympia, WA February 1993

Josephine Simmons Taft, OK Date Unknown

Albert Starks Nashua, NH March 1, 1993

Marcia Tippens Richardson, TX February 28, 1993

Carl Stufflebeame Jay, OK Date Unknown

A. Russel Werneken Phoenix, AZ July 1992

Annabel Whittier Kenosha, WI February 20, 1993

William Wold Dover, NH October 19, 1991 [Page 36]Mayor Bret Schundler of Jersey City, New Jersey (fourth from left) displays the proclamation designating December 10, 1992, as Human Rights Day in Jersey City. With the mayor are members of the Spiritual Assembly of Jersey City; Randa Elhamamci (second from right), a Bahá’í visitor from Egypt; and mayoral aide Fred Ayah (right).

MOVING? TELL US YOUR NEW ADDRESS.

To avoid unnecessary delays in receiving your copy of The American Bahá’í, send your new address and your mailing label to MANAGEMENT INFORMATION SYSTEMS, Bahá’í National Center, Wilmette, IL 60091, as soon as you know what your new address will be.

This form may be used for one person or your entire family. Please be sure to list FULL NAMES AND I.D. NUMBERS for all individuals, ages 15 years or older, who will be affected by this change.

A. NAME(S):

1. I.D. # __________ Title __________

2. I.D. # __________ Title __________

3. I.D. # __________ Title __________

4. I.D. # __________ Title __________

B. NEW RESIDENCE ADDRESS:

Street address: ____________________

Apartment # (If applicable): __________

City: ____________________

State: __________ Zip code: __________

C. NEW MAILING ADDRESS:

P.O. Box or Other mailing address: ____________________

Apartment # (If applicable): __________

City: ____________________

State: __________ Zip code: __________

D. NEW COMMUNITY:

Name of new Bahá’í Community: ____________________ Moving date: __________

E. HOME TELEPHONE NUMBER:

Area code: __________ Phone number: __________ Name: __________

F. WORK TELEPHONE NUMBER(S):

Area code: __________ Phone number: __________ Name: __________

Area code: __________ Phone number: __________ Name: __________

G. WE RECEIVE EXTRA COPIES BECAUSE:

[ ] we do not have the same last name. We do not want extra copies, so please cancel the copy for the person(s) and I.D. number(s) listed above.

[ ] the last names and addresses on our address labels do not match. We have listed above the full names of all family members as they should appear on the national records, their I.D. numbers, and the corrections so that we will receive only one copy.

H. I WOULD LIKE A COPY:

[ ] Our household receives only one copy of The American Bahá’í. I wish to receive my own copy. I have listed my name, I.D. number and address above.

BAHÁ’Í NATIONAL CENTER 112 Linden Avenue Wilmette, IL 60091

CALENDAR OF EVENTS

JUNE

3-6: Bahá’í Justice Society Conference and Annual Meeting, Stouffer Concourse Hotel, Arlington, Virginia. Theme: “The Global Legal Framework for a New World Order.” Open to Bahá’ís and non-Bahá’ís. Workshops on the environment, social and economic development, education, dispute resolution, and elimination of prejudices. To register or to receive further information, please phone Sovaida Ma’ani, 202-244-8218.

4-6: Youth Research Weekend, Bosch Bahá’í School. Participants under age 18 must bring a medical release, and those under 15 must have a sponsor age 21 or older of the same sex. For information, phone Tasha Peck, 408-423-3387, or fax 408-423-7564.

5-6: Conference on Women, Louis Gregory Bahá’í Institute, Hemingway, South Carolina. Theme: “Bahá’í Women’s Role: From Internalized Sexism and Racism Toward Empowerment and Equity.” For information, phone 803-558-5093.

10-13: South Carolina Bahá’í Summer School, Louis Gregory Bahá’í Institute, Hemingway. For information, phone 803-558-5093.

13: International Bahá’í Picnic, Queenstown Heights Park, Niagara Falls, Ontario, sponsored by the Spiritual Assembly of Niagara Falls, P.O. Box 145, Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada L2E 6S8.

13: Spiritual Assembly of Greensboro, North Carolina, 50th anniversary celebration, noon. For information, phone 919-282-3294.

13-25: National Academy, Advanced Academy, and Teacher-Counselor Training, Louis Gregory Bahá’í Institute, Hemingway, South Carolina. Phone 803-558-5093.

15-20: Bahá’í Youth Service Corps training, led by the National Office of Pioneering, Louhelen Bahá’í School. For information, phone 313-653-5033.

17-20: Pioneer Training Institute, Louhelen Bahá’í School. For information, phone the Office of Pioneering, 708-869-9039.

17-20: International Conference of the Association for Bahá’í Studies, Montreal, Canada. Theme: “Spirituality: The Key to Personal and Social Transformation.” A one-day conference on the Kitáb-i-Aqdas will be held June 17. For information, write to ABS, Ontario K1N 7K4, Canada, or phone 613-233-1903.

19-25: Youth Teaching Project, Placerville, California. For information, phone Darlene Taylor, 916-626-0341.

24-27: Bahá’í Youth Service Corps training session, Louhelen Bahá’í School. For information, phone 313-653-5033; fax 313-653-7181.

25-27: “Spiritual Gold” Conference No. 4, Placerville, California. Workshops on “Racism: What Next,” “Family Communication,” other topics. Classes for children. For information, phone Darlene Taylor, 916-626-0341.

25-30: Core Curriculum Teacher Training Program, Louhelen Bahá’í School. For information, phone 313-653-5033.

26: 81st annual Souvenir Picnic of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, Wilhelm Property, Teaneck, New Jersey. Picnic, afternoon and evening programs. Keynote speaker: Counselor William Roberts. For information, phone 201-652-6385.

26: Second Bahá’í Appalachia Council, Jackson, Kentucky. Sponsored by the Spiritual Assembly of Lexington and coordinated by the Kentucky District Teaching Committee. Moderator: William Davis, member of the National Spiritual Assembly. Registrar: Gretchen Border, P.O. Box 6656, Charleston, WV 25362.

26-July 17: Youth Academy (high school and older), Louis Gregory Bahá’í Institute, Hemingway, South Carolina. For information, phone 803-558-5093.

JULY

1-4: New Jersey Bahá’í Summer School, Georgian Court College, Lakewood. Theme: “Connecting Our Hearts to the Covenant of Bahá’u’lláh.” For information or to register, phone 908-367-7155.

3-8: Persian-American Bahá’í Studies Program, Louhelen Bahá’í School. For information, phone 313-653-5033.

17-22: “The Kitáb-i-Aqdas: Charter of a World Civilization,” Bosch Bahá’í School. For information, phone 408-423-3387.

23-25: Third annual Hemlock Haven Bahá’í Conference, Hungry Mother State Park, Marion, Virginia. For information, phone Maggie Hewitt, 703-783-7884.

24-29: “The Bahá’í Concept of Law” and “The Vision of Race Unity: Changing Attitudes and Impelling Action,” Bosch Bahá’í School. For information, phone 408-423-3387.

AUGUST

7-9: Southern California Bahá’í School, Highland Springs Resort Center, Cherry Valley. Theme: “Kitáb-i-Aqdas: Source of All Blessings.” For information, phone 708-869-9039.

26-29: Sixth annual “I Have a Dream” Youth Assembly, Washington, D.C. Sponsored by the Martin Luther King Jr. Federal Holiday Commission. For information or to take part, phone Cornelia Rutledge, 202-966-2356.

27-29: Eleventh annual Massanetta Springs Conference, Harrisonburg, Virginia, sponsored by the Spiritual Assembly of Staunton. Theme: “Building the New World Order.” Please register by July 15. Two nights, six meals: adults $96, youth $72, children $52. Jim Lamb, Staunton, VA 24401 (phone 703-885-6996).

28-September 4: 1993 Parliament of the World’s Religions, Palmer House Hotel, Chicago, Illinois.

29: Annual International Bahá’í Picnic, Canatara Park, Sarnia, Ontario, Canada.

SEPTEMBER

3-6: Tennessee Bahá’í Institute, DuBose Conference Center, Monteagle. Theme: “Rendezvous of the Souls.” Contact: Kaihan Strain, Hixson, TN 37343 (phone 615-842-1750).

4-7: Pioneer Training Institute and Bahá’í Youth Service Corps training session, Louis G. Bahá’í Institute. For information, phone the Office of Pioneering, 708-869-9039.

10-12: “Faith, Family and the Future,” annual commemoration of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá’s visit to Glenwood Springs, Colorado. Confirmed presenters: Counselor Wilma Ellis, Marguerite Sears, Louise Matthias, Sharon and Carl Ewing. Special program for youth; children’s classes, nursery. For information, phone 303-928-0543.

17-19: Green Lake Bahá’í Conference, American Baptist Assembly Conference Grounds, Green Lake, Wisconsin. To make housing reservations, phone 1-800-558-8898.

26: 81st memorial service for Thornton Chase, Inglewood Park (California) Cemetery.