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[Page 1]THE AMERICAN BAHÁ’Í JULY 13, 2001 KALIMÁT/WORDS KAMÁL/PERFECTION BAHÁ’Í ERA 158 VOLUME 32, NO. 6

Celebrating the Arc, Terraces

Message of the Universal House of Justice to the Bahá’ís of the world, dated June 1, 2001

A week ago today more than 2,500 representatives of 182 countries and dependent territories gathered, along with the friends serving at the Bahá’í World Centre, on the Arc on Mount Carmel for the last of the events that marked the completion of the projects on that holy mountain. Our hearts overflow with joy, our heads are bowed in gratitude to the Blessed Beauty, as we contemplate the astonishing success of the ceremony that inaugurated the Terraces of the Shrine of the Báb. The awe-inspiring, worldwide effects are reflected in the many messages being received here from different parts of the planet where telecasts of the event via satellite were seen.

It is too soon to assess the immediate impact of this unexampled global proclamation of the Faith; nor can its implications for the progress of the Cause be immediately understood. There can be no doubt, however, that so vast a proclamation will accrue towards the advancement of the process of entry by troops, on which the energy of the loved ones of Bahá’u’lláh everywhere must be even more intensively focused than before. During the course of these events, we released two messages conveying our current views of the meaning of what transpired in the Holy Land. These are being sent separately to National Spiritual Assemblies, which will arrange to share them immediately with the friends throughout their communities.

May the manifest wonders of the Lord of Hosts invigorate and fortify the friends throughout the world in their devoted endeavours to pursue the avenues of service that He has so graciously opened before them.

The Universal House of Justice

DEDICATION OF THE MOUNT CARMEL PROJECTS Message of the Universal House of Justice to the believers gathered for the events marking the completion of the Projects on Mount Carmel / page 17

More than 3,000 Bahá’ís line the Arc path May 25 for a ceremony celebrating the completion of two major administrative buildings on Mount Carmel: the Center for the Study of the Texts (upper left) and the International Teaching Center building (not pictured). This celebration came two days after the same gathering walked up the center of the newly dedicated Terraces to the Shrine of the Báb. Bahá’í World News Service

MORE COVERAGE Bahá’í communities across the country hasten to arrange viewing of the ceremonies and to share them with friends of the Faith / page 18 Highlights from Haifa / page 22

Local treasurers across U.S. invited to national forum

In response to the beginning of the Fifth Epoch and the Five Year Plan, the National Spiritual Assembly joyfully announces the first nationwide Treasurer’s Forum.

The new epoch signals that we are now called upon, and are ready, to operate at a different level. Operating differently in our financial dealings will impact every area of our lives.

Each Local Spiritual Assembly will receive a letter asking it to sponsor its treasurer to attend the forum. Sessions begin early Thursday, Oct. 25, and conclude by noon on Sunday, Oct. 28. Participants will need to arrive Wednesday evening.

The Treasurer’s Forum will be held near the Bahá’í National Center and the House of Worship, representing the next stage in the Treasurer’s Weekend Visit program. It is designed to accomplish a number of objectives:

• To create stronger ties between local treasurers and the National Spiritual Assembly and our National Center.
• To provide in-depth training for treasurers. This will include practical training on the spiritual nature of giving, budget planning, general accounting procedures, fund-raising and planned giving.
• To provide an opportunity for treasurers to interact with other treasurers sharing similar interests and concerns.
• To provide an opportunity for spiritual rejuvenation.

The forum will include inspiring, informative plenary sessions each day, interactive small-group workshops, opportunities to visit the National Center and House of Worship, and informal evening sessions to allow greater ‎indepth in-depth‎ discussions and information sharing.

For more information, please contact Regina Blum in the Office of the Treasurer (phone ________, e-mail ________).

The Treasurer’s Office looks forward to welcoming local treasurers to the first national Treasurer’s Forum! ♦

I • N • S • I • D • E

HUMAN RIGHTS APPOINTEE PAGE 3

TEXAS TEACHING PAGE 12

BUILDING THE KINGDOM IT’S OUR TIME

GREEN ACRE RENEWAL PAGE 15

FROM NATIONAL ASSEMBLY • 4 YOUTH • 6 KID’S CORNER • 7 IN MEMORIAM • 28 CLASSIFIED • 30-31 PERSIAN PAGES • 32-34

THE NATIONAL FUND
Received by the National Treasurer
$1,098,979 Received, May 2001
For comparison: Same month, previous year
$1,116,979 Received, May 2000
Excluding Kingdom Project See page 3 for details

·E·X·C·E·R·P·T·S·

“Today the seed is sown, the grain falls upon the earth, but behold the day shall come when it shall rise a glorious tree. ...” —‘Abdu’l-Bahá [Page 2]

ALMANAC

Anniversary of the Martyrdom of the Báb

A Bahá’í Holy Day

• Observed sunset July 8 through sunset July 9; devotional gatherings should be held at 1 p.m. daylight time July 9 (noon where standard time is observed)
• Work is to be suspended

“(The Báb) withstood all persecutions and bore every suffering and ordeal with unflinching strength. The more His enemies endeavored to extinguish that flame, the brighter it became. ... Consider how the Báb endured difficulties and tribulations; how He gave His life in the Cause of God; how He was attracted to the love of the Blessed Beauty, Bahá’u’lláh; and how He announced the glad tidings of His manifestation.” —‘Abdu’l-Bahá, The Promulgation of Universal Peace, p. 139

The Báb and a companion were executed by firing squad in a public square in Tabríz, Persia, on July 9, 1850. For further study, see The Dawn-Breakers, pp. 500–526.

Some significant dates in Bahá’í history

Mid-July to mid-August

August 1844: A few months after the Báb first declared His mission, a Tablet of His was delivered to Mírzá Husayn-‘Alí in Tehran, Iran, who immediately declared acceptance of the Báb as the Voice of God. Mírzá Husayn-‘Alí is now known to us as Bahá’u’lláh.

Aug. 15, 1852: A bungled attempt to assassinate the Shah of Iran cast suspicion on many followers of the Báb. Soon, Bahá’u’lláh was among dozens imprisoned in the Tehran prison known as the Black Pit. While confined with heavy chains on His neck, Bahá’u’lláh months later received the first revelation that He was the Manifestation of God prophesied by the Báb.

July 26, 1868: Bahá’u’lláh, residing in Adrianople (Edirne, in European Turkey), was condemned by the Sultán to perpetual banishment; this order led to His decades of confinement at ‘Akká in the Holy Land.

August 1910: About two years after His long confinement officially ended, ‘Abdu’l-Bahá permanently moved His residence from ‘Akká across the bay to Haifa. This is the city in which the Bahá’í World Center has developed since then.

July 19, 1907: The Bahá’ís of Chicago filed incorporation papers, becoming the first Bahá’í community to acquire legal status.

Aug. 1, 1927: The Geyserville Bahá’í School was established on property donated by John Bosch north of San Francisco. It operated there until 1975, when it was transferred to the Santa Cruz area and renamed Bosch Bahá’í School.

July 15, 1932: Bahíyyih Khánum, daughter of Bahá’u’lláh and sister of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, passed away in Haifa, Palestine. She was chief steward of the Faith from the passing of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá until Shoghi Effendi assumed the duties of his Guardianship.

Aug. 2, 1951: The first Bahá’í pioneers to Uganda arrived in the capital: Músá Banání (later a Hand of the Cause of God) with his family, ‘Alí Nakhjavání (now a member of the Universal House of Justice) with his family, and Philip Hainsworth.

July 21–26, 1953: Fourteen Hands of the Cause of God were among 374 Bahá’ís at the European Intercontinental Teaching Conference, one of a series of conferences that launched a worldwide expansion of the Faith at the beginning of the Ten Year Crusade.

August 1971: The Universal House of Justice erected a 35-foot-tall marble obelisk on Mount Carmel near Haifa, marking the spot where a House of Worship will be built in future.

Upcoming Holy Days

Anniversary of the Birth of the Báb: Oct. 20 Anniversary of the Birth of Bahá’u’lláh: Nov. 12

Facts in the “Some Significant Dates” section were drawn from A Basic Bahá’í Chronology.

EXCELLENCE IN ALL THINGS

SHARON E. DAVIS, a Bahá’í in Farmington, Michigan, was one of six entrepreneurs honored on March 15 as “Most Influential Black Women in Metro Detroit” by the Women’s Informal Network. Davis, who has her own diversity consulting business, also was honored on May 2 by the Birmingham-Bloomfield Task Force on Race Relations and Ethnic Diversity.

KATHY HIATT, a Bahá’í in Walla Walla, Washington, was the first pre-school teacher recognized by the local Sigma Xi scientific research society in its annual awards for outstanding educators, presented in April. Director of a day-care center, she was recognized for use of hands-on activities and for launching an afternoon kindergarten and summer science and literature program.

PATRICIA LOCKE, a Bahá’í in Mobridge, South Dakota, and member of the National Spiritual Assembly, was recently honored as national recipient of the Herb Lingren Strengthening Families Award, sponsored by the College of Human Resources and Family Services of the University of Nebraska. The longtime educator and MacArthur Fellow, who has had a hand in developing educational programs on more than two dozen Indian reservations, also was invited to be a major presenter at the university’s Building Family Strengths International Symposium in May.

KELLY MILLER, a Bahá’í in Port Richey, Florida, graduated as valedictorian of Ridgewood High School. After leading her class of 376 members with a 4.51 grade point average, she plans to attend Dartmouth College.

JOSIE REYNOLDS, a Bahá’í in Marietta, Georgia, was honored by the Gandhi Institute for Reconciliation during Spiritual Awareness Week at Morehouse College in Atlanta. She was given the Spiritual Courage and Leadership Award for her work with the Atlanta Interfaith Coalition. Reynolds and her family were recently featured in the Atlanta Journal-Constitution along with other area Bahá’ís who choose to reside in neighborhoods dominated by people of another culture. Other Spiritual Awareness Week honorees included Gov. Roy Barnes, Atlanta Mayor Bill Campbell and Martin Luther King III.

RAYMOND TAFT, a Bahá’í in Half Moon Bay, California, won four world championships, set a new world record and several national records in U.S. Masters Swimming events during 2000. He competes in the 80–84 age group, and as of the March/April issue of Swim magazine held a total of 19 long-course and short-course world records. Over his amateur swimming career, U.S. Masters recognizes Taft as having set world records 76 times in a variety of events and age brackets, as well as 137 national records.

Other honors

Academic

Caitlin Mennillo, 18, Roswell, Georgia: Outstanding performance in theater and honors graduate at Centennial High School

Seth Mennillo, Los Angeles, California: Highest honors graduate at University of Southern California

Meghan Lyn Wallace, San Diego, California: Honors graduate at Dickinson College

Competition

Layli McLaughlin, 7th grade, Dow, Illinois: First place in school Science Fair, St. Francis/Holy Ghost School; experiment: “Effect of Waves and Erosion”

Other

Brittany L. Grant, 11, Buncombe County, North Carolina: Essay on Drug Abuse Resistance Education program was chosen to be read at 5th grade commencement program.

David Manavi, 15, Roswell, Georgia: Outstanding achievement in JROTC, Roswell High School

THE AMERICAN BAHÁ’Í

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

Bahá’í National Center 847-869-9039

Editorial Office of The American Bahá’í Mail: 1233 Central St. Evanston, IL 60201 Phone: 847-425-7963 Fax: 847-425-7969 E-mail:

Editor James Humphrey

Associate Editor Tom Mennillo

Facilities Manager, Bahá’í Media Services Artis Mebane

Contributors Erik Andersen, Stephen Berend, Addison Bibb, Adib Birkland, Nathan Brown, Kenneth Cabot, Mark Cabot, George Costane, Liz Donaldson, Eric Harmsen, Linda S. Maxwell, Ferdows Mehregani, Phyllis Ring, Vladimir Shilov, Derrick Stone, Grant Suhm, Brian Taylor, Jaine Toth, Nancy Wong, Allan Wunsch

PUBLISHED ONCE EVERY 38 DAYS (plus one special issue) for a total of 10 issues per year by the National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of the United States, 1233 Central St., Evanston, IL 60201-1611. Periodical postage paid at Evanston, IL and additional mailing offices. ISSN Number: 1062-1113 Canada: Publications Agreement Number 1486683

ADDRESS CHANGES If you have an address change, or wish to stop or consolidate mailings, contact the Membership Office, Bahá’í National Center, 1233 Central St., Evanston, IL 60201 (e-mail: ). There is no need to contact the Editors directly. A form is on the back page.

SUBMITTING ARTICLES AND PHOTOS THE AMERICAN BAHÁ’Í welcomes news, letters or other items of interest from individuals and institutions of the Bahá’í Faith.

• ARTICLES should be clear, concise and relevant to the goals of the worldwide and national teaching plans. We may edit stories for length. We cannot print advance articles to publicize locally sponsored events, but may be able to list them in the Calendar.
• PHOTOGRAPHS may be color or black-and-white prints. Please submit photos that are well-composed and in focus, and identify people in photos when possible. If you wish photos returned, include a self-addressed envelope (you do not need to supply postage).
• DEADLINES for upcoming issues: Sept. 27 issue: Deadline Aug. 7; Nov. 4 issue: Deadline Sept. 18.

PLEASE ADDRESS ALL ITEMS for possible publication to The American Bahá’í, 1233 Central St., Evanston, IL 60201-1611 (e-mail: ).

© 2001 by the National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of the United States. World rights reserved. Printed in the U.S.A. [Page 3]

Bahá’í reappointed to U.S. commission

Kazemzadeh continues long career in defense of religious freedom

BAHÁ’Í WORLD NEWS SERVICE

Firuz Kazemzadeh, former secretary for external affairs of the National Spiritual Assembly of the United States, has been appointed to a second term on the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom.

A member of the commission since May 1999 and its vice chairman from May 2000–May 2001, Kazemzadeh was reappointed by U.S. Senate Majority Leader Thomas Daschle. His term lasts until May 14, 2003.

Created by the International Religious Freedom Act of 1998, the nine-member commission exists to monitor religious freedom in other countries and to advise the president, the secretary of state and Congress on how best to promote such freedom.

“I am pleased to have been appointed to a second term on the U.S. Commission for International Religious Freedom that defends an essential human right that is only too frequently violated,” said Kazemzadeh, a professor emeritus of history at Yale University. “The commission’s mandate to monitor the status of religious freedom throughout the world and to advise the president and the Congress raises the level of concern with religious freedom.

“The struggle for religious freedom, like the struggle for the abolition of slavery or the exploitation of child labor, will be a long and difficult one, but the principles embodied in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights will triumph and the commission will contribute to their eventual triumph,” he said.

Kazemzadeh advises the National Spiritual Assembly on external affairs matters. He served on that institution for more than 35 years until his retirement last year.

The Commission on International Religious Freedom was created as part of the International Religious Freedom Act, passed by Congress to promote religious freedom as a U.S. foreign policy goal and to combat religious persecution in other countries, according to the commission’s Web site.

The law created an Office of International Religious Freedom in the State Department, headed by an ambassador-at-large. That office is responsible for issuing a report on religious freedom and persecution in all foreign countries by Sept. 1 of each year. On the basis of that report, the State Department designates “countries of particular concern” on the basis of their “systematic, ongoing, and egregious” violations of religious liberty.

Other members of the commission include prominent leaders of the Christian, Jewish and Islamic communities.

During his tenure at Yale, 1956–1992, Kazemzadeh served variously as director of graduate studies in Russian and eastern European studies, chair of the Committee on Middle Eastern Studies, director of graduate studies in history and master of Davenport College.

He is the author of The Struggle for Transcaucasia, 1917–1921 and Russia and Britain in Persia, 1864–1914. He is co-author of several other books relating to Russia and Central Asia. From 1966 to 1999 he served as editor of World Order magazine.

More information is available on the Web site (www.uscirf.gov).

Visitors from Iran to be given letters of introduction

The National Spiritual Assembly has asked the Membership Office to institute a new procedure for those Bahá’ís traveling to the United States from Iran on a visitor’s visa.

Rather than completing a transfer-in and issuing a Bahá’í ID card, the Membership Office will send a visitor’s letter of introduction. This letter will serve as a credential for attending Bahá’í meetings and conferences during the visitor’s stay in the United States. It will not, however, permit the visitor to vote for or serve on any Bahá’í elected institution.

This letter will be valid for the period of time covered by the visitor’s visa or for one year from the date of admittance into the United States, whichever comes first.

For more information, please contact the Membership Office (phone 847-733-3412).

Springing into parade proclamations

Above: Leila Ahdieh’s shadow and feet are visible as the little one helps carry a banner in the Uniondale Festival parade, April 28 in Hempstead, New York. Bahá’ís also staffed a literature booth. Other banner-carriers are (from left) Sarah Chimino, Michael Renna and Rosemarie Mastellone. Photo courtesy of Thomas Pancia

Left: Displaying a positive message and a truckload of people, the Bahá’í entry in the Charlottesville, Virginia, Dogwood Festival in April directs onlookers to the national toll-free number for seekers. Photo by Derrick Stone

Enrollments

May 2001	103
May 2000–April 2001	1,362

THE FUND

May 1–31, 2001
Contributions received by National Treasurer (excluding Kingdom Project)
$1,098,979
Contributions received the entire preceding fiscal year (2000–2001): $17,279,826
Future reports on the National Fund will include nationwide statistics on participation.

Total cash-basis revenues and expenditures	for Bahá’í National Fund May 1, 2000–April 30, 2001 (latest avail.; excluding Kingdom Project)
$23,345,067
Revenues (contributions, book sales, school fees etc.)
$25,800,417
Expenditures (operations, capital and debt payments etc.)
Critical projects that could no longer be deferred forced our Bahá’í national operations into a cash deficit.

Mail contributions to: National Bahá’í Fund 112 Linden Avenue Wilmette, IL 60091-2800 Please write Bahá’í ID # on check

Establishing New Bases for Human Happiness

Our study plan for 2001

The National Spiritual Assembly’s study focus for the friends in the second half of 2001 is The Secret of Divine Civilization, a book by ‘Abdu’l-Bahá on spiritual and material requirements for the advancement of human society.

“Building the Kingdom for Every Man, Woman, Youth and Child,” the Bahá’í National Conference, is just getting under way as this issue is being printed. Full coverage of the conference is planned for the issue of Aug. 20, 2001. [Page 4]The Annual Report of the National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of the United States has been sent to each Local Spiritual Assembly.

Its full text can be downloaded from the Administrative Web Site (www.usbnc.org) — access the site with your Bahá’í ID number, then click on the link in “What’s New” or click on “Communications from the Universal House of Justice and National Spiritual Assembly.”

INTRODUCTION TO THE ANNUAL REPORT OF THE NATIONAL SPIRITUAL ASSEMBLY of the Bahá’ís of the United States • Riḍván 2001

Dearly loved sisters and brothers,

Five years ago the Universal House of Justice addressed our community saying that any survey of your “distinguished accomplishments” provides “striking evidence” of your station as “the outstanding protagonists of the Cause of God.” They told us that certain unique characteristics—the strength of our local communities, the consecration of our youth, and the generally positive impression of the Faith in our nation—created opportunities for systematic growth of the Cause that exist nowhere else.

It is hard for us to believe this about ourselves. Our self-assessments tend to make greater note of our deficiencies than our strengths. Yet in the preceding five years, in the eyes of your National Spiritual Assembly, you have earned a greater measure of spiritual distinction than ever before.

Our hearts swell with love and admiration when we reflect on your continuous struggle to improve the spiritual condition of Bahá’í life in your communities and to diffuse the divine fragrance of Bahá’u’lláh’s message and reawaken the moral vision of our nation. Notwithstanding all the challenges we face and the deficiencies we must yet overcome, the progress you are making in the execution of our community’s Divine Mandate is no less than heroic! Our destiny is not to be defeated by our weaknesses but to grow “from strength to strength” and “to carry the torch of Divine Guidance undimmed by the tempestuous winds that must blow” to every corner of the world. Your progress serves now as the strong foundation for the growth of the Bahá’í community, which we are confident is imminent.

As we reflect on our blessings and contemplate the challenges ahead, our confidence in the future is reinforced by the wise advice and intimate support of the Continental Counselors and their auxiliaries. We are humbled with gratitude as we recall their loving assistance to the National Spiritual Assembly and local spiritual assemblies, their nurturing aid to the Regional Bahá’í Councils, their prominent contributions to the development of training institutes, and their constant encouragement to the friends. The ceaseless encouragement of these senior officers of the propagation and protection of Bahá’u’lláh’s Faith is a great assurance to every soul in our blessed community.

In the eyes of many of our nation’s leaders, Bahá’ís are champions of community service and social justice, unity and spiritual principle. In our nation’s capital and elsewhere, elected officials and leaders of thought describe you as most reliable and unifying workers for social progress. The scope and diversity of your social development work has grown to the point of national recognition. Community projects for health, family service, education, racial and gender equality, and assistance to the poor are widespread and are touching the lives of thousands. Your deep commitment to spiritual education has resulted in the establishment of a national system of hundreds of weekly Bahá’í schools and regional schools, trained teachers, and well-organized curricula serving the majority of our children and families as well as many others from the larger community.

More Bahá’ís are actively and consistently involved in the teaching work than at any time in our history. And increasingly your teaching efforts include many elements of the process of systematic growth: institute training, spiritual gatherings, mass media, community development, activities for children and youth, the arts, social service, and organized follow-up. Moreover, a noticeable decline in conflict among the friends about teaching methods has given rise to a growing number of intercommunity teaching projects that show great promise. Your highly commendable efforts in international traveling teaching, pioneering, and the youth service corps are completely consistent with the requirements of the Divine Plan given to our community by ‘Abdu’l-Bahá. Shoghi Effendi tells us these acts of service have a mysterious spiritual power that advances both the Cause of Bahá’u’lláh and the spiritual progress of our nation.

Five years ago, when the Universal House of Justice wrote to us about our potential for growth, we had no systematic means of reaching out to millions of Americans with Bahá’u’lláh’s message. We did not know how historical trends in American religion affected our growth, nor did we have any sense of who seekers are or what they are seeking. We knew relatively little about the patterns of activity within the Bahá’í community and concerns among the believers, or about how the spiritual and social health of Bahá’í community life relates to growth and retention. At that time there was neither a national system for institute training nor Regional Councils to carry out the national plan in the four regions of our community.

Today we are quickly gaining knowledge about seekers and ourselves, and we are learning how to respond to the exponential increase in public interest in the Bahá’í Faith. Through guidance from the Universal House of Justice, our frustration with our slow rate of growth has given way to a greater understanding of the spiritual dynamics of the growth process and absolute confidence in the approach we are using to achieve it. Recent surveys tell us that awareness of the Bahá’í Faith in the American public has grown from 2 percent to 28 percent in the past decade. Seeing all of these developments, the Universal House of Justice wrote to us saying that our community is hovering on the horizon of large-scale growth.

The evolving pattern of your increasing contributions to the Bahá’í Fund is a fundamental sign of your spiritual health and maturity. You have become the most financially generous religious community in the nation. Repeatedly and consistently, you have broken all past standards of sacrifice to meet the challenges of the local, national, and international Bahá’í community. Although ours is not a wealthy community, the powers of unity and spiritual devotion have inspired us to set goals that were unthinkable five years ago. We are confident that the dramatic progress of the Kingdom Project, the sharp rise in the acquisition of local Bahá’í centers, the consistent support of the Funds, and the gratifying increase of social and economic development initiatives are signs of the community’s growing maturity, a prerequisite to large-scale growth. Our challenge now is to continue expanding the circle of love among the friends and to nurture their active involvement in Bahá’í community life. Love and active participation will inspire an increasing number of Bahá’ís to feel a personal sense of responsibility for the spiritual and material progress of the community.

If a tree is to be judged by its fruit, then the spiritual and social well-being of Bahá’í children and youth are a basic measure of the health and vitality of Bahá’í community life. There is abundant evidence that the current generation of Bahá’í children and youth is among the most distinctive in our community’s history. The nurturing effects of Bahá’í education and the loving encouragement of Bahá’í families and friends have given rise to a large population of children and youth who are knowledgeable about the Faith, committed to its service, and vigorously struggling with the challenges of upholding Bahá’í standards of living in a morally decaying society. Bahá’í communities with programs for children and youth are among the healthiest and most active Bahá’í localities.

At the same time, our children and youth face challenges that grow increasingly severe with the worsening condition of our national social life. Aggravating this problem is the lament of too many Bahá’í children and youth that they do not feel an intimate bond with their spiritual assemblies, their Bahá’í communities, and sometimes even their families.

Today more youth than ever before participate in year-of-service programs, teaching projects, and youth workshops. We must celebrate their accomplishments. Local spiritual assemblies should give special consideration to the challenge of organizing the structure of community life to make room for the leadership and initiative of a growing number of increasingly knowledgeable and competent children and youth. Families, adult believers, and local assemblies should consult with [Page 5]children and youth regularly and earnestly struggle with their concerns and issues. We must exercise constant vigilance in ensuring the safety and well-being of every child and youth in our community. It is our sacred obligation to draw them closer to us as families, communities, and institutions. Every child and youth in our community must feel himself or herself to be the focus of a constant stream of loving encouragement and support. Bahá’í communities should establish for themselves the goal of recreating the extended family, a historic strength of our nation, by establishing “bonds and ties that are stronger than blood” among the believers of every age.

We salute the strong and tireless local spiritual assemblies, which must be given great credit for our progress in the past five years. Local assemblies are the focal centers of Bahá’í activity. They struggle continuously to build spiritual communities of a kind that has never existed before and for which there is no model. The blessings we are counting now, and those we anticipate, result largely from their labors. More than any other institution, local spiritual assemblies face the daily challenge of making real the promises of our Faith. Our responsibility, as individual believers and institutions, is to help them grow ever stronger, assisting their constant efforts to “exercise their vitally important role in the development of the Faith” and to “demonstrate their ability to regulate the affairs of their local communities.”

In the three years since their creation on the anniversary of the birth of His Holiness Bahá’u’lláh, the Regional Bahá’í Councils have become effective and indispensable forces in advancing the process of systematic growth in the U.S. Bahá’í community. The councils have, in a short time, won the trust, love, and confidence of the local assemblies and the friends and built regional organizations capable of grappling with the challenges of human resource development, strengthening spiritual assemblies, and expanding and consolidating the community. During the Five Year Plan, the Regional Councils will play a pivotal role in facilitating the execution of the national plan in their respective regions, assisting the development of local spiritual assemblies, and supporting the function of training institutes.

Our research indicates that if our media broadcasts remain at their current level for the next five years, at least five hundred thousand seekers will investigate the Bahá’í Faith. More likely, if we continue to expand our proclamation and teaching work, the number of respondents is impossible to calculate. The primary interests of these respondents will reflect ours: to find a spiritual community that is loving and kind, that pursues its mission and its problems with confidence and faith, that educates its children and youth and gives loving encouragement to its families and individual members. They are searching for a community that embodies the bright and shining ideal of love for God and love for, and service to, all people. During this time we must work to become the shining evidence of the transforming power of Bahá’u’lláh’s Faith.

Our experience has taught us that the continual refinement of unity and love is the core work of Bahá’í institutions. Unity is the precondition of all progress. The expectation of unity, the perspective of unity, and unswerving compliance with the requirements of unity are the disciplines that every member must master to enable the institutions on which he or she serves to function as instruments of the spirit of the Cause. We are pleased to note that increasingly Bahá’í institutions are serving as facilitators of the “emergence and maintenance of community life in a wholly new mode, and in catering to the requirements of the spiritual relationships which flow from unity and love among the friends.”

The growth and development of the Bahá’í community depends on our ability to foster a culture of continuous learning and sharing. Using the power of unity and cooperation, we can help one another as individuals, families, communities, and institutions to accelerate our learning about the development of Bahá’í life in all of its facets. Promising approaches and models of spiritual and social development should become common knowledge among the friends. Even our failings and conflicts can gain constructive value to the extent that they can be made to stimulate the emergence of wisdom and skills in the process of continuous improvement.

A unique purpose of our Faith is to bring unity to the diversity of races, cultures, thought, and kinds of work to be done. This is an unprecedented task, and we have much work to do both within and outside of the Bahá’í community. Adopting a learning mode will allow us to proceed as fellow students helping each other learn the disciplines of unity for the love of Bahá’u’lláh. Our goal is to transform our souls and give rise to new models of life that bring unity to the diversity of our community and our nation and to establish the members of the Bahá’í community as leaders in the service of all people.

Our studies of Bahá’í community life indicate the need to continuously strengthen Bahá’í family and community life, to better integrate Bahá’í children and youth as full members of the community, and to foster learning and mutual assistance among local communities. The upcoming national conference entitled “Building the Kingdom for Every Man, Woman, Youth, and Child” will help us advance the process of building a learning community. Bahá’ís and Bahá’í institutions are being invited to share promising approaches and models of a wide range of elements of the process of systematic growth. The conference program will focus on Bahá’í individual and family life, growth and development of the Bahá’í community, and the maturation of Bahá’í institutions. Special emphasis will be placed on the role and participation of children and youth as integral members of an organically united community. The conference seeks to foster an atmosphere of love, joy, and confidence in which learning from one another will prepare us to launch the Five Year Plan as the next stage in “building the Kingdom.” This joyful gathering will be open to friends who are investigating the Faith.

Bearing in mind the dramatic advances of the process of systematic growth in the Bahá’í community over the past five years, we can scarcely imagine what lies ahead of us. Shoghi Effendi explained that the Faith does not grow steadily but in quantum leaps mysteriously related to conditions in our society and the operation of Divine Will. We feel, deep in our hearts, the approach of such a moment. It requires a “thrust of action fit for champions.” In the words of the Guardian, “The stage is now set, and the hour propitious, for a deployment of forces, and for the revelation of the indomitable spirit animating this community, on a scale and to a degree unprecedented in the entire course of American Bahá’í history.” We are all fit for the task.

Our love and prayers are with you always,

Your Servants,

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

Opportunities to learn about the sacred law of Huqúqu’lláh and applying it in your life:

New videotape: A Visit to the West by the Trustee of Huqúqu’lláh and Hand of the Cause of God Dr. Ali Muhammad Varqá prepared by the Office of Huqúqu’lláh in the Holy Land

To order this video within the U.S.: Please use the multipurpose form on page 29.

Under “Special information,” please list the number of copies of the video you wish to order, as well as the total cost. Each copy costs $9 plus $3 for U.S. postage. Please enclose payment by check or money order, made out to “Huqúqu’lláh Video Account.” Mail the form and payment to one of the Trustees or to the Office of the Secretariat, Bahá’í Huqúqu’lláh Trust (see box at right for addresses).

Also: Huqúqu’lláh Web site accessible at www.usbnc.org Codification of the Law • Compilation of writings on Huqúqu’lláh • Practical guidelines • History of the institution • Prayers • Online videos • Directory of Huqúqu’lláh Representatives across the U.S. • Articles for study

Access www.usbnc.org with your Bahá’í ID number, then click on the “Huqúqu’lláh” link

HUQÚQU’LLÁH / THE RIGHT OF GOD

Payments to Huqúqu’lláh should be made to “The Bahá’í Huqúqu’lláh Trust” (please write your Bahá’í identification number on your check) and sent to one of the Trustees:

• Amin Banani, phone, fax 310-394-6167, e-mail
• Stephen Birkland, phone, fax 651-490-7521, e-mail
• Sally Foo, phone, fax 609-671-0740, e-mail
• Daryush Haghighi, phone, fax 440-333-6938, e-mail
• Elizabeth Martin, P.O. Box 178, Winnsboro, SC 29180 phone, fax 803-635-9982, e-mail

Office of the Secretariat, Bahá’í Huqúqu’lláh Trust, (phone, fax 440-333-6938, e-mail). [Page 6]

What’s behind a successful junior youth gathering?

BY ADIB BIRKLAND, 20, ARDEN HILLS, MN

“What was it that made Bahá’í gatherings exciting when we were junior youth?” That was the question that we, several youths in the Minneapolis area, asked ourselves a few years ago.

It seemed our fondest memories were of times spent with the older youth, those precious evenings when our parents let us go out with them to a restaurant or movie, when for a few hours we weren’t just children. Occasionally we would go to a youth deepening, something more exciting than children’s classes.

It seemed the older youth always knew how to have a great time. With all the laughter, those times felt completely different than what we thought of as religion.

Being a Bahá’í may just be the most difficult thing in the world. To put it lightly, we stick out. It seems the only thing that is shocking anymore is an upright character. In order to succeed in our mission, we have to think like revolutionaries, like the Dawn-Breakers.

With that idea in mind, a number of us saw the need for regular gatherings for junior youth and we realized that we could play an important role in their maturation. Monthly youth retreats, a dance workshop, and children’s classes had existed for a while in our area. This provided a great opportunity for us to learn what works. We kept seeing the two elements of “pizza” and “a movie” in the formula for any successful get-together. Knowing this, we had only to figure out a way of combining them with studying the Faith. Building on the experience of youth who had been involved in coordinating these other activities, we came up with a few ideas and decided to give it a go!

For nearly three years, the junior youth have been gathering every Friday night! In the early days, we were lucky to see two or three participants. Once in a while, we would make all of the preparations and nobody would come. However, confident in divine assistance, we kept it going. Every week, we tried to see what worked and consulted about how we could make it even better the next time. These days, at least 15 people show up (sometimes we see more than 25!).

There are almost always non-Bahá’í participants. Our focus is developing skills for teaching in the junior youth. Some of the youth are now mature enough, we can encourage them to start taking charge of the weekly meetings. Every week things are better.

Junior youth are at an age when fitting in is the most important thing, but they are always being told how to behave. They hear people say that this is the religion of youth, but wonder how it could be true.

A letter on behalf of the Guardian stated, “Once the youth learns that this Cause is their Cause, and that through it they can ensure their future social tranquility and spiritual progress, then they will arise and consecrate their life to the promotion of this Faith. ... [N]o one can awaken the youth of the world to a consciousness of this road to salvation except from their own numbers—youths already inspired with the Bahá’í spirit.” —letter dated April 1, 1932, reprinted in Messages to Canada

It seems the most exciting aspect of these gatherings is that we have no idea what we are doing. We were inspired by the Writings to do something and just jumped into it. Focused on unity and in a prayerful attitude, we asked Bahá’u’lláh to guide us and this is what has developed. Every week, we evaluate our progress and determine what we can do to make things better. In this way, we are trying to play our part to serve the junior youth in this area. ♦

Reprinted from the May 2001 issue of Fertile Field, a national publication of the Office of Youth Affairs

Faces of Bahá’í mentoring

Photos by Nancy Wong, George Costant

The Quick Guide

for information on youth service opportunities!

Service in the Holy Land: Bahá’í World Center P.O. Box 155 Haifa 31 001, Israel Phone: 011-972-4-8358358 Fax: 011-972-4-8358280 E-mail:

Service at the U.S. Bahá’í National Center, the Bahá’í House of Worship in Wilmette, Illinois, or other agencies of the National Spiritual Assembly:

Office of Human Resources Bahá’í National Center 1233 Central St. Evanston, IL 60201-1611 Phone: 847-733-3427 Fax: 847-733-3430 E-mail: Web: www.usbnc.org

Service at the permanent Bahá’í schools (Bosch, Green Acre, Louhelen) and institutes (NABI, Louis Gregory):

Office of Youth Affairs Bahá’í National Center 1233 Central St. Evanston, IL 60201-1611 Phone: 847-733-3499 Fax: 847-733-3502 E-mail: Web: www.bahaiyouth.com www.usbnc.org

International traveling teaching, pioneering, and the international Bahá’í Youth Service Corps:

Office of Pioneering Bahá’í National Center 1233 Central St. Evanston, IL 60201-1611 Phone: 847-733-3508 Fax: 847-733-3509 E-mail: Web: www.usbnc.org

Short- and long-term service opportunities in localities throughout the United States:

Regional Bahá’í Council for the Central States E-mail:

Regional Bahá’í Council for the Northeastern States E-mail:

Regional Bahá’í Council for the Southern States E-mail:

Regional Bahá’í Council for the Western States E-mail:

On the web at www.usbnc.org

Office of Youth Affairs Bahá’í National Center 1233 Central St., Evanston, IL 60201 Phone: 847-733-3499 Fax: 847-733-3502 E-mail:

Fertile Field Newsletter for Bahá’í Campus Associations now downloadable on www.usbnc.org also check out www.bahaiyouth.com [Page 7]

Busy Building With “Color Me Liang”

Hi, kids! With help from your contributions, a lot of work is being done on the Kingdom Project. Below are pictures of some of the ways you’re helping to build the Kingdom. Match each picture with the work that’s being done. Then, you can color me too.

1 Bahá’í Books in Bookstores

2 Restore Stairs and Gardens

3 New Meeting Hall and Classrooms

4 New Videos

Thank you for helping so far! There’s still much more to be done, so keep your eyes on the Brilliant Star Kid’s Corner page to see what else you’re helping to build!

If you’re saving coins in gleaners, remember to bring them to your local treasurer so he or she can send them to the Kingdom Project!

Activity by the Office of the Treasurer and Brilliant Star

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Tablet a ‘door’ to God’s mercy

BY ERIC HARMSEN

When I declared my faith in Bahá’u’lláh at age 19, I became aware of a special Tablet in the Epistle to the Son of the Wolf. ‎Bahá’u’lláh’s Bahá’u’lláh‎ states that this Tablet “causes the souls of men to soar” and that “it is a door to the mercy of thy Lord.” He exhorted the Bahá’ís to memorize it and recite it at “eventide and at dawn.”

I memorized the Tablet and recited it for several years. I soon started graduate school and did not have the discipline to say the Tablet regularly, and soon stopped saying it altogether. Some 20 years later, in the mid-1990s, I rediscovered this extraordinary Tablet. I hope more Bahá’ís might become aware of its existence, and become recipients of its many blessings.

Neither the Writings of Bahá’u’lláh or ‘Abdu’l-Bahá nor the letters of Shoghi Effendi indicate a title for this Tablet. I have found two unofficial titles being used within the Bahá’í community: the Tablet of Mercy and the Tablet of Resurrection. The Hand of the Cause of God Zikrullah Khadem was heard using the former. That name evidently is derived from the above excerpt indicating that the Tablet is a doorway leading to God’s mercy. The name Tablet of Resurrection is apparently based on the verse: “Is the Resurrection come? ‘Nay, more; He Who is the Self-Subsisting ‎bath hath‎ appeared with the Kingdom of His signs.’” Out of deference for the beloved Hand of the Cause of God I will refer to it as the Tablet of Mercy. But that is for convenience only, not an attempt to promote or “officialize” the title.

The Tablet of Mercy is important for several reasons. As already stated, Bahá’u’lláh exhorted the Bahá’ís to “recite it at eventide and at dawn” and to “commit it to memory.” After the Tablet was originally revealed, He quoted the entire Tablet not only in the Epistle to the Son of the Wolf, but also in the Tablet of Ishráqát (found in Tablets of Bahá’u’lláh, section 9). In numerous places, the importance of the Tablet of Ishráqát was emphasized by ‘Abdu’l-Bahá and Shoghi Effendi, while in numerous Tablets as yet untranslated into English, Bahá’u’lláh quoted excerpts from the Tablet of Mercy.

Bahá’u’lláh states that he revealed the Tablet in answer to certain individuals. “Among others,” he states, “these perspicuous verses have, in answer to certain individuals, been sent down from the Kingdom of Divine knowledge.” The precise date of the revelation of the original Tablet is unknown. According to the paragraph following the Tablet in the Epistle to the Son of the Wolf, however, Bahá’u’lláh states, “These are verses We sent down previously, soon after Our arrival in the prison-city of ‘Akká.” Bahá’u’lláh arrived in ‘Akká on Aug. 31, 1868. In a 1998 memorandum, the Research Department of the Universal House of Justice states that it “has not, to date, been able to verify with any degree of certainty the name of the person for whom the Tablet was originally revealed.”

The Tablet of Mercy is characterized by great power and authority, and filled with extraordinarily rich metaphors and simile. In it, for example, Bahá’u’lláh reveals the following:

“Have the tree-stumps been uprooted? Yea, more; the mountains have been scattered in dust; by Him the Lord of attributes! They say: Where is Paradise, and where is Hell? Say: The one is reunion with Me; the other thine own self, O thou who dost associate a partner with God and doubtest.. . .”

Bahá’u’lláh refers to numerous prophecies and tradition of the past. For instance consider the following:

“Have the stars fallen? Say: Yea, when He Who is the Self-Subsisting dwelt in the Land of Mystery (Adrianople). ... They that have gone astray have said: ‘When were the heavens cleft asunder?’ Say: ‘While ye lay in the graves of waywardness and error.’”

The current period in history will witness momentous events: the completion of the Arc on God’s Holy Mountain and of the Four Year Plan, the establishment of the Lesser Peace, further deterioration of the Old World Order and the increased suffering of humanity. We are also promised that we, the Western believers, will experience “severe mental” testing. We must, therefore, equip ourselves with the armor of the Word of God.

In the Tablet described in this article, Bahá’u’lláh promises God’s mercy to whosoever recites it. And what else could mercy be for a Bahá’í in this day if not preservation and protection from those tests that undermine and erode his or her faith? And what is preservation and protection for the people of Bahá, the companions of the Crimson Ark, if not steadfastness in the Cause and firmness in His mighty Covenant? ♦

The full text of the Tablet of Mercy can be found in Epistle to the Son of the Wolf, pp. 131–134 of U.S. editions.

The gift in the Cornerstone Room

BY LINDA S. MAXWELL

November 29, 2000. Winter is already wrapping the Upper Peninsula of Michigan in a coat of white. We are settling in for the long months of isolation after sharing family thanks for a year of health and happiness. Then the call came. Our precious Anusha, our son’s and his wife’s first child, had been born too early to stay with us very long but blessed our family for an hour before she returned to the Abhá Kingdom.

Through an early morning blizzard, we drove our way down to Chicago. Long hours to try to prepare what we would do, what we would say to our grieving children. Our culture doesn’t prepare us for such times. Words of sympathy are inappropriate. We felt strangely askew and frail in this unexpected and somehow unnatural role.

We arrived at the hospital and Anusha was being cradled gently by our son: sorrow-filled tears lying on his beloved face. Our wonderful, bright daughter-in-law lay silent and rigid with grief. Yet over the entire room an aura of power and peace, a spirit of otherworldliness permeated the atmosphere. This small vessel sent out a vibration that stopped words, stopped rational thought, stopped our connection to the material world. We shared our grief, our love, and our souls in the utmost quiet. I remember that the most. The profound quiet in the presence of that pure spirit.

Prayers were murmured for our dear Anusha and we said goodbye.

Leaving the hospital with empty arms and souls grieving, we went to the Temple. My son and I, drawn to the Cornerstone Room, sat quietly and began to offer prayers, tears streaming.

After a while, we just sat in silence comforted in each other’s spirit when from deep within its frame, the beautiful, antique couch let out a low creak. We looked at each other aghast. Were we going to break the antique couch in the Temple?!!

My son whispered to me, “Should we get up really quickly together or just easily one at a time?”

“I don’t know. Which works best in the movies?”

Looking panicked at each other, we began to laugh. We carefully arose leaving both the couch and us in one piece. We laughed softly as we left the Cornerstone Room—our first laugh in over 48 hours.

‘Abdu’l-Bahá had given us a wonderful, healing gift in our grief.

God, indeed, loves laughter, even in the Cornerstone Room of the Mother Temple of the West. ♦

Editor’s note: As of this printing, the couch in the Cornerstone Room is still sturdy.

Library displays: another viewpoint

To the editor:

I enjoyed the article “Reaching Out Through Your Local Library” in the Dec. 12, 2000, issue of The American Bahá’í.

I am glad a librarian chose to inform the communities on what it takes to have our Faith displayed in a window and how the display should be set up. I hope this information will inspire each community to arrange displays.

Patty Carleton states, “They (libraries) usually shy away from displays that appear to promote a particular viewpoint, especially a religious one.”

Here is what I have run across in my long friendship with my public library.

I frequent the library and build a “first-name friendship” with the workers plus I check out books, often in both the adult and children’s sections.

This genuine rapport makes it easy to offer to do a display window or case. The Emporia Public Library welcomes it! Ninety percent of my displays have been located at the entrance to the children’s room.

Last year for Race Unity Day, I actually ‎add added‎ a Bahá’í Faith theme. Our Bahá’í community sponsored a Race Unity Day program and this helped “promote” it.

Bahá’í balloons hung from the ceiling, I used a Bahá’í library book with the page opened to a quote and books on various cultures were displayed. I was able to have handouts of the Golden Rule postcards, a coloring sheet and flyers for our festival which had “Bahá’í Faith” printed on them.

Because our community sponsored this event and it was open to the public, the department head had no problem with it. Some might, but she saw that it truly made a beautiful display!

Other displays have focused on my personal American Indian collection, my turtle collection, Black History Month and recycling. Each display showcased the library’s books.

I always have coloring sheets, bookmarks, etc., to give away. Kids and adults like to receive free things.

Here is the main point when you do a display that does not mention the Faith: The community at large, and the library staff, knows you are a Bahá’í. What you place in your display, plus your everyday attitude, shows who you are and what you stand for. Thus you teach the Faith.

I hope many communities are volunteering at their local libraries in various capacities. Window displays are just one way to express yourself!

Peggy Keating-Bolm Emporia, Kansas

LETTERS FROM READERS

We welcome letters from readers on topics relating to the furtherance of the goals of the Five Year Plan, the principles of the Writings, and response to content in The American Bahá’í.

• The purpose of Letters from Readers is to encourage an exchange of ideas and opinions, never to denigrate another’s views or attack anyone—openly or subtly.
• Opinions expressed are those of the writers, not necessarily of the editors.
• A 250-word maximum length is suggested. Letters will be edited for style and possibly for length.

Address to: Editor, The American Bahá’í, 1233 Central St., Evanston, IL 60201. [Page 9]

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In both English and Hebrew, this lovely gift book has over 100 full-size, high-quality pictures and descriptive text. This valuable resource for teaching and public relations activities was released to coincide with the inauguration event of the Terraces and was available to the participants in Haifa. It is a beautiful addition to any Bahá’í library and makes an excellent coffee table book. 9" x 13", 128 pp., illustrated

Century of Light Universal House of Justice $10.95 SC (COL)

Produced at the request and under the supervision of the Universal House of Justice, Century of Light quotes extensively from the Bahá’í writings and the related commentaries of the Guardian. The purpose is to provide members of the Faith with a perspective on two defining processes that unfolded during the 20th century: the sequence of events that made the unification of humanity the principal feature of modern history, and the emergence from obscurity of the cause of God and its Administrative Order. Note: Century of Light is primarily a resource for Bahá’í study and deepening. It is not a public information publication, nor is it intended as a presentation piece for public figures or the media. 6 3/4" x 9 1/4", 157 pp., foreword, notes

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Santour and piano arrangements are accompanied by the strings of New Zealand’s Philharmonic Orchestra in this collection of old-time melodies and new songs.

Running time: 54 minutes

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One hundred forty-four stunning images of the Bahá’í holy places from ‘Akká to Haifa. Includes historic sites around ‘Akká, the Most Great Prison, the house of ‘Abbúd, the mansion at Mazra’ih, the Ridván Garden, the mansion at Bahjí, the Shrine of Bahá’u’lláh, the house of ‘Abdu’lláh Páshá, the Haifa Pilgrim House, the Monument Gardens, sites on Haparsim Street, the Arc buildings, the Terraces and the Shrine of the Báb. [Page 11]

NEWLY RELEASED VIDEOS

The Hands of the Cause of God Volume I—Heroic Age through 1951 Ramin Khadem and Fred Badiyan $19.95 VHS (EHCGN)

Documentary in style, this video recounts the lives of the Hands of the Cause of God within the historical context of the Bahá’í Faith. Volume I covers the where and why of these heroic souls first appointed by Bahá’u’lláh during the latter part of His ministry. The stories of sacrifice and daring of the four souls appointed by Him is followed by the accounts of those special individuals referred to as Hands, posthumously, by His son, ‘Abdu’l-Bahá. During the ministry of Shoghi Effendi, the Guardian also elevated a number of outstanding individuals to the rank of the Hand of the Cause after their passing. This is the story of these heroes and heroines of the Bahá’í Faith who “diffused the divine fragrances” and “promoted learning” throughout the world. 43 minutes

Speaking of Gender $14.95 VHS (ESGN)

A program about gender equality from a spiritual point of view. Twenty-five youths between 18 and 30 years old, from all over the United States, spent an intense weekend at Green Acre Bahá’í School discussing their views on gender equality. Most were Bahá’ís but some were friends of Bahá’ís from other religious backgrounds. Drawn from a videotaping of that weekend, this program is intended to help a young adult audience consider basic questions about equality that aren’t always obvious, and to develop a language for that discussion. Ideal for Bahá’í campus associations. 28 minutes 30 seconds

6 Video Set of the Media Initiative (Volumes 1-6) $75.00 VHS (BMI)

The most recent videos that have been broadcasted as a part of the national media initiative are now available for individual and bulk sales. Whether used to locally support the media aspect of the National Teaching Plan or as an individual tool for firesides, each represents a wonderful advancement in constructing a message ever more “suited to the capacity of those who hear it.”

We Are One $14.95 VHS (EWAON)

This video explores the effect of Bahá’u’lláh’s extraordinary teachings of oneness on ordinary rural people. It opens with Dan Seals and his son Jesse using the guitar as an analogy to gently introduce principles of unity in diversity. Jesus the Christ is mentioned a number of times with great reverence. Throughout his series of poignant interviews with Bahá’í friends, Dan combines a spiritual compassion with his music and insightful lyrics. 28 minutes 30 seconds

I Am a Bahá’í $14.95 VHS (IABN)

A diverse range of everyday people describe, in their own words, their spiritual fulfillment as members of the Bahá’í Faith as well as the impact their religion has had on their lives. The Bahá’ís interviewed range from single mothers, to mid-level career women and men, to young and old families. They discuss such issues as parenting, professional aspirations, interracial understanding, service to others and the power of the independent investigation of truth as elements of faith. 28 minutes

La Fe Bahá’í Latinos in the Bahá’í Faith $14.95 VHS (ELBFN)

This introductory video represents the first video endeavor to focus on Bahá’ís of Hispanic descent. Although filmed in English, the friends share their thoughts and impressions of being a Bahá’í from a Hispanic perspective. This inspiring and heartfelt video is suitable for seekers of any nationality. 28 minutes 30 seconds (in English)

The Power of Prayer $14.95 VHS (EPOPN)

A series of personal and highly accessible profiles introduce the viewer to Bahá’ís from diverse backgrounds and regions of the country and explores how they use prayer in their lives to meet challenges and create unity. Interspersed with basic Bahá’í principles and statistics, The Power of Prayer is a great introduction to basic concepts of the Bahá’í Faith. 28 minutes 30 seconds

Family: Seeds of World Peace $14.95 VHS (EFSWPN)

The family unit is one of the oldest and most basic of social relationships. When families are healthy they have a direct effect on the health of their communities. Families are therefore the incubator for the seeds of world peace. This program profiles three families who apply the teachings of the Bahá’í Faith to their family lives. 28 minutes 30 seconds

The Power of Race Unity $14.95 VHS (EPRUBN)

The first of the videos developed for use in the national media campaign. This is the same edition aired in March and April 1998 on selected nationwide cable channels. Available now in VHS format suitable for home use. Also available in Betacam SP for $60 (EPRUB) and U-Matic SP ¾-inch for $35 (EPRUU) for local broadcasts. Check with your local affiliate to determine necessary format for broadcast. 26 minutes

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Bahá’í Distribution Service • 4703 Fulton Industrial Blvd. • Atlanta, GA 30336 call us • 800-999-9019 • toll-free [Page 12]

Texas postscripts

Follow-ups to teaching stories we’ve published ...

College Station

More than 100 Bahá’ís and guests enjoyed a festive Ninth Day of Riḍván picnic in College Station, Texas. Many attendees were new believers enrolled within the past two years through ‎a expansion an expansion‎ and consolidation project in College Station and Bryan that has been marked by systematic teaching, love and unity among the believers, and widespread participation and support.

Photo by Grant Suhm

San Antonio

Bahá’ís here are reaping a consistent harvest from their heart-to-heart teaching initiative.

Six souls declared belief in Bahá’u’lláh during May—the most in any single month since they began systematically following up last December on interest generated by the national media campaign.

Nearly all those who enrolled in the Faith this year are deepening their knowledge and attending Bahá’í events. Six new believers co-hosted the Feast of Núr.

“We had probably the best-attended Feast we’ve ever had, with about 65-plus people there,” said teaching campaign coordinator Larry Magee. “There were not enough chairs. The spiritual atmosphere was sublime.”

Magee said the San Antonio Spiritual Assembly is increasingly collaborating with the Auxiliary Board members and assistants and the Águila del Cielo Regional Training Institute. And the Assembly is forming a study circle of its own. ◆

Dallas-area pageant keeps evolving

Bahá’ís and friends from 12 communities witness Riḍván drama

Riḍván pageants are becoming an annual feature of the Most Great Festival in Dallas/Fort Worth, Texas.

This year a real horse participated in the celebration, held at the Dallas Nature Center. Bahá’ís from 12 communities and their guests attended the event, sponsored by the Spiritual Assemblies of Arlington and Duncanville.

“It was a challenge to do the pageant outdoors,” said initiator and artistic director Anne Gordon Perry, who recently earned a doctorate in the study of aesthetics.

“But having the gathering under the trees in a nature preserve and including a horse representing Bahá’u’lláh’s roan stallion added an air of uniqueness and authenticity to the event”—even though Spook is actually a chestnut mare.

Celebrants processed behind the horse at the beginning and end of the staged pageant.

“It helped us visualize the person of the Manifestation and experience the emotions of His companions, in terms of both His presence and of His exile and departure from Baghdad,” explained Perry.

Horsewoman and Bahá’í Thora Eyford Khademazad arranged to borrow the horse from a friend after her own horse, which was to play the part of the roan stallion, had an accident and became lame right before the pageant.

“Thora’s friend could not imagine why having a horse in the pageant was so significant to us until she heard the story and saw it dramatized,” said Perry.

For the past six years, Dallas-area Bahá’ís have celebrated Riḍván with programs featuring music, dance, drama, poetry, scenic backdrops, a tent, costumes, visual and sound effects and, of course, plenty of red roses.

Bahá’ís of diverse ages and backgrounds have participated in the programs, which have interwoven original music, dance and drama into the story of Bahá’u’lláh’s Declaration.

Each year a new association with Riḍván has been developed and added to the program.

A theater student who had never been to a Bahá’í event described the pageant in a written critique for class:

“The event was set in a beautiful garden, where the Prophet’s followers could easily come and praise him. The mood was religious and devotional. The theme was to celebrate this great person and show appreciation for what he did and went through.”

After imparting high praise to the dance, music, speakers, chanters, costuming and decoration, the student noted that the offering of rose scent to everyone who wished to wear it “helped bring the scent of roses out, and the audience became more entranced with the performance.”

“I loved the celebration. I wish everyone could have come to see it.”

Perry, whose research on the intersection of art and religion focuses largely on Bahá’í aspects of their relationship, foresees spectacular observances of Riḍván in the future.

“Riḍván is the King of Festivals, the most great time to celebrate the Lord of Hosts,” she said. “The details we know about Riḍván are excellent fodder for poetry, music, drama and other kinds of pageantry.”

As much as anything, these early efforts demonstrate how much hard work and collaboration such large-scale efforts require—from stage managing to banner design to rehearsals to costuming, even to such details as stripping thorns off roses as decorations for the reception.

Area Bahá’ís hope to continue the Riḍván pageant productions. People interested in being part of next year’s program should contact Tim and Anne Perry (e-mail [redacted]).

Especially needed are a gospel song about Riḍván and gymnasts who might perform a flying nightingale piece. ◆

During a song in the Riḍván Pageant staged in the Dallas/Fort Worth area, participants gesture toward the “red roan stallion” in homage to Bahá’u’lláh.

Sub-regional conference a ‘powerful’ prelude

INFORMATION FROM BRIAN TAYLOR

To boost momentum leading to the Bahá’í National Conference, the Regional Bahá’í Council of the Central States organized four single-day “sub-regional” Building the Kingdom conferences: in Toledo, Ohio; Indianapolis, Indiana; Fargo, North Dakota; and Columbia, Missouri.

Enthusiasm rose to surprising levels as believers shared their energy, spirit and knowledge of methods for carrying out the teachings of Bahá’u’lláh in a variety of ways. In particular, attendance at the Fargo and Toledo conferences reportedly far exceeded expectations; at Fargo more than 100 people attended, and the Toledo gathering had twice as many people as expected.

The American Bahá’í received a few details on the Indianapolis conference, held May 12.

“What a powerful and humbling experience to be in the presence of so much love, so much spirit, and such hope for the future,” said organizing committee member Deborah Wittman after the Indianapolis Building the Kingdom Sub-Regional Conference.

Held at Deer Run Elementary School—whose principal, Peggy Eddy, is a relatively new Bahá’í—the conference brought together dozens of friends from Indiana and Illinois along with a number from Michigan and Ohio, “to celebrate Bahá’u’lláh’s vision of unity together,” Wittman said.

Main speakers included Bill Wieties, Auxiliary Board member for protection; plus Richard Thomas and Lynn Wieties, members of the Regional Bahá’í Conference of the Central States.

But just as with the upcoming Milwaukee conference, the main business of the day was the friends learning from each other’s experience. Attendees had three chances to attend workshops on a spectrum of subjects including:

• Understanding of a variety of cultural traditions and insights on sharing our Faith across ethnic lines.
• Virtues projects, public speaking training, “Calling All Colors” and other efforts to help children grow up serving humanity.

SEE INDIANAPOLIS, PAGE 27 [Page 13]

96 years’ experiences led her to Bahá’í Faith

INFORMATION FROM ALLAN WUNSCH

Dorothy Carroll has led a most interesting life, to say the least.

She has sung in movies and with opera companies; traveled the world; worked as an aircraft inspector; served in the Armed Forces; sculpted and painted; built a house with her own hands; and been a successful real estate broker.

Now, at age 96, Carroll can add finding the Bahá’í Faith to her list of accomplishments.

She heard about the Faith from a friend in Maine, where she summers, then looked up the Bahá’ís in Florida, where she spends winters. After attending many firesides and reading Bahá’í books, she declared her belief in Bahá’u’lláh.

Carroll still drives her own car in both Maine and Florida, so there won’t be any problem getting to Bahá’í events. She doesn’t even need a cane or walker.

Appropriately, she attributes her fascinating life to being God-guided, saying she is very grateful to God and to her friends throughout the years for everything that has happened. ◆

Dorothy Carroll celebrates her enrollment in the Bahá’í Faith in her community in west central Florida.

Olya’s story reaches heart of Wyoming

Teaching opportunities follow Olya Roohizadigan wherever she travels, and Casper, Wyoming, was no exception.

Hers is a simple mission: To tell the story of the courageous Bahá’í women executed in Shiraz, Iran, in 1983 solely because of their beliefs. Roohizadigan vowed she would spread that story widely after she was released from the same prison where those women had been held.

And when she arrived in town just in time for the Feast of Glory, April 9, she found herself the guest of the largest Feast the community has held in many months. She shared many inspiring stories from her travels at that Feast.

That night, 35 to 40 were attracted to her talk at Casper College, including members of a local high school class.

Support for the appearance came from the Natrona County Grassroots Project, a group dedicated to protecting and raising awareness of human rights; the college itself; and the Bahá’ís.

All listened intently as she spoke of her cellmates: children’s class teachers, nurses, students, mothers—highly educated and humble women.

She described how the authorities released her hoping that, by following her, they would learn the location of other Bahá’ís. But she foiled the plan by escaping to Pakistan in a dangerous border crossing.

A local Persian Bahá’í also spoke of his experiences in Iran.

Two reporters from the college paper attended and produced an extensive article that included the principles of the Faith and contained numerous references to Bahá’u’lláh.

Copies of Roohizadigan’s book, Olya’s Story, were lent to interested audience members.

As a result, at least one serious seeker is studying the book and others have asked to be contacted. An increase in teaching opportunities in Casper also has been evident, community members say. ◆

TRAINING INSTITUTES

Wilmette Institute EST. 1995

Distance Learning: Kitáb-i-Aqdas; “Secret of Divine Civilization” The Kitáb-i-Aqdas and Related Texts, Sept. 1–Dec. 31

Shoghi Effendi described the Most Holy Book as “the principal repository of that Law which the Prophet Isaiah had anticipated, and which the writer of the Apocalypse had described as the ‘new heaven’ and the ‘new earth,’ as ‘the Tabernacle of God,’ as the ‘Holy City,’ as the ‘Bride,’ the ‘New Jerusalem coming down from God,’ this ‘Most Holy Book,’ whose provisions must remain inviolate for no less than a thousand years.” He adds that it “may well be regarded as the brightest emanation of the mind of Bahá’u’lláh, as the Mother Book of His Dispensation, and the Charter of His New World Order.” — God Passes By, p. 213

The Wilmette Institute has produced extensive study aids and created an extensive compilation of descriptions of the Most Holy Book from the writings of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, Shoghi Effendi, Hasan Balyuzi, Adib Taherzadeh and other Bahá’í scholars. Tuition is just $200; financial aid is available.

The Secret of Divine Civilization, July 1–Sept. 30

Registration is still possible for this course examining one of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá’s most important works, a work that is very important to understand if one wishes to understand the divine civilization the Bahá’í Faith seeks to construct. The work’s importance has been stressed by the National Spiritual Assembly in its decision to ask all American Bahá’ís to study the work in the last half of 2001. As long as space is available, the Institute allows students to register as late as one month into a distance-learning course. Tuition is $150; financial aid is available.

Future courses Watch for information on the Wilmette Institute’s exciting fall course line-up, including: ‘Abdu’l-Bahá: The Exemplar, Oct. 1–Dec. 31 The Writings of Bahá’u’lláh: A Systematic Survey, Nov. 1, 2001–Feb. 28, 2002 The Physical, Mental, Emotional, and Spiritual Development of the Individual, Nov. 15, 2001–Feb. 15, 2002 The Bible, Dec. 1, 2001–Feb. 28, 2002

All courses include e-mail list-servers for students and faculty, regular conference calls, systematic lesson plans and a wide variety of learning projects to apply in your local community.

All courses are available at an introductory, intermediate (college-level) or advanced (graduate) level. Financial aid is available.

THE WILMETTE INSTITUTE 536 Sheridan Road Wilmette, IL 60091 Phone/fax: 877-WILMETTE (toll-free) E-mail: Web site: www.wilmetteinstitute.org The Web site is secure for accepting credit card payment of tuition.

REGIONAL TRAINING INSTITUTE CONTACTS

Central States	Northeastern States
Regional contact: Council secretary • e-mail Training institutes: Chicago • Dorothy Baker Ohio • Gateway Missouri • Iowa • Kansas • Milwaukee Metro • Minnesota •	Regional contact: Chet Makoski • e-mail Training institutes: Doris McKay Western New York state • New York Tri State Metro NYC, Northern NJ, Long Island • Sadie Oglesby Eastern New England • Thornton Chase Connecticut River Valley • William Sears Eastern Pennsylvania •
Western States	Southern States
Regional contact: Council secretary • e-mail Training institutes: Arizona • California Northeast • California South • Columbine Colorado • Native American Bahá’í Institute • Nevada South • Oregon • Rio Grande New Mexico • Robert Turner California Northwest •	Regional contact: Susan Nossa • e-mail Training institutes: Aguila del Cielo Central Texas • Amat’u’l-Bahá Rúhíyyih Khánum Alabama, Georgia • Crimson Ark DC, Maryland, Virginia, Delaware, West Virginia • Jubilee Tennessee, Arkansas • Magdalene Carney Florida, Louisiana, Mississippi • Mathew Kaszab South Texas • North Texas • Oklahoma • Sam McClellan Kentucky • South Carolina • Supreme Talisman North Carolina • Tree of Life Houston, Texas •

More on regional training institutes at www.usbnc.org

Access the Administrative Web Site with your Bahá’í ID number, click on “Regional Councils,” then link to the Web site for the Council in your region of the country! [Page 14]

ARISING TO TRAVEL FOR THE FAITH

A pioneer family’s service: providing a home for children’s classes

Students take part in children’s class in Caserta, Italy, in the home of pioneer couple John and Gayle Donohue, formerly of Lakeside, California. The Donohues’ two sons are among the students, even though they speak very little Italian; a bilingual adult is usually on hand to translate for them. Gayle Donohue reports that family members treasure being among Bahá’ís in this community outside Naples.

For information on how pioneers abroad often serve, as well as on upcoming Pioneer Training Programs, contact the Office of Pioneering at the Bahá’í National Center, 1233 Central St., Evanston, IL 60202 (phone 847-733-3508, fax 847-733-3509, e-mail pioneering@usbnc.org).

The Office of Pioneering is eager to assist the friends preparing for international service. For information regarding jobs and study abroad, or international traveling teaching opportunities and other events, please contact the Office of Pioneering, Bahá’í National Center, 1233 Central St., Evanston, IL 60201 (phone 847-733-3508, e-mail pioneering@usbnc.org).

Answers to frequent questions about serving internationally are posted on the Web (www.usbnc.org, NSA Departments).

See below left to report an international trip.

INFORMATION ON YOUR INTERNATIONAL TEACHING TRIP

To record achievement of traveling teaching goals, the Office of Pioneering needs information on all international trips taken for the sake of promoting the interests of the Faith. This information is important whatever the level or amount of service and regardless of whether your trip was exclusively for service to the Faith or was combined with a trip for business, holiday, family, study or otherwise.

Just contact the Office of Pioneering, 1233 Central St., Evanston, IL 60201 (phone 847-733-3508, fax 847-733-3509, e-mail pioneering@usbnc.org).

Use the Multipurpose Form on page 29 to respond by mail. Include the following special information (use a separate sheet as needed):

• Names and ID numbers of all Bahá’ís on each trip
• Names of each country visited, plus the one or two main localities, and date(s) of visit(s)
• Main purpose of your travel
• Did you arise to meet the call of the Universal House of Justice for:

Native Americans to teach in the circumpolar areas?

Hispanic believers to teach in Latin America?

African-Americans to teach in Africa?

HOMEFRONT SERVICE

Detailed information to help those who wish to travel and teach or pioneer within the 48 contiguous states is available on the Administrative Web Site (www.usbnc.org), in the Regional Bahá’í Councils section.

Northeastern States

To inquire about locating as a homefront pioneer, contact the Northeast Regional Bahá’í Council secretary, Joel Nizin (phone 847-733-3486, e-mail nebcsec@usbnc.org).

To inquire about traveling teaching, contact the traveling teaching coordinator, Diana Rouse Kaufman (phone 845-471-7171, e-mail drkaufman@aol.com).

Central States

To inquire about locating as a homefront pioneer, contact the Central Regional Bahá’í Council secretary, Lynn Wieties (phone 847-733-3484, e-mail crbcsec@usbnc.org).

To inquire about traveling teaching, contact the appropriate state traveling teaching coordinator (list is available on www.usbnc.org in the Regional Councils section) or contact Marilyn Ray (phone 847-733-3485, e-mail cttcoord@usbnc.org).

Western States

To inquire about locating as a homefront pioneer or about traveling teaching, contact the appropriate traveling teaching–homefront pioneering coordinator for each state (list available on www.usbnc.org in the Regional Councils section), or one of the regional coordinators:

Traveling teaching: Jan Saeed, (phone 847-733-3490, e-mail jsaeed@usbnc.org).

Homefront pioneering: Flor Toloui, (phone 847-733-3487, e-mail ftoloui@usbnc.org).

Southern States

For information on American Indian reservations, contact the American Indian regional traveling teaching–homefront pioneering coordinator, Helen Kiely, (phone 601-638-5188, e-mail hkiely@earthlink.net).

To inquire about locating as a homefront pioneer, please contact regional coordinating team member Susan Crossley (phone 847-733-3488, e-mail scrossley@usbnc.org).

To inquire about traveling teaching, please contact regional coordinating team member Kitty Schmitz (phone 847-733-3489, e-mail kschmitz@usbnc.org).

The below homefront pioneering opportunity has been approved by the Homefront Pioneering/Traveling Teaching Regional Coordinating Team:

Kingstree, South Carolina, has a functionally jeopardized Spiritual Assembly, which is formed each year but usually cannot meet because of lack of quorum. Children’s classes, Feasts and Holy Day observances are held. An hour’s drive or less from Myrtle Beach, Florence, Charleston and the Louis Gregory Bahá’í Institute. Act soon to apply for teaching positions at high school and other public schools. Kingstree will be included in activities for development of local communities planned by Auxiliary Board members and the South Carolina traveling teaching circuits. Homefront pioneers from diverse ethnic backgrounds would be of great assistance. ♦

The following needs for international traveling teachers and opportunities to attend gatherings overseas are summarized from letters recently received from Bahá’í institutions overseas. A list of other opportunities for traveling teachers from the Bahá’í World Center is available through the Office of Pioneering.

Teaching Projects

• Belize: “Hearts Ablaze” Summer Teaching Project, through Aug. 4. The institute process and empowerment of the community will be the focus of a performing arts workshop and a consolidation team.
• St. Lucia: Grandma Snyder Project Revisited, July 22–Aug. 5 and Aug. 12–26. Goals: to establish systematic study circles with trained tutors, to establish children/youth classes and to establish devotional meetings.
• Belarus, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland: Kalinka-Baltics 21st Century Summer Teaching Campaign. Participants needed for youth performing arts groups. Preparation at Bahá’í Summer Residence near Minsk, Belarus, July 19–29; teaching July 30–Aug. 24.
• Hungary: English conversational camp near Lake Velencei. Teacher training July 15–21, camp July 21–31. Will acquaint Hungarian youth, Bahá’ís and others, with Bahá’í social and spiritual issues using English and having fun! Sports, games, music, singing, bonfire.
• South Africa: “Beyond Words” Performing Arts and Youth Empowerment Project, July 19, 2001–May 19, 2002 (part-time membership possible). Dance, acting, speech.
• Hungary, Slovakia, Poland, Germany, Baltic States: Diversity Dance Theatre Europe, September 2001–August 2002, systematically connecting proclamation of the Faith, personal teaching, dance and music, social service and training institute process.

Conferences, Schools and Events

• United Kingdom: Summer Scholarship Course for youth, July 28–Aug. 4. Held by the Association for Bahá’í Studies–English-speaking Europe. For Bahá’ís of all backgrounds ages 15 and up, to learn practical skills of Bahá’í research and scholarship.
• Uganda: Golden Jubilee Celebration, July 31–Aug. 2. This international Bahá’í conference in Kampala will celebrate 50 years of the Faith in Uganda with public events at the Mother House of Worship for Africa, followed by teaching conferences Aug. 3–5 in Bweyeyo-Luwero and Tilling-Kumi.
• Hungary: Summer school, Aug. 6–12 at Sóstógyógyfürdő (Saltlake spas). Main theme: “How Shall We Spiritualize Our Lives?” Details regarding location, costs, accommodations and travel available.
• United Kingdom: International Society for Agriculture and Rural Development annual meeting, Aug. 9–11 at Sidcot Summer School in Somerset, England.
• Tanzania: 50th Anniversary of the Faith in Tanzania, mid-August, with pre- and post-celebration proclamation/teaching activities.
• Greece: Summer school Aug. 20–26 at San Stefano Hotel in Tsangarada, Pelion, on the shores of the Aegean Sea. Theme: “A Bridge In Time,” focusing on the Major Plan of God.
• Hawaii: “Fire in the Pacific” Centenary Conference in Honolulu, Dec. 20–23. Commemorating 100 years of the spread and progress of the Faith in the Pacific, the celebration will weave a rich tapestry whose threads will be drawn from Bahá’í history, music and the visual arts. ♦

[Page 15]

Spiritual sun shines on Green Acre work

BY THE KINGDOM PROJECT OFFICE

KINGDOM PROJECT OVERVIEW

• More than 4,500 individuals and 114 Bahá’í institutions and agencies have pledged funds toward the $60 million goal.
• Nearly as many have participated by making cash contributions.
• More than $23.7 million in pledges or cash contributions has been committed to the Kingdom Project.

DID YOU KNOW ...

• The House of Worship has about 250,000 visitors each year?
• There are 972 monumental steps surrounding the House of Worship?
• Over $1,000,000 is required each year just to keep the Temple open?

Nobody complained about the rain when ground was broken the morning of June 2 for a new meeting hall and classrooms at Green Acre Bahá’í School.

About 170 people watched eagerly from under umbrellas as a National Spiritual Assembly representative, the school’s co-administrators and the chair of the Board of Selectmen of Eliot, Maine, turned shovelfuls of dirt to ceremonially launch the project. Mark Sacco’s baritone rendition of “Blessed Is the Spot” illuminated a spiritual presence that elevated the event above a mere building project.

Most of that morning’s prayerful and light-hearted ceremony had been held earlier in the Green Acre dining room. School staff had rallied to prepare the room for the event, originally planned to be held entirely outdoors.

The gathering was warmed by the presence of the town’s entire five-member Board of Selectmen; of the builder, Bill Robinson, whose mother had worked at Green Acre and who previously participated in renovation of the Sarah Farmer Inn and the Ole Bull and Rogers Cottages at the school; and of project architect Mahdad Saniee.

“Although the physical sun is not shining, the spiritual sun is shining today,” said Steven Beckert, chair of the Selectmen, in his brief remarks—words reminiscent of those used in many of the talks of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, who visited Green Acre in 1912.

THE KINGDOM PROJECT IN ACTION: GREEN ACRE BAHÁ’Í SCHOOL

William Roberts (center), treasurer of the National Spiritual Assembly, shares a laugh with Eliot Board of Selectmen chair Steven Beckert (in sunglasses) along with staff and friends of Green Acre Bahá’í School, as ground is broken for a new meeting hall and classrooms. Photo by Addison Bibb

After the ceremony, Robinson commented that he now better understood why the Bahá’ís went to so much trouble to preserve buildings he had thought should be torn down.

Representing the National Spiritual Assembly, Billy Roberts recounted his impressions of Green Acre from his days as a young man from Roxbury, Massachusetts.

Other speakers and guests welcomed by co-administrators Jim and Jeannine Sacco included Wendy Kvalheim, a longtime member of the Green Acre advisory board; Rebecca Wilson, Kingdom Project coordinator; Mashiyat Ashraf, Sam Murray and Sam Conrad, members of the project planning team; representatives of the Regional Bahá’í Council; the president of the local NAACP chapter; and others. ♦

What is the Kingdom Project?

It is our National Spiritual Assembly’s plan to build the infrastructure and prepare the American Bahá’í community for the dramatic growth that we are told is fast approaching.

Steeped in the vision of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá for the American Bahá’í community and blessed by the Universal House of Justice, the Kingdom Project is designed to take the American Bahá’í community to our next level of advancement, maturation and service to the Cause of Bahá’u’lláh. It will also help us “prepare ourselves,” as instructed by the Universal House of Justice, “for ... the hour whose coming it is our task to hasten.”

The Kingdom Project will ensure:

• Restoration and protection of the House of Worship, called by the Guardian “the most important teacher of the Faith.”
• Expansion of dependencies of the Mashriqu’l-Adhkár, including the Visitors’ Center and the Bahá’í Home for the Aged.
• Redesign of the Hazíratu’l-Quds, described by Shoghi Effendi as “the visible symbol of the steadily growing National Bahá’í Community.”
• Fundamental development of Bahá’í-owned schools and institutes to their next phase as centers of Bahá’í learning.
• Expansion of the media initiative and other national teaching efforts.
• Founding and developing a new publishing entity to develop, produce and promote books for mass distribution.
• Creation of strategic reserves to give our community the flexibility needed to respond promptly to opportunities for significant growth.
• Establishment of an endowment to protect Bahá’í properties across the United States. ♦

What can I do to help build the Kingdom?

Through countless letters of encouragement and instruction, and through His historic visit in 1912, ‘Abdu’l-Bahá laid the spiritual foundations of the Bahá’í Faith in this country. Thus Shoghi Effendi called Him “the Founder of the American Bahá’í Community.” The early believers began to build on this foundation, raising the physical infrastructure of buildings, institutions, schools and services that would eventually serve the world.

Building the Kingdom: It’s Our Time is an initiative of our National Spiritual Assembly, calling on each of us in today’s American Bahá’í community to capture the vision of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, and to build on the sacrifices of the early believers.

The Kingdom Project is essentially about realizing our fundamental oneness, our organic unity and the important role we each have to play in our spiritual development—both individually and as a community.

Although the buildings and the expansion of our proclamation and teaching activities are the physical manifestations of the Kingdom Project, the project is truly about community outreach and offering a refuge to those in need. This is why we must strengthen the Mashriqu’l-Adhkár, the Bahá’í Home for the Aged, the Hazíratu’l-

SEE KINGDOM, PAGE 16

For information about the Kingdom Project and how you can contribute: KINGDOM PROJECT Office of the Treasurer • 1233 Central St. • Evanston, IL 60201 Web site www.kingdom-project.org • Phone 847-733-3521 • E-mail [Page 16]KINGDOM, CONTINUED FROM PAGE 15

Quds and the Bahá’í schools, and why we need to develop strategic reserves, establish an endowment and expand our teaching efforts.

Like the early believers who preceded us, each of us can contribute in important and personal ways, as we become ever more a part of the Faith we profess:

• Make a financial pledge or contribution.
• Say prayers for the success of the Kingdom Project.
• Participate in local community and Kingdom Project activities.
• Tell your friends about the new and exciting expansion of the Bahá’í community.
• Encourage the children in your community to participate in the Kids for the Kingdom campaign and follow the adventures of Liang the Lion through stories and activity books.
• Help organize an event for your community to learn more about the Kingdom Project—watching a video, playing games, or attending a presentation by one of the Kingdom Project volunteers or staff.
• Be a resource of information for your community by staying informed of the latest progress and plans by:

Checking the Web site frequently (www.kingdom-project.org). Subscribing to Kingdom Project—Glad Tidings! the e-newsletter that will give you regular updates and ideas for activities (see Web site for instructions on how to subscribe).

• Increase your involvement in the community by volunteering at your local center, National Center or at a Bahá’í School, pioneering on the homefront to help establish a Spiritual Assembly or a registered group, or traveling to teach the Faith.

Of course, the minimum financial goal of $60 million will require participation from each one of us. We are told that “the unity of the believers, rich and poor alike, in their support of the Fund will bring spiritual confirmations far beyond our capacity to envisage.”

Regardless of our means, giving money requires a sacrificial spirit and may initially seem to be the cause of pain. We must remember the end, not the beginning or the middle, of this process. Consider how an athlete trains to succeed: He or she experiences a great deal of pain, agony and sacrifice—but trains for the end, for the final triumph, the victory.

We know we are, once again, being asked to sacrifice for the advancement of the Bahá’í Faith by making a contribution to the Kingdom Project. But there are so many ways each of us can participate in addition to pledging and contributing whatever we can: by giving prayers or time, by undertaking special teaching efforts, or by generally participating in local gatherings.

Whatever you can contribute will be lovingly accepted. This is the Kingdom ... and all are welcome! ◆

Building professionals visit Temple, learn about conservation work

Quotes from professionals attending the May 19 gathering:

“I get a feeling of spirit when I sit in the House of Worship and look up at the dome. I know some of that feeling comes from the sacrifices that went into building the Temple. Now we have an opportunity to sacrifice for the Temple ourselves.”

Fountain and plumbing fixtures from one of the nine gardens surrounding the House of Worship await replacement as restoration work continues. Photo by James Humphrey

“This visit reminded me of when the Universal House of Justice decided to begin the Arc Project—we didn’t own the land, we had no money. Yet in two days we will dedicate the terraces. In the same way, ‘Abdu’l-Bahá prayed for the land to build the Shrine of the Báb, and now it is one of our most precious holy sites. In the same way, we can all at the very least pray for the success of the Kingdom Project. And then, when we have material means, we can contribute them to the conservation of the House of Worship.”

“I am particularly impressed that everything that can be done is being done to make the project cost-effective. Hearing the examples of the search for materials, such as the efforts to get the quartz at a good price, showed me the project is being done very economically—everything is being done to use the money well.”

“I have been inspired. The conservation team is doing a perfect job, and the work that has already been done has been done perfectly.”

“I am totally in support of what you’re trying to accomplish—it is a truly necessary task. It comes from a spiritual dimension, not just nuts-and-bolts.”

House of Worship Conservation Director Dennis Davis (left) talks to the gathering of construction professionals who toured the Temple on May 19. Photo by Erik Andersen

Beginning their day with prayer at the Bahá’í House of Worship on May 19, a group of about 20 Bahá’í construction professionals prepared not just to enrich their spiritual lives, but also to learn more about the renewal taking place in and around that very building.

Through sun-splashed windows, the architects, engineers and contractors—coming from all regions of the United States, plus one couple from Canada—could see from the Temple’s auditorium a sweeping contrast, evidence of that effort:

• The south and west perimeter displayed flower-festooned gardens and idyllic walkways.
• On the north side, earth-moving tractors stood ready near torn-up ground and a trench where a section of the terrace deck once stood.

The visitors were there to gain a greater overview of current efforts, funded through the Kingdom Project, to conserve the Temple for future generations. Those include redesign of the gardens, replacement of the monumental stairs and the terrace walkway, and resurfacing of the dome.

A welcoming talk by Robert C. Henderson, secretary-general of the National Spiritual Assembly, emphasized the importance of maintaining and strengthening the House of Worship, as well as the Hazíratu’l-Quds across the street, as part of a maturation process that is vital in advancing the process of entry by troops.

Temple Conservation Team members then shared the history of the construction of the House of Worship as well as the current plans. The visitors ‎were had had‎ a unique opportunity to visit the choir loft, normally closed to the public, and to visit Louis Bourgeois’ original model for the Temple.

At the new Temple Concrete Studio, the Conservation Team shared the story of its quest to reconstruct and duplicate the concrete recipe and the techniques of the original builders, John Earley Studios, which have been lost over time. The studio staff gave a demonstration of concrete mixing and casting, and a full tour of the facilities.

Participants were particularly interested in the hard-won battle to find the right quality of quartz at low cost. Equally impressive was the commitment to maintain the concrete expertise in-house, so future generations will have the skills and knowledge they need to continue to preserve the Mother Temple. ◆

Sign up for the Kingdom Project’s e-newsletter to receive periodic e-mails sharing our community’s latest plans and progress toward building the Kingdom! To join the e-newsletter go to http://lists.usbnc.org/lyris/lyris.pl?enter=kingdom-project and click on “join,” enter your name and an e-mail address with a password if you wish, and wait for your updates to arrive!

[Page 17]

Message of the Universal House of Justice

To the believers gathered for the events marking the completion of the Projects on Mount Carmel; dated May 24, 2001

Dear Bahá’í Friends,

One hundred and forty-eight years have passed since the moment in the darkness of the Síyáh-Chál when Bahá’u’lláh received the Divine summons to rise and proclaim to all on earth the dawning of the Day of God:

Verily, We shall render Thee victorious by Thyself and by Thy pen.... Erelong God will raise up the treasures of the earth-men who will aid Thee through Thyself and through Thy Name, wherewith God hath revived the hearts of such as have recognized Him.

In terms of historical time, it is but the briefest of spaces that separates that primal moment from the splendid victory we celebrate here this week. You who have come together from every corner of the earth and from every segment of the human family represent a cross-section of those whom Bahá’u’lláh has raised up to aid Him, and no one among us can hope to express adequately the gratitude we feel at being in that company.

The majestic buildings that now stand along the Arc traced for them by Shoghi Effendi on the slope of the Mountain of God, together with the magnificent flight of garden terraces that embrace the Shrine of the Báb, are an outward expression of the immense power animating the Cause we serve. They offer timeless witness to the fact that the followers of Bahá’u’lláh have successfully laid the foundations of a worldwide community transcending all differences that divide the human race, and have brought into existence the principal institutions of a unique and unassailable Administrative Order that shapes this community's life.

In the transformation that has taken place on Mount Carmel, the Bahá’í Cause emerges as a visible and compelling reality on the global stage, as the focal centre of forces that will, in God's good time, bring about the reconstruction of society, and as a mystic source of spiritual renewal for all who turn to it.

DEDICATION OF THE MOUNT CARMEL PROJECTS

From May 21-25, about 3,000 Bahá’ís gathered in Haifa, Israel, to witness an event presaged in Old Testament prophecy and mystically linked with believers selected by each National Spiritual Assembly in the world. They were gathered for the dedication of the $250 million Mount Carmel Projects, announced in 1987 and begun in 1990, built entirely with the contributions of Bahá’ís around the world. The projects comprised the 19 Terraces of the Shrine of the Báb and administrative buildings on the Arc nearby.

Beginning on page 18, we report on ways in which many U.S. Bahá’ís celebrated this momentous event and shared it with friends of the Faith. On pages 22-23 we continue a report begun in the June 5, 2001, issue of The American Bahá’í with glimpses of the celebration in Haifa.

Reflection on what the Bahá’í community has accomplished throws into heartbreaking perspective the suffering and deprivation engulfing the great majority of our fellow human beings. It is necessary that it should do so, because the effect is to open our minds and souls to vital implications of the mission Bahá’u’lláh has laid on us. "Know thou of a truth," He declares, "these great oppressions that have befallen the world are preparing it for the advent of the Most Great Justice." "God be praised!" ‘Abdu’l-Bahá adds, "The sun of justice hath risen above the horizon of Bahá’u’lláh. For in His Tablets the foundations of such a justice have been laid as no mind hath, from the beginning of creation, conceived." In the final analysis, it is this Divine purpose that all our activities are intended to serve, and we will advance this purpose to the degree that we understand what is at stake in the efforts we are making to teach the Faith, to establish and consolidate its institutions, and to intensify the influence it is exerting in the life of society.

Humanity's crying need will not be met by a struggle among competing ambitions or by protest against one or another of the countless wrongs afflicting a desperate age. It calls, rather, for a fundamental change of consciousness, for a wholehearted embrace of Bahá’u’lláh's teaching that the time has come when each human being on earth must learn to accept responsibility for the welfare of the entire human family. Commitment to this revolutionizing principle will increasingly empower individual believers and Bahá’í institutions alike in awakening others to the Day of God and to the latent spiritual and moral capacities that can change this world into another world. We demonstrate this commitment, Shoghi Effendi tells us, by our rectitude of conduct towards others, by the discipline of our own natures, and by our complete freedom from the prejudices that cripple collective action in the society around us and frustrate positive impulses towards change.

The standards set out by the Guardian apply to the entire Bahá’í community, both in its collective life and in the lives of its individual members. They hold, however, particular implications for Bahá’í youth, who are blessed with the enviable advantages of high energy, flexibility of mind and, to a great extent, freedom of movement. The world that Bahá’í youth are inheriting is one in which the distribution of educational, economic and other basic opportunities is grossly unjust. Bahá’í youth must not be daunted by such barriers. Their challenge is to understand the real condition of humanity and to forge among themselves enduring spiritual bonds that free them not only from racial and national divisions but also from those created by social and material conditions, and that will fit them to carry forward the great trust reposed in them.

Bahá’u’lláh encourages us to anticipate from the youth of His community a much earlier advance to maturity than is characteristic of the rest of society. Clearly, that does not in any way diminish the importance of the pursuit of education, of economic realities, or of family obligations. It does mean that Bahá’í youth can accept—and should be encouraged to accept—a responsibility of their own for moral leadership in the transformation of society. In vindication of these words, we invoke the memory of the One Whose Shrine has today set the Mountain of God ablaze with light, and the memory of the band of youthful heroes and heroines whose greatness of soul and sacrifice of self launched on its course the enterprise in which we are engaged.

The achievement we are today celebrating brings into focus two paradoxical realities. Within the Faith itself, the gathering strength of the Bahá’í community presages a great surge forward, intimations of which are already everywhere apparent. Inevitably, as Shoghi Effendi several times emphasized, this advance will excite even more intense opposition than the Cause has so far encountered, opposition that will in turn release the greater forces needed for the still more demanding tasks that lie ahead.

The world in which our efforts are taking place is likewise undergoing profound changes. On the one hand, the vast network of agencies and individuals that promote understanding and cooperation among diverse peoples affirms ever more powerfully the growing recognition that the "earth is but one country, and mankind its citizens". On the other hand, it is equally clear that the world is moving through a period of social paralysis, tyranny and anarchy, a period marked by the widespread neglect of both governmental and personal responsibility, the ultimate consequences of which no one on earth can foresee. The effect of both developments, as Shoghi Effendi also pointed out, will be to awaken in the hearts of those who share this planet with us a longing for unity and justice that can be met only by the Cause of God.

A long and arduous process of struggle, experimentation and construction has led to the victories that lift our hearts as a new century opens. Through the rapidly proliferating system of institutes and the energy being invested everywhere in area growth strategies, the Bahá’í community has moved swiftly to capitalize on what has been achieved.

However deep may be the gloom enveloping the world, the future has never looked so bright for the prosecution of Bahá’u’lláh's mission. We who have been privileged to gather here this week have witnessed, with our own eyes, the dawning fulfillment of the words revealed by the Lord of Hosts on this mountain over a century ago, words which cause the very atoms of the earth to vibrate: "Verily this is the Day in which both land and sea rejoice at this announcement, the Day for which have been laid up those things which God, through a bounty beyond the ken of mortal mind or heart, hath destined for revelation."

Such a privilege carries with it an equally great responsibility, the responsibility to do our part, whatever the sacrifice, whatever the difficulty, to see that the poignant desire expressed by Bahá’u’lláh on that historic occasion is fulfilled: "Oh, how I long to announce unto every spot on the surface of the earth, and to carry to each one of its cities, the glad-tidings of this Revelation—a Revelation to which the heart of Sinai hath been attracted, and in whose name the Burning Bush is calling: Unto God, the Lord of Lords, belong the kingdoms of earth and heaven."

With all the fervour of thankful hearts, we will pray at the Holy Threshold that Bahá’u’lláh will bless and confirm every effort you make to advance His purpose for the redemption of humankind and the healing of its ills.

With loving Bahá’í greetings,

The Universal House of Justice [Page 18]

MOUNT CARMEL DEDICATION

(Above) Michael O’Neal of Savannah, Georgia, ponders the significance of the opening of the Terraces on Mount Carmel as images from the first satellite broadcast appear on screens around him. Photo by Stephen Berend, Savannah Morning News, used by permission

Savannah friends 'behold' Haifa ceremonies

Article used by permission BY ANN STIFTER SAVANNAH MORNING NEWS

Michael O’Neal rolled his swivel chair close to a TV and outstretched his hands as if to say, "Behold."

Videos flashing in front of him showed how a 10-year, $250 million holy terrace came to be.

A half-hour later, when a live satellite broadcast started, O’Neal leaned forward some more, intent on absorbing every aspect of a ceremony that dedicated gardens built in Israel for his religion.

"Whew, isn't it exquisite," he said. "There is nothing like that on this planet."

O’Neal sat among a small number of people who share his faith, a group eclipsed by the thousands who sat at Tuesday's ceremony overseas.

Mirror of diversity

But the local diversity was just as grand as the crowd an ocean away, a crowd from 200 countries who wore native attire—some shielding their heads with scarves, others showing off colored stripes painted across their faces.

As secretary of the Bahá’í community of Savannah, O’Neal sat with a pediatrician born in India, a woman originally from Luxembourg and a high school freshman.

They applauded as cameras panned the verdant circles containing lampposts that resembled massive lilies-of-the-valley and fountains backlit by orange bulbs.

To Dr. Fariborz Zaer, the significance of the terraces stretched beyond the physical. To him, they represented world unification.

He didn’t see just pretty gardens.

Where were you when the Terraces were opened?

(Left) Bahá’ís and guests watch the dedication of the Terraces unfold on two large screens in a Columbus, Ohio, hotel ballroom. The area friends hand-delivered invitations to hundreds of civic leaders. Photo by Nathan Brown

Linked effort attracts dignitaries to showing

Elegant white table settings, illumined candles, and flowers of varied hues greeted 215 people as they entered a ballroom at the Radisson Airport Hotel in Columbus, Ohio, on May 22.

What these guests didn't see was the work that went into bringing them there for the satellite broadcast of the official Terraces opening on Mt. Carmel.

It was April 9 that the Central Ohio Bahá’í Media Task Force began planning a celebration of the opening.

The first steps were to gather information on costs for a dinner and satellite downlink at local hotels, then to gain approval and support for various tasks from the area's five Local Spiritual Assemblies: Bexley, Columbus, Hilliard, Upper Arlington and Westerville.

Soon invitations were ordered, press packets were sent out, and the work really began.

Bahá’ís from all over Greater Columbus hand-delivered 250 formal invitations complete with a special brochure from the mayor of Haifa—to government officials, religious leaders, university presidents and other people of capacity. An e-mail invitation also went out to departments of several universities.

Meanwhile, the program was being...

Communities share their experiences of receiving broadcast, computer webcast

BY TOM MENNILLO

Many Americans can say with certainty where they were at particular moments: when the end of World War II was announced, when President Kennedy was assassinated, when the Berlin Wall fell.

For Bahá’ís, a more defining moment might be where we were when the Terraces were dedicated.

After all, each of us helped build the Mount Carmel Projects through prayers, money, talents or toil.

And we all, to one degree or another, appreciate the immensity of what their completion means as a stepping stone to universal peace.

So, where were you?

Pausing to reflect amid the work or school day?

Squinting at a personal computer as video of the ceremony streamed into a small window on the screen?

Watching with family and friends as the satellite broadcast from Haifa was projected onto a meeting hall screen or was beamed into the home by a cable provider?

Here are some reports from around the country.

A "Citation of Recognition" from the office of Columbus Mayor Michael B. Coleman graces a table at the celebration. Six proclamations in all were received from governmental bodies recognizing Bahá’í Day of Unity and Hope for the Human Race. Photo by Nathan Brown

Melbourne, FL

The opening of the Terraces was viewed live via satellite at a community college one of the friends once attended.

"I simply told college officials of the importance of this event for the Bahá’ís and requested use of the satellite they use to broadcast college classes," said Taraneh Motlagh, who arranged the downlink with the approval of Melbourne's Bahá’í group.

"The officials said there was a fee, but waived it after I wrote a letter to the head of the studio explaining the event," she said. "They were very gracious and even let us have a copy of the recording. We had another Bahá’í make digital recordings of the event at the same time."

The event was publicized in local daily and weekly newspapers and on a few radio stations. Printed invitations were sent to friends of the Faith.

About 20 Bahá’ís from the city and county watched the broadcast. The next day, the showing of the recording drew... [Page 19]wardens hobs in d message of peas of powe k Farri Bahá’í pilgrimage Baloi paras bold ones A symbol of peace 1C Religion Love over violence Nedy compland and hold Powe ardens have message of pea Gardens grow hope for peace Unity of mankind A garden for God New Bahá’í gardens hold message of peace Local B part of

Some of the many U.S. newspaper spreads devoted to the dedication of the Terraces on Mount Carmel are catalogued at the National Spiritual Assembly’s Office of Public Information in New York. The coverage ranged from wire service articles on the ceremonies to locally written pieces on Bahá’ís gathering to watch the satellite broadcasts.

Terraces opening is attractive news to U.S. newspapers large and small

The National Spiritual Assembly’s Office of Public Information has been compiling a list of U.S. newspapers that published articles in advance of or after the opening of the Terraces.

Some of the newspapers wrote their own articles, some carried articles transmitted by a wire service such as the Associated Press, and others relied on correspondents writing for a chain such as Cox Newspapers. Multiple articles were published by some papers.

The list (certainly incomplete) includes:

• Star Tribune, Minneapolis, MN
• New York Times, New York, NY
• Keene Sentinel, Keene, NH
• Chicago Tribune, Chicago, IL
• Chicago Sun-Times, Chicago, IL
• (Unknown), Cape Cod, MA
• News, McKeesport, PA
• St. Petersburg Times, St. Petersburg, FL
• San Diego Union-Tribune, San Diego, CA
• Montgomery Journal, Rockville, MD
• The Hutchinson News, Hutchinson, KS
• Albany Democrat-Herald, Albany, OR
• Review, Alliance, OH
• North County Times, Escondido, CA
• Repository, Canton, OH
• Whittier Daily News, Whittier, CA
• San Gabriel Valley Tribune, Covina, CA
• Pasadena Star-News, Pasadena, CA
• The Intelligencer, Wheeling, WV
• Journal Star, Peoria, IL
• Coastal View News, Carpinteria, CA
• Newsday, New York, NY
• Ventura County Star, Ventura, CA
• The San Jose Mercury News, San Jose, CA
• The Dallas Morning News, Dallas, TX
• Milwuakee Journal-Sentinel, Milwaukee, WI
• Glendale News-Press, Glendale, CA
• Naples Daily News, Naples, FL
• Citrus County Chronicle, Inverness, FL
• New Paltz News, New Paltz, NY
• The Leader-Tribune, Fort Valley, GA
• Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Atlanta, GA
• Saturday Citizen, Conyers, GA
• Boston Globe, Boston, MA
• Stanwood/Camano News, Stanwood, WA
• Boulder Daily Camera, Boulder, CO
• Wanderer, St. Paul, MN
• Concord Monitor, Concord, NH
• Tri-County Sentry, Oxnard, CA
• Herald, Everett, WA
• Record, Stockton, CA
• Issaquah Press, Issaquah, WA
• Headlight-Herald, Tillamook, OR
• News Tribune, Tacoma, WA
• Fountain Hills Times, Fountain Hills, AZ
• Star-Banner, Ocala, FL
• Daily News, Longview, CA
• St. Paul Pioneer Press, St. Paul, MN
• The Post-Star, Glens Falls, NY
• Indiana Gazette, Indiana, PA
• Star Beacon, Ashtabula, OH
• Beacon Free Press, Wappingers Falls, NY
• Daily News, Los Angeles, CA
• Houston Chronicle, Houston, TX
• Daily Tribune, Royal Oak, MI
• Wausau Daily Herald, Wausau, WI
• Arizona Jewish Post, Tucson, AZ
• Herald/Review, Tucson, AZ
• The Flint Journal, Flint, MI
• McKinney Courier-Gazette, McKinney, TX
• Rapid City Journal, Rapid City, SD
• The Herald, Rock Hill, SC
• Star/Beacon, Ninety Six, SC
• The Index-Journal, Springfield, SC

about 30 Bahá’ís and eight non-Bahá’ís, two of whom were attracted by a newspaper article.

“Everyone enjoyed the ceremony as well as the introduction,” said Motlagh. “It was very befitting. We served food at both events, of course!”

Fresno, CA

“I got my computer ready [for the webcast], but then it wasn’t ready when it came for the May 22 program,” recalls Margaret S. McLane.

“So some friends and I met that night for the May 23 program at another person’s house.... Crowded in his office watching the event, I felt a special bond with those who I had shared this moment in history.”

McLane said all the effort was well worth it.

“Having gone through the trouble I did—trying to get my computer working and then gathering at a friend’s house at midnight on a school/work day, seeing it on a webcast... with blurry pictures and great audio—made the event more special than if I was watching, for example, a usual daily live news interview on NBC.

“I’ve never been to Israel, so the live video of the Terraces and the Shrine of the Báb was a first,” she said. “I will remember it as though I was there with them.... I feel as if I’ve been again nudged to wake out of my slumber and get to work.”

Fort Wayne, IN

Hasty arrangements to show the live broadcast May 22 succeeded only through a non-Bahá’í’s act of service and kindness, says Carol Butler.

For a while it seemed the downlink could not happen. A local university could have provided a room and monitor, but for hundreds of dollars. And the request, coming the day before the event, was rejected due to short notice.

Butler then called the library’s public access television station. But when the person on the phone heard that a downlink and viewing room would be needed the next morning, “he let out a loud whistle,” Butler said.

“I just said, ‘This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for the Bahá’ís, and the entire city of Haifa, the country of Israel and the world will be watching.’”

Then Butler discovered she was talking with Erik Mollberg, a longtime acquaintance who has attended Bahá’í functions and even videotaped Bahá’í events, including a wedding, for cable access TV.

Mollberg promised to try to locate a conference room. And two hours later he offered the only available space: the studio’s prop room, very small and stuffed with equipment.

“I was thrilled,” said Butler. “I went home and called all the Bahá’ís to invite them to watch the live broadcast at 9:30 a.m.”

Still, with nobody having committed to attend, she arrived the morning of May 22 expecting to be the only one watching the broadcast. “Imagine my surprise,” she said, “when four other Bahá’ís came to join me.”

So there they sat in a semicircle around a monitor, in a hallway full of chairs, tables and equipment, entranced with the ceremony and undistracted by staff members passing back and forth.

In appreciation, Butler and the others attending presented Mollberg with a card and a small gift. And the rest of the staff, some of whom peeked in on the broadcast, weren’t left out—Butler had brought two dozen “still hot” doughnuts for them.

“The expressions on their faces indicated they were in awe of the ‘deep appreciation’ the Bahá’ís expressed to Erik and to their efforts. Certainly a ‘teachable [Page 20]

MOUNT CARMEL DEDICATION

Sharing the joy around the Northeast

Here is a narrative from a college student who helped Bahá’í’s in three states experience the Terraces opening ceremonies.

BY KENNETH CABOT, NORWOOD, NJ

Several months ago, when it first became apparent that the events in Haifa were going to be broadcast via satellite, it was clear we would want to take part. The excitement was heightened because Gil Muro, who lives in our area, was traveling to Haifa to coordinate the satellite broadcast. He helped make it clear that we needed to arrange a place to watch this historic event live.

My college lacked the required facilities, so after consulting with Gil, I contacted several colleges in the area.

Extra call pays off

One by one, each college told me either that they did not have the facilities, or that they were unavailable on the day of the broadcast.

At the very end of what was going to be the last phone call, one person recommended that I call William Paterson University in Wayne, New Jersey.

I was on the phone with the woman from the university for no more than 10 minutes and it was all set up! Not only did they have a facility available, but the price was right for the downlink service. And because we were a nonprofit organization, they let us use the 100-seat teleconferencing auditorium for free. It almost seemed too good to be true.

After a few more calls, our local community agreed to financially sponsor this event.

Media efforts

Soon a dozen media outlets in the New York metropolitan area received our press kits: a news release for our event, color photographs from the Bahá’í World News Service Web site and background information about the Mount Carmel Projects. We followed this up with news releases faxed immediately before and immediately after the event.

It is hard to judge the media response to these efforts, as many New York media outlets are also national outlets and they may have decided to pursue the story at a more national level.

The New Jersey Network, a group of public television stations, showed significant interest in the story and avenues will be pursued to see if they would be interested in producing a news piece later on the Terraces.

The gathering, the ceremony

We organized a 20-minute "pre-event" for the May 22 broadcast which consisted of a welcome, a brief introduction to the Bahá’í Faith and the Mount Carmel Projects (for any press or seekers in the audience), prayers, and a portion of the Tablet of Carmel which was set to music and performed by a local Bahá’í.

During the May 22 broadcast, the auditorium was filled to near its capacity of 100—even though it took place during severe thunderstorms that ended a several-month dry spell.

Before the broadcast, we presented a welcome, a brief introduction to the Bahá’í Faith and the Mount Carmel Projects, prayers, and a portion of the Tablet of Carmel which was set to music and performed by a local Bahá’í.

The audience included several seekers and a few university professors invited by community members.

I was told one of these professors was so impressed by the broadcast that he watched it again that evening when it was replayed on a local cable channel.

Watching the ceremony live with other members of the Bahá’í community was an unforgettable experience. Although we were 6,000 miles from Haifa, you would not have known that from the spirit and energy in the room.

At home with the Ruhes

Later that evening, I brought a video copy of the broadcast, provided to us by William Paterson University, to the home of David and Margaret Ruhe in Newburgh, New York. Brian Kurzius and the Spiritual Assembly of New Paltz had arranged to have an evening viewing at the Ruhes’ home.

The house was packed! Nearly 70 people in the Ruhes’ living room watched the program, displayed on a wall with a video projector. The audio was hooked up through a stereo system installed for the occasion.

Although the broadcast was not live, the excitement and awe was just the same.

It was especially memorable to share the evening with Dr. and Mrs. Ruhe. They had been invited to participate in the ceremony in Haifa as a result of Dr. Ruhe's 25 years of service on the Universal House of Justice, but were not able to travel there.

After the viewing, Dr. Ruhe shared several brief stories of his experiences with the projects—to which he had dedicated so many years of his life. It was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

The New Paltz Assembly had successfully obtained some news coverage of the event.

David S. Ruhe (standing) regales guests at his Newburgh, New York, home with stories of the early days of the Mount Carmel Projects, when he was a member of the Universal House of Justice. Photo by Mark Cabot

Philadelphia, PA

About 120 Bahá’ís, guests and dignitaries watched at the University of Pennsylvania's International House as the Terraces were dedicated.

And they weren't disappointed, despite technical difficulties.

"The video portions of the program were clear," said Loretta García of suburban Wayne.

"However, the actual-time broadcast was unable to hold the image and it was like watching a Picasso picture of ever-changing pixels being revealed to the glorious music and presentations."

During attempts to receive a clearer picture, welcoming remarks were made and dignitaries offered congratulations to the Bahá’ís.

Thanks to consultation and sharing at the Bahá’í National Convention about a month before, the idea was planted to approach the local Jewish and Israeli communities to co-host the celebration with the area Bahá’ís.

One of those was the Israeli Consul General.

With just one call to the consul general's office in Philadelphia, the Israeli diplomatic mission eagerly signed on.

Further, a fortuitous location was secured that could provide much of the technical support and links for the live webcast on a university high-speed line through the like-minded International House, which also asked to be considered as a co-sponsor of this event.

Thus, the location and equipment for the live telecast cost the Bahá’í community nothing.

The Israeli consulate's public relations specialist sent dozens of notices and news releases to print, TV and radio news departments for 10 days leading to the event. This resulted in a free announcement in the Philadelphia Inquirer, video coverage by a local news station, and new friendships with media and diplomatic representatives.

It was later reported by the Israeli consul that the media person in her office is now "diligently studying the Bahá’í Faith and loves the religion."

In addition to Counselor Rebequa Murphy, Auxiliary Board member Tahereh Ahdieh, and the Israeli consul,

Via the Web

After showing the video at the Ruhes’ home, my brother and I drove down to Lawrenceville, New Jersey, in time for the second broadcast.

Annick Elziere had arranged a marathon event at her home. Long before we arrived, the event began with a Holy Day commemoration at 8 p.m. Then the group viewed a video of the first broadcast.

At midnight, the group socialized and shared an international breakfast before watching the second broadcast via the webcast. We used the same video projection unit, attached to Annick's computer—with some adjustment of the Internet connection and projection settings.

Although the webcast cannot compare to the satellite broadcast, I was very impressed by the quality. The video feed through the cable modem connection was steady and uninterrupted. At times, especially during fast-moving or wide shots, the video looked like a Monet painting. Nevertheless, no one could believe the video was coming over the Internet. And the audio was crisp and clear!

Up to Vermont

Two days later, my brother and I brought the video of the two broadcasts to the Lane residence in Shoreham, Vermont.

They were having Fundamental Verities facilitator training at their home that weekend, but because there were no satellite viewings in Vermont they were eager to watch the video.

Saturday evening, the mostly youth audience watched portions of the broadcast.

The group then read over several quotes from the Writings regarding Mount Carmel and discussed these Writings, using the methods they had learned during the facilitator training that weekend. [Page 21]

MOUNT CARMEL DEDICATION EXPERIENCES

dignitaries attending included the the president of International House, the Consul General of Panama and president of the area Consular Corps, the diplomatic liaison for Philadelphia Mayor John Street, the executive director of the regional UNICEF program and a staff member, representatives from UNA-USA, the chair of the Department of Religious Studies at the University of Pennsylvania, a representative of the Jewish Federation and at least 20 other non-Bahá’í friends.

Security was coordinated among the Israeli security director, International House and the campus.

Bahá’ís came from beyond the five-county southeast Pennsylvania region, including Lancaster County and Wilkes-Barre. A Kenyan Bahá’í visiting family in the area also attended.

The hall was filled with beautiful roses that were presented to each person upon leaving.

A lunch was served and, according to García, it was "difficult to leave the room, wanting to remain 'in Haifa' as long as we could."

Nashville, TN

About two dozen friends from Middle Tennessee gathered with joyous anticipation on the Vanderbilt University campus to watch the satellite broadcast. Professor Dorothy Marcic, a Bahá’í, arranged for the downlink in record time. Even with short notice, a couple from Chattanooga drove in for the event.

"The excitement was palpable as the videotaped history of the projects began," recalls Carol Mansour. "The sign advertising 'special Bahá’í souvenirs' brought a chuckle, but mostly the friends were in awe of the majesty of the finished project and the opening ceremony."

As the choir and soloists sang, it suddenly struck Mansour that the orchestra leader was singing along.

"This very Jewish conductor has memorized the words of Bahá’u’lláh, and probably so have many members of the chorus," she said. "What a bounty they've received from being part of this."

For Carolyn Stalcup, it was impossible to pick a favorite moment.

"Too many favorites. Loved the historical flashbacks, loved the photography, loved the violins, loved the interviews," she said.

Tape of the opening ceremony was shown later at the Williamson County commemoration of the Declaration of the Báb.

Parker and Alison McGee scanned the crowd looking for their son Alex, who is serving at the World Center. They didn't see him, but weren't disappointed.

"In a land torn by centuries of conflict and bloodshed, the dedication of the Bahá’í Terraces on Mount Carmel in Israel appeared as a symbol of hope for the future," said Parker McGee. "People of all nationalities and ethnic backgrounds gathered in peace and unity to celebrate this joyous occasion."

Springfield, IL

A solid relationship between the Bahá’ís and a local cable access channel resulted in the Terraces opening being beamed to every cable television subscriber in the area, reports Mary Lou Lauchner.

The Bahá’í community also parlayed its visibility in civic affairs into an evening public celebration that drew more than 200 people, including the mayor, a rabbi and several Roman Catholic nuns.

For many years, the Springfield Bahá’í community has produced a half-hour prime-time Bahá’í program on the University of Illinois-Springfield's Access 4 channel. With such a relationship, Access 4 was more than agreeable when a satellite downlink of the Haifa broadcast was requested.

On the morning of May 22, as that program aired on the cable channel, almost 60 Bahá’ís from the Springfield area watched it on a large screen at the Bahá’í Center.

Immediately afterward, Mike Lang, producer of the local Bahá’í TV program, rushed to the university studio and, with the help of Access 4 staff, edited the two-hour program into 30 minutes of highlights.

That evening, the success of the public celebration of the opening of the Terraces surprised even the most optimistic friends there.

Held in an elegant conference center, it was enhanced in atmosphere by large photos of past and present views of Mount Carmel, displayed quotations from the Bible and Bahá’í writings, rose bouquets and tables laden with refreshments.

In addition to watching the 30-minute video on a state-of-the-art AV system, guests heard remarks on the significance of the opening of the Terraces by Hoda.

Ventura event: A study in persevering

Scenes from the satellite broadcast airing in Ventura County, California.

BY JAINE TOTH, CARPINTERIA, CA

At 7 a.m. Debbie Hobel stood outside, eager to greet people the she had arranged for Ventura County, California.

"Through the mist, I looked across the parking lot, watched car after car arrive and thought, 'This is happening all over the world,' " recalls the Oxnard Bahá’í. "The sudden sense of connection with Bahá’ís everywhere overwhelmed me. I realized how small the Bahá’í world is right now and envisioned how many more cars will be arriving in the future."

It seemed especially significant to Hobel, since she had almost given up on bringing the event to fruition.

She is living proof of the importance of individual initiative. When she learned none of the area's Local Spiritual Assemblies planned to secure a site to view the live satellite feed from Haifa, she took on the project herself.

Another individual, Jan Dietrick of Ventura, organized a news conference to publicize the Haifa celebrations.

Facing repeated dead ends and frustrated over a lack of interest and support, they decided to drop the projects. About 15 minutes later, Dietrick received an e-mail message from Hamid Rastegar of Agoura Hills, who promised to help them. They quickly reversed their decision.

When Hobel thought she had exhausted every possibility of finding a location that could show the downlink, her husband, Sam, who is not a Bahá’í but is frequently the backbone of Bahá’í events, came home with good news. A co-worker had suggested Hobel try the Derby Club at Seaside Park in Ventura, which broadcasts horse races.

Two weeks of planning by e-mail and conference calls followed. Also, two Local Spiritual Assemblies stepped forward to be official sponsors.

And when the morning of May 22 came, 109 Bahá’ís from an area spanning 100 miles, from Agoura Hills northwest to Santa Ynez, gathered to share the experience. Children and youth sacrificed school time to participate. College students, with final exams and term papers looming, decided they couldn't miss it.

On arrival, one of the friends noticed a sign indicating this site is regularly used for parimutuel betting and quipped, "Well, the Bahá’í Faith is a sure bet."

Richard Tucker, event service manager for Seaside Park, said the management was happy to take the unusual step of renting the club to a private party.

Tucker said he felt the Terraces' opening was "truly a history-making event. I thoroughly enjoyed it."

He added, "Bahá’í has a good solid message. It brings people together. So it seems appropriate that I'm a Protestant and the fellow who did the (satellite dish) hookup is Muslim, and both of us were very excited about being able to help the Bahá’ís bring this event together."

After viewing the program, Douglas Jernberg of Santa Ynez remarked, "Let the Word go forward from that 'sacred spot with loving encouragement."

Susan Beautiful Bald Eagle of Ventura County J.D. felt "gratitude to participate, to see live something so historic." She said the thought that ran through her mind while watching the broadcast was, "What hath God wrought?" She added, "It makes me want to rededicate every ounce of my being to service of this Faith." [Page 22]

Ceremonies day by day

Bahá’í visitors began their sojourn in the Holy Land May 21 by visiting and circling the Shrine of Bahá’u’lláh at Bahjí in ‘Akká.

A grand ceremony on the evening of May 22 (morning in the United States) featured original orchestral and choral music by Bahá’í composers and a dedicatory statement by the Universal House of Justice. It culminated soon after dusk in the lighting of the 19 massive Terraces from the foot to the crest of Mount Carmel.

Hundreds of local and diplomatic dignitaries attended.

On the morning of May 23, after an energetic musical collaboration by the Congo Bahá’í Youth Choir and the Bahá’í World Center Choir, the Universal House of Justice led the 3,000 visitors in a simple but historic procession from the Terraces’ Entrance Plaza uphill to the Shrine of the Báb. An evening program celebrated the efforts of planners and workers to raise the Mount Carmel Projects.

A dramatic and informative program May 24 focused on the achievements of the Bahá’í Faith during the 20th century and their future implications.

The focus shifted on May 25 to the Arc, around the hillside from the Shrine, with a celebration of the completion of two new administrative buildings flanking the Seat of the Universal House of Justice:

• The Center for the Study of the Texts houses scholars and researchers whose role is to study the vast body of the Bahá’í sacred writings, translate them, prepare compilations, and draft commentaries on their relationship to current world problems.

• The International Teaching Center Building houses the Hands of the Cause of God and a body of Counselors providing guidance and encouragement to the worldwide Bahá’í community on its growth and development.

On June 4 the Terraces of the Shrine of the Báb were opened to the public. Guided tours are offered free of charge to as many as 400 people each day; that number over time could be expanded so that the Terraces could have 1 million visitors each year.

A recent poll showed an astounding 75 percent of Israeli residents hope to visit the site “in the near future.”

“We know that there is a lot of built-up anticipation on the part of Israelis and foreign tourists to visit the new terraces.... We have been getting many, many calls already from people asking, ‘When can we visit the gardens, when can we walk on the terraces?’ And our goal is to accommodate this overwhelming public desire as quickly as possible, while at the same time ensuring their experience matches the kind of care and dignity that went into creating the site.” —Douglas Samimi-Moore, director, Bahá’í International Community Office of Public Information in Haifa

“This was not an ordinary project. This was a kind of sacred task for us. We really looked on it as a prayer. ... Every detail, when implemented, was done with a great amount of research as to what kinds of materials we should use, what technology we should use, so that these buildings will last as long as possible.” —Hossein Amanat, architect for the new Arc buildings

The Arc on Mount Carmel features (from left) the new International Teaching Center building, the Seat of the Universal House of Justice, the new Center for the Study of the Texts and the International Archives Building.

The Terraces as a magnet for visitors

“We consider the gardens a gift to us. We hope it will become one of the main tourist attractions in the world. And the people of Haifa, they understand and are more than happy about it.” —Moshe Tzur, managing director, Haifa Tourist Board, which manages the Terraces tour reservation system

“Our aim as an organization is to convey the importance of the coming together of every community in Haifa, Jewish, Arab, Bahá’í and others. And these aims are parallel to the aims of the Bahá’í community.” —Hani El Far, deputy general director, Beit Hagefen Center, which is recruiting and training both Jewish and Arab tour guides

“[A]s we came to grips with the scale of the program needed, we realized we didn’t have the manpower or the know-how to do the whole job, so we reached out to these two local organizations.” —Albert Lincoln, secretary-general, Bahá’í International Community, explaining the involvement of the Haifa Tourist Board and Beit Hagefen

From Bahá’í World News Service

Left and above: Bahá’ís from around the planet assemble along the path of the Arc and on the steps of the seat of the Universal House of Justice for the May 25 ceremony dedicating the two new buildings on the Arc.

Bahá’í World News Service photos

A view from the uppermost Terraces entrance at the crest of Mount Carmel shows a vista of the Shrine of the Báb, the center of the city of Haifa and a broad expanse of Haifa Bay. [Page 23]

World-embracing

The World Wide Web, along with broadcast satellite links, made the opening ceremonies for the Terraces of the Shrine of the Báb more accessible in real time to more people in more places around the world than any other Bahá’í event so far.

The official Internet portal to these events was the Bahá’í World News Service, which has operated since October (www.bahaiworldnews.org). On that site, Web browsers could (and can) access news reports and breathtaking photos from the ceremonies of May 22-23, as well as the webcast of those ceremonies.

However, several individual initiatives in the United States and Canada helped promptly spread news surrounding the opening of the Terraces (and this cannot be considered a complete list):

"Bahá’í World Center Terraces" (www.towntour.com/bahai_terraces/) was set up by Brian Kurzius of New Paltz, New York, to provide images and another source of news releases for people with slower Internet connections that could not make the most of the webcast.

"Bahá’í Newsletter" (www.uga.edu/bahai/News/), maintained by the University of Georgia Bahá’í Association, relayed worldwide press and e-mail reports on events surrounding the celebrations worldwide.

"Enlighten" (www.enlighten.ca), sponsored by a Local Spiritual Assembly in Quebec, offered a variety of news links and its own photo archive.

The Web site for Payam-e-Doost, a Persian-language radio program (www.bahairadio.org), posted video interviews with numerous people on the site of the celebrations, including Mount Carmel Projects architects Hossein Amanat and Fariborz Sahba.

Bahá’í forums such as those on About.com and Beliefnet.com provided their own links and discussion groups related to the Terrace openings.

"As a Bahá’í, I don't think you can even fathom the importance of this event. For us, it is prophecy fulfilled." -Gry Kvalheim, managing director, Inaugural Events Office, Bahá’í World Center

Under the baton of Stanley Sperber, the Israel Northern Symphony Haifa and the Transylvania State Philharmonic Choir from Romania perform at the May 22 celebration at the Entrance Plaza. Bijan Khadem-Missagh of Austria (lower left) was a soloist.

Artistic aspects of the celebrations

The May 22 celebration at the base of the Terraces featured the world premiere of two orchestral/choral works written especially for the occasion: "O Queen of Carmel!" by Tolib Shahidi of Tajikistan and "Terraces of Light" by Lasse Thoresen of Norway.

Over the five days, a wide range of Bahá’í artists took the stage, including: the Congo Youth Choir from the Democratic Republic of the Congo; the Tabarsi Group, Roma musicians from Spain; Vivek Nair, a singer from India; Atef Sedkouai, a Tunisian vocalist from Paris, France; Kevin Locke, a Lakota flutist from South Dakota; Kiu Haghighi, a Persian santour master from Illinois; and Gwendolyn Watson, a cellist from Georgia.

The highlight of the May 23 evening program was a new 38-minute video documentary, Not Even a Lamp, about the 15 years of planning and construction for the new structures.

"We wanted the performers to represent a wide diversity.... And we brought together people who didn't know each other, and people who in some cases didn't even speak the same language. Yet within minutes of coming together, even in their dressing rooms, they started jamming together. It was natural and spontaneous and, without impediment, they began to create new kinds of music." -Alex Frame, who produced the week's programs

Bahá’í World News Service photos: Bahá’ís gather May 23 for a devotional and musical program before ascending the terrace stairs. Bahá’ís at the May 23 morning gathering ascend to the Shrine of the Báb en masse along the Terraces' central stairway.

"Our idea was to juxtapose news events happening in the world at large with dramatic episodes from the Faith's history, and how the Faith offers hope to the world. For example, in the opening section, we talked about the atrocities committed in the Congo at the turn of the century under King Leopold, when more than a million Congolese were killed, starved or worked to death.

"On the other hand, we had here this week this vibrant youth choir coming from the Congo, with great hope and optimism about the future." -Ann Boyles, Canada, author of a dramatic narrative based on Century of Light, presented during the week's ceremonies

"We're not doing this with the natural acoustics of a hall, and the challenge is how do you make it sound good outside. ... You plan and do what you can do and then you leave the rest up to God." -Jack Lenz, Canada, music director for the Terraces celebrations

Personal views of young Bahá’ís

"I thought of where it says (in the Book of Isaiah), 'And it shall come to pass in the last days, that the mountain of the Lord's house shall be established in the top of the mountains, and shall be exalted above the hills; and all nations shall flow unto it.' And when I saw all those people from all these nations, climbing up Mount Carmel, I felt that was the fulfillment of that prophecy." -Leslie Serrano, 20, Mexico, student

"Everything has been really wonderful, a source of encouragement and inspiration. It has been a driving force to move ahead." -Mandu Assam, 25, Nigeria, business school graduate and teacher of local moral education classes

"There is a great responsibility on our shoulders to change this generation. Going back, I will try to live the Bahá’í life and... to explain to others how the Bahá’í principles can solve the problems of our age." -Jude Dogley, 23, Seychelles

"In the Bahá’í Faith we always say that we are one. We saw this in practice here, with all these different people from different backgrounds working for the same thing. We saw that it is possible for everyone to be equal." -Virginie Montiel, 25, Belgium, medical student [Page 24]

COLUMBUS

finalized and participants contacted. Food and flowers were ordered. Proclamations were arranged from Gov. Bob Taft, the Ohio Senate, Ohio House of Representatives, Columbus Mayor Michael Coleman, Columbus City Council and Bexley Acting Mayor Anne Porter. Follow-up contacts were made with media outlets.

Then the RSVPs started pouring in and word was received that WCMH-TV and the Bahá’í Newsreel would be sending crews to cover the occasion. Advance articles also were published in the Columbus Dispatch and in suburban newspapers.

Constant communication Throughout the process, Central Ohio friends were kept abreast of developments. Prayers were requested, along with contributions to help defray the cost of the free luncheon. That communication also included reminders to the Bahá’ís of ways to support the dignity of the event, which was to be formal proclamation rather than teaching.

On the appointed day, the ballroom of the Radisson on Columbus's diverse East Side, close to the Bahá’í Center—filled quickly.

Fifteen youth ushers helped guests find their seats after gazing at special displays and signing the guestbook. The proceedings started with reading of the six proclamations and introductory remarks by Louis Maani of Upper Arlington and Columbus City Council Above: Al Viller goes over program details with daughter Jessica, who was to recite a prayer, and speakers Carole Miller and Auxiliary Board member Riaz Khadem awaiting the satellite feed in Atlanta, Georgia. Right: Wishing the show would begin soon were these youngsters. Photos by Tom Mennillo

Columbus, Ohio, City Council member Charleta Tavares (right) chats with Louis Maani of Upper Arlington and Jennifer Chapman of Columbus. Photo by Nathan Brown

member Charleta Tavares.

As the half-hour video of the Are and Terraces construction played on the two large projection screens, lunch was served.

Finally, it was time for the live broadcast, and all eyes were transfixed as the orchestra and chorus performed and cameras gave glimpses of the Terraces and the invitees from all over the world.

Audience members applauded at the end of each musical number as though they were in Haifa itself.

As the program concluded the guests were humbly thanked for sharing this historic moment with the Bahá’ís.

But the process goes on. Relationships built or strengthened through this event have been furthered in subsequent weeks.

EXPERIENCES

Mahmoudi, a few words of congratulation by Rabbi Marks and a multimedia presentation showing views of Mount Carmel accompanied by the song "Queen of Carmel."

Advance publicity included announcements in several media, news releases to newspapers and an invitation to an entire Jewish congregation, personally announced by a Bahá’í who had gained permission from the rabbi.

Also, 1,000 personal invitations had been addressed by the Bahá’ís in the wake of a community pep meeting and mailed to city officials, prominent people, friends and family. Remarkably, many who could not attend took the trouble to call with their regrets, an almost unheard-of practice.

"The spiritual atmosphere of the Springfield community has been transformed by this historic event," said Lauchner.

The Bahá’ís were invited for the first time to meet with the Columbus and Hilliard city councils to discuss opportunities for the friends to serve the community.

Follow-up articles Follow-up articles have been published, including one on Mace Rosen, an Ohio State University graduate who worked on the Terraces landscaping. And stories keep coming in from Bahá’ís of responses from their contacts. One school principal even pulled a Bahá’í student out of class to apologize personally for not having been able to attend the event.

SAVANNAH

dens, but beauty uniting all people.

"It's a symbol of a triumph of love over hatred," he said.

Zaer joined 10 other men and women and two teen-agers who met in the Savannah State University Library to watch the live satellite feed from Israel.

They surrounded themselves with four large-screen TVs and raised volumes to highlight the harps and French horns.

To Cecile Bigatin, the ceremony exemplified an attribute of her faith: the oneness of mankind and of religion.

"It's probably the most significant religious event in this century," said Lynda Adamson. "It heralds a new beginning of world peace."

For 14-year-old Siobhain Rivera, a freshman at Savannah Arts Academy who is surrounded by art and music at school and at home, the terraces and their opening ceremony touched a deeper part.

"This is nothing short of divinely inspired," she said.

Pomona, California

A May 23 article in the Los Angeles Times captured the spirit of a gathering of more than 100 Bahá’ís and guests in Pomona to celebrate the opening of the Terraces.

"I've been waiting 10 years for this," reporter Pam Noles quoted Sonja Chu of Monrovia as saying about the Terraces dedication. "I'm shivering, I'm so excited."

Noles also talked with Claremont resident Keyvan Geula, whose one sister was attending the ceremony in Israel and other sister was watching in Washington, DC.

"It's like waiting all your life to see this dream of oneness of humanity come true," Geula told the newspaper. "It's very exciting. I couldn't sleep all night. I got up at 4 a.m., getting ready."

The article also gave background information on the Mount Carmel Projects and their significance to Bahá’ís.

But, as noted in the article by Ziba Imani, a Bahá’í in Upland, the Shrine of the Báb and its Terraces are not objects of worship for believers. Rather, they are a potent symbol.

"It's a symbol of unity for the whole world," Imani told the reporter. "It is about all of us, as humans."

Washington, DC

A May 23 screening of the Terraces opening ceremonies was simple, elegant and dignified, and focused entirely around the events in Haifa, reports Vasu Mohan, secretary of the Spiritual Assembly of Washington.

The events of May 22 and 23 in Haifa were made available to more than 700 metro-area Bahá’ís to view them with their fellow believers and friends in the historic Gaston Hall at Georgetown University.

Southern Regional Council member James Sturdivant was emcee of the event. [Page 25]

Public space and the spirit

Institute seeks studies for October colloquy

Research papers are invited for presentation at “Cities, Suburbs, and Countryside: Connecting the Spirit and the Environment,” a colloquy sponsored by the Institute for Bahá’í Studies, to be held Oct. 27–28 at the Bahá’í National Center in Evanston, Illinois.

Particularly welcomed are presentations dealing with globalization and how it alters our conception of space, architectural design and planning.

The colloquy is intended to stimulate new research by members of religious communities into this somewhat neglected but important area of study.

The Institute hopes to draw a range of professionals and scholars whose work touches on the use of public space in urban, suburban and rural settings.

Attendance will be limited to 100, since much of the value of such conferences lies in the spontaneous interactions and questions-and-answer sessions that follow formal presentations.

If interested in presenting a paper, please send a 200- to 500-word abstract and single-paragraph résumé by Aug. 20 to Lynne Yancy, c/o Research Office, Bahá’í National Center, Evanston, IL 60201. Presentations should run 30 to 45 minutes and employ a lecture format.

For information contact the Research Office (phone 847-733-3548, fax 847-733-3563, e-mail ).

Details on conference registration will be published in a future issue of The American Bahá’í.

Hotel lodging for the colloquy The following hotels near the Bahá’í National Center are offering special “Bahá’í rates” for participants in the IBS colloquy, Oct. 27–28:

• Hampton Inn and Suites—Chicago, 5201 Old Orchard Road, Skokie, IL 60077 (phone 847-583-1111; fax 847-583-0300): Bahá’í rate $89/night.
• Omni Orrington Hotel, 1710 Orrington Ave., Evanston, IL 60201 (phone 847-866-8700; fax 847-866-8724): Bahá’í rate $109/night.

Note that the Orrington is close to the train line serving the Bahá’í National Center. Participants staying at the Hampton would have to arrange a rental car or other transportation.

Council acts to bolster Assemblies

Consultation focuses on challenges, strategies

A high-level consultation on “Creating Strong Local Spiritual Assemblies,” March 30–April 1 in Dallas, Texas, provided “invaluable input” to the Regional Bahá’í Council of the Southern States for its role in fostering strong Assemblies, according to Council member Kambiz Rafraf.

The consultation involved more than 30 Bahá’ís including members of the Auxiliary Board, members of two Regional Bahá’í Councils, staff of the national Office of Community Administration and Office of the Assembly Development, several Assembly Development representatives, members of regional training institute boards and other knowledgeable friends.

The Council asked the participants to explore and recommend strategies and approaches for helping Spiritual Assemblies “... rise to a new stage in the exercise of their responsibilities as channels of divine guidance, planners of the teaching work, developers of human resources, builders of communities, and loving shepherds of the multitudes.”

Participants were asked to consult in small groups on the following questions:

• What challenges do Local Spiritual Assemblies face in advancing the process of entry by troops?
• What assistance is needed to best prepare the Local Spiritual Assemblies for large-scale growth?
• How can the Regional Bahá’í Council assist Local Spiritual Assemblies in formulating plans for systematic growth that include lines of action for expansion, consolidation and community development?
• How can the level of regard for the station and significance of the Local Spiritual Assembly be raised in the view of individuals, institutions and community?

A task force of the Council has been appointed, Rafraf said, “to review the input and to propose strategies that will help the Council facilitate the development of Local Spiritual Assemblies as the ‘focal centers of Bahá’í activity’ and to advance systematic growth in the region.”

The Universal House of Justice mandated creation of strong Local Spiritual Assemblies as a primary task of Regional Bahá’í Councils. ♦

Participants in the March-April consultation on “Creating Strong Local Spiritual Assemblies” pose during their meeting in Dallas, Texas.

Ian Semple to speak at ABS event

Ian Semple, member of the Universal House of Justice, will present a major address at this year’s annual conference of the Association for Bahá’í Studies in Seattle, Washington.

The conference will be held Aug. 31–Sept. 3 at the Sheraton Hotel.

More than 60 presenters will explore processes of the spiritualization of human society that are linked to the completion of the Arc and symbolized by the beauty of the terraces and gardens on Mount Carmel.

Among topics to be covered are the Bahá’í writings and Administrative Order, governance, justice, the Lesser Peace, social and economic development, the arts, architecture, science, technology and psychology.

Several sessions will be devoted to native peoples and spiritual civilization.

In addition to the Hasan M. Balyuzi Memorial Lecture, given this year by Hossein Amanat and Fariborz Sahba, architects of the Mount Carmel Projects, plenary presentations will include “Bahá’í Scholars and the Bahá’í Community: A New Relationship for Social Change” (Counselor Eugene Andrews); “This Radiant Century” (Counselor Rebequa Murphy); “Clay into Crystal: How Thought Shapes Structure in the Pursuit of Justice” (Holly Hanson); “Authoritative Interpretations: Shoghi Effendi’s Translations and the Institutions of the Faith” (Anne Furlong); and “Creation” (Lasse Thoresen).

Panels will explore spiritual dimensions of medicine and bioethics, apologetics/defense of the Faith, and Bahá’í responses to UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan’s Millennium Report, “We, the Peoples.”

At a panel of Bahá’í book collectors, archivists, and conservators, William Collins of the Library of Congress, who for 13 years was director of the Bahá’í World Center Library, will introduce his database of Bahá’í publications in English, a comprehensive research tool containing more than 22,000 records.

A Saturday night gala concert of Western and Persian classical music will have as one of its featured performers the renowned dramatic baritone Norman Bailey, who has been named one of the top 100 opera singers of the 20th century.

Friday night will see the premiere of Táhirih, a musical play by composer Mimi McClellan.

Master classes are planned in music, voice and theatre. For information about these classes, contact Karen Oleson (e-mail KarenOle@aol.com).

For more information about the conference and to register, contact Parvin Rowhani (phone 613-233-1903, e-mail abs-na@istar.ca) or visit the ABS Web site (www.bahai-studies.ca). ♦

Special Interest Groups

Presentations by Special Interest Groups of the Association for Bahá’í Studies, which will meet the first day of the ABS Annual Conference Aug. 31, include:

Bahá’í Institute for the Arts: “The Role of the Arts in a Spiritual Civilization,” to include presentations, discussion and workshops with visual artists, musicians and writers.

Bahá’í Business Forum of the Americas: daylong seminar on “Creating Spiritual Economy,” focusing on application of Bahá’í teachings to the world of business and economics.

Education Special Interest Group: “In Search of a Proper Education: Bahá’í Perspectives on Character Education,” with address by Dwight Allen.

Marriage and Family: “Choosing a Marriage Partner: Love, Courtship, Dating, and Consent of Parents.”

Racial Unity/Intercultural Issues: Will analyze and propose solutions for disparities within the justice system, education, economics, health/health care, housing/segregation etc.

Bahá’í Language Educators: Topics to include a Bahá’í-inspired English language teaching curriculum and a mentoring program for Bahá’í pioneers earning their living as English teachers overseas as well as beginning language teachers.

Science and Religion: Topics to include life from the vantage point of science, modern suspicions of biology, current thought about science and religion, science and prayer, and ‘Abdu’l-Bahá’s comments on the “ether” and on science and religion.

Study of Religion: Topics to include Bahá’í history, study of religion in the 21st century, concepts of soul, mind and heart from Judaism to the Bahá’í Faith; and Pierre Teilhard de Chardin and Bahá’í beliefs. ♦ [Page 26]

Green Acre Bahá’í School

‘Spirit of Children’

BY PHYLLIS RING

Green Acre Bahá’í School’s annual Spirit of Children Conference on Children’s Literature and Art takes place Aug. 24–29.

This conference is designed for writers, artists, musicians, storytellers, designers, filmmakers, publishers and all others interested in creating materials for children.

With a focus on the nurturing of children’s spiritual nature through development of literature, art and music of the highest possible quality, the conference emphasizes creating materials that promote the oneness of mankind and the spirituality of children.

Sessions aim to support those who create such materials by providing resources, networking opportunities, education about publication and distribution, and encouragement.

Organized in three segments (one each for writers, illustrators and musicians), conference workshops will feature several published authors; an illustrators’ component coordinated by artist and bookmaker Jeannie Hunt; and music-related workshops coordinated by singer/songwriter Dick Grover.

Workshop presenters will include musician Rose-Marie Peterson; Susan Engle, associate editor of Brilliant Star magazine; writer/publisher Barry Lane; author Susan Kalantar; writer/editor Sandra Hutchinson; artist Richard Haynes; musicians Mike and Bev Rogers; and musician and author/illustrator Leona Hosack.

Workshop topics include: “Nurturing the Creator of Works for Children”; “Art and Image as Storytellers”; “Finding Your Story”; “Creating Picture Books for Children”; “Evaluating and Editing Spiritual Content”; “Songwriting for Children”; “Performing and Working with Children”; “Finding ‎Pefonal Personal‎ Time and Space for Creating”; “Self-promotion and Producing Materials”; and more.

Time is made available each day for artists to share their work and get feedback and ideas if they wish, as well as time to network with editors, publishers, and other artists. Bahá’í publishing companies from around the world have also been invited to attend this year’s conference.

The five-day session will include classes for children ages 3–14 as a means to assist parents who would like to attend with their children.

Other upcoming sessions

Aug. 3–8: Virtue Virtuosity with Kathy Grammer and Andi Seals, examining virtues and their role in personal transformation and the development of the Bahá’í community.

Aug. 3–8: The Fifth Epoch and the Five Year Plan with Counselor Gene Andrews, exploring the meaning of the Fifth Epoch and the behaviors that will help to strengthen our institutions and the Bahá’í community.

Aug. 10–15: Core Curriculum Teacher Training with Sharon Dixon-Peay and Dennis Smith. Help your community achieve the goals of the Five Year Plan and become a more effective teacher of Bahá’í children’s classes.

Aug. 17–22: The Secret of Divine Civilization with Habib Riazati, investigating the book described by Shoghi Effendi as “Abdu’l-Bahá’s outstanding contribution to the future organization of the world.”

Aug. 17–22: Youth Institute with Joannie Yuille, studying The Secret of Divine Civilization through discussion, memorization, presentations and hands-on fun. For ages 15 and up.

Aug. 24–29: Parent Training Program with Nancy Duggan and Lisa Sobhian, developing skills of empowerment to implement the Writings in our families. ♦

Complete list of upcoming Green Acre sessions in Calendar, back page

‘Irfán to study later writings of Bahá’u’lláh

“Mysticism and the Bahá’í Faith” is the theme topic of the ‘Irfán Colloquium to be held at Louhelen Bahá’í School, Oct. 5–8. The Seminar section of the program will be devoted to the writings of Bahá’u’lláh during the latter part of the ‘Akká period.

The program includes presentation of research papers on fundamental principles of the Bahá’í belief system and detailed introduction of the background and contents of some of the important writings of Bahá’u’lláh as well as various Tablets of visitation, healing prayers and special Tablets and prayers for Bahá’í holy days.

Two parallel sessions will be held: one in English and one in Persian. This gathering at Louhelen provides a very special spiritual experience for deepening and immersing “in the ocean” of the sacred Writings.

Proposals for paper presentation are welcome and must be received at the Education and Schools Office of the Bahá’í National Center by Aug. 30.

For registration and reservation please directly contact Louhelen Bahá’í School. ♦

Louhelen Bahá’í School

For multiracial families

BY LIZ DONALDSON

How can parents of all backgrounds promote love, joy and discipline while raising the children of the Kingdom?

Bonnie Taylor and Joannie Yuille shared their great hopes for children—especially biracial children—and their contribution to the Cause of God at Louhelen Bahá’í School during a parent/child weekend May 11–13.

‘Abdu’l-Bahá said: “Thou must endeavor that they intermarry. There is no greater means to bring about affection between the white and the black than the influence of the Word of God. Likewise marriage between these two races will wholly destroy and eradicate the root of enmity.”

Drawing on these words along with numerous other Bahá’í writings, Yuille and Taylor facilitated an exploration of the spiritual and scientific truths that assist in the support of interracial families in their communities and help all families promote Bahá’u’lláh’s principle of the oneness of the human family.

Most participants are in families that have connections with other races through marriage. “This group was absolutely a fabulous group,” said Yuille.

A less-intimately involved participant agreed, writing on the evaluation form: “As someone who isn’t in a biracial marriage or have children as such, I still felt that the discussions were totally relevant to how I want to raise my children.”

Noted Taylor, “The consultation in this session was of good quality. The participants demonstrated a thorough understanding of the ‘most challenging issue.’”

The group also explored secular research that reaffirmed many concepts Bahá’ís already understand from the Writings:

• There are more genetic differences within a “racial group” than there are between them.
• Pure races—genetically homogenous populations—do not exist in the human species today, nor is there any evidence that they existed in the past.
• Genes responsible for the external appearance, the basis by which people identify “race,” make up about .01 percent of human genetic material overall.
• There is no basis for linking physical and behavioral traits because people have the biological potential for assimilating any culture.

To learn more about the research that supports these statements or to be linked with an interest group Taylor hopes to form, contact her at

Board members of regional training institutes listen to a talk by Counselor Stephen Birkland during a May 18–20 meeting at Louhelen for RTI boards, Auxiliary Board members and Regional Council members from the Central States. Photo courtesy of Louhelen

Upcoming sessions

Aug. 10–15 will feature the Core Curriculum program “Spiritual Parenting,” which focuses on themes such as establishing a spiritual environment in the home, applying principles of the Bahá’í Faith to child-rearing, and use of consultation to solve family problems.

Lily Ayman, who will facilitate this session along with Fattaneh Eftekhari, stresses the sacredness of the responsibility of parenting.

Complete children’s programs are offered for this session as well as these:

July 13–18: Friends and Family II.

July 20–25: Choral Music and Community Growth with Tom Price, Evander Gilmer and Barbara Baumgartner.

Aug. 10–15: Friends and Family III with Richard Thomas and Holly Hanson.

Aug. 17–22: Friends and Family IV with Fred Schechter, Danielle Locke and Kevin Locke.

Aug. 31–Sept. 3: Homecoming 2001 with Donald Rogers and Kathy Grammer.

Complete list of upcoming Louhelen sessions in Calendar, back page [Page 27]

Video of 2000 Southeast Asian conference available

Low-cost tapes also offered with highlights of past gatherings

The U.S. Bahá’í Refugee Office has made available the videotape of the 11th annual Southeast Asian Bahá’í Conference held June 16–18, 2000.

Each year these conferences have made it possible for our Southeast Asian Bahá’í friends to share their hopes and the challenges of settling in their new country, in deepening in the Faith, and in gaining the necessary knowledge and confidence to teach the Faith.

In addition to the latest video, other conference videos are available on a limited basis. Each conference has been directed to a specific theme.

Highlights from each available annual conference video:

• 11th (2000)—youth and pre-youth, including “Becoming Invincible Champions of Justice” and “Role of Parents and Communities.”
• 10th (1999)—the Bahá’í family, including “Roles and Responsibilities,” “The Fund” and “Sharing Thoughts and Ideas to Take Back to Our Communities.”
• 9th (1998)—adults and youth, including “Who Is Bahá’u’lláh,” “The Fundamental Principles of the Bahá’í Faith,” “Reading the Writings” and “Life After Death.”
• 8th (1997)—adults and youth, including “Entry by Troops,” “How to Empower the Bahá’í Youth,” “Integrating the Bahá’í Community” and “How to Invite More Southeast Asians to Learn about the Teachings of Bahá’u’lláh.”
• 7th (1996)—adults and youth, including “History of the Bahá’í Faith and the Life of Bahá’u’lláh,” “Progressive Revelation,” “Equality of Men and Women,” “Bahá’í Laws” and “Bahá’í Family Life.”
• 4th (1993)—adults and youth, including “Parent Involvement with Children’s Education,” “Various Topics Related to Bahá’í Family Life,” the roles of Southeast Asian Bahá’í women, men and youth in the Bahá’í family, “Parent Curriculum” and “Bringing It All Together: Planning.”

Any of these videos may be purchased through the U.S. Bahá’í Refugee Office for $3 each plus the cost of the handling and shipping. An invoice will be sent to you with your shipment.

A listing of all other material available from the USBRO for Southeast Asian teaching and/or deepening will be sent upon request. ◆

Burned tongue? That counts as sacrifice

Arlene Foster (from left) stands by as chili judges Esther Linear, Linda Hunter and Nos Rassekh taste samples (and Ed Brekke waits his turn to partake) in the Chili Cookoff and Bake Sale March 31 in Portland, Oregon. Organized by a group of both new and veteran believers, the cookoff raised more than $800 for the Portland/Vancouver-area media campaign. The honored cooks were Paul Karczag, given the Silver Ladle Award for Excellence in Chili-Related Service, and Richard Kochmann, with the People’s Choice Award. Photo by Ferdows Mehregani

College student tracks down funds for service

As the Faith grows, opportunities to serve also increase.

Sometimes to take advantage of these opportunities we have to get creative.

When Catherine Borovicka, a student at Clemson University in South Carolina, decided to pursue a term of volunteer service at the National Center, she faced a common problem: how to finance it.

She investigated resources available at Clemson and soon found that her experience could qualify for a university grant that funded “life-changing educational experiences outside the classroom.” After applying for the grant she was awarded enough funds to provide transportation, housing and meals for her summer in Wilmette.

Whether our challenges are financial, social, personal or logistical, we are encouraged as Bahá’ís to conquer these challenges, arise, and serve the Faith to the best of our ability. ◆

INDIANAPOLIS,

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 12

• Use of drama, writing, consultation and other creative tools to bring hearts together within families.
• Recreational pursuits, including “tube ‎sockey hockey‎,” group games and a cooperative construction project.
• Study circles, deepening and musical creation to bring out our inner potential.

“It’s an energizing time,” said Bill Clark of the organizing committee. “We’ve been walking for some time, it’s now time to start trotting. We can get a sense that we are a family, first here in Indianapolis, and then in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.”

In his talk, Thomas noted ‎as a that that as a‎ Bahá’í youth in the 1960s—especially as someone of African descent—there was a special quality to his fellow young Bahá’ís despite all the issues they struggled with. For one thing, many of them delved into street teaching work without a second thought, leading in part to huge numbers of enrollments in the South.

“The present generation of Bahá’í youth have the same qualities as the youth of the ’60s,” he said, stressing that youth have to be bold.

Lynn Wieties, a nurse practitioner, drew on a common image of checking reflexes during a normal physical exam. She said that we need to be “refining our spiritual reflexes,” so that “our part in building the Kingdom becomes a reflex reaction, reflected in all that we do.”

Bill Wieties focused on the guidance on training of the believers from the Universal House of Justice and the International Teaching Center. “The Universal House of Justice has identified training institutes as the single greatest legacy of the Four Year Plan. It talks about study circles in virtually every letter,” he said. “This is so important to the work of the ‎Bahá’í’s Bahá’ís‎ that you simply do not want to be left out.” ◆

Charitable Gift Annuities

now offered by our National Spiritual Assembly as a gift-planning option

A charitable gift annuity is a contract between you, as the donor, and our National Spiritual Assembly—providing advantages for both.

Under a charitable gift annuity:	Benefits:	Requirements:
A donor irrevocably transfers funds to our National Spiritual Assembly, which are invested with other annuity funds. Regular quarterly payments are made to you, the donor, for your lifetime. The remainder of the annuity fund is transferred to the Bahá’í Fund after your passing.	Guaranteed fixed payments for life, a portion of which are non-taxable. A charitable income tax deduction for a portion of the gift in the year in which the annuity is established. Reduced capital gains taxes if funded with an appreciated asset. Increased support of the Bahá’í Fund.	Must be at least 60 years of age to enter into an annuity agreement with our National Spiritual Assembly. Must establish the annuity with a minimum of $10,000. Must irrevocably transfer the funds. Will receive lifetime annuity payment. Not yet licensed in Arkansas, California, Washington, Wisconsin

Examples (based on a $10,000 annuity): Age 60: Charitable deduction $3,782.30; annual lifetime annuity $660 Age 70: Charitable deduction $4,261.20; annual lifetime annuity $750 Age 80: Charitable deduction $4,907.40; annual lifetime annuity $920

8-page brochure from the Office of the Treasurer Individual copies may be requested free. Nominal charge for ordering in quantity.

The Writing of a Will

The National Spiritual Assembly’s Gift and Estate Planning Program has been established to help believers make a variety of financial arrangements for themselves, their families and the Bahá’í Faith: Providing for the Bahá’í Faith in your will Making a gift of securities Making a gift of real estate Making a gift through life insurance Receiving income from your gift: Charitable Gift Annuities Charitable Remainder Trusts

To order The Writing of a Will or to find out more about the gift and estate planning program:

• Phone 847-733-3466 / e-mail psolon@usbnc.org
• Or, fill out the form with the Bahá’í Funds envelope attached to this paper.

[Page 28]

IN MEMORIAM

Listings for “In Memoriam” come from the Membership Office of the Bahá’í National Center. To report the passing of a Bahá’í in the United States, please contact the Membership Office, 1233 Central St., Evanston, IL 60201 (e-mail ).

Qudratullah Adlparvar Santa Monica, CA May 9, 2001	Jan Jackson Torrance, CA December 2, 1999	William M. Pleasant Jr. Savannah, GA April 1997
Robabeh Erfanian Agahi Grosse Pointe Farms, MI September 2, 1999	Albert James Howard County, MD November 30, 2000	Habibollah Rezvani Fairfield, CA March 15, 2001
LeAnn Bartok New York, NY May 9, 2001	Karen K. Johnston Hoosick Falls, NY May 20, 2001	LaVern G. Schroepfer Antigo, WI May 2, 2001
Earnestine West-Berkey Marsh Linn County, OR May 9, 2001	LaRue Keys Albany, OR May 15, 2001	William Shumard Dubuque, IA November 1999
Alice F. Davis Stillwater, MN December 26, 2000	John M. Lansdowne Sr. Orangeburg, SC April 11, 2001	Georgette B. Springer Jackson Township, OH March 16, 2001
Parviz Deldjoui Torrance, CA August 10, 1999	Donald A. MacLauchlin Morro Bay, CA April 30, 2001	H. Wesley Stallings Tucson, AZ December 24, 2000
Eric Durr Birmingham, AL April 9, 2001	Zylpha Mapp-Robinson New York, NY May 12, 2001	Parvin Vahdat Great Neck, NY May 15, 2001
Ada Grenoble Berkeley, CA January 2001	Eula M. Milliken Wilmette, IL April 15, 2001	Barbara Vollmer St. Thomas, Virgin Islands March 29, 2001
John R. Hamman Sun City, AZ April 20, 2001	Monirodin Misaghi-Bonabi Los Angeles, CA April 21, 2001	Annette White Asheville, NC March 22, 2001
Raymond R. Houle Belcourt, ND September 14, 1999	Wilfried K. Pertl Happy Camp, CA April 29, 2001	Robert T. Willis Springfield, OR April 28, 2001

Earnestine Berkey Marsh’s horizon was global

A beautiful funeral and a memorial service helped the friends of Oregon say goodbye to Earnestine West Berkey Marsh, who passed away in her sleep May 9, 2001.

Born Feb. 12, 1937, to Marvin and Frances West in Waco, Texas, Marsh moved to California with her parents in the 1940s and grew up in the Bay Area as a Bahá’í.

Later she moved to Southern California, then to Oregon in the 1970s as a homefront pioneer.

She moved to Albany in 1975 and opened that little town to an awareness of race unity.

But Marsh’s horizon was global. She traveled the world reaching the Cause with passion and a burning love.

She was active in community life and had been a member of the NAACP in Corvallis, the Daystar Bahá’í Choir, the Bahá’í National Committee on Women, the Oregon Commission on Black Affairs and the Spiritual Assembly of Linn County.

She was an adviser to the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights, a delegate to the Bahá’í National Convention for 18 years and a founder of the Oregon Sisters Gathering.

The funeral service was held in perfect weather, with two eagles circling overhead, across the street from a lovely little lake in Albany.

Two Indian Bahá’ís flew down from Juneau, Alaska: international teacher Ruby Gubatayo and her daughter Mary, a member of the National Spiritual Assembly of Alaska.

Mary Gubatayo performed an honoring ceremony, as did Don Addison (Ojibway).

That evening a flower-filled Portland Bahá’í Center hosted a memorial.

Marsh, a cancer survivor, had spent her last days working in her garden following a medical checkup in which she was given a clean bill of health.

She had enrolled in yet another voice class and had told a close friend three times, “I am happy!”

She was soon winging to the Abha Kingdom.

Earnestine West Berkey Marsh is survived by her husband, Larry; daughters Claudia Starr Carter and Bridgette Fahnbulleh; sons Leon Jackson and Frederick Burney; and 11 grandchildren.

J. Lewis Creitz was pioneer to Guatemala for 25 years

John Lewis Creitz, longtime pioneer to Guatemala, passed away May 11, 2001.

Creitz, or “Don Luis” as he was affectionately known to his friends in Guatemala, became a Bahá’í in Colorado Springs, Colorado, in the early 1950s.

Shortly after recognizing Bahá’u’lláh as the Lord of the Age, Creitz and his wife, Mary, became caretakers of the Temerity Bahá’í School in Pine Valley, Colorado, present site of the Air Force Academy.

In 1965, when both were 49 years old, they set out for Guatemala as pioneers.

Neither spoke Spanish when they left the United States.

Mary had been a secretary and Lewis a mechanic.

In Quezaltenango, Guatemala, they became English teachers.

There, Lewis built a house in the country with his own hands, and both served on the National Spiritual Assembly of Guatemala.

He assisted in the construction of a Bahá’í school in Chimaltenango.

They lived for a time in one of the most dangerous regions of Guatemala, a place where rebel groups and government troops were in constant conflict.

After 25 years at their pioneering post, the Creitzes returned to the United States in 1990 due to health problems.

They eventually settled in Belen, New Mexico.

Lewis was still serving as treasurer of the Local Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of Belen and creating works of art in his wood shop at the time of his passing.

Julie Badiee wrote of Arc’s significance

The Terraces on Mt. Carmel were dear to the heart of Julie Badiee. She had recently completed a manuscript (forthcoming from the Bahá’í Publishing Trust) on the historical symbolic significance of the project.

Nearly on the eve of the Terraces’ dedication, Badiee passed away on May 20, 2001.

Badiee taught art history for 22 years at Western Maryland College in Westminster before her recent retirement.

She was the author of An Earthly Paradise: Bahá’í Houses of Worship Around the World, published in 1992 by George Ronald.

She also served on the Persian American Affairs Committee in the mid-1980s and published numerous articles, poems and essays in such publications as the Journal of Bahá’í Studies, the Bahá’í World volumes, World Order and The American Bahá’í.

In her service as a “much loved and admired” member of the governing board of Landegg Academy (now Landegg International University) in Switzerland, according to Landegg president H.B. Danesh, Badiee was an affiliate professor and even served as a resident professor for a semester in 1999.

One memorable expedition on behalf of the academy saw Badiee’s art history classes taught in Haifa and Jerusalem, Israel. “Her loss is deeply felt by Landegg faculty, students and staff alike,” Danesh wrote.

Her photographs from around the world—set to music by Red Grammer—were chosen for permanent display in the House of Peace in Lausanne, Switzerland.

Julie Anne Oeming was born on March 30, 1947, in Saginaw, Michigan, to Joseph and Marilyn “Mardy” McKeever Oeming.

She attended the University of Michigan, where she earned a bachelor’s degree in German in 1969 and a doctorate in art history in 1978.

In the preface to An Earthly Paradise, Badiee wrote that her mother “introduced me to the Bahá’í Faith and has always been my inspiration in every phase of my life.”

Badiee and her mother both embraced the Faith in 1970. “Mardy” passed away last October [see The American Bahá’í, Dec. 12, 2000, p. 30].

Badiee was a member of the Local Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of Westminster.

She is survived by her husband, Heshmatollah, of Westminster, and daughter, Andaleeb, of New York City. [Page 29]

BAHÁ’Í SUBSCRIBER SERVICE • 800-999-9019

World Order

Making sense of the world by exploring the spiritual implications of 21st-century life

Now available! Winter 2000-01

• Julio Savi: “The Declaration Dominus Iesus: A Brake on Ecumenism and Interfaith Dialogue”
• Gary L. Morrison: “Loulan Beauty: Encountering the Xinjiang Mummies”
• Peter Murphy: “Pausing for Poetry: A Review of Americans’ Favorite Poems: The Favorite Poems Project”

Coming soon: Special issues on topics related to family life, gender, and peace.

Still available: Fall 2000 Gwendolyn Etter-Lewis on African-American women writers • Dorothy Marcic on organizational management and change • Gayle Morrison on convictry in Australia and slavery in the United States • Michael L. Penn on Oedipus today

Subscriptions:
U.S.—$19 / year, $36 / 2 years
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One Country

Quarterly about development by the Bahá’í International Community Subscriptions: U.S.—$12 / year, $22 / 2 years Outside U.S. surface mail—$16 / year, $30 / 2 years Outside U.S. air mail—$20 / year, $36 / 2 years Single copy: $3.50 + shipping/handling

Brilliant Star

Bimonthly children’s magazine by the National Spiritual Assembly For subscription information: See “Kid’s Corner,” page 7

The American Bahá’í

10 times a year; available by subscription to Bahá’ís outside the continental U.S. Outside U.S. surface mail—$24 / year, $45 / 2 years Outside U.S. air mail—$32 / year, $60 / 2 years Single copy: $3 + shipping/handling

Herald of the South

Quarterly by National Assemblies of Australia and New Zealand Subscriptions: U.S.—$28 / year, $50 / 2 years Outside U.S.: Contact Herald of the South,

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Phone orders: 800-999-9019 • E-mail orders:

Mail orders: Bahá’í Subscriber Service, 4703 Fulton Industrial Blvd., Atlanta, GA 30336-2017 TAB 7/13/01

11TH ANNUAL Conference of the Friends of Persian Culture

AT THE THRESHOLD OF A NEW CENTURY WYNDHAM NORTHWEST CHICAGO HOTEL • AUG. 30–SEPT. 2

Presentations in both Persian and English.

PRESENTERS TO INCLUDE: Dr. Simin Sheybani, Dr. Shapur Rassekh, Dr. Vahid Rafati, Dr. Iraj Ayman

TOPICS TO INCLUDE: Women’s Progress in Iran, their Future, and the Role of the Bahá’í Teachings in their Advancement; Social and Cultural Developments in Contemporary Iran; Iran of Tomorrow in the Future World Community; The State of Scholarship in the Bahá’í World; Development of Education in Iran and the Role of the Iranian Bahá’í Community in that Process, The State of the Youth in Iran and the Role of the Bahá’í Youth there.

ARTISTIC PRESENTATIONS: Music, drama, poetry reading, folk dance performances.

Youth and pre-youth sessions on the conference theme; children’s classes for ages 3–11.

Visits to House of Worship and Chicago Bahá’í historic sites.

REGISTRATION:

Fees: Adult or youth (12+): $40 by July 31 or $45 at the door; Child (3–11): $50. One-day fee (all ages): $20.

To pre-register by July 31: Fill out the Multi-Purpose Form below and mail to Persian-American Affairs Office, Bahá’í National Center, 1233 Central Street, Evanston, IL 60202. Please use a separate copy for each person registering, and indicate age of each youth or child.

HOTEL RESERVATION:

Special rate: $82 per room (1–4 people) per night; please directly contact Wyndham Northwest Chicago Hotel, 400 Park Blvd., Itasca, IL 60143 (phone 630-773-4000). Please state you are participating in the “Persian Arts Conference” and inform them how many people will be staying in the room.

PHONE FOR INFORMATION:

Office of Persian-American Affairs, 847-733-3531, 3476 or 3528

Youths: Call ahead if ... ... you would like to share your thoughts or artistic or poetic talent. Contact Sheedeh Mahboobipoor (phone daytime, evening).

Children: Call ahead if ... ... you want to perform (poetry recitation, music, dance, etc.). Contact the Persian-American Affairs Office (number at left).

MULTIPURPOSE FORM

CLIP OR COPY AS NEEDED

For which event or activity? ____________________________________________________

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TAB 7/13/01 [Page 30]Classified notices in The American Bahá’í are published free of charge to the Bahá’í community. Because of this, notices are limited to items relating to the Faith; no personal or commercial ads are accepted. Some of the opportunities have not been approved by the National Spiritual Assembly; the friends should exercise judgment and care in responding.

SERVICE OPPORTUNITIES

If you know of anyone who has skills in the following areas, or know of people who may know others with these skills, especially for positions listed as “Urgent Needs,” please contact our Human Resources Department.

URGENT NEEDS

Treasurer’s Office, Evanston, IL: Accountant (CPA skill level). Will work in fast-paced, complex environment with diverse accounting, financial and administrative responsibilities. Should have a strong background in auditing and either for profit or not-for-profit activities. Minimum 10 years’ experience.

Kingdom Project/Treasurer’s Office, Evanston, IL: Administrative Assistant. Will maintain database on pledges and cash contributions related to the Kingdom Project; produce regular large-scale mailings; make meeting/travel arrangements; provide telephone coverage. Must have exceptional ability to work with others; familiarity with computer software (Word, Excel, Access etc.) and some hardware; typing at least 50 wpm; experience as administrative or executive assistant.

Information Services, Evanston: SQL Database Administrator. Coordinates database development. Responsible for Enterprise SQL server including security rights, table design, normalization. Responsible for design and implementation of user and departmental applications as front ends to MS SQL7 using MS Access, VB or other tools.

Louis Gregory Bahá’í Institute, Hemingway, SC: Administrative Assistant. Performs general office management and bookkeeping, produces monthly newsletter/event calendar and brochures/fliers, serves as registrar, handles correspondence and maintains contact lists, manages book sales/library, supervises volunteers, guides tours. Must be “people person” grounded in Bahá’í principles, proficient in general secretarial/administrative skills, familiar with software including MS Word, Excel, Publisher and QuickBooks.

If interested, contact the Office of Human Resources, 1233 Central St., Evanston, IL 60201 (phone 847-733-3427, fax 847-733-3430). ♦

URGENT NEED

Director, National Office of Public Information New York, NY

For a complete job description with responsibilities and qualifications: Visit www.usbnc.org and click on the “View current job opportunities” link in the What’s New list.

We regret that no inquiries (by phone, fax or mail) or visits to the Office of Public Information or to the Office of External Affairs can be accepted.

AT BAHÁ’Í NATIONAL CENTER EVANSTON/WILMETTE, IL

International Consultant for Specialized Area, Office of Pioneering. Will facilitate Bahá’í administrative support, assist prospective pioneers and guide them through personal contact and correspondence regarding work and study opportunities, cultural guidance, personal concerns and suitability for the special conditions; will maintain statistics and provide regular and special reports. Must have excellent verbal/written communication skills; experience as pioneer or traveling teacher in areas of special sensitivity; familiarity with computer databases, Microsoft Word and Outlook (Excel and Publisher are a plus); training/group facilitation skills are a plus (including training institute experience).

Creative Director, Office of Youth Affairs. Designs Fertile Field, the national newsletter for Bahá’í campus activities (about six issues per year), helps edit and prepare material for Fertile Field, The American Bahá’í and the Youth Web site (www.bahaiyouth.com), provides design assistance for miscellaneous projects; handles some correspondence and helps provide analysis on youth issues to Bahá’í institutions. Should have a degree in graphic design or equivalent experience in Adobe programs and Microsoft Publisher, strong writing skills, ability to delegate tasks and work collaboratively with others, ability and willingness to handle some non-design tasks as needed.

Administrative Assistant, Properties. Office skills should include Microsoft Windows 98 and/or 2000, possibly Excel; typing 55 wpm, calculator by touch. Excellent verbal and written skills in both Persian and English a MUST. Should be well-versed in both cultures, able to interact with all types of people; must possess in-depth knowledge of the Bahá’í Faith and have excellent consultative abilities.

Administrative Assistant, Persian-American Affairs Office. Office skills should include Microsoft Windows 98 and/or 2000, possibly Excel; typing 55 wpm, calculator by touch. Excellent verbal and written communication skills. Should be able to interact with all types of people; must possess in-depth knowledge of the Bahá’í Faith and have excellent consultative abilities.

Maintenance Team Leader, Properties. Will manage facility/building maintenance and engineering staff to provide timely services at minimal costs; plan, estimate, schedule maintenance requests and projects; ensure that all equipment and buildings are efficiently and effectively maintained. Needs 5 years’ experience in all areas of building maintenance (HVAC, electrical, plumbing, carpentry, painting, cleaning etc.) with 3–5 years as maintenance manager; valid driver’s license; supervisory command of English.

Hospitality Assistant, Meetings and Travel Office (part-time). Will promote a loving, attentive, pleasing atmosphere for meetings of the National Spiritual Assembly, its agencies and Bahá’í National Center departments; will set up and close down meetings, pick up catered meals, shop, do light clerical work. Must be able to work well under time constraints, able to lift and carry supplies; needs car, license and auto insurance. Flexible work schedule offered; some meetings on weekends and evenings.

OFFICE OF INFORMATION SERVICES

Senior Applications Developer (2 positions). Provides high-level analysis, design, implementation of information systems. Familiar with a variety of technologies: VB/VBA (preferred), SQL7, Microsoft Access, Web Tools, Delphi, C++.

Applications Developer. Provides high-level analysis, design, implementation of information systems. Familiar with variety of technologies: VB/VBA (preferred), database, Web Tools.

Network Engineer. Responsible for configuration, maintenance, security of computer network infrastructure (LAN and WAN) including servers, cabling, routers, switches, NICs. Maintains documentation of network and servers. Should know NT4/Win2K.

Report Writer. Skilled in Access, Crystal Reports; Visual Basic helpful.

Help desk. Coordinates support activities for LSAI project. Provides training and support for LSAI. Handles or delegates requests for support. Develops training-related materials, assists promotion and education.

AT BAHÁ’Í DISTRIBUTION SERVICE FULTON COUNTY, GA

Business Office Manager. Will manage all aspects of Business Office activities; coordinate/communicate with BDS manager and buying office, Office of the Treasurer, other Bahá’í offices, authors, publishers, vendors and others nationally and internationally; supervise business office assistants. Minimum five years’ experience in many aspects of accounting with a year’s management experience, extremely strong accounting skills through G/L; varied retail background a plus; strong computer skills including QuickBooks and Excel; must be highly motivated, a problem solver, able to work independently.

Customer Service Representative. Will process phone, fax and electronic orders, respond to customer queries; maintain customer records, repairs. Needs skills in housekeeping, maintenance of buildings, equipment, vehicles, grounds.

Office Assistant. Performs general office management and bookkeeping, assists with the bookstore, reception, registration. Must be grounded in Bahá’í principles, proficient in general secretarial/administrative skills, familiar with software including MS Word, Excel, Publisher and QuickBooks.

Assistant Cook (part- to full-time). Helps Head Cook, occasionally oversees kitchen and dining room operations; must have 2 years’ experience as cook.

AT BOSCH BAHÁ’Í SCHOOL SANTA CRUZ, CA

Office Manager/Registrar: Contact the Office of Human Resources at the Bahá’í National Center for job requirements.

Assistant Cook (full time). Helps Head Cook, occasionally oversees kitchen and dining room operations; must have 2 years’ experience as cook.

Children’s Education Coordinator. Looking for a dynamic, personable, energetic person with a bachelor’s degree in education or related field; must be trained in Core Curriculum; must have knowledge of curriculum building for children of all ages on a wide range of subjects; able to contact and supervise volunteer teachers. Will plan and organize children’s program as well as help with adult program. Organizational and leadership skills are a must; musical talents are a plus.

AT GREEN ACRE BAHÁ’Í SCHOOL ELIOT, ME

Assistant Facilities Coordinator. Helps with inspections, maintenance, exterior and interior

AT NATIVE AMERICAN BAHÁ’Í INSTITUTE HOUCK, AZ

Children and Youth Program Coordinator. Carries out administrative, training and social tasks to coordinate day-to-day operation of youth programs, including Youth Service Corps volunteer program; collaborates with administrators to design and run an effective service, training and community involvement program for youth volunteers; communicates with youth from around the region and the country; develops youth newsletters, periodic conferences, organized retreats and deepenings, facilitating an abundance of good times for all; completes special projects and other duties. Needs driver’s license.

Maintenance Supervisor: Will manage facility/building maintenance and engineering staff to provide timely services at minimal costs; plan, estimate, schedule maintenance requests and projects; ensure that all equipment and buildings are efficiently and effectively maintained. Needs 5 years’ experience in all areas of building maintenance (HVAC, electrical, plumbing, carpentry, painting, cleaning etc.) with 3–5 years as maintenance manager; valid driver’s license; supervisory command of English.

If interested in any of the above Bahá’í National Offices posts, contact the Office of Human Resources, 1233 Central St., Evanston, IL 60201 (phone 847-733-3427, fax 847-733-3430).

INTERNATIONAL

China: Numerous openings for English teachers and professionals willing to travel for service in this rapidly developing country. For information contact Susan Senchuk (phone ‎ , ‎, fax 847-733-3509, e-mail ‎ ). ‎) [Page 31]

URGENT NEED AT THE BAHA’Í WORLD CENTER, HAIFA, ISRAEL

Maintenance/Janitorial Supervisors

The Works Office at the World Center is responsible for physical maintenance of buildings, involving renovations, repairs, carpentry, plumbing, electrical works, etc.

The Cleaning Maintenance Department is responsible for keeping the buildings clean; this involves janitorial work, protecting and cleaning floors, walls, furniture, art objects etc. The person heading this department not only must be knowledgeable and experienced in technical details—for instance, knowing what chemicals apply to what object—but also must be able to supervise a number of helpers. The buildings to be looked after cover a wide range, from the character of museums to that of ordinary offices.

For more information see: www.usbnc.org

Please send your résumé to: Bahá’í National Center Office of Human Resources, 1233 Central St., Evanston, IL 60201 (fax 847-733-3430, e-mail).

PIONEERING/OVERSEAS

The Office of Pioneering is eager to assist the friends preparing for international service. For information regarding jobs and study abroad, or international traveling teaching opportunities and other events, please contact the Office of Pioneering, Bahá’í National Center, 1233 Central St., Evanston, IL 60201 (phone 847-733-3508, e-mail).

ARCHIVES

The Bahá’í World Center Library is interested in acquiring copies of the following newsletters for our permanent collection:

South Idaho bulletin, Idaho Falls, ID (1989); Montana bulletin, Stevensville, MT (1989); East Washington and Northern Idaho bulletin, Moses Lake, WA (1989); Northwest Washington bulletin, Lynnwood, WA (1989); Southwest Washington bulletin, Olympia, WA (1989); Bulletin on news writing (1935); National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of the United States and Canada, Committee on training and teaching children, Bulletin No. 1 (1933); Visi news bulletin, West Englewood, NJ (1954); World religion: the goal of the Bahá’í Faith, quarterly public relations bulletin, U.S. (ca. 1950s); California regional newsletter (June 1975). We would be grateful to receive any original copies of the mentioned publications, but before sending them please contact the Bahá’í World Center Library, P.O. Box 155, 31 001 Haifa, Israel (e-mail).

The National Bahá’í Archives is seeking original letters written on behalf of the Guardian to the following: Arthur and Blanche Foster, George Foster, Ruth Alexander Foster, Sigsbee Lee Foster, V.E. Foster, Clell G. Fowler and Emma C. Fowler. Anyone knowing family members or relatives who might have these Guardian's letters is asked to contact the National Bahá’í Archives, 1233 Central St., Evanston, IL 60201-1611 (phone 847-853-2359).

The National Bahá’í Archives has prepared a series of biographical sketches of prominent African-American, Native American, Latino and Asian Bahá’ís for the use of local communities in Black History Month, Race Unity Day and other special events. There is also a partial chronology of U.S. race unity activities. Any local community or individual wishing a set of these sketches is asked to send a request with a mailing address to the National Bahá’í Archives, 1233 Central Street, Evanston IL 60201-1611 (phone 847-869-9039).

WANTED

Musicians, composers wanted to create more music with themes celebrating Ridván. Enter a competition with a $50 prize in each category (English lyric, Persian lyric, other language lyric instrumental) by composing and presenting music on cassette, CD, sheet music, 8mm or VHS video (NTSC) related to Ridván. Historical accuracy important; poetic imagery encouraged; various styles sought—particularly gospel and New Age. Plaintive song about a nightingale sought. Send music (with title, length, names of composer(s)/ performer(s), translation of lyrics if other than English, address of contact person, and permission to use in Ridván programs) by Nov. 19, 2001, to: Anne & Tim Perry, (e-mail). Please write for ideas for themes and a listing of known music on Ridván.

Articles needed for a compilation book about Bahá’í perspectives on agriculture. Writers and people with expertise in agriculture and rural development may inquire about contributing articles on the historical relationship between religion and agriculture, the agriculture-related activities of the Central Figures of the Faith and the Guardian, perspectives on various aspects of agriculture and rural development that emerge from the Writings, agricultural economics (micro and macro), the concept of the village storehouse, the world food system, the role of women in agriculture and rural development, sustainable agriculture, gardening/horticulture, and landscape architecture, approaches to agricultural education, and examples of Bahá’í agricultural projects and models. We also welcome recommendations of existing articles, potential contributors and additional themes. An outline of the book is available upon request. Please send inquiries to Paul Hanley, (phone, e-mail).

Available on the Web

Spiritual Assembly development tools free for the downloading:

• Spiritual Institutions: The Unique Nature of Bahá’í Institutions
• Developing Distinctive Bahá’í Communities: Assembly reference manual
• Assembly Development Module Workshops participant handouts
• Assembly Self Assessment Tool
• Assistance for Achieving Goals
• Information on Assembly Development Representatives

Access www.usbnc.org with your Bahá’í ID number, click on "NSA Departments" then link to "LSA Development"

Towards a Spiritual Civilization

25TH ANNUAL CONFERENCE OF THE ASSOCIATION FOR BAHÁ’Í STUDIES-NORTH AMERICA AUGUST 31-SEPTEMBER 3 SHERATON HOTEL AND TOWERS, SEATTLE, WASHINGTON

Join us in exploring the process of the spiritual transformation of human civilization symbolized by the Mount Carmel Projects.

SPEAKERS will include:

• Special Guest Speaker: Ian Semple
• Hasan M. Balyuzi Memorial Lecturers, Hossein Amanat and Fariborz Sabba
• Counselor Rebequa Murphy
• Counselor Eugene Andrews
• Holly Hanson, Mt. Holyoke College
• Anne Furlong, University of Prince Edward Island
• Lasse Thoresen, renowned composer and author

ALSO PLANNED: Workshops and Panels on Apologetics/Defense of the Faith; Spiritual Dimensions of Medicine and Bioethics; Governance and Administrative Order; Bahá’í Book Collections/Archives/Conservation. Roundtable Discussion on Persian and Arabic Translation. Association for Bahá’í Studies in Persian.

SPECIAL INTEREST GROUPS (ALL DAY FRIDAY): Agriculture, Arts, Business and Economics, Consultation and Conflict Resolution, Education, Environment, Marriage and Family, Racial and Ethnic Unity/Intercultural Issues, Science and Religion, Study of Religion, Women and Gender Issues, Bahá’í Language Educators.

ARTS PROGRAM: Master classes in music, drama, and other artistic fields; the premiere of Táhirih, a musical play composed by Mimi McClellan; gala concert; art exhibition.

CHILDREN'S CONFERENCE AND PRE-YOUTH PROGRAM: Providing a full program of educational activities for children and pre-youth ages 5 to 15 (Note: children must be preregistered by Aug. 1).

YOUTH PROGRAM including session on Campus Clubs and Bahá’í Studies.

Don't miss the boat! Bring the whole family to Seattle for the ABS Annual Conference. The conference venue is only a 7-minute stroll from the shops and restaurants of Seattle's Pike Place Market on the waterfront. (Photo: Seattle-King County Convention and Visitors Bureau)

REGISTRATION: Register by July 31 to get the discounted rate. Download the registration form from the ABS Web site (www.bahai-studies.ca) or contact Parvin Rowhani, Association for Bahá’í Studies (phone fax 613-233-3644, e-mail).

HOTEL RESERVATIONS: Must be made directly with the hotel. Special conference rates: single/double occupancy: $99; triple/quad occupancy: $109. Specify "Association for Bahá’í Studies group" to receive the special rate. Toll-free reservations: 1-800-325-3535; local: 206-621-9000 (Note: The conference rate is guaranteed until July 30. After that date, reservations will be accepted on a space-availability basis at the negotiated rate.) [Page 32]مهاجران است، اما در مورد بهائیان ایرانی زبان انگلیسی اهمیت شایان‌تری دارد. حضرت ولی امرالله احیای ایران را در دوره ولایت امر فرموده بودند که زبان انگلیسی را بیاموزند. بسیاری از تبیینات هیکل مبارک در ترجمه آثار مبارکه به زبان انگلیسی ظهور یافته است. از سوی دیگر اکنون زبان رسمی مراسلات معهد اعلی به بهائیان و غیر بهائیان سراسر جهان انگلیسی است.

تذکر به ایرانیان بهائی دربارهٔ اهمیت زبان فارسی نیز به احتمال قوی لزومی ندارد اما چگونه می‌توان غافل از این نکته بود که مظهر امر الهی فرموده است هر چه این زبان را بستایند شایسته است. احترامی که مادر و پدر به زبان فارسی و فرهنگ خود دارند، تأثیر مستقیمی بر احترام فرزندانشان نسبت به آن خواهد داشت.

نکته دیگری که تازه‌واردان بهائی بدان توجه می‌کنند این است که چون این عزیزان در ایران از تبلیغ علنی امر مبارک محروم بوده‌اند، در این دیار این امکان برایشان فراهم است که بی‌دغدغه به ابلاغ پیام و مرام بهائی به پا خیزند و در تشکیلات بهائی شرکت و فعالیت کنند و فرصت‌های گوناگونی را که زندگی در ایالات متحده در دسترسشان می‌نهد، مغتنم شمارند. البته باید بخاطر داشت که در غرب کوششی مخصوص برای تبلیغ کسانی که از خاور میانه آمده‌اند نمی‌شود. از جمله خدماتی که احبای ایرانی تبار به خوبی از عهده اجرایش بر می‌آیند، تشکیل گروه‌های "الف" مرکب از احبای ایرانی تبار و دیگر یاران است برای ارائه خدمات امری.

شاید بتوان گفت که بهترین راه آشنایی بهائیان ایرانی تبار با وظائف روحانی خود در ایالات متحده همانا مطالعه دستخط های بیت‌العدل اعظم الهی خطاب به بهائیان ایرانی ساکن سایر کشورهای جهان است. این دستخط ها را می‌توان از کتابخانه‌های امری یا دفتر محفل روحانی ملی تهیه کرد.

انجمن دوستداران فرهنگ ایرانی

FRIENDS OF PERSIAN CULTURE ASSOCIATION

موضوع اصلی یازدهمین کنفرانس سالانه انجمن دوستداران فرهنگ ایرانی در آستانه قرنی نوین است. از جمله سخنرانان خانم دکتر سیمین شیبانی است که درباره وضعیت زنان ایران و فرصت‌های آنان در قرن جدید سخنرانی خواهد نمود. دکتر شاپور راسخ در باره تحولات فرهنگی و اجتماعی ایران و همچنین جایگاه ایران در جامعه جهانی فردا سخنرانی خواهد نمود. دکتر فرنکلین لوئیس درباره مولانا جلال الدین رومی و توجه ویژه جهانیان به او در زمان حاضر سخن خواهد گفت. دیگر سخنرانی‌ها بتوسط دکتر ایرج ایمن، دکتر وحید رأفتی، مهندس حسین امانت و دیگر میهمانان ویژه انجمن درباره مسائل و امکانات در قرن جدید ایراد خواهد شد. هنرمندان عزیز ایرانی برنامه‌های ویژه شعر و موسیقی اجرا خواهند نمود.

برنامه‌های انگلیسی برای بزرگسالان و جوانان و نوجوانان و کودکان مثل هر سال دایر خواهد بود. تاریخ کنفرانس ۳۰ آگست تا ۲ سپتامبر ۲۰۰۱ است و محل آن در هتل ویندام شمال غرب شیکاگو است (Wyndham Northwest Chicago Hotel, 400 Park Boulevard, Itasca, IL 60143) برای رزرو اطاق لطفاً با این شماره ۱-۶۳۰-۷۷۳-۴۰۰۰ مستقیماً با هتل تماس بگیرید. از هنرمندانی که علاقه مند هستند آثار هنری خود را در کنفرانس به نمایش بگذارند دعوت می‌شود که بوسیله شماره‌های زیر با انجمن تماس بگیرند: ۸۴۷-۷۳۳-۳۵۲۸ و ۸۴۷-۷۳۳-۳۵۳۱

یادآوری

۱- لطفاً به هزینه نام نویسی تا آخر جولای و در محل کنفرانس توجه فرمائید:

	تا آخر جولای	در محل کنفرانس
بزرگسالان (بالای ۱۲ سال)	۴۰ دلار	۴۵ دلار
خردسالان (۳ تا ۱۲ سال)	۵۰ دلار	۵۰ دلار
تور شیکاگو	۱۵ دلار	بلیط در محل بفروش نمی‌رسد

۲- برای رزرو اطاق در هتل محل کنفرانس لطفاً هرچه زودتر مستقیماً بوسیله شماره ۱-۶۳۰-۷۷۳-۴۰۰۰ با هتل تماس بگیرید تا بتوانید از نرخ مخصوص کنفرانس (شبی ۸۲ دلار) استفاده کنید. لطفاً در تماس با هتل متذکر شوید که برای شرکت در کنفرانس فرهنگ ایرانی Persian Arts Conference اطاق میگیرید که Bahá’í National Center مسؤول آن است.

۳- نشانی پستی انجمن به این شرح است: Bahá’í National Center, Persian-American Affairs Office, 1233 Central Street, Evanston, IL 60201

برگ نام نویسی برای شرکت در یازدهمین کنفرانس سالانه انجمن دوستداران فرهنگ ایرانی

۳۰ آگست - ۲ سپتامبر ۲۰۰۱

نام و نام خانوادگی _________________________________________ شماره تلفن __________________________

نام همراهان ____________________________________________________________________________________

تعداد بزرگسال (سن ۱۲ به بالا) _________________ تعداد کودکان (سن ۳ تا ۱۱) _____________________

نحوه پرداخت: چک (لطفاً شماره چک را نیز بنویسید) ____________________ مبلغ پرداختی ____________________

ویزا --- مستر کارد --- شماره کارت _____________________________ تاریخ انقضاء اعتبار کارت ____________

مبلغ پرداختی ______________ امضاء صاحب کارت _____________________________________________

برگ نام نویسی برای دیدار از اماکن تاریخی بهائی در شیکاگو

پنجشنبه ۳۰ آگست (۱۲ تا ۵ بعد از ظهر) ---- یا دوشنبه ۳ سپتامبر (۹ صبح تا ۲ بعد از ظهر) ----

(لطفاً ناهار خود را همراه بیاورید)

تعداد نفرات (نفری ۱۵ دلار) ___________________

نام و نام خانوادگی __________________________

تلفن : __________________________________

نام و نام خانوادگی همراهان _______________________________________________________________________

طریقه پرداخت: چک (لطفاً شماره چک را بنویسید) --- کل مبلغ پرداختی --- _____________________________

ویزا --- مستر کارد --- شماره کارت --- تاریخ انقضاء اعتبار کارت --- _________________________________

چک --- کل مبلغ پرداختی --- امضاء صاحب کارت --- ________________________________________________

کلاس دکتر ریاض قدیمی در مدرسه بوش

DR. RIAZ GHADIMI AT BOSCH

از ۲۲ تا ۲۵ نوامبر سال جاری کلاسی درباره شناسائی کتاب مستطاب اقدس و کتب اصلی ادیان گذشته به استادی دکتر ریاض قدیمی در مدرسه بهائی بوش تشکیل خواهد شد. بیانات دکتر قدیمی همزمان با ایراد آن به زبان انگلیسی نیز ترجمه خواهد شد. مجریان برنامه موسیقی مهندس منوچهر وهمن و جناب منصور سبحانی خواهند بود. از دوستان تقاضا می‌شود هر چه زودتر برای نام نویسی اقدام فرمایند. مبلغ نام نویسی برای کلاس و خوابگاه برای بزرگسالان نفری ۱۷۰ دلار و خردسالان از ۳ تا ۱۴ سال نفری ۹۵ دلار.

علاقه مندان می‌توانند برای کسب اطلاعات بیشتر با خانم بهیه فرخی در مدرسه بهائی بوش تماس حاصل فرمایند. شماره تلفن: ۱-۸۳۱-۴۲۲-۳۳۸۷ [Page 33]علوم عالی دیدند. برخی در خانه‌های هم جمع شدند و از طریق رایانه‌های شخصی و شبکه جهانی مراسم را مشاهده کردند.

چند سالی است که ایرانیان ساکن ایالات متحده می‌توانند چندین برنامه فارسی زبان از طریق ماهواره دریافت کنند. یکی از برنامه‌های تلویزیونی فارسی زبان مراسم گشایش طبقات را با مقدمه‌ای به زبان فارسی پخش کرد و بسیاری از احبائی که dish مخصوص دریافت برنامه‌های ماهواره‌ای فارسی را دارند، توانستند مراسم گشایش را از آن طریق ببینند.

استخراج از اطلاعیه دفتر روابط عمومی مرکز جهانی بهائی خطاب به عموم محافل روحانی ملی مورخ ۲۵ ژانویه ۲۰۰۱

ANNOUNCEMENT FROM BAHA’I WORLD CENTER

یاران عزیز الهی

کتاب عالم بهائی سال ۲۰۰۰-۱۹۹۹ در اواخر ماه فوریه برای انتشار آماده خواهد شد. این مجلد دارای مقالات زیر است:

- تجلیلی از امة‌البهاء روحیه خانم به قلم خانم ویولت نخجوانی - جنبه هائی از پژوهش در امر بهائی از دکتر پیتر خان - مقالۀ «ماوراء وابستگی و جدائی: کیفیت پویائی احکام بهائی» از جناب روشن دانش - گزارشی از مشارکت بهائیان در پارلمان ادیان جهانی که در سال ۱۹۹۹ در آفریقای جنوبی منعقد گردید. - شرحی از اقدامات جامعه بهائی برزیل در قبال بیانیۀ «آینده در دست کیست» همراه با سه مقاله از متفکران نامدار برزیلی که در پاسخ به بیانیۀ جامعه بین‌المللی بهائی نوشته‌اند. - معرفی مرکز توسعه و آبادانی در مغولستان - «نظارت بین‌المللی» دربارۀ مباحثۀ بین ادیان

این مجلد همچنین حاوی منتخباتی از آثار مبارکه، قسمت‌های مهمی از پیام‌های بیت‌العدل اعظم و بیانیه‌های جامعه بین‌المللی بهائی و نظری به سالی که گذشت است؛ بعلاوه این کتاب متضمن مطالب زیر است:

تقویم اقدامات جامعه بهائی در سال گذشته، تحولات اخیر در جامعۀ بهائیان ایران، گزارش پیشرفت مشروعات ساختمانی کوه کرمل در مرکز جهانی بهائی، یادی از متصاعدین الی الله، احصائیۀ امری، نشانی مؤسسات بهائی، معرفی منتخبی از مطبوعات امری و تعداد زیادی تصاویر رنگی.

این مجلد در ۳۵۲ صفحه چاپ شده است.

سلسله کتاب‌های عالم بهائی را حضرت ولی امرالله در سال ۱۹۲۶ آغاز فرمودند و برای آن اهمیت خاصی قائل بودند. از همان ابتدا نظر هیکل مبارک این بود که عالم بهائی باید اساساً کتابی برای عموم مردم باشد نه فقط برای استفاده بهائیان.

همان طور که منشی هیکل مبارک در نامۀ مورخ ۲۶ می سال ۱۹۴۲ نگاشته است، حضرت ولی امرالله بنفسه نسخه‌هائی از این کتاب را برای دوستان و علاقه مندان برجستۀ امر بهائی در کشورهای مختلف می‌فرستادند. یعنی برای اشخاصی که مطمئناً تحت تأثیر پیشرفت و توسعۀ منظم مؤسسات بهائی در شرق و غرب که در این کتاب درج می‌شود، قرار می‌گیرند.

در سال ۱۹۹۳ بیت‌العدل اعظم مقرر فرمودند که شکل ظاهری کتاب «عالم بهائی» تغییر کند تا در دسترس قرار گرفتن گزارش سالانه اقدامات جامعه بهائی که به نحو مطلوبی نگاشته و مجسم گشته و به طرزی جالب توجه طراحی گردیده، سبب تسهیل مساعی یاران و محافل روحانی در ارائه اطلاعات مربوط به وضع کنونی امر بهائی و افراد غیر بهائی در جمیع سطوح گردد.

«عالم بهائی» سال ۲۰۰۰-۱۹۹۹ هشتمین جلد از دورۀ جدید کتاب مزبور است که به صورت سالانه منتشر می‌شود. هدف این کتاب ارائه بررسی جامعی از اقدامات جامعه بهائی در طی سال مزبور و در دسترس قرار دادن یک اثر مرجع است. همچنین وسیله‌ای است مفید برای اقدامات در زمینۀ اشاعۀ اطلاعات عمومی دربارۀ امر مبارک از قبیل اهداء آن به کتابخانه‌ها و مؤسسات آموزشی و ادارات دولتی و مؤسسات غیردولتی و اجتماعی و رسانه‌های خبری.

این کتاب را می‌توان از دفتر مطبوعات امری مرکز جهانی بهائی به نشانی زیر سفارش داد. لطفاً سفارش‌های خود را به مرکز جهانی بهائی نفرستید زیرا نسخ این کتاب برای فروش در ارض اقدس نگهداری نمی‌شود. قیمت تک‌فروش این کتاب با جلد زرکوب ۲۵ دلار و ۹۵ سنت و با جلد مقوائی ۱۳ دلار و ۹۵ سنت است. لطفاً سفارش‌های خود را تا هفتۀ اول مارچ به نشانی زیر ارسال دارید:

WORLD CENTER PUBLICATIONS 24 Gardiner Close, Abingdon Oxon OX14 3YA UNITED KINGDOM شماره تلفن و نمابر: ۵۲۹۱۳۷-۲۳۵-۴۴-۰۱۱

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صدور معرفی‌نامه برای بهائیان مسافر از ایران

PERSIAN VISITORS

به تازگی محفل روحانی ملی از دفتر سجلات امری درخواست کرده است که در مورد صدور کارت بهائی برای بهائیانی که با داشتن ویزای توریستی از ایران وارد ایالات متحده می‌شوند روش جدیدی برگزینند.

بدین ترتیب دفتر سجلات به جای انتقال آن عزیزان از ایران به ایالات متحده و صدور کارت بهائی، از این به بعد معرفی‌نامه ویژه‌ای برای آنان صادر خواهد کرد. کسانی که این معرفی‌نامه را در دست داشته باشند، خواهند توانست در جلسات و مجامع و کنفرانس‌های بهائی در ایالات متحده شرکت کنند اما نخواهند توانست در انتخابات بهائی اعم از انتخاب کردن و انتخاب شدن شرکت نمایند.

مدت اعتبار معرفی‌نامه مذکور مدت اعتبار ویزای توریستی یا یک سال از تاریخ ورود به ایالات متحده خواهد بود. دوستانی که مایل باشند اطلاعات بیشتری دریافت نمایند می‌توانند با دفتر سجلات امری تماس حاصل کنند.

شماره تلفن: ۳۴۱۲-۷۳۳ (۸۴۷)

پیام هیأت ملی امور احبای ایرانی- آمریکائی

سخنی با تازه‌واردان عزیز

OUR BELOVED NEWCOMERS

هر چند تعداد بهائیان ایرانیانی که به قصد اقامت به ایالات متحده می‌آیند کمتر از سال‌های دهه هشتاد میلادی است، اما این نقل مکان و سکونت در این دیار متوقف نشده است و جای آن دارد که با عزیزان تازه‌وارد سخنی بگوئیم و مطالبی را یادآور شویم.

پیش از هر چیز مقدم آن عزیزان را گرامی می‌داریم. احبای مهد امرالله به راستی رشید امر مبارک‌اند. در ۲۳ سال گذشته که فتنه‌ها بر فداکاران ایران وارد گشته است، شمائید که در سنگر مقاومت ماندید و دشوارترین موانع را تاب آوردید و شکوه نکردید.

بسیاری از پیشرفت‌های امر مبارک که در خارج از ایران صورت می‌گیرد نتیجه پایداری شما و امثال شما بوده است. خدماتتان را ارج می‌نهیم و جانبازی و فداکاریتان را سپاس و دست مریزاد می‌گوییم.

اما هر چند از تضییقات ظاهری در این دیار در امانید، حاشا که دشواری‌های زندگی به پایان آمده باشد. شما عزیزان اکنون در کشور و محیطی زندگی می‌کنید که در بسیاری از اوضاع با محیط ایران تفاوتی ماهوی و اساسی دارد. از زبان گرفته تا خوراک و پوشاک همه چیز جور دیگری است.

تجربه بسیاری از ایرانیان مقیم امریکا به آنان آموخته است که آشنائی با خارجیانی که راه و رسم این کشور را آموخته‌اند، بسیار مفید است. از تجربه‌های مهاجران نسل اول می‌توان استفاده‌های فراوان برد. یکی از این موارد، کمک در نام‌نویسی فرزندان در مدارس است و دیگری ثبت نام در کلاس‌های فراگیری زبان انگلیسی که در بسیاری از نقاط مجاناً در دسترس نیازمندان قرار می‌گیرد.

واقعاً شاید لازم به یادآوری نباشد که اهمیت فراگیری زبان انگلیسی تا چه حد است. یکی از مواردی که نسل اول مهاجران به کشوری اکثراً از آن غفلت می‌کنند این است که خودشان زبان کشور میزبان را یاد نمی‌گیرند و در عین حال فرزندانشان از آموختن زبان مادری محروم می‌شوند. اگر این جریان معکوس می‌بود هم نسل اول مهاجران از امکانات شغلی و فرهنگی بهتری برخوردار می‌شد و هم نسل دوم احساس بی‌ریشه بودن نمی‌کرد که مجبور شود در سال‌های میانی زندگی به دنبال اصل خود این سو و آن بگردد.

آنچه در بالا گفته شد حکمی کلی برای همۀ... [Page 34]

گشایش طبقات مقام اعلی

OPENING OF TERRACES OF THE SHRINE OF THE BAB

از ۲۱ تا ۲۵ می سال جاری حدود ۳۰۰۰ نفر از احباء، در حیفا گرد هم آمدند تا شاهد رویدادی باشند که در عهد عتیق از آن یاد شده است و پیوندی اسرارآمیز با جریانات تاریخ بشری دارد. از هر یک از محافل روحانی ملی سراسر جهان درخواست شده بود تا ۱۹ نفر از اعضای جامعه بهائی تحت اشراف خود را برای مراسم افتتاح طبقات مقام اعلی انتخاب و ارسال دارند.

روز ۲۲ می، بعد از ظهر به وقت محلی، مراسم پرشکوهی حاوی بیانیه‌ای از بیت‌العدل اعظم الهی و اجرای برنامه‌های موسیقی برگزار شد. قطعات موسیقی که اجرا شد اصلاً به منظور استفاده در مراسم گشایش طبقات ساخته شده و شامل قطعه‌ای سمفونیک همراه با گروه خوانندگان بود. پس از غروب آفتاب چراغ‌هایی که در دور هر یک از طبقات کارگذاری شده بود، روشن شد و زیبایی وصف‌ناپذیری پدیدار ساخت. در مراسم گشایش طبقات مقام اعلی همچنین صدها تن از مقامات، بلندپایه محل و نیز عده‌ای از سفیران کشورهای گوناگون در اسرائیل شرکت داشتند.

صبح روز ۲۳ می پس از برنامه گروه آواز جوانان بهائی کونگو و گروه کر مرکز جهانی، اعضای بیت‌العدل اعظم در طی مراسمی ساده و در عین حال تاریخی ۳۰۰۰ نفر احباء را از طبقه ورودی به طرف مقام حضرت اعلی هدایت فرمودند.

در روز ۲۴ می یک برنامه ویدئویی مستند پیشرفت‌های دیانت بهائی در طول قرن بیستم و اثرات آن در آینده را به شرکت‌کنندگان نشان داد.

۲۵ می روز توجه به قوس و بزرگداشت اتمام دو ساختمان اداری جدید در امتداد دو سوی مقر معهد اعلی بود. ساختمان مرکز مطالعه نصوص و الواح محل تحقیقات دانشمندان و پژوهشگران بهائی خواهد بود که کارشان مطالعه نصوص مبارکه امری و ترجمه آنها و تهیه مجموعه‌های گوناگون و فراهم آوردن پیش‌نویس تبیینات نصوص مبارکه در ارتباط با مشکلات جهانی است.

ساختمان دارالتبلیغ بین‌المللی مقر ایادی امرالله و هیئتی از مشاوران است که به تشویق جامعه بهائی در سراسر جهان جهت گسترش دامنه امر مبارک می‌پردازند.

مشروعات کوه کرمل که در سال ۱۹۸۷ اعلان شد و اجرای آن در سال ۱۹۹۰ آغاز گردید تنها با تبرعات بی‌دریغ و فداکارانه بهائیان پایان یافت. مخارج مشروعات مذکور بالغ بر ۲۵۰ میلیون دلار بوده است.

عکس‌العمل محفل ملی ایالات متحده

محفل روحانی ملی ایالات متحده در نامه‌ای که به مناسبت ضیافت شهرالنور نوشته و فرستاده بود به چهارده سال پیش که زمان اعلان مشروعات کوه کرمل بود اشاره کرد و با سپاس از کوشش‌های احباء در اتمام آن مشروعات از درگاه حضرت بهاءالله ملتمس شده بود که تأییدات خود را در مورد برنامه "استقرار ملکوت الهی بر پهنه زمین" همچنان شامل حال پیروانش فرماید.

طبقات مقام اعلی و بازدیدکنندگان

طبقات مقام اعلی از ۴ جون رسماً برای دیدار عموم مردم افتتاح شد. روزانه تا حدود ۴۰۰ نفر با همراهی افراد راهنما از طبقات دیدار می‌کنند. در آینده به این تعداد افزوده خواهد شد و امکان آن فراهم خواهد آمد که سالانه حدود یک میلیون نفر از طبقات دیدار کنند.

بر طبق یک نظرسنجی عمومی که اخیراً در اسرائیل صورت گرفته است، ۷۵ درصد ساکنان آن کشور امیدوارند که در آینده نزدیک از طبقات مقام حضرت اعلی دیدار نمایند.

رئیس دفتر روابط عمومی مرکز جهانی بهائی اظهار داشت که بسیاری از مردم شدیداً مایلند که به دیدار طبقات بیایند. البته کوشش ما بر این است که هم به خواست مردم ترتیب اثر دهیم و هم کاری کنیم که تجربه آنها از دیدار از طبقات با مواظبت از مقامات و جمال و وقار آنها تناسب داشته باشد.

مدیر سازمان سیاحان حیفا می‌گفت: "برای ما این باغ‌ها همچون هدیه‌ای است. امیدواریم که این باغ‌ها بیش از هر نقطه دیگری در دنیا مردم را به خود جلب کند."

نظر جوانان بهائی

جوان ۲۵ ساله‌ای از نیجریه می‌گفت که همه چیز بسیار زیبا بوده است و اینهمه شوری در او ایجاد کرده است. جوان مذکور که فارغ‌التحصیل رشته بازرگانی است، همچنین اظهار می‌داشت که آنچه دیده او را به خدمت تحریض کرده است.

جوان ۲۳ ساله دیگر می‌گفت: "وظیفه بسیار خطیری بر عهده ماست که نسل حاضر را ترقی دهیم. پس از ترک حیفا سعی خواهم کرد بر طبق موازین امری و حیات بهائی زندگی و رفتار کنم و نمونه خوبی برای دیگران باشم و به آنان بفهمانم که تعالیم بهائی حلال مشکلات زمان ماست."

جوان بهائی دیگری که در بلژیک دانشجوی رشته پزشکی است اظهار ‎میداشت می‌داشت‎: "در دیانت بهائی همیشه ‎میگوئیم می‌گوییم‎ که همه یکی هستیم اما در اینجا این موضوع را می‌شد دید. اینهمه مردم از هر گونه پیشینه‌ای هستند و با هم کار می‌کنند. دیدیم که ممکن است مردم با هم مساوی باشند."

جنبه هنری مراسم گشایش طبقات

در آغاز مراسم گشایش طبقات که در بعد از ظهر روز ۲۲ می برگزار شد دو اثر موسیقی که به مناسبت مراسم مذکور ساخته شده بود به اجرا درآمد. نخست سمفونی همراه گروه آواز به نام "ای ملکه کرمل" ساخته آقای طالب شهیدی، آهنگساز تاجیک اجرا شد و بعد از آن اوراتوریوی "طبقات نور" ساخته آهنگساز نروژی بهائی اجرا گردید.

در دو روز بعد نیز تعدادی از هنرمندان بهائی از سراسر جهان به هنرنمایی پرداختند، از جمله: گروه جوانان بهائی از جمهوری کنگو؛ گروه موسیقی طبرسی از اسپانیا؛ Vivek Nair استاد آواز از هندوستان؛ آقای کون لاک Kevin Locke نوازنده فلوت موسیقی ملت سرخپوست لاکوتا از ایالت داکوتای جنوبی، جناب کیومرث حقیقی استاد سنتور در موسیقی ایرانی از ایالت ایلینوی، خانم گوندولین واتسون Gwendolyn Watson استاد ویولونسیل از ایالت جورجیا و Atef Sedkouai استاد آواز تونسی ساکن پاریس، فرانسه.

رویداد جالب هنری روز ۲۳ می نمایش یک فیلم مستند به مدت ۳۸ دقیقه با عنوان "نه حتی یک چراغ" درباره ۱۵ سال برنامه‌ریزی و اجرای مشروعات کوه کرمل بود.

نظر دست‌اندرکاران

مدیر اجرائی برنامه مراسم گشایش طبقات می‌گفت: "به نظر بنده ما بهائیان هنوز به اهمیت این رویداد پی نبرده‌ایم، فقط می‌دانیم که یکی دیگر از وعده‌های الهی نیز تحقق یافته است."

مهندس حسین امانت معمار ساختمان‌های قوس چنین اظهار می‌داشت: "این یک پروژه معمولی نبود. برای ما کار مقدسی بود و حالت ما نسبت به آن مثل دعا بود. در همه جزئیات تحقیق کامل می‌شد که مثلاً چه ماده‌ای به کار ببریم و از چه فن و صنعتی استفاده کنیم که این ساختمان‌ها تا آنجا که ممکن است دوام بیاورد."

گشایش طبقات در شبکه جهانی

شبکه جهانی اینترنت و امکانات پخش برنامه از طریق ماهواره فرصتی به دست داد که مراسم گشایش طبقات مقام اعلی بیش از هر رویداد دیگری در تاریخ امر مبارک در دسترس احباء قرار گیرد.

منبع اصلی و رسمی مراسم گشایش طبقات مقام اعلی "سرویس خبری عالم بهائی" Bahá’í World News Service بود که از اکتبر سال گذشته دائر بوده است. کسانی که به شبکه جهانی دسترس داشتند می‌توانستند مراسم گشایش طبقات را مستقیماً بر صفحه رایانه (کامپیوتر) خود مشاهده کنند. هم اکنون هم می‌توان آن مراسم را به صورت ضبط شده در سایت سرویس خبری عالم بهائی دید. (www.bahaiworldnews.org)

به غیر از سایت بالا، تعداد دیگری از تشکیلات و سازمان‌های بهائی نیز در سایت‌های خود اطلاعاتی درباره مراسم گشایش طبقات در اختیار مراجعان گذاشته بودند.

در سایت رادیو پیام دوست همه مراسم گشایش با توضیحات کافی به زبان فارسی پخش شد ‎باضافه به‌اضافه‎ مصاحبه‌هائی با مهندس حسین امانت و مهندس فریبرز صهبا. نشانی سایت رادیو پیام دوست چنین است. (www.bahairadio.org)

احبای ساکن آمریکا چه کردند

بسیاری از احبای این دیار نیز بیکار ننشستند و در نقاط گوناگون کشور هر یک متناسب با امکانات خود به تماشای مراسم نشستند.

در برخی از نقاط احباء به دانشگاه‌ها و کالج‌ها رفتند و مراسم را از طریق ماهواره‌های آن مراکز... [Page 35]

Fund raiser honors Rúhíyyih Khánum

BAHÁ’Í WORLD SERVICE

• United Kingdom: A formal tribute to the late Hand of the Cause of God Amatu’l-Bahá Rúhíyyih Khánum Rabbaní, May 15 in London, drew honors for her contributions to conservation of nature and to the arts.

Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, joined about 150 prominent people at Canada House in Trafalgar Square for an event organized by Arts for Nature, a 13-year-old organization that seeks to draw artists and performers into the environmental vanguard.

Much of the music and drama presented that evening was produced especially for the occasion using the writings of Rúhíyyih Khánum.

“We can be convinced academically and intellectually that conservation is important, but what’s also important is that we are involved in this issue emotionally,” Prince Philip remarked at the end of the evening. “Madame Rabbaní made a huge contribution to raising awareness in this field, and this has been a marvelous experience and a splendid evening.”

The tribute was organized largely by the Duchess of Abercorn, chair of Arts for Nature.

The event began with dinner and a viewing of some of Prince Philip’s private collection of nature paintings, in particular the work of Canadian wildlife artists.

Also displayed were architectural drawings by the Hand of the Cause of God William Sutherland Maxwell, a distinguished Canadian architect and Rúhíyyih Khánum’s father.

Left: Performers pose after an Arts for Nature tribute honoring Amatu’l-Bahá Rúhíyyih Khánum on May 15 in London. Above: Prince Philip (left) greets Barney Leith, secretary of the UK National Spiritual Assembly. Bahá’í World News Service

The main focus of the evening was a theatrical performance titled “A Life So Noble,” inspired by Rúhíyyih Khánum’s life.

Written by Canadian-born actress/writer Beverley Evans and directed by Annabel Knight, the show took four major aspects of Khánum’s life and character and personified them in four female actors who told her story using words taken from Rúhíyyih Khánum’s lectures and writings.

There were deeply moving moments, including a scene depicting the funeral of Shoghi Effendi in which thousands of flower petals rained down on the stage from above.

In direct contrast, Rúhíyyih Khánum’s world travels were portrayed with wit and a list of her pets and favorite animals caused great amusement.

The actors were supported by four other women—from Botswana, Macau, Bolivia and Iran—who wove a floral tapestry as the story unfolded, a metaphor for the rich and varied tapestry that was Rúhíyyih Khánum’s life.

Other high points included a musical performance of a William Lovelady composition, set to the words of a poem by Rúhíyyih Khánum, “This is Faith.”

The evening ended with Rúhíyyih Khánum’s own recorded voice, speaking at a meeting in Belfast, where she had told the audience how much she disliked saying goodbye.

The Duchess of Abercorn told the audience that Rúhíyyih Khánum had left the world a better place than it was when she had come into it, urging them, like Khánum, to contribute their “special thread” to the tapestry of life.

Among the guests was Violette Nakhjavání, who accompanied Rúhíyyih Khánum when she traveled and has recently written a book about her life.

“I thought it was beautifully done,” Mrs. Nakhjavání said of the dramatic narrative. “I was very surprised at the warm response of the audience to the personal details of Rúhíyyih Khánum’s life, but I felt that she would have approved of presenting Bahá’í ideas in such an audacious way.”

Diana Jervis-Read, the Canadian cultural ‎attache attaché‎, said the commission had been delighted to host the event at Canada House. Rúhíyyih Khánum was raised in Canada.

Every guest received a brochure produced for the event by Peter Maguire and George Ballentyne of UK Bahá’í Publishing, as well as a specially compiled illustrated anthology called Sacred Earth and a copy of Rúhíyyih Khánum’s Prescription for Living.

Funds raised at the event went towards the Mendelssohn on Mull festival and the Canada House Arts Trust.

“There are lots of charity evenings that can be very glitzy, but this was completely different,” said Marita Crawley, co-chair of the event. “I think everyone who came tonight left with something very special.” ♦

Botswana president praises translations into native language

BAHÁ’Í WORLD SERVICE

• Botswana: In a book launch ceremony, President Festus Mogae hailed the publication of a Bahá’í prayer book and The Hidden Words in Setswana, saying it would encourage the country’s people to maintain their native language.

Speaking at a reception Feb. 27 in Gaborone to introduce the two books, Mogae said the volumes “are a welcome contribution to the development of Setswana literature.”

“Many young people struggle to read Setswana fluently and would rather read English,” he said. “Unfortunately, the situation is exacerbated by the fact that there is only a handful of Setswana literature available in book shops.”

The new books are published by the Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of Botswana.

President Mogae also said the translation and publication of the two books was an important reflection of the country’s commitment to religious freedom.

“They are being published in an atmosphere in which there is respect for fundamental human rights and freedoms of the individual including the right to worship,” he said.

Both books use Setswana idioms and figures of speech. They are written in a style that readers find appropriate for holy scriptures. As an assistance to readers, each book contains a glossary of difficult Setswana words.

President Festus Mogae of Botswana chats with Stella Moncho—age 92 and one of the first Bahá’ís in Botswana—who helped translate Bahá’í scriptures into Setswana. Bahá’í World News Service

With the aid of a computer, the translators produced seven draft versions of the Bahá’í prayer book before they were satisfied with their work.

Three translators worked together to produce the two books: Stella “Mumsie” Moncho, Lally Warren and Gerald Warren. All are Bahá’ís and residents of Botswana.

Moncho was born into the royal family of the Barolong ba ga Tshidi. At age 92, she has absorbed an encyclopedic Setswana vocabulary, as well as developed a refined sense of what elegant Setswana should sound like.

Campbell school earns top grade

• Canada: Nancy Campbell Collegiate Institute, a Bahá’í-inspired private school in Stratford, Ontario, was one of only 16 high schools in the province scoring a perfect 10 in an annual evaluation of high schools announced in May by the Fraser Institute.

The school, which has operated for seven years, offers grades 7 to 12.

The Fraser Institute’s “Report Card on Ontario’s Secondary Schools” analyzed 815 private and public schools.

Information collected by the Ministry of Education was used to rank 568 of these schools according to the percentage of advanced-level courses; the number of core subject courses taken in grade 12; the percentage of courses passed in grades 11 and 12; and the similarity in marks between girls and boys in grade 12 advanced English or French and grade 12 advanced mathematics.

Details on the Fraser Institute’s ranking of high schools in Ontario can be found on the Web page: www.fraserinstitute.ca/publications/studies/education/report_card/2001/ont/section_06.html

“The key to our success is the balance between advanced-level academics and our clear moral framework of 19 leadership capabilities,” said Gordon Naylor, founder of the Nancy Campbell Collegiate Institute.

“We believe that school is a place for academic excellence, but also a place where character can and should be developed,” he said. “Students and staff help create an environment where self-discipline and sound judgment are cultivated. And they learn to do service for the world.”

Other factors include small class size and student body diversity.

“We have found that personal attention time between teachers and students can impact dramatically on the quality of education,” said Cora McNamara, the school’s principal.

And she noted that Nancy Campbell’s students come from more than 25 countries, with all faiths welcome.

“Not all of our students come to us with high academic averages, and some even have learning challenges,” she said. “However, the atmosphere at our school is conducive to learning and this helps most of these students achieve high levels during the course of their studies.”

She added, “We are looking for students who want to change the world in a positive way.” ♦

For more international news, see the Bahá’í World News Service Web site: www.bahaiworldnews.org

[Page 36]

CALENDAR OF EVENTS

FOR INFORMATION ABOUT EVENTS sponsored by the National Spiritual Assembly or its agencies at the Bahá’í National Center, please phone 847-869-9039 and ask for the relevant department. Numbers and e-mail addresses for the permanent Bahá’í schools and institutes are: Bosch Bahá’í School, phone 831-423-3387; fax 831-423-7564; e-mail ; Green Acre Bahá’í School, phone 207-439-7200; fax 207-438-9940; e-mail ; Louhelen Bahá’í School, phone 810-653-5033; fax 810-653-7181; e-mail ; Louis G. Gregory Bahá’í Institute, phone 843-558-5093; fax 843-558-9136; e-mail ; Native American Bahá’í Institute, phone 520-587-7599; fax 520-521-1063; e-mail .

JULY

16-20: Marian Steffes Bahá’í School, Brownsville, WI. Registrar: Lisa Riemer, (phone , e-mail ). Pre-register by July 12.

19-22: Great Plains Bahá’í School, Peru, NE. With Dawn and Chad Dumas, Ernie Dumas, Harron Von Lyle. Registrar: Cecil Peterson, (phone , e-mail ).

20-22: Iowa Bahá’í School, Newton, IA. With Curtis Russell. Registrar: John Hanke, (phone , e-mail ).

20-25: “Choral Music and Community Growth” at Louhelen.

21-25: Two programs at Green Acre: Camp Green Acre (ages 8-12); “Building a Divine Civilization Through the Arts.”

21-25: Family Session # 5: “Bahá’í Administration” at Bosch.

23-29: “Art and the Mystic Path,” workshop on the creative process with Bill George, Sally Cordova, Lloyd Lawrence. Little Pond Retreat Center, (phone , Web site www.littlepond.org). Sponsored by Spiritual Assembly of Bethlehem, PA.

27-30: Suttle Lake Bahá’í School, near Sisters, OR. Registrar: Carol Picknell, (phone , e-mail ).

27-Aug. 1: Two programs at Green Acre: “Searching for Meaning—Finding it in the Hidden Words”; “The Rhythm of Bahá’í Life.”

27-Aug. 1: Youth Eagle Institute (ages 15 and up) at Louhelen.

27-Aug. 1: Tiny Seed Bahá’í School, McKenna, WA. With Todd Kutches. Registrar: Barbara Moses, c/o P.O. Box 8265, Kenmore, WA 98028 (phone , e-mail ).

28-Aug. 2: Youth Institute (ages 15 and up) at Bosch.

29-Aug. 3: John H. Wilcott Bahá’í School, near Livingston, MT. With William Davis, Katherine Williams, Moen Sobhani. Registrar: Sandi Marisdotter, (phone , e-mail ).

31-Aug. 4: Heartland Bahá’í School, Peoria, IL. With Marcia Gitchell. Registrar: Carl Clingenpeel, (phone , e-mail ).

AUGUST

2-5: Dayspring Bahá’í School, Frostburg, MD. Registrar: Merlisa Lawrence Corbett c/o Dayspring Bahá’í School, (phone , e-mail , Web site http://dayspringbahaischool.org).

3-8: Spiritual Empowerment Institute for Junior Youth (ages 12-15) at Louhelen.

3-8: Two programs at Green Acre: “The Fifth Epoch and the Five Year Plan: New Thinking, New Actions!”; “Virtue Virtuosity.”

4-9: Junior Youth Institute #1 (grades 7-9) at Bosch.

8-12: Colorado East Bahá’í School, Woodland Park, CO. Registrar: Don Brayton (phone , e-mail ).

10-15: Two programs at Green Acre: “The Dynamics of Authentic Relationships”; Core Curriculum Teacher Training.

10-15: Two programs at Louhelen: Friends and Families III (emphasis: applying the word of God to the needs of humanity); “Spiritual Parenting” (Core Curriculum training).

11-16: Junior Youth Institute #2 (grades 7-9) at Bosch.

15-19: William Sears Great North Woods Bahá’í School, Onamia, MN. With David Ruhe, Margaret Ruhe. Registration/information: Ali Mahabadi (phone ), Abbas Tabibi (phone ), or Armaghan Asadi (phone ).

15-19: Badasht Bahá’í School, west of Roseburg, OR. Registrar: Jim Smith, (phone , e-mail ).

17-19: United Spiritual Gathering Councilfire at Neah Bay, WA. With Counselor Rebequa Murphy, Derek Cockshut, Reggie Newkirk. For information or flier: Roxanna Jensen, Spiritual Assembly of Makah Reservation (phone , e-mail , Web site www.makahbahai.org).

17-22: Friends and Families IV (emphasis: spiritual and practical means to build the Kingdom of God on earth) at Louhelen.

17-22: Pioneer Training Program at Louhelen. Contact the Office of Pioneering at Bahá’í National Center.

17-22: Two programs at Green Acre: The Secret of Divine Civilization; Youth Institute (ages 15 and up).

18-23: Two programs at Bosch: Family Session #6 (Persian/English), “The Secret of Divine Civilization,” “Brilliant Star: Future Writers and Publishers.”

24-26: Two programs at Bosch: “Writing a Will/Huqúqu’lláh”; “The Power of Love in Your Personal, Family and Community Life.”

24-26: North Carolina Bahá’í School, Browns Summit, NC. Registrar: Sandra Miles, (phone , fax 336-767-7033, e-mail ). Pre-register by Aug. 13.

24-26: Green Lake Bahá’í Conference, Green Lake, WI. See Web site (www.greenlakebahaiconference.org).

24-29: Two programs at Green Acre: “The Spirit of Children”: Conference on Children’s Literature, Art and Music; Core Curriculum Parent Training.

30-Sept. 2: Friends of Persian Culture Association annual conference, Itasca, IL. See page 29.

30-Sept. 3: Choral Camp/“Soul Food” at Bosch.

31-Sept. 2: Bellemont Bahá’í Summer School, near Flagstaff, AZ. Registration/information: Bellemont Bahá’í School, P.O. Box 2533, Flagstaff, Arizona 86003 (phone 520-526-3797).

31-Sept. 3: Homecoming 2001 at Louhelen.

31-Sept. 3: Two programs at Green Acre: “I Dedicate Myself to Thee: The Power of Prayer Within a Life of Service”; Junior Youth Institute.

31-Sept. 3: Association of Bahá’í Studies conference, Seattle, WA. See pages 25, 31.

31-Sept. 3: Kentucky Bahá’í School, Faubush, KY. Registrar: Joanne Strano-Barnes, (phone , e-mail ). Pre-register by Aug. 24.

31-Sept. 3: Tennessee Bahá’í Institute, Monteagle, TN. With Dr. and Mrs. D. Popov, M.K. Radpour, Dr. Jane Faily. Registrar: Kaihan Strain, (phone , e-mail ). Register by Aug. 15.

31-Sept. 3: Texas Bahá’í School, Bruceville, TX. Registrar: M. Mazidi (phone , e-mail ).

31-Sept. 3: Shenandoah Bahá’í School, Massanetta Springs Conference Center, Harrisonburg, VA. Information: Ruth Clements (e-mail ); Web site www.shenandoahbahaischool.org.

In the shade at the service entrance to the House of Worship in Wilmette, summer youth members of the Temple Conservation Team receive training on putting up scaffolding safely during June. Photo by Erik Andersen

CHANGE OF ADDRESS

To avoid unnecessary delays in receiving The American Bahá’í, send all family members’ names, new address and mailing label to: Membership Office, Bahá’í National Center, 1233 Central St., Evanston, IL 60201-1611. If acquiring a Post Office box, your residence address (B) must be filled in. Please allow three weeks for processing. (This also updates the National Center’s database.)

A. NAME(S)
1. ____________________ ID# __________	2. ____________________ ID# __________
3. ____________________ ID# __________	4. ____________________ ID# __________
B. NEW RESIDENCE ADDRESS	C. NEW MAILING ADDRESS
Street Address ____________________	Street Address ____________________
Apartment # (if applicable) ________	Apartment # (if applicable) ________
City ____________________	City ____________________
State __________ Zip code __________	State __________ Zip code __________
D. NEW COMMUNITY	E. HOME TELEPHONE NUMBER
Name of new Bahá’í Community ______ Moving Date ______	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:	H. I WOULD LIKE A COPY
[ ] We do not have the same last name. We do not want extra copies, so please cancel the copy for the person(s) and ID number(s) listed above.	[ ] The last names and addresses on our address labels do not match. We have listed above the full names of family members as they should appear on the national records, their ID numbers, and the corrections so that we will receive only one copy.	[ ] Our household receives only one copy of The American Bahá’í, I wish to receive my own copy. I have listed my name, ID number and address above.

BAHÁ’Í NATIONAL CENTER 112 LINDEN AVE WILMETTE, IL 60091-2849

JULY 13—AUGUST 19, 2001 KALIMÁT/KAMÁL • B.E. 158