# The Baha'i World: Volume 25 (1996-1997) *Exported from [Holy-Writings.com](https://www.holy-writings.com/) on 2026-06-21 — 1 clipping.* --- > Source: Bahá'í Library Online (bahai-library.com), curated by Jonah Winters. Used by permission of the curator. Original citation: Universal House of Justice, The Baha'i World: Volume 25 (1996-1997), Haifa: Bahá’í World Centre, 1998, bahai-library.com. > ────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── > > THE,,,, > EAHAI > WORLD > 1996 °97 > AN > INTERNATIONAL RECORD > > BAHA'I WORLD CENTRE > HAIFA > ©1998 World Centre Publications > > Order department: 46 High Street > Kidlington > Oxford OX5 2DN > England > > Photo credits: p. 62 (top), p. 65 (top and middle), p. 94 (middle and bottom), > p. 162-Francisco Gonzalez Perez; p. 94 (top)-Della Marcus; > p. 96-courtesy the White House; p. 130-courtesy One Country; > p. 141- Judith Griffin; p. 143- Isik Celme; p. 232-courtesy One Country > (Russian ed.); p. 235- courtesy Nur University; p. 237-Brian and Pamela > O'Toole. Other photos provided by the Audio-Visual Department of the > Baha'i World Centre. > > ISBN 0-85398-986-9 (Hardcover) > ISBN 0-85398-987-7 (Softcover) > > A Cataloguing-in-Publication number > is available from the British Library. > > ETHE,, > AHXI > WORLD > 1996 á, 97 > > Printed and bound in Great Britain by > Biddies, Ltd., Guildford and King's Lynn > CONTENTS > Introduction to the volume 1 > Introduction to the Baha' i Community 3 > > WRITINGS AND MESSAGES > Baha'i Sacred Writings 19 > From the Universal House of Justice 27 > > EVENTS 1996-97 > Two New National Spiritual Assemblies 41 > Brazil: Celebrating 7 5 Years of Community Growth 47 > The Year in Review 55 > Mount Carmel Projects: Progress 1996-97 115 > The Baha'i International Community: Activities 1996-97 125 > Baha'is at Habitat II 137 > Update: The Situation of the Baha'is in Iran 147 > The Bahri 'i World on the World Wide Web 157 > > ESSAYS, STATEMENTS, AND PROFILES > Shoghi Effendi: Guide for a New Millennium, > by Glenford E. Mitchell 163 > World Watch, by Ann Boyles 197 > Profile: > The William Masetlha Foundation, Zambia 221 > New Virtues, New Moral Standards, New Capacities: > Moral Development Activities in > the Baha'i World Community 227 > The Human Rights Discourse: A Baha'i Perspective, > by Matthew Weinberg 24 7 > Statements by the Baha'i International Community: > Sustainable Communities in an Integrating World 275 > United Nations Decade for Human Rights > Education 283 > Convention on the Rights of the Child 287 > Two Baha' i International Community Projects: > Cameroon and Zambia 293 > > INFORMATION AND RESOURCES > Obituaries 305 > Statistics 313 > Directory 317 > Selected New Publications 325 > A Basic Baha'i Reading List 329 > Glossary 333 > > Index 339 > INTRODUCTION > > T he year 1997 marks the hundredth anniversary of the birth of > Shoghi Effendi, the Guardian of the Baha'i Faith from 1921 > to 1957. The occasion provides an opportunity for The Baha 'i > World to take up the theme of community, since it was through the > leadership of Shoghi Effendi that the Baha'i Faith grew to embrace > the wide cross-section of humanity that it counts among its members > today. This volume thus includes a retrospective essay, "Shoghi > Effendi: Guide for a New Millennium,'' by Gl~nford E. Mitchell. > It reviews Shoghi Effendi's inspired work as the builder of a unified > global community, as interpreter and translator of Baha'i sacred > scriptures, as aesthete, and as a thinker who combined a broad, > incisive grasp of history with a keen vision of the future. > The selection of excerpts from the Baha'i sacred writings also > focuses on the theme of community, and "World Watch" takes a > critical look at some contemporary challenges facing community > and the response to them found in the Baha'i Faith. An account of > Amatu'l-Baha Rul:llyyih Khanum's visit to Brazil to mark the 75th > anniversary of the establishment of the Faith there, a report on a > > THE BAHA'I WORLD > > social and economic development project in Zambia, and an article > profiling five moral development activities around the world all > provide further glimpses into the life and concerns of the Baha'i > community. Matthew Weinberg's essay on the contemporary human > rights discourse presents the Baha'i perspective on a related topic of > central concern. A report on the Baha'i presence at Habitat II provides a window on the Baha'i commitment to creating sustainable > communities. Finally, a short article on the Baha'i International > Community's launch of its official site on the World Wide Web > tells how the Faith is using the new information technologies to > acquaint the peoples of the world with its message, in a medium > where the truth of Baha'u'llah's statement "the earth is but one > country, and mankind its citizens" is abundantly clear. > The Baha'i World 1996-97 is the fifth in the new annual series > of volumes that provides a public record of the Baha'i community's > activities and achievements-a chronicle inaugurated in 1925 > with the publication of the original Baha'i World series. Readers > will find it a useful source of accurate information. In addition to > featuring the theme of community, the current volume contains a > number ofregular elements: highlights from major messages written during the year by the Universal House of Justice; "the Year in > Review"- a chronology of the activities of Baha'is around the > world throughout the year; an update on the situation oflran's persecuted Baha'i community; an account of the work of the Baha'i > International Community and a selection of statements made by it > in United Nations fora over the year; a report on progress made on > the Mount Carmel Baha'i Projects at the world center of the Faith in > Haifa, Israel; an introduction to the Baha'i Faith and its community; > and the usual selection of resource materials: statistics, a directory > of Baha'i agencies, an annotated list of selected new publications; > a basic reading list, and a glossary of Baha'i terms. > > INTRODUCTI9N > TO THE BAHA'I > COMMUNITY > > A group of Greek and Turkish Cypriots gather joyously > together for a Holy Day feast, their obvious delight in each > other's company contrasting with the ethnic tensions on that > divided island. Young people in Angola, unable to attend school > because of the war, participate in a workshop that gives them a > vision of the important role they have to play in society. A princess > from Western Samoa travels to Fiji in order to offer tribal chiefs > and elders a document outlining a process of development that > respects the dignity of all peoples. Women and men gather in > Garoua Boulai, a rural region of eastern Cameroon, to discuss > how they can work together to alleviate some of the burdens placed > on the women with regard to child care. A young Mongolian > woman who has never before left her province walks 70 kilometers > in the snow, then travels by truck, and finally catches a plane to > Ulaan Baatar, where she participates in the election of her religion's > national administrative body. A youth group performs a dance about > the terrible consequences of racism to a rapt audience of children > in a school auditorium on Vancouver Island, Canada. In Colombia, > South America, a conga musical group imbues its traditional Latin > > rhythms with a spiritual message about the unity of humankind, > to the delight of listeners in open-air venues. After two weeks of > training in basic health care, a woman in Zambia returns to her > village and shares what she has learned with her neighbors. These > people, though they have in all probability never met one another, > share a united view of the world and its future, as well as their own > role in shaping that future. They are members of the Baha'i international community. > The Baha'i international community, comprising members > of the Baha'i Faith from all over the globe, now numbers some > five million souls. They represent 2,112 ethnic and tribal groups > and live in over 121,000 localities in 190 independent countries and > 45 dependent territories or overseas departments. What was once > regarded by some as an obscure, tiny sect is now reported by the > Encyclopedia Britannica to be the second-most widely spread > independent religion in the world, after Christianity. Its membership > cuts across all boundaries of class and race, governing itself through > the establishment of local and national elected bodies known as > Spiritual Assemblies. Its international center and the seat of its worldgoverning council, known as the Universal House of Justice, are > located in the Holy Land, in Haifa, Israel. > From what source do the members of the Baha'i Faith draw > their spiritual strength and their organizational structure? What > are the tenets of faith that can so attract and unify such a diverse > group of people? How do they see the future? This brief introduction to the Baha'i community, its history, its spiritual teachings, > its aims, and its objectives, provides information in response to > these questions. > Origins > In 1844 in Persia, a young siyyid (descendant of the Prophet > Mul).ammad) named Mirza 'Ali-Mul).ammad declared Himself to > be the Promised Qa'im awaited by Shi'ih Muslims. He adopted > the title "the Bab," which means "the Gate," and His teachings > quickly attracted a large following. Alarmed by the growing > numbers of "Babis," as His followers were known, the Muslim > clergy allied themselves with ministers of the Shah in an effort > to destroy the infant Faith. Several thousand Babis were > persecuted, tortured, and killed over the next number of years, > > THE B A I-IA'i C OMMUNITY > > but the growth of this new religion continued, even after the Bab > Himself was imprisoned and subsequently publicly executed by > a firing squad in July 1850. The horrific treatment of the Babis at > the hands of the secular and religious authorities was recorded by > a number of Western diplomats, scholars, and travelers, who > expressed their admiration for the character and fortitude of the > victims of the persecution. > The Babi Faith sprang from Islam in the same manner that > Christianity sprang from Judaism or Buddhism from Hinduism. It > was apparent from early in the Bab's ministry that the religion > established by Hirn represented not merely a sect or a movement > within Islam but possessed the character of an independent Faith. > Furthermore, one of the main tenets of Babi belief was the Bab's > statement that He had been sent by God to prepare the way for One > greater than Himself, who would inaugurate an era of peace and > righteousness throughout the world, representing the culmination > of all the religious dispensations of the past. > Mirza I:Iusayn-' Ali, known to history as Baha'u'llah, was one > of the leading adherents of the Babi Faith who was arrested and > imprisoned during the tumultuous years of the Bab's brief ministry. He was spared from execution but was banished from Persia > to Baghdad, thence to Constantinople, Adrianople, and finally to > the penal colony of Acre in Palestine. Thus, the Persian government, which had secured the support of the rulers of the rival > Ottoman empire in suppressing the new movement, expected that > His sphere of influence would be severely limited. During His > imprisonment Mirza I:Iusayn- 'Ali had received the first divine > intimations that He was the Promised One of whom the Bab had > spoken. He adopted the title Baha'u'llah, which means "the Glory > of God," and publicly declared His mission on the eve of His > exile from Baghdad, in April 1863 . > Baha' u ' llah was still nominally a prisoner when He passed > away some forty years later in Acre, in November 1892, although > the authorities had gradually loosened their restrictions as they > became acquainted with Him and the nature of His teachings. > During the long years of His exile and imprisonment, Baha'u'llah > revealed the equivalent of over 100 volumes of writings, consisting of the laws and ordinances of His dispensation, letters to > > THE BAHA'f WORLD > > the kings and rulers of the East and the West, mystical teachings, > and other divinely inspired writings. > In His Will and Testament, Baha'u'llah appointed His eldest > son, 'Abbas Effendi, who adopted the title 'Abdu'l-Baha (the > Servant of Baha), as His successor and sole authoritative interpreter of His teachings. ' Abdu' I-Baba had shared the long years > of exile and imprisonment of His Father, being freed only after a > new regime was installed by the "Young Turk" movement in > 1908. Shortly thereafter, at an advanced age, He embarked on an > arduous journey to Europe and America where, from 1911to1913, > He proclaimed Baha'u'llah's message of universal brotherhood > and peace to large audiences, consolidated fledgling Baha'i communities, and warned of the potential catastrophe looming on > Europe ' s darkening horizon. By the time World War I erupted > in 1914, 'Abdu'l-Baha had returned to His home in Haifa, just > across the bay from Acre in Palestine, and devoted Himself to > caring for the people of that city, fending off famine by feeding > them from stores of grain He had safeguarded for just such an > eventuality. ' Abdu ' l-Baha's humanitarian services and promotion of intercultural harmony were recognized by the British > government, which, at the end of the war, conferred upon Him a > knighthood, a title He acknowledged, although He declined to > use it. He passed away in 1921 and is buried on Mount Carmel in > a vault near where the remains of the Bab were interred by Him > some years before. > Among the significant legacies bequeathed to history by > 'Abdu'l-Baha was a series of letters, called the Tablets of the > Divine Plan, addressed to the Baha'is of North America during > the years of World War I. These fourteen letters directed the > recipients to scatter to countries on all continents and share with > their populations the teachings of Baha'u'llah- a mandate that > led to the global expansion of the Baha'i community. > Another legacy of 'Abdu'l-Baha was His Will and Testament, > which Baha' is regard as the charter of the administrative order > conceived by Baha'u'llah. In this document, 'Abdu'l-Baha appointed His eldest grandson, Shoghi Effendi, to succeed Him > after His passing as Guardian of the Baha' i Faith and authorized > interpreter of its teachings. > > THE B AHA'I C OMMUNITY > > During the period of his Guardianship, from 1921 to 1957, > Shoghi Effendi concentrated his attention on four main areas: the > development of the Baha'i World Centre in the environs of Haifa, > Israel; the translation and interpretation of the Baha'i sacred > writings; the rise and consolidation of the institutions of the administrative order of the Baha' i Faith; and the implementation > of 'Abdu'l-Baha's plan for the propagation of the Baha'i Faith > around the world. > At the Baha'i World Centre, Shoghi Effendi effected the construction of a superstructure for the mausoleum containing the > remains of the Bab, which had been brought secretly from Persia > and interred by 'Abdu ' l-Baha in a tomb on Mount Carmel in a > spot designated by Baha'u'llah. Shoghi Effendi beautified and > expanded the simple native stone structure, which is today a site of > pilgrimage for Baha'is from all over the world. He enhanced the > Baha'i properties, particularly the site of Baha'u'llah's grave at > Bahji, with gardens of striking beauty, and he initiated the construction of the International Baha'i Archives building to house > and preserve artifacts from the early days of the Baha'i Faith. The > International Archives building was the first structure built on the > arc-shaped path on the site designated as the world administrative center of the Baha'i community. It was completed in 1957. > In concert with the actions he took to develop the Baha'i > World Centre and lay the foundations, literally and figuratively, > for the further course of that development, Shoghi Effendi was > also instrumental in interpreting the writings of Baha'u'llah and > 'Abdu '1-Baha and translating them from the original Persian and > Arabic into English. The Guardian had served as secretary for a > number of years to ' Abdu'l-Baha and at the time of the latter' s > passing was a student at Oxford University. His mastery of Persian, > Arabic, and English, coupled with the authority conferred upon > him by 'Abdu' l-Baha as the appointed interpreter of those writings, > made him uniquely qualified to undertake their translation. He > also translated a history of the Babi Faith, authored a history of > the first century of the Baha'i Faith, called God Passes By , and > wrote thousands of letters to communities and individuals around > the world, elucidating passages from the writings, and thus giving > direction and impetus to Baha'i activities. > > THE BAHA'I WORLD > > Development of the Administrative Order > Shoghi Effendi's work in developing the Baha'i administrative > order is one of the most dramatic legacies of his years as Guardian. > The first step in this development was to encourage the organized, > planned expansion of Baha'i communities in places where local and > national Baha'i councils, known as Spiritual Assemblies, would > eventually be established. The Guardian effected this global > expansion of Baha'i communities through a series of international plans that ran for varying numbers of years and during > which twelve National Spiritual Assemblies were founded. > At the time of Shoghi Effendi's sudden passing in 1957, the > Baha'i community was in the middle of a global plan of expansion > and consolidation called "The Ten Year Crusade." During this > period, which concluded in 1963- the centenary ofBaha' u'llah's > declaration of His mission in the Garden ofRi<;ivan in Baghdadthe goal was to open 132 new countries and major territories to > the Faith and expand existing communities in 120 countries and > territories previously opened to the Faith. These ambitious targets > were actually exceeded by the end of the plan, in spite of the difficulties posed by the Guardian's death. > 'Abdu'l-Baha, in His Will and Testament, had authorized the > continuation of the Guardianship through the appointment by > the Guardian of a successor from among his own sons, should > he have them, or other direct descendants of Baha' u' llah. Such > a designation was dependent upon the decision of Shoghi > Effendi whether an individual could be named who met the > demanding spiritual qualifications specified by Baha'u'llah and > 'Abdu'l-Baha. Shoghi Effendi had no children and died without > designating such a Guardian to follow him. He had, however, > taken steps toward the election of the Universal House of Justice, > the supreme governing body of the Baha'i Faith which was to > function , with him, as one of the two authorized successors > provided for in the writings of Baha'u'llah and 'Abdu ' l-Baha. > He had also appointed a number of individual Baha'is to an > auxiliary institution of the Guardianship called "Hands of the > Cause of God." These individuals had been charged with the duty > of protecting the unity of the faith and collaborating with the > National Spiritual Assemblies around the world to ensure that > > THE B AHA'I C OMMUNITY > > the goals of the Ten Year Crusade were won. Upon the passing of > Shoghi Effendi, these persons gathered together to guide the > Baha'i community to the completion of the plan initiated by the > Guardian and towards the first election of the Universal House of > Justice, which took place in April 1963 . > Conceived by Baha'u'llah Himself, the institution of the Universal House of Justice is established on principles laid down in > the Baha'i sacred writings. Its election, by the members of the 56 > National Spiritual Assemblies that existed in April 1963, clearly > demonstrated the principle of unity so central to the Baha'i Faith, > with the nine elected members coming from four continents and > representing a variety ofreligious and ethnic backgrounds. > Basing itself on the authority conferred on it by the Founder of > the Faith, the Universal House of Justice has stood as the acknowledged central authority in the worldwide Baha'i community since > 1963. During the last 32 years, the Universal House of Justice has > launched six global plans for the advancement of the Faith. From > a worldwide population of 408,000 in 1963, the Baha'i community > has grown to approximately five million members; the number of > National and Regional Spiritual Assemblies has grown from 56 to > 174; and the number of Local Spiritual Assemblies has increased > from 3,555 to some 16,000. Baha' is live in some 235 countries > and territories around the planet. > Spiritual and Moral Teachings and Baha'i Community Life > The force that unites this widely diverse body of people is a unity > of vision gained from belief in Baha'u'llah as a Manifestation of > God, in the social and administrative structures He established, > and in the spiritual and moral teachings He propagated. Central > to these spiritual teachings is the concept that there is only one God > and that the major religions of the world have been established by > Messengers or Manifestations of this one Divine Reality: Abraham, > Krishna, Moses, Buddha, Zoroaster, Jesus, and Mul).ammad, who > have been sent by the Creator progressively throughout history to > deliver a divine message commensurate with humanity's stage of > development. The spiritual essence of all the major religions, in the > Baha'i view, is the same: that humanity has been created to know > and to worship God. Only the religions' social teachings change > through this process of progressive revelation. The Baha'i > > THE BAHA'I WORLD > > perspective is optimistic, seeing the cumulative benefits of progressively revealed religions as fundamental to an "ever-advancing > civilization." What divides various religious communities, Baha'is > believe, comes not from God but from humanity and its accretions to the essential religious teachings brought by each divine > Messenger. > In this new stage of humanity's development, the time has > come for the recognition of the unity of the human race, for the > establishment of the equality of women and men, for the elimination of the extremes of wealth and poverty, and for the > realization of the age-old promise of universal peace. Likening > the development of the human race to that of a child, the Baha'i > writings say that we have passed through the stages analogous > to infancy and childhood and are now enduring a tumultuous > adolescence, on the threshold of maturity. Baha'u'llah taught > that humanity is destined to come of age, but the course it takes > to achieve that goal is entirely in its own hands. > To promote the development of a society in which Baha'i > ideals can be fully realized, Baha'u'llah established laws and > moral teachings that Baha'is are called upon to follow . Central > to these is daily obligatory prayer. Study and meditation upon > the Baha'i sacred writings is also enjoined upon believers each > morning and evening. Baha'is between the ages of 15 and 70, with > the exception of women who are pregnant or menstruating, as > well as nursing mothers and the sick, observe a nineteen-day, > dawn-to-dusk fast each year. Baha'u'llah referred to prayer and > fasting as the "twin pillars" of faith, an indication of their importance and the benefits to be gained from them. He also raised > work to the level of worship. The main repository ofBaha'u'llah's > laws is a volume entitled the Kitab-i-Aqdas, or the Most Holy > Book. > There are no dietary restrictions in the Baha'i Faith, but the > consumption of alcohol and the use of narcotic and hallucinogenic > drugs are forbidden, as they affect the mind and interfere with > spiritual growth. Baha'u'llah counseled Baha'is to be honest and > trustworthy, to render service to humanity with an abundance of > deeds rather than mere words, to be chaste in their relationships > with others, and to avoid gossip and backbiting. He forbade > > THE B AHA'f COMMUNITY > > lying, stealing, adultery, sodomy, and promiscuity. The importance > of the family is central to Baha'i community life, as is the moral > and spiritual education of children. > Baha'is often gather together in their communities to study the > sacred writings of their faith and to pray, but a central feature in > Baha'i community life is a meeting called "the Nineteen Day Feast,'' > at which all members join in worship, consult about community > affairs, and socialize. For the time being, pending the further > development of Baha'i communities, these meetings often occur > in rented facilities, people's homes, or, in some locations, in the > local Baha'i center. The Baha'i writings call for the erection in > each community of a beautifully designed House of Worship, set in > exquisite gardens and functioning as a spiritual center of activity. > A variety of social and humanitarian institutions are also to be > established around it. A Baha'i House of Worship presently exists > on each continent, and sites have been purchased around the world > for construction of many more in the future. They are open to > people of all faiths-or those professing no particular faith-for > prayer and meditation. Services are nondenominational. There are > no sermons, only readings and prayers from the Baha'i writings > and scriptures of other world faiths and music by an a capella choir. > This preserves for worshippers the sacredness of the experience of > hearing and meditating upon the Holy Word without the interference of man-made concepts. > Aims, Objectives, and Activities > As the Universal House of Justice stated in a message addressed to > the peoples of the world, written in October 1985 on the eve of the > United Nations International Year of Peace, "Acceptance of the > oneness of mankind is the first fundamental prerequisite for reorganization and administration of the world as one country, the > home of humankind." The ultimate aim of the Baha'i Faith is the > establishment of unity among all the peoples of the world, and it > is because of its orientation towards unity on an international > scale that the Baha'i community has been active at the United > Nations since that organization's inception. Today the Baha'i > International Community, an extremely active non-governmental > organization (NGO) which represents the collective voice of the > national Baha'i communities around the world, enjoys consultative > > status with the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC). It is > particularly involved in addressing human rights issues, the needs > of women and children, and environmental concerns, as well as > pursuing sound sustainable development policies. To coordinate > its international efforts in these areas, the Baha'i International Community's United Nations Office and Office of Public Information, > as well as Offices of the Environment and for the Advancement > of Women, collaborate with National Spiritual Assemblies around > the world in various projects and representations at international > gatherings. > The activities of the Baha'i International Community at the > United Nations have earned it a reputation as one of the most > effective religious NGOs in the UN system. Its national and international representatives have taken active roles in major international > events such as the Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro in June 1992, the > United Nations World Conference on Human Rights in Vienna > in June 1993, the World Summit for Social Development in > Copenhagen in March 1995, and the Fourth World Conference on > Women in Beijing in September 1995. > Beyond the scope of the United Nations, Baha'is look towards > a day when a new international order will be established, a commonwealth to which all the nations of the world will belong. As Shoghi > Effendi wrote in 1936, > The unity of the human race, as envisaged by Baha'u'llah, > implies the establishment of a world commonwealth in which > all nations, races, creeds and classes are closely and permanently united, and in which the autonomy of its state members > and the personal freedom and initiative of the individuals that > compose them are definitely and completely safeguarded. This > commonwealth must, as far as we can visualize it, consist of > a world legislature, whose members will, as the trustees of > the whole of mankind,. .. enact such laws as shall be required > to regulate the life, satisfy the needs and adjust the relationships of all races and peoples. A world executive, backed by an > international Force, will carry out the decisions arrived at, and > apply the laws enacted by, this world legislature, and will > safeguard the organic unity of the whole commonwealth. A > world tribunal will adjudicate and deliver its compulsory and > final verdict in all and any disputes that may arise between the > various elements constituting this universal system. > > THE B AHA'I C OMM UNITY > > Shoghi Effendi went on to describe the tremendous benefits > to humanity resulting from such a world order: > > The enormous energy dissipated and wasted on war, whether > economic or political, will be consecrated to such ends as will > extend the range of human inventions and technical development, to the increase of the productivity of mankind, to the > extermination of disease, to the extension of scientific research, > to the raising of the standard of physical health, to the sharpening and refinement of the human brain, to the exploitation > of the unused and unsuspected resources of the planet, to the > prolongation of human life, and to the furtherance of any other > agency that can stimulate the intellectual, the moral, and spiritual > life of the entire human race. 1 > > To make its aims and objectives widely known and to promote > its perspective on various issues, the Baha'i International Community > has been active not only in collaborating with like-minded organizations in and out of the United Nations but has also been > engaged in public relations efforts designed to bring spiritual and > social principles of the Faith to the attention of the generality of > humankind. Information about the Baha'i Faith became much more > widely disseminated than it had been as international news media > reported the persecution of the Baha'is oflran which came in the > wake of the 1979 Iranian revolution. More than 200 members of the > Faith were executed for their belief, considered as heresy by the > regime, and thousands more were imprisoned, fired from their jobs, > or had their homes confiscated or their pensions cut off as a result of > government orders. Baha'is around the world responded in unity > to the situation in Iran- the land in which their religion was > born- by petitioning their governments to take action against this > treatment; and it is, to some degree, as a result of these efforts that > the persecutions were not more extreme. Executions have ceased, > although Iran's Baha' is are still denied fundamental rights and > freedoms. > The Baha'i community has also taken a proactive approach in > promulgating its views. The statement on peace issued by the > > 1. Shoghi Effendi, Th e World Order of Baha 'u '!!ah: Selected Letters, 2d rev. > ed. (Wilmette: Baha' i Publishing Trust, 1974), pp. 203- 04. > > THE BAHA'f WORLD > > Universal House of Justice in 1985, entitled The Promise of World > Peace, sparked a worldwide campaign of presentations and > public education projects that lasted throughout the International > Year of Peace and beyond and encompassed government figures > and leaders of thought, as well as the general population. To mark > the centenary ofBaha'u'llah's passing in 1992, the Baha'i International Community's Office of Public Information published > Bahri 'u '!!ah, a statement about the Faith's Founder, detailing His > life, His teachings, and His mission. Events of the year itself, > notably the commemoration in the Holy Land in May 1992 of the > centenary of the passing ofBaha'u'llah, involving some 3,000 > participants from all over the world, and the Baha'i World Congress held in New York City in November 1992, which attracted > some 27,000 Baha' is from around the globe, brought much > publicity to the Faith. In January 1995, the Office of Public > Information released another major statement on social development, Th e Prosperity of Humankind. Widely disseminated at the > World Summit for Social Development in Copenhagen in March > 1995, the statement promises to lead to further engagement of the > Baha'i community with leaders of thought in this field. In > October 1995, a statement entitled Turning Point for All Nations was > released to contribute to the discussions on the future of the United > Nations that marked the organization' s fiftieth anniversary. > Aside from large-scale public relations activities and the publication of statements on different themes, the Baha'i community > has been continually engaged in a series of international teaching > plans, and it has seen rapid expansion in different parts of the world, > most notably in Eastern Europe and the former Soviet Union, where > national Baha'i communities have been established in recent > years following the collapse of long-standing political barriers. > Baha'i communities governed by National Spiritual Assemblies > now exist in Albania, Armenia, Azerbaijan, the Baltic States, > Belarus, Georgia, Hungary, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Poland, > Romania, Russia, the Ukraine, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and > Uzbekistan. The Czech and Slovak Republics, and Slovenia and > Croatia have Regional Spiritual Assemblies. Elsewhere in the > world, National Spiritual Assemblies have recently come into > existence in Cambodia, Eritrea, Mongolia, and Sicily. In April > > THE B AHA.'I C OMMUNITY > > 1996, two more National Spiritual Assemblies were established, in > Moldova and in Sao Tome and Principe. > The existence and growth of the Baha'i community offers > irrefutable evidence that humanity, in all its diversity, can learn > to live and work together in harmony. While Baha'is are not > unaware of the turmoil in the world surrounding them, their view > is succinctly depicted in the following words, taken from The > Prosperity of Humankind: > > A world is passing away and a new one is struggling to be > born. The habits, attitudes, and institutions that have accumulated over the centuries are being subjected to tests that are as > necessary to human development as they are inescapable. > What is required of the peoples of the world is a measure of > faith and resolve to match the enormous energies with which > the Creator of all things has endowed this spiritual springtime > of the race.2 > > The source of this faith and resolve is the message of hope > offered to humanity by the teachings ofBaha'u'llah. It is a message > that deserves the thoughtful consideration of all those who yearn > for peace and justice in the world. > > 2. See Th e Baha 'i World 1994- 95, pp. 273- 96, for the complete text of this > statement. > > BAHA f 1 > > SACRED > WRITINGS > > Writings of Baha'u'llah > T he utterance of God is a lamp, whose light is these words: Ye > are the fruits of one tree, and the leaves of one branch. Deal > ye one with another with the utmost love and harmony, with friendliness and fellowship. He Who is the Day Star of Truth beareth > Me witness! So powerful is the light of unity that it can illuminate > the whole earth. The one true God, He Who knoweth all things, > Himself testifieth to the truth of these words. > Exert yourselves that ye may attain this transcendent and most > sublime station, the station that can ensure the protection and > security of all mankind. This goal excelleth every other goal, and > this aspiration is the monarch of all aspirations. > > The light of men is Justice. Quench it not with the contrary > winds of oppression and tyranny. The purpose of justice is the > appearance of unity among men. The ocean of divine wisdom > surgeth within this exalted word, while the books of the world > > cannot contain its inner significance. Were mankind to be > adorned with this raiment, they would behold the day-star of > utterance, ' On that day God will satisfy everyone out of His > abundance,' shining resplendent above the horizon of the world. > Appreciate ye the value of this utterance; it is a noble fruit that > the Tree of the Pen of Glory hath yielded. Happy is the man that > giveth ear unto it and observeth its precepts. Verily I say, > whatever is sent down from the heaven of the Will of God is the > means for the establishment of order in the world and the > instrument for promoting unity and fellowship among its > peoples. Thus hath the Tongue of this Wronged One spoken > from His Most Great Prison. > > In one of the Tablets these words have been revealed: 0 people > of God! Do not busy yourselves in your own concerns; let your > thoughts be fixed upon that which will rehabilitate the fortunes of > mankind and sanctify the hearts and souls of men. This can best > be achieved through pure and holy deeds, through a virtuous life > and a goodly behavior. Valiant acts will ensure the triumph of this > Cause, and a saintly character will reinforce its power. Cleave unto > righteousness, 0 people of Baha! This, verily, is the commandment > which this Wronged One hath given unto you, and the first choice > of His unrestrained Will for every one of you . ... > It is incumbent upon every man, in this Day, to hold fast unto > whatsoever will promote the interests, and exalt the station of all > nations and just governments. Through each and every one of the > verses which the Pen of the Most High hath revealed, the doors > of love and unity have been unlocked and flung open to the face of > men. We have erewhile declared- and Our Word is the truth- : > "Consort with the followers of all religions in a spirit of friendliness and fellowship. " Whatsoever hath led the children of men to > shun one another, and hath caused dissensions and divisions > amongst them, hath, through the revelation of these words, been > nullified and abolished. From the heaven of God's Will, and for the > purpose of ennobling the world of being and of elevating the minds > and souls of men, hath been sent down that which is the most > effective instrument for the education of the whole human race. The > > BAHA'I S ACRED WRITINGS > > highest essence and most perfect expression of whatsoever the > peoples of old have either said or written hath, through this most > potent Revelation, been sent down from the heaven of the Will of > the All-Possessing, the Ever-Abiding God. Of old it hath been > revealed: "Love of one's country is an element of the Faith of > God." The Tongue of Grandeur hath, however, in the day of His > manifestation proclaimed: "It is not his to boast who loveth his > country, but it is his who loveth the world." Through the power > released by these exalted words He hath lent a fresh impulse and > set a new direction to the birds of men' s hearts, and hath obliterated > every trace of restriction and limitation from God's holy Book. ... > In formulating the principles and laws a part hath been devoted > to penalties which form an effective instrument for the security > and protection of men. However, dread of the penalties maketh > people desist only outwardly from committing vile and contemptible deeds, while that which guardeth and restraineth man both > outwardly and inwardly hath been and still is the fear of God. It is > man's true protector and his spiritual guardian. It behoveth him to > cleave tenaciously unto that which will lead to the appearance of > this supreme bounty. Well is it with him who giveth ear unto > whatsoever My Pen of Glory hath proclaimed and observeth that > whereunto he is bidden by the Ordainer, the Ancient of Days ... . > 0 ye that dwell on earth! The distinguishing feature that marketh > the pre-eminent character of this Supreme Revelation consisteth in > that We have, on the one hand, blotted out from the pages of God's > holy Book whatsoever hath been the cause of strife, of malice > and mischief amongst the children of men, and have, on the other, > laid down the essential prerequisites of concord, of understanding, > of complete and enduring unity. Well is it with them that keep My > statutes. > > Were men to gaze with the eye of the heart, they would know > for a surety that whatsoever hath descended from the Source of Command containeth naught but pure benefit for all the peoples of the > world. All must become as wings to bear one another onward. Man's > true honor lieth in wisdom, understanding and an upright character, > not in amassing earthly ornaments , in vainglory and conceit. All > > were created out of dust, and unto dust shall they return. 0 people > of Baha! Man's true adornment consisteth not in the trappings of > this world, but rather in recognition of the one true God-magnified > be His might!-and in sciences, crafts and upright conduct. > Ye are the pearls of the Sea of Oneness! Consider ye the pearl: > its purity and fineness are qualities inherent in itself. Were one to > wrap it in the finest silks, they would but hide from view its > delicacy and lustre. Its beauty is within itself. Strive, then, to acquire > this beauty, and grieve not at lacking this world's material benefits. > 0 ye trees of the celestial paradise! Deprive not yourselves of the > vernal breezes of God's loving-kindness, nor withhold from > yourselves the sweet savors of His holy words of wisdom. Such is > the measure of His gracious providence that, notwithstanding the > heedlessness of all and this most great affliction in the Prison of > 'Akka, He hath yet caused to flow from the Pen of the All-Glorious > that which profiteth His creatures. He, verily, is the Ever-Forgiving, > the Most Merciful. > > They that are endued with sincerity and faithfulness should associate with all the peoples and kindreds of the earth with joy and > radiance, inasmuch as consorting with people hath promoted and > will continue to promote unity and concord, which in tum are > conducive to the maintenance of order in the world and to the > regeneration of nations. Blessed are such as hold fast to the cord of > kindliness and tender mercy and are free from animosity and hatred. > This Wronged One exhorteth the peoples of the world to observe > tolerance and righteousness, which are two lights amidst the darkness > of the world and two educators for the edification of mankind. Happy > are they who have attained thereto and woe betide the heedless. > > Writings of 'Abdu'l-Baha > In every dispensation, there hath been the commandment of > fellowship and love, but it was a commandment limited to the community of those in mutual agreement, not to the dissident foe. In this > wondrous age, however, praised be God, the commandments of > God are not delimited, not restricted to any one group of people, > > BAHA'f SACRED WJSITI NGS > > rather have all the friends been commanded to show forth fellowship and love, consideration and generosity and loving-kindness to > every community on earth. Now must the lovers of God arise to > carry out these instructions of His: let them be kindly fathers to the > children of the human race, and compassionate brothers to the > youth, and self-denying offspring to those bent with years. The > meaning of this is that ye must show forth tenderness and love to > every human being, even to your enemies, and welcome them all > with unalloyed friendship, good cheer, and loving-kindness. When > ye meet with cruelty and persecution at another's hands, keep faith > with him; when malevolence is directed your way, respond with a > friendly heart. To the spears and arrows rained upon you, expose > your breasts for a target mirror-bright; and in return for curses, > taunts and wounding words, show forth abounding love. Thus will > all peoples witness the power of the Most Great Name, and every > nation acknowledge the might of the Ancient Beauty, and see how > He hath toppled down the walls of discord, and how surely He > hath guided all the peoples of the earth to oneness; how He hath lit > man's world, and made this earth of dust to send forth streams of > light. > > Note ye how easily, where unity existeth in a given family, the > affairs of that family are conducted; what progress the members > of that family make, how they prosper in the world. Their > concerns are in order, they enjoy comfort and tranquility, they > are secure, their position is assured, they come to be envied by > all. Such a family but addeth to its stature and its lasting honor, > as day succeedeth day. And if we widen out the sphere of unity a > little to include the inhabitants of a village who seek to be loving > and united, who associate with and are kind to one another, what > great advances they will be seen to make, how secure and > protected they will be. Then let us widen out the sphere a little > more, let us take the inhabitants of a city, all of them together: if > they establish the strongest bonds of unity among themselves, > how far they will progress, even in a brief period and what power > they will exert. And if the sphere of unity be still further widened > out, that is, if the inhabitants of a whole country develop > > peaceable hearts, and if with all their hearts and souls they yearn > to cooperate with one another and to live in unity, and if they > become kind and loving to one another, that country will achieve > undying joy and lasting glory. Peace will it have, and plenty, and > vast wealth. > > Universal benefits derive from the grace of the Divine > religions, for they lead their true followers to sincerity of intent, > to high purpose, to purity and spotless honor, to surpassing > kindness and compassion, to the keeping of their covenants > when they have covenanted, to concern for the rights of others, > to liberality, to justice in every aspect of life, to humanity and > philanthropy, to valor and to unflagging efforts in the service of > mankind. It is religion, to sum up, which produces all human > virtues, and it is these virtues which are the bright candles of civilization. If a man is not characterized by these excellent > qualities , it is certain that he has never attained to so much as a > drop out of the fathomless river of the waters of life that flows > through the teachings of the Holy Books, nor caught the faintest > breath of the fragrant breezes that blow from the gardens of God; > for nothing on earth can be demonstrated by words alone, and > every level of existence is known by its signs and symbols, and > every degree in man's development has its identifying mark. > The purpose of these statements is to make it abundantly clear > that the Divine religions , the holy precepts, the heavenly > teachings, are the unassailable basis of human happiness, and > that the peoples of the world can hope for no real relief or > deliverance without this one great remedy. This panacea must, > however, be administered by a wise and skilled physician, for in > the hands of an incompetent all the cures that the Lord of men > has ever created to heal men's ills could produce no health, and > would on the contrary only destroy the helpless and burden the > hearts of the already afflicted .. .. > When, through the Divine bestowals, three things appear on > earth, this world of dust will come alive, and stand forth wondrously adorned and full of grace. These are first, the fruitful > winds of spring; second, the welling plenty of spring clouds; and > > B AHA: f S ACRED WRITINGS > > third, the heat of the bright sun. When, out of the endless bounty > of God, these three have been vouchsafed, then slowly, by His > leave, dry trees and branches tum fresh and green again, and > array themselves with many kinds of blossoms and fruits. It is > the same when the pure intentions and the justice of the ruler, the > wisdom and consummate skill and statecraft of the governing > authorities, and the determination and unstinted efforts of the > people, are all combined; then day by day the effects of the > advancement, of the far-reaching reforms, of the pride and > prosperity of government and people alike, will become clearly > manifest. > > Today nothing but the power of the Word of God which > encompasses the realities of things can bring the thoughts , the > minds, the hearts and the spirits under the shade of one Tree. He > is the Potent in all things, the Vivifier of souls, the Preserver and > the Controller of the world of mankind. Praise be to God, in this > day the light of the Word of God has shone forth upon all > regions, and from all sects, communities, nations, tribes, peoples, > religions and denominations, souls have gathered under the > shadow of the Word of Oneness and have in the most intimate > fellowship united and harmonized! > > FROM THE > UNIVERSAL > HOUSEoF > JUSTICE > > T he Universal House of Justice, the international governing > council of the Baha'i world community, derives its authority > directly from Baha'u'llah, the Founder of the Baha'i Faith-"the > Revealer of God's Word in this Day," "the Source of Authority," and > "the Inspirer and Founder of a world civilization," as the opening of > the Constitution of the Universal House of Justice states. That same > document continues on to outline clearly the devolution of authority > from Baha'u'llah to the House of Justice: > > To direct and canalize the forces released by His Revelation > He instituted His Covenant, whose power has preserved the > integrity of His Faith, maintained its unity and stimulated its > world-wide expansion throughout the successive ministries of > 'Abdu'l-Baha and Shoghi Effendi. It continues to fulfill its > life-giving purpose through the agency of the Universal House > of Justice whose fundamental object, as one of the twin successors of Baha 'u' llah and 'Ab du' 1-Baha, is to ensure the > continuity of that divinely-appointed authority which flows from > the Source of the Faith, to safeguard the unity of its followers, > and to maintain the integrity and flexibility of its teachings. > > THE BAHA'I WORLD > > Thus charged with responsibility, the Universal House of Justice > seeks to educate, inform, direct, encourage, and inspire the global > Baha'i community, a task it undertakes mainly through its voluminous > correspondence with Baha'i institutions and individuals around the > world. > Ri«;fvan Messages (153 B.E.) > The Baha'i Faith has systematically expanded and consolidated > its ranks through the operation of successive plans of varying > duration. This year saw the launching of a new Four Year Plan, > and this subject formed the substance of the 1996 "Ri(,ivan > message" of the Universal House of Justice to the Baha'is of the > world, released each year between 21 April and 2 May, the period > that marks Baha'u'llah's declaration of His mission in the Garden > ofRic;lvan (Paradise) in Baghdad in 1863. This year, in addition to > its general letter, the House of Justice addressed eight separate > letters to the Baha'is in various regions of the globe, reflecting on > the history of those communities, the current situations they face, > and their prospects for the future. > The general letter to the Baha'is of the world begins by reviewing > the global accomplishments of the Three Year Plan ( 1993-1996) > just completed, with the House of Justice noting that the period > resulted in a "more consolidated, more resilient, more mature, and > more confident"-in short, "a qualitatively enriched"-community. > Among the accomplishments noted are the following: > • the progress made in the construction of the projects at the Baha'i World > Centre on Mount Carmel in Haifa, Israel; > • an increase in social and economic development activities around the world; > • expansion of external affairs work; > • the formation of twelve new National Spiritual Assemblies; > • a surge of pioneering and travel-teaching; > • the implementation of systematic approaches to collective teaching activities; > • well-focused long-term teaching projects; > • numerous achievements of the institution of the International Teaching > Centre, both in the evolution of its own functioning and in its attention to > the educational needs of the community; > • the asswnption by indigenous believers around the world of more responsibility > > THE U NIVE RSAL H O USE O F J USTICE > > for teaching and consolidation work in their own communities; > • the continued functioning of Baha ' i communities in such troubled countries > as Angola, Cambodia, Liberia, and Sie1Ta Leone ; > • the rapid maturation of Baha'i institutions in the countries of the former > Eastern Bloc in Europe; > • island Baha'i communities ' inclusion of diverse populations in their membership; > • the enthusiastic service of youth, including their pursuit of music and the arts > (particularly dance and drama workshops), their participation in external > affairs activities, their commitment to a year of service, and their achievements of academic, professional, and vocational excellence; > • the Baha ' i community 's greater involvement in social and economic development, particularly in the field of education, including the community ' s > adoption of the management of seven public schools in one country; the > development of farming, leading communities towards self-sufficiency, > particularly in Africa; efforts to advance the status of women, including the > establishment of the Baha ' i International Community's Office for the > Advancement of Women; and involvement in health and literacy projects in > various countries; > • effects of expansion in external affairs work, in both small and large communities, as evidenced by increasing numbers of invitations to Baha ' i > communities from high public officials, by the community ' s efforts to > influence government action, by the establishment of Baha' i academic > programs in colleges and universities, and the development of curricular > materials for public schools; > • the Baha' i International Community ' s participation in the World Summit for > Social Development, held in Copenhagen in March 1995 , with the concurrent release of the statement Th e Prosperity of Humankind by the Baha ' i > International Community ' s Office of Public Information; participation in > September 1995 in the Fourth World Conference on Women in Beijing; > contributions to the fiftieth anniversary of the United Nations, and the > release of the statement Turning Point for All Nations ; the attendance of > Hand of the Cause of God Amatu ' l-Baha Rul).iyyih Khanum at both the > Summit on the Alliance between Religions and Conservation and the Fourth > International Dialogue on the Transition to a Global Society; > • the publication of the Persian edition of Baha 'u ' llah ' s Most Holy Book, > the Kitab-i-Aqdas ; > • the increasing rootedness of the law ofl:fuququ ' llah in the Baha ' i community. > The House of Justice moves on from this review to an analysis of > current events, looking at the integrating and disruptive processes at > work during this turbulent period "of accelerating transition." > > The disruptive forces are evident in the disarray of human affairs > presented through news media, while the integrating forces can > been seen, for example, in the efforts by world leaders to take > collective action on various issues , to attend global meetings, to > engage in collective efforts to respond to crises, and in the calls > for global governance proliferating throughout the world. > In this context, the House of Justice states, the Baha'is' efforts > to build their unique system will invoke a spiritual atmosphere > and lead to a quickening of the processes towards world peace. > Baha'i communities around the world are thus called upon to > focus on one major aim during the coming four years : movement > towards ensuring sustained large-scale growth of their numbers > and an accelerated program of consolidation, referred to as "a > significant advance in the process of entry by troops," a process > that involves individuals, institutions, and local communities. > Standing "at the very crux of any progress to be made" in this > process, the individual has the responsibility to teach the Faith to > others , to exercise his or her capacities, to study and allow the > trans formative forces of that act to exert their influence, and to > draw on his or her love for Baha'u ' llah, the power of the Covenant of Baha'u'llah, and prayer. > In tum, heightened functioning of the institutions in the Baha'i > community enhances individuals' capacity to serve and fosters > unified action. Such an evolution requires a new state of mind on > the part of the members of those institutions and on the part of > those they serve. The means through which Spiritual Assemblies > can rise to this new level of functioning include improving the > use of consultation among the members themselves and with > community members; fostering a spirit of service in the community; > collaborating with the Continental Boards of Counsellors and > their Auxiliary Board members; and cultivating external relations. > At the level of the community, which is defined as comprising > individuals, families, and institutions that are the originators of > systems- in short, a "comprehensive unit of civilization"-the > Universal House of Justice stresses the need for a "significant > enhancement in patterns of behavior," achieved through the integration of adults, youth, and children in the community's spiritual, > social, educational, and administrative activities, as well as in > > THE U NIVE RSAL H OUSE OF J USTICE > > teaching and development activities, and through the practice of the > collective worship of God. > To develop human resources within the community, systematic > attention must be given to educating large numbers of Baha'is in > the fundamental verities of the Faith and to training them, an > effort that requires collaboration between the Continental Boards > of Counsellors and the National Spiritual Assemblies to establish > organized, formal, regular programs of training, particularly institutes, that will evolve as centers of learning. > Extending the network of national governing councils around > the world, two new National Spiritual Assemblies, of Moldova and > of Sao Tome and Principe, are to form at Ric;lvan 1996. Unfortunately, the National Assemblies of Burundi and Rwanda are not able > to re-form owing to political turmoil in those countries, leaving > the total number of National Spiritual Assemblies at 174. > Efforts already in progress should not lose momentum during > the coming four years: for example, work in the field of social and > economic development will continue; so, too, will external affairs > activities focusing on the defense of the Baha'i community in > Iran, and on the themes of global prosperity, the advancement of > women, moral development, and human rights; encouragement > is given to further use of the arts in the proclamation, expansion, > and consolidation work of the Faith. > As Baha'i communities around the world strive to accomplish > the aims detailed above, so the Baha'i World Centre will pursue > a number of specific goals. The most important of these is the > completion of the current projects on Mount Carmel, following > which, at Ric;lvan 2000, a major event will be held. Other goals > include provision of further directives to the Baha'i world regarding > the application of additional laws of the Kitab-i-Aqdas; the translation and release of another volume of the writings ofBaha'u'llah; > the further development of the institution of the International > Teaching Centre; and allowance for an increase in the number of > pilgrims and visitors to the World Centre. > Accomplishing the two main challenges that lie before the > Baha'i community at this juncture in history- namely, teaching > the Faith and completing the projects undertaken on Mount Carmel- will, in the words of the Universal House of Justice, "foster > > THE BAHA'I WORLD > > conditions towards the release of pent-up forces that will forge a > change in the direction of human affairs throughout the planet." > This Plan, set "at one of the most critical times in the life of the > planet," will prepare the Baha'i community to cope with accelerating changes in the world, enable it to withstand accompanying > tests and challenges, and make visible its distinctive pattern of > functioning. Assigning this Plan "a special place in the scheme of > Baha'i and world history," occurring as it does during "a time so > charged with potentialities and hope for all humanity," the House of > Justice closes this weighty message with the expressed hope that > the worldwide Baha'i community will "arise to seize the tasks of > this crucial moment." > In addition to this general letter to the Baha'is of the world, > separate letters address the opportunities and challenges facing > countries in eight different regions, namely, Africa, Australasia, > Europe, the countries and islands in the region of the Indian subcontinent, Latin America and the Caribbean, North America, > Southeast Asia, and Wes tern and Central Asia. > Many of these letters stress common themes also found in the > general letter, in addition to dealing with the particularities of each > region. All, for example, mention the importance of advancing > the process of entry by troops; all encourage teaching so as to > increase the numbers of Baha' is from all walks of life and from > "every stratum of society,'' with the goal of building "a vibrant > model of unity in diversity"; and all encourage individual believers > to take initiative. > Social and economic development is highlighted in different > ways throughout the eight letters. Particular stress is laid upon > the encouragement of the advancement of women-with men's > active support, as the letter to Africa states. Literacy and the development of moral education programs also receive mention in a > number of the letters, and where social and economic development > activities are already flourishing, communities are urged to sustain > and expand them as feasible. > Again, the development of human resources within the Baha'i > community is stressed, through the repeated mention of the > importance of the development of "systematic," "consistent," and > "widespread" training institutes and institute programs. Indeed, > > THE U NIVE RSAL HOUSE OF J USTICE > > the word "systematic" occurs many times throughout the letters, > reflecting the importance the House of Justice places on the wellplanned expansion and consolidation of the Baha'i community, > accomplished through individual teaching as well as organized > teaching campaigns promoted by the institutions of the Faith and > with the community's full participation. > As in the general letter, the consolidation of the Baha'i community is emphasized. Several of the letters specifically mention the > enhancement of the trust and confidence, or "organic unity," > between the individuals and the institutions, stressing that improving > the functioning of Local Spiritual Assemblies and developing "a > distinctive community life" go together. Included in the latter > aspect are, for example, specific mention of the improvement in > the Nineteen Day Feast, support of the Baha'i Funds, and communities' assumption of the full responsibility for the election of their > own Local Spiritual Assemblies. Planning is another aspect of this > evolution of functioning. With the commencement of the Six Year > Plan ( 1986-1992), Baha'i communities around the world began to > develop their own plans for the expansion and consolidation of > their communities; as this plan begins, they are urged to continue > and improve upon that process. > And again, as in the general letter, stress is placed upon the idea > that combined efforts in systematic expansion and consolidation > will firmly establish "the patterns of Baha'i community life." The > Baha'i education of children, the teaching and spiritual enrichment of entire families , and the collective practice of the worship > of God as other aspects of this development are also emphasized. > Encouragement of the use of the arts, particularly music and > drama, in the proclamation, expansion, and consolidation work is > a recurring theme in several of the letters, adding emphasis to > similar points made in the general letter. Emphasis on external > affairs work is also reinforced; where it has already been undertaken, it is praised, and its inauguration is urged in places where > it has, as yet, been untried. > Pioneering and travel-teaching form yet another common thread > running through the regional letters. Particular appeals to indigenous believers, those of African descent, Iranian Baha'is, French > Canadians, believers from Hispanic backgrounds, and those from > > THE BAHA:f WORLD > > Arctic and sub-Arctic regions to travel and teach others from > their own language or ethnic backgrounds are made in the letter > to North America. Indigenous believers in Australasia are urged > to study, to teach locally, and to participate internationally in the > Ocean of Light programs throughout the Pacific region. Baha'is in > Papua New Guinea and in the Indian subcontinent region are > also asked to assist the development of Baha'i communities in > other countries. Noting that the Latin American and Caribbean > Baha'i communities are comprised of "a harmonious blend of > groups from various ethnic and cultural backgrounds," the House > of Justice urges mobilization of people from these populations > not only in their local communities but elsewhere as pioneers > and traveling teachers. > Specific direction regarding future administrative developments can be found in two letters. The House of Justice writes to > the Australasian region that it must take steps to establish a strong > Baha'i community in French Polynesia, in preparation for the > election of a National Spiritual Assembly there; likewise, Europe > is advised to raise up National Spiritual Assemblies "in certain > of those independent countries and major islands, such as the > Farnes, which have not yet attained them." > In addition to the many overlapping themes and the particular > directions given to different communities, the letters contain specific references to the spiritual heritage of the various regions of > the world. Western and Central Asia, for example, are extolled > as "the home of the oldest and most venerable Baha'i communities." It is recalled that India was mentioned in the first of the > Bab's writings and that Baha'u'llah Himself "selected and dispatched emissaries to propagate His Faith in India." In the letter > to North America, mention of the Tablets of the Divine Plan, a > series of letters by 'Abdu'l-Baha written in the early years of the > twentieth century, urging Baha'is in North America to arise, > teach the Faith, and settle in farflung locations, is made: "In the > eight decades since you received this mandate, your prodigious > exertions have carried the message of Baha'u 'llah to all parts of > your continent, and throughout the length and breadth of the > planet. You have played a critical role in the establishment of > the framework of the Administrative Order and in the sustained > > THE U NIVERSAL H OUSE OF J USTICE > > proclamation of the Faith." To the Baha'is of Australasia, the > House of Justice recalls a promise ofBaha'u'llah connecting their > efforts to the persecuted Baha'i community in Iran, in which He > wrote, "Should they attempt to conceal His light on the continent, > He will assuredly rear His head in the midmost part of the ocean > and, raising His voice proclaim: 'I am the life giver of the world."' > Africa's "extraordinary history of achievement" is mentioned in > the letter addressed to the Baha'is of that continent, with particular note of the beginnings of the African Baha'i community in > Egypt during the time of Baha'u' llah, the remarkable opening of > sixteen territories in the two-year period of 1951-53, and then > the opening of a further 33 territories between 1953 and 1963. > "During the course of these rapid developments,'' the House of > Justice observes, "the African believers themselves, through sacrificial effort as teachers and pioneers, arose to champion the > Cause of God, manifesting the profundity of their response to the > Message of the New Day." > The letters also note the particular characteristics of the regions ; > for example, to the Baha'is in Southeast Asia, the House of Justice > remarks, "Among your peoples, the majority of whom have been > influenced by noble and high-minded teachings of Buddhism, are > many who possess a profound sense of spirituality, which is > reflected in the practices of their daily lives and in the quality of > their relationships with one another, with nature, and with their > social institutions. They have a keen understanding of the need > for coherence between the material and the spiritual." Likewise, > the receptivity of the peoples in the region of the Indian subcontinent to the message of Baha'u'llah is noted. > Achievements of Baha'i communities in the various regions > are also noted and praised. The Latin American and Caribbean > Baha'i communities' activities in wider society, their work in social > and economic development (particularly in education), their "discourse on issues such as the preservation of the environment and > the organization of social action," and their interactions with leaders > of thought all prompt the House of Justice to remark on their "keen > understanding of the needs and aspirations" of the peoples of that > region, which has enabled the Baha'is "to present the Faith to a wide > range of interests." The contributions of the Baha'i communities in > > Europe are noted, including the pioneers they have sent out to > serve in Africa, the Pacific, the Caribbean, and Greenland; contributions made by its institutions to the external affairs work; the > outstanding scholars, musicians, artists, scientists, and those > "concerned with the application of Baha'i Teachings to economics > and business" the continent has produced; the efforts made in the > advancement of women and the strengthening of family life; and > the work of the European Baha'i Youth Council. Given all these > accomplishments, the House of Justice urges them, "Now is the > time to build on these achievements, clearly focusing all efforts > on the central purpose of taking the Message of Baha'u'llah to a > spiritually famished population." > Offering a balance of historical perspective, current analysis, > and future vision, as well as both encouragement and direction, > these weighty and detailed letters clearly set the course for the > Baha'i community's progress over the next four crucial years. > > Amatu'l-Baha RU.J:Iiyyih Khanum's Trip to Brazil > A letter from the Universal House of Justice to all National > Spiritual Assemblies, dated 22 August 1996, reported an historic > event in Brazil, during which Hand of the Cause of God > Amatu'l-Baha Rul:iiyyih Khanum was the honored guest at a > special session of the Brazilian Federal Chamber of Deputies, > held to mark the seventy-fifth anniversary of the introduction of > the Baha'i Faith to that country. Attended by ninety Federal > Deputies, of whom fourteen spoke in recognition of the principles > of the Faith "and the benefits that their application has already > brought to many localities," the session was reported in the press > and broadcast media. 1 > In closing, the House of Justice commented, "This momentous acknowledgment of the transforming power of the Faith, so > generously expressed by the governing institutions of one of the > world's major nations, demonstrates both the calibre of the Brazilian believers and the growing receptivity of the world to the > Message of the Cause." > > 1. See pp. 49- 51 for a full report of this event. > > THE U NIVE RSAL H OUSE OF JU STJ CE > > Pioneering > On 15 September, 1996, the Universal House of Justice reported > to the Baha'is of the world that during the Three Year Plan, > completed at Riq van 1996, some 10,600 Baha ' is, including a > substantial number of youth, had arisen to serve the Faith as > pioneers outside their own home countries . With the launch of > the Four Year Plan, also at Ric;ivan 1996, the House of Justice > called upon the Baha'i community once again to respond enthusiastically and win the goals set by National Spiritual Assemblies > around the world. In conclusion, the House of Justice noted: > > The prospect before us as the Plan unfolds is one to thrill > every Baha ' i heart: the need of our fellow human beings for > the Message of Baba 'u ' llah becomes more urgent day by day; > ardent, willing and capable servants of the Cause are required > in many lands and for many functions. That His eager followers in every community will arise with devotion, audacity and > determination to advance His Cause in the longing of our hearts > and the object of our fervent prayers at the Sacred Threshold. > > Acquisition of 4, A venue de Camoens > The National and Regional Spiritual Assemblies in Europe were > notified in a letter dated 28 October 1996 of the acquisition of the > apartment at 4, Avenue de Camoens in Paris, in which 'Abdu'l- > Baha stayed during His visit to the city. The House of Justice > noted: > > This marks the first step in the acquisition of sites sanctified > by the residence of the Master in the cities of Europe during > the three visits He made to that continent, between 1911 and 1913, > for the purpose of spreading the Message of Bah a 'u ' llah, sites > which are second only in holiness to those places in Istanbul > and Edirne where the Manifestation of God Himself blessed > the soil of the European continent. > > EVENTS > 1996-97 > This article describes the formation > in April 1996 of two new > National Spiritual Assemblies. > > TWO NEW > N ATIONAL SPIRITUAL > A SSEMBLIES > > T he Baha'i communities of Sao Tome and Principe and of > Moldova had more than the usual reason to be joyous at the > 1996 Ric;lvan festival. In addition to commemorating the 133rd anniversary of the Declaration by Baha'u 'llah, the Founder of the > Baha'i Faith, of His prophetic mission, delegates throughout both > countries gathered together at inaugural conventions to elect their > first National Spiritual Assemblies. > The purpose of the 174 National Assemblies currently in existence > around the world 1 is to stimulate, unify, and coordinate by frequent > personal consultations the activities of the Baha'is and the local > administrative units under their jurisdiction, initiating measures and > directing in general the affairs of the Faith in their respective terri - > tories. They also maintain regular contact with the Baha'i World > Centre in Haifa, Israel. The manifold functions of a National Assembly > > 1. Two previously existing National Spiritual Assemblies, of Rwanda and > Burundi, were unable to re-fo1m at Ric:Jvan 1996 owing to political and social > turmoil in those counháies. > > include the publication of Baha'i literature, formulation of national > teaching plans, and representation of the Baha'is in relation to the civil > authorities. The members of all National Assemblies constitute the > electorate in the election, every five years, of the supreme administrative body of the Baha'i Faith, the Universal House of Justice. > National Assemblies are themselves elected according to the > principle of proportional representation, whereby adult members in > hamlets, villages, towns, and cities gather in unit conventions to > elect their delegates to National Conventions, at which the delegates elect the nine members of the National Spiritual Assembly. > This was the procedure followed for the birth of the Baha'i world > community's two newest national institutions. > The National Spiritual Assembly of the Baha'is of Moldova 2 > About 100 Baha'is from Moldova, Bulgaria, Romania, Russia, > Turkey , Ukraine, and the United States gathered together in > Chisinau from 27 to 28 April 1996 to witness the election of the > first National Spiritual Assembly of the Baha'is of Moldova. Representing the Universal House of Justice was Dr. Ilhan Sezgin, a > member of the Continental Board of Counsellors in Europe, who > read the statement of the House of Justice addressed to those > attending the country's inaugural convention. The message declared, > "Only through the healing Message ofBaha'u'llah can the age-long > rivalries and prejudices between races and peoples be overcome. > It is your duty and high privilege to work towards the fulfillment of > such a noble goal by spreading the life-giving Teachings to your > fellow countrymen, by demonstrating through your own personal > lives the transforming power of the Faith and by creating, in cities, > towns and villages of your country, a network of sound and harmonious Baha'i communities which can radiate the light of unity to all > regions." Among those present at this gathering was Annemarie > Kriiger, Knight ofBaha'u'llah for Moldova, who has witnessed the > development of the Baha'i community in that country from its > inception to the election of its first National Assembly. > > 2. With the formation of the National Spiritual Assembly of Moldova, the > Regional Spiritual Assembly of the Ukraine and Moldova became the > National Spiritual Assembly of the Baha'is of the Ukraine. > > N EW N ATIONAL SPIRITUAL A SS EM BLIES > > The > first > National > Spiritual > Assembly of > the Bahti 'is of > Moldova. > > It was Shoghi Effendi who initially called for the introduction of > the Baha'i Faith into the territory of Moldova at the launching of > the Ten Year Plan3 in 1953. The first Baha'i who visited Moldova > with this goal in mind was Mrs. Kruger in 197 4. As a result of > her repeated trips and constant correspondence, the first Moldovan > embraced the Baha'i Faith in Chisinau in 1984. Later, with the easing of restrictions and changed political conditions, Baha'is from > different parts of the world were able to settle as pioneers or visit > Moldova as traveling teachers. In 1991, the first Local Spiritual > Assembly of Moldova was formed and placed under the jurisdiction > of the National Spiritual Assembly of what was then the Union of > Soviet Socialist Republics. The following Ric;lvan, there were 26 > Baha'is and the administrative duties of this infant community > were placed under the Regional Assembly of the Baha' is of the > Ukraine, Belarus, and Moldova. It was not, however, until the Three > Year Plan (1993-1996) that the numbers of Baha'is expanded rapidly-from 66 in June 1994 to 173 a year and a half later-allowing > for the formation of the country's own National Assembly. > > 3. In 1953 the Guardian of the Baha'i Faith, Shoghi Effendi, launched a > ten-year teaching plan, among the goals of which were to bring the Baha'i > Faith to the main unopened territories of the world and to consolidate > communities in territories where there were already Baha'is. During this > period the number of National Spiritual Assemblies increased from 12 to > 47. Those who arose at that time or later to open territories named as goals > of the Ten Year Plan were named Knights ofBaha'u'llah. > > THE BAHA'f WORLD > > The National Spiritual Assembly of the Baha'is of Sao Tome > and Principe > At the time of the launching of the Ten Year Plan in 1953 Shoghi > Effendi also called for the Faith to be taken to the islands of Sao > Tome and Principe, off the coast of West Africa. In response to his > appeal, Elise Schreiber arrived in 1954 as a pioneer from the United > States, thereby becoming a Knight ofBaha'u'llah for those islands. > A small number of people was attracted to the Faith, despite severe > trials and hardships, and a Local Spiritual Assembly was formed. > For many years, because of local circumstances, there were > no Baha'i visitors from outside the island. Then in 1984, under the > sponsorship of the National Spiritual Assembly of Nigeria, efforts > were intensified to reestablish the community, supported by collaboration with the Baha'is of Brazil, Cape Verde, Gabon, Guinea > Bissau, Nigeria, Portugal, and the United States. Traveling teachers > from Brazil, Cape Verde, Guinea Bissau, Portugal, and the United > States came to assist in teaching and consolidation. By 1988 a > Local Assembly was established in the capital city of Sao Tome > and three groups were formed in other cities. Kobina Fynn, a member of the Continental Board of Counsellors for the Baha'i Faith in > Africa, traveled frequently to the islands, encouraging and training > the Baha'is; during a three-week visit in 1994 eighty persons > accepted the Faith of Baha'u'llah. By that time there were twelve > Local Spiritual Assemblies, with at least one in each of the seven > > The first > National > Spiritual > Assembly of > the Bahci 'is > ofSifo Tome > and Principe. > > NEW NATIONAL SPIRITUAL ASSEMBLIES > > administrative districts. In July 1994 the National Teaching and > Administrative Committee of Sao Tome and Principe was appointed > to spearhead the community's efforts to achieve that country's > Three Year Plan goals. The community was further strengthened > the following year through the efforts of traveling teachers from > Angola and Brazil. > Whereas the first Baha'is on those islands had experienced > intimidation and even imprisonment, on 7 October 1995 the Sao > Tome and Principe National Radio broadcast a detailed introduction to the Faith including mention of its status as an independent > religion. By November of that year there were 17 Local Spiritual > Assemblies in the islands, with two in Principe. > The first National Spiritual Assembly was established at Ric)van > 1996 with Fred Schechter, Counsellor member of the International > Teaching Centre, representing the Universal House of Justice. The > preparations, both material and spiritual, for the birth of this new > institution were made by its mother Assembly, the National Spiritual Assembly of the Baha'is of Nigeria. > > This article reports on the activities held > to celebrate the 15th anniversary of the > founding of the Bahil 'i community of > Brazil, and, in particular, the visit ofHand > of the Cause of God Amatu 'l-Baha > Ru~iyyih Khanum to that country. > > Amatu'l-Baha Ru41yyih Khanum in Brazil: > > CELEBRATING 75 > Y EARS of COMMUNITY > GROWTH > > T he first Baha'i pioneer to settle permanently in Brazil, and > indeed in all of Latin America, arrived in Rio de Janeiro > at dawn on 1 February 1921. Leonora Stirling Holsapple (later > Armstrong) was a single woman of 26; in her purse was barely > enough money to support her for two weeks; she had no job and > spoke no Portuguese. She knew no one in the city. Yet the arrival > of this lone woman signaled the establishment of the Brazilian > Baha'i community. And the results of her tireless efforts are clear > today: by 1996 the stature of the Baha'i Faith had grown in Brazil to such an extent that whereas Leonora Holsapple Armstrong > had arrived alone and friendless, a visit paid by Hand of the Cause > of God Amatu'l-Baha RuQ.iyyih Khanum in August, to participate in the celebrations of the Brazilian Baha'i community's 75th > anniversary, garnered a reception in the highest offices of the > land. > The history of the Baha'i Faith in Brazil had begun two years > before Mrs. Armstrong's arrival with the visit in 1919 of Martha > Root, the most outstanding Baha'i teacher to arise in America, > > who was identified as a Hand of the Cause of God by Shoghi > Effendi upon her passing in 1939. Miss Root had determined to > visit every country in the world to spread the Baha'i message > and went to Brazil as part of her trip to the major cities of South > America. Though she spoke no Portuguese and had no literature > in that language, she succeeded in attracting the attention of a > group of Brazilians who undertook to translate a Baha'i booklet > into Portuguese. These same people assisted Mrs. Armstrong > when she took up residence in Bahia. > > I Amatu 'l-Baha > Ruhiyyih Khanum > and International > Counsellor > ~~"-.=-"-"'......., Shapoor Monadjem in the Brazilian > Chamber of > Deputies during > the Solemn Session > held in honor ofthe > Baha'i Faith on > 16 August 1996. > > Despite the patient and courageous work of Mrs. Armstrong > and others, progress was slow in the beginning; there were only > three Local Spiritual Assemblies in Brazil by 194 7, when special > efforts were undertaken to assist the Latin American Baha'is to > assume responsibility for the functioning of their communities. > But from that time, the Brazilian community's growth gathered > momentum. In 1951 the National Spiritual Assembly of South > America was elected, followed in 1957 by the election of the > Regional National Spiritual Assembly of Brazil, Peru, Colombia, > Ecuador, and Venezuela, and in 1961 by the first election of the > National Spiritual Assembly of Brazil. During the Ten Year Plan > (1953-1963) a total of 13 new Local Spiritual Assemblies were > established in Brazil (twice the goal of six called for in the Plan), > including in 1962 the first all-Indian Local Assembly in the Kiriri Indian community of Lagoa Grande, Bahia. 1 > > 1. As of Ric;lvan 1996, 198 Local Spiritual Assemblies had been established > in Brazil. > > B RAZ IL'S 75 TH A NN IVE RSARY > > The years from 1968 to 1977 saw the Brazilian community > moving from strength to strength, assisted and inspired by many > visits from various Hands of the Cause, including Amatu ' 1-Baha > Ru}_liyyih Khanum. By 1977 the features of today's vigorous > Brazilian Baha'i community life had emerged: involvement in > public efforts to promote the status of women; the broadcasting > of radio programs; participation in book fairs ; the use of the > arts; and a colorful community life punctuated by conferences, > summer and winter schools, and continuing efforts to share the > Baha'i Faith with the Brazilian people of all social conditions and > ethnic backgrounds. > It is in the context of such a vibrant community life that the > 75th anniversary activities were carried out. The most significant > of these was the special Solemn Session held on 14 August 1996 > by the Brazilian Chamber of Deputies, which Rul)iyyih Khanum > attended as a representative of the Baha'i World Centre. > "This special session," remarked Deputy Wilson Campos > (PSDB , Perambuco ), who was presiding, " .. .is intended not only > to serve as a moment ofreflection on the teachings of the Baha'i > Faith and to receive one of its most notable leaders, but primarily > to provide an occasion for the Brazilian people, who we represent, to manifest their gratitude for the magnificent work begun > among us 75 years ago by Leonora Armstrong." > More than 90 representatives of the Chamber of Deputies- > Brazil' s main legislative body-were present for the two-hour > session. Representing the full range of that country's political > parties, 14 deputies spoke, honoring Amatu'l-Baha as a defender > of the environment, a promoter of world peace and unity, and a > protector of the rights of indigenous peoples. Some 70 deputies, > from all of the different parties and regions of Brazil, had signed > the declaration calling for the session. > Among her other accomplishments, Rul_iiyyih Khanum was > honored for her six-month "Green Light Expedition" through > the Amazon basin to survey the impact of development on the > environment and on indigenous cultures. Motivated by her deep > concern for the environment and indigenous peoples, the expedition was a ground-breaking effort to highlight the importance of > indigenous cultures and the need to preserve them. > > THE BAI-IA'f WORLD > > Tribute was also paid during the session to Mrs. Armstrong, > who labored valiantly for almost 60 years to foster the growth > and development of the Brazilian community; for the last seven > years of her life she also served as a member of the Continental > Board of Counsellors in the Americas. Deputy Alzira Ewerton > (PPB Block, Amazon) commented, "In 1921, the young Leonora > Armstrong, sent to Brazil to spread the teachings of Baha'u'llah, > made a long journey through the North and Northeast of Brazil, > and went to Manaus, before settling in Bahia. One can only imagine what this must have meant, taking into consideration not only > the isolation of the Amazon, but also the fact that it was a woman > who made this trip, which must certainly have been surprising at > a time when women simply did not do things of this nature." > The speeches by the deputies covered a wide range of other > topics related to the presence and activities of the Baha'i Faith in > Brazil, from its involvement in social and economic development > projects to the efforts of the Brazilian Baha'i community to promote unity and tolerance. > "In many cities," remarked Deputy Flavio Ams (Brazilian > Social Democratic Party, Parana), " in addition to the spiritual > and moral development work, Baha'is also carry out projects > in the economic and educational fields , such the School of the > Nations in Brasilia; the Monte Carmelo Association in Sao Paulo; > the Educational Center of Salvaterra, in Salvaterra, Para; and the > rural Polytechnical Institute in Iranduba, Amazonas." > Both Alzira Ewerton (PPB Block, Amazon) and Maria Yadao > (Liberal Front Party, Goias) , praised the Baha'i Faith for its promotion of the principle of the equality of women and men. "The > Faith of Baha'u'llah did not merely foresee equality in theory > but, above all, presented a concrete model of how equality should > become real in society," said Ms. Valadao. > "I believe that only the bringing together of the spiritual > forces of all origins-and this is where I see that the Baha'i Faith > is a very strong example of tolerance for other beliefs-will > make us move forward," said Deputy Tilden Santiago (Labor > Party, Minas Gerais) . "Certainly, it is a very strong spiritual > force that is needed to face the world of conflict and contradiction in which we live." > > BRAZIL'S 75 TH ANNIVERSARY > > At the close of the session there was a call for a Baha'i prayer, > and as one ofBaha'u'llah's prayers for unity was recited the entire > company stood in reverent silence. > That evening, Ru}:liyyih Khanum was the honored guest at a > dinner party attended by authorities and prominent people in the > capital, including the Minister of State for Administration and > Senators, Federal Deputies, Ambassadors, and members of some > international organizations. > Ru}:liyyih Khanum's itinerary included visits with a number of > other dignitaries. The day following the Solemn Session, she met > with President Fernando Henrique Cardoso at the presidential palace. > > Amatu 'l-Baha > Ru~iyyih Khanum > at the First Latin > American > Conference on > World > Citizenship, > in Bahia, > August 1996. > > They spoke together about the environment, global governance, and > the development of the Baha'i Faith in Brazil. In addition, she was > received on 8 August by the Acting Governor of Bahia, Dr. Otto > R. Mendorn;:a de Alencar, at which time she granted an interview > to the press. That evening, a reception offered in her honor brought > together city council members, artists, intellectuals, and other > figures in Bahian society. On 15 August she received, in Brasilia, > Yaacov Keinan, the Israeli Ambassador to Brazil, who paid a formal visit. > For a total of one month, Amatu'l-Baha traveled throughout > Brazil, inspiring Baha'i communities , meeting dignitaries, and > participating in conferences. She also granted a number of interviews with newspaper and television reporters. > > THE B AHA.'f W ORLD > > Among her other activities, Amatu'l-Baha attended, along > with some 250 participants from 13 countries, "The First Latin > American Conference on World Citizenship-Practicing Unity > in Diversity," held on 22 and 23 August at the Permanent Seat > of the Latin American Parliament in Sao Paulo. The conference, > the first of its kind in the region, brought together a wide range > of elected officials, representatives of non-governmental organizations (NGOs ), and social activists. It resulted in a 10-point > declaration on world citizenship, for presentation to heads of > state at the Sustainable Development Summit for the Americas, > in Santa Cruz de la Sierra, Bolivia. > The statement declared that "the establishment and promotion > of world citizenship" is "the greatest means for achieving peace, > security and prosperity" in the world. It also called for all states to > join into "some sort of world federation," saying it was "the best > form of sociopolitical organization for the present-day world." > The conference was organized by Instituto Para a Cidadania > Mundial (Institute for World Citizenship), an NGO whose founders include the Local Spiritual Assembly of Sao Paulo, and it > featured speeches by a wide range of regional and international > figures. Among them were Amatu ' l-Baha, Professor Ervin Laszlo of the Club of Budapest; the Brazilian Minister of Culture, > Francisco Weffort; the Brazilian Minister of Administration, Luis > Carlos Bresser Pereira; Brazilian Federal Deputy Luiz Gushiken; > Maria Terezinha Godinho , Sao Paulo State Secretary for Childhood, Family, and Social Well-Being; and Pierre Weil, President > of the City of Peace Foundation. > During the event, tribute was paid to Amatu'l-Baha as a living example of a world citizen. A video about her life was shown > and transmitted via satellite to a large audience and she offered a > brief speech after the tribute. > A world citizenship award ceremony was also held during the > conference by the National Assembly of Brazil. Sixteen women > of prominence, representing different races and social classes, all > of whom are actively involved in the betterment of society, were > honored. > A highlight of Rul}iyyih Khanum's visit to Brazil was her > return to the Amazon to commemorate the 20th anniversary of > > BRAZIL'S 7STH ANNIVERSARY > > Children gathered > at Manaus > International > Airport to receive > Amatu 'l-Baha, > August 1996. > > the Green Light Expedition. On 17 August, Rul).iyyih Khanum > traveled to Iranduba, making part of the journey on a boat placed > at her disposal by the Amazonas State authorities in recognition > of her expedition 20 years before. In Iranduba, she visited the > Djalal Eghrari Rural Institute of the Amazon, where a Baha'i > conference was held at which she spoke on the destiny of the > indigenous peoples and the power they have to influence the evolution of humanity. > On 18 August, the Mayor of Manaus offered the use of his boat > to RuQ.iyyih Khanum for a one-day trip in the Amazon, also in > honor of the 20th anniversary of her expedition. Amatu'l-Baha > was accompanied by state and municipal officials concerned with > the environment and five of the expedition's original seven members. > The Manaus Municipal Theater saw another event to commemorate her trip on the evening of 19 August. Amatu'l-Baha > spoke before a crowd of over 400 people, including governmental > authorities and other leaders of thought, about the elimination of > prejudice, the equality of all humanity, and the important international role of the Amazon and its people. The program also > included folk dances, music, a showing of the video on the life of > Rul).iyyih Khanum, and a film on the Green Light Expedition. > Concurrent with these activities, on 16 August, the Legislative > Assembly of the State of the Amazon passed a law recognizing > Naw-Ruz as a Baha'i Holy Day. > Brazilian Baha'i communities were delighted by the chance to > have Rul)_iyyih Khanum amongst them in their gatherings. From > > THE BAHA'f WORLD > > 9 to 11 August she attended the Second National Integration > Conference in Bahia. Distinguished by the participation of many > indigenous Baha'is from the area and by the use of the arts in its > program, the conference gathered some 400 people from nine > countries, five indigenous nations, 19 states, and 42 communities. Amatu'l-Baha spoke at the opening and at the closing of the > conference and participated in a special youth meeting during > the event. A discussion was held on the evening of 9 August > with a panel of two city council members, a former university > president, and the founder of a non-governmental project for the > defence of children and youth. All the speakers addressed the > theme "Baha'u'llah and the New World Order." The next day a > devotional meeting was held in memory of Leonora Armstrong. > From 28 August to 1 September, Amatu'l-Baha was in Foz do > Igua9u, where, upon her arrival, she was greeted at the airport by > the mayor's brass band and was warmly welcomed by his special > deputy. While in the area, she visited Itaipu Binacional, the largest hydroelectric dam in the world, and was received with the > highest respect and dignity by the dam's personnel. Invited to > plant a tree in a grove planted by visiting heads of state, she carried out the task with characteristic joy and expertise, dispensing > with any assistance and commenting on the great number of trees > she has planted over the years. > The culmination of her trip to Brazil was a two-day conference > organized by the National Spiritual Assemblies of Brazil and Paraguay, attended by some 650 people from nine countries, with > many Indian tribes represented. During her remarks, Rul).iyyih > Khanum pointed out the importance of the education of children > in the formation of their character and emphasized the special destiny of indigenous peoples described in the Baha'i writings. > This event represented a suitable end to a memorable journey, > rich in opportunities for reflection on past achievements and new > resolutions for future progress. > > -v.;THE > iEARrN > REVIEW > > T he advent of Ri<;lvan 1997 brought to a close an eventful > year for Baha'i communities around the world. At Ri<:Ivan > 1996 Baha'is everywhere embarked on a Four Year Plan, constituting the latest in a series of plans initiated by the Baha'i World > Centre and designed to systematize and stimulate the growth and > development of the worldwide Baha' i community. 1 The inception of the Four Year Plan was distinguished by a vigorous and > rapid planning process, engaging the attention of the community > at all levels, beginning with joint consultations of the Continental > Counsellors and National Spiritual Assemblies and extending to > Auxiliary Board members and Local Spiritual Assemblies. Numerous Baha'i communities focused more intently than ever before > on establishing training institutes. In many parts of the world, > Baha'i involvement in the life of society took the form of special > efforts to address the need for race unity. The year was also notable > for the number of individual Baha'is who arose to promote the > > 1. See also pp. 27-37 . > > teachings of their Faith through travel to distant regions and > countries. This article seeks to highlight some of the specific > events associated with these and other developments in the Baha'i > community this year. > Certain events of particular note will not be covered in this summary but are chronicled in more detail in separate articles: The > election of two new National Spiritual Assemblies; the solemn > session of the Federal Chamber of Deputies in Brazil held to mark > the 75th anniversary of the introduction of the Baha'i Faith into > that country, at which Amatu'l-Baha Ruhiyyih Khanum was the > honored guest; and an update on the progress of the construction > projects on Mount Carmel. > The material in this survey is organized under the following > categories: community building; landmark occasions; youth; > women; race unity; peace; interfaith activities; social and economic > development; involvement in the life of society; moral education; > contact with prominent people; recognition; sharing the message of > Baha'u'llah; institutes and other training activities; scholarship; > and the arts. > Community Building > A major task occupying Baha'i individuals and institutions is > that of building the community itself. The vision of what Baha'i > communities are to be has been articulated by the Universal House > of Justice as "a composition of diverse, interacting participants > that are achieving unity in an unremitting quest for spiritual and > social progress." Within this context, a wide array of activities > and endeavors can be described as "community building." > > The influx of > Cameroonian students > into the Baha'i > community of Mogilov, > Belarus, made possible > the formation > of the community's > Local Spiritual > Assembly in > April 1996. > > The observance of Baha'i Holy Days is one of the first matters to > occupy the attention of new Baha'i communities, and these events > are the source of spiritual refreshment and inspiration. The efforts of > the following two communities merit particular mention, due to the > social upheaval afflicting their countries. The Freetown, Sierra > Leone, Baha'i community celebrated the Birthday of Baha'u'llah at > the National Baha'i Center on 12 November 1996. Forty-five people > attended the event. On 20 October 1996, Baha'is in Rwanda gathered in the National Baha'i Center to observe the Birthday of the > Bab, which was announced on the Rwandan radio station. About 50 > Baha'is attended the event, at which the children recited poems and > Baha'i writings from memory, to the delight of the attendees. > Then on 27 October, Rwandan Baha'is visited the land reserved > for the construction of a House of Worship in that country, once > again listening to the children read prayers and poems and sharing a > meal together. In the Central African Republic, drning the disturbances > that took place there in May 1996, the Baha'is organized themselves > in such a way as to protect each other and to guard Baha'i property. > The Baha'i principle of unity in diversity was expressed by various communities in significant ways. From 21to23 February 1997, > a Baha'i Native Council was held in Panama, during which representatives from a number of communities gathered together. Some > 800 people participated each day, representing six countries, three > indigenous groups within Panama, and thirty local communities. The > final evening drew a crowd of about 2,000. Over the three days three > doctors, one nurse, two assistants and a dietician from San Felix > hospital offered urgent and simple assistance, including medications; > > THE BAlli\'f WORLD > > on the last day all the children were vaccinated and some adults > given tetanus shots. In Belarus, an influx of Cameroonian students > into the Baha'i community made possible the formation of the Local > Spiritual Assembly of Mogilov at Ric;lvan 1996 and the establishment > of a diverse community. In July 1996, the Tenth Annual Black > Men's Gathering was held in Hemingway, South Carolina, at the > Louis Gregory Institute. Attended by over 100 Black Baha'i men > from the United States, the Caribbean, Canada, and Africa, the event > aimed at deepening the participants' understanding of the history and > role of the peoples of African descent. As a result of the gathering, > more than 45 attendees pledged to visit Africa over the following > three years to share Baha'u'llah's message with the people there. > The gathering was highly praised by the Universal House of Justice for simultaneously meeting the particular needs of a certain > population while maintaining a universal spirit. > Conferences are regularly held in Baha'i communities in order > to allow people to gather from far-flung areas to create bonds and > consult. The Baha'is of Freeport in the Bahamas held a conference > > A group of > musicians > performed at > the National > Pacific > Island > Conference > in South > Auckland, > New > Zealand. > > on Baha'i life from 27 to 29 September 1996. The Baha'is of Costa > Rica held two simultaneous conferences in the autumn of 1996 to > launch the Four Year Plan-one in San Jose and one in the indigenous area of Talamanca. In Equatorial Guinea a conference was > held in the village ofNtobo this year, attended by over 50 Baha'is > from various communities in the region. > A regional congress was held in the amphitheater of the Local > Baha'i Center in Mo'issala, Chad, from 25 to 28 November 1996, > > attended by about 380 people. The purpose of the gathering was to > assess the community's strengths and weaknesses and consult on > the possibilities for the future. News of the conference was reported > in the national press of N'Djamena and on Sarh Radio. > Members of many of the Baha'i communities in the Mediterranean region gathered near Palermo, Sicily, in September 1996 for > a friendship meeting which was also attended by the Hand of the > Cause 'Ali-Mul).ammad Varqa. About 200 people participated. > A regional conference was held on 22 and 23 February 1997 in > Ngardmau, Palau, Western Caroline Islands. The attendees consulted > on the role of Baha'is in society, what Baha'i culture is, and how > a Baha'i can be distinguished from other individuals. > Over 220 Baha'is from all parts of Zimbabwe gathered in Harare > in September 1996 for a National Baha'i Congress. The event began > with a women's conference, which was attended by 35 women and > featured a music and drama competition. > A key element of Baha'i community life is the seasonal school, > during which Baha'is from widely scattered areas can gather, study > the Faith together, enjoy fellowship, and immerse themselves in an > Baha 'is in > Cochabamba, > Bolivia, > gathered in > September > 1996/or a > course on > the Local > Spiritual > Assembly. > > environment in which Baha'i principles are being scrupulously > followed. Such events forge bonds of unity and love among people > who would otherwise rarely, if ever, meet. These schools are held > in every part of the globe; the following are a representative sampling of summer, winter, and spring schools held this year. > The first joint Baha'i summer school for the communities of > Japan and Korea was held in Kyongju, South Korea, from 16 to 18 > August 1996. There were 61 participants from Japan, 120 from > > Korea, and 10 from other countries. After the summer school, two > teams made up of Japanese, Korean and Taiwanese participants > arose to convey to others the message of Baha'u'llah through the > use of the arts. > The fifth Bulgarian Baha'i summer school, held near the city of > Stara Zagora from 29 August to 1 September 1996, was attended > by 41 participants, including eight members of the National Spiritual Assembly. Baha'is attended from Bulgaria, Germany, India, > the Netherlands, Nigeria and the United Kingdom. In July 1996, > a summer school was held in Equatorial Guinea, attended by 150 > people, both Baha'is and others. A Baha'i summer school held > in Marianao, Cuba, in August 1996 covered a variety of topics, including consultation, sharing the message of Baha'u 'llah with > others, and Baha'i administration. > In Greece, the weekend of 31 May to 3 June 1996 saw a spring > school for Baha'i children, dedicated to the discovery of a true > Baha'i identity through the sharing of experiences, the offering of > service, and the release of creativity and love. The school program > interwove service activities with creative exercises. > The winter school held in Minsk, Belarus, in February 1997 was > attended by some 90 people representing the countries of Belarus, > Cameroon, Moldova, the Ukraine, and the United States. It in - > cluded workshops on Baha'i marriage and family life, teaching > moral values to children, and the effects of alcohol on the family. A > winter school was held in the Khartoum, Sudan, Baha'i Center from > 24 to 26 January 1997 and attended by Baha'is from various parts > of the country. Baha'i Spring Schools were also held in the Virgin > Islands and in Wales. > The effort to build communities includes special attention to > the needs of families and to the effectiveness of group endeavors. > In Dioral, Senegal, the Baha'is have acquired a community field > in which they work together, with the proceeds from the harvest > going to their local fund, as well as other development projects. > On 13 July 1996, Baha' is in the Mariana Islands and their fanulies > gathered at Tagachang Beach in Yona for an island-wide family > camp, which included an observance of the Nineteen Day Feast, in > addition to socializing and relaxation. From 22 to 26 August, > "Camp Badi' 2" was held in Mayaro, by the Baha'is of Trinidad > > and Tobago. The camp was an opportunity for families to gather for > consultation, study, games, and relaxation in order to enhance unity > of thought in the community. > The Baha'i World Centre in Haifa, Israel, plays a vital role in Baha'i > community life by providing both a spiritual and an administrative > center for Baha'is all over the world. Guidance and inspiration flow out > from the World Centre through the correspondence of the Universal > House of Justice, while pilgrims and visitors flock to Haifa, bringing > their news and enthusiasm. While in Haifa, pilgrims form bonds > with other visitors from far-flung areas, further knitting together the > hearts of the members of all humanity. Hand of the Cause of God > 'Ali-Akbar Furlitan plays a special role in this process of building an > international community. Both through his correspondence and > through his daily meetings with pilgrims and visitors, during > which he shares his wisdom and experiences, he provides others with a > clearer picture of the society Baha'is are bringing into being. > Landmark Occasions > Two of this year's landmark occasions have to do with making the > Baha'i writings more widely available to people the world over: the > first French edition of the Kitab-i-Aqdas- the Most Holy Book of > the Baha'i Faith- was published in Belgium in November 1996; > and a booklet of Baha'i prayers in the ChiKalanga language was > published in Botswana. It is the first Baha'i booklet to be printed in > this language, which is dominant in the northeast of the country. > More than 2,500 Baha' is from 48 countries and 26 states in > India thronged the Baha' i House of Worship in New Delhi on 23 > December 1996 to celebrate the 10th anniversary of its dedication. > A special prayer service began the celebration, during which > Baha'i prayers and other writings were recited in Hindi, Urdu, and > English and a 95-voice a cape/la choir sang. After the prayer service, attendees visited the Indian National Baha'i Archives, which > contain some sacred relics related to the Central Figures of the > Faith- the Bab, Baha' u ' llah, and 'Abdu'l-Baha- and to its early > history. The government television network aired a 30-minute program on the House of Worship, "The Jewel in the Lotus," during > prime time on the same day. The next two days of the celebration > were held in the Sirifort Auditorium in South Delhi and included > > THE BAHA'I W ORLD > > This year marked the > 10th anniversary of the > dedication of the > Bahri 'i House of > Worship in > New Delhi, India . > More than 2,500 > Bahri 'is from around > the world attended the > celebration. > > A special > cultural program, > including dan ce > and song > presentations, > was held to > commemorate the > 10th anniversary > of the Indian > House of Worship. > > a special cultural program of singing and dancing, which was > attended by various dignitaries, as well as a wide variety of talks > and other presentations. The Temple attracted over 28 million > visitors during the ten years from its dedication to the celebration; as many as 150,000 people a day have passed through its > portals, making it one of the most visited edifices in the world, > and it has been mentioned or featured in numerous architectural > and engineering journals for its innovative design and exquisite > beauty. It was dedicated in December 1986 to "the Unity of God, > the Unity of His Prophets, and the Unity of Mankind." > A new Baha'i center was opened in Imafin, in the middle > bush area of Tanna Island in Vanuatu, at the end of November > 1996. About 500 Baha'is attended the ceremony, which included a > feast with singing and dancing and whose highlight was the placing > of a copy of the Kitab-i-Aqdas in the new center. The volume, > which had been laid on a bed of flowers and taken to the top of > a mountain "to be closer to God," was carried down by four local > > YEAR IN REVIEW > > chiefs. Customary gifts were exchanged, and the Aqdas was set in > its place of honor. > On 11November1996 the Baha'i center in Inari, Finland, was > inaugurated with a program which included the participation of > two members of the Sarni Parliament and a member of the Inari > municipality. The speakers emphasized the significance of the center > as a promoter of fellowship, peace, harmony, and unity within > the area. The Inari Local Spiritual Assembly, which operates in the > heart of Lapland, makes the facility available as a regional center > for the Sarni people. Additionally, a Regional Baha'i Council has > been established for the whole Sarni area, which includes parts of > Norway, Sweden, Finland, and Russia. > Didibuna is a tiny village inside an abandoned rubber plantation, > one hundred kilometers west of Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea. > On 31November1996, 372 people gathered there for the opening of > the ~ommunity's new Baha'i center. Some Baha'is traveled hundreds of kilometers to attend the event, while others from nearby > coastal villages brought contributions of food. Youth song and > dance groups came, and their string bands played through the night > until dawn. > The Baha'is of Caacupe, Paraguay, placed the cornerstone of > their future Baha'i center in October 1996. The community's > financial resources are so limited that the Ministry of Health has no > facilities to use for its vaccination campaigns. The Baha'is wish > to offer their center for this and other community needs. > Members of the Baha'i community of Cyprus rejoiced this year > that for the first time they were able to celebrate Naw-Ruz together > as a united community of Greek and Turkish Cypriots. Nearly 60 > Baha'is from all parts of Cyprus gathered in the Ledra Palace for a > program of readings, socializing, music, and refreshments in an > atmosphere of love and unity. > On 7 September 1996, Amatu'l-Baha Ru}:liyyih Khanum, accompanied by Violette Na.!shjavani, participated in a conference in > Lisbon, Portugal, held to commemorate the 50th anniversary of > the establishment of the Baha'i Faith in that country. Some 300 > people gathered, including Baha'is from Spain, Ireland, the > United States, France, and Bulgaria. During her visit, Rul}iyyih > Khanum was interviewed by a daily newspaper, which published > > TH13 BAI-L\'f WORLD > > an article on the event the following Sunday, and by a television > crew, whose station aired a 30-minute program about the history of > the Baha'i Faith in Portugal on national television on 10 November. > On 29 and 30 June 1996 four National Spiritual Assemblies in > the Americas--Brazil, French Guiana, Guyana, and Surinamemet together for the first time, in Paramaribo, Suriname, to discuss > cooperative efforts and other subjects of mutual concern. > The National Spiritual Assembly of the Baha'is of the Philippines, > together with the country's Islamic Directorate, was presented > with the Gawad Ugnay Award during the Eighth National Trisectoral > Congress of the National Social Action Council (NASAC) on 26 July > 1996. NASAC is composed of members from the government, > religious, and business sectors of society, and the conference's > theme was "Regeneration of Values: the Role of Family for the > Twenty-First Century." In further recognition of the Baha'i community's involvement with the activities of the council, the Baha'i > Faith is now represented on its Executive Board. > Australian Baha'i Cathy Freeman took the silver medal at the > 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta in the 400-meter track and > field final; in so doing she became the first Australian Aborigine to > win an Olympic medal. Her time was 48.63 seconds. > Youth > Baha'is participated in the first National Youth Congress of El > Salvador, held in San Salvador on 17 September 1996. Focused > on finding solutions for problems facing Salvadoran youth, the > conference was attended by representatives of governmental and > private agencies in addition to more than 1,400 young people. Three > of the 15 Baha'is present were selected by their peers to be members of the National Commission of Salvadoran Youth, which > was sworn in by Salvadoran President Armando Calderon Sol at > the end of the Congress. A Baha'i was also selected to be one of > ten alternate members for the Commission. The event was covered by news media. > A conference on "Youth and Global Governance" was held at > the Landegg Academy in Wienacht, Switzerland, from 11 to 15 > September 1996 . About 107 individuals from 25 countries > attended the event, including representatives of various youth > > Youth from diverse backgrounds posed for a picture > at the Baha'i House of Worship in Sydney, Australia. > > In Western Samoa, > adults, youth, and children > sing at a Baha'i > Nin eteen Day Feast, > held in November 1996. > > Jn December 1996, > ' youth from Nagaland, India, attended > a Baha'i conference > in New Delhi, which > was immediately > followed by the tenth > anniversmy > 1 celebrations of the > Bahit 'i House > of Worship. > > Baha'i youth > in Ireland > discuss the > relationship > of man to > God at a > workshop > held in > August 1996. > > organizations from diverse countries. Organized by the European Baha'i Youth Council, the proceedings benefited from the > active contribution of two members of the Commission on Global > Governance, Madame Anna Balletbo and Lord Frank Judd. > The European Baha'i Youth Council participated in the United > Nations Youth Summit held in Vienna, Austria, from 25 to 30 > November 1996. Over 350 non-governmental organizations were > represented, and 12 working groups were designated to discuss > issues such as drug abuse, employment, education, and tolerance. > The European Baha'i Youth Council's representatives participated > in two of the twelve working groups- "Y outh Participation and > Youth Rights" and "Youth and Human Settlements." > The first Baha'i youth conference of Kyrgyzstan, held from > 26 to 28 July in Bishke)<, was attended by some 400 Baha'is from > 19 countries. Conference topics included the responsibility of youth > and the role of Baha'i women at this time in history. > Malawi's annual Baha'i youth conference was held at the > Amaika Baha'i Institute from 30 November to 1 December > 1996. Participants came from Amalika, Nkaombe, Kankhomba, > Chimeta, Nankwakwala, Blantyre, and Chiradzulo. > The third Southeast Asian Baha'i Youth Conference was held > in Nongkhai, Thailand, from 6 to 9 December 1996 and was attended by over 250 youth of various ethnicities from 15 countries. The > conference focused on the arts. > A Baha'i youth conference in Lima, Peru, held from 9 to 12 > January 1997, was characterized by the use of th~ arts in encouraging and stimulating youth. The event was regarded by many as > > Som e of the > 235 participants > of a training > institute in > Cote d'Ivoire. > > a step forward in the consolidation of the Latin American Baha'i > youth movement that has started to emerge over the past couple > of years. > The Manzini Regional Baha'i Center in Swaziland was the > scene of a Baha'i youth conference from 3 to 12 May 1996. The > first four days focused on how to tell others about Baha'u'llah's > message; the next six days were spen( actually teaching those in > rural areas about the Baha'i Faith and its principles. About 25 > Baha'i youth attended another conference held from 1 to 3 November 1996 at the same center. > From 24 to 28 December 1996, a youth conference was held > at the National Baha'i Center in Kampala, Uganda. The 78 participants came from Alaska, Burundi, Canada, Chad, Kenya, New > Zealand, Spain, Tanzania, Uganda, the United States, and Zambia. > A national youth conference was held in Ebo Iowa, Cameroon, > from 11 to 14 July 1996. The theme of the Conference was "Transformation," and all of the topics were presented by youth. During > the conference, two adults and two youth were interviewed for > a radio program which was broadcast later. On 17 and 18 August 1996, 65 Baha'i youth gathered for a youth conference in > Phnom Penh, Cambodia, which was fully organized by the > Baha'i youth of that city. Both of the main speakers were Khmer > youth, and about 20 percent of the participants were young > women. > The second Baha'i National Youth Conference in Hungary > was held in Bekescsaba on 23 November 1996, featuring the first > performance of the Hungarian Dance Workshop, various talks, > > TI-IE B AHA'I W ORLD > > and workshops on the role of youth today and in the future. From > 5 to 8 April 1997, the National Youth and Pre-Youth Conference > was held in Oulu, Finland, giving impetus to the enhancement of > local youth group activities. > With their youth unable to attend school and left idle because > of the war in that country, Baha'is in Angola offered a workshop > from 1 to 5 May 1996 to help the young people understand > Baha'u'llah's vision of the world and the important role they can > play in society. A camp was held at the Baha'i institute in Mahalapye, Botswana, for the youth who were on holiday. It provided > opportunities for fellowship, as well as classes on the Baha'i Faith, > music, and drama. A youth camp was also held in Belize in July > 1996. > From 29 April to 2 May 1996, a spring school for Baha'i youth > and junior youth took place on the island of Crete in Greece with > approximately 20 participants. The young people studied the > Baha'i writings and discussed topics such as the power of divine > assistance, consultation, and offering a period of service to the > community. On 14 and 15 December, the Baha'i community of > Argentina held a celebration to mark the culmination of its > "Future Society" course, which has for five years been providing > youth with an opportunity to deeply study the Baha'i Faith. > Salonika, Greece, saw a four-day seminar this year in which > themes such as transformation, the love of Baha'u 'llah, and the > Four Year Plan were discussed. Other opportunities for youth to > study the Baha'i writings were offered by the Baha'i communities of Plovdiv, Bulgaria, and Coverden, Guyana. > > Ocean Wa ves > Dance Workshop > of South Korea > performs f or a > senior citizen group > in Kyoung Ju City > in Aug ust 1996. > > Baha'i youth in Tenerife, Canary Islands, engaged in a variety > of activities to serve the community for nineteen days beginning > 27 August 1996. They visited a center for people with mental disabilities and a hospital, they offered a talk and discussion on drug > dependency, and visited a home for the aged in Puerto de la Cruz, > helping the elderly people during their meal time and taking > them to visit a zoological amusement park. > On 25 August 1996 the third "Full Color Festival" was held in > Emmen, the Netherlands, to let people from different cultures in the > region get to know each other better. Baha'i participation included > a stand of literature and three dynamic performances of the Baha'i > youth workshop "Awake." > Baha'i youth in Singapore participated in three major activities > in June 1996: a 24-hour prayer vigil held on 15 June; a musical > introductory meeting on 22 June; and a youth carnival on 29 and > 30 June. At the 22 June meeting, the Singapore Baha'i Youth > Workshop gave its first public performance at the Hilton Hotel. > Baha'i youth year of service volunteers at the Native American Baha'i Institute in Houck, Arizona, in the United States, took > part in a monthly youth development program that aims to raise > their awareness of their own special talents and their confidence to > play a part in the development of their own communities, and to > develop in them the skills necessary for offering the Baha'i message to others. > A special project in Belgium, carried out in August 1996, succeeded in attracting positive attention to the Baha'i Faith on the > part of people of various backgrounds in Brussels. Sixty youth > from 18 countries participated, including Panacea, a workshop > composed of youth serving at the Baha'i World Centre, which > contributed to the success of the project. > On 25 July 1996, Sparks of Peace, composed of some 20 youth > from eleven countries in the Caribbean, premiered their program > of drama, dance, music, and puppetry at Mapps College, St. Philip, > Barbados. In preparation for their dispersal in teams throughout > the Caribbean, they produced a cassette of stories, designed and > printed a teaching pamphlet. recorded a cassette of original songs, > and wrote scripts to teach the principles of the Baha'i Faith > through dramatic performances. Five went to Statia, in the West > > Leeward Islands, from 27 July to 11 August, performing skits > about the equality of men and women, conducting children's > classes, and sharing the Baha'i message with others. > On 12 and 13 October, an Ecuadoran radio station sponsored > an art contest among schools in the city of Bahia de Caraquez. > The organizers invited a Baha'i Youth Workshop to open and > close the program with performances of music and dance. About > 1,200 people attended the event, which was held in a coliseum. > The Youth Workshop performed seven artistic pieces conveying the > message of the need for unity. The following day the youth also > performed in the central park. > On 22 May 1996, the Maui Baha'i Youth Workshop in Hawaii > performed at the Maui Memorial Stadium to.all of the fifth grade > classes in the county. The performance, which was sponsored > by the Maui County Police Drug Awareness Resistance Education > (DARE) program, centered on the destructive and damaging > effects of drug addiction. The DARE program officers had called > the Baha' i Youth Workshop "the most important tool" at their > disposal "in reaching the youth of Maui County with this important message." > The Maui Baha'i Youth Workshop completed a seven-week > tour of the islands in the Central Pacific on 26 July 1996. In Kiribati, over 6,000 people attended their shows, including the President, > Vice-President, Cabinet members and high-ranking government > officials. The Kiribati Youth Song and Drama Team, which was > performing throughout the islands, joined the Hawaiian youth. In > Tuvalu, about 2,000 people, representing almost a quarter of the > country' s population, attended the performances. In the Marshall > Islands, the youth offered four performances and carried out community service, including painting several schools. > Sixteen youth who formed a song and dance workshop called > Ocean Waves visited eight cities in South Korea in two weeks during the summer. The group was made up of one youth each from > Germany and Guam, five from Japan, four from South Korea, > and five from Taiwan. > In June 1996, a three-week project was arranged in Poland in > conjunction with the visit of a Baha'i youth theater and dance > group from Canada during whichBaha'i classes were conducted in > > many communities of the country. The Canadian youth group was on > a "World Citizenship Tour/Service Project." The effort was covered > in the newspaper and on the radio. > Baha'i youth in St. Martin, West Leeward Islands, formed a > youth dance group this year, offering their first public performance > of a dance on unity on 17 October 1996 at the Grand Case Community Center as part of the Baha'i contribution to an ecumenical > service. > Members of Europe's Diversity Dance Workshop-youth of > diverse cultural backgrounds from about seven countries in at least > four continents-took a year from their studies to tour Europe, > with a goal of using dance to promote the principles and teachings > of the Baha'i Faith. The group's itinerary included Germany, > France, Macedonia, Albania, Croatia, Slovenia, Italy, Spain, Belgium, and Denmark. > Other Baha'i youth workshops were active this year in Alaska, > Australia, Canada, France, Germany, the Mariana Islands, the > Netherlands, Russia, and Singapore. Additionally, groups traveled > in West Africa and East Africa, and dozens of workshops were > busy all across the United States. > Women > The urgent need to raise the status and improve the living conditions of women the world over occupied the attention of the > Baha'i community once again this year. The Baha'is' endeavors > took the form of both awareness-raising activities and special > projects. > A representative of the Baha'i Agency for Social and Economic > Development (BASED) of Cameroon took part in the seventh International Forum of the Association for Women in Development, > held in Washington D.C., in the United States, in September > 139'6. The BASED representative offered a presentation on the > role of males in achieving gender equity in the family, based on > the experience of the "Traditional Media as Change Agent" > project. > An event to celebrate International Women's Day was held on > á 8 March 1997 by the National Women's Development Center, an organization of the Kiribati government. Baha' i women provided, > > at the request of the organizers, devotions in Kiribati and English > at the beginning of the event. Attendees included the Honorable > Teburoro Tito, the President of Kiribati, and his wife, Nei Keina > Tito, as well as several ministers and senior government officials, > Bishop Paul Mea and other religious leaders, the Australian High > Commissioner and other diplomatic representatives, and representatives of several non-governmental organizations. > A seminar in honor > of International > Women 's Day was > held at India's > National Institution > of Women on the > topic of "Towards a > Violence-Free > Family." > > Diane Starcher was invited as a representative of the European > Baha'i Business Forum to give a presentation on "Women Entrepreneurs: Catalysts for Transformation" at the Seventh Annual Trade > Fair for Women Entrepreneurs held in Madrid, Spain, from 7 to > 10 November 1996. The fair aimed at giving women entrepreneurs the opportunity to rent stands to make themselves and their > products or services known. > The third Women's Seminar, organized by the Baha'i Association > of Women in the Canary Islands, took place from 31 May to 2 June > 1996. The event was held in Grand Canary and was attended by > 39 people. On 20 February 1997, a public program entitled "Empowering Women" was held in Gaborone, Botswana. Additionally, > a conference on women's and children's education was held at > the Baha'i Center in Gaborone on 23 March. > The tenth annual National Women's Conference in Kenya, > with a theme of"Women, The First Educators of Mankind," was > held at the Nakuru Baha'i Center from 14 to 18 August 1996. > The conference included workshops where participants could learn > how to make various handicrafts. Attendees from the central and > western parts of the country offered traditional dances and songs, > and an evening of entertainment was presented by the Baha' i youth, > who sang, danced, and performed plays. On 2 June 1996, the > > Delta State chapter of Nigeria's Baha'i Office for the Advancement of Women held a conference for women. Men who had > helped set up were observers at the event, during which talks > were delivered on various topics relating to women. > The Malaysian Baha'i community engaged this year in an > array of activities to address the need to raise the status of women. > Baha'is in Tangkak helped organize a public forum, held on 28 > September 1996, for sharing experiences of the Fourth World > Conference on Women in Beijing; a family workshop focusing on > women's and men's differing needs was held in August 1996; > and Baha'i women took part in State Women' s Day on 28 September 1996. > A three-day course on empowering women was held in July > 1996 by Baha' is in Cape Town, South Africa. Attended by older > women who had habitually served behind the scenes of various > activities without putting themselves forward, the event was seen > by many as a profound and moving experience that offered them a > precious opportunity to express themselves freely without feeling > ashamed for not being well educated. > Two events in Australia this year highlighted the role of women > as peacemakers: more than 100 people participated in a one-day > conference held in Fremantle, Western Australia, entitled "Achieving Peace: A Dream of the Past and a Reality of Today"; and over > 250 people attended the Clara and Hyde Dunn Memorial Dinner > and Lecture in Melbourne, held this year on 16 November 1996, > which featured Wilma Ellis, a member of the Continental Board > of Counsellors in the Americas, speaking on the theme "Women: > Peacemakers, Reformers, Leaders." Also in Australia, a visit by > Patricia Locke, a Lakota Sioux from South Dakota who serves on the > U.S . National Spiritual Assembly, to an indigenous women's meeting in Mt. Morgan created new bonds and moved many of those > present. Mrs. Locke, who is the executor of an international institute > dealing with Native American language issues, was the first Native > Arne1ican woman to win a MacArthur Fellowship. 2 > The Baha'i community of India kept up a steady stream of > events designed to address issues of concern to women and raise > > 2. See Th e Baha 'f World 1995- 96, p. 86. > > their status in that country. A seminar hosted by the Indian > Baha'i Office for the Advancement of Women this year focused > on the empowerment of women as a key to the alleviation of > poverty. That office, in collaboration with other organizations, also > hosted a seminar on 25 April 1996 on "Creating Violence-Free > Families." The chief guest was Padma Seth, a member of the National Commission for Women. The states of Madhya Pradesh, > Punjab, and Manipur also saw special gatherings for women > organized by the Baha'i community, in conjunction with literacy > classes and discussions on the role of women in development. > Vocational training for women was offered by Baha' is in Bihar > and West Bengal. > In August 1996, phase II of the "Traditional Media as Change > Agent" project was presented in five villages of the Kadei Division > of Cameroon. Sponsored by the United Nations Development Fund > for Women (UNIFEM) and by the Baha'i International Community, > the project uses dramatic sketches, songs, dances, and stories to > identify problems in the communities such as lack of education, > inequality between men and women, and attachment to obsolete > customs. At the end of the presentations, men and women from > the villages were selected to discuss the implications of the problems and to make recommendations about how they could be > solved. As a result of these consultations, four of the communities > created farming cooperatives, two purchased com mills to lessen > the strain of the women's work, and one dug a well for drinking > water with the assistance of an American Peace Corps volunteer. > Literacy and health classes for women were offered in various > communities in the Gambia. One community included a lesson in > sesame brittle production, to assist the women in generating > income. In Sweden, a Baha'i woman has begun holding regular > meetings for young girls aimed at strengthening their identities > and opening up a dialogue with them on the deep questions of life. > The Baha'i Frauen Forum (Baha'i Women's Forum) was established in Germany in June 1996 with a meeting at the Baha'i > National Center. To demonstrate the Baha'i community's commitment to the principle of the equality of men and women, the forum > welcomes the membership of men as well as women and it elected > one of the male participants as a member of its board of directors. > > Race Unity > Representatives of the Welsh Baha'i community attended a reception > held by the Commission for Racial Equality in St. David's Hall, > Cardi ff, this year. The reception launched the "Roots of the > Future" project, a large exhibition that features photographs and > images showing that ethnic diversity is nothing new in Britain. > The first Annual General Meeting of the Northern Ireland Council > for Ethnic Equality took place in Belfast on 11 May 1996. Nooshin > Proudman, a Baha'i from Derry who had chaired the body during > its first year of existence, was reappointed as its chairman. The > council has responsibility for fostering good race relations in > Northern Ireland. > On 12 June 1996, the Baha'is of East London, South Africa, > invited the public to join them in celebrating Race Unity Day. About > 400 people gathered to mark the occasion, including the mayor, > who was the keynote speaker. The Italian Consul in East London > also spoke at the event. A number of choirs and dancers performed, including an Afrikaans primary school choir, an Indian > dance group, African choir and dance groups, and Philippine dancers. > Baha'is all over Australia vigorously tackled issues of racial > unity and Aboriginal reconciliation this year, mounting a number of > short- and long-term initiatives. The National Spiritual Assembly of > Australia published a statement on racism and offered a submission to the National Inquiry into the Separation of Aboriginal and > Torres Strait Islanders Children. In addition, a special service > was held at the Australian House of Worship on 8 December 1996 > in honor of Human Rights Day, and at the reception held at the > National Center beforehand Chris Sidoti, the Australian Human > Rights Commissioner, spoke about the continuing problem of racism. The Baha' i Committee for the Advancement of Women > hosted a meeting on 10 December 1996 at which Annette Peardon, > the State Secretary of the Tasmanian Aboriginal Center, spoke of > her experience of being taken from her family at the age of seven > under government separation policies and being placed in a girls' > home. On the local level , Baha'is organized or participated in > celebrations of cultural diversity in Sydney, Warringah, and Wollongong. The Baha'i community of Rockdale organized a "Week > > THE BAHA'I WORLD > > of Prayer for Aboriginal Reconciliation" which was attended by > Robert McClelland, the Federal Member of Parliament for Barton > and George Thompson, the State Member of Parliament for > Rockdale. Mr. Thompson' s report on the event was published in > the Hansard Proof for 11 June 1996. > The Canadian Baha'i community's National Race Unity Award > was presented this year on 22 March 1997 to Vision TV at a > ceremony in Toronto. Accepting the award were Vision TV's > President, Fil Fraser, and Rita Deverell, Vice President of Production and Presentation. Members of Parliament Jean Augustine > and Gurbax Malhi attended the event along with other dignitaries > and representatives of many faith groups and organizations. Vision > TV, known as Canada's Faith Network, was selected for the award > in recognition of its unique national role in promoting racial unity. > Many of its programs uncompromisingly examine and celebrate > race, religion, and culture and clarify misconceptions in an effort > to eliminate stereotypical attitudes and racial bigotry. > Also in Canada, over 30 local Baha'i communities participated > in Unity in Diversity week, an initiative of the National Spiritual > Assembly, often observed in collaboration with likeminded organizations and featuring proclamations by mayors and city councils, > festivals, conferences, and public service projects. The intent of > Unity in Diversity week is to celebrate diversity as a source of > strength and beauty in the community. > Rajen Prasad, New Zealand's Race Relations Conciliator, met > with members of the Baha'i community on 24 June 1996, seeking > to establish a working relationship in addressing questions of > race relations. The Baha' is presented Dr. Prasad with a number > of documents pertaining to the subject, including The Prosperity > of Humankind, The Promise of World Peace, and several books > written by Baha' is on race unity and cultural diversity. > Baha'i communities in the United States responded to a series > of burnings of black and multiracial churches by taking part in > inter-faith services and through a statement issued by the National > Spiritual Assembly of the United States. The statement said, in part, > " . .. these acts are directed at all humanity, for humanity is one." > "Racism: Just Undo It," a non-profit group which began as an > effort of the Baha'is ofNew York City, recently took its third annual > > Show of Solutions campaign into New York City schools, aiming > to help children learn to problem-solve and contribute to the building of a world free from racial prejudice. Baha'is also sponsored > or took part in a number of conferences dedicated to eradicating > racial prejudice. Once again this year, Baha'i communities participated, and often took a leadership role, in local observances of > Martin Luther King Jr. Day in January 1997 throughout the United > States. In Wenatchee, Washington, the Baha'is initiated a multiethnic event called "Celebration of Unity," which was attended > by over 200 people. Localities where Baha'is marched in King Day > parades and hosted and attended services and commemorations of > the day included San Jose, and Los Angeles, California; Olean, > New York; Colorado Springs, Denver, and East Boulder County, > Colorado; Sun Prairie, Wisconsin; Sanford, Florida; Greenbelt, > Maryland; Carrollton, Houston, and Plano, Texas; and Gallup, > New Mexico. > Baha'i communities in the United States also drew attention > to the evils of racial prejudice through organizing observances of > Race Unity Day in June 1996. A commemoration sponsored by > the Baha'i community of Marquette, Michigan, featured a tree > planting near the grave of Native American Chief Kawbawgam. > An interracial Baha'i couple involved with the event returned > home from the celebration to find a Race Unity Day flier marked > up with racial epithets, a swastika, and a Ku Klux Klan symbol. > This garnered significant media attention to the efforts to promote > racial unity. Many other Baha'i communities held celebrations of > the day, including the Baha'is of the Central California coast; > New York, New York; Fort Wayne, Indiana; Clarkdale, Arizona; > Woodbridge, Virginia; Inverness, Florida; Lansing, Michigan; > Lexington, Kentucky; Chicago, Illinois; Kansas City, Kansas; > Aberdeen/Raymond, Washington; and Austin, Texas. > Peace > The Local Spiritual Assembly of Puerto de la Cruz on the island of > Tenerife, in the Canary Islands, collaborated with the city government in organizing an observance of UN World Peace Day on 22 > September 1996. The event featured a series of activities held > from nine in the morning until midnight in the city's central square, > > Plaza del Charco, including a children's art and handicraft contest, a > "Peace Concert," and the presentation of a work of art to the mayor. > Over 1,000 people attended the celebration, two regional newspapers > published articles announcing it, and two television channels > interviewed Baha'is. > During social upheavals in the Central African Republic in > spring 1996, the Baha'is offered a prayer for peace on the radio and > then subsequently organized a concert for peace, held on 25 July, > which featured a musical group of youth known as "Les Jardiniers de Dieu." Nearly 1,000 people attended the concert and a > crew from the national television station was present. The Baha'is > also presented programs on Central African television dealing > with "peace and development" and "peace and justice." > The third Baha'i Peace Relay was held in Japan on 6 August 1996, > running under the slogan "Peace- Pass It On." Leaving Hiroshima, > Japan, at 8:15 a.m. on 6 August 1996, and arriving in Nagasaki > at 11 :02 a.m. on 9 August, the 30 runners in this year' s relay team > represented eight different countries and a variety of ages. Nippon > Hoso Kyokai (Japan Broadcasting Corporation) broadcast the last > part of the Peace Run on Nagasaki TV news, and one of the NHK > reporters was inspired to join a team and run the last few meters. > The Baha'is of Sri Lanka held an observance of United Nations > World Peace Day at the National Center on 21 September 1996. > About 60 people attended the event, for which the guest speaker > was Jehan Perera of the National Peace Council. > A reception was held on 26 April 1996 in Chisinau, Moldova, > to mark the contribution of a sample of Moldovan soil to the Baha'i > > Th e second > International Native > Council was held > from 21 to > 23 February 1997 > at the Guaymi > Cultural Center in > Soloy, Panama. > > community, to be added to the Peace Monument in Rio de Janeiro, > Brazil in 1997. The soil was taken from the foot of the oak tree > under which King Stephen the Great was reputed to have enjoyed resting, in the forest near the Capriana Monastery. Various > government departments, state agencies, and non-governmental > organizations sent representatives to the ceremony. > In all the Peace Monument received soil from nine countries this > year.3 > Interfaith > Baha'u'llah exhorted His followers to "consort with the followers > of all religions in a spirit of friendliness and fellowship." > Accordingly, Baha'is eagerly take up opportunities to work hand > in hand with other religious groups and people of other faiths. > The Baha'i community of Tallinn, Estonia, held a panel discussion on 12 January 1997, on the occasion of World Religion > Day, with the attendance of the Director of Religious Affairs of > the Estonian Government, Mr. Au, as the guest of honor. The > crew of the national television station filmed the event and interviewed a member of the Regional Spiritual Assembly of the > Baltic States. A report was broadcast the same evening during > the prime time news and current events program. > Abdullah Tarmugi, Singapore' s Minister for Community Development, offered the keynote address during the World Religion > Day commemoration held on 19 January 1997. This third annual > observance of the Day was cosponsored by the Inter-Religious > Organization of Singapore and the Baha'i community, and was > attended by about 1,000 people. The event was covered by television, and reports were published in newspapers. > On 27 November 1996, two Baha'i representatives participated > with the Hong Kong Network on Religion and Peace on a visit to > the Kowloon Mosque. The visitors were given a tour and were > invited to observe an evening prayer session. > In Orissa, India, Baha'is assisted in the organization of the > World Religion Day observance, whose theme this year was > "Communal Harmony," a topic welcomed by both local government > > 3. Seep. 129 of this volume for further details. > > THE B AHA'I W ORLD > > officials and the general public. A Baha'i representative spoke at > the event, which was attended by some 120 people of diverse backgrounds. The "Communal Harmony Run" held on 20 August > 1996 in Orissa also featured the participation of a number of Baha'i > youth. > The Ministry of Education of Botswana called for workshops > in Kanye and Gaborone to discuss the expanded syllabus for religious > education with the junior secondary schools. A representative of > the Baha'i Faith responded by making a well-received presentation to forty teachers from private and government schools and > providing source materials. > A member of the Baha'i community of Mauritius made a presentation on the human soul at a two-day conference on life after > death, which was organized by a group that promotes unity among > religions . The event took place on 6 and 7 February 1997 at the > University of Mauritius and involved the collaboration of a number of other religious groups. > A Baha' i interfaith conference on "Women, Equality and Religion" was held at the University of Ibadan, Nigeria, on 22 June > 1996. It was organized by the Local Spiritual Assembly oflbadan > > Various religions were represented at the Singapore Saha 'i community's third > observance of World Religion Day on 19 January 1997. > > Th e Local Spiritual Assembly of Ibadan sponsored an inte1faith conference > on " Wom en, Equality, and Relig ion " on 22 Jun e. > > and featured representatives of the Baha'i, Christian, Hindu, and > Islamic religions. After each presentation, the floor was opened > for questions for one hour. > A Baha'i participated in a seminar on religious minorities held > from 18 to 20 July 1996 in Rawalpindi, Pakistan, and organized by > the Chiistian Study Center. Thirty-five representatives of minority > religions attended the event, at which the Baha'i participant spoke > and distributed a paper on collaboration among religious minorities. > Involvement in the Life of Society > More than ever before, Baha'i communities and individuals made > strenuous efforts to contribute solutions to the problems vexing > society, confronting such issues as the environment, health care, > human rights, and the need for world government. > On 5 June 1996, the International Day of the Environment, the > Baha'i community of El Salvador sponsored a seminar entitled > "Let Us Protect Our Planet," which included the participation of > the president of the Legislative Assembly Commission for Protection > of Environment and Public Health, a USAID official for Environment, > and a representative of the Green Project. Baha'is distributed a > > paper at the event on the subject of "The Spiritual Dimension of > the Ecological Problems." > The Baha'i-sponsored Children's Environmental Art Exhibition > took place in Hong Kong from 1 to 4 October 1996 at the Visual > Arts Center in Hong Kong Park. May Ng of the Friends of the > Earth officiated at the opening ceremony, and the exhibition was > covered by one English and two Chinese newspapers. > In Trinidad and Tobago, an interfaith service, environmental > walk and brunch took place simultaneously in Port of Spain, San > Fernando, and Tobago, on 2 June 1996. During the interfaith > service, which was held at the Wild Flower Park, Baha'i prayers > and writings were read. > This year an Albanian association dedicated to assisting > children with mental retardation held a seminar at the Baha'i > Cultural Center in Tirana. A Baha'i psychologist, Farhad Sobhani, > offered the presentation on the topic. In Bangladesh, the third > Rural Health Workers Training Course was completed in spring of > 1996. The two-month course sought to imbue participants with the > spirit of service to humanity, and to impart knowledge that will > enable them to contribute to the health of their communities. > The fourth European Baha'i Health Conference took place in > Budapest, Hungary, from 18 to 20 October 1996. Organized by the > Tahirih Institute of the Netherlands, in cooperation with a committee of the National Spiritual Assembly of Hungary, the gathering > brought together 58 delegates from 16 countries. The main themes > discussed were the health effects of family disruption; violence > within the family; racism in the health-care profession, and discrimination in health provision; science and its effects at international, > national, and local levels; and other topics related to health, in the > light ofthe Baha'i teachings. > Baha'i communities around the world frequently held special > observances for various United Nations Days and other related > events. About 60 people gathered at the Baha'i Regional Center > in Bamenda, Cameroon, to celebrate the UN International Day of > the Family on 15 May 1996. Two speakers addressed the audience > on the theme "The Family and the Fight against Poverty." On 27 > August 1996, an official delegation of the National Spiritual > Assembly of Luxembourg and other members of the Luxembourg > > Baha'i community attended the World Congress of the World > Federation of United Nations Associations held there. In Guyana, > the Baha'is held observances of United Nations Charter Day, on > 26 June 1996, and International Day of Peace, on 17 September. > The Baha'is in the Philippines celebrated United Nations Day with > a meeting held in Manila on 27 October 1996 on the theme of > "World Citizenship, a Global Ethic for Sustainable Development." > Among the speakers were the mayor ofMakati City, who gave the > welcoming remarks, and the United Nations representative. In the > > The singing group > "Nighingales " > from north Malaita, > Solomon Islands, > walked for two days > to get to Tiriuna to > participate in the > "Ocean of Light" > Teaching project, > held in November > 1996. > > audience were ambassadors, representatives of the government, > the business sector, and religious groups. > On 15 July 1996, Baha'is in Uruguay held an event to pay tribute > to the United Nations in the Feast Room of the Uruguayan Parliament- the first time in the history of that body that a religious > minority held an official act there. The advisor to the Uruguayan > Vice-President attended the event, and messages were received > from the Secretary-General of the United Nations, the President > of Uruguay, and various other governmental officials and members > of Parliament. > On the 51 st anniversary of the founding of the United Nations, > the Albanian Baha'i community, in collaboration with the Albanian > Forum of Non-governmental Organizations, held a commemorative > event at the Baha'i Cultural Center in Tirana which was attended by > over fifty guests, most of them members of various Albanian NGOs. > Baha'is in Albania also held round-table discussions at the Baha'i > Cultural Center on the occasions of International Volunteers' Day for > > Social and Economic Development, on 5 December 1996, and > Human Rights Day, on 10 December. The Baha'is of Bangladesh > observed UN Human Rights Day on 10 December 1996 by holding > public events in Rajshahi, Khulna, Chittagong, and Dhaka. > Concern for human rights sparked other Baha'i community > efforts this year. The National Spiritual Assembly of Cyprus sponsored a gathering in Nicosia on 22 January 1997 whose featured > address was "Global Human Rights: Vision and Reality." The talk > was delivered by Ambassador Andreas Mavrommatis, a member > of the United Nations Human Rights Committee at the Center for > Human Rights in Geneva. He formerly served as Ambassador and > Permanent Representative of the Republic of Cyprus to the United > Nations in New York. > At the invitation of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade, > Baha'i representatives in New Zealand attended two fora on international human rights, in Wellington and in Auckland. Topics > discussed included the Rights of the Child; the Convention for > the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women; and the establishment of a network of national human rights institutions in the > Asia-Pacific Region. > On 23 January 1997, the Romanian Institute for Human Rights > held a reception in connection with the publication of Reference > Points for a Human Rights Philosophy, by Irina Moroianu Zlatescu > and Victor Dan Zlatescu, the last chapter of which is entirely devoted > to the Baha'i Faith. At the reception the Baha'i delegation had the > opportunity to meet a number of government officials. > A group of Baha'is attended the First National Conference of > Human Rights at the Nereu Ramos auditorium of the Brazilian > House of Representatives on 26 and 27 April 1996. Proposals for > the National Plan for Human Rights were formulated at the event > and submitted to President Fernando Henrique Cardoso and Minister of Justice Nelson Jobim. > On 11 October 1996, the Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs > invited all the human rights non-governmental organizations, > including the Baha'i community, to a meeting in preparation for the > 53rd Session of the Commission on Human Rights. The Ministry > asked the non-governmental organizations for their input on what > subjects should be raised at the Commission. > > The questions of international cooperation and global governance > also demanded the attention of Baha'i communities this year. > Baha'is in the United Kingdom collaborated with the Commission > on Global Governance and the United Nations Association in organizing a conference on "Governance in the Global Neighborhood." > The event took place on 2 November 1996 at the International > Students' House in London and was attended by over 90 people > from 10 countries. > The first National Conference on Global Governance in Costa > Rica was held on 22 and 24 October 1996 in the Ex-President's > Hall of the National Legislative Assembly. Initiated by the Baha'i > community and cosponsored by the United Nations Development > Program, the National Legislative Assembly, the Ministry for > External Affairs, the Arias Foundation for Peace, the University > for Peace, the University of Costa Rica, and the National University, > the event focused on discussion of the report of the International > Commission on Global Governance, Our Global Neighborhood. > The Fifth International Dialogue on the Transition to a Global > Society was held in Budapest, Hungary, from 25 to 27 October 1996, > on the theme "A Planetary Consciousness for an Ever-Advancing > Civilization." It was organized by the Club of Budapest, Landegg > Academy, and the Center for International Development and Conflict > Management at the University of Maryland. Messages were received > from Amatu'l-Baha Ruhiyyih Khanum and from the Vice-President > of the United States, Al Gore. Sir Yehudi Menuhin, 1992 Goodwill > Ambassador of the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and > Cultural Organi zation, Gertrude Mongella from the United > Nations Development Program, and Vigdis Finnbogadottir, > former President oficeland, gave keynote speeches. A concert was > given on the second evening by the Hungarian State Symphony > Orchestra, conducted by Ken-Ichiro Kobayashi, and the Club of > Budapest "First Planetary Consciousness Prizes" were awarded > to Vaclav Havel, President of the Czech Republic, and to a group > of folk dancers and choreographers. Sir Yehudi Menuhin and Sir > Peter Ustinov presided over the awards ceremony. > From 2 to 16 September 1996, four conferences were held in > Mexico City by the Baha'is of Mexico, all of which had the theme > "A New World Order." The second annual Baha'i Conference on > > THE BAHA'I WORLD > > "Law and International Order" was held at the De Poort Conference > Centre in Groesbeek, the Netherlands, from 19 to 22 September > 1996. The gathering featured Mohsen Enayat's Dr. Aziz Navidi > Memorial Lecture on "The Evolution of the World Order" and > focused on the statement Turning Point for All Nations and on > the challenge of global governance. > The Baha'is of Altenkirchen, Germany, held the Fifth Festival for International Understanding on 2 June 1996 under the > patronage of the Minister of the State of Rhineland-Palatinate, > Walter Zuber. About 600 people attended the festival, which featured the participation of a number of district and city officials. The > Baha'is also collaborated with the World Federalist Movement > and Terra One World Network in the organization of a panel > discussion on the topic of "Globalization-A Challenge to the > Nations." This event was held at the University Club in Bonn on > 9 December 1996. > A panel discussion on ''The Role and Involvement of the Worldwide Community: A Turning Point for All Nations" was held at > Sala dello Stenditoio of the Ministry for Cultural Endowments and > Environment in Rome, Italy, on 6 December 1996. Organized by > the Baha'i community in cooperation with Ecole Instrument de > Paix (EIP), the event had the goal of opening a dialogue between > the institutional and academic worlds and non-governmental > organizations in the search for a common strategy to help solve > worldwide problems. > Baha'i communities made other efforts to address a wide variety of social issues. Drums of Light, a group composed of native > Alaskan Baha'is, assisted in the planning and organization of > Celebration '96 in Juneau, Alaska. The event took place from 6 to 8 > June 1996 and brought over four thousand people together to celebrate their native heritage. > Baha'is in Florida, Uruguay, organized a meeting in November > 1996 that focused on the role of women in the establishment of > peace and included the participation of various professionals and > people of capacity. A reporter from a local journal interviewed the > Baha'is and the next day an article was published. A second event > focused on "The Planet: Our Home" and featured an exhibition of > local art. The next day an article was published in the newspaper > > El Hera/do and an interview with the Baha'is was broadcast during > a local television station's news bulletin. > In late November 1996, the Baha' is of Nepal organized a > number of activities to promote education. A public talk by a Baha'i > who is an educator was held in Kathmandu and attended by 70 > people, including the former Nepalese Ambassador to the United > Nations; a luncheon and forum was cosponsored by the Baha'i > community and the United Nations Development Program Resident > Representative; and a presentation was made to 15 leading educators and various other dignitaries on the topic of "Educational > Reform and Development." News of the public talk in Kathmandu > was published in the government's newspaper, and an interview > with the speaker, Dwight Allen, was aired on Nepalese television. > On 17 October 1996, a Baha'i joined representatives of several > religions in a half-hour prayer and meditation session at the Trocadero esplanade in Paris, France. The prayer session formed > part of the event organized by the French humanitarian association > ATD Quart Monde to mark the "World Day of Refusal of Extreme > Poverty" and opened with some comments by the Baha'i representative and with a reading of a passage from Baha'u'llah's writings > that begins "Be generous in prosperity and thankful in adversity." > From 6 to 13 July 1996 a series of public lectures and seminars > was held during the Finnish Baha'i summer school in Rovaniemi. > Based on the themes "The Necessity of a New View of Man," > "Human Relations in a New Cultural Environment," "Turning Point > For All Nations," and "The Future of Ethnic Cultures," the meetings featured the participation of experts in various fields and the > chairman of the Sarni Parliament. In January 1997, the Baha'is of > Chile received a formal invitation to offer their views to a session of > the Senate Committee deliberating on the text of a legal framework > ensuring religious freedom and equality before law in that > country. > Twenty-five members of the Baha'i Esperanto League attended > the 81 st International Esperanto Congress, held in Prague, Czech > Republic, from 20 to 27 July 1996. Associated events included a > Baha'i presentation entitled "Carrying Forward an Ever-Advancing > Civilization," which was attended by 80 participants, and a Baha'i > public meeting held at the Congress Center and attended by about > > THE BAHA'I WORLD > > 60 people. Throughout the Congress, the Baha'i Esperanto League > members maintained a display and information booth. > The European Baha'i Business Forum (EBBF) held its fourth > annual conference in Sofia, Bulgaria, from 18 to 20 October 1996. > The theme of the event was "Moral and Ethical Principles in a Social > Market Economy," and it was sponsored by the Bulgarian Association > of the Club of Rome; the Institute for Sustainable Development; > the Federation of Consumers; the College of Management, Trade > and Marketing; the National Museum "Man and Earth"; the > International Association of Architecture; and the National Spiritual > Assembly of the Baha'is of Bulgaria. About 60 people attended the > gathering. EBBF also sent a delegation to the World Food Summit's > parallel NGO Forum from 11to17November1996 in Rome, Italy. > In Hong Kong, the Baha'is presented their third Baha'i Award > for Service to Humanity at a luncheon on 12 November 1996-the > Birthday of Baha'u'llah. The recipient of the award was Sansan > Ching, a leading educationalist in Hong Kong who has served > the community in this field for over 24 years. More than 160 people > attended the luncheon. > On 10 August 1996, the Baha'is of Jamaica hosted a media > conference at the Pegasus Hotel. Sponsored by the Baha' i International Community's Office of Public Information and WETV > (the first global access television network), the purpose of the gathering was to explore how to use television effectively- giving > expression to positive actions, strengthening cultural identity and > diversity, and further enhancing social and economic development. About 35 of the country's key decision-makers and > independent producers attended the conference, including the > Managing Director of JBC-TV, the Director of CPTC, two representatives from the Prime Minister' s office, and representatives > from UNESCO, CARIMAC, and CVM-TV. > Three Baha' i communications professionals from Canada who > participated in the conference held a three-day workshop on how > to produce video programs, training local Baha'is in filming > techniques and low cost production methods for various uses , > including community development work. > Two Baha'is in the Cook Islands have been visiting the inmates > at the prison in Arorangi each week to offer music, talks on spiritual > > Y EAR IN R EVIE\Xl > > matters, and fellowship. The aim of the visits is to give the > inmates an opportunity to rethink their attitude towards life and > help them acquire a positive outlook. Baha'i youth from Greece, > Cyprus, Turkey, and Switzerland participated in a social service > project in Crete from 1 to 8 August 1996. Activities included cleaning Lindo beach, donating blood, visiting sick children at the > hospital, visiting the residents of a home for the aged, and distributing leaflets on protecting the environment. In San Diego, > California, in the United States, Baha' is are playing a large role > in the running of the Hmong Homework Center for Children. > This after-school service is held in a public library and offers > assistance with homework and reading skills to Hmong children. > Young Hmong and Vietnamese women and men from San Diego > high schools, colleges, and universities offer their assistance > whenever they can and stand as role models for the children. > Of particular concern to Baha'is everywhere is the promotion of > universal education, with an emphasis on the acquisition of knowledge and skills for the purpose of serving humanity. This focus > on service and education is evoking a response from the wider > society. This year the National University of Bangladesh established a College of Law named after Jab bar Eidelkhani, a member of > the Continental Board of Counsellors in Asia residing in Bangladesh, > in recognition of his services as a promoter of education and knowledge throughout Asia, particularly in Bangladesh itself. Nikhilesh > Dutta, the Deputy Attorney General of Bangladesh, attended the > inaugural ceremony, as did members of the Supreme Court. > On 8 June 1996, at the request of the teachers and students > and with the approval of the authorities, a public primary school > in Rende, Italy, was dedicated to Giuseppe Stancati, a 12-year-old > Baha'i who had died a few years before. In a ceremony attended by > civil, religious, and cultural authorities, the school was dedicated > to the child in memory of the attitude he showed towards other > people' s difficulties in spite of his own serious cardiac illness. The > boy ultimately donated his eyes to two people in need, so that > they would be able to see "the beautiful things of the world." > The emphasis in Baha'i communities on social and economic > development derives from a fundamental belief in the need for "a > dynamic coherence between the spiritual and practical requirements > > THE B AHA:f W ORLD > > of life on earth": spiritual attainment cannot occur in isolation from > the promotion of justice and the advancement of civilization. The > efforts ofBaha' is in the field of development and human prosperity > reflect this link between the spiritual and the material. The following > are a few examples of the ways Baha'i individuals and communities > are putting spiritual principles to work for the bettennent of humanity. > " On the Wings of Words," the Baha'i project to promote literacy > an1ong 10 to 16 year olds of Guyana, was publicly launched on 27 > May 1996 at the National Cultural Center. In the first months of the > project's operation, 250 people were trained as facilitators and classes > for children were established in communities throughout Guyana. > The Baha' i community participated in a seminar organized in > Dada, Burkina, by the Provincial Direction for Basic Education and > Literacy, from 26 to 27 August 1996. Baha' i literacy efforts in > Burkina were described at the event. > The Local Spiritual Assembly of Zomba in Malawi started literacy classes for some 18 students, while the Malaysian Baha'i > community' s task force for adult literacy held a series of teacher > training courses to provide needed resources for running adult literacy classes. Literacy training was also carried out in Togo for 26 > participants, with four rising up to be literacy trainers and the remaining 21 prepared to be literacy teachers. > Baha'is in the Netherlands helped organize a conference held by > the National Commission on Sustainable Development (NCDO) on > 13 December 1996 which was designed to reflect the role that organized religion and ideological movements could play in sustainable > development. The gathering was attended by 1,200 participants, of > whom more than 60 were Baha'is. A Baha'i sat on two interreligious > panel discussions on sustainable development, and the Baha'i community of Rotterdam created a prayer room at the event which was > open to the participants for silent meditation throughout the day. > On 24 July 1996 in Uganda, a delegation of two Baha' is met > with Professor Buhatunde Thomas, the local representative of the > United Nations Development Program. Mr. Thomas was presented > with Turning Point For All Nations, Call To Th e Nations , Th e > Prosperity of Humankind and Th e Baha 'is. He was informed of > ways the Baha'i community is involved in the promotion of the > equality of men and women and in health and literacy programs. > > The involvement of the Baha'i community of India in efforts > to promote social and economic development took many forms this > year. A number of medical camps made free medical care available > to thousands of people in Jammu, Karnataka, and Bihar. Baha'is > also participated in a conference on cancer prevention held on 22 > September 1996 in Delhi. In Delhi, both the "Perfect Health Mela" > in October 1996 and the "Social Development Fair" in April 1997 > saw intense activity at the sites of the Baha'i stalls. > Under the sponsorship of the International Association of Baha'i > Publishers, a Baha'i exhibit was mounted at the Sixth International > Beijing Book Fair in China in November 1996. The collection ofliterature reflected the theme "Fostering the Prosperity of Humankind." > News coverage of the fair by the national English-language television > station CCTV (China Central Television) included an interview > with one of the Baha'i exhibit staff. > The Townshend International Secondary School in Hluboka > nad Vltavou, in the Czech Republic, a Baha'i-inspired educational > institution, held its first graduation ceremony on 29 June 1996. > Graduating students received praise from the state official who had > overseen their exit examinations; their oral performance, respect for > the teachers, spirit, and high potential received particular comment. > The Banani International Secondary School in Zambia, a school > for girls established in 1993 by the Baha' i community of Zambia > in memory of Hand of the Cause of God Ml'.1sa Banani, was officially inaugurated on 18 May 1996 by the Minister of Education in > conjunction with the Baha' i community. The inaugural speeches > were interspersed with presentations by the school ' s choir, drama > group, and dance workshop. The inauguration was broadcast on > national radio and television and was covered in the newspapers. > Moral Education > Baha'i communities are increasingly turning their attention to the > need for moral education in society at large, and now more than > ever before Baha'i initiatives in this field are gaining the attention > of leaders of society who are searching for new ways to address a > general decline in morality. > The School of the Nations in Macau, which is owned and directed > by a foundation whose purpose is to provide education inspired > > THE BAHA'I WORLD > > by Baha'i principles and concepts, won first prize for innovative > secondary curriculum in a contest organized by the Macau education department. The prize-winning curriculum has as an integral > feature a character development program that strives to strengthen > the spirit of service in the students. > The National Spiritual Assembly of Thailand, in collaboration > with Assumption University, the National Research Council of Thailand, and the National Institute of Development Administration > of Thailand, held an Asian Baha'i Moral Education Seminar at > Assumption University in Bangkok on 21 and 22 June 1996. Speakers included the Vice-President of the university, Brother Banta > Saenghiran, and the Director of the National Institute for Development > Administration of Thailand, Dr. Duangduen Bhanthumnavin. > On 2 August 1996, seventy-one individuals gathered for a lecture > on "Values and Social Development" held in Baguio City, the Philippines, under the auspices of the local Baha'i community. Fifty-three > of the participants were teachers of values education from Baguio > City National High School and Pines City National High School. > A series of Baha'i moral education classes began on 19 January > 1997 in Hong Kong. The classes aim to teach the concepts of virtues, such as trustworthiness, courtesy, and cleanliness, through > talks, storytelling, discussions, and games. > On 16 March 1997, a meeting was held to introduce to a group > in Kiribati the material of the Virtues Project, a program initiated > by three Baha'is and aiming to help families and individuals to > live by their deepest values. Subsequently, a group of Baha'is in > Bikenibeu met weekly to study the material. > Representatives of the Baha'i community of St. Vincent and > the Grenadines met with the Minister of Education, John Hom, > to discuss issues concerning the improvement of education in St. > Vincent. He subsequently arranged for a Baha'i delegation to > speak on moral education to some 300 students and 20 staff > members of Union Island High School. The Baha'is also conducted > two classes on moral education, presented books on education to > a number of primary schools and to the National Library, and > held several public meetings on the topic. > The Baha' i community oflndia' s Office for the Advancement > of Women, in collaboration with UNICEF, on 27 November 1996 > > In th e Philippines, > a group of > children > participate > in the closing > ceremonies of a > Bahri 'i tutorial > school. > > Teachers > at the Tender > Kiddies Foundation > School in Nigeria > discuss raising > children as > peacemakers. > > held a seminar in New Delhi entitled "A New Framework for Values > Education." Participants, representing various non-governmental > organizations, engaged in discussion of matters relating to moral > education, listened to talks by eminent educators, and attended > workshops. On 10 and 11 February 1997, a workshop on moral > education was held by the Association for Baha'i Studies, India, > in collaboration wi th the Chair for Baha'i Studies, Indore. The > workshop was held for primary school teachers. > William S. Hatcher, a professor living in Russia who is a Baha'i, > was invited to deliver a short course on ethics based on the > Baha'i-inspired Moral Education Project materials at St. Petersburg > State University. The course was very well received. Dr. Hatcher > also delivered the material as a regular course at the St. Petersburg Electrotechnical University in the fall of 1996 and was > subsequently able to present a paper on that topic at an international > conference on pedagogical issues in university education. > > THE B AI--IA:f WORLD > > left: Children participating in the first > Romanian Bahci 'i social and > economic development project in > Bucharest, which hopes to turn an > abandoned lot into a > children 's playground. > > Right: > Mothers bringing their > children to the > Baha 'i Tutorial School > in Kungu, Uganda. > > left: In Western > Samoa, > children > participate > in a Montessori > school program > sponsored by > Baha 'is. > > Contact with Prominent People > The Baha' i World Centre continues to draw visits from a succession of dignitaries and people of prominence from all over the > world . Sultan Ibrahim Mbombo Njoya, the Sultan from Foumban, West Cameroon, came in November 1996, along with a retinue > including Madame Bardica Rosette Mbombo Njoya, his wife; El > Hadj Amadou Pokasa Nsangou, Imam and Chairman of the > World Islamic Council of the Organization of Mosques in the Noun > area; Reverend Abraham Ngoumoun , head of the Evangelist > Church of Cameroon and Chairman of the Religious Commission of > the Noun area; and two representatives of the Israeli Ministry of > Foreign Affairs . > Ambassadors to Israel from the following countries were also > received at the World Centre: Australia, Belgium, Ethiopia, > Greece, Hungary, India, Rwanda, Slovakia, and South Africa. > U Kyaw Zeya, Charged' Affaires of the Embassy of the Union of > Myanmar, paid a call, along with two other diplomats from the > embassy. In addition, visits were received from officials from the > embassies in Israel of China, Hungary, Ireland, and Japan. Adelegation of government officials from Guinea-Bissau, including > the Minister of Rural Development and Agriculture, came, as did > Christian Ponce let, member of the French Senate and President > of its Finance Commission, along with officials of the Marseilles > Municipality. Moshe Katsav, Minister of Tourism in Israel; Yossi > Beilin of the Prime Minister's Office in Israel; and members of > the Knesset paid a visit to the World Centre. Annette Lantos, the > wife of Congressman Tom Lantos of the United States, also > visited. > Visiting academics and scholars included William E. Kirwan, > President of the University of Maryland, U.S.A., along with other > university administrators; Andre Chouraqui, former professor at > the Sorbonne and the Academy of Moral and Political Science in > Paris, France, and Vice-Mayor of Jerusalem; Fu Youde, Deputy > Head of the Philosophy Department, and Director of the Institute > of Jewish Culture at Shandong University, China. > Elsewhere in the world, two Baha'is from Britain attended > Sweden's Royal 50th Birthday celebrations organized by the > > THE B AHA'I WORLD > > Wilma El /is, a member > of the Continental > Board of Co unsellors, > meets with Un ited > States President > Bill Clinton > at an Ecumenical > Breakfast in the White > House. > > World Scout Foundation, held from 9 to 11May1996. On 10 May, > they were granted a private audience with King Carl XVI Gustaf > and Queen Sylvia in Drottningholm Palace. At the conclusion, the > King and the Queen were each given four Baha'i books in Swedish, > as well as a synopsis of the history of the Swedish Baha'i community. > In Lesotho, His Majesty, King Letsie III and Queen Mamobato, the Queen Mother, attended a banquet hosted by Baha'is at > the Lesotho Sun Hotel in honor of the Continental Board of Counsellors in Africa, which was holding a meeting in Maseru from 24 > to 29 December 1996. The event was also attended by over 70 > other dignitaries, including the High Commissioners of China and > South Africa and senior officials of various government departments. > Baha'is participated in an audience with President Ange Felix > Patasse of the Central African Republic on 31 May 1996, during > which he received the representatives of various religious groups, > in the presence of other high-ranking officials, to explain the > nature of the upheavals that country had recently experienced > and to outline the proposal for the nomination of the future > Prime Minister. The Baha'is read from the statement Turning > Point for All Nations and, at Mr. Patasse's request, recited a prayer > for peace at the end of the meeting. > Over 250 people gathered at the National Baha'i Center in > Port Vila, Vanuatu, on 17 October to celebrate "Bertha Dobbins > Day," marking the 43rd anniversary of the day in 1953 when > Mrs. Dobbins, a Knight of Baha'u'llah, arrived in Port Vila and > brought the Baha'i Faith to Vanuatu. Present at the occasion > were the President Jean-Marie Leye Lenelgau; the Minister of > > On I October 1996, > Seema Nek Akhtar > presented the --- .-... > President of Pakistan, > Faro oq Ahmad laghari, > with Baha 'i literature > on behalf of the > Baha 'i community > of Pakistan. > > Justice, Culture and Religion, Hilda Lini; and the Chiefs of Erakor and Pango villages; as well as former students ofNur School, > which Mrs. Dobbins established. The President, who had himself > learned English from Mrs. Dobbins, urged everyone to reflect on > the significance of her courageous life and sacrifices. Radio Vanuatu > broadcast several news items and announcements about the day > and aired a 10-minute interview with some of the Baha'is present. > There was a report on the event in the newspaper Vanuatu Weekly. > In Islamabad, Pakistan, a Baha'i delegation met with President Farooq Ahmad Laghari on 1 October, presenting him with a > set of three statements: The Promise of World Peace, The Prosperity of Humankind, and Turning Point for All Nations. On 8 > December 1996, three members of the Baha'i community of > Bangladesh had an audience with Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. > The Baha'is took the opportunity to present her with various > materials on the Baha'i Faith and to explain the law-abiding, > peace-loving attitude of Baha'is towards government and society. > Firuz Kazemzadeh and Kit Cosby represented the United States > Baha'i community at a White House commemoration of Human > Rights Day on 10 December. Both were able to greet President > Bill Clinton and First Lady Hillary Rodham Clinton, and Ms. Cosby > spoke with Mrs. Clinton about the effort to obtain U.S. ratification of > the United Nations Convention on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women. Ms. Cosby, in her capacity as the deputy > director of the U.S. National Spiritual Assembly' s office of external > affairs , was listed by Mrs. Clinton in a mailing to some 100 > women on the Fourth World Conference on Women in Beijing as a > > THJi B AHA'f WORLD > > resource and a point of contact for the effort to have the Convention > ratified by the US. > Homa Mungapen, a Baha'i in Mauritius, has been nominated by > the Mauritian President as a member of the President's Advisory > Council for a period of three years. The council is composed of nine > members, four of whom are representatives of religious institutions. > In November 1996, Wilma Ellis, a member of the Continental > Board of Counsellors in the Americas, was appointed by United > States Secretary of State Warren Christopher to a Special Advisory Committee on Religious Freedom Abroad. She is one of 20 > prominent religious leaders and scholars who will serve on the committee, whose purposes are to foster greater dialogue between > religious communities and the United States government. Dr. Ellis > also acted as the Baha'i representative who greeted the President > and First Lady on behalf of the Baha'i community at the White > House during this year's ecumenical breakfast on 6 January 1997. > On 20 May 1996 a reception and buffet were held in London at > the National Baha'i Centre of the United Kingdom in honor of Wally > N'Dow, the Secretary-General of the United Nations Conference on > > At a public audience in th e Vatican, Feridun Mazlum, a Baha 'ifrom Switzer- > /and, presented Pope John Paul If with a copy of The Hidden Words of > Baha ' u ' llah. > > Y EAR IN RE VIEW > > His Majesty > King l etsie Ill > of Lesotho > was greeted by > Shanta Basin, a > pioneer to th e > country, on > 27 December 1996. > > Human Settlements (Habitat > II). Also in attendance were > Borg Olivier, the Director of > the United Nations' United > Kingdom Office; A. F. M. > Yusuf, High Commissioner, > Bangladesh ; Gendengin > Nyamdoo, the Ambassador of > Mongolia; and other United > Nations and embassy representatives in London. Dr. On I March 199 7, Prim e Minister > Chaova/it Yong Chaiy ut > N'Dow was presented with > of Thailand received a copy of > the Baha'i International Comthe Kitab-i-Aqdas. > munity statements Sustainable > Communities in an Integrating World and Recommended Changes > to the Draft Habitat Agenda, which were warmly received. > In Bermuda, a dinner party to celebrate Ayyam-i-Ha, held on > 26 February 1997 by the Baha'i community in the parish of Hamilton, > was attended by His Excellency Lord Waddington, the Governor. > Baha'is in the Eastern Caroline Islands were received on separate > occasions by the Governor of Pohnpei State, Del Pangelinan, and by > the Australian Ambassador to the Federated States of Micronesia. > Both officials were presented with Turning Point for All Nations. > On 17 May 1996, a delegation of Baha' is in the Falkland > Islands met with the Governor, Richard Ralph, to welcome him to > the islands and present him with The Prosperity of Humankind. > Zambia's Deputy Minister of the Desk of Reli gious Affairs visited > the Baha'i National Center on 5 January 1997 and had a cordial > meeting with the National Spiritual Assembly of Zambia. > > THE BAHA'f W ORLD > > Recognition > Ongoing efforts to achieve official recognition of Baha' i communities saw some progress this year in several countries. The State > Legislative Chamber of Amazonas, Brazil, on 16 August 1996 > passed a law which was subsequently approved by the Governor > that recognizes 21 March as a Baha'i Holy Day- Naw-Ruz, the > Baha'i New Year. > In Latvia, authorities have accepted the by-laws of the Baha'i > community of Riga as in accordance with the new laws of that > country, and a new registration certificate was issued to the Baha'i > community. On 12 December 1996, the Armenian State Council on > Religious Affairs officially registered the Baha' i community of > Armenia. On 12 September 1996, the chief constable of the Faroe > Islands made an announcement in the national press that the Local > Spiritual Assembly ofT6rshavn is now an incorporated body. > In response to a request by Baha'i youth in Belgium for permission to hold public dance performances in Ixelles, the police of > that town sought information from the Brussels police department. > The Brussels chief of police replied on 26 July 1996, asserting the > validity of the Baha'i community as a religious association and citing > information gathered from the United Nations, among other sources. > > The Head of State > ' of Bermuda, > Lord Waddington, > attended an lntercalary > Day celebration > hosted by the > Hamilton Parish > Baha'i community. > > Sharing the Message of Baha'u 'llah > Heedful of exhortations in the Baha'i writings to scatter far and > wide to share Baha'u'llah's message with all of humanity, once > again this year Baha' is the world over left the comforts of their > > homes behind and undertook Jong and at times arduous journeys > to foreign lands and remote locales. > A group of youth from France, accompanied by a Ukrainian > youth, visited Danane, Cote d'Ivoire, from 15 July to 30 August > 1996 to participate in an intensive effort to inform the people of > that area about the Baha'i teachings. Assistance was also given > by Baha'is from Burkina-Faso, Mali and Guinea. > In late 1996, two Baha'is in Azerbaijan traveled from Baku to a > small town called Guba where there were no Baha'is. There they > visited two officials of the Department of Cultural Affairs and > spoke with them about the Baha'i Faith for about half an hour. The > Baha'is could only stay in Guba for one day, and then they returned > to Baku. After their departure, one of the council members went to > the local television station and spoke about the Faith for half an > hour on an evening program, inviting all who were interested in > learning more to come to a certain park the next day. Over 500 > people came to the park, of whom 149 became Baha'is. > During the summer school held on the island of Saaremaa, in > Estonia, Baha'is engaged in activities to teach the local population about Baha'u'llah, resulting in favorable coverage on the > school in local newspapers and radio. About 70 local people > > The Sultan > of Cameroon > visited th e > Baha'i Holy Places > in Isra el on > 6 November 1996. > > attended evening sessions of the school and some 30 local youth > attended a special introductory class arranged for them. > In the Gambia, monthly visits were carried out by teams of > Baha' is to various local conununities. Similarly, five Baha'is from > Port Blair in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands traveled to Little > > Andaman in January 1997, offering courses on the Baha'i Faith > and accompanying local Baha'is on courtesy calls on the community's chiefs and other dignitaries. Visits were made in the > Telugu-, Bengali-, and Hindi-speaking areas. > The Sister to Sister project, involving the efforts of African- > American Baha'i women to reach the people of Africa with the > message of Baha'u'llah, continued this year, with a tiip to Nairobi, > Kenya in January 1997. The Baha'is were interviewed on a local > television station's current affairs program, and an article about them > was published in the Nation newspaper. > From 11 to 28 January 1997, nine African-American Baha'i > men- participants in the yearly Black Men's Gathering at the > Louis Gregory Institute in South Carolina- traveled to Namibia > to talk to the people about Baha'u'llah's message. Their itinerary > consisted of audiences with government ministers, television and > radio interviews, and travel to many regions of the country for > the purpose of sharing the Baha'i Faith. An official audience with > the speaker of Namibia's Legislative Assembly, Mose Tjitendero, > was aired on the television news broadcast on 13 January. That > meeting featured the presentation by a member of the Baha'i delegation of the Kitab-i-Aqdas- Baha'u 'llah's Book of Laws- to > Dr. Tjitendero, who gave him a copy of the Laws of Namibia, that > country's constitution. One of the American Baha'is also presented a > racial-healing seminar to the Windhoek community. > Five Baha'is from Ibadan, Nigeria, went to Osogbo to teach > others about the Baha'i Faith on 30 June 1996. A local Baha'i > artist arranged for drummers and dancers to perform, more than 200 > people gathered, and over 60 children were taught songs and prayers. > This year, several Baha'is visited Gomal Altaisk, Russia, for > six weeks to inform people about the Baha'i Faith. The inhabitants > are the traditional Altai people and Russians who are Buddhists, > Christians, and Muslims, all living together in hannony. The visit > resulted in a television interview and the airing of the Baha'i video > "Temple on My Way" during prime time. > A group of Baha'i youth traveled to Embekelweni, Swaziland, for > a week in September 1996 to hold introductory meetings, children's > classes, and study classes. They also visited many homesteads to > talk about the Baha'i Faith. > > Baha'is in the Ukraine went to Lugansk City for six days in July > to present the Baha'i message to others. There they visited the > mayor's office, meeting about 16 key people, including members > of the media, social workers, and the dean of the university. The > dean asked the Baha'is to set up Baha'i courses as he believed > they would be helpful to the students. In addition, they were asked > to provide speakers on topics such as family life, consultation, conflict resolution, and violence. > Over the past few years, efforts have been made by Baha'is to > promote a dialogue between indigenous peoples of North America > and New Zealand. Groups of Maori Baha'is from New Zealand > have visited native Canadian communities, making special connections and sharing Baha'u'llah's message with people everywhere > they have gone. In May 1996, Canada reciprocated by sending a > group of First Nation Baha'is to New Zealand, where they met > with students in schools, attended traditional gatherings, held public > meetings, and were interviewed by the media. Another group of > Native Canadian Baha'is visited New Zealand in April 1997. > The Baha'i theater group "Lwniere de l'Unite" continued traveling and performing in francophone Africa this year as part of its > ongoing effort to spread the Baha'i teachings. The group visited > Guinea, Senegal, and Mali in September, October, and November > 1996. Their visit to Guinea coincided with the rainy season and > as the roads were impassable, for the whole three weeks of their > visit the group traveled almost exclusively on foot. > Special projects have been carried out in localities around the > world to make the Baha'i principles known. The Baha'is of Angola > initiated such a project in Sambizanga, Luanda, naming it "Project > Paz" or "Peace." In the Bahamas, Baha'is are reaching out to the > people of Little Abaco with Baha'u'llah's message. The Baha'i > communities of Mogoditshane and Tlokweng, Botswana, mounted > nine-day projects to share the message of Baha'u'llah with the > people of their areas this year. > During the month of July, a project was undertaken in Moanda, > Gabon, to tell the people of the area about the Baha'i Faith. The > campaign consisted of the distribution of pamphlets, and the > holding of exhibitions, film and slide presentations, and public > talks. > > THE B AHA:f WORLD > > A special campaign in Georgia which ran from 1 November > to 15 December 1996 resulted in the formation of 12 new Local > Spiritual Assemblies in several areas of that republic, including > Tschinvali in the autonomous region of South Ossetia; in an Azeri > area of Georgia; and in a village inhabited by Russian expatriates. > A project was held throughout Mongolia from 22 July to 15 > August 1996 with the goal of informing people about the Baha' i > Faith. It was preceded by a training course in Baganuur from 17 > to 21 July. The 50 participants attended classes and then traveled to > different areas of the country, visiting 10 provinces and 15 towns > and holding children's classes. As a result of their efforts, 133 people > became Baha'is and four Local Spiritual Assemblies were formed. > A project to offer the Baha'i teachings to the people of Reunion > took place from 19 to 25 August 1996, with the participation of > Baha'is from Madagascar, Mauritius, and the Seychelles. Four > public conferences were organized as part of the endeavor, and > Baha' is reached out to people in seven communities. > > Helen Reissenweber > presented the book > , she authored, > Fire and Water, > to the President of > Vanuatu, Jean-Marie > Leye Lenelgau, > on 1 7 October 1996. > > In June 1996, a course for the training of teachers of the Baha'i > Faith was held in Sierra Leone, in Makeni and Magbenteh and > their environs, as part of a large-scale effort to share the Baha'i > teachings with the people of the area. > An "Ocean of Light" project was held in East Malaita, Solomon > Islands, in the last weekend in November 1996. 4 A Baha' i group > introduced 15 local chiefs in the bush communities of the region to > > 4. See also The S aha 'i Wo rld 1994- 95 , p. 86. > > In Andhra > Pradesh, India, > participants of a > Bahri 'i cycle rally > in August 1996 > pose happily f or > a photograph. > > the Baha'i Faith, along with over 650 people who gathered in Tariuna, a Baha'i village, where they spent the next two days singing and > dancing as the Baha'i Faith was presented. The chiefs expressed > their joy at hearing about a belief that honored their customs and > culture. > Projects to teach people about Baha'u'llah' s message were > mounted in Kegalle and Matale, Sri Lanka, this year, and teams also > visited various Baha'i communities to assist and encourage them to > establish essential features of community life such as Nineteen Day > Feasts, children' s classes, and training courses. Special projects to > teach others about the Baha' i Faith were also undertaken throughout Lithuania, in Kaunas, Vilnius, Ukmerge, Plunge, and Jelgava. > A four-day Baha' i class for new Baha'is in Rajshahi, Bangladesh, changed its character when incessant rains prevented the > attendance of all but three invitees. The three who came turned > out to be members of a Hindu religious order from an area that is > difficult to reach and that no Baha'is had previously visited; the > invitations to the meeting were sent to them in error. The three men, > with the encouragement of prominent members of their community, had come to the class to find out what the Baha'i Faith was and > then report back to the others. After four days of thorough study > of Baha'i teachings the men became Baha'is and eagerly set out > for home to report on what they had learned. > The Baha' is of Zimbabwe had an exhibit at the International > Book Fair held in the Harare Gardens from 29 July to 2 August > 1996. The Baha' i stand was very popular, and during the event a > television news piece was aired from the booth. > Efforts to tell others about the Baha' i teachings were reinforced by a host of "teaching conferences" the world over, held > > for the purpose of consulting on the tasks associated with these > endeavors. > The Sixth Albanian National Teaching Conference took place > in Tirana from 8 to 10 November 1996 and was attended by more > than 60 people. An all-Ireland teaching conference was held in > Derrygonnelly, Northern Ireland, on 22 and 23 February 1997. The > gathering was the first of its kind since the establishment of the > National Spiritual Assembly of the Republic oflreland in 1972. > More than 250 Baha'is from all parts of the island gathered for > the meeting, whose theme was "Our Shared Spiritual Destiny." > On 29 April 1996, a Baha'i conference was held at Nualei, > Tonga, to deliberate on ways of sharing the Baha'i Faith with others. > Another such conference, along with a training session, was held in > Arusha, Tanzania, from 24 to 29 July 1996. Fifty people from Ethiopia, Kenya, Tanzania, and the United Kingdom attended the event, > which was hosted by the Local Spiritual Assembly of Arusha. Similar > teaching conferences were held in France, Malawi, and Uruguay. > > Institutes and Other Training Activities > A systematic effort has been set in motion in Baha'i communities > throughout the world to assist Baha'is to attain a more profound > understanding of the principles of the Faith and to arise to carry out > the myriad tasks and duties confronting their ever-expanding communities. This endeavor has taken the form of the creation of > training institutes, nearly 200 of which were established in this year > alone. Baha'i training institutes, rather than simply imparting > information, aim to develop in the participants spiritual knowledge > and to provide them with skills necessary for serving humanity. > These agencies are being established in all parts of the world; the > following are just a few examples of the efforts being made. Some > other training activities are also mentioned. > From 30 September to 3 October 1996, the Ruhi Institute in > Puerto Tejada, Colombia, saw the convening of the first continental > meeting of consultants on the training institute process in Latin > America. Participants with expertise in establishing and operating > Baha'i training institutes gathered from nine countries: Bolivia, Brazil, > Colombia, Costa Rica, the Domimcan Republic, Haiti, Honduras, > Mexico, and the United States. > > A number of communities > have drawn upon the materials > produced by the Ruhi Institute > in the design of their curricula. > Courses of the Ruhi Institute > were offered in Anchorage and - > Juneau, Alaska, in January 1996, > representing the beginning of > that community's efforts to make > the program available to Baha'is > throughout the country . The > Baha'is of Belize have also begun offering courses of the Ruhi > Institute, with several being held > in May, October, and November > 1996. Over 250 people gathered together > f or a Baha'i institute in > A nine-day training course > Danane, Cote d 'Ivoire. > was held in Kamina, Zaire, for > participants to study the first book of the Ruhi Institute's materials. A two-hour summary of the activities of the Baha'is during > the nine-day course and the conference for members of the public that followed was broadcast on television. > A training program employing the courses of the Ruhi Institute > was launched in Asmara, Eritrea, this year. Baha'i communities > in six towns and villages in Georgia sent individuals to undertake > formal study of the Baha'i Faith at the Baha'i institute facility > near Tbilisi from 28 January to 2 February 1997. > Twenty-five participants and four tutors were involved in a > session on the Ruhi Institute materials held in the Solomon Islands > from 2 to 30 December 1996. From this group, Baha'is were to > be sent throughout the country to hold children's classes and to > help others gain a deeper understanding of the Baha'i Faith. > In addition to the Ruhi Institute's materials, a wide variety of > approaches and topics were included in the many institute courses > offered this year. The Vivian Wesson Institute in Togo offered > carefully developed programs of study in which the institute > coordinator and teachers followed the courses up by visiting the > Local Spiritual Assemblies which had sent participants. A Baha'i > > THE B AHA'I WORLD > > training course under the auspices of the Local Assembly of Puka- > Puka, Chuquisaca, Bolivia, was held on 6 and 8 September 1996. > The themes were the glorious destiny of the indigenous people > of the Americas and the duties of the Local Spiritual Assembly. > The Virgin Islands Baha' i community's Permanent Training > Institute began functioning this year, offering systematic and > ongoing courses in St. Croix, St. Thomas, and Tortola, while the > Baha' i community of Greenland saw the appointment of a board > of directors for its national training institute. The seventh course > of the Fozdar Permanent Teaching Institute of the Andaman and > Nicobar Islands was held in January 1997 on Little Andaman. In > Angola, the Baha' i community inaugurated its first institute in > early 1997. Also this year, the first course of the newly formed > Dr. Muhajir Institute of Bangladesh was attended by a group of > assistants to Auxiliary Board members who gathered for a conference in Rajshahi. The Musa Banani Institute in Benin opened > its doors on 8 July 1996; on 18 August the first seven trainees > left the institute, having completed its first course. > The training of teachers received particular attention from a > number of communities this year. In Wels, Austria, the first > teacher training course was held from 28 February to 2 March > 1997, while the first Trans-Caucasian Teacher Training Institute > ran from 7 to 28 August 1996 in Georgia. Twenty-six Baha'is from > Azerbaijan, 19 from Armenia, and 40 from Georgia, as well as 22 > children enrolled for the course, which included discussion of > curricula for children's training and for moral class teachers. > A training activity was held this year in Mogoditshane, Botswana, > aimed at adapting the Core Curriculum materials developed by the > United States Baha'i community to improve the standard of Baha'i > education in Botswana. It was followed by a weekend course to train > teachers for Baha'i classes on 1 and 2 February 1997. > Two one-day teacher training courses were offered in Sa' ang > village, Cambodia, in August and September 1996. Participants > were trained how to conduct children's classes and how to use the > materials that are available. A teacher-training activity was held > in Bamako, Mali, in early 1997. > The first training session for children' s class teachers in Chad > took place from 7 to 21 January 1997 at the Samandari Institute. > > Eleven people participated, including one woman. The Aziz Navidi > Institute in the Congo opened this year by offering two sessions > of a training course for children's class teachers, one from 4 to 16 > June 1996 and another from 6 to 20 August. A children's class > seminar was held at the Baha'i National Center in Spain on 7 and > 8 November 1996. More than 50 teachers and other Baha'is from > different areas of Spain and the Canary Islands attended the > event. The program consisted mainly of workshops conducted by > the National Education Committee. > > Scholarship > A special issue of the monthly journal Dialogue and Universalism , > entitled "The Baha'i Faith- Universalism in Praxis," was launched > during a reception hosted by the Baha'i community in Warsaw, > Poland, on 21 January > 1997. The journal is produced by the International > Society for Universalism > based at the University of > Warsaw. This special > issue was a joint venture > between the Universalists and the Association > for Baha'i Studies, Ottawa, > Canada. A trainee at a teacher training institute, > Associations for the held in Nepal, tells a Bahri 'i story > study of the Baha'i Faith to a group of children. > were very active over the > year, sponsoring conferences and seminars on an array of topics. > A few of the larger events are outlined here. > The 20th Annual Conference of the Association for Baha'i > Studies of North America was held on the theme "Anarchy into > Order: Crafting Better Governance" in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, from 26 to 29 September 1996. Over 600 people participated, > while some 130 children and youth attended a parallel conference on moral leadership. A special interest group on aboriginal > spirituality included a visit to an addictions treatment facility to > participate in a sweat lodge hosted by the Nechi Institute, during > > THE B AHA'f WORLD > > which discussions were held on prayer, the spiritual power of women, > closeness to nature, and respect for elders and for oral tradition. > The prosperity of humankind was the topic of the annual conference of the Association for Baha'i Studies of German-Speaking > Europe, which was held at Landegg Academy in Switzerland > from 11 to 13 October 1996. The first annual meeting of the > Association for Baha'i Studies of Venezuela was held on 20 and > 21July1996. Over 145 people attended the annual conference of > the Association for Baha'i Studies of English-Speaking Europe > on 16 and 17 November 1996 in Oxford, England. The conference's > theme was "Millennium and Apocalypse: The Baha'i Vision of > the Future." > In January 1997, the Third Conference of the Association for > Baha'i Studies of the Russian Federation took place. In Japan, > the Fifth Annual Conference of the Association for Baha'i Studies > for that country was held from 22 to 24 November 1996 in a hostel > halfway up the central peaks of Kyushu's Aso volcanic caldera. > The theme of the meeting was education, with moral education > being the focus of three conference sessions. Fifty-five people > from Malaysia, Thailand, and Singapore attended the Third Annual > Conference of the Association for Baha'i Studies of Malaysia, > held in Jahore Bahru. > In Kenya, the Fourth Baha'i Studies Symposium was held on > 9 and 10 November 1996 at the Baha'i Center in Nairobi. Its > theme was "Human Relationships and the Unity of Mankind," > which attracted papers from seven speakers, including two professors and a senior lecturer from area universities. > The Twelfth Irfan Colloquium was held from 6 to 8 December > 1996 in Newcastle-upon-Tyne, United Kingdom, sponsored by > the Haj Mehdi Arjmand Memorial Fund and the Religious Studies > Seminar of the Association for Baha'i Studies of English-Speaking Europe. > In the United States, the Wilmette Institute's first annual residential session of its Spiritual Foundations for a Global Civilization > program was held at National-Louis University in Wilmette, Illinois, from 7 July to 3 August 1996. The faculty came from North > America, Europe, and the Middle East to deliver four weeks of > classes and workshops and to conduct discussion groups. > > YEAR l N REVIEW > > The Arts > On 30 July 1996, over 500 people attended a concert in Paris by the > "Voices ofBaha" choir, which toured Europe during the summer, > involving about 90 singers from 18 countries. On 1 August, the > choir performed in a famous old cathedral, the Domkerk, in Utrecht, > the Netherlands, before a capacity audience of 800, including senior > officers of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, mayors, members of the > municipal council, dignitaries from several strata of society. The > choir also performed in England, Luxembourg, Germany, Austria, > Hungary, Romania, Moldova, and Russia. > In the parish of St. John, Barbados, the Baha'i community > hosted an evening of musical entertainment on 15 September 1996 > to which the community was invited. A second concert, held on > 28 November at the prestigious Frank Collymore Hall, was > offered to the people of Barbados as a gift oflove from the Baha'is > on the occasion of Barbados's 30th anniversary of independence. > This year at the Bergen Music Festival in Norway, which began > on 22 May 1996, Lasse Thoresen, a Norwegian Baha'i, was the > "Festival Composer"; the festival consisted of 130 concerts, 8 of > which were the responsibility of Mr. Thoresen. At the opening ceremony, which took place before King Harald V and an audience > of 1,500 people, the program included two prayers revealed by > Baha'u'llah, set to music by Mr. Thoresen. The main concert of > the festival was held on 25 May in the Hakonshallen in a 13th century monastery. All of the pieces were Baha'i prayers set to music > by Mr. Thoresen, sung by a choir or performed by solo artists. About > 500 people were present; before the concert, about 250 people > attended a talk by Mr. Thoresen during which he presented the > main content of the prayers and introduced the themes derived from > the Baha'i Faith as inspiration for his music. > In cooperation with the Cultural Department of the Municipal > Government, an exhibition of the paintings of the Baha'i Holy > Places by Parvin Hattam was held in Skopje, Austria. The theme > of the display, which opened on 1September1996 and lasted for > ten days, was "Unity, Love, and Peace." > An exhibition of art by mentally handicapped children was > > THE B AHA'f WORLD > > held on 6 June 1996 by the > Baha'i community of Klaipeda, > Lithuania, in cooperation with the > Cultural Department of the city. > The local television station broadcast a report about the exhibition > during its news program. > George Fleming, a Baha'i artist, > opened a three-month exhibition > of his paintings on 6 February > 1997 in Dundalk, Ireland. Entitled > "All God's Children,'' the exhibition dealt with the seven major > religions found in Northern Ireland. > On 15 January 1997, a Baha'i in > The "Voices of Baha" choir > Romania, Ardeshir V ahidi, opened > performed on I August 1996 in > a two-week exhibition of his art- Utrecht, the Netherlands. > work in Targu Mure~ which was > covered by local press and local and national television. Also this > year, Otto Donald Rogers, a Counsellor member of the International Teaching Centre and a renowned Canadian artist, visited > Romania and was the featured guest at a gathering that included > two representatives of the Ministry of Culture, several senators and > deputies, art critics, and other art lovers. Mr. Rogers shared his > conception of the connection between art and faith, with a special > emphasis on the Baha'i Faith. > The Seven Candles of Peace, a Baha'i children's drama group > > 1i'i'. -á > " á á ~ A Baha'i singing > group performed at > the Second Annual > International > Children 's Art > Exhibition on the > Environment and > Animals. held > on J August 1996 in > Mexico City, Mexico. > > Y EAR IN R EVIEW > > in Singapore, was invited to perform the play "For the Love of > Peace" at the Srilankaramaya Buddhist Temple on 9 April 1997 > for their annual prize-giving day. This was the second public performance by the group. > A group of youth in the Chaco region of Argentina mounted a > production of an adaptation of "The Drama of the Kingdom," a play > whose outline was created by 'Abdu' l-Baha. The first performance > in Chaco was given at a primary school in a Toba neighborhood. > After attending and performing at the Habitat II conference in > Turkey, Kevin Locke, a native American Baha'i who is an expert > hoop dancer, and his daughter Kimimila offered several performances for the public. A performance in Adana on 19 June 1996, > which benefited a local retirement home, was attended by some > 600 people, while another in Tarsus City on 20 June, held in the > open air, was attended by more than 2,000. > > One of the eight Ionic capitals for the portico of the Centre > for the Study of the Texts being positioned, June 1996. > MOUNT > CARMEL > PROJECTS: > Progress 1996-97 > > T he energies released in the Baha'i world through the completion > of the Three Year Plan in April 1996 were also visible in the > increased pace of work on the building projects on Mount Carmel > between Ric;lvan 1996 and Ric;lvan 1997. Great progress was made in > every aspect of work on the Arc and the terraces, with the goal of > fulfilling the expectations of the Universal House of Justice that the > projects will be finished at the end of the century. > With the completion of the structure of the Centre for the Study > of the Texts, exterior finishing work began. Eight Ionic marble colurnns, each weighing at least 15 tonnes and comprising six sections, > were erected in a semicircle around the entrance portico. Lifted into > place piece by piece with the help of a crane, they were pinned > together by marble specialists from France. Next, sixteen windows > on the semicircular wall on the two levels of the entrance portico > were fitted with marble frames . Eighteen precast marble panels, > each weighing seven tonnes, forming the soffit between the inner > and outer entablatures, were also installed. It was not until December 1996, however, that the portico of the Centre for the Study of the > > THE BAHA'I W ORLD > > Texts was shorn of all scaffolding > and its classic beauty unveiled. > All that remained to be done was > the marble work on the floor and > radial stairs leading to the portico. > As the facade of the building > neared completion, interior finishing work speeded up. Turkish > masons commenced local stone > work on different levels of the > three patios that will provide > natural light to several areas of > the Centre for the Study of the > Texts and the Archives extension. > Installation of ceramic tile on the > walls and floors, terrazzo tile in > Aerial view ofthe Centre for the Study service areas and along the Arc serof the Texts, March 1997. vice tunnel, and internal marble > work and drywall partitions transformed the interior of the building. > During the summer of 1996 work was completed on a network of > drainage pipes to facilitate the irrigation of the planned roof garden > on the Archives extension. Topsoil was added and temporary lawns > developed to prevent runoff during the winter rains. By Ric;ivan > 1997, marble work inside the Archives extension had progressed > along the corridors and lobbies; most of the utility stairs had been > covered by quarry tiles, and aluminum windows had been installed > in the patios. The vault door for the strong room, which will preserve the sacred texts and relics, had also been installed. > The building that will house the International Teaching Centre is a > large nine-story complex comprising the main Teaching Centre, the > parking building, and the "common area," with a total floor space of > approximately 19,000 square meters. As work commenced in all > areas of the site, the full extent of the Teaching Centre became easily > discernible. By March 1997 work had advanced to level six of the > building, while major efforts were also going into the construction > of levels four and five-the most complicated floors in terms of > design and execution. Featuring a 400-seat auditorium and a large > kitchen, the facilities there require many openings and changes in > > M OUNT CARMEL PROJECTS > > One of the 7-tonne > marble-clad, > precast panels > being maneuvered > into position > between two > entablatures of the > entrance portico of > the Centre for the > Study of the Texts. > > Turkish masons > install local stone > on the external > walls of the Centre > for the Study of the > Texts. > > levels in the floor slabs and walls above. Intensive coordination > among the various disciplines and careful monitoring during construction are thus imperative. > Part of the complexity of the Teaching Centre is the need to allow > for its future connection to the International Baha'i Library when > that building is constructed. The external walls along the east and > southeast perimeter will form the boundary between the two structures and must be built so that many large openings may be cut in > the future. However, before the International Baha' i Library is constructed, these walls have to support large building loads, retain > about ten to twenty meters of soil for the gardens, and resist lateral > forces from backfill and earthquake loads. Meeting these requirements and achieving optimum flexibility entail special structural > design incorporating a strong diagonal steel band rising from the > foundations to the walls up to level five . With the completion of > > these special walls, work proceeded to level six of the Teaching > Centre, the floor area of which covers nearly the full extent of the > building. The main vehicular ramp leading from the street to level > six of the building was completed and construction of the entrance > plaza commenced. > While work continued on the structure of the Teaching Centre, > several initiatives were taken for its interior finishing. Contracts for > marble, wood millwork, metal doors, local stone, drywall partitions, > and for the supply and installation of catwalks in the mechanical > service areas and in the space above the stage in the auditorium > were al so signed. By March 1997 several of the finishing items > began to arrive on site. One delivery entailed the unloading of seven > huge pieces of airconditioning equipment, the largest weighing > 12.2 tonnes. A large 40-tonne crane lifted these units, manufactured > in the United States, into the building through temporary four-meter > by four-meter openings in the floor slab directly above the fan room. > Three of the five elevator cabins that will serve the building arrived > from Canada. Guide rails and hydraulic pistons were installed, along > with one of the elevator cabins. > Soon after the contracts for the supply and installation of local > stone for the building were signed, stone work began on three patios > along the eastern external walls of the common area . Concreting > progressed at the building's higher levels, while mechanical and > electrical work was carried out at levels one to three. > 'Abdu ' l-Baha is reported to have shared with pilgrims the following vision: "The entire harbor from 'Akka to Haifa will be one > > Intense activity > on th e structure of the > International > Teaching > Centre. > > M OU T C ARMEL PROJECTS > > path of illumination. Powerful searchlights will be placed > on both sides of Mount Carmel to guide the steamers. > Mount Carmel itself, from top > to bottom, will be submerged in > a sea of light. ... " 1 On another > occasion He prophesied: "The > day will come when this mountain will be resplendent with ~ > light- lights from top to bottom. "2 On the evening of 16 > October 1996 Haifa residents > were briefly dazzled by a display of lights on the terraces, > from a test conducted by the > Mount Carmel Projects' electrical team to detennine the type > and amount of lighting equip- Work progresses on the sixth level of > the International Teaching Centre. > ment necessary to illuminate > the beautiful balustrades and stone work on the contour walls. > The lighting of the terraces of the Shrine of the Bab forms a > very significant component of the terraces' overall design, placing > lights in strategic locations to highlight details on the terraces > while keeping the exquisite structure of the Shrine of the Bab the > focus of attention. Lights flanking the central stairway have been > placed in a manner that strongly accentuate the "Kings' Pathway," > while maintaining the primacy of the Shrine itself. The arcs of > cypress trees in the outer areas on both sides of each terrace have > between them bronze lanterns with hanging globes of light that > highlight the geometric curves. Both sides of the main section of > each terrace have ornate lampposts, and the fountain pools on each > terrace have soft lights that tum the water into liquid gold. > With the completion of the landscaping of the terraces below > the Shrine of the Bab, and advancement of the construction of > > l. ' Abdu'l-Baha, quoted in Star of the West, Volume XXIV , p. 302. > 2. Ibid. > > THE BAHA'f WORLD > > the buildings of the Arc, the project manager's office began to > put together maintenance teams for the gardens as well as for > the mechanical, electrical, electronic, and irrigation work, with > ongoing training of personnel so that experienced teams will > already be in place when the projects are completed. > > A glimpse of > 'Abdu '/-Baha 's > vision that the > day will come > when Mount Carmel will be > resplendent with > light- lights > from top to > bottom. > > An exciting development for the terraces below the Shrine took > place on 7 March 1997: the last building obstructing the construction of the first two terraces was demolished, clearing the site "for > the monumental entrance to the majestic path leading from the > southern end of Ben Gurion A venue up to the central edifice of the > Shrine and beyond to the crest of God's Holy Mountain ." 3 This > was accomplished as a result of over four years of delicate negotiations with the tenants of the building and the Haifa Municipality. > While these negotiations were under way, an application for the > modification of the town planning scheme, to cancel that portion > of Ben Gurion Avenue extending into the Baha'i property, was > submitted to and approved by the local committee in Haifa and the > District Committee of Galilee. > Intense activity, both structural and architectural, occurred on > the terraces above the Shrine. The completion of the structure of > terrace nineteen enabled stone work to commence; and by Ri<;ivan > 1997 almost fifty percent had been completed. One of the major > > 3. Message from the Universal House of Justice, transmitted electronically > to all National Spiritual Assemblies, dated 4 April 1995. > > MOUNT CARMEL PROJECTS > > Structural and > architectural details \~á~, á > on the terraces above ;. ) 1 > . •. > the Shnne of the ... .: > Bab, presaging the ,. > extension of beauty to > the crest of Mount > Carmel. > > architectural features of this terrace is seventeen arches of varying > sizes and proportions. Installation of stone on four of them was finished and work began on the central and largest arch. The structure > of the concrete pools on this terrace was completed, and work > began to cover them with stone. At the end of the period under > review terrace nineteen was ready to receive balustrades carved for > it in Italy. > Hatzionut A venue remained a critical area of work during the > year. As one of the main thoroughfares connecting downtown > Haifa with Central and Upper Carmel, this street sees continuous > vehicular and pedestrian traffic. Work on such a busy street presents challenges as it interfaces with traffic and major municipal > services such as sewage, water, electricity, telephone, and cable > T.V. As work moved to the second and third phases of lowering > the road, traffic and underground services had to be relocated to > enable excavation to proceed. A 300-meter retaining wall was > > THE BAHA:f WORLD > > Members of the Universal > House ofJustice are seen > visiting the terraces below > the Shrine of the Bab soon > after they were opened to > Bahti 'i visitors and > pilgrims. > > a_,_ ~-.. -....... > built to strengthen the mountain face, and fifty-two anchors were > installed behind the building housing the information center and > security office, located on Hatzionut Avenue under terrace eleven. > As this structure began to rise, contracts were signed for finishing > work such as drywall partitions, tiling, and the installation of steel > doors. By the end of March 1997, the configuration of Hatzionut > A venue had changed dramatically, with traffic moving at the new > elevation on the south side and most of the municipal services > connected to the new system. Work also commenced on the north > side of the road, and a temporary pedestrian walkway was created > within the Baha' i property. > During this period massive excavations were carried out at > the site of terraces thirteen and fourteen above the Sirrine of the > Bab. A seven-meter-high rubble concrete wall on the east side of > terrace thirteen was constructed, over which the curved stairs > leading up to terrace fourteen will be built. Much of the excavated material was used as backfill behind the collar wall at the > back of the Crusader Road tunnel to close the gap between the > tunnel and the east side of terrace fifteen . > Behind all the progress visible on the Arc buildings and the > terraces of the Shrine of the Bab has been much groundwork. > Negotiations with agencies of the Government oflsrael have been > pursued throughout, covering applications for building permits, > permits to import materials and equipment from around the world, > modifications of town planning schemes in areas adjacent to the > Projects, and permits to bring workers into Israel from Romania, > Turkey , France, and Canada. Negotiations with and coordination > of work between the large number of contractors employed in the > > M OUNT CARMEL P ROJECTS > > projects are ongoing. The Mount Carmel Projects Office also undertook to procure materials directly from suppliers both within and > outside Israel at considerable discounts, thereby saving millions of > dollars. > As the Mount Carmel Baha'i Projects progressed rapidly, the > restoration and development of the historic German Templer Colony > by the government authorities in Haifa also picked up momentum. > This project is of great interest to the Baha'i World Centre as > it conjoins the site of the entrance plaza of the terraces of the > Shrine of the Bab. The colony of distinctive red-roofed houses was > founded in 1868 by the members of the Templer Society from > Wurttemberg in southern Germany whose founder, Christoph > Hoffmann, was convinced that according to the prophecies of the > Old and New Testaments, the return of Jesus Christ was imminent > in the Holy Land. In his book The Babi and Bahri 'i Religions, > 1844-1944 Moojan Momen notes , "It is interesting that both the > Templars [sic), who came to Palestine fired by the desire to witness > the imminent return of Christ, and Baha'u'llah, Who claimed to be > that return, arrived in the Haifa-'Akka area within a few months of > each other . . . Believing the > second coming of Christ > to be so near, ... Hoffmann > with his principal lieutenant Georg David Hardegg > landed in Haifa on 30 > October 1868. Hardegg remained in Haifa as the head > of the colony ... [which] > became the largest and > most important of the Templar colonies in Palestine." > 'Abdu'l-Baha had foreshadowed the conversion of > the main avenue through Moshe Katsav, Israel's MinisterofTourism, > this colony into "the High- was received at the World Centre on 15 > way of the Kings and Rulers December 1996 by arc_hitect Fariborz > f h W orld ,,, startmg > 0 t e > . J:. > 1rom > Sahba, left, and Albert L111coln, n ght, Sec- > G -r h B h á , á á l > . retary - enera 1 o1 t e a a 1 1nternatwna > the sea and reachmg up to Community. > > the Shrine of the Bab and beyond to the crest of Mount Carmel. > Now the task ofrestoring this area has been taken up by the Israeli > authorities. > The year saw several dignitaries and official delegations from > Israel and elsewhere visit the Projects. There were also a number of > television crews and photographers from Hungary, Canada, Israel, > Jordan, and Korea. The Mayor of Haifa visited several times, accompanying a Minister from the Prime Minister's Office, managers of > municipalities in Israel, members of the Knesset Economic Affairs > and Finance Committees, and the Minister of Tourism. Officials of > the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Israel escorted members of the > Science and Technology Commission of China. > As it faces the many tasks that remain to be accomplished on > the Arc and terraces projects before the end of the century, the Mount > Carmel Projects team gratefully acknowledges the prayers and > encouragement of the Universal House of Justice and the worldwide Baha'i community. In tribute to the universal participation of > Baha'is in this endeavor, the Universal House of Justice wrote in its > Ric;ivan Message of 153 BE: "The physical reality of the progress > [of the Projects] thus far so marvelously realized is proof of an > even more profound achievement, namely, the unity of purpose > effected throughout our global community in the pursuit of this > gigantic, collective enterprise. The intensity of the interest and > support it has evoked has expressed itself in an unprecedented > outpouring of contributions, reflecting a level of sacrifice that > bespeaks the quality of faith and generosity of heart ofBaha'u'llah's > lovers throughout the planet. ... " 4 > > 4. The Universal House of Justice, Ri<;lvan 153 B.E. ( 1996). > > THEBAHA'f > l NTERNATIONAL > COMMUNITY > Activities 1996-97 > > F or almost fifty years the Baha'i International Community has > represented the worldwide membership of the Baha'i Faith at > the United Nations (UN), supporting UN programs, sharing Baha'i > perspectives on global issues at UN meetings and conferences, and > working with other non-governmental organizations (NGOs), > primarily in New York and Geneva. National Baha'i communities, > for their part, have supported the UN by observing special UN > days, years and decades, and by cooperating in UN initiatives. An > important trend during the last decade, however, has been the > increasing involvement of national Baha'i communities in the > work of the UN and with issues of global significance. The growing > capacity and commitment of national Baha'i institutions to work > with their governments and with other organizations for social > progress became evident during preparations for the 1992 Earth > Summit in Rio and has gathered strength, in part, through participation in the global conferences held throughout the decade. > The Baha'i International Community, which both encompasses > and represents the worldwide membership of the Baha'i Faith, was > granted consultative status as an international non-governmental > > organization with the United Nations Economic and Social Council > (ECOSOC) in 1970, and with the United Nations Children's Fund > (UNICEF) in 1976. This status has allowed the community to offer > Baha'i perspectives on the work of the UN and its agencies and to > work with other N GOs in consultative status to support UN efforts > to promote unity, peace, justice, and prosperity in the world. Over > the years, the Baha'i International Community has established a > record of dependability and consistency in support of such critical > issues as the advancement of women, human rights and responsibilities, universal education, and sustainable development. > The Community represents over 5 million people in at least > 235 countries and dependent territories and has 174 national and > regional affiliates around the world. It maintains United Nations > offices in New York and Geneva, and representations to United > Nations regional commissions in Addis Ababa, Bangkok, and > Santiago, and to UN offices in Nairobi, Rome, and Vienna. In > recent years an Office of the Environment and an Office for the > Advancement of Women have been established as sections of its > United Nations Office. > Apart from its United Nations activities, the Community is > represented internationally by an Office of Public Information, > based at the Baha'i World Centre in Haifa, Israel, and with a branch > in Paris, which disseminates information about the Baha'i Faith > around the world and oversees the production of an award-winning > quarterly newsletter, One Country. > United Nations > Human Rights > The Baha'i commitment to human rights involves both protecting > the right of Baha'is to practice their Faith and promoting respect > for a broad range of human rights and responsibilities, which > Baha'is see as a prerequisite for peace and order in the world. > Safeguarding the religious freedom of Baha'is in various parts > of the world has been a significant aspect of the work of the Baha'i > International Community offices in both New York and Geneva for > almost twenty years. The extraordinary responsiveness of the UN > system to the plight of the Baha'is in Iran has been due, in large > measure, to the coordinated efforts of national Baha'i communities > around the world. National Spiritual Assemblies have appealed > > BAHA'I I NTERNATIONAL C OMMUN ITY > > regularly and directly to their national governments to intercede on > behalf of their Baha'i brothers and sisters in Iran. > In August 1996, the Baha'i International Community's United > Nations Office held its first seminar for National Spiritual Assemblies on the diplomatic work related to the defense of the Baha'i > community. Held at Landegg Academy, Switzerland, the event > brought together 37 participants including representatives of 21 > National and Regional Spiritual Assemblies, the Baha'i International Community's United Nations Office, the Office of Public > Information in Haifa, and the Baha'i World Centre. The National > Spiritual Assemblies invited were those whose governments have > consistently cosponsored UN Resolutions condemning the violations > of human rights in Iran. 1 > Statements promoting human rights were presented this year at > both the Commission on Human Rights and the Sub-Commission > on the Prevention of Discrimination and Protection of Minorities. > Support for the Decade for Human Rights Education was offered > in a Baha'i International Community written statement to the > Commission on Human Rights. 2 A joint written statement on the > status of the Convention on the Rights of the Child authored by the > Baha'i International Community was signed by 34 other NGOs. 3 > Other joint statements signed by the Community addressed racism > and racial discrimination, commented on the work of the Commission > on Human Rights, and encouraged the drafting of a declaration on > the right and responsibility of individuals and organizations to promote and protect human rights. At the Sub-Commission, the Baha'i > International Community read a joint statement on human rights > and youth on behalf of eight NGOs. > The Baha'i International Community was also an active participant in NGO activities aimed at educating people about human > rights, encouraging respect for both rights and responsibilities, > and helping to develop and apply human rights standards in the > form of covenants and conventions. > > l. Developments regarding the human rights situation of the Baha'is in Iran > are treated at length in a separate article on pp. 147- 56 of this volume. > 2. See pp. 283- 86 for the text of this statement. > 3. See pp. 287- 91 for the text of this statement. > > THE BAHA'f WORLD > > Environment, Development, and Global Prosperity > One and a half years of preparatory activities by the Community's > Office of the Environment culminated in June 1996 with the World > Conference on Human Settlements (Habitat II) in Istanbul. 4 In > December, in Geneva, the Community also took part in an International Conference on Globalization and Citizenship-the first in a > series initiated by the United Nations Research Institute for Social > Development (UNRISD) as a follow-up to the Social Summit. > The conference was a colloquium consisting of a two-day closed > meeting for interchange among some 25 political scientists, sociologists, and experts, followed by a one-day public meeting attended > by the experts and some one hundred and twenty NGO and UN > representatives. The Baha'i International Community was honored > to be one of very few NGOs representing civil society invited to > participate as an expert in all three days of the colloquium. > The Rio+ 5 Forum, held 13-19 March 1997 in Rio de Janeiro, > Brazil, was one of a number of events marking the fifth anniversary > of the Earth Summit, the first in the decade-long series of global > conferences on critical issues facing the world community in the > 1990s. Emerging from the Rio + 5 Forum, an international gathering of some 500 NGOs and UN leaders, was a draft Earth Charter, > whose preamble boldly asserts, "In the midst of our diversity, we > are one humanity and one Earth community." Emphasizing human > oneness, the Charter challenges the world to make a "fundamental > change of course" toward sustainable development. Backers of the > Charter, who believe it can provide a critically important moral > guide for building a sustainable world civilization, plan to hold > year-long, worldwide consultations on this draft. The goal is to produce an Earth Charter in late 1998 for submission to the UN General > Assembly around the year 2000. > Organized and coordinated by the Earth Council, an international NGO based in Costa Rica, the Rio + 5 Forum was by > invitation only. The Baha'i International Community representative > assisted in the process of drafting the Earth Charter. Among the > leading activists and specialists in environment and development > > 4. For a full report see pp. 137-46. The statement presented by the Baha'i > International Community at Habitat II can be found on pp. 275-81. > > B AHA'f I NTERNATIONAL C OMMUN ITY > > taking part in Rio + 5 were Maurice F. Strong, Secretary-General > of the Earth Summit and President of the Earth Council; Juan > Somavia, chairman of the World Summit for Social Development; > Wally N'Dow, Secretary-General of the Second UN Conference on > Human Settlements (Habitat II); Bella Abzug, President of the > Women's Environment and Development Organization (WEDO); > and former Soviet President Mikhail Gorbachev, now President of > Green Cross International. > Again this year, the Peace Monument in downtown Rio de > Janeiro , a gift to the people of Brazil from the Baha'i International Community and the Brazilian Baha'i community on the > occasion of the Earth Summit in 1992, moved closer to realizing > the vision behind its creation. Five meters high and shaped like > an hourglass, the Peace Monument was designed to be filled with > 1 kilogram of soil from each nation on earth. At the Summit, soil > from some 40 nations was deposited in the monument. Each year > more soil, often from historically significant sites, is received, > and added to the monument on World Environment Day. The > nine nations that donated soil in 1996 were Cambodia, Ecuador, > Jamaica, Lesotho, the Federated States of Micronesia, Nicaragua, > Peru, Sierra Leone and Slovenia, bringing the total number of > contributing countries and territories to 93. > The World Food Summit, sponsored by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations , was held in Rome in > November, 1996. The Office of the Environment represented the > Baha'i International Community at the Summit and at the parallel > NGO Forum. For the Baha'i International Community, it was an > opportunity to network with other NGOs and to support the work of > the Advocates for African Food Security: Lessening the Burden for > Women. The Advocates, a coalition of NGOs, governmental and > intergovernmental organizations, has been convened by the Baha'i > International Community since the coalition's founding in 1988. > The United Nations is encouraging youth to become involved in > its activities, and Baha'i youth have responded, becoming involved > both in Habitat II and in the biennial UN World Youth Forum. The > Baha' i International Community participated in the Planning Committee for the Second Biennial World Youth Forum of the United > Nations System, attending two of its meetings and the Forum itself > > THE BAHA'I WORLD > > Baha'i International > Community > representatives > Giovanni Ballerio, > Betty Mosley, and > Beth Bowen at the > United Nations > World Food Summit > and parallel NGO > Forum in Rome, > November 1996. > > in Vienna in November 1996. More than 400 youth were present at > the Forum, including seven Baha'i youth from five countries. > Advancement of Women > The Baha'i International Community was pleased to be one of ten > NGOs invited to present model development projects for consideration by participants in the Midterm Review of the United > Nations New Agenda for Development in Africa in the 1990's > (UN-NADAF). 5 The Baha'i projects presented represent two > different strategies for improving the life of the community by > raising the status of women. The Traditional Media as Change > Agent Project in Cameroon, which was funded by the UN > Development Fund for Women (UNIFEM), focuses on changing > women's status by changing the attitudes of men. The Banani > International Secondary School for girls in Zambia focuses on > educating rural girls, providing an internationally recognized > certificate of graduation with an emphasis in science and agriculture. A report on the two Baha'i projects was published by the UN > in a background document distributed to all governments and UN > agencies participating in the mid-term review. > Efforts by national Baha'i communities to involve men in > implementing the principle of the equality of women and men are > gaining international recognition. Tiati a Zock, a member of the > Continental Board of Counsellors of the Baha'i Faith in Africa and > director of the Traditional Media project in Cameroon since its > > 5. See pp. 293- 302 for the text of this statement. > > B AHA'I J NTERNATlONAL C OMMUNITY > > inception in 1991, was invited by UNICEF Cameroon to present the > project at the annual Association for Women in Development > (AWID) Conference in Washington, D.C. The seminar on "Gender > Equity in the Family, the Role of the Male," in which Mr. a Zock > participated, was the only workshop (of approximately 700) at the > conference in which men took part. While in the U.S. Mr. a Zock > also consulted with the UNICEF Task Force on Men in the Family > and the president of the Confederation ofYMCAs for Latin America > and the Caribbean, who expressed interest in the project's potential > for lowering the level of machismo in young males, a matter of > great concern in Latin America. Attending the UN-NADAF midterm review in New York as the Baha'i International Community > representative, Mr. aZock reported to an NGO panel on food security > that, in some of the Baha'i communities participating in the Traditional Media Project, men broke with tradition and began helping > their wives in the fields. As a result, food production increased > markedly. Participants were astounded that a single behavioral > change should have such a profound positive effect on domestic > food production. > An encouraging development during 1996--97 has been the establishment of some 30 national offices and committees to promote > the advancement of women. Along with the Community's Office > for the Advancement of Women, they have been involved in the > processes leading up to and following the Fourth World Conference > on Women 6 which brought Baha'is the world over into relationship with other NGOs. For example, since Beijing the Australian > Office for the Advancement of Women, founded in 1993, has > worked closely with CAP OW, a coalition of national women's > organizations, to support task forces on "Women and Peace" and > "Women in Decision-Making," focusing on two of the twelve > critical issues identified in the Beijing Platform for Action. The > National Spiritual Assembly of the Baha'is of the United States is > co-chair of an NGO working group composed of more than 100 > organizations working to win US government ratification of the UN > Convention on Women. The Assembly has appointed a National > Committee for the Advancement of Women and recently issued > > 6. See article in The Bahil 'i World 1995- 96, pp. 145- 58. > > THE BAHA'f W ORLD > > a statement on women, to stimulate discussion on equality issues. > In Germany, the Baha'i Women's Forum, founded a year ago, > now has some 130 members in ten regions of the country. In June, > the Forum held a major conference on the development of a "violence-free culture" in conjunction with its annual meeting. In > France, the Association of Baha'i Women for Development, Peace > and Unity, founded in 1989, now has eight regional branches. > The Baha'i Community of Equatorial Guinea sponsored a > functional literacy course for women in Malabo and Bata from > November 1996 to April 1997. Working with the Ministry of > Women and Social Affairs , the Community also used Baha'i > Centers in those cities for courses in reproductive health, nutrition, > and basic mathematics. In Ghana, the Baha'i National Women's > Committee has focused on programs aimed at promoting healthy > families and helping women to realize their full potential. Austria's > national Task Force on Women has organized a nationwide series of > seminars on the themes "Encouragement," "Change," and "Service." > Singapore, where a Baha'i Women's Committee has been in > existence since 1972, has seen a gradual transformation of attitudes of both women and men in the community itself, with more > women now being elected to the administrative bodies of the > Faith and men and women working side by side on committees > and at Baha'i events and in other aspects of community life. In > Denmark, the Danish Baha'i Association of Women, formed in > January 1996, has organized a series of meetings in Copenhagen > on such topics as "Women and AIDS," "Female Genital Mutilation," and "Families Who Have Been Subject to Torture." In the > future, they hope to work with immigrant women. > The Baha'i National Women' s Committee in the United Kingdom, in addition to following issues from the Beijing conference, > has worked with other religious groups to support the passage of > legislation that would bring to justice UK citizens who have been > involved in the exploitation of children overseas. The Committee > gathered nearly 10,000 signatures from 159 cities and towns in > support of the legislation, which was approved by Parliament on > 21March1997. > The commercial sexual exploitation of children was also > addressed by the Baha'i International Community this year. At the > > B AHA'I I NTERNATIONAL C OMM UNITY > > invitation of the World Conference on Religion and Peace (WCRP) > and UNICEF, the Baha'i International Community participated in a > multireligious consultation on this issue, whose goal was to prepare > a statement for the World Conference against the Commercial Sexual > Exploitation of Children, held in Stockholm in August 1996, and to > ascertain how the various religious communities in the world view > the problem. The Baha'i contribution to this consultation, entitled > "Moral and Ethical Concerns of the Baha'i International Community > in the Face of the Widespread Sexual Exploitation of Children," > was published by WCRP for circulation at the Conference. > > Meetings > Meetings and UN sessions monitored by the Baha'i International > Community during 1996- 97 , other than those already discussed, > include the Commission on Sustainable Development, both the > Intersessional meeting (February) and the Fifth session (April) in > New York; the Commission for Social Development in New York; > the Commission on the Status of Women in New York; the World > Food Summit in Rome; the Commission on Narcotic Drugs in > Vienna; the Economic Commission for Latin America and the > Caribbean, in San Jose, Costa Rica; the Commission on Human > Settlements in Nairobi; the Commission on Crime Prevention and > Criminal Justice in Vienna; the Governing Council of the UN > Environment Program (UNEP) in Nairobi; the Substantive > Session of the United Nations Economic and Social Council; the > meeting of the UNICEF Executive Board in New York; and the > Second Biennial Session of the Youth Forum of the United Nations > System in Vienna. The Baha'i International Community also > attended the 36th session of the South Pacific Commission held in > the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands. > Much of the work ofNGOs in consultative status with the UN is > carried out through NGO committees and task forces that address > specific issues. During this last year, the Baha'i International Community held the chairmanships of the New York NGO Committee > on the Family, the New York NGO Committee on Human Rights, > and the New York CONGO (Committee ofNGOs in Consultative > Status with ECOSOC) NGO Task Force. As part of the ongoing > discussion of UN reform, the CONGO NGO Task Force organized > > an all-day consultation on increasing access to the UN General > Assembly, its main committees, and all areas of the work of the UN. > The consultation, chaired by a Baha'i International Community > representative, brought together representatives of governments, > high-ranking UN officials, and leaders of over forty of the most > active NGOs at the UN. The Baha'i International Community was > also represented on the Planning Committee for the Second Biennial > Session of the Youth Forum of the UN System. > > Public Information > The major initiative of the Office of Public Information during 1996-- > 97 was the launch in July 1996 of its site on the World Wide Web, > The Baha 'i World, which was further developed throughout the > remainder of the year. > The Haifa office continued to host an increasing number of special visitors to the Baha'i World Centre. During 1996--97 some 3,473 > dignitaries, media representatives, and other special visitors from 82 > countries were received in 220 separate visits. Film crews came > from Korea, Jordan, Dubai, Turkey, Yugoslavia, Israel, Spain, > Hungary, and the United States. > Baha' i International Community representative Guilda Walker > officially participated in the launch of "Forests for Life," the > World Wildlife Fund's Global Forest Campaign, at a gathering > held 26 February 1997 in London. The event, which took the > form of a diplomatic dinner, brought together 46 ambassadors, > high commissioners, charges d' affaires, and minister counsellors > representing European, African, North American, Latin American, > and Asian countries, as well as a number of high-ranking government officials. Speeches by Claude Martin, Director-General > of WWF International and by H.R.H. Prince Philip, the Duke of > Edinburgh, both paid tribute to the efforts of the Baha'i International Community for its strong support of the Forests for Life > campaign. In his remarks, the Duke of Edinburgh recalled that > the Baha'i International Community was the agency that had initiated the process of a forestry campaign at a 1994 gathering at > St. James' Palace. At the 1997 event, a commemorative brochure > carried a message from the Universal House of Justice, along > with the text of the addresses given by the Duke of Edinburgh > > BAJ-lA.'I I NTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY > > and Dr. Martin and statements from governments of countries > that had committed to implement the forest protected areas target > established by the World Wildlife Fund. The message from the > House of Justice stated, in part: > It will be only through deliberate and considered action that > forest ecosystems-the repositories of so much of the world's > genetic heritage-can be safeguarded from further devastation. The protagonists in this enterprise must be both national > governments and the peoples of the world, acting through the > host of non-governmental organizations they have created. > For its part, the Baha'i International Community will continue > to do all in its power to safeguard the common interests of the > human family. > > Another project being undertaken through the Office of Public > Information involves the Baha'i community's collaboration with > WETV, a new global television network, with which the office > held a number of conferences and training seminars in Kenya, India, > Jamaica, and Brazil. The object of this initiative is to empower > people from various parts of the world to acquire the means and > skills to tell the world their own stories about their own communities. > The Paris branch of the Office of Public Information was also > involved in a variety of activities. A representative cosigned, with > other major religions, an appeal by the international NGO ATD > Quart Monde and participated in a ceremony to commemorate the > United Nations' International Day for the Eradication of Poverty. > The office was also represented at the Fifth International Dialogue > on the Transition to a Global Society in Budapest in October 1996, > and a conference on Global Governance in London the following > month. > Other collaborative efforts included work with the international > media and public information activities before and during Habitat > II in June 1996, the coordination of a number of artistic presentations and projects throughout the year, and collaboration with the > Continental Board of Counsellors of the Baha'i Faith in Europe > and the European Baha'i Task Force for Women on issues related > to women throughout that continent. The Office prepared materials > in various languages, and organized public information training > seminars in several European Baha'i communities. > > THE BAHA'I WORLD > > One Country, the Office of Public Information's newsletter, > which has been published for eight years and now appears in six > languages with a circulation of over 30,000 in some 170 countries, > brought out four issues during 1996-97, again winning an award > for the excellence of its design and content. Coverage this year > included stories on Habitat II, the World Food Summit, the Microcredit Summit in Washington, D.C., and the recognition of the > seventy-fifth anniversary of the establishment of the Baha'i Faith > in Brazil. A hospital in Honduras that seeks to empower its rural > clients, microcredit in Colombia, and the development of a stonebreaking machine in South Africa were among the development > features. The Baha'i community of Russia was profiled, as were > two individual Baha'is: Kevin Locke, a Native American hoop > dancer who promotes the vision of world citizenship in his international travels, and Omid Djalili, an actor and stand-up comic > from Iranian background whose mission is as much to educate > and elevate as it is to entertain. Another report outlined the current > situation and international concern raised over the death sentences > passed on two Baha'is in Iran. > Conclusion > Work at local, national, and international levels was carried out by > the Baha'i International Community's various offices throughout > the year, focusing mainly on the advancement of women, human > rights, sustainable communities, and the environment. At all levels > the community spoke with one voice, supported by its various publications, advocating the perspective enunciated by Baha'u'llah over > a century ago and captured succinctly in His own exhortation, "Let > your vision be world-embracing." > > Some 150 Baha 'is, including > representatives of the Bahri 'i International > Community, gathered in Istanbul, Turkey, > to participate in activities associated with > Habitat II. > > BAHA'fSAT > HABITAT II > The United Nations Conference on Human Settlements > and NGO Forum > > A s a full moon rose over the Acik Hava Tiyatrosu open-air > theater in Istanbul, Turkey, on 29 May 1996, a moving > musical and dance production was presented to the diverse > audience assembled for the opening ceremonies of Habitat II, the > United Nations Conference on Human Settlements. It portrayed > Turkey, and Istanbul in particular, as a place "striving for unity > with the world, with the other, with God ... where opposites meet: > the East and the West, the old and the new." "Do they meet to > clash and destroy?" it asked, "Or do they clash to be reborn in > harmony yet unseen?" The finale asserted, to the stirring melody > of Beethoven's Ode to Joy, that "Uniting what custom divides, > they make the city Love's home." Inspiring delegates with spirit > and vision, the ceremonies set the tone for a conference aimed at > further developing a conceptual and programmatic framework for > peace, harmony, and justice in the world's myriad communities. > Habitat II, which took place in Istanbul from 30 May to 14 June > 1996, along with the parallel NGO Forum (for non-governmental > organizations) from 3 June to 14 June, brought together thousands > > of government representatives and members of civil society to discuss issues central to the well-being of the world community. Indeed, > a banner displayed in the main conference building, which read, > "Respecting Human Rights-Men and Women Working Together > as Equal Partners-Becoming Citizens of the World," challenged > delegates to consider the idea of"community" in a new light. > The Baha'i International Community was represented at both > Habitat II and the NGO Forum, having the largest delegation of > any of the NGOs at the official conference and quite possibly the > largest contingent of representatives of a non-governmental organization at the Forum. For Baha'is, the venue was particularly > significant because Baha'u'llah, the Founder of the Baha'i Faith, > spent over five years in Turkey during His long exile at the hands > of the Persian and Ottoman authorities. During those years, He > wrote many Tablets-some addressed to the leaders of the world. > He said that in this land He had "deposited beneath every tree and > every stone a trust, which God," He promised, would "erelong > bring forth through the power of Truth." > Baha'is, then, saw Habitat II as a fitting venue for the global > community to gather to discuss ways in which humanity can > build prosperous, just, and united communities. They also used > the occasion to bring Baha'u'llah's message to the attention of > the peoples of Turkey and of the world, distributing over 50,000 > copies of Baha'i statements and other materials in over a dozen > languages both at the conference and the NGO Forum, including > The Prosperity of Humankind; World Citizenship: A Global > Ethic for Sustainable Development; Turning Point for All > Nations; and Sustainable Communities in an Integrating World, > the statement written for the conference. > A campaign to promote the concept of world citizenship, sponsored by the Turkish Baha'i community, attracted much interest, and > thousands of NGO representatives, UN and government officials, > conference volunteers, and others-including the Secretary-General > of Habitat II, Wally N'Dow, and the President of the Turkish > Republic, Suleyman Demirel-sported world citizenship buttons > distributed by the Baha'is, which read, "The earth is but one country, > and mankind its citizens; I am a world citizen; Habitat II-Istanbul > '96" and "One World, One Home; Habitat II, Istanbul '96; Baha'i." > > HABITAT II > > As at previous United Nations conferences held this decade, > the Baha'i International Community sponsored several cultural > events during the evenings, which proved very popular. > > Habitat II > At least 15,000 people took part in Habitat II, including government > officials, representatives of intergovernmental organizations, parliamentarians and local authorities, NGO representatives, members > of the media, staff, and other participants. Some twenty heads of > state or government, numerous deputy prime ministers and vicepresidents, and scores of ministers also attended. The very strong > interconnection between Habitat II and the NGO and other Forums > was evident in the number of NGO representatives who were > involved in Habitat and in the large number of UN and government > officials who took some part in or visited the NGO Forum. > The Baha'i International Community as a whole was represented > at the conference, as were components of it, including the European > Baha'i Youth Council; the National Spiritual Assemblies of Brazil, > Canada, Denmark, France, Germany, Malaysia, the Netherlands, > Switzerland, Turkey, the United Kingdom, and the United States; > the European Baha'i Business Forum; l' Association baha'ie de > I' Architecture et de l'Urbanisme; and Health for Humanity. A > business founded on Baha' i principles was also accredited, and > Baha'is served as official representatives on two government delegations and for various organizations. In all, some 50 Baha'is were > present during the conference. > Baha'i representatives distributed materials to most government > delegations, gave press kits to journalists, and advocated text > changes to draft documents so as to have Baha'i concepts included > in the final draft of the Habitat Agenda, the global action plan for > human settlements that was negotiated by Habitat II. They also > made contact with their national NGO and government representatives, met their national media, and discussed issues with many > people. On several occasions, Wally N'Dow publicly acknowledged > the contributions made by Baha'is to the Habitat process, especially > the Baha'i position that spiritual principles and priorities must > drive community development processes- a position that Dr. > N'Dow himself advocated vigorously. > > THE BAHA'I WORLD > > In the formulation of the Habitat documents, text was offered > by Baha'i representatives from the floor as part of the official > intergovernmental negotiating process, and the Baha'i International Community was one of ten organizations to provide text > revisions to the Habitat Agenda, resulting in a composite NGO > document that was taken by the UN Secretariat and made into an > official UN negotiating document-the first time in UN history > that this has happened. Baha'i representatives also served as "floor > managers" for NGOs wishing to comment on paragraphs of text as > they were being negotiated by the governments. By the end of the > conference, it was widely evident that the Baha'i efforts towards > this unprecedented process had been constructive and unifying. > On the fifth day of the conference, the Baha'i International > Community was one of five NGOs to read a statement to the Plenary. > A shortened adaptation of the statement Sustainable Communities > in an Integrating World 1 was read by a member of the National > Spiritual Assembly of Turkey, after which over 300 copies were > given directly by the UN Secretariat to government and UN officials > and press. > A reception hosted by the Baha'i International Community and > the National Spiritual Assembly of Turkey was held toward the > end of the conference for UN and government officials, NGO and > press representatives, and others. > NGO Forum > The NGO Forum began four days before Habitat II and lasted > sixteen days, attracting representatives from over 2,400 NGOs, > thousands of government and UN officials, a large press contingent, and "day pass" visitors exceeding 22,000. Over 150 Baha'is > from some thirty countries participated in many of the 2,500 > workshops, meetings, symposia, and cultural events. > The official opening ceremonies commenced with a Baha'i > singing a verse in English about the contribution of women to > peace, which was then sung in turn in various languages by several > women. At the end of those same ceremonies, a youth addressed the > gathering on behalf of the Youth Caucus, reading a vision statement > > 1. For the full text of this statement, see pp. 275- 81 of this volume. > > HABITAT II > > Some of the > Baha'is > attending > Habitat II at > the Baha'i > International > Community 's > booth at the > NGO Forum . > > that two of the Baha'i youth present had helped to draft. The statement said, in part, that to build "our global home," we will need > "values common to all humanity: truth, justice, equity, understanding and cooperation .. .inclusion, unity, a sense of belonging and > collective responsibility ... economic and social justice ... racial and > gender equality ... world citizenship . .. and a sense of belonging, of > community and security." The speaker's words were met with a > standing ovation. > Baha'i institutions and agencies, including the Baha'i International Community, the National Spiritual Assemblies of Turkey > and the United States of America, the European Baha'i Family > Task Force, the European Baha'i Business Forum, the European > Baha'i Youth Council, Health for Humanity, and the Baha'i Institute for the Built Environment, held more than 35 workshops and > symposia, with topics as varied as "Shelter: Individual Rights > or Community Responsibility," "Service-Oriented Leadership," > "Encouraging Entrepreneurship in Women," "Youth and Global > Governance," "Tomorrow Belongs to the Children," and "Community > Relations and Conflict Resolution." > Individual Baha'is held numerous workshops in their professional capacities, and others were invited as speakers, panelists, > and presenters at several dozen workshops , symposia, and other > events held by organizations including UNESCO, Peace Child > International, and GROOTS. Baha'is also participated in a number > of Issue Caucuses, often introducing Baha'i principles into their > discussions and influencing the language of the Caucuses' final > > THE B AHA' I W ORLD > > declarations and statements. Baha'i women were, as with almost > all the other major UN conference processes of this decade, at the > forefront of Baha'i activities. And as with previous conferences, > the Baha'i participants became known for their ability to chair > meetings in a manner that would foster a consultative, unifying > spirit, resulting in greater cooperation and understanding. > Attractive exhibitions, sponsored by the Baha'i International > Community, the National Spiritual Assembly of Turkey, the European Baha'i Youth Council , and the European Baha'i Business > Forum, were visited by thousands . For those who wished to learn > more about the Baha'i Faith itself, evening meetings were held > throughout the course of Habitat. > The World Business Forum > The World Business Forum, which was part of the overall activities > associated with Habitat II, brought together over 320 leaders of corporations, networks, and NGOs to discuss the responsibilities and > contributions of the private sector to the goals of Habitat II. The > European Baha'i Business Forum (EBBF) was a cosponsor and active > participant in the World Business Forum, held from 29 May to 2 June > in Istanbul. Fifteen members of the EBBF, which was recognized > as one of the leading networks of progressive business leaders, > attended, chairing or serving as panelists at a number of events. > The EBBF's intensive involvement in the Forum was a result > of the organization's relationship with the World Business Forum's > Chairman, Marcello Palazzi, who had met Baha'is at a number of > previous conferences and was so impressed with the EBBF' s aims > that he became an honorary member. The Secretary-General of > the EBBF participated in drafting the final document produced by > the World Business Forum and was one of the six presenters of the > conclusions of the Forum to the United Nations Habitat II Partnership Committee, composed of governmental delegates to the UN > system; he also chaired the closing Plenary Session of the World > Business Forum, on the theme "The Leaders' Panel-Governance, > Leadership, and Participation." > Youth Activities > Youth for Habitat II, an informal coalition of youth and youthserving organizations working at all levels on human settlement > > HABITAT II > > issues, served as the umbrella group for youth organizations and > activities at the event; a Baha'i youth was one of the coalition's > founders. Other Baha'i youth involvement, spearheaded by the > youth of Turkey and supported by volunteers and the European > Baha'i Youth Council, resulted in Baha'i youth acting as principal > players in numerous activities, including workshops, consultations and the Youth Round table, the Youth Caucus, the Youth > Cafe, and the drafting of the Youth Vision Statement, "Building > Our Global Home." > The European Baha'i Youth Council was officially accredited > to the conference, and, as an international NGO, it was able to send > five representatives, although most of the Baha'i youth's efforts > were focussed on the NGO Forum. The Council sponsored a wellattended workshop on "Youth and Global Citizenship" at the > Forum, addressing such issues as global consciousness and unity > and diversity from a Baha'i perspective. > The Youth Caucus, which was considered by many to be the > most active, energetic, and visible section of the NGO community > participating in Habitat II, met daily and was open to all youth > NGO representatives and individuals interested in youth issues. > The final text of the Youth Vision Statement, adopted by the > entire Youth Caucus, incorporated many Baha'i ideals and concepts > and was presented at the opening plenary of the NGO Forum, > where, as previously mentioned, it received the only standing ovation of the session. > The European Baha'i Youth Council also played a leadership > role in the International Youth Consultation on Habitat II, a smaller, > On Youth Day, these > youth- some of them > Baha 'is- carried > this banner to the > pavilion where they > presented the youth > vision statement in > dramatic form and > then gave the document to Habitat II > Secretary-General > Wally N'Dow. > > THE BAHA'I WORLD > > more formal event initiated by the World Assembly of Youth, > with which the Council had previously collaborated in organizing > the International Youth Consultation on Social Development at > the World Summit for Social Development in Copenhagen in March > 1995. The event at Habitat II, held from 3 to 6 June, brought together > some fifty representatives of international youth NGO's and national > youth councils. > Throughout all of the youth activities at Habitat II, the Baha'i > youth demonstrated their readiness to serve and facilitate for others, and to bring to the proceedings vision and a spirit of unity > and cooperation. > Other Activities > Wisdom Keepers II, which met from 5 to 7 June as an official > concurrent event of Habitat II, brought together spiritual leaders, > indigenous peoples, scientists, youth, and activists "with decades of > experience in grassroots organizing based on mobilizing human > spirit." Convened to consider "the moral, ethical, and spiritual aspects > of Habitat," the gathering addressed themes complementary to those > of the main conference. A Turkish > member of the Continental Board of > Counsellors for Europe represented > the Baha'i Faith at the sessions. > Baha'is attended and contributed > to other activities, including the > Forum on Human Solidarity and the > series of daylong "Dialogues," focusing on issues such as citizenship > and democracy in the twenty-first > century, communications and the > media, health, finance, energy, > transport, and employment. > Press coverage at both the NGO > Forum and Habitat II was coordi- > Habitat II Secretary-General Wally nated by the Baha'i International > N'Dow, left, with United Kingdom Community ' s Office of Public > National Spiritual Assembly mem- Information. > ber Hugh Adamson at a reception Prior to Habitat II, a dinner > in London, 20 May 1996. reception was organized in honor > > HABITAT II > > of the conference's Secretary-General, Wally N'Dow. Held at the > National Baha'i Center in London, England, on 20 May, the event > was attended by some thirty dignitaries. A press conference facilitated by the Baha'i community was held the following day. > The Lead-up Process > The Baha'i International Community participated in the first Habitat > conference, held in 1976 in Vancouver, Canada, at which a Baha'i > statement, Building a Unified Community, was issued. While the > first Habitat conference was mostly technical in its focus, Habitat II > was more "people-centered," like the other major UN conferences > held recently, and had as a central theme the promotion of equality > between women and men in human settlements. It concentrated on > social and economic issues. > The Baha'i community was involved at the local, national, and > international levels in the lead-up process to Habitat IL Throughout > the year prior to the conference, the National Spiritual Assembly > of Turkey worked closely with the Baha'i International Community's United Nations and Public Information Offices with a shared > vision and common goals. Several national Baha'i communities > also participated in their national and local Habitat consultations, > which involved government agencies, NGOs, and NGO networks > and coalitions, and they worked at drafting national statements and > reports. > The Baha'i International Community offices sent representatives > to the three UN PrepCom sessions, the third of which was also > attended by several National Spiritual Assemblies and Baha'i agencies. There, the Baha'i International Community offices presented > to NGOs and governments a paper entitled Recommended Changes > to the Draft Habitat Agenda. In several instances, text supplied by > the Baha'i International Community's offices was debated among > NGOs and government representatives, and , in several places, > Baha'i recommendations (phrases) were incorporated into the final > Habitat Agenda through contributions made at this PrepCom and > at the conference itself. > Important Themes > During the course of Habitat II, the NGO Forum, and related > activities in Istanbul, several important themes and ideas arose: > > THE B AHA'I W ORLD > > recognition that spiritual values must be at the heart of and must > drive the community-building process; that prosperity for communities and nations will not come by withdrawing from the world > community but by becoming actively engaged in it; that interdependence is a reality; and that the rights and responsibilities of > citizenship must be extended to all of the earth's inhabitants. > Many calls were heard for conferences, gatherings, and other > initiatives around the year 2000 to chart a new direction for > humanity towards an age of peace, justice, and prosperity. There > was much discussion about the nature of NGOs- who they > represent, their accountability and transparency, and whether they > are democratic. NGOs consulted about the next step in civil > society's participation in the UN system, whether taken through a > UN Assembly of civil society representatives or the establishment > of something more far-reaching and more representative of the > peoples of the world. > In all of these themes, ideas , and discussions, the Baha'is saw > reflected Baha'u'llah's assertion that "consorting with people hath > promoted and will continue to promote unity and concord, which > in tum are conducive to the maintenance of order in the world and > to the regeneration of nations" and 'Abdu'l-Baha's promise that > "when the pure intentions and the justice of the ruler, the wisdom > and consummate skill and statecraft of the governing authorities, > and the determination and unstinted efforts of the people, are all > combined; then day by day the effects of the advancement, of the > far-reaching reforms, of the pride and prosperity of government > and people alike, will become clearly manifest." > > Update: The Situation of > THEBAHA'fS > IN IRAN > > T he situation of the Baha'i community in Iran remained > grave during 1996-97. Coping in a difficult and hostile > environment since the installation of the Islamic Revolutionary > Government in 1979, the Baha'is, whose approximately 300,000 > members compose Iran's largest religious minority, still find > themselves without any legal or civil recourse-regarded as > "unprotected infidels" under the country's Islamic constitution. > Although the executions of Baha'is have ceased, harassment > continues. Between 1993 and 1997, some 200 Baha'is were arrested > and detained for periods ranging from 48 hours to 6 months. As > of March 1997, fourteen Baha'is were still being held in Iranian > prisons solely because of their religious beliefs. Four of these are > under sentence of death. > Concern about these death sentences is very real. Since 1979 more > than 200 Baha'is have been killed, while another 15 have disappeared > and are presumed dead. A secret government document, written and > approved by Iran's most senior clerical and civil authorities and > adopted by Iran's Supreme Revolutionary Cultural Council in > > THE BAHA'f WORLD > > 1991, outlines specific guidelines aimed at suppressing the minority > community in a fashion calculated to elicit minimal international > attention. > The obstacles placed before the Iranian Baha'i community are > numerous and serve to impede them in fundamental ways. > First, with regard to employment, Baha'is are prevented from > entering a large number of professions. More than 10,000 government employees who were members of the Baha'i Faith were > dismissed from their positions in the early days of the Revolution > and were, in some cases, forced to repay wages and pensions. > Many remain unemployed and receive no social benefits. Baha'i > farmers are denied admission to farmers' cooperatives, which > are often the only sources of credit, seeds, pesticide, and fertilizer. > The stores owned by Baha'is in one city have been closed for > more than twelve years now, and there is no sign than they will > be reopened, in spite of continual requests to the authorities. > Pharmacies owned by Baha'is in two other cities were closed > down and sealed by the authorities, for no apparent reason. Other > Baha'is have been bullied and intimidated into abandoning their > professions. One medical doctor, for example, was arrested, beaten, > slandered, and forced to cooperate with the Islamic security guards. > Baha'i youth have been denied access to higher education for > some seventeen years now, and an entire generation is suffering > from this deprivation. A recent change in the secondary educational structure of the country has created even further hardship > for the Baha'i community. Previously the public high school > program was four years in length, but now the government has > shortened it to three years, making the fourth a pre-university > year, from which Baha'is are barred, thus closing access to postsecondary education. To counteract this repression on the part of > the government, the Baha' i community established, in 1987, its > own higher education program, or open university, to offer a > program to its youth. By 1996, several hundred students were > enrolled and eleven had graduated with the equivalent of a bachelor's degree. Recently, however, government officials raided > the office where records of all the Baha'i students were kept. > The information secured by the government through this action > may well be used against the community. > > B- > AHAáfs > -- IN I -RAN > > A third means of oppression with which the Iranian Baha'i > community must deal is the deprivation of civil rights and liberties. > Baha' i marriages and divorces are not recognized in Iran, nor is > the right of Baha'is to inherit. Recently the Ministry of Justice, > Tehran Civil Court, deprived a Baha'i woman of the right to inherit > her rightful share following the death of her daughter, stating that > the only heir of the deceased is her husband, a Muslim, "because > the other inheritors are Baha'is." Since Baha'is are strictly prevented from seeking probate, according to a government ruling > passed in 1996, they now have no recourse in the matter. The freedom ofBaha'is to travel outside and inside Iran is often impeded or > even denied. Baba' is seeking passports must complete application > forms which require declaration of affiliation with a "recognized > religion"; a declaration of faith by Baha'i applicants is used to > pressure them to recant their belief. Another manner in which > individual members of the Baha'i community are harassed is the > practice, in a number of communities, of summoning Baha'is to > the security offices, where they are insulted and belittled with the > object of creating fear in their families and weakening their spirits. > On a collective level, Baha'is have been denied the right, since > 1983 , to assemble and to maintain their democratically elected > administrative institutions. Since the Baha'i Faith has no clergy, > and these institutions direct many functions of Baha'i community life, their dissolution is a direct threat to the existence of this > religious community. Another manner in which the community > as a whole has been deeply affected is through the confiscation > of Baha'i cemeteries, holy places, historical sites, administrative > centers, and other assets shortly after the 1979 revolution. They have > never been returned; many, in fact, have been destroyed. In 1993, > approximately 15,000 graves were desecrated when bulldozers > excavated a section of the Baha'i cemetery in Tehran to construct > an Islamic cultural center. Throughout the country, seizure of > Baha'i cemeteries has left Baha'is access only to areas of waste > land designated by the government for their use, where they are > not permitted to mark the graves of those they bury. > Confiscation of property owned by individual Baha'is is also > widespread. Private and business properties, homes, and farms, > have all been arbitrarily seized, thus contributing further to the > > THE BAHA'I W ORLD > > erosion of the community's economic base. A few examples will > serve to illustrate the arbitrary nature of the actions taken by the > government. In Kashan, a mosque was built on land confiscated > from Baha'is, in spite of complaints made through official channels. > In Yazd, the majority of Baha'is are prohibited from conducting > any business transactions, and over 150 cases related to the confiscation of belongings occurred in only one year, 1995. One of the > Baha'is who was ejected from her home, over the protests of > her neighbors, was a blind woman, whose belongings were also > confiscated, along with those of some sixty other Baha'i families. > In Kirman and Mashhad, government authorities " inspected" > numerous Baha'i homes, confiscating belongings such as computers , a video recorder, a television, a piano, and other musical > equipment. Baha'is were also arrested and detained for one month > in Kirman. > The situation of those Baha' is currently imprisoned is of the > utmost seriousness, particularly those languishing under sentence > of death. Kayvan Khalajabadi and Bihnam Mithaqi were first > imprisoned in 1989 solely on the basis of their faith. An original > sentence of eight years' imprisonment was, through a process of > appeals, first commuted to three years plus fifty lashes, and then > overturned in favor of the death sentence, first passed in 1991. > The latest appeal resulted in the confirmation of the death sentence by the Supreme Court of Iran on 18 February 1996. > Musa Talibi was sentenced to death for apostasy on 18 August > 1996, after being imprisoned in Isfahan since June 1994. While > he was originally sentenced to ten years' imprisonment for sharing > the tenets of his faith with others, an appeal reduced the sentence > to eighteen months. A further appeal by the prosecutors resulted > in imposition of the death sentence, which was confirmed by the > Supreme Court oflran in January 1997. News of this decision was > conveyed orally to Mr. Talibi ' s relatives; no written verdict has > been given. Recently Mr. Talibi was transferred from Isfahan to > the notorious Evin Prison in Tehran. > Dhabil::m'llah MaJ:rrami, charged with apostasy, was sentenced > to death in January 1996, and his properties and assets were all > confiscated, since his heirs are all Baha'is. After a lengthy appeal > process, confirmation of the death sentence was received from > > BAHA:f s IN I RAN > > the Supreme Court of Iran in January 1997. Again, this news was > conveyed orally to Mr. Mal_irami's relatives, and he was moved > from the prison of the Revolutionary Court in Y azd to that of the > Security Information Department. > A fifth Baha'i, Ramic;lan-'Ali Dhulfaqan, although released from > prison in 1994, is still under sentence of death for apostasy. > During 1996, other members of the Baha'i Faith were arrested > on various pretexts. Two men in Mashhad, for example, were > arrested in February while conducting a Baha'i children's class. > Charges against them include being active in the Baha'i community, > gathering for Baha'i meetings in a private house, and working > against the country's security by organizing a children's art exhibit. > Six Baha'is arrested for infringement of business law were given > prison sentences of between six months and one year and were > fined 500,000 tumans (equivalent to a year's rent for a two- or > three-bedroom apartment in Tehran), although none of them had > done anything illegal and they provided the court with evidence > proving their innocence. Two were released in late 1996, but the > other four were still imprisoned as of March 1997. And two other > Baha'is, arrested with several Muslims early in 1996 on charges of > misconduct, were sentenced to eight years' imprisonment after > being told that they must recant their faith in order to be freed. > They refused. All the Muslims arrested with them have been > released. > Government Action > Around the world, governments again this year spoke up in defense > of the Baha'is in Iran. Statements were made by government representatives in the European Parliament, which adopted a resolution > on Iran mentioning the situation of the Baha'i community on 20 > February 1997. Statements were also made in the German > Bundestag and the French Parliament, and many other governments > instructed their delegations to the United Nations to support actions > taken on behalf of the Baha'is in that forum. > In the United States, Senators John Edward Porter and Tom > Lantos wrote directly to the Iranian Ambassador to the United > Nations expressing their concern about the persecution of religious minorities in Iran and specifically mentioned the death > sentence passed against Mr. Talibi for apostasy , calling on the > > THE BAHA'I WORLD > > government to commute the sentence and to "permit the free > exercise of religion for all its citizens and end the persecution of > religious minorities." Again this year the U.S. Senate and House of > Representatives unanimously approved a resolution-the seventh > congressional appeal in support of the Iranian Baha'i community > adopted since 1982- condemning Iran's continuing repressive > actions against the community and urging the regime to grant > religious rights to the Baha' is. > Media Coverage and Scholarly Articles > The year also saw significant media coverage of the plight of > Iran's Baha'is. Following the confirmation of the death sentences > on Mr. Talibi and Mr. MaI:irami at the end of January , both the > Reuters and the UPI news services reported on the statement by > State Department spokesman Nicholas Burns which said, "The > United States government strongly condemns this action and calls > on the government of Iran to release these men. We urge the > government of Iran to free all prisoners of conscience and to ensure > freedom of religion." > Amnesty International, in its 30 January International Urgent > Action Bulletin, also reported on the confirmation of the death > sentences against Talibi and Malp-ami, stating that the organization " is extremely concerned" that the men "may be at risk of > imminent execution." The bulletin provided details as to the cases > of both men and stated, "Amnesty International believes both men > are prisoners of conscience, currently held solely on account of > their religious beliefs. It is calling for the death sentences against > them to be lifted and for them to be released immediately and > unconditionally." > The International Labor Organization noted in a June press > release , following the 83rd International Labor Conference in > Geneva, that there are "serious problems" in Iran "with respect > to employment policy toward members of the Baha'i community > and members of other religious communities." The ILO's Committee on the Application of Standards urged the Iranian government > to adopt a non-discriminatory policy "particularly with regard to > posts within the judiciary system, election to Islamic Labor Councils and access to university education." > > B AHA'fS IN I RAN > > In Australia, in March 1997, the SBS , the second national > broadcast network in the country and the one that addresses the > needs of Australia's ethnic communities, aired an item on the > case of Mr. Talibi on its "World News" program. An interview > with a Baha' i spokesperson regarding Mr. Talibi and the general > situation of the Baha'is in Iran was also broadcast on a national > SBS radio program. > Mention of the situation of Iran's Baha' i community also received > scholarly attention. The Emory International Law Review, in its > Spring 1996 volume , on the theme "Religious Human Rights > in the World Today," contained an article by Donna E. Arzt on > "Religious Human Rights in Muslim States of the Middle East > and Africa," which contained references to the history and the > current situation of the Baha'i community in Iran, noting that > "The 1979 Iranian constitution formally recognizes Jews, Christians , and Zorastrians [sic] but makes no mention of Baha'is, > who constitute Iran's largest religious minority, even though, as > a scriptural monotheism, the Baha'i faith should be entitled to > dhimma status. There is little doubt, however, that Baha'is are > the most persecuted minority in Iran." > At the United Nations > A resolution expressing "concern at the continuation of violations of > human rights in the Islamic Republic of Iran," noting in particular > the situation of the Baha'is, "whose existence as a viable religious > community in the Islamic Republic of Iran is threatened," and > calling upon the government of that country "to implement fully the > conclusions and recommendations of the Special Rapporteur on > religious intolerance relating to the Baha' is and to other minority > religious groups" 1 was passed on 24 April 1996 at the 52nd Session > of the United Nations Commission on Human Rights. This strong > resolution, which included a request that the UN's Special Representative on Iran "submit an interim report to the General Assembly > at its fifty-first session on the situation of human rights in the Islamic > Republic of Iran, including the situation of minority groups such > as the Baha' is, and to report to the Commission at its fifty-third > > 1. See The Bahci 'i Wo rld 1995-96, pp. 142-43 for more on this report. > > session," kept the persecution of Iran's Baha'is before the gaze of > the international community. > In August 1996, in another United Nations forum, a representative of the Baha'i International Community made a statement to the > Sub-Commission on Prevention of Discrimination and Protection of > Minorities, detailing the continued persecution of the Iranian Baha'i > community, expressing its hope that the Subcommission would > continue to monitor the case, condemn the violation of the Baha'is' > human rights, and request that the Islamic Republic of Iran guarantee > religious freedom to the Baha'is of that country. A resolution of the > Subcommission urged the Iranian government "to implement fully > the conclusions and the recommendations of the Special Rapporteur > on religious intolerance relating to the Baha'is and to other minority > religious groups, including Christians, until they are completely > emancipated." > The reports of the Special Rapporteur on religious intolerance > and the Special Representative on Iran, detailed in The Baha 'i > World 1995-96, were followed up by interim reports. The Special > Representative, Maurice Danby Copithome, submitted his written > interim report in October 1996, including mention of the situation of > the Baha'i community in seven of the report's seventeen paragraphs. > Noting a description in the Iranian press of the Baha'i Faith as "an > organized espionage ring" rather than a religion, the Special Representative concluded that "the situation for the Baha'is in the Islamic > Republic can improve only if there is a significant change in attitude > towards them on the part of the Iranian authorities" and further > noted that "the condition of human rights in the Islamic Republic of > Iran may well have deteriorated since [the Representative's] report > earlier this year to the Commission on Human Rights." > The points raised by Professor Amor in his interim report, based > on conclusions and recommendations included in his previous > report to the Commission on Human Rights, present the case of > the Baha'is to the Iranian authorities and require their response. > The following areas are those in which the Special Rapporteur has > called for change by the Iranian government: that the ban on Baha'i > organizations be lifted; that confiscated properties be returned and > destroyed places of worship either be rebuilt or compensation be > offered; that Baha'is be free to bury and honor their dead; that the > > BAHA:fs IN IRAN > > question of religion be deleted from passport applications to provide > Baha'is with greater freedom of movement; that Baha'is be given > access to institutions of higher education and to the justice system; > and that death sentences pronounced against Baha'is be set aside. > In his interim report, Professor Amor made specific mention of the > three cases of apostasy pending against Baha'is in Iran. > On 12 December 1996, the Plenary of the fifty-first session of > the United Nations General Assembly adopted a strongly worded > resolution on the human rights situation in Iran, with 79 voting in > favor, 30 against, and 54 abstentions. The resolution made specific mention of the Baha'is in three operative paragraphs and > was identical to the resolution adopted by the Third Committee > on 29 November. > One of these paragraphs states that the United Nations "expresses > its concern at grave breaches of human rights of the Baha' is in the > Islamic Republic of Iran and of situations of discrimination against > the members of this religious community ... " Another, in the same > wording as the Human Rights Sub-Commission's resolution, calls > for the Iranian Government to implement the conclusions and recommendations of the Special Rapporteur on religious intolerance. > The third operative paragraph states that the United Nations will > "continue examination of the situation of human rights in the Islamic > Republic of Iran including the situation of minority groups, such as > the Baha'is, during its fifty-second session under the item entitled, > 'Human rights questions' on the basis of the report of the Special > Representative and in the light of additional elements provided by > the Commission on Human Rights and the Economic and Social > Council." The following April, in 1997, the United Nations Commission on Human Rights again expressed "grave concern" at the > breaches of human rights and other situations of discrimination > against Iran's Baha'is and again called upon the government "to > implement fully the recommendations of the Special Representative > and relevant recommendations of the Special Rapporteurs on religious intolerance and on freedom of opinion and expression, in > particular the recommendations relating to the Baha'is, Christians, > Sunni, and other minority religious groups." Finally, the Commission > decided "to continue the examination of the situation of human rights > in the Islamic Republic of Iran, including the situation of minority > > THE B AHA'I WORLD > > groups such as the Baha' is during its 54th session under the agenda > item 'question of the violations of human rights and fundamental > freedoms in any part of the world."' > Mr. Copithome' s report on the situation in Iran to the 53rd Session of the Commission on Human Rights, submitted on 1 April > 1997, outlined further cases of persecution against the Baha'is, > updated the cases previously treated, and again urged that "urgent > attention" be paid to the October 1996 recommendations of the > Special Rapporteur on religious intolerance, Abdelfattah Amor. By > the year' s end, however, none of these issues had been addressed, > and the situation of Iran's Baha'i community remained perilous. > > The Baha'f World > on the > World Wide Web > > 0 n 7 August 1996 the Baha'i International Community's > Office of Public Information announced to the public the > launch of its site on the World Wide Web, appropriately named > The Baha'i World. The site, located at , conveys the unified and global nature of the Baha'i community. With > a visually appealing home page and stories and comments from > Baha'is around the world, the site reflects the cultural and geographic diversity of the Faith's five million members, as well as their > common understanding of and approach to issues currently facing > humanity. > Aside from featuring the global Baha'i community, the site > offers a wealth of information about the history and teachings of > the Baha'i Faith. Visitors to the site can choose whether to view > a brief introduction or a more detailed explanation of the central > figures and institutions of the Faith, which contains main articles on > Baha'u'll:ih, the Bab, 'Abdu'l-Baha, Shoghi Effendi, the Universal > House of Justice, the Covenant of Baha'u'llah, and the historical > context of the Babi and Baha'i Faiths. Supplementary materials > > THE BAHA'f WORLD > > such as the Constitution of the Universal House of Justice, excerpts > from the Will and Testament of 'Abdu'l-Baha, a statement on > the protection of diversity in the Baha'i community, an account > written by the English scholar Edward Granville Browne of his > encounter with Baha' u'llah, and a description of two early > Baha'i heroines are some of the other available materials. > Another main section of the site deals with theological subjects such as the Baha'i concept of God; life, death, and the soul; > prayer, meditation, and fasting; the purpose of life; the oneness > of religion; and the Prophets or Manifestations of God. > The fourth major section outlines the Baha'i Faith's vision of > humanity's future and features a statement by the Universal House > of Justice addressed to the peoples of the world on the occasion of > the United Nations International Year of Peace in 1986. Other > statements by the Baha'i International Community can be found > here, including Th e Prosperity of Humankind, which was first > released at the UN World Summit for Social Development in > Copenhagen in March 1995; Turning Point for All Nations, which > was contributed by the Baha' i International Community to discussions of UN reform during the 50th anniversary of the United > Nations; and a number of documents and statements regarding the > role of women, some of which were published and distributed at > the Fourth World Conference on Women in Beijing in 1995. Visitors can also access a library of other official statements on a range > of topics made by the Baha'i International Community in various > United Nations fora. > The web site launch was the culmination of many months of > intense work by the Baha'i International Community's Office of > Public Information, which saw to the design, content development, > and coordination of technical work. The hard work paid off, as the > site has attracted a steady stream of visitors during its first nine > months- some 55,000 visitors from approximately 90 countries > and territories, including places as far flung as Greenland, the > Faroe Islands, Micronesia, Namibia, Liechtenstein, Swaziland, Sri > Lanka, and Papua New Guinea. > Taking its teachings to the World Wide Web is a natural progression for a Faith that espouses the oneness of humankind. And > as early as 1936 the Guardian of the Baha'i Faith, Shoghi Effendi, > > WORLD WIDE WEB > > The Baha' i World web site, launched in August 1996, welcomed more than > 55, 000 visitors during its first nine months of existence. > anticipated the development of a global communications network > like the Internet, stating in one instance that "A mechanism of > world inter-communication will be devised, embracing the whole > planet, freed from national hindrances and restrictions, and functioning with marvelous swiftness and perfect regularity." 1 > The site has received favorable publicity since its launch, > most notably a notice in the 22 August 1996 edition of USA > Today, a national daily newspaper in the United States with a circulation of more than 1.5 million. > In view of the diverse nature of the Baha'i community and its > commitment to world unity, the site has been developed with the > capability of being expanded to include many languages. Materials > were originally available in English, with some French and Spanish, and plans are under way for expansion to include Portuguese > and other languages. > Future developments include plans for links between the > Baha'i International Community's web site and those of national > > 1. Shoghi Effendi, The World Order of Baha 'u 'llah: Selected l etters, 2d rev. > ed. (Wilmette: Baha 'i Publishing Trust, 1974), p. 203. > > Baha'i communities around the world. National Spiritual > Assemblies in some countries have already set up their own sites > to provide details about the history of and current happenings in > their communities. Such web sites also provide a means for people to get in touch electronically with the Baha'is in their own > country or region of the world. > The Baha 'i World web site itself is dynamic, with plans > scheduled for a section on Baha'i activities in the arena of social > and economic development, perspective features on current global > trends, and an expansion of selections from the Baha'i sacred > writings, among other new features. > > EssAYS, > STATEMENTS, > PR0ANF11Es > Th e resting place of Shoghi Effendi, Guardian of the Baha 'i Faith, > in London, England. > Glenford E. Mitchell profiles Shoghi > Effendi, the Guardian of the Baha 'f Faith > from 1921to1957, highlighting his roles > as community builder, interpreter, and > visionary. > > SHOGHI EFFENDI: > GUIDE FORA > > NEW MILLENNIUM > > S hoghi Effendi, Guardian of the Baha'i Faith, who was born one > hundred years ago in Ottoman Palestine, occupies a unique > position in the annals of religion. What made him indispensable > to the emergence of a worldwide community has also ensured for > him a place in twentieth century history as a towering figure of > enduring significance. Through thirty-six years of prodigious > activity, he carried out his designated responsibility, both in > literary and practical terms, as interpreter of the vision of world > unity advanced by Baha'u'llah, Founder of the Faith. The potential > of the incomparably diverse but united global community he raised > up is to become a pattern for future society. Anyone acquainted > with its workings will be impressed by the spirit that induces its > coherence. The community's burgeoning along the lines traced > by Shoghi Effendi strongly suggests that the demonstrated > efficacy of his guidance and its salience for social reconstruction > of the planet are bound increasingly to impress themselves upon > public consciousness and inevi ably to influence the shaping of a > millennium. > > No celebration will mark the centennial of Shoghi Effendi's > birth: such an observance would violate his clear instruction > against the commemoration of his birthday or any other event > associated with his life. Remembrance of his monumental achievements is, nevertheless, irrepressible and begs for expression at > every opportunity. This anniversary offers a welcome incentive, > then, for reflection on the nature of his work and the relevance of > his thought to contemporary concern about the state and direction of human society, especially as the century about which he > offered such illuminating and proven analyses draws to a close. The > sheer volume and efficiency of his output in any one of his vocations, as exegete, author, translator, administrator, commentator > on world trends, master planner, organizer of global undertakings, aesthete, is astounding, but it is the rarity of his inspired > insight that lent a singular quality to his varied occupations and that > remains as an exceptional and potent legacy. > Shoghi Effendi was born into a politically precarious environment > at a time of rising global fermentation. His life encompassed the > closing years of Ottoman rule, the entire span of the British Mandate, > and virtually a decade of the independent State oflsrael-altogether > a period marked by social turmoil exacerbated by the upheavals > of two world wars. The experience of his own family was as a > barometer of the times. Almost half a century before his birth his > great-grandfather, Baha'u'llah, had been officially banished from > His native Persia as a consequence of charges imputed to His > leadership role in a new religion; before that, Baha'u'llah's Forerunner, the Bab, had been put to death in dramatic circumstances. > Baha'u'llah's exile took Him to Iraq and Turkey, where, in both > countries, He was confined as a prisoner for a number of years. It > was during these years that He announced His mission as the > bearer of a new revelation from God. Ultimately, Baha'u'llah > was imprisoned in Acre, Palestine, arriving there with His family > in August 1868. He was released from strict confinement after a > few years but remained under detention in that area, where He > passed away in 1892. His eldest son, 'Abdu'l-Baha, who had shared > in His Father's exile and imprisonment, succeeded Baha'u'llah as > head of the Faith and the appointed interpreter and exemplar of > His teachings. The firstborn of 'Abdu'l-Baha's eldest daughter, > > SHOGHI EFFE NDI > > Shoghi Effendi grew up under the sheltering eye of his > beloved grandfather. Except > for his sojourns abroad as a > student and other occasional > travels, this scion of a historic > family of Persian exiles lived > and worked in the land of his > birth. > 'Abdu'l-Baha's death in > November 1921 marked the > beginning of an unusual career > for Shoghi Effendi. Nothing > had prepared the Baha'is, > then scattered among some > 35 countries, for the preeminent part he was destined to > play in the making of their > community-not the fact that Shoghi Effendi, before his appointment as > he was a member of a family Guardian, at his small typewriter on th e > of primary distinction, nor that balcony of the room he occupied next to > he had for some time acted that of 'A bdu '/-Bahri. > as ' Abdu'l-Baha's secretary in Persian and English. Nor was there > any indication of ambition on his part. Consonant with his total > dedication to the service of his grandfather, Shoghi Effendi's great > aspiration had been to become a perfect English translator of the > Baha'i writings . His letter of 11June1920, applying for admission to Oxford University, made this intention clear: "My sole > aim," he wrote, "is to perfect my English, to acquire the literary > ability to write it well, speak it well and translate correctly and > eloquently from Persian and Arabic into English." His innocence > of any expectation beyond such aspiration was shattered by the > shock he sustained upon learning from 'Abdu'l-Baha's Will and > Testament of his appointment as interpreter and Guardian. He > was then only 25 and still a student at Oxford. His sudden awareness of this new responsibility overwhelmed him, so much so that > he absented himself from the Holy Land for some time to collect > his strength for the tasks ahead. > > THE B AHA'I W ORLD > > Shoghi Effendi as Community Builder > The young Guardian began his ministry in the unsettled aftermath > of World War I. He was faced with the daunting challenge of > rallying the forces and concentrating the efforts of loosely > connected groups and isolated individuals who were for the > most part unschooled in the details of the beliefs and practices of > their new religion. If he were to succeed, he had not only to win > their adherence to the fundamentals but, as well, to imbue them > with a vision that would penetrate and transcend the gloom of > the times . The matrix in which the Guardian must function was > set by Baha'u'llah Himself, Who declared the oneness of humankind to be the central principle of His Revelation. If Baha'u'llah > was the author of this world-embracing concept, His immediate > successor, 'Abdu'l-Baha, was the architect of the System that > must realize it, and Shoghi Effendi, the latter's successor, would be > the builder of the structure that would enable that System to operate. > The Guardian summarizes Baha'u'llah's intention in these words: > > For Baha 'u'llah, we should readily recognize, has not only > imbued mankind with a new and regenerating Spirit. He has > not merely enunciated certain universal principles, or propounded a particular philosophy, however potent, sound and > universal these may be. In addition to these, He, as well as > 'Abdu'l-Baha after Him, has, unlike the Dispensations of the > past, clearly and specifically laid down a set of Laws, established definite institutions, and provided for the essentials of a > Divine Economy. These are destined to be a pattern for future > society, a supreme instrument for the establishment of the > Most Great Peace, and the one agency for the unification of > the world, and the proclamation of the reign of righteousness > and justice upon the earth. 1 > > Shoghi Effendi set about his tasks with unbounded and efficient > energy. There was a divine Plan to be pursued. It required the raising up of new institutions, the execution of worldwide teaching > programs, the development of local and national components of a > world community, the protection of this nascent Faith from attack > > 1. Shoghi Effendi, The World Order ofBahri 'u '!Lah: Selected Letters (Wilmette: > Baha'i Publishing Trust, 1991), p. 19. > > SHOGHI EFFENDI > > of its adversaries-all a part of the process of building the new > World Order proclaimed by Baha'u'llah. Thus Shoghi Effendi > must do more than explain the sacred texts: he must direct and > guide his trust through the permutations of individual and social > transformation; he must forge a Baha'i community. His exegetic > works were made to serve these essential purposes. > At the outset, Shoghi Effendi devoted paramount attention to > building the local and national institutions called for in the writings of Baha'u'llah and 'Abdu'l-Baha. For a community without > a clergy, these democratically elected bodies were essential to > every other development. Thus in a letter to the Baha'is in North > America, dated 23 March 1923 , he wrote: > > And, now that this all-important Work may suffer no neglect, > but rather function vigorously and continuously in every part > of the Baha'i world; that the unity of the Cause of Baha'u'llah > may remain secure and inviolate, it is of the utmost importance > that in accordance with the explicit text of the Kitab-Aqdas, > the Most Holy Book, in every locality, be it city or hamlet, where > the number of adult (21 years and above) declared believers > exceeds nine, a local "Spiritual Assembly" be forthwith established. To it all local matters pertaining to the Cause must be > directly and immediately referred for full consultation and > decision. The importance, nay the absolute necessity of these > local Assemblies is manifest when we realize that in the days > to come they will evolve into the local House of Justice, and at > present provide the firm foundation on which the structure of > the Master's Will is to be reared in future.2 > > In that same letter, he issued a similar call for the formation of > National Spiritual Assemblies under which the local ones would > function. > In the West, particularly in North America, where 'Abdu'l- > Baha's visit in 1912 had stimulated great interest in the Baha'i > teachings and had drawn many to acceptance of the Faith, these > words had a revolutionary effect. A course was now set for the formation of a different kind of community with its own laws and > > 2. Shoghi Effendi, Baha 'i Administration : Selected Messages 1922- 1932 > (Wilmette: Baha'i Publishing Trust, 1974), p. 37. > > THE BAHA'I WORLD > > procedures-a community dependent for its existence on voluntary > effort and individual initiative. Through successive elaborations of > the processes initiated-calling for elections without campaigning > and nominations, for consultation as a basis of decision-making, and > for the establishment of a fund supported by voluntary contributions > for which receipts must be issued-Shoghi Effendi urged and > guided the creation of Local and National Spiritual Assemblies. It > was an effort that changed the character of thought and behavior in > the management of the spiritual and practical affairs of a clergyless, > religious community. The measures of this transformation continually > evolved to levels of complexity with the growth of the community > and are initiated anew with every neophyte community, local or > national. It is a mark of the dynamism of Shoghi Effendi's stewardship that, despite the disruptions of the Second World War and > subsequent regional catastrophes, at the time of his death in 1957, > there existed 26 National Spiritual Assemblies and more than one > thousand Local Spiritual Assemblies throughout the world. > With the necessary organization in place, he then focused the > energies of the Baha'is on the systematic expansion and consolidation of their numbers. Sixteen years passed before the North > American Baha'is, at the urging of their Guardian, embarked in > 1937 on a teaching scheme known as the Seven Year Plan. This was > the first organized attempt to respond to the series of fourteen letters, > "Tablets of the Divine Plan," addressed to the North Americans by > 'Abdu'l-Baha. Herein are guidelines for the global expansion of the > Faith and also the assignment of special responsibility to the Baha' is > of that continent for initiating such an undertaking. > The Tablets of the Divine Plan, described by Shoghi Effendi > as the charter of teaching, had been penned by 'Abdu'l-Baha over > the period of a year, from March 1916 to March 191 7, during the > course of the First World War. Because of conditions at that time > only five had been delivered before the end of the war. In a conference known as the "Convention of the Covenant" and held at > Hotel McAlpin in New York 26-30 April 1919, all fourteen tablets > were displayed and discussed . This marked a historic moment > for the North American Baha'is, but as the implications of these > communications were not yet fully understood, only a few individuals responded, mostly on their own initiative, to the call to > > SHOO HI EFFENDI > > travel to other countries and teach the new Faith. It remained for > Shoghi Effendi years later to set in place the instruments and to > prime the processes that would guarantee a systematic and sustained response. > Through an approach that was typical of his method of evoking > action, Shoghi Effendi gradually trained the Baha'is to recognize > and accept the necessity for such a response. The instrument of > his approach was his untiring pen. Through it were conveyed his > aptness of timing, his grasp of opportunity, his sense of history, > his vision of future possibilities, and his appeal to wellsprings > of the believers' faith and devotion; add to these the force and > credibility of his logic, the candor of his argument, and his frequent, genuine commendations of the work of individuals and > institutions-all expressed in a language of rhetorical excellencies > that engaged the mind and enchanted the heart. He conveyed > most of what he had to say in letters but found communicating by > cablegram an expeditious means of dealing with the demands of > a rapidly developing community. The latter medium suited his > purpose in other ways, serving to accentuate the urgency of so > many of his messages. He honed his prose to this abbreviated > form of communication with extraordinary success, evolving a > colorful, elliptical style that lent a sense of surprise, of drama, and > of excitement to his announcements, as well as a depth of profundity to a vocabulary intensified by the stripping away of minor > elements of speech. > It took a series of letters and cablegrams sent over a period of > about two years to bring the North American Baha'is to the > degree of action hoped for by the Guardian. The beginning and > fruition of that extended effort can be gleaned from the following > excerpts of some of these messages: > April 29, 1935. "APPEAL ASSEMBLED DELEGATES AND > INCOMING NATIONAL ASSEMBLY EARNESTLY DELIBERATE > MEASURES REQUIRED STIMULATE ALL LOCAL COMMUNI- > TIES GROUPS LEND IMMEDIATE UNPRECEDENTED IMPETUS > TEACHING ACTIVITIES THROUGHOUT STATES CANADA. > SUSTAINED CONCENTRATION THIS PARAMOUNT ISSUE CAN > ALONE REVEAL POTENTIALITIES BELOVED TEMPLE AND > ENABLE SUPERB SELF-SACRIFICE ASSOCIATED WITH IT > > THE BAHA'I WORLD > > YIELD ITS FAIREST FRUIT." A vital element in the organization of > the Baha'i community is the National Convention held annually > at which delegates elected by the Baha'is throughout a country > gather for two essential purposes: to elect the National Spiritual > Assembly and to offer advice and recommendations to that body > through a process of consultation among the delegates and between > them and the outgoing and incoming members of the Assembly. > Shoghi Effendi used such occasions to guide the community. In > this instance, the Baha'is of Canada and the United States, who > functioned under a combined National Spiritual Assembly at that > time, were engaged in individual teaching activities in parts of > these countries and had at the same time been struggling to build > the first Baha'i House of Worship of the Western hemisphere, > near Chicago. > October 26, 1935. The Guardian reinforces his previous message to which there has not been an adequate response, by > asserting: "A NEW HOUR HAS STRUCK IN HISTORY OUR > BELOVED CAUSE CALLING FOR NATION-WIDE, SYSTEM- > ATIC, SUSTAINED EFFORT IN TEACHING FIELD ENABLING > THEREBY THESE FORCES TO BE DIRECTED INTO SUCH > CHANNELS AS SHALL REDOUND TO GLORY OF OUR FAITH > AND HONOR OF ITS INSTITUTIONS ." > January 10, 1936. In an amplification of the previous messages > that takes cognizance of the ominous state of world conditions, he > writes: "This new stage in the gradual unfoldment of the Formative > Period of our Faith into which we have just entered- the phase > of concentrated teaching activity-synchronizes with a period > of deepening gloom, of universal impotence, of ever-increasing > destitution and widespread disillusionment in the fortunes of a > declining age." Furthermore, in indicating the state of readiness of > the elected Baha'i institutions, he reasons, "Now that the administrative Organs of a firmly-established Faith are vigorously and > harmoniously functioning, and now that the Symbol [i.e., the House > of Worship in the United States] of its invincible might is lending > unprecedented impetus to its spread, an effort unexampled in its > scope and sustained vitality is urgently required so that the moving > spirit of its Founder may permeate and transform the lives of the > countless multitudes that hunger for its teachings." > > SHOGHI EFFENDI > > May 1, 1936. His cabled appeal to the next National Convention, > calling attention to a historic moment, sets the sights of the delegates on 1944, the centenary of their religion: "FIRST CENTURY > BAHA'I ERA DRAWING TO A CLOSE. HUMANITY ENTERING > OUTER FRINGES MOST PERILOUS ST AGE ITS EXISTENCE. > OPPORTUNITIES PRESENT HOUR UNIMAGINABLY PRECIOUS. > WOULD TO GOD EVERY STATE WITHIN AMERICAN REPUBLIC > AND EVERY REPUBLIC IN AMERICAN CONTINENT MIGHT > ERE TERMINATION THIS GLORIOUS CENTURY EMBRACE > LIGHT FAITH BAHA'U'LLAH AND ESTABLISH STRUCTURAL > BASIS OF HIS WORLD ORDER." At this convention, together with > decisions related to the ongoing construction of the House of > Worship, a campaign of teaching is definitely adopted, but its focus > is primarily on the home front. > May 30, 1936. He reiterates in a letter his original call for > action on a broadened scale: "A systematic, carefully conceived, > and well-established plan should be devised, vigorously pursued > and continuously extended .... Its supreme immediate objective > should be the permanent establishment of at least one center in > every state of the American Republic and in every Republic of > the American continent not yet enlisted under the banner of His > Faith. Its ramifications should gradually be extended to the European continent. ... " He is more specific and more elaborate here. > Through successive messages up until now he is attempting to > increase the North Americans' apprehension of the global magnitude of their spiritual obligation to spread the Baha'i teachings . > Having previously suggested a time frame for the hoped-for plan > by mentioning the forthcoming Baha'i centennial, he registers a > heightened feeling of urgency: "The field is immense, the task > gigantic , the privilege immeasurably precious. Time is short, and > the obligation sacred, paramount and urgent." > November 14, 1936. "The promulgation of the Divine Plan, > unveiled by our departed Master ['Abdu'l-Baha] in the darkest days > of one of the severest ordeals which humanity has ever experi - > enced, is the Key which Providence has placed in the hands of > the American believers whereby to unlock the doors leading them > to fulfill their unimaginably glorious Destiny." Here is a reminder > that Shoghi Effendi's repeated calls for a far -reaching teaching > > THE BAHA.'f WORLD > > plan are based on the charter addressed to them by 'Abdu'l-Baha > as far back as the time of the First World War. > March 22, 1937. In yet another letter, he persists in urging on the > North American Baha'is: "The progress of the teaching campaign > is most remarkable and reassuring. The uninterrupted prosecution > of this holy enterprise and its extension to the South American > continent and the islands of the Pacific will no doubt attract unimaginable blessings and must entail far-reaching consequences. In the > course of this year, when the American believers are commemorating the 25th anniversary of 'Abdu'l-Baha's visit to America, a > mighty impetus should be lent to this campaign which you have > so splendidly initiated." > May 1, 1937. It is the time for the National Convention again. > Shoghi Effendi's cablegram now brings matters to a decisive > point: "ADVISE PROLONGATION CONVENTION SESSIONS > ENABLE DELEGATES CONSULT NATIONAL ASSEMBLY TO > FORMULA TE FEASIBLE SEVEN YEAR PLAN .... " The impact of > this message on the Convention is electrifying. A sense of mission galvanizes the consultations and a Plan is born. > The Guardian could and did issue directives as occasions > demanded. But he preferred to see the Baha' is take action on the > basis of initiative induced by internalized knowledge of the Baha'i > teachings and of consultation among themselves. The foregoing > excerpts from his messages show how through an alternation of > letters and cablegrams, Shoghi Effendi persevered patiently and > persistently in instructing, appealing to, and nudging the Baha'is to > take actions that would form a pattern of their functioning. He also > had the practice of expatiating on important actions once they had > been set in motion, so as to fix that pattern, and so that in the process > of carrying out a task or function the believers could adequately > appreciate the significance of what they were doing. And so it was > in the case of the implementation of the Seven Year Plan. A year > and a half after its adoption, Shoghi Effendi penned one of the > lengthiest letters of his ministry, which was published as a book > entitled The Advent of Divine Justice. In it he amplified the meaning of 'Abdu ' l-Baha' s Tablets of the Divine Plan, producing a > seminal work of interpretation and practical advice that galvanized > efforts during the Seven Year Plan. That letter continues to be a > > SHOGHI EFFENDI > > major source of inspiration and guidance for Baha'is. > That first teaching plan encompassed the Western Hemisphere, > operating for the most part during World War II. It was launched at > a time when there were about sixty-five Local Spiritual Assemblies > in the United States and Canada. Three objectives were specified: > 1) opening all unopened provinces of Canada and states of the > United States to the Faith by establishing at least one Local Spiritual Assembly in each of them; 2) taking the Faith to other countries > in the hemisphere; and 3) completing the exterior ornamentation > of the House of Worship, which at that time was being built in > Wilmette, to the north of Chicago. By the end, April 1944, all > objectives had been achieved, and this Plan set the pattern for more > extensive teaching and consolidation programs. A second Seven > Year Plan was launched by the North American Baha'is in April > 1946, which, together with plans of shorter duration undertaken by > national communities elsewhere, ensured the penetration of the > Faith into countries on other continents. > This second enterprise preceded the ambitious Ten Year International Teaching Plan initiated by Shoghi Effendi in 1953, at which > time there were 12 National Spiritual Assemblies and 250 Local > Spiritual Assemblies in the world. He died at the midpoint of the > latter Plan in 1957 when the Faith had already been established in > 200 countries and dependencies and the numbers of National and > Local Spiritual Assemblies had increased to 26 and more than 1,000, > respectively. The execution of that Plan involved the dispatch to > territories all over the globe of large numbers of Baha'i teachers, > known as pioneers, the stories of whose exploits chronicle an astonishing record of human adventure and endurance worthy of the > acts of the apostles of Jesus Christ, but magnified manyfold. That > Shoghi Effendi was able to inspire such a movement of scores of > volunteers who were unschooled in missionary work, and whose > sole qualification was their profound devotion to the Cause of > Baha'u 'llah, is an impressive index of the dynamism of his Guardianship. By the end of the Ten Year Plan in April 1963 , the > centennial anniversary of the declaration of Baha'u'llah's mission > in Baghdad, His Faith had actuall y become a world reli gion : > its reach had spread to virtually every country except those under > the direct influence of communism. At that time, too, a major > > .,I > I •• ..to-- > > p .I c 1á I > > ., > ... á• . > > -á () C > -áá•á. > E A N > ~-' ~( ..lJICW_i_~f!L_l!.;"Ll.tfU > > • ---- > -ááá--áá .. > á---á- > > --á----. > ••.. ,.# ••.• > j > > ,. __ > _.._ > - ---á > ~ ~~ > > --- -.:..- ---- ---- > ...- > -~~- > ------=:F-- > > The Guardian 'sjinal map, drawn in November 1957, showing progress made by the midpoint of the Ten Year Plan (1953-1963). > SHOGHI EFFE NDI > > expectation of the Baha'is was fulfilled: the Universal House of > Justice, the international governing institution of the Faith which it > was one of the main objectives of Shoghi Effendi to establish, was > brought into existence at the first International Baha'i Convention, > through an election in which all members of the then 56 National > Spiritual Assemblies participated. At the writing of this article, the > number of these Assemblies stands at 174. > Shoghi Effendi as Interpreter > As indicated in the above-cited examples of his calls for the > formation of Baha'i elected institutions and for the adoption of an > extensive teaching plan, Shoghi Effendi's interpretations were > largely oriented to action. There was a synthesis between instruction > and interpretation: in advising the community to form Spiritual > Assemblies, he asserted the practical meaning of texts in the Kitabi-Aqdas and the Will and Testament of 'Abdu'l-Baha; in calling for > a systematic plan of expansion, he breathed life into the Tablets of > the Divine Plan. The timing of such developments was another > matter, falling within the discretion of his authority as appointed > guide. To a great extent his interpretations were responses to the > expressed or demonstrated need of the community. He seemed > completely to avoid gratuitous random interpretations of the > sacred texts; the questions and needs of the community outlined the > course and output of his exegesis. In a Jetter written on 12 May > 1925, for example, he responded to communications dated 4 and > 18 April 1925 from the National Spiritual Assembly of the United > States and Canada that prompted him to explain further the manner > of election for National Spiritual Assemblies: > > Regarding the method to be adopted for the election of the > National Spiritual Assemblies, it is clear that the text of the > Beloved's Testament gives us no indication as to the manner in > which these Assemblies are to be elected. In one of His earliest > Tablets, however, addressed to a friend in Persia, the following > is expressly recorded: "At whatever time all the beloved of > God in each country appoint their delegates, and these in turn > elect their representatives, and these representatives elect a > body, that body shall be regarded as the Supreme Baytu'l-'Adl > (Universal House of Justice)." > These words clearly indicate that a three-stage election > has been provided by 'Abdu'l-Baha for the formation of the > > THE BAI-fA'f WORLD > > International House of Justice, and as it is explicitly provided in > His Will and Testament that the "Secondary House of Justice > (i.e., National Assemblies) must elect the members of the Universal One," it is obvious that the members of the National > Spiritual Assemblies will have to be indirectly elected by the > body of the believers in their respective provinces. In view of > these complementary instructions the principle, set forth in my > letter of March 12th, 1923, has been established requiring the > believers (the beloved of God) in every country to elect a certain > number of delegates who, in tum, will elect their national representatives (Secondary House of Justice or National Spiritual > Assembly) whose sacred obligation and privilege will be to elect > in time God's Universal House of Justice. 3 > > Here then is a glimpse of the progressive stages of exegesis as > they relate to the growth and actions of the community. It is thus > possible to trace and gauge the development of the Baha'i community by reading Shoghi Effendi's writings chronologically. This > possibility is increased by the fact that anniversaries and activity > reports provided occasions for outpourings from his interpretative > pen. The opening statements of two letters are illustrative of the > effects of these stimuli on the Guardian's work: > April 21, 1933. "Fellow-laborers in the Divine Vineyard: On > the 23rd of May of this auspicious year the Baha'i world will > celebrate the 90th anniversary of the founding of the Faith of > Baha'u'llah. We, who at this hour find ourselves standing on the > threshold of the last decade of the first century of the Baha'i era, > might well pause to reflect upon the mysterious dispensations of so > august, so momentous a Revelation." This is the introduction to a > letter addressed "To the beloved of God and the handmaids of the > Merciful throughout the West," an exegetic work of a significance > that makes it indispensable to understanding the nature and purpose of the Central Figures of the Faith, the meaning of the Covenant > established by Baha'u' llah to preserve the unity of His Faith, and > the Administrative Order, which is the offspring of that Covenant. > Among its unique contents is a penetrating exposition of the functions of the twin successors ofBaha'u'llah and' Abdu'l-Baha, namely > the Guardianship and the Universal House of Justice, and their > > 3. Shoghi Effendi, Baha 'i Administration, p. 84. > > SHOGHI E FFENDI > > relationship to each other. This letter has been published under the > title "The Dispensation ofBaha'u'llah." 4 > March 31, 1930. "Dearly-beloved co-workers: Amid the reports > that have of late reached the Holy Land, most of which witness > to the triumphant march of the Cause, a few seem to betray acertain apprehension regarding the validity of the institutions which > stand inseparably associated with the Faith of Baha'u'llah." This > develops into another indispensable statement on the philosophy > of Baha'i administration addressed to the Baha'is in the West > and published under the title: "The World Order of Baha'u'llah: > Some Further Considerations." 5 > These examples of the Guardian's work serve also to underscore another significant fact. The interpretations given by him are > not limited to time; they both satisfy and transcend the need of the > moment and thus serve the future as well as the present. A relevant > comment conveyed to an individual by Shoghi Effendi's secretary > on his behalf made it clear that the interpretations of the Guardian > cannot be abrogated, "as this would imply not only a lack of guidance > but mistakes in making them." A "ruling laid down as a temporary > necessity" could, however, be changed at a later time; and the Guardian made certain to identify such rulings. 6 > Shoghi Effendi's thirst for information was insatiable; he sought > it relentlessly and classified it meticulously. "I am eagerly awaiting the news of the progress of the activities initiated to promote > the teaching work within, and beyond, the confines the American > continent," said one of his cablegrams to the National Spiritual > Assembly of the United States and Canada in a typical request for > information. 7 His eagerness in this respect is borne out by what > Rul:iiyyih Rabbani, his widow, has stated in her biography of him: > " he did not always wait until official channels corroborated the > arrival of a pioneer at his post or some other piece of good news > which had been conveyed to him through a personal letter or by a > > 4. Shoghi Effendi, The World Order of Baha 'u 'llah, p. 97. > 5. Ibid., p. 15. > 6. From a letter written on behalfofShoghi Effendi, dated 19 February 1947. > 7. Shoghi Effendi, Messages to America: Selected Letters and Cablegrams > (Wilmette: Baha'i Publishing Trust, 1937), p. 7. > > THE BAHA'f WORLD > > pilgrim ... This practice of his should not, however, mislead us into > thinking that he was not extraordinarily thorough. The exactitude > with which he compiled statistics, sought out historic facts, worked > on every minute detail of his maps and plans was astonishing." 8 > Shoghi Effendi also sought news of the world from the various newspapers and magazines to which he subscribed. Rul:llyyih Khanum > writes that, "He assiduously kept abreast of the political news and > trends of the world, through his Times, The Jerusalem Post and > sometimes the well-known European dailies Journal de Geneve > and the Paris edition of the New York Herald Tribune." 9 Indeed his > communications reflected an acute awareness of world affairs. The > news and reports he received were undoubtedly put to various > uses, but it is evident that the springs of interpretation were often > activated by the influx of information. > The interpretive powers of the Guardian were, it is important to > reiterate, not self-arrogated but were conferred upon him through an > act of appointment deriving from a source authorized by Baha'u' llah, > Who Baha'is believe to be a Messenger of God come to establish > an independent dispensation. It is rare in religious history for an > individual to have been assigned such a role by the Founder of > a faith. In a statement on the office of interpreter, Baha'u'llah had > written that the hearts of those who are the "appointed interpreters" > of the Word of God are the "repositories of its secrets" and are the > "only ones who can comprehend its manifold wisdom." 10 Thus, > in this context, Shoghi Effendi's treatment of every issue the > Baha'is might bring to his attention regarding their development as > individuals and as members of institutions and of communities > was inextricably linked to his designated role as "expounder" of > the Word. > Interpretation of holy scriptures has, of course, been fundamental to the existence of religious communities throughout the ages. > In the past, each community has dealt with the need according to > > 8. Rul)iyyih Rabbani, The Priceless Pearl (London : Baha' i Publishing Trust, > 1969), pp. 127-28. > 9. Ibid., p. 201. > 10.Baha ' u ' llah, Gleanings from the Writings of Baha 'u 'l/ah (Wilmette: > Baha ' i Publishing Trust, 1983), p. 175. > > SHOGHI EFFENDI > > {:~ c. i&.~,-: !('~.If,_;;,;,»! ..:.1 V.:1 ~)1 • > J.~-;;_,.,'j;,~Jh/,,v,,c/.~; J.LJ. tf~lJ ;.,1//.fJ :11 > . > k. ,_'1 """ • > > -~á"";., LJ?if. '"'''(~~~~,, ~ ,,~;;i /~' ,µ..;,~1 > 1 ,. I I 11 II • :. I > > 1/(5,!''i.;JGá,l;J~Gfet' ~!?LJ,, ;Ct~;.,~~/á > J~«.~t:/' > .. ;.,L:-~V, ~1;;1:e:1, > > 0 my loving friends! After the passing away of this > wronged one, it is incumbent upon the Agb~an (Branches), the > Afnan (Twigs) of the Sacred Lote-Tree, the Hands (pillars) of > the Cause of God and the loved ones of the Abha Beauty to > turn unto Shoghi Effendi-the youthful branch branched from > the two hallowed and sacred Lote-T rees and the fruit grown > from the union of the two offshoots of the Tree of Holiness,- > as he is the sign of God, the chosen branch, the guardian of the > Cause of God, he unto whom all the Agh~an, the Afnan, the > Hands of the Cause of God and His loved ones must turn. He > is the expounder of the words of God and after him will succeed > the first-born of his lineal descendents. > > One of the excerpts from the Will and Testament of 'Abdu 'l-Baha, in the > original Persian and in English translation, explicitly appointing > Shoghi Effendi as Guardian of the Saha 'i Faith. > > its particular circumstances, but the outcome has been disastrously > contrary to the intention of every revealed religion to create a unified community. In the absence of any explicit directives in these > texts for the administration of their derivative communities and for > interpretation, individuals who assumed the role of interpreter > were not able to silence the protests that arose over their offerings. > The schismatic consequences have bedeviled society throughout > history. It is therefore of crucial importance that the Founder of a > religion principally concerned with achieving the unity of the whole > human race should have made specific arrangements to secure it > against the divisiveness of conflicting, unauthorized interpretations > > THE BAHA'I WORLD > > of its sacred Jaws and ordinances. In the light of past experience, > the explicit, authoritative appointment of ' Abdu'l-Baha, and > then Shoghi Effendi, as interpreter, stands as a distinguishing feature of the Baha'i Faith. > It is important, too, to recognize that his function as interpreter was inseparable from his designation as Guardian. The > absorption of the two into an indivisible whole ensured both > explication of the theory and actualization of the practice of the > new Faith. His interpretive work must be seen within the context > of his broad responsibilities as the successor of 'Abdu'l-Baha: > "For he is, after 'Abdu'l-Baha," the Will and Testament states, > "the guardian of the Cause of God ... and the beloved of the Lord > must obey him and tum unto him." 11 > The Guardian, as experience showed and the specifications in > his appointment as interpreter or expounder indicated, not only > interpreted specific utterances ofBaha'u'llah and 'Abdu'l-Baha but > also expounded the teachings of the Faith. However, it is noteworthy that the appointed interpreter was not required to interpret > everything in Baha'i scripture. His interpretations obviously provided for a unity of understanding, a unity without which it would > be impossible to establish and ensure the unity of the community. > There must, of course, exist a wide latitude for individual understanding of scripture. "I have no objection to your interpretations > and inferences so long as they are represented as your own personal > observations and reflections," Shoghi Effendi wrote in his own > hand to an individual, reasoning that, "no one has the right to > impose his view or opinion and require his listeners to believe in his > particular interpretation of the sacred and prophetic writings." 12 > The Universal House of Justice , in replying to an individual's > inquiry , thus clarified the difference between authoritative interpretation and individual understanding of the Baha'i sacred > writings: > > 11. ' Abdu'l-Baha, Will and Testam ent of 'Abdu 'l-Baha (Wilmette : Baha'i > Publi shing Trust, 1968), p. 25 . > 12. Shoghi Effendi, letter to an individual, dated 6 April 1928. Unfolding Destiny: > The Messages from the Guardian ofthe Baha 'i Faith to the Baha 'i Community > ofthe British Isles (London: Baha'i Publishing Trust, 1981), p. 423. > > SHOGHI EFFE NDI > > A clear distinction is made in our Faith between authoritative > interpretation and the interpretation or understanding that > each individual arrives at for himself from his study of its > teachings. While the former is confined to the Guardian, the > latter, according to the guidance given to us by the Guardian > himself, should by no means be suppressed. In fact such individual interpretation is considered the fruit of man's rational > power and conducive to a better understanding of the teachings, provided that no disputes or arguments arise among the > friends and the individual himself understands and makes it > clear that his views are merely his own. Individual interpretations continually change as one grows in comprehension of > the teachings. 13 > > The Guardian was as a telescope with a clear lens through which > others might see Baha'u'llah's purpose in bold relief. In a sense, > he made himself transparent so that recipients of his explanations > and guidance could fix their sight on Baha'u'llah as the source of > their motivations and on 'Abdu'l-Baha as their exemplar. In a > critical sentence, Shoghi Effendi clarified his attitude in this respect: > "The fact that the Guardian has been specifically endowed with > such power as he may need to reveal the purport and disclose the > implications of the utterances ofBaha'u'llah and of 'Abdu'l- > Baha does not necessarily confer upon him a station co -equal > with those Whose words he is called upon to interpret." 14 He was > vigilant in avoiding an imposition of his personality that might in > any way dim the pre-eminence of the Central Figures of the > Faith. Although he met and talked with the many individuals > who went to the world center of the Faith as pilgrims, he did not > visit Baha'i communities and did not allow photographs of himself > to be circulated. His instruction to the Baha'is not to commemorate events associated with his life is an impressive example of the > self-effacement that characterize his deferential relationship to > these Figures. Besides, the styles of address he used in his letters > to the Baha'is show clearly his desire not to be seen in a similar > light to his grandfather, despite the high rank of his office as > > 13 . Messages from the Universal House ofJustice, 1963- 1986: The Third Epoch > of the Formative Age (Wilmette: Baha'i Publishing Trust, 1996), p. 88. > 14. Shoghi Effendi, The World Order ofBaha 'u '!!ah, p. 151. > > ~~~ B~\!&~, > ~c;l... , ~~~ ~\.ti.~ , > ~Le._ Gt .\:\u, S~9'.tn ~ > Postscript to > "\-- ~\dQ~ ~~~ ~. ~.,á ' > a letter addressed > to an individual, > ~,cu.~ ~'1--~ ­ > ~ clL ~0-..Ji'~ , C\;J, IJ L~ > in the Guardian 's > '-"'-~ . ~ 'c(;,, W.A.0 - ~ > handwriting. > ......;.~~/ > > ~~~~ ) > ~(~~~/ - - > > Guardian. "Fellow-laborers in the Divine Vineyard," "Dearlybeloved co-workers," "Friends and fellow-promoters of the Faith of > God," "My dear fellow-worker"-all such salutations reflect the > genuineness of his humility and the sincerity of his fraternal sentiments, which are even more deeply felt in his complimentary close > and signature: "Your true brother, Shoghi." > The writings of Shoghi Effendi, for the most part, comprise > an estimated 36,000 letters and messages addressed to institutions, national and local communities, the world community, and > individuals. He conducted a vast correspondence with individuals, > who wrote to him freely about their particular concerns regarding the work of the Faith, for personal advice as to how best they > might serve it, and for answers to questions about the Baha'i > teachings. This correspondence produced an immense treasury of > guidance on a remarkably wide range of subjects. While he had > to rely on the assistance of secretaries to convey his responses to > letters, he managed almost invariably to append to each reply a > postscript in his own hand, signifying that what had been written > by his secretary had been reviewed by him and was therefore > authentic. Some of the Guardian's letters and messages were > voluminous enough to be published separately as books; others > have been drawn together in published anthologies. He wrote a > stupendous history of the first hundred years of the Baha'i Faith, > published under the title God Passes By. The versatility of his > > SHOGHI EFFEN DI > > narrative style is richly displayed in this work of outstanding > literary merit. > In addition to his writings , he provided translations of major > works of Baha'u'llah and ' Abdu'l-Baha. Gifted with a masterly > grasp of the rich vocabulary and subtle nuances of English and > endowed with the power of unerring perception, he turned any > such translation into a thing of wonder and delight. One of his > most celebrated translations is The Dawn-Breakers, Nabil's narrative of the heroic happenings during the days of Baha'u' llah' s > Forerunner, the Bab . It is said by those who know the original > Persian text of the narrative that Shoghi Effendi did more than > translate it. He performed the rare feat of creating a translation > more splendid than the original yet unfailing in fidelity to its > source. His English translations became the basis for the translation of Baha'i literature into many other languages. > The Baha'is understand from the literature of interpretation > how to believe, how to act, and how to grow spiritually. These in > a broad, practical sense mean, among other things: how to manifest justice in their deeds and relationships; how to acquire the > virtues of a chaste and holy life; how to eliminate racial and other > forms of prejudice; how to translate the inherent equality of men > and women into social practice; how to preserve the salutary > essentials of politics; how to be loyal citizens without indulging > in partisanship; how to cultivate a sense of civic responsibility ; > how to appreciate diversity in the human family, to be servants to > their fellow humans of whatever background, to uplift the victims > Messages > written by > Shoghi Effendi to > various Baha 'i > communities > have been > collected into a > number of > volumes, shown > here with his > c > history of the > Faith, > God Passes By. > > THE BAHA: f W ORLD > > of oppression; how to develop a world-embracing vision, to appreciate the basic oneness of the revealed religions , and to acquire > the virtues of world citizenship. > If, through his writings , Shoghi Effendi has made indelible > impressions on minds and hearts, he also has left ineradicable > marks on the ground: superb evidences of his aesthetic acuity. His > close, personal attention to the physical development of the Baha'i > World Centre, which is situated in the twin cities of Acre and > Haifa, actuated his creative energies. The buildings designed and > erected at his initiative, his direct involvement in their interior > decoration, the extensive gardens he himself designed to provide a > proper ambience for the holiest sites of the Faith, have all ensured > a legacy of beauty for generations to come. These efforts, too, > were avenues of his interpretation of the will of Baha'u'llah, > Whose "Tablet of Carmel" and specific indication of the spot on > Mount Carmel for the tomb of His Forerunner, the Bab, foreshadowed the establishment of the world headquarters of His Faith. > In addition to completing the edifice for the Shrine of the Bab, > which 'Abdu'l-Baha had commenced at the instruction of His > Father, Shoghi Effendi traced in the form of an arc the path along > which the buildings for the administrative institutions of the Faith > would be erected. He himself approved the design for the first of > these, the International Archives Building, the construction of > which he supervised. It set the style for the other buildings, which > even at this writing, are being constructed on that historic mountain. > Moreover, in Shoghi Effendi's meticulous attention to the design > > An aerial shot of > th e Shrin e of > Baha 'u 'llah, > circa 1954, > showing the > extensive gardens laid out by > Shoghi Effendi > to beautify the > resting place of > the Founder of > the Baha 'i Faith . > > SHOGHI EFFE NDI > > Aerial shot of current construction > on the Bahri 'i > __ properties in > -- ' ~~ Haifa, showing > á ~ the arc-shaped > path delineated > by Shoghi Effendi, > along which the > administrative > buildings are > situated. > > and beautification of the holy sites there was a means of educating > the community; for through it he demonstrated modes by which > physical arrangements can reflect reverence for the sacred. > The Vision of Shoghi Effendi > Shoghi Effendi's labors revolved around explicating and actualizing > the pivotal Baha'i principle, the oneness of humankind. The global > community he raised up is meant to embody that all-embracing code. > But this core principle enunciated by Baha'u'llah more than a century > ago is not simply the motto of a religious congregation. Its implications extend toward certain ultimate realities. It puts the peoples > of earth on notice that human evolution has reached a wholly new > stage, the stage of consummation; and it identifies the goal towards > which all meaningful effort on the planet must now be oriented. > Early on, Shoghi Effendi dismissed the notion that the unity of > mankind could be regarded as a "mere outburst of ignorant emotionalism," or that it should merely be identified with a "reawakening of > the spirit of brotherhood." Though its message applies to the individual, he elaborated, it is primarily concerned with the "nature of > those essential relationships that must bind all the states and nations > as members of one human family ." The result it seeks, therefore, is > a "world organically unified in all the essential aspects of its life, > its political machinery, its spiritual aspiration, its trade and finance, > its script and language, and yet infinite in the diversity of the national characteristics of its federated units." 15 > > 15. Shoghi Effendi, The World Order of Bahri 'u 'flrih , p. 43 . > > THE BAHA'I WORLD > > But he is wary of any misgivings as to the animating purpose > of this central principle, explaining that, > > Far from aiming at the subversion of the existing foundations > of society, it seeks to broaden its basis, to remold its institutions > in a manner consonant with the needs of an ever-changing > world. It can conflict with no legitimate allegiances, nor can it > undermine essential loyalties. Its purpose is neither to stifle the > flame of a sane and intelligent patriotism in men's hearts, nor > to abolish the system of national autonomy so essential if the > evils of excessive centralization are to be avoided. It does not > ignore, nor does it attempt to suppress, the diversity of ethnical > origins, of climate, of history, of language and tradition, of > thought and habit, that differentiate the peoples and nations of > the world. It calls for a wider loyalty, for a larger aspiration than > any that has animated the human race. It insists upon the subordination of national impulses and interests to the imperative > claims of a unified world. It repudiates excessive centralization > on the one hand, and disclaims all attempts at uniformity on the > other. Its watchword is unity in diversity .... 16 > > Commenting more than sixty-five years ago on the chaotic state > of a world oblivious to the remedial possibilities of this principle, > Shoghi Effendi exclaimed: "How pathetic indeed are the efforts > of those leaders of human institutions who, in utter disregard of > the spirit of the age, are striving to adjust national processes, > suited to the ancient days of self-contained nations, to an age > which must either achieve the unity of the world, as adumbrated > by Baha'u'llah, or perish." 17 In the same vein, he observed, "No > scheme which the calculations of the highest statesmanship may > yet devise; no doctrine which the most distinguished exponents of > economic theory may hope to advance; no principle which the > most ardent of moralists may strive to inculcate, can provide, in the > last resort, adequate foundations upon which the future of a distracted world can be built." 18 Elaborating further, he continued: > No appeal for mutual tolerance which the worldly-wise might > raise, however compelling and insistent, can calm its passions > > 16. Shoghi Effendi, Th e World Order of Baha 'u 'flah, pp. 41-42. > 17. Ibid., p. 36. > 18. Ibid., p. 34. > > SHOGHI EFFENDI > > or help restore its vigor. Nor would any general scheme of > mere organized international cooperation, in whatever sphere > of human activity, however ingenious in conception, or extensive in scope, succeed in removing the root cause of the evil > that has so rudely upset the equilibrium of present-day society. > Not even, I venture to assert, would the very act of devising > the machinery required for the political and economic unification of the world-a principle that has been increasingly > advocated in recent times-provide in itself the antidote against > the poison that is steadily undermining the vigor of organized > peoples and nations. 19 > > His thought then concluded emphatically: "It is towards this goalthe goal of a new World Order, Divine in origin, all-embracing in > scope, equitable in principle, challenging in its features-that a > harassed humanity must strive." 20 > In the years since the Guardian penned those lines, the concept of > globalization has seized the imagination and propelled the efforts of > nations to deal with one another increasingly freely, at least at the > level of trade and finance. Advances in communications technology > have accelerated this trend. Indeed, the entire world is involved in > the implied processes of the unifying principle at the very heart of > Baha'u'llah's Revelation, whereas attainment to a united world > seemed exceedingly remote at the time of His appearance. Ambitious nations were then occupied with competing with one another > in empire building while the majority of human beings seemed fit > only for the role of oppressed minorities. But since then a sudden > change has occurred in the social and political character of the > world's peoples. The astonishing speed with which new nations > have been born, especially since World War II, and the swiftness, > indeed the sense of inevitability, with which the idea of globalization > is being embraced are for the post-modem world an unconscious > accession to the irresistible wisdom and timeliness ofBaha'u'llah's > foresight. > While the perilous conditions of humanity make a compelling > case for world unity, the evident, new potentialities of the human > race indicate that it is not only necessary but inevitable. Taken > > 19. Shoghi Effendi, The World Order of Baha 'u 'llah, p. 34. > 20. Ibid., p. 34. > > THE BAHA'I WORLD > > together, the unprecedented advances in science, technology, > and the arts during this century alone lend substance to the burgeoning of these inherent human powers. It is a burgeoning that > Baha'u 'llah associated with the coming of age of humanity in the > new Day He came to usher in. Every created thing, He averred, > has been endowed with "all the potentialities it can carry. " 21 The > many new discoveries of intellectual and natural resources appear > to affirm it; and it seems demonstrable, for example, in as basic a > material as sand when one considers its use in the manufacture of > the computer microchip. In this connection, too, Shoghi Effendi's > enumeration of the implications of the oneness of mankind anticipates such developments as the "sharpening and refinement of > the human brain" and the "prolongation of human life," 22 about > both of which medical scientists have had much to report that > is positive. As to communications, Shoghi Effendi in this same > context wrote: "A mechanism of world inter-communication will be > devised, embracing the whole planet, freed from national hindrances > and restrictions, and functioning with marvelous swiftness and > perfect regularity." 23 Perhaps it has yet to be achieved fully, but > when he penned this expectation sixty years ago, there was no > way of appreciating the prospective cyberworld of the Internet. > An outstanding effect of Shoghi Effendi's writings is the meaning they give to history and the prospect they assign to the future . > The future, or, in other words, the destiny of humankind, is the > dominant theme of his work, as might well be expected from the > fact that the oneness of mankind is as much a goal to be achieved > as a principle to be lived. From his treatment of these matters we > gather a hitherto unformulated understanding of the past and the > present. His vision derives from fundamental propositions in > Baha'u'llah's teachings. These hold, for example, that God, the > Creator of all existence, is an Unknowable Essence, immeasurably > exalted above anything that any person can conceive, unapproachably glorious in the loftiness of His own Self. Since this Supreme > Being cannot reveal Himself directly to any of His creatures, He > > 21 . Shoghi Effendi, Th e World Order of Baha 'u 'llah, p. 169. > 22. Ibid., p. 204. > 23. Ibid., p. 203 . > > SHOGHI EFFENDI > > makes Himself known to humanity through His Messengers or > Manifestations. These Manifestations appear from time to time as > the bearers of God's message. As all come from the same Source, > Their messages are essentially the same except in certain details > that vary to suit the times of Their appearance. Truth is relative to > time and conditions, and as the human race evolves, its need for > spiritual and social renewal is inevitable. The progress of civilization > is linked to the successive appearances of these Suns of Truth, > ensuring a progressive revelation of God's purpose for humanity. > Human beings have been created to "carry forward an ever-advancing > civilization,"24 of which the Revelations brought by the Manifestations are the fountainheads. For example, Moses, Zoroaster, Christ, > and Muhammad are among the Manifestations of God that inaugurated dispensations during which civilizations were born and > flourished. > Against such a background of basic Baha'i teachings, Shoghi > Effendi explains that the Faith ofBaha'u'llah should not be regarded > "as the culmination of a cycle, the final stage in a series of successive, of preliminary and progressive revelations. These, beginning > with Adam and ending with the Bab, have paved the way and anticipated with an ever-increasing emphasis the advent of that Day of > Days in which He Who is the Promise of All Ages [Baha'u'llah] > should be made manifest." 25 > The factor of time looms large in such explanations, taking on > unusual, historic dimensions and meanings. We find in Shoghi > Effendi's messages a variety of treatments and contexts. The Baha'i > cycle, he tells us, will last for 5,000 centuries, a far, far longer > period that the 6,000-year Adamic cycle. Throughout this vast > stretch of time many Manifestations will appear-Baha'u'llah > states explicitly that the next one will come after at least a thousand > years. Shoghi Effendi also shows the dispensation of Baha'u'llah > as comprising three ages: the Heroic Age, the period from the > announcement of the Bab's mission to the passing of 'Abdu'l- > Baha; the Formative Age, the period in which the Administrative > Order brought by Baha'u'llah will develop; and the Golden Age, > > 24. Baha'u'llah, Gleanings from the Writings of Baha 'u '!!ah, p. 215. > 25. Shoghi Effendi, The World Order of Bahci 'u 'llah, p. 103. > > the time when that Order will have been established and unity > and peace will give rise to a new civilization functioning in accordance with the laws and ordinances of Baha'u'llah. Then again > his writings present us with a concept of humanity's spiritual > history divided into ten parts, representing, as he describes it, > "the majestic process, set in motion at the dawn of the Adamic > cycle," which will attain its consummation in the Golden Age of > the Baha'i era. 26 > The contemplation of such perspectives opens the mind to an > entirely different appreciation of time and history. We have here > access to a new paradigm that enables us to see history not simply as a sequence of haphazard events and potentially deadly > conditions leading to the ultimate extinction of all civilization. > We are offered instead an assurance of renewal in the continuity > of an intelligent evolution of human society with all its inevitable snares and pitfalls. A future is possible. The awareness of an > ever-advancing flow of history provides the basis for a fresh > understanding of progress, decline, and decadence, which are > inherent in the evolutionary processes of life in this world. > The relevance of such conceptions of time and history is > underscored by Shoghi Effendi's projection, as follows, of a > mind-stretching exposition of the world-shaping prospects of > Baha'u'llah's Revelation: > > The Revelation of Baba 'u' llah, whose supreme mission is > none other but the achievement of this organic and spiritual > unity of the whole body ofnations, should, if we be faithful to > its implications, be regarded as signalizing through its advent > the coming of age of the entire human race. It should be > viewed not merely as yet another spiritual revival in the everchanging fortunes of mankind, not only as a further stage in a > chain of progressive Revelations, nor even as the culmination > of one of a series of recurrent prophetic cycles, but rather as > marking the last and highest stage in the stupendous evolution > of man's collective life on this planet. The emergence of a > world community, the consciousness of world citizenship, the > founding of a world civilization and culture-all of which must > synchronize with the initial stages in the unfoldment of the > > 26. Shoghi Effendi, Messages to the Baha'i World, p. 153. > > SHOGHI EFFE NDI > > Golden Age of the Baha'i Era-should, by their very nature, > be regarded, as far as this planetary life is concerned, as the > furthermost limits in the organization of human society, though > man, as an individual, will, nay must indeed as a result of > such a consummation, continue indefinitely to progress and > develop.27 > > This goes far beyond even the most hopeful views of future > society being expressed by our foremost thinkers. It validates in > an unusual sense the proposition that history is progress. > In the context of the goal of world unity, the twentieth century must be viewed as a critical part of a period of transition to a > wholly new state of society, a period in which the ground is being > laid for a coming Golden Age for the entire planet. The tumultuous > dynamics of this transition are being played out through a twofold > process, "each tending, in its own way and with an accelerated > momentum," Shoghi Effendi writes, "to bring to a climax the > forces that are transforming the face of the planet. The first is > essentially an intefating process, while the second is fundamentally disruptive." 2 The integrating process itself comprises two > parts which though basically related are outwardly separate, both > leading to the same bright prospect: world peace. One is to lead to > a preliminary stage, the other is to consummate the peace in which > a new civilization will emerge and flourish. > Baha'i literature refers to the two parts of this integrating process > as the "Lesser Peace" and the "Most Great Peace." The former is > to be achieved through the reaction of political leaders to the > painful consequences of a twentieth century world shrunken into > a neighborhood by the advances of science but morally and socially > deranged by its spiritual disorientation. The actions of world leaders > that brought about the League of Nations and subsequently the > United Nations offer hints as to the nature of the course to be > taken. The latter, the Most Great Peace, is to be attained through > the eventual spiritualization of the planet, a much more protracted > and profound undertaking involving the inner transformation of > the individual inhabitants of the earth through their voluntary > > 27. Shoghi Effendi, The World Order of Baha 'u 'llah, p. 163. > 28. Ibid., p. 170. > > THE BAHA:f WORLD > > acceptance of the principles enunciated by the latest divine Messenger. The progress of the Baha'is in spreading their message to > millions in all parts of the world who are committed to the way of > Baha'u'llah is indicative of the possibilities for this ultimate goal. > For Baha'is this transition, with all its accompanying horrors > and frustrations, is the natural consequence on a global scale of > evolving to adulthood from adolescence-a period when the > struggle and rebelliousness of youth must, with the onset of maturity, eventually yield to a resolution of conflicting tendencies or > else the individual will suffer the recurrent crises of a disoriented > personality. The processes involved in the experience of the individual are reflected in those of a society at the threshold of its > coming of age. Humanity as a whole is as yet reluctant to yield to > the new situation; hence, it remains ill-prepared to extricate itself > from the strife and confusion in which it is enmeshed. > Referring to the revolutionary dimensions of the transition in > train, Shoghi Effendi remarked on the improbability of its being > achieved through the ordinary processes of diplomacy and education. "We have but to turn our gaze to humanity's blood-stained > history to realize that nothing short of intense mental as well as > physical agony has been able to precipitate those epoch-making > changes that constitute the greatest landmarks in the history of > human civilization." 29 The second World War had yet to be fought > when he made this observation. He devoted much attention to > explaining the paradoxes of the "simultaneous processes of rise > and of fall, of integration and of disintegration, of order and chaos, > with their continuous and reciprocal reactions on each other" 30 - > paradoxes that characterize a time of transition when the death > pangs of the old order and the birth pangs of the new embrace. The > concurrently destructive and constructive manifestations of this > historic phenomenon have been conspicuous in the world-shaking > happenings of the twentieth century. In an Age of Transition precedent to the new civilization promised by the advent of the Baha'i > dispensation, this century could be seen as the paramount century > > 29. Shoghi Effendi, The World Order of Bahci 'u 'llah, p. 45. > 30. Shoghi Effendi, The Advent ofDivine Justice (Wilmette: Baha'i Publishing > Trust, 1971), p. 61. > > SHOGHI EFFENDI > > of that Age. A Baha'i view of it may well find expression in a > Dickensian description: it has been the worst of centuries and the > best of centuries. > So much attention has been focused on the ills of a century > regarded, in the words of Isaiah Berlin, as "the most terrible century > in Western history," that it is not necessary here to enumerate them. > Suffice it to acknowledge that its excesses in acts of perversity and > destruction have given rise to the gravest crises in the history of the > race, and to a state of cynicism, confusion, and pessimism that casts > doubt as to the future of civilization. Shoghi Effendi commented > extensively on what he described in 1941 as the "triple gods of > Nationalism, Racialism and Communism, at whose altars governments and peoples, whether democratic or totalitarian, at peace or at > war, of the East or of the West, Christian or Islamic, are, in various > forms and in different degrees, now worshiping." 31 His indictment > of those who followed such theories and policies was thunderous. > These, he said, are "the dark, the false, and crooked doctrines for > which any man or people who believes in them, or acts upon them, > must, sooner or later, incur the wrath and chastisement of God." 32 > He saw this "triple curse that oppresses the soul of mankind in this > day" as the offspring of irreligion; he attributed "other evils and > vices" to the "weakening of the pillars of religion." Even so, he > unfailingly held out a vision of hope. > Search for feasible instruments of global governance is among > the stirrings that excite expectations in a world rapidly approaching > the end of the twentieth century. The system of World Order adumbrated by Baha'u'llah and amplified by Shoghi Effendi offers a > concept of governance unique to human experience. While validating > salutary features of established forms of government, it at the > same time excludes objectionable aspects without being a mere > synthesis of these forms or becoming simply a replica of any one > of them. "The world's equilibrium hath been upset through the vibrating influence of this most great, this new World Order," 33 is > > 31. Shoghi Effendi, The Promised Day Is Come (Wilmette: Baha'i Publishing > Trust, 1980), p. 113. > 32. Ibid., pp. 113- 14. > 33. Ba ha 'u 'llah, The Kitab-i-Aqdas: Th e Most Holy Book (Wilmette: Baha'i > Publishing Trust, 1992), p. 84, para. 181. > > THE BAHA'I WORLD > > Baha'u'llah's own pronouncement on the system He has > introduced. He adds in a further reference to it: "Mankind's > ordered life hath been revolutionized through the agency > of this unique, this wondrous > System-the like of which -~~ > mortal eyes have never wit- The eagle adorning the top of the > nessed." 34 The disequilibrium monument at the resting place ofShoghi > in world affairs appears in this Effendi, in London, England. > sense, then, to be simultaneously negative and positive manifestations of a deeper truth than mere historical analysis can uncover. > Conclusion > Historians and social scientists pondering the twentieth century > might well pause to examine Shoghi Effendi's commentaries on > the ills and portents of this "Age of Extremes," as one historian has > called the period. 35 Thinkers interested in sorting out the questions > posed by the bewildered state of so-called "post-Communist" or > "post-Capitalist" society will encounter much in his writings to > stimulate and challenge their outlook. They will be treated to > unusual perspectives in his explanations of' Abdu'l-Baha's thoughtawakening metaphors that designate the twentieth century as the > "century of the revelation of reality and, therefore, the greatest of > all centuries,''36 as the "sun of previous centuries, the effulgence of > which shall last forever,"37 and as the "century oflight." 38 > They will discover, too, in his majestic and evocative prose a > source of intellectual and spiritual refreshment. For he was, indeed, > a master writer who succeeded in distilling the virtues of language, > > 34. Baha'u ' llah, Th e Kitab-i-Aqdas, p. 84, para. 181. > 35 . Eric Hobsbawm, Age of Extremes: Th e Short Twentieth Century (1914- > 1991) (London: Little, Brown and Company, 1994). > 36. 'Abdu ' l-Baha, The Promulgation of Universal Peace: Talks Delivered by > 'A bdu 'l-Baha during His Visit to the United States and Canada in 1912 > rev. ed. (Wilmette: Baha ' i Publishing Trust, 1982), p. 140. > 37. Ibid., pp. 125- 26. > 38. Shoghi Effendi, Th e World Order of Baha 'u 'llah, p. 39. > > SHOGHI E FFENDI > > making it reflect the spirit > and wholesomeness of truth. > But he went beyond this. He > achieved far more than his > wish to translate from the > language of Revelation into > English. As appointed interpreter and guide , he also > translated words into deeds. > Galvanized by the energy of > his messages and the vision > they inspired , the Baha'is > embarked successfully on the > vast enterprise of erecting the > banner of Baha'u'llah's Faith > in countries throughout the > world. This engaged people > from the widest range of eth- Th e final portrait of the Guardian, taken a > nic and cultural backgrounds f ew months before his passing in 195 7. > in efforts by which a renewal of civilization might be effected. > This was, and continues to be so , because the effects of these > efforts by Baha'is go beyond the internal objectives of the Baha'i > community to provide vital benefits to society as a whole. For one > thing, Baha' i principles and practices aim at strengthening the > social fabric by instilling a high sense of civic responsibility. In a > world inclined increasingly towards democratic ways of conducting its affairs, it is significant that the rank and file of the Baha'is > everywhere are required to participate in the administration of their > community at all levels. For instance, they are continually learning > and applying the art of consultation as the means of problem-solving and decision-making for individuals, groups and institutions; > they also engage in a method of electing their institutions by secret > ballot without electioneering or nominations. An outstanding fact in > the latter regard is that in scores of countries Baha'is, lettered and > unlettered, were the first among native populations to experience, > through the operation of their communities, any form of election. > An emergent community has sprung up. It claims members in > every country and dependent territory, drawn from some 2,000 ethnic > > THE BAHA'I WORLD > > groups; and selections from its literature have been translated into > more than 800 languages. At the same time that the Baha'is benefited practically from the community-building instructions Shoghi > Effendi's writings offered, they were enabled to see through his > inspired views beyond the topsy-turvy state of society to the > peace-fashioning goal of their Faith. They were invited into a > realm of thought by which they could achieve a soul-satisfying > transcendence while attending to the practical circumstances of > life in a time of cataclysmic disturbances. The Baha'i community > is a global laboratory in which an unprecedented transformation > in individual and collective behavior is progressing towards the > realization of that world-shaping principle around which it revolves. > In such a community can be discerned, thanks to the indispensable > ministry of Shoghi Effendi, the glimmerings of a new World Order. > That such a figure as Shoghi Effendi lived in the twentieth century ensures to the annals of the period a dimension that cannot > long be ignored. Two points become clear. The first is that Shoghi > Effendi's Guardianship was not merely a significant transitional > episode in the development of a religious community. The second > is that any interpretation of contemporary events that overlooks > the emergence of the world-embracing community he raised up, > and which fails to appreciate the central principle that motivates > and sustains its existence, lacks a guide to the future. If the claims > ofBaha'u'llah are to be understood aright, Shoghi Effendi's legacy > bodes well to be increasingly regarded as a wellspring of authentic > guidance from which the forces of civilization will draw renewed > virtue for at least a full millennium. > > Ann Boyles offers a perspective > on the meaning of "community, " > its condition today, > and what it will look like > in the next millennium. > > WTWORLD > WATCH > > I t was Aristotle who first defined the word "co'inmunity" as a > group established by men having shared values. That initial > definition has been refined and expanded through the years. We have > come, for example, to recognize that people can belong to a number > of different "communities" simultaneously-communities of place; > cultural communities; communities of memory, in which people > who may be strangers share "a morally significant history"; and > psychological communities "of face-to-face personal interaction > governed by sentiments of trust, co-operation, and altruism." 1 > The world, we are repeatedly reminded, has contracted into a > "global village." One effect of this contraction is the bringing > together of hitherto isolated peoples, allowing for the development > of new patterns of civilization-but also creating new tensions . > Thus, challenges now confront communities at local, national, > and global levels. For example, new information technologies > have created "networks" and "cybercommunities" in the world > > 1. Daniel Bell, Communitarianism and its Critics (Oxford: Clarendon Press, > 1993), p. 14. > > THE BAHA'I WORLD > > of the Internet that link individuals and organizations around the > globe without regard for national boundaries; small communities > around the planet are affected by urban migration or by degradation > of the natural and built environment; the existence of national > communities- nation states- is under threat from assaults by ethnic > or tribal enclaves. Ironically, while the emergence of a global community wielding effective power is seen by many as a necessity in > order to combat the ill effects of unfettered market economics, the > whole idea that a real global community can ever come into existence > is met with deep misgivings or complete skepticism by others. How, > then, can we understand "community" at the end of the twentieth > century-and what will its future be in the next millennium? > A number of significant challenges to community have arisen > from developments in global information technologies. While > pundits ponder whether or not Internet users form any kind of > viable community as they sit at their computers in farflung corners of the world, a deeper and more serious issue is the manner > in which the entire structure of computer networks undermines > more traditional kinds of community organization. > As Jessica Mathews points out in her essay "Power Shift," > which appeared in a recent issue of Foreign Affairs, these new > information technologies have challenged established societal > hierarchies . They have empowered civil society, which in turn > has allowed the world's peoples generally to be more involved > than previously in issues that were once the sole province of > states and to forge new links between democracy, human rights, > and international security. Yet, the technologies themselves are > not always used to achieve constructive ends. They have , for > example, also promoted the spread of global organized crime, > and they have enabled individuals to cross borders easily to subvert governments and, at times , create new societal divisions. > The future of the state, in her view, is therefore uncertain. > Information technologies , she points out "disrupt hierarchies , > spreading power among more people and groups." She continues, > > In drastically lowering the costs of communication, consultation, and coordination, they favor decentralized networks > over other modes of organization. In a network, individuals or > > groups link for joint action without building a physical or formal > institutional presence. Networks have no person at the top and > no center. Instead, they have multiple nodes where collections of > individuals or groups interact for different purposes. Businesses, > citizens organizations, ethnic groups, and crime cartels have all > readily adopted the network model. Governments, on the other > hand, are quintessential hierarchies, wedded to an organizational form incompatible with all that the new technologies > make possible. 2 > > The technologies, she concludes, weaken community by empowering individuals, and her article contains this dire prediction: > > The prophets of an intemetted world in which national identities > gradually fade, proclaim its revolutionary nature and yet believe > the changes will be wholly benign. They won't be. The shift > from national to some other political allegiance, if it comes, > will be an emotional, cultural, and political earthquake. 3 > > Mathews raises important questions: What kind of community > can be forged in an intemetted world, where the structure of the > technology promotes anarchy, with its emphasis on complete freedom of expression and lack of regard for authority? Does this spell > the end of the nation-state and, if so, what other kind of political > entity might arise in its stead? The challenges posed by the new > information technologies may generate significant crises felt > throughout the world, but such a development looms on the horizon. > There are, however, a number of current crises facing community. > Loss of the sense of community based on "place" is a worldwide > phenomenon. Millions of people all over the planet are being displaced from their homes. Some are refugees fleeing escalating > political strife. Others are forced from their homes by economic > necessity, such as farmers from rural China who are migrating to > cities in vast numbers, searching for factory work. Such movement > destroys families, undermines the traditional sense of trust found > in community, increases feelings of isolation and dislocation, > and creates a host of social problems. > > 2. Jessica T. Mathews, "Power Shift," Foreign Affairs (January- February > 1997), p. 52. > 3. Ibid., p. 65. > > THE BAHA'f WORLD > > Even where people still maintain their homes, there are challenges to the sense of place. A case in point is America, where > planners are in revolt against the manner in which the built environment of communities has been shaped in the latter part of the > twentieth century. A movement widely known by the name "new > urbanism" protests against the "fantastic, awesome, stupefying > ugliness" of "the gruesome, tragic suburban boulevards of commerce" so common in American towns and cities, contending > that "this ugliness is the surface expression of deeper problems" > and contributes substantially to the widely expressed sense of > "loss of community" felt throughout the society. 4 > The new urbanists posit that going back to the planning and design > principles that shaped the traditional neighborhoods of America > is a way ofrecapturing this lost sense of place and community, of > reversing a pattern of development they see as "economically > catastrophic, an environmental calamity, socially devastating, and > spiritually degrading." Discarding the zoning laws that segregate > various activities, they seek to create neighborhoods (or hamlets > or villages) of manageable size which, when clustered together, > become towns and cities. Each neighborhood is constructed on a > "human scale"; it contains both residential and commercial property and provides housing for people of different levels of income. > The proposal is not fantastic. Many traditional European towns, > for example, have preserved this element of "human design." But > to make such a change, citizens everywhere must take an active > role in decisions regarding the environment in which they live: > > Human settlements are like living organisms. They must grow, > and they will change. But we can decide on the nature of that > growth-on the quality and the character of it-and where it > ought to go. We don't have to scatter the building blocks of > our civic life all over the countryside, destroying our towns and > ruining farmland .. .. It is within our power to create places that > are worthy of our affection. 5 > > 4. James Howard Kunstler, "Home From Nowhere," Atlantic Monthly (September 1996), p. 43 . > 5. Ibid., p. 66. > > Such loss of "community of place" can also bring loss of communities of memory and communities governed by trust. In the > late nineteenth century Ferdinand Tonnies theorized that in the > development of systems of culture, communities invariably move > from a period of Gemeinschaft, where shared experience and > likeness are most important, toward a period of Gesellschaft, > where individuals exist in isolation from each other, there is a > strong sense of competition, relationships are contractual, and > monetary values prevail. Such a progression has been noted by > others as well. In this century, Pitirim A. Sorokin, for example, > saw societies moving through ideational, idealistic, and sensate > stages, away from spiritual truth and values towards self-indulgence and material values. But is such a progression inevitable? > If we again take the case of America and look at it in Tonnies' > terms, we see that the society is in a period of Gesellschaft. William > Leach, in his insightful 1993 volume Land of Desire, analyses the > forces that have shaped modem America as "a distinct culture, > unconnected to traditional family or community values, to religion > in any conventional sense, or to political democracy .... The cardinal > features of this culture were acquisition and consumption as the > means of achieving happiness; the cult of the new; the democratization of desire; and money value as the predominant measure > of all value in society." 6 As this culture grew, Leach writes, > "Increasingly, the worth of everything-even beauty, friendship, > religion, the moral life-was being determined by what it could > bring in the market.'' 7 > Leach characterizes the dominant mode of interaction in twentieth century life as an amoral "brokering style,'' the features of which > are "repressing one's own convictions and withholding judgment > in the interest of forging profitable relationships." Contending > that it "occupies a preeminence in today's political and moral > economy,'' he writes, "Brokers are now busy in nearly every sphere > of activity, and they have helped inject into American culture a > new amoralism essentially indifferent to virtue and hospitable to > > 6. William Leach, Land of Desire: Merchants, Power, and the Rise of a New > American Culture (New York: Random House, 1993), p. 3. > 7. Ibid., p. 8. > > THE BAHA'I WORLD > > the ongoing inflation of desire." 8 Because America, with the collapse > of communism, is now the world's undisputed single superpower, > its role as the leading exponent of Western capitalist valueswhich have been exported throughout the entire world-is crucial. > Indeed, some writers have gone so far as to characterize the > current devotion to those values as a worldwide "religious" phenomenon. David Loy writes: > > .. .our present economic system should also be understood as > our religion, because it has come to fulfill a religious function > for us. The discipline of economics is less a science than the > theology of that religion, and its god, the Market, has become > a vicious circle of ever-increasing production and consumption by pretending to offer a secular salvation. The collapse of > communism-best understood as a capitalist "heresy"-makes > it more apparent that the market is becoming the first truly > world religion, binding all comers of the globe more and more > tightly into a world view and set of values whose religious role > we overlook only because we insist on seeing them as "secular. "9 > > George Soros shares this view, stating, "What used to be a > medium of exchange has usurped the place of fundamental values .... The cult of success has replaced a belief in principles . > Society has lost its anchor." 1o Concluding that "there is something wrong with making the survival of the fittest a guiding > principle of civilized society," he proposes an "open society" as > the antidote to the havoc that laissez-faire capitalism and market > values are wreaking in democratic society, where the guiding > principles of "nonmarket values" are eclipsed by the influence of > market values. Current confidence that "the unhampered pursuit > of self-interest will bring about an eventual international equilibrium" is, in his view, "misplaced." An "open society" would > promote institutions that allow people to live together in peace, > in spite of their different views, interests, and beliefs concerning > > 8. Leach, p. 11 . > 9. David R . Loy, "The Religion of the Market," Journal of the American > Academy of Religion 62.2 (Summer 1997), p. 275. > 10. George Soros, 'The Capitalist Threat" in The Atlantic Monthly (February > 1997), pp. 45- 58. > > what is true. He concludes, however, that there is currently no > willingness to establish the means to preserve a global open society. > Another commentator, William Greider, in his book One World, > Ready or Not: The Manic Logic of Global Capitalism, also contends > that the widespread adoption of market economics does not and will > not bring social and political stability, which have often been > touted as long-term benefits. In fact, he says, the spread of market economics destroys the fabric of traditional societies and > provides ideal conditions for contending political forces to fight > each other for control. > In a response to Greider' s book in The Atlantic Monthly, Lester > Thurow concurs, saying, "Capitalism is myopic and cannot make > the long-term social investments in education, infrastructure, and > research and development that it needs for its own future survival. > It needs government help to make those investments, but its own > ideology won't allow it either to recognize the need for those > investments or to request government help. That is the ideological > paradox of our time." 11 > According to Greider, we stand at a watershed in history: "A revolutionary principle is embedded in the global economic system, > awaiting broader recognition: Human dignity is indivisible. Across > the distances of culture and nations, across vast gulfs of wealth and > poverty, even the least among us are entitled to dignity, and no justification exists for brutalizing them in the pursuit of commerce." 12 > He continues, "any prospect of developing a common global social > consciousness will inevitably force people to reexamine themselves > first and come to terms with their own national contradictions and > hypocrisies. And just as Americans cannot claim a higher morality > while benefiting from inhumane exploitation, neither can developing countries pretend to become modem 'one world' producers and > expect exemption from the world's social values." 13 > > 11. Lester Thurow, "The Revolution Upon Us" The Atlantic Monthly (March > 1997), pp. 97- 100. > 12. William Greider, excerpted from One World: Ready or Not and published > under the title "Planet of Pirates" in Th e Utne Reader (May- June 1997), > pp. 72- 73. > 13. Ibid., p. 102. > > THE BAHA'I WORLD > > While there is, as yet, no set of social values generally accepted > by the world, attempts have recently been made to introduce an > internationally accepted "Charter of Human Responsibilities." This > document would "provide a broader ethical context to the principles > inherent within the Universal Declaration of Human Rights" to > "accentuate those positive obligations each individual should assume > in the service to humanity and the rest of creation." 14 The charter has > not yet gained wide acceptance, but its formulation is a hopeful sign. > Values are also a main concern of Philip Selznick, a communitarian philosopher who contends not only that social justice must > be the foundation of community but that it is the responsibility of > both individuals and the collective. Thus, the communitarian > concept of community is a "unity of unities"-a sort of "federal" > unity that preserves the integrity of the parts by emphasizing > individual moral autonomy as well as the moral bonds of civility, > which are seen to be interdependence and reciprocity. 15 The concept > of"stewardship" in governance further binds social power to moral > ideals. 16 It is a concept that looks outward rather than inward-or, > as Selznick puts it, moves towards "the 'we' of humanity." 17 In > this concept of community the balance of particularism and universalism is regarded as crucial, respecting diversity "without allowing > its claims to override those of basic humanity andjustice." 18 > It is not surprising that movements such as the communitarians > have arisen to revisit the roots of Western society and to reexamine > the values underpinning its culture. Their response to "the weakening of institutions, the blurred line between liberty and license, > the widespread preference for short-run gains," is to prescribe "more > extensive responsibility in ever; aspect of personal experience > and social life" as the antidote. 1 > > 14. Taken from the Core Initiatives of"The State of the World Forum'95." > 15. Philip Selznick, "Social Justice: A Communitarian Perspective," in The > Responsive Community 6.4 (Fall 1996), p. 15. For further discussion, see also > Philip Selznick, The Moral Commonwealth: Social Theory and the Promise > of Community (Berkeley: University of California Press, 1992), pp. 367- 71 . > 16. Ibid., p. 22. > 17. Ibid., p. 23 . > 18. Ibid., p. 24. > 19. Ibid., p. 13. > > Two other communitarians have offered some valuable insights > into a community-friendly, sustainable system of economics. In > their book For the Common Good, Herman E. Daly and John B. > Cobb, Jr., make a distinction between two different paradigms of > economic behavior: chrematistics and oikonomia. Chrematistics, > they say, "can be defined as the branch of political economy > relating to the manipulation of property and wealth so as to maximize short-term monetary exchange value to the owner"-a model > that conforms to Leach's, Soros' and Greider's view of capitalism, > as epitomized by the American system. In contrast, oikonomia "is > the management of the household so as to increase its use value to > all members of the household over the long run." They continue, "If > we expand the scope of household to include the larger community > of the land, of shared values, resources, biomes, institutions, language, and history, then we have a good definition of 'economics > for community. "' 20 > The concept of oikonomia seems quite close to Selznick's > " stewardship." Cobb and Daly's assertion that "True economics > concerns itself with the long-term welfare of the whole community"21 posits a conception of humans as something quite different > from mere consumers-and of community as something much > different from a mere marketplace. They argue that seeing people > only as beings "bent on optimizin3 utility or satisfaction through > procuring unlimited commodities," 2 which is the view underlying > current economic theory, leads to "policies that weaken existing > patterns of social relationships." 23 They advocate, instead, that > "economics should be refounded on the basis of a new concept of > Homo economicus as person-in-community," 24 recognizing that > > the well-being of a community as a whole is constitutive of > each person's welfare ... because each human being is constituted > > 20. Herman E. Daly and John B. Cobb, Jr. , For th e Common Good: Redirecting the Economy Toward Community, the Environment, and a Sustainable > Future (Boston: Beacon Press, 1989), p. 138. > 21. Ibid., p. 159. > 22. Ibid. , p. 159. > 23 . Ibid., p. 163 . > 24. Ibid., p. 164. > > THE BAHA'f W ORLD > > by relationships to others, and this pattern of relationships is at > least as important as the possession of commodities. These > relationships cannot be exchanged in a market. They can, nevertheless, be affected by the market, and when the market grows > out of the control of a community, the effects are almost always > destructive. Hence this model of person-in-community calls > not only for provision of goods and services to individuals, but > also for an economic order that supports thefattem of personal > relationships that make up the community.2 > > Daly and Cobb argue strongly for a conscious movement towards > the adoption of social behavior and values that will enhance "the > common good" and build the foundations of a community that > will protect the environment and promote ways of living that > provide for a sustainable future. Such an approach addresses some > of the key challenges facing community. > At the broadest level of discussion, many contemporary thinkers, > such as Daly and Cobb, see the global nature of environmental > crises and the interconnectedness of national economies, for > example, as leading inexorably towards the establishment of a > global community of some sort. Others, however, see the whole idea > as an utter impossibility. Some of the most provocative pieces to > appear in print on this topic during the past several years have > been authored by Samuel P. Huntington, whose essay "The Clash > of Civilizations?" in Foreign Affairs sparked a firestorm of debate > on his thesis that the emergence of a global civilization is a utopian > fantasy. Huntington later expanded his position to a full-length > book, notably dropping the question mark at the end of the title to > read The Clash of Civilizations and the Remaking of World Order. > The phrase "world community" "has become the euphemistic > collective noun (replacing 'the Free World' ) to give global legitimacy to actions reflecting the interests of the United States and > other Western powers," 26 he contends. The West, whose system > of liberal democracy has recently been touted as the pinnacle of > social evolution and achievement, is not, in his view , a universal > > 25.Daly and Cobb, pp. 164--165. > 26. Samuel P. Huntington, Th e Clash of Civilizations and the Remaking of > World Order (New York: Simon and Schuster, 1996), p. 184. > > W ORLD W ATCH > > civilization. "What is universalism to the West is imperialism to > the rest," he states. 27 > While Huntington focuses on "civilization," which he defines > as "the highest cultural grouping of people and the broadest level > of cultural identity people have short of that which distinguishes > humans from other species," the elements he sees as shaping civilizations are quite similar to those generally accepted as characteristics > of community: "common objective elements, such as language, > history, religion, customs, institutions" and "the subjective selfidentification of people. " 28 > He is extremely skeptical that any kind of unified global civilization can ever develop. At the individual level, he asserts that there > must always be "the civilizational 'us' and the extracivilizational > 'them"' because we fear and distrust people who are different; we > experience difficulty in communicating with them; and we are > unfamiliar with what motivates them, how they conduct social > relationships, and so on. 29 In opposition to Daly and Cobb, he states > that "it is human to hate"; "for self-definition and motivation people > need enemies: competition in business, rivals in achievement, opponents in politics. They naturally distrust and see as threats those > who are different and have the capability to harm them." 30 This > rivalry extends to the sphere of religion. As Huntington says, "Whatever universalist goals they may have, religions give people identity > by positing a basic distinction between believers and nonbelievers, > between a superior in-group and a different and inferior out-group."31 > Further, "if a universal civilization is emerging," he asserts, "there > should be signs of a universal language and a universal relifion > developing." He concludes, "Nothing of the sort is occurring." 2 > Andrew Bard Schmookler, while also identifying "intersocietal > anarchy" as "the overarching context of civilized life," is somewhat > more optimistic than Huntington about the development of a united > > 27. Ibid., p. 184. > 28. Ibid., p. 43. > 29. Ibid., p. 129. > 30. Ibid. , p. 130. > 31. Ibid., p. 97. > 32. Samuel P. Huntington, "The Many Faces of the Future," The Utne Reader > (May- June 1997), pp. 75- 77. > > THE BAHA:f WORLD > > global civilization. "As long as the human cultural system was > fragmented into a multiplicity of separate units," he asserts, "the > problem of power remained insoluble." 33 He contends that now "an > escape from this fragmented system is beginning to emerge," > although dangers still remain: > > For the first time, the world is becoming a single interdependent system in which all the world's peoples are in contact. > Meanwhile, the age-old struggle for power goes on and may > annihilate us before we can create an order that controls power. > But the centuries ahead give us the opportunity to place all > human action within a structure that for the first time makes > truly free human choice possible. Even so, it is far from clear > how to get from here to there, or even what kind of world order > "there" should be. 34 > > Malaysia's deputy prime minister Anwar Ibrahim advances one > possible path for humanity to tread. In his forthcoming book The > Asian Renaissance, he criticizes Huntington's approach as "nothing > more than Orientalism in a new garb," a view he characterizes as > "false and dangerous": > > It is false because it implies an inherent impermeability of > cultures, an inability to absorb each other's characteristics, > and presupposes the existence of a "Great Wall" separating the > civilizations of the world. It is dangerous because it generates > paranoia and breeds animosity and suspicion and may, therefore, become a self-fulfilling prophecy. Thus, the question is > not whether civilizations will clash, but whether civilizations > ought to clash. 35 > > To avoid such conflict, he asserts that if we reflect on "higher ideals," > > we will discover that there is less difference between East and > West than is often made out to be ... .The challenge at hand is > to conceive a common vision of the future which goes beyond > > 33. Andrew Bard Schmookler, The Parable ofthe Tribes: The Problem ofPower > in Social Evolution (Boston: Houghton Miffiin Co., 1984), p. 33. > 34. Ibid., pp. 33- 34. > 35. Anwar Ibrahim, "A Global Convivencia vs. The Clash of Civilizations," > excerpted in New Perspectives Quarterly (Summer 1997), p. 41. > > our current concerns and preoccupations, advancing toward > the creation of a global community, dominated neither by the > East nor the West, but dedicated to the ideals of both. 36 > > He advocates a "civilizational dialogue," undertaken with the goal > of achieving a "global convivencia-a harmonious and enriching > experience of living together among people of diverse religions > and cultures." 37 > The uncertain hope expressed by Schmookler, the pessimism > of Huntington, the fundamental structural changes described by > Mathews , the ills outlined by Leach, Greider, Soros, and others, > and the prescriptions advanced by Daly, Cobb, Selznick, and > Ibrahim all provide differing perspectives on the strenuous debate > currently taking place around the subject of community. Where > the world will go from here remains uncertain. Various individuals > and organizations have attempted to address the ills of society, > which are generally perceived to be worldwide in scope, but, as > Soros comments rather bitterly, no will exists to establish institutions and mechanisms that would effectively govern a global > community. And certainly there is no wide agreement about what > exactly the fundamental values of such a community should be. > It is clear from the number and variety of problems confronting > humanity at this stage in its history that community development > must be pursued at all levels, from the local to the global. Religion > is one powerful means to address these problems, since it has traditionally been concerned with two broad questions: the purpose > of existence and the nature of the community. In fact, the word > "religion" itself is derived from religio, meaning "to bind together." > Members of the world ' s youngest independent religion, the > Baha'i Faith, who now number some five million souls from more > than 2,000 tribes, races, and ethnic groups, have forged a united, > dynamic community that is flourishing at the local, national, and > global levels. The vision that unites this diverse group comes > from Baha'u'llah, the Founder of the Baha'i Faith. He taught that > all people worship one God, Who has guided the development of > > 36. Ibrahim, p. 41 . > 37. Ibid., p. 42. > > THE BAHA'f WORLD > > humanity through successive Messengers Who have founded the > world's major religions. The human race, Baha'u'llah said, now > stands at the threshold of maturity, and the time has come for the > uniting of all peoples into a peaceful and integrated global society. His prescriptions for humanity all lead toward that end. > Baha'is are, therefore, deeply concerned with the process of > community building. To help them advance in their understanding > of this issue, the Universal House of Justice, the Faith's international > governing council, has offered a definition of "community," which > it characterizes as "more than the sum of its membership": > > it is a comprehensive unit of civilization composed of individuals, families and institutions that are originators and > encouragers of systems, agencies and organizations working > together with a common purpose for the welfare of people > both within and beyond its own borders; it is a composition of > diverse, interacting participants that are achieving unity in an > unremitting quest for spiritual and social progress. 38 > > Because spiritual values have the power to simultaneously unite > peoples and transform political order into a moral community, the > Baha'i Faith has tremendous capacities to promulgate the model > of a healthy, dynamic community. Indeed, Shoghi Effendi, the > Guardian of the Faith, writing about the Baha'is, once referred to > "the society-building power which their Faith possesses." 39 > The principle that has enabled the Baha'i Faith to achieve an > unprecedented level of unity as a world community and yet preserve local communities' and individuals' unique identities is that > of "unity in diversity," about which Shoghi Effendi offers this > commentary: > > The Faith of Baha'u'llah has assimilated, by virtue of its creative, its regulative and ennobling energies, the varied races, > nationalities, creeds and classes that have sought its shadow, > and have pledged unswerving fealty to its cause. It has changed > > 38 . The Universal House of Justice, Riqvan Jetter to the Baha' is of the world, > B.E. 153 (April 1996). > 39. Shoghi Effendi, The World Order of Baha 'u 'llah: Selected Letters (Wilmette: Baha' i Publishing Trust, 1991), p. 195. > > WORLD WATCH > > the hearts of its adherents, burned away their prejudices, stilled > their passions, exalted their conceptions, ennobled their > motives, coordinated their efforts, and transformed their outlook. While preserving their patriotism and safeguarding their > lesser loyalties, it has made them lovers of mankind, and the > determined upholders of its best and truest interests. While > maintaining intact their belief in the Divine origin of their > respective religions, it has enabled them to visualize the underlying purpose of these religions, to discover their merits, to > recognize their sequence, their interdependence, their wholeness > and unity, and to acknowledge the bond that vitally links them to > itself. This universal, this transcending love which the followers > of the Baha'i Faith feel for their fellow-men, of whatever race, > creed, class or nation, is neither mysterious nor can it be said > to have been artificially stimulated. It is both spontaneous and > genuine. They whose hearts are warmed by the energizing > influence of God's creative love cherish His creatures for His > sake, and recognize in every human face a sign of His reflected > glory.40 > > This sense of spiritual unity that provides the basis of community > structure pervades all aspects of Baha'i community life. As one > writer puts it, > > ...the meaning of Community is a meaning which can only be > gradually unfolded as our experience in living the ideals of > Community grows and evolves. Beyond our sense of friendship and fellowship and social interaction there is the reality > of spiritual unity .... > ...unity is the essence of the Baha' i Faith, because it is the > principle of spiritual unity applied at a social level, a spiritual > unity which has never before been realized in any community, > a spiritual unity which flows from the communion of the individual soul with God and from the vision of God revealed in > the soul of every other believer in that Community.41 > > True civilization does not arise from material progress, but > rather is founded on the transcendent values that hold society > > 40. Shoghi Effendi, Th e World Order of Baha 'u 'llah, pp. 197- 98. > 41. John Davidson, A Baha'i Approach to Community: Process and Promise, > Vol. 1, Baha'i Studies in Australasia: Baha'i Community and Institutions > (Association for Baha'i Studies- Australia, 1993), p. 36. > > THE BAHA'f WORLD > > together. Baha'is believe that the theories and practices that promote > self-indulgence and disrupt the connections among individuals > must be directly challenged. Service to humanity and a commitment to a deeper level of engagement with each other and the > problems of society are key motivating forces behind the Baha'i > community. As Baha'u'llah has written: > > That one indeed is a man who, today, dedicateth himself to > the service of the entire human race .... Blessed and happy is > he that ariseth to promote the best interests of the peoples and > kindreds of the earth .... It is not for him to pride himself who > loveth his own country, but rather for him who loveth the > whole world. The earth is but one country, and mankind its > citizens. 42 > > Such service is the hallmark of true religion. In the words of > 'Abdu'l-Baha, son ofBaha'u'llah: > > Universal benefits derive from the grace of the Divine religions, for they lead their true followers to sincerity of intent, > to high purpose, to purity and spotless honor, to surpassing > kindness and compassion, to the keeping of their covenants > when they have covenanted, to concern for the rights of others, > to liberality, to justice in every aspect of life, to humanity and > philanthropy, to valor and to unflagging efforts in the service > of mankind. It is religion, to sum up , which produces all > human virtues, and it is these virtues which are the bright candles of civilization. 43 > > To support the spiritual unity and desire to serve humanity > that form the basis of community in Baha'u'llah's teachings, a > structure to guard that unity and to promote acts of service is also > explicitly laid out in the Faith's sacred writings. As the eminent > Baha'i writer Horace Holley comments: > > 42. Baha ' u ' llah, Gleanings from th e Writings of Bah a 'u 'llah (Wilmette: > Baha'i Publishing Trust, 1983), p. 250. > 43 . 'Abdu 'l-Baha, The Secret ofDivine Civilization (Wilmette: Baha' i Publishing > Trust, 1994), p. 98. > > WORLD WATCH > > Faith alone, no matter how wholehearted and sincere, affords > no basis on which the organic unity of a religious fellowship > can endure ... > The Baha'i teaching has this vital distinction, that it extends > from the realm of conscience and faith to the realm of social > action. It confirms the substance of faith not merely as a source > of individual development but as a definitely ordered relationship to the community. 44 > > He goes on to discuss the nature of the authority to which Baha'is > commit themselves: > > Sovereignty, in the Baha'i community, is attributed to the Divine > prophet, and the elected representatives of the believers in their > administrative function look to the teachings ofBaha'u'llah for > their guidance, having faith that the application of His universal > principles is the source of order throughout the community. > Every Baha'i administrative body feels itself a trustee, and in > this capacity stands above the plane of dissension and is free > of that pressure exerted by factional groups. 45 > > Here one finds an application of the concept of "stewardship," > as mentioned by Selznick. Indeed, as Holley says, the Local Spiritual Assembly, the council that is elected annually, "represents > the collective conscience of the community with respect to Baha'i > activities." 46 In short, > > Spiritual Assemblies, local and national, combine an executive, > a legislative and a judicial function, all within the limits set by > the Baha'i teachings .... They are primarily responsible for the > maintenance of unity within the Baha'i community and for > the release of its collective power in service to the Cause. 47 > > The administrative model conceived by Baha'u'llah promotes > a concept of leadership embodying trustworthiness, wisdom, and > willingness to sacrifice for the common good, and whose highest > > 44. Horace Holley, "Aims and Purposes of the Baha ' i Faith," The BahQ 'i > World, Vol. XII (1950- 54), p. 8. > 45. Ibid., p. 9. > 46. Ibid. > 47. Ibid. > > THE BAHA'I WORLD > > expression is service to the community. It also fosters collective > decision making and collective action through a process called > "consultation." Conducted in a spirit of unity, its purpose is to > search out the truth. Those engaged in the process are enjoined > to express their views with "all freedom," but at the same time > "with the utmost devotion, courtesy, dignity, care, and moderation."48 In this way, participants can avoid antagonism and conflict, > and all can freely express their views without fear of displeasing > or alienating anyone. Here, one sees how the "right" of freedom of > speech is balanced by the "responsibility" of moderate expression. > Indeed, Baha'u'llah states that "Human utterance is an essence > which aspireth to exert its influence and needeth moderation." > Its influence, He says, "is conditional upon refinement which in > tum is dependent upon hearts which are detached and pure," and > its moderation should be "combined with tact and wisdom. " 49 > Because the Baha'i community-just a century and a half > old-is only "at the very beginning of the process of community > building," the House of Justice also provides, in its Ric;lvan 1996 > letter, guidance regarding the elements necessary for healthy community growth. To facilitate the healthy growth of communities > that can engage in an "unremitting quest for spiritual and social > progress," the House of Justice emphasizes that they must promote > patterns of behavior "by which the collective expression of the > virtues of the individual members and the functioning of the Spiritual > Assembly are manifest in the unity and fellowship of the community > and the dynamism of its activity and growth." These patterns > include the integration and inclusion of all the adults, youth, and > children in "spiritual, social, educational and administrative activities," as well as "local plans of teaching and development." Another > distinctive pattern of behavior is seen in the "collective will and > sense of purpose" to establish and maintain Baha'i administrative > institutions, particularly evident in the annual election of Spiritual > Assemblies in communities around the world . A final pattern > > 48. 'Abdu' l-Baha, cited in Consultation: A Compilation (Wilmette: Baha ' i > Publishing Trust, 1980), # 10, p. 6. > 49. Baha ' u ' llah, Tablets of Baha 'u 'llah Revealed after th e Kitab-i-Aqdas > (Wilmette: Baha'i Publishing Trust, 1995), p. 143. > > involves "the practice of collective worship of God" through regular > devotional meetings, seen as "essential to the spiritual life of the > community." > And indeed, the spirit of unity underlying their communities > and the structures that govern them are not only for Baha'is, who > believe that through time a unified global community will be forged, > whether "reached only after unimaginable horrors precipitated > by humanity's stubborn clinging to old patterns of behavior" or > "embraced now by an act of consultative will." 50 As Shoghi Effendi > wrote, > > Unification of the whole of mankind is the hall-mark of the stage > which human society is now approaching. Unity of family, of > tribe, of city-state, and nation have been successively attempted > and fully established. World unity is the goal towards which a > harassed humanity is striving. Nation-building has come to > an end. The anarchy inherent in state sovereignty is moving > towards a climax. A world, growing to maturity, must abandon > this fetish, recognize the oneness and wholeness of human > relationships, and establish once for all the machinef( that can > best incarnate this fundamental principle of its life. 5 > > Shoghi Effendi describes the global society promised in the Baha'i > sacred writings as follows: > > A world community in which all economic barriers will have > been permanently demolished and the interdependence of Capital and Labor definitely recognized; in which the clamor of > religious fanaticism and strife will have been forever stilled; > in which the flame of racial animosity will have been finally > extinguished; in which a single code of international law-the > product of the considered judgment of the world's federated > representatives-shall have as its sanction the instant and > coercive intervention of the combined forces of the federated > units; and finally a world community in which the fury of a > capricious and militant nationalism will have been transmuted > into an abiding consciousness of world citizenship-such > indeed, appears, in its broadest outline, the Order anticipated > > 50. The Universal House of Justice, The Promise of World Peace (Haifa: > Baha'i World Centre, 1985), p. 1. > 51. Shoghi Effendi, The World Order of Bahri 'u 'llah, p. 202. > > THE B AHA'I WORLD > > by Baha'u ' llah, an Order that shall come to be regarded as the > fairest fruit of a slowly maturing age.52 > > In the Baha' i view, such a development is not a utopian vision; it is > the next and highest step in the development of "an ever-advancing > civilization," "the furthermost limits in the organization of human > society." 53 > A response to Huntington' s objection that there can be no global > civilization because no universal religion or language is emerging > is found within the Baha'i Faith. First, it is a universal religion. > As Baha'u ' llah wrote over one hundred years ago, > > There can be no doubt whatever that the peoples of the world, > of whatever race or religion, derive their inspiration from one > heavenly Source, and are the subjects of one God. The difference between the ordinances under which they abide should > be attributed to the varying requirements and exigencies of > the age in which they were revealed. All of them, except a few > which are the outcome of human perversity, were ordained of > God, and are a reflection of His Will and Purpose. 54 > > Further, He states, > > Verily I say, this is the Day in which mankind can behold the > Face, and hear the Voice, of the Promised One .... Great indeed > is this Day! The allusions made to it in all the sacred Scriptures as the Day of God attest its greatness . The soul of every > Prophet of God, of every Divine Messenger, hath thirsted for > this wondrous Day. All the divers kindreds of the earth have, > likewise, yearned to attain it. 55 > > With regard to the choice or development of a single language, > Baha'u'llah says in His book oflaws: > > 0 members of parliaments throughout the world! Select ye a > single language for the use of all on earth, and adopt ye likewise a common script ... . This will be the cause of unity, > > 52. Shoghi Effendi, Th e World Order of Bahci 'u 'llah , p. 41. > 53 . Ibid., p. 163. > 54. Baha'u ' llah, Gleanings, p. 217. > 55.Ibid., pp. 10-11. > > WORLD W ATCH > > could ye but comprehend it, and the greatest instrument for > promoting harmony and civilization, would that ye might > understand! 56 > > While all the elements necessary for the establishing of a global > society are present in the Baha'i sacred writings, the forging of a > world community will, in the words of Shoghi Effendi, be a "gradual > process." The first step towards it will be the establishment of what > Baha'is call "the Lesser Peace," a political union reached by the > nations of the world: > > This momentous and historic step, involving the reconstruction of mankind, as the result of the universal recognition of > its oneness and wholeness, will bring in its wake the spiritualization of the masses, consequently to the recognition of the > character, and the acknowledgment of the claims, of the Faith > of Baha'u'llah-the essential condition to that ultimate fusion > of all races, creeds, classes, and nations which must signalize > the emergence of His New World Order. 57 > > "Then," Shoghi Effendi continues, "will the coming of age of > the entire human race be proclaimed and celebrated by all the > peoples and nations of the earth." The "Most Great Peace" will > be established with the universal recognition of the message of > unity brought by Baha'u'llah, following which "a world civilization [will] be born, flourish, and perpetuate itself, a civilization with > a fullness of life such as the world has never seen nor can as yet > conceive." 58 > The establishment of a world civilization, promoting an unimaginable "fullness of life," is assured. With confidence in the eventual > achievement of this aim, Baha'is face the uncertainty of the transition period in which we are now living. > While others are not so confident, even the more pessimistic > express some vague hope that a peaceful world community will > > 56. Baha 'u 'llah, Th e Kitab-i-Aqdas: Th e Most Holy Book (Wilmette: Baha'i > Publishing Trust, 1993), p. 87, paragraph 189. > 57. Shoghi Effendi, The Promised Day Is Come (Wilmette: Baha' i Publishing > Trust, 1980), p. 123 . > 58. Ibid., pp. 123- 24. > > somehow arrive. At the end of his book The Ends of the Earth: A > Journey at the Dawn of the 21st Century, Robert Kaplan asks a > crucial question: "As a species, we can imagine justice and harmony. But how can justice and harmony be possible for much of > humanity, given the evidence of history, plus the inflammatory > potential of a fourfold increase in population since the nineteenth > century, with antennas rising from mudhuts to allow the poor to see > how the rich live?" 59 Kaplan has no answer to this question, but > he closes his book with a quotation from the poem "Addressed to > Haydon" by the visionary English poet John Keats: > > And other spirits ... are standing apart > Upon the forehead of the age to come; > These, these will give the world another heart, > And other pulses. Hear ye not the hum > Of mighty workings?- > Listen awhile ye nations, and be dumb. > > Baha'u'llah delivered His message to humanity short years after > Keats penned these lines. "The world's equilibrium," He stated, > "hath been upset by the vibrating influence of this most great, > this new World Order. Mankind's ordered life hath been revolutionized through the agency of this unique, this wondrous System-the > like of which mortal eyes have never witnessed." 60 Baha'u'llah > called the peoples of the world together in unity; He delineated > the structure of a community that can function unitedly on the > local, national, and global levels to promote justice and build a > peaceful world. When considering the challenges facing communities at the end of the twentieth century, thinking people would > do well to study the model that has brought together, in some 153 > years, more than five million people from extremely diverse backgrounds and has enabled them to establish a single, united global > community that both nourishes the individual and safeguards the > good of the whole. These are indeed, in Keats' words, "mighty > workings": here is a model that can benefit all the inhabitants of > the planet. > > 59. Robert D. Kaplan, The Ends of the Earth: A Journey at th e Dawn of the > 21st Century (New York: Random Books, 1996), p. 437. > 60. Baha'u'llah, The Kitab-i-Aqdas, p. 84, para. 181. > > At the Habitat II conference in Istanbul, in June 1996, the Baha'i > International Community shared its vision of communities of the > future-a vision that addresses many of the challenges facing us at > the end of this turbulent century: > > Communities that thrive and prosper in the new millennium > will do so because they acknowledge the spiritual dimension of > human nature and make the moral, emotional, and intellectual > development of the individual a central priority. They will > guarantee freedom of religion and encourage the establishment > of places of worship. Their centers of learning will seek to > cultivate the limitless potentialities latent in human consciousness and will pursue as a major goal the participation of all > peoples in generating and applying knowledge. Remembering > at all times that the interests of the individual and of society > are inseparable, these communities will promote respect for > both rights and responsibilities, will foster the equality and > partnership of women and men, and will protect and nurture > families. They will promote beauty, natural, and man-made, > and incorporate into their design principles of environmental > preservation and rehabilitation. Guided by the concept of > unity in diversity, they will support wide-spread participation > in the affairs of society, and will increasingly turn to leaders > who are motivated by the desire to serve. In these communities the fruits of science and technology will benefit the whole > society, and work will be available for all. > Communities such as these will prove to be the pillars of > a world civilization-a civilization which will be the logical > culmination of humanity's community-building efforts over > vast stretches of time and geography. Baha'u'llah's statement > that all people are "born to carry forward an ever-advancing > civilization," implies that every person has both the right and > the responsibility to contribute to this historic and far-reaching, > collective enterprise whose goal is nothing less than the peace, > prosperity, and unity of the entire human family. 61 > > 61. The Baha'i International Community, Sustainable Communities in an Integrating World, a concept paper shared at the Second United Nations Conference > on Human Settlements (Habitat II), Istanbul, Turkey, 3- 14 June 1996. See > pp. 27 5- 281 for the full text of this statement. > > PROFILE: > TH~WrLLlAM > MASETLHA > FOUNDATION, > ZAMBIA > > "B anani has taught me to be true to myself" "Spending my last > three years of school here has changed me quite a lot. I > appreciate the virtues I have been taught and the good days I had > here." "One thing I like about Banani is that I found out who I > really am and what I want to become ... I'm sure if given the chance > I will be able to help change the world to make it a better place to > live in." "'Let your vision be world embracing."' > These comments, written in the school's first yearbook by members of the 1996 graduating class of the Banani International > Secondary School in the Chisamba district of Zambia, clearly > reflect the ideals of the institution, which opened in 1993 to provide > secondary education for young women. > The Banani School forms one part of the William Mmutle > Masetlha Foundation, a Baha'i agency founded in 1995 under > the direction of the National Spiritual Assembly of the Baha'is of > Zambia, which aims to deepen individuals' knowledge of spiritual > principles and to provide training in health, literacy, and a range of > practical skills and trades. In addition to overseeing the operations > of the Banani School, the Foundation has responsibility for the > > direction of the William Mmutle Masetlha Institute, dedicated to > the development of human resources in Zambia. > The development of the Masetlha Foundation shows how the > expansion of grassroots development activities leads to a natural > evolution of established structures, governed by the needs and > priorities of the people they serve. The Baha'i approach to social > and economic development is distinctive, in that it promotes a > dynamic coherence between the spiritual and practical elements of > life. People learn to apply spiritual principles, to behave uprightly, > and to practice the art of Baha'i consultation so that they can > become increasingly self-sufficient and self-reliant. Further, > projects arise from an expressed need from people at the grassroots level rather than being imposed from the top. The basic > principle is that all people, regardless of their circumstances or > resources, can participate in this joint enterprise of increasing the > systematic application of the principles of the Baha'i Faith to > improving the quality of human life. > This approach recognizes that as people develop their capacity > to make decisions about their spiritual and material progress and > then to implement those decisions, the level at which they operate > will become increasingly complex. The growth in complexity, > however, is not imposed from without but arises naturally from > the growth in capacity of those participating in the projects. 1 > > The William Masetlha Institute > This kind of growth can clearly be seen in the development of the > Masetlha Foundation, which has its roots in the founding of the > William Masetlha Institute in 1983. The Institute was originally > established to work towards the betterment of life among the > 50,000 people that constitute the rural population in the Kabwe > district, eighty kilometers north of Zambia's capital, Lusaka. The > Institute sought to develop human resources through combining a > study program in the Baha'i teachings and service to the Baha'i > Faith with vocational training in rural technology, farming, food > production, arts and crafts, health and hygiene, and other practical > > 1. See also pp . 293- 302 for further a report on two Baha'i social and economic development projects, including the William Masetlha Foundation. > > THE "WJLLIAM M ASETLHA F OUNDATI ON > > skills. In this way, the people would be able to see the spiritual > principles involved in their work. > In accordance with the Baha'i teachings, the promotion of the > advancement of women has occupied the Masetlha Institute since its > early days. In 1987, a program for women was created which included components on spiritual enrichment, literacy and numeracy, > mothering skills, and agricultural training. More recently, the establishment of the Banani Secondary School for girls has reinforced > the Baha'i commitment to the spiritual principle of equality. > An important element in the success of any program is reinforcement of learned information and behavior. One effective way in > which such reinforcement is achieved is through the publication > of a newsletter which was begun by the Institute so that former > participants in the programs could continue to stay in contact > with each other and develop effective networks to reinforce their > newly acquired skills and knowledge. > Surveying the conditions of the area, the Institute eventually > developed two main projects, the first addressing an illiteracy rate > that runs as high as sixty percent and the second with the goal of > improving grassroots knowledge about health care in the villages > of the area. Thus, the Baha'i Literacy Campaign and the Baha'i > Primary Health Care Project were born. > > The Baha'i Literacy Campaign > The Baha'i Literacy Campaign is another example of how a simple > project begun at the grassroots level can evolve to become more > complex. The first stage in this process was a Baha'i literacy project, > which was begun by the Masetlha Institute in the early 1990s. Its > object was to train some 200 tutors who would then each hold literacy > classes for approximately twenty students. After the conclusion of the > initial effort, the Zambian Baha'i community became part of a > Baha'i Literacy Campaign coordinated by the Office of Social and > Economic Development at the Baha'i World Centre in 1996. > The Campaign had begun as a pilot project in three countries- > Cambodia, the Central African Republic, and Guyana- in 1994. > By 1996, enough had been learned from the pilot project for its > expansion into seven additional countries: Colombia, Ethiopia, > Ghana, Malaysia, Panama, Thailand, and Zambia. > > The twin objectives of the campaign are to improve literacy > standards within the Zambian Baha'i community and to endow > participants with the power to communicate in such a way that they > can shape their own destiny. This is achieved not merely through > functional literacy but by giving people access to the Word of God > and means to apply that Word in their lives. Thus, while focusing > particularly on women and youth, the literacy project seeks to educate entire villages in concert with efforts to improve their social > conditions. The first, year-long phase of the campaign includes > the development of a core curriculum, the training of facilitators > and trainers of facilitators, and the establishment of a number of > literacy classes throughout the region. In line with the approach > to development described above, subsequent developments built > upon results and findings from this initial phase. > > The Primary Health Care Project > Intended to assist the Government of Zambia in its campaign to > achieve "Health for All by the Year 2000," the Baha'i Primary Health > Care Project began in August 1993 . Its goals are to identify and > train over a hundred Community Health Care Workers to actively > promote preventive health education methods in their own communities. On a broader level, the project provides a health education > training model that can be made available to other development > agencies. Other goals include an increase of ten percent in the > level of immunization coverage in targeted areas and an increase in > knowledge of primary health care, with an emphasis on AIDS and > malaria prevention. The key to achieving this final goal is the > integration of primary health care into a broad range of developmentrelated training programs. By 1995, more than 70 of 93 trained > community health workers had conducted health education > activities; by the end of 1996, 149 had been trained. > The encouraging results of the training program are seen in the > following comments of Kate Bwalya, a public health nurse for > Zambia's Ministry of Health. She notes that health workers "willingly volunteer to get trained, but they are not wholeheartedly > prepared to serve. They need something to sustain their zeal. > They don't seem to know who they are really serving. But the > Baha'i-trained health educators know that they are serving. And > > THE"'WJLLIAM M ASETLHA F OUNDATION > > from what I see, the difference .. .is the spiritual stand." Indeed, the > emphasis on service is a prime objective of the program. > The future development of the primary health care project is currently under consideration, but certainly consolidation of gains made > is one priority. Refresher courses for workers already trained, as > well as courses for new workers to replace those who are no longer > active, community education, and the training of village health > committees are ways in which the project may evolve. > The Banani International Secondary School > Since its opening in January 1993, the Banani School has undergone > steady growth and progress. In 1996, for example, a new library, > computer lab and swimming pool were opened, and the academic > success of the school was reflected in the fact that all of the members > of the senior class earned their International General Certificate of > Secondary Education (I GCSE) according to the standards of the > University of Cambridge Examinations Syndicate, while the grade > nine class rated second in the district for its passing rate. > In 1994, more than 90 students attended the school, while that > number expanded to some 116 girls in the five grades during 1996. > From an academic staff of eleven hailing from six countries in > 1994, Banani grew to some seventeen teachers and administrators, as well as other support staff, in 1996. > Subjects offered include English as a second language, French, > mathematics, geography, history, English literature, agriculture, > biology, chemistry, and physics. Courses on world religions and > character development have been developed by the school, and a > community service program is a key element in the moral training > received by students. In this program, students work in groups, > with a teacher advisor, and offer different forms of social service > to the school and the surrounding community. Scholarships for > deserving students have been offered since 1993. > Conclusion > The genesis, evolution, and future prospects of the Masetlha Foundation have been dictated by the needs of the people in the area it > serves. The challenge taken up by this Baha'i agency is to channel > energy into the most effective means of meeting those needs. As > people gain experience and expertise in the process of applying > > THE B AHA'I WORLD > > Parents, > students, and > guests celebrate the > inauguration > of the > Banani > School for > Girls. > > A dance by > a group of > students, > featured > in the > opening > > Banani > School. > -- ......- > spiritual principles to promote their own social well-being, there > is no doubt that the Foundation will evolve further, guided by the > belief that "the training that can make it possible for the earth's > inhabitants to participate in the production of wealth will advance > the aims of development only to the extent that such an impulse > is illumined by the spiritual insight that service to humankind is > the purpose of both individual life and social organizations."2 Only > through this kind of training can development efforts succeed in > "equipping people and institutions with the means through which > they can achieve the real purpose of development: that is, laying > foundations for a new social order than can cultivate the limitless > potentialities latent in human consciousness." 3 > > 2. From a statement of the Baha'i International Community's Office of Public Information, The Prosperity of Humankind, originally prepared for the > United Nations World Summit for Social Development in Copenhagen, > March 1995, pp. 12- 13 . See also Th e Bahri 'i World 1994-95, pp. 273- 296 > for the full text of this statement. > 3. Ibid., p. 13. > > This article describes five > Bahri '£-initiated moral training programs > operating around the world. > > NEW ViRTUE s' > NEW MORAL STANDARDS, > NEW CAPACITIES: > Moral Development Activities > in the Baha'i World Community > > All created things have their degree or stage of maturity. The period > of maturity in the life of a tree is the time of its fruit-bearing ... The > animal attains a state of full growth and completeness, and in the > human kingdom man reaches his maturity when the light of his intelligence attains its greatest power and development. .. Similarly there > are periods and stages in the collective life of humanity. At one time it > was passing through its stage of childhood, at another its period of > youth, but now it has entered its long-predicted phase of maturity, the > evidences of which are everywhere apparent... That which was applicable to human needs during the early history of the race can neither > meet nor satisfy the demands of this day, this period of newness and > consummation. Humanity has emerged from its former state of limitation and preliminary training. Man must now become imbued with > new virtues and powers, new moral standards, new capacities. New > bounties, perfect bestowals, are awaiting and already descending > upon him. The gifts and blessings of the period of youth, although > timely and sufficient during the adolescence of mankind, are now > incapable of meeting the requirements of its maturity. 1 > > l. 'Abdu'l-Baha, cited in The World Order of Baha 'u '!!ah: Selected Letters > (Wilmette: Baha'i Publishing Trust, 1991), pp. 163-65. > > This passage from the Baha'i writings summarizes the Faith's > basic approach to the development of humankind. Baha'is see the > unfolding of history as the path of an "ever-advancing civilization," > the progress of which is dependent upon humanity's moral as well > as material development. We stand now at the threshold of maturity, > for which we must acquire new virtues, new moral standards, and > new capacities in order to reap the benefits of the age. Elsewhere > in the writings of 'Abdu'l-Baha, the Son of the Founder of the > Baha'i Faith, this theme has been elucidated as follows: > > Two calls to success and prosperity are being raised from the heights > of the happiness of mankind, awakening the slumbering, granting > sight to the blind, causing the heedless to become mindful, bestowing hearing upon the deaf, unloosing the tongue of the mute and > resuscitating the dead. > The one is the call of civilization, of the progress of the material > world. This pertaineth to the world of phenomena, promoteth the > principles of material achievement, and is the trainer for the physical > accomplishments of mankind. It compriseth the laws, regulations, > arts and sciences through which the world of humanity hath developed; laws and regulations which are the outcome of lofty ideals and > the result of sound minds, and which have stepped forth into the > arena of existence through the efforts of the wise and cultured in past > and subsequent ages. The propagator and executive power of this call > is just government. > The other is the soul-stirring call of God, Whose spiritual teachings are safeguards of the everlasting glory, the eternal happiness > and illumination of the world of humanity, and cause attributes of > mercy to be revealed in the human world and the life beyond. > This second call is founded upon the instructions and exhortations > of the Lord and the admonitions and altruistic emotions belonging > to the realm of morality which, like unto a brilliant light, brighten and > illumine the lamp of the realities of mankind. Its penetrative power is > the Word of God. > However, until material achievements, physical accomplishments > and human virtues are reinforced by spiritual perfections, luminous > qualities and characteristics of mercy, no fruit or result shall issue > therefrom, nor will the happiness of the world of humanity, which is > the ultimate aim, be attained.2 > > 2. 'Abdu ' l-Baha, Selections from the Writings of 'A bdu 'l-Baha (Haifa: Baha' i > World Centre, 1982), sec. 225, pp. 283- 84. > > M ORAL D EVE LOPMENT A CTIVITIES > > 'Abdu'l-Baha's statement outlines the basic approach of the > Baha'i community around the world in the activities it has undertaken with regard to moral development. Material progress is > desirable, but it should be accompanied by spiritual growthboth individual and collective. During a talk given in America in > April 1912, 'Abdu'l-Baha compared these two elements or powers to the wings of a bird, saying, "Both must be developed, for > flight is impossible with one wing." 3 > While the Baha'i Faith is still a relatively young religion, it has > made a number of efforts throughout the world to develop programs > that will promote both the material and the spiritual progress not > only of its members but of the wider communities in which they > live. Many of these activities fall under the broad heading of social > and economic development-health care and literacy training, the > establishment of schools, income-generating projects- but some > have a distinct focus on moral training. This article will survey > five such projects and programs around the world: "ZIPOPO," or > "The Happy Hippo Show," a television program in Russia that > promotes awareness and discussion of moral issues among youthful > viewers; the moral leadership training program at Nur University > in Bolivia; the "On the Wings of Words" literacy project in Guyana; the School of the Nations in Macau; and the Moral Education > Project in St. Petersburg, Russia. > "ZIPOPO" or "The Happy Hippo Show" > This television show was first developed by Shamil Fattakhov, a > journalist from Kazan, to promote consultation in youth groups > on situations centered around themes connected to moral education. > The name of the program, "ZIPOPO," is taken from the first letters > of the words "Zaochniy institut pozitivnovo povedeniya," which > translates as "The Academy of Positive Behavior." In English the > program is called "The Happy Hippo Show," a title inspired by a > story related about ' Abdu' l-Baha, who, during His trip to America > in 1911- 12, is reported to have said to a crying child, "Don't be sad, > be a happy hippopotamus! " > > 3. 'Abdu ' l-Baha, The Promulgation of Universal Peace: Talks Delivered by > 'A bdu 'l-Baha during His Visit to the United States and Canada in 1912, rev. > ed. (Wilmette: Baha'i Publishing Trust, 1982), p. 60. > > THE B AHA' I W ORLD > > The concept underlying "ZIPOPO" is to present viewers with > an opportunity to look at moral or ethical issues and to provide > them with the means to approach life problems and find positive > solutions through specific dramatic examples. As Mr. Fattakhov > has noted, the power of positive example has a long and distinguished history in Russia. He cites the instance where, following > the publication in the late nineteenth century of Leo Tolstoy's > novel The Resurrection, about a man who forfeits his wealth and > prominent position in society to repent for an evil deed he committed > in his youth, many readers of the popular work radically changed > their lives , confessing to crimes they had committed, donating > their possessions to charity, and performing good works. > "ZIPOPO," which runs weekly in a number of cities in Russia > and is about 40 minutes in length, features a dramatic skit performed > by actors, a live audience of between eighty and a hundred people-mostly youth-and hosts who facilitate the discussion. The > hosts begin by warming up the audience and introducing the topic > for the show, after which the first scene of a situation based on the > topic is acted out. The drama freezes at a crucial point of tension, > and audience discussion opens up, facilitated by the hosts who, > from time to time, interject relevant points or perhaps quote brief > passages from various literary or religious sources to further fuel the > exchange of viewpoints. Sometimes an expert on the topic is present > to contribute ideas as well. Following the discussion, which always > focuses on finding positive solutions to the situation, the dramatic > sketch resumes and one possible solution to the particular moral > dilemma is presented. A second round of audience discussion following the dramatic conclusion helps those present to recognize a > pattern of response to the problem, based on moral principles. > Many of the scripts have been developed by Mr. Fattakhov, but > he welcomes other authors and encourages youth to submit their > ideas for future programs; one scenario was written by a seventeen-year-old high school student. Well over two hundred such > sketches have now been written and performed, including ones on > topics such as how to avoid drug addiction, suicide, the difference > between sex and love, youth and the police, stealing, unemployment, racial conflict, divorce, running away from home, how to find > the right partner to establish a healthy family life, how to develop > > M ORAL D EVELOPMENT A CTIVITIES > > virtues, and so on. In one sketch, for example, a girl and her boyfriend are sitting on a park bench talking about how much they > love each other. He begins to pressure her to have sex; she says she > wants to wait until they are married. "But everybody does it," he > argues, and besides, they should "test each other out" before marriage. Finally he delivers an ultimatum: if she doesn't prove that > she loves him by sleeping with him tonight, their relationship is > over. At this point the action freezes. Should she give in or not? > The audience discusses the issue before the sketch resumes to > present one possible resolution to the situation. > The program has become very popular, not only with youth but > with entire families , because it features ordinary people exploring > moral solutions to common dilemmas that are often not addressed > in society. Viewers, then, see how they can practically apply moral > principles in their own lives. Mr. Fattakhov describes the goal of the > program as "the healing and education of society through regular > collective deepening in moral aspects, based on the highest moral > principles proclaimed by prophets of all world religions, by outstanding philosophers and prominent people, accumulated by the > wisdom of the whole of mankind." > The use of drama makes the problem more emotionally immediate and provides the opportunity for different social and age groups > to share a common experience. The discussion allows youth to > broaden their knowledge of life and experience consultation in a > supportive atmosphere where collective thinking is used in search > of positive solutions to life's problems. Positive actions and behavior > are thus legitimized in the minds of young viewers; individuals can > become responsible for their own moral choices, make positive > decisions, and take action. Families, too, can consult in their own > homes on topics introduced in the shows. > Audience bases for "ZIPOPO" are expanding. Host training > workshops have been held since 1994, and as a result the show is > now established in a number of Russian cities, including Chi ta, > Khabarovsk, Izhevsk, Ulan-Ude, Kazan, Leninogorsk, and Perm. > It has also been introduced into India, China, Sweden, Finland, > Norway, Italy, Moldova, Latvia, and the Ukraine. And while > "ZIPOPO" began as a program primarily directed at youth, different variations of the show have been developed, aimed at children, > > THE BAHA'f WORLD > > ZIPOPO's > host-originator > Shami! Fattakhov • > with young > participants at an > outdoor summer > camp in the far > east city of > Khabarovsk, > in July 1994. > > women, families, and social groups such as teachers, businessmen, > journalists, and so on. Because the format of the show is flexible > and portable, it can be (and has been) done in locations as varied > as kindergartens, youth camps, schools, colleges and universities, > and on mass media, including radio, television, and newspapers. > In the city of Khabarovsk eighteen-year-old Tanya Maros, who > had been trained as a host, was galvanized to start up a radio version of the show, which she produced and hosted herself. Another > young host, Leonid Osokin, hosted a live TV program called the > "Orange Show," modeled on "ZIPOPO," for some two years in his > home city of Ulan-Ude. The popular show, which ran biweekly, > reached some one million people and was discontinued only when > Mr. Osokin left to pursue a doctoral degree in morality and ethics. > Recently , Mr. Fattakhov has adapted the basic format of > "ZIPOPO" for different audiences. For example, he has offered > seminars to businessmen on subjects such as ethics in business-an > issue of real concern in Russian society. The dramatic sketch presented at one such seminar opens with a businessman advising his > wife over the telephone not to buy fruit or vegetables from a particular > vendor who uses chemical sprays that could endanger the health of > their family. Immediately following this conversation two people > are ushered into the man's office, the first complaining about the > pollution released by the businessman's factory and its effects on > her child. The second, who is meanwhile quietly sobbing and obviously carrying something bulky under her coat, suddenly throws > aside her wrap and deposits a dead dog on the businessman's desk, > > M ORAL D EVELOPMENT A CTIVITIE S > > crying that this was her beloved pet that was poisoned by drinking > from the stream next to the man's factory. At that point the action > freezes and the seminar participants are invited to discuss what has > happened, identify the moral principles involved in the situation, > and devise a positive solution. According to Mr. Fattakhov, the > businessmen at the seminar were galvanized by the sketch and > engaged in a very energetic discussion of ethics in business practices- something they claimed they had not done previously. > Responses such as those of the businessmen- as well as the > popular reception of "ZIPOPO" on the television and radio in > various cities-underscore people's hunger for presentations and > programs that address in a substantive, participatory way the issues > of morality and ethics that are central to their lives. And the format > developed by Mr. Fattakhov also shows that addressing such issues > is far from a dull, dry exercise. > Moral Leadership Training Program at Nur University, > Bolivia > Universidad Nur, which celebrated its tenth anniversary in 1996, is > a private educational institution in Santa Cruz, Bolivia, founded > by a number ofBaha'is who were concerned with the lack of higher > educational opportunities for Bolivians and were motivated by the > need for trained professionals who could contribute to the development > of the country. > Nur's mission statement is "to contribute to an educational process that facilitates individual and social transformation through the > development of human capabilities, fostering a dynamic coherence > between the intellectual, spiritual, and physical dimensions, for the > establishment of a just, peaceful, and harmonious global society." > Nur began its first academic year in April 1985 with 97 students; it > currently has 2,600 undergraduate, 500 graduate, and more than > 2,000 continuing education students; women compose 43% of the > student body. > Underlying Nur' s approach to education is the belief that the > mere transfer of information and knowledge will not raise up people > who can bring about a personal and collective transformation in > service to the common good. Therefore, the university emphasizes > ethical and moral education ; courses also look at the integrative > and disintegrative forces at work in the world that will eventually > > THE BAHA'f WORLD > > lead to the establishment of peace and the acceptance of the > concept of world citizenship. Latin American nations are still consolidating stable forms of democratic government, which many > leaders of thought in the region believe must be rooted in moral > leadership. Nur hopes that its programs will help create such > leaders. > Nur has identified eighteen specific moral leadership capabilities that it seeks to develop, including the following: to participate > effectively in consultation; to act with rectitude of conduct based > on ethical and moral principles; to evaluate one's own strengths > and weaknesses without involving the ego; to take initiative in a > creative, disciplined form; to learn from systematic reflection on > action within a consistent and evolutionary conceptual framework; > to commit to empowering educational activities; to create a vision > of a desired future based on shared values and principles, and to > articulate it clearly and simply so that it inspires others to work for > its fulfillment; to understand relationships based on dominance and > to contribute towards their transformation into relationships based > on interconnectedness, reciprocity, and service; to contribute to the > establishment of justice. > Emphasis in the moral leadership program is placed on the > individual ' s moral responsibility to search for and recognize truth, > and then to apply that truth in all aspects of his or her life. Students > are encouraged to find principles that can serve as the basis of > their lives and then to base decisions and actions on them, while > remaining open to the investigation of new principles so as to allow > for continuing growth. Students thus develop a principle-based > vision of the desired future of their community and examine different points of view and facts in order to investigate the truth. > A framework for teaching moral leadership has been incorporated into Nur' s core curriculum. Since 1990, all undergraduate > students have been required to complete 120 hours of community > service as a requirement for graduation. Almost 1,000 students have > now participated in more than 200 projects, some taking the initiative > to offer leadership workshops to local high schools as part of their > service. > Other programs also contain moral leadership components. A > pilot project, carried out from May 1993 to October 1995 in the > > MORAL DEVELOPMENT ACTIVITIES > > Participatory > learning at Nur > University in > Bolivia. > > departments of Santa Cruz and Tarija, sought to empower 460 rural > teachers to become community development agents. Emphasis was > placed on the role that rural teachers can play in aiding communities to pursue their own path of development by analyzing their > own needs, establishing their order of priority, and managing their > own projects. Rural teachers, acting as facilitators, can serve as a > source of initiative, knowledge, and guidance in community organization, in the empowerment of grassroots organizations, and in the > management of their projects. > Training for the project was carried out by means of a threesemester degree course for the teachers, conducted through distance > education. Spiritual principles, which are seen as an essential part > of life and the development process, formed a central aspect of the > course through an emphasis on moral leadership. The five elements > underlying this component of the course are that leadership should > be oriented towards service and should not be an exercise of power; > that the aim of development is an active engagement in the process > of individual and collective transformation; that participants commit > to the fundamental moral responsibilities of searching for truth, of > recognizing truth, and of applying truth in all aspects of their lives; > that moral leadership is based on eternal values and a commitment > to service and the process of personal and collective transformation; and that emphasis should be placed on the development of > personal, interpersonal, and societal capabilities of leadership. > Another program seeks to strengthen women's leadership role > in the field of community health, emphasizing moral leadership > > THE BAHA'I WORLD > > capabilities that increase women's ability to take initiative in > improving health in their communities. Components of the program include study of moral leadership for social transformation > and consultation as a method of group decision-making, learning > how to form a collective vision and how to learn from reflecting > on experience, how to take creative initiative, and how participatory > evaluation aids in collective learning. The National Public Health > System of Bolivia, women from a number of rural communities who > belong to a Rural Women's Center, and the 35 member organizations of the Santa Cruz branch of the National Confederation of > Women's Organizations have also received moral leadership training. > Several Bolivian NGOs active in the fields of women's rights, > children's education, child survival, literacy, the protection of the > environment, and the improvement of agricultural production have > had their management and field staff trained in moral leadership > by Nur, as have the National Secretariat for Popular Participation, > the state government of Santa Cruz, and several municipal governments. Members of the Baha'i community, including members > of the institution of the Auxiliary Boards and their assistants and > Baha'i rural school teachers, have also received training. > Further extension of these activities is planned. Nur is developing > a strategy to apply moral leadership training to environmental issues. > It is seeking funding for a project focusing on the health of female > adolescents, addressing problems such as venereal disease, AIDS, > and abortions resulting from unwanted pregnancies by educating > adolescents in these health risks, emphasizing the importance of > moral responsibility and developing participants' capacity to prevent problems before they occur. Collaborating with the Harvard > Institute for International Development, Nur is also working to > design a comprehensive program to provide training in moral > leadership, public administration, and concepts of just governance > to civic authorities in 46 Bolivian municipalities. > "On the Wings of Words," Guyana > In 1994, pilot literacy projects were undertaken by the Baha'i > communities in three countries-Guyana, Cambodia, and the Central > African Republic-at the invitation of the Office of Social and > Economic Development at the Baha'i World Centre as the initial > part of a proposed global literacy campaign. The literacy projects > > MORAL DEVELOPMENT ACTIVITIES > > seek to address the concern of the Universal House of Justice, > which prompted it to call, in 1989, for systematic efforts toward the > eventual elimination of illiteracy in the Baha'i community. > The campaign is based on a concept of literacy achieved through > a combination of study of the Baha'i writings on education, the > experience of some Baha'is in the field, the application of the work > of Paulo Freire, and guidance received from the Baha'i World Centre. > In this view, literacy is seen as more than skills in basic reading, > writing, and numeracy. The project combines spiritual and moral > themes with the mechanics of writing, an approach that acknowledges each individual's need for direct access to the Word of God. > "On the Wings of Words," as the literacy project is called in > Guyana, operates under the guidance of the Varqa Foundation, a > Baha'i-inspired agency. The program was initially offered in ten > Baha'i communities, and approximately thirty Baha'i facilitators > received intensive training in how to use the materials that had > been developed, how to structure a literacy class, and how to use > the generative themes to encourage development of the moral > and spiritual aspects of the program. > Five of the ten initial areas began to flourish, as groups of up > to 25 youth between ages ten and sixteen gathered weekly. The > task force that had originated the project supplied study workbooks, which were supplemented by materials from local Baha'i > community libraries. > By the end of the first year, the project was strengthened when it > was opened up to the involvement of the wider public. Concern > > Members of the > Literacy Task > Force conduct > one ofthe training > sessions for > facilitators of the > "On the Wings of > Words" literacy > project in > Guyana. > > THE BAHA'I WORLD > > about Guyana's declining literacy rate created a greater receptivity > for the program among the country's leaders of thought and educators. Indeed, one leading columnist wrote, "I can think of no more > important initiative under way in Guyana now." The Institute of Adult > and Continuing Education, the extramural arm of the University of > Guyana, became a partner of the Baha'i community in the endeavor > and offered a certificate to facilitators who received training and > participated in the program. > In May 1996, the project's new phase was launched at Guyana's > National Cultural Center, attracting over 200 people from all over > the country. The launching was listed among events celebrating > the thirtieth anniversary of Guyana's independence and received > attention on both radio and television. The country's Senior Minister > of Education, Dale Bisnauth, lauded the Baha'is for their initiative > and mentioned that he was particularly pleased that the program > focused not only on the mechanics of reading and writing but on > moral aspects as well. The Director of the Institute of Adult and > Continuing Education and a member of the Baha'i Literacy Task > Force also addressed the meeting. > A follow-up session a month later brought together 200 participants who learned more about the vision of the program and > the materials to be used. They also consulted about how to popularize the program in their home communities. The next step was > the holding in Georgetown of a five-day training program for the > facilitators , who comprised a diverse group from different parts of > the country, different religious backgrounds, different ages, and > different levels of qualification. One indication of the success of > the training sessions was that there were no dropouts; in fact, > additional people appeared each day until the organizers regretfully > had to tum away more prospective participants. > Some of the topics covered were the vision ofliteracy underlying > the project, the concept of generative themes, the mechanics of > reading, testing for baseline data, planning, memorization, logistics, > aids and games, teaching styles and methodologies, and singing. > The overall themes of the project-"We are noble beings," "We > have control over our actions," and "Our actions affect others"- > were al so addressed. Additional training sessions were held in > remote areas for people who wished to become facilitators but > > M ORAL D EVE LOPMENT A CTIVITIE S > > could not afford to attend the session in Georgetown. Organizers > afterwards commented on the spirit of active participation throughout the initial training session and on the proactive approach of the > facilitators in getting support from their communities when they > began to set up classes. > In all, 33 literacy classes for over 1,200 children were held over > the summer in the regions of Essequibo, Demerara, and Berbice, > with a high level of interest and enthusiasm on the part of both > facilitators and students. In the fall, after the rainy season, eight > regions of the interior Rupununi region also held classes, which > were attended by an additional 300 children. Support for the project > was received from the Guyana Book Foundation, which provided > $3 ,800 in funding, offered one set of free books to each community group that requested one, and made other books available on > the same nominal terms on which they are provided to schools. > An evaluative meeting held at the end of the summer looked at > the challenges encountered, and materials for new modules were > introduced. Facilitators commented on the positive attitudinal changes > they saw in the youth who had participated, and the spiritual aspect > of the program came in for high praise from those present. Guyana > TV covered the event and broadcast highlights. Throughout the > following months further meetings provided continued training and > support to the facilitators and helped them look back and evaluate > the progress of the program. Weekend and vacation-time sessions > with students also continued the education process throughout the > year, and a newsletter on the groups' activities was started to provide > students with reinforcement and encouragement. Other training > programs are being planned for the future. > The Project has also arranged a "Festival of Words" in each > area where literacy classes have been held, during which the students present to the public a selection of songs, poems, and stories. > In July 1997, a national Festival of Words, with youth representing > each village, sub-region, and region, will be held in Georgetown. > School of the Nations, Macau > Founded in 1988, the School of the Nations has pioneered the > development of a moral education component in the country's school > curriculum. Generally, in Macau formal education is geared to academic subjects. Moral development, while a concern of teachers, is > > II > 'HE NATIONS * > 1111111111 I I I I > ~ ESCOLA DAS > II > > Students and > teachers of > the School > of the > Nations in > Macau. > > handled by them on an individual basis or by the parents of the > student. Societal changes and pressures, however, have indicated > an increasing need for a more formal program of moral education. > The Badi Foundation, which runs the School of the Nations, is a > private non-governmental organization whose purpose is to develop > human resources for the social and economic progress of the region. > All of the Foundation's programs include elements for the development of moral or spiritual values, qualities, and capabilities. > International in character, the School of the Nations has approximately 500 students from 36 different countries and runs from > kindergarten through Form 6 or 12th grade. Some 70 percent of > the students are from Macau, Hong Kong, and China. > The school has committed itself to concerted experimentation in > curriculum development in the area of moral education, focusing on > the development of moral capabilities-particularly at the kindergarten and secondary levels. The activities and the qualities, > attitudes, skills, abilities, and concepts promoted are geared to the > children's level. > In kindergarten, the development of moral capabilities forms part > of every subject-from math to science to languages-in the belief > that not to include moral questions is to say that they are irrelevant. > The concept fundamental to the development of any moral > capability is seen to be the oneness of humankind, which is reinforced throughout the curriculum. In science class, for example, > the students study the scientific concept of "system" by looking > > MORAL DEVELOPMENT ACTIVITIES > > at the family, the elements that compose it, and the behaviors and > virtues that can be found in it; from here, they move on to look at > the ways different families in their community interact; and finally, > they expand their investigation to all the families in the world-the > family of humankind. In mathematics, a similar approach is taken > to teaching sets, where students look at concrete sets-sets of > children who are happy or who want to be obedient, sets of children in their class , the set of children in Macau, and the set of > children in the world. > The concept that each of us chooses his or her own behavior-and can choose to change-is also taught in various ways. > In the science class for five-year-olds, for example, after learning > the names of parts of their bodies, students discuss what the parts > do. A mouth eats and sings, but it also speaks. Does the mouth > decide what it will say? Do the feet decide where they will walk? > By answering such questions, students become aware that there > are decisions to be made and that they themselves-their spirits > or souls-are what decides. This concept is, again, reinforced across > the curriculum. > At the secondary level, the focus is on the development of five > moral capabilities: creating a healthy family ; empowering others; > bringing joy to others; preserving and rationally using the environment; and consultation. All activities are organized around the > core concept of service. Elements of the program include two hours > weekly in moral education class, either doing service projects in > the community or in the classroom, where students are asked to > reflect on activities they have completed or to plan future activities . Consultation with teachers, with other students, and with the > population they are serving, as well as the writing of journals and > other assignments, all lead the students towards deep reflection > and discussion on the capability they are exploring so that they > can relate their experiences to the rest of their lives. > The Form 1(Grade8) students' program centers around working > with the kindergarten students in the school and studying elements > of child development and education. Students also reflect on their > own families ' values and values they have adopted for themselves. > The following year students undertake service to promote environmental conservation and beautification of the environment, outside > > THE BAHA'I WORLD > > the school. In Form 3, cooperation with the Cultural Institute of > Macau is the focus. Students have assisted in recording the history > of Macau and have worked with social service organizations, seeing > how a society takes care of its members and their own role in that > process. During their final two years at the school, students work > at homes for the elderly or with programs for the homebound > and at a home for the mentally handicapped, receiving special > training from professional social service workers. By the end of > the program, the students have learned how to make others comfortable, how to listen and encourage others, and how to be more > courageous, compassionate, and humble. > The moral capabilities program at the School of the Nations is > continually being developed. It does not claim to tum out students who are perfect models of moral behavior, because it sees > the development of moral capabilities as a lifelong process, but it > does give students a start along the path of their own spiritual > growth, encountering challenging life situations and seeing the > reality of applying moral values in society-a process involving > difficulties and ambiguities as well as rewards and triumphs . For > its efforts in this area, the School of the Nations recently won an > award from the Department of Education as Macau ' s top moral > education program and was awarded third place in an international competition for moral education programs. > Moral Education Project, St. Petersburg, Russia > Begun in 1995, the Moral Education Project based in St. Petersburg > aims to promote the development of a course on moral education > for youth, to present lectures on religion and science at the university > level, and to prepare materials on moral education for publication in English and Russian. In these endeavors, the Baha'is who > spearhead the project seek to collaborate with Russian intellectuals > and academics working in this field. > In 1996, the project sponsored a regular full-semester course > in moral education at the St. Petersburg Electrotechnical University, in which 38 third-year public relations students enrolled. > Given the positive response to this initial offering, it appears likely > that the course will be repeated. William S. Hatcher, the project > founder, also presented a paper at the plenary session of an international conference on pedagogical issues in university education, > > M ORAL D EVELOPMENT A CTIVITIES > > held at the Electrotechnical University, using materials from the > project. > At the request of the head of the ethics department of St. Petersburg > State University, a short course on ethics based on the materials from > the Moral Education Project was given, and future collaboration > between the project and the university in the formulation of a new > fundamental course in ethics, required for all philosophy students, > is likely. > A monograph on moral education, generated by the project, is > soon to be published in English in St. Petersburg, after which it > will be released in Russian. This material will then form the basis > of an annual course in moral education in the Master's program at > Landegg Academy, Switzerland. Project materials have also formed > the basis of lectures at the university in Minsk, in Brest, Belarus, > and in Finland. > Publications include two booklets, containing some twelve > lectures on various themes related to the Baha'i Faith; a booklet > compiling statements of philosophers, scientists, and artists concerning the existence and nature of God; a Russian translation of > an article entitled Economics and Moral Values; and basic course > materials for the project's program, entitled "A Non-Ideological > Approach to the Moral Education of Youth and Young Adults." > The approach taken by the Moral Education Project is simply > this: that moral development is a process that leads to the development of each individual as an independent human being who > is able to attain true well-being. Project members call this model > "non-ideological" because it is founded on the premise that the > source of moral behavior comes from an individual's understanding of what they refer to as "the moral law of cause and effect" > rather than through inculcation of a moral credo or a set of rules for > moral behavior. The program, in fact, views religious fanaticism > and sectarianism as moral evils because they lead to dependence on > a restrictive moral credo rather than to authentic knowledge of moral > law; they also contribute to various antisocial attitudes undermining one's own and others' spiritual well-being. > Moral development, then, is a process by which the individual > learns how to generate and sustain positive encounters with the law > of cause and effect embedded in every aspect ofreality. According > > to our reading of these encounters, we construct our own individual > "value paradigm," which is the system-albeit largely unarticulated-by which we make our value choices. The Moral Education > Project sees the essential challenge of moral education as the understanding of this moral law of cause and effect and, as a result, the > development of a correct value paradigm. To develop this paradigm > we reflect upon and strive to understand the fundamental moral > principles underlying our encounters with reality. The curriculum > the project has developed for youth identifies and elaborates these > fundamental principles. It also leads them towards experiencing > "transformative interactions" and allows students to see for themselves the operation of the moral law of cause and effect in various > contexts. > There are a number of categories of these interactions with > reality on which the program focuses , including, notably, the self > (which refers to the individual soul or spirit, as defined in the > Baha'i writings) with the Divine; the self with the self, the self > with other humans, with social groups, and with objects and collections of objects. > Through developing an understanding of the dynamics of value > choice in these various categories, the project pursues the goal of > developing a scientifically based, Baha'i-inspired curriculum > for youth and young adults. Project founders identify scientific > ideas or theories as "Baha'i-inspired" insofar as they have been > examined in light of the Baha'i writings and fit with the basic > spiritual conception of the human being that is found there. Since > Baha'u'llah has taught that science and religion agree, the process is seen as both scientific and Baha'i in nature. > If the goal of spiritual education is seen as producing genuinely > happy and autonomous human beings, then training young people > to recognize and evaluate their own experiences of the world-and > to acquire the motivation to make moral choices that will bring > about their own spiritual well-being-is an important contribution > to that end. It rests on the belief that people's capacities of mind, > will, and heart, when properly developed, will enable them to recognize the truth about reality, to pursue goodness, and to love and be > faithful to beauty. The program of moral education conceived by the > project begins this development with an examination of the origin > > MORAL DE VE LOPME NT A CTIVITIES > > of the most common notions about human value. The curriculum > takes students through a critical examination of the concept of > human value found in collectivism and individualism and then > moves on to look at the spiritual conception of human value as an > alternative to these two extremes. In the latter system, it is posited > that the soul, which has inherent capacities not determined by > external forces as in the other two systems, is directly created by > God and thus possesses instrinsic universal value. Acting in accordance with this spiritual conception of human value gives meaning > to individual life and also creates social harmony-without sacrifice > of the quality and meaning of individual life nor the overall good of > the collectivity. > One exercise that reinforces the spiritual conception of human > value and assists students to learn to make moral choices has > them compile a list of all their possessions, following which they > are asked to determine which ones cannot be taken away by circumstances of life beyond their control. Through this exercise > students learn that, in fact, there are no material possessions that > cannot be taken away and that the proper relationship between > the self and material objects is not "possession"-which is largely > illusory-but rather "legitimate use." Knowing this, individuals > can reevaluate their relationship to material things, which, of course, > are not ends in themselves. Students can also formulate from this > exercise a general moral principle concerning their interactions: > that a higher or more valuable thing should never be sacrificed or > made a means to obtain a lesser or less valuable thing. > Through the means developed by the project, students can experience spiritual growth, the true purpose of moral education, as a > process of creative discovery. > Conclusion > While the five efforts surveyed in this article represent a wide > range of undertakings to promote moral education and training in > different parts of the world, they hold several common tenets of > belief: first, that each human being is a noble creation-a "mine > rich in gems of inestimable value," in the words of Baha'u'llah, > which education alone can bring to the surface; second, that the > individual, who must take responsibility for his or her own actions, > can be trained in how to make decisions that will foster spiritual > > growth; and third, that the individual, his or her family, and society as a whole will benefit from such training. The moral person > is a social actor who, having effected change in himself or herself, also has responsibility to contribute to the transformation of > the social order. > At a talk He gave in Paris in 1912 'Abdu'l-Baha spoke of the > "patient lives of active service" through which "the elect of God" > have "brought light into the world." He exhorted His listeners, > > Therefore strive that your actions day by day may be beautiful > prayers. Tum towards God, and seek always to do that which is > right and noble. Enrich the poor, raise the fallen, comfort the > sorrowful, bring healing to the sick, reassure the fearful, rescue > the oppressed, bring hope to the hopeless, shelter the destitute! > This is the work of a true Baha'i, and this is what is > expected of him. If we strive to do all this, then are we true > Baha'is, but if we neglect it, we are not followers of the Light, > and we have no right to the name. > God, who sees all hearts, knows how far our lives are the > fulfillment of our words. 4 > > With this high ideal in mind, Baha'is strive to promote moral as > well as material development of the peoples of the world. > > 4. 'Abdu '1-Baha, Paris Talks : Addresses Given by 'Abdu 'l-Baha in Paris in > 1911-1912 (London: Baha'i Publishing Trust, 1995), pp. 80-81. > > In this essay, Matthew Weinberg looks at > contemporary discourse on the subject of > human rights through the eyes of the teachings of the Baha'i Faith. > > THE > HUMAN RIGHTS > DISCOURSE: > A Baha f Perspective > > I n 1912, in anticipation of an awakening aspiration of the > world's peoples, 'Abdu'l-Baha, the head of the Baha'i Faith > from 1892 to 1921, envisioned the approach of the day when "there > shall be an equality of rights and prerogatives for all mankind." 1 > Tragically, the first substantive steps toward the realization of > this vision occurred only after two global conflagrations had > produced levels of death and suffering never before experienced > in human history. Moral and practical impetus was given to the > creation of a universal code of human rights by the appalling > extermination of entire groups and populations. The emergence > of a comprehensive system of international human rights law > has profoundly altered international relations and the manner in > which nations treat their own citizens. Indeed, the evolution of > the international human rights regime, particularly the adoption > > l. 'Abdu'l-Baha, The Promulgation of Universal Peace: Talks Delivered by > 'Abdu 'l-Baha during His Visit to the United States and Canada in 1912 > rev. ed. (Wilmette: Baha'i Publishing Trust, 1982), p. 3 18. > > THE BAHA'f WORLD > > of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights in 1948, and of > subsequent Covenants and Conventions elucidating and extending the provisions of that Declaration, has been the chief > determinant in shaping a normative international moral order. > In the process of setting human rights standards, a moral ethos > with global ramifications has been progressively articulated. This > remarkable development, clearly foreseen in the Baha'i writings, > attests to the period of collective maturity which humanity is now > entering. Human beings, 'Abdu'l-Baha states, "must now become > imbued with new virtues and powers, new moral standards, new > capacities." 2 > As humanity comes to terms with the reality of an interdependent world and new avenues of rational inquiry and perception, > many of the entrenched social inequities of the past are, for the > first time, being systematically and directly confronted. On the eve > of the 50th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human > Rights, the creation of an international community bound by legal > and moral norms can no longer be regarded as a passing idealistic > exercise. The Declaration's promulgation of basic civil, political, > economic, social, and cultural rights for "all members of the > human family" has firmly established "a common standard of > achievement for all peoples and nations." 3 The efflorescence of > the human rights movement portends a fundamental reshaping of > human relations and suggests that "human beings have a substantial capacity for moral understanding and progress."4 > The unfolding human rights discourse is a vast subject with > many different dimensions: legal, political, philosophical, and > moral. What follows here is a modest sketch of the salient features > of this discourse and an exploration of the unique perspectives > that the Baha'i teachings offer concerning the foundations of > human rights and their future evolution. It is surely significant > > 2. Cited in Shoghi Effendi, The World Order of Baha 'u 'llah: Selected Letters (Wilmette: Baha'i Publishing Trust, 1991), p. 165. > 3. Universal Declaration of Human Rights, adopted and proclaimed by the > United Nations General Assembly on 10 December 1948. > 4. James W. Nickel, Making Sense of Human Rights: Philosophical Reflections on the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (Berkeley: University > of California Press, 1987), p. 41. > > HTJMAN RIGHTS DISCOURSE > > that, concurrent with the development of a universal human rights > regime, a religious community animated by a commitment to justice > in all aspects of life has spread throughout the globe. Observers > will be struck by a strong congruence between the contemporary > conception of human rights and the view of human nature advanced > in the Baha'i writings. > The seeds of present human rights thinking can be traced back > to the egalitarian philosophies of antiquity, but it is only in the > past few centuries that a clear formulation of human rights has > emerged. 5 In recent decades this formulation has been further > refined and delineated. The central tenets of modem human rights > law can be summarized as follows: > • Every human being has certain rights that are inherent. Such rights > can be enumerated or deduced; they are not earned or acquired but > inhere in all people by virtue of their humanity alone. > • Every human being's basic rights are indefeasible or inalienablethat is, such rights can never be annulled or denied by outside parties or even by the affected individuals themselves. > • Conflicts between different rights must be resolved in accordance > with just and impartial laws and procedures. 6 > Although the idea of universal human rights is being increasingly accepted on practical grounds, from a theoretical point of > view there is not a universally shared justification for such rights. > The ratification of international instruments, while significant, does > not establish that there is a universal concept of human rights. > A review of the literature quickly reveals that the philosophical > foundations of human rights remain highly contested. The major > > 5. For example, citizens of certain ancient Greek city-states enjoyed rights of > equal freedom of speech and equality before the law. Subsequently, the > Stoic philosophers developed the concept of "natural rights" which belonged > to all human beings at all times. Such rights, the Stoics argued, could be > derived from reason alone. In medieval Christendom, such natural rights > were viewed as an expression of the law of God. Thus the idea of natural > law as a universal moral law has pervaded Western thought for more than > 2,000 years. See Maurice Cranston, What Are Human Rights? (London: > William Clowes and Sons, Ltd., 1973), pp. 10- 11. > 6. P. Sieghart, The International Law of Human Rights (Oxford: Clarendon > Press, 1983 ), p. 8. > > THE BAHA'f WORLD > > international human rights documents ratified by the nations of the > world during the past fifty years do not address underlying philosophical issues. These documents have in some sense bypassed > the philosophical debate by simply establishing a set of positive > legal norms. 7 > Because human rights proponents are confronted with a variety of obstacles in their efforts to preserve individual freedoms, > including claims of state sovereignty, cultural autonomy, and > collective rights, to have a clear theoretical foundation for > human rights would be extremely helpful in overcoming such > obstacles and implementing concrete legal instruments. Moreover, as the theorist Michael Freeman observes, "rights without > reasons are vulnerable to denial and abuse. The human rights struggle is certainly motivated by passion, but it is also influenced by > argument." 8 For the moment anyway, regardless of the diverse > and sometimes inconsistent reasons put forward for upholding certain human rights, the international community has been able to > sustain a consensus on some basic rights and the commitment to > safeguard them. > In general, philosophers tend to identify the following sources > for human rights: divine authority, natural law, or considerations > concerning human nature. As can well be imagined, the possibility > of an objective, transcendent Source for human rights is readily > dismissed by secular theorists. None of the major international > human rights documents refers to God, presumably because the > existence of a supernatural authority is not subject to objective > proof. 9 But interestingly, natural law-the system of moral imperatives allegedly accessible by human reason alone and championed > by Enlightenment thinkers-is also dismissed by many human > > 7. Nickel, p. 38. > 8. Michael Freeman, "The Philosophical Foundations of Human Rights," > Human Rights Quarterly, Vol. 16, 1994, pp. 491 - 514. > 9. A traditional "foundationalist" argument for human rights attributes their > existence to a supernatural authority. John Locke, for instance, locates the > source of rights with God and not with nature as is sometimes supposed. > However, since the existence of God is apparently not universally verifiable, > secular theorists have attempted to develop non-theistic foundationalist > arguments for human rights. > > HUMAN RIGHTS DISCOURSE > > rights theorists. The use of reason, and particularly the methods of > deduction and induction, it is argued, cannot escape the influence > of particular cultural codes. Thus, natural law is generally regarded > as a "nebulous" source that cannot ground any particular set of > human rights, let alone a universal ensemble of rights. 10 > The last major justification for human rights essentially relies > on intuition-that is, it is demonstrably apparent that certain > actions are wrong because of widespread anthropological evidence > that human beings have an aversion to violations of well-being. 11 > Considerations of prudence lead rational individuals to embrace > standards and social arrangements that promote their autonomy, > security, and dignity. As purposive or volitional agents, human > beings are entitled to certain minimum levels of physical and psychological well-being as well as freedom of action. Hence, Ronald > Dworkin sets forth the principle that each person has the right to > "equal concern and respect." 12 This, however, is simply an axiomalbeit a compelling moral axiom-that cannot be logically derived, > and therefore, critics contend, it is subject to change depending on > social, historical, and cultural context. Equality and dignity, for > example, are highly elastic concepts. It becomes clear, then, that > moral and cultural relativism have decisively affected the human > rights discourse on the philosophical level. > The challenge that relativism presents to the human rights > movement is not only theoretical, but political and practical. It > has been nearly fifty years since the American Anthropological > Association issued its now famous and emphatic rejection of "the > applicability of any Declaration of Human Rights to mankind as > > 10. Alison Dundes Renteln, "The Unanswered Challenge of Relativism and > the Consequences for Human Rights," Human Rights Quarterly, 7.4, pp. > 514--40. > 11. That concepts of rights and justice generally must at some point appeal to > intuition is accepted by many philosophers. John Rawls, for examp le, > refers to justice as a "mental capacity" whose import and application is > dependent on a process of rigorous examination or "reflective equilibrium ." Rawls asserts that "any conception of justice will have to rely on > intuition to some degree." John Rawls, A Th eory of Justice (Cambridge, > Mass.: Harvard University Press, 1971), pp. 41 - 51. > 12.Freeman, p. 513. > > THE BAHA'I WORLD > > a whole." 13 However, the contention "that other people's truths are > contained in their own classifications and understanding," and that > no one culture offers a "self-evidently privileged standard of verity" > is now undergoing serious revision. 14 The anthropologist Alison > Dundes Renteln, for example, asserts that "relativism in no way > precludes the possibility of cross-cultural universals discovered > through empirical research," and that the "requirement of relativism > that diversity be recognized in no way destroys the possibility of > an international moral community." 15 > Contemporary anthropological research is revisitirig the evidence > supporting moral universalism. Richard Beis has identified some > twenty moral precepts that appear to be transcultural. These include > "the prohibition of murder or maiming without justification; economic justice; reciprocity and restitution; provision for the poor; > the right to own property; and priority for immaterial goods [such > as freedom]." 16 The essence of the story here is that when researchers want to look for differences they will find differences, and if > they search for cross-cultural similarities these can also be readily > discovered. > Robert Edgerton in his work Sick Societies: Challenging the > Myth ofPrimitive Harmony has offered compelling evidence refuting > the anthropological dogma that distinct cultural practices and > beliefs represent an inviolable set of diverse truths and consequently > are immune to outside criticism. His research demonstrates that > entire societies can be sick-a reference to the systematic and > unjust treatment of certain of its members such as women-and > that such dysfunctional societi~s inevitably perish. More often > than not, their social and decision-making structures serve no > other purpose than to institutionalize inequality and injustice. > Thus, the mere fact that differences across cultures exist does not > mean that all variations in social and cultural practices are right > > 13. Ann-Belinda S. Preis, "Human Rights as Cultural Practice: An Anthropological Critique," Human Rights Quarterly, Vol. 18, pp. 286-315. > 14. Ibid. > 15. Renteln, p. 540. > 16. Donald J. Puchala, "The Ethics of Globalism," The 1995 John W Holmes > Memorial Lecture: Reports and Papers, No. 3 (Academic Council on the > United Nations System, 1995). > > INMAN RIGHTS DISCOURSE > > or acceptable. 17 On these grounds, relativism itself has been critiqued as immoral. 18 > The relativist position is now being subjected to a number of > other criticisms. Perhaps most importantly, relativism itself has to > look beyond itself for its philosophical justification. In particular, > the very claim of a right to difference, whether cultural or moral, > implicitly appeals to the idea of universal principle. Moral relativism > can be an accurate description of social reality only if notions such > as mutual tolerance and noninterference are universally accepted. 19 > On a more practical level, even proponents of relativism condemn > the morally egregious-slavery, genocide, torture, human sacrifice, > ritualistic mutilation, and various forms of collective discrimination. > That the relativist challenge to human rights is ultimately not plausible is affirmed by the 1993 Vienna Declaration-a consensus > statement adopted by 171 nations: "Human rights and fundamental > freedoms are the birthright of all human beings; their protection > and promotion is the first responsibility of Governments ... regardless > of their political, economic and cultural systems." "The universal > nature of these rights and freedoms is beyond question ... " 20 > Despite this recognition, relativism is still employed as a political > device. For example, in the Bangkok Declaration of 1993, a coalition of Asian governments declared that human rights instruments > must take account of "the significance of national and regional > particularities and various historical, cultural and religious backgrounds."21 On the surface, this is a reasonable appeal in favor of > pluralism-that there cannot be a single understanding of human > well-being or only one code of moral truth in a diverse world. In > > 17. Robert B. Edgerton, Sick Societies: Challenging the Myth of Primitive > Harmony (New York: The Free Press, 1992). > 18. Puchala. > 19. Ibid. > 20. Vienna Declaration, World Conference on Human Rights, Vienna, 14-25 > June 1993, U.N. Document A/Conf. 157/24 Part I. > 21. Cited in Adamantia Pollis, "Cultural Relativism: Through a State Prism," > Human Rights Quarterly, Vol. 18, 1996, pp. 316-44. This language was > also incorporated into the Vienna Declaration, indicating that although a > consensus statement was agreed to by the world ' s nations, differences of > understanding concerning human rights persist. > > THE B AHA'I WORLD > > reality, such statements are often intended to insulate governments > from international criticism regarding the treatment of their citizens. > There is no real justification to the contention that the Universal > Declaration of Human Rights is in conflict with Asian value systems. As the Nobel laureate Aung San Suu Kyi has noted, the > Buddhist concept of authority entails very specific obligations: > "The Ten Duties of Kings are liberality, morality, self-sacrifice, > integrity, kindness, austerity, non-anger, nonviolence, forbearance > and non-opposition to the will of the people." 22 > Although existing international human rights instruments have > an unmistakable Western imprint-both in terms of origin and > methodology of implementation-this does not in any way invalidate the moral content that they embody. W ole Soyinka, the Nigerian > writer and Nobel laureate, has rejected the assertion that Western > human rights standards are inapplicable to other parts of the world: > "Any suggestion that freedom of expression is a luxury of the West > insults the historic struggles of individuals and communities ... We > are all agreed what torture is. What rape means. What child prostitution is . What genocide entails. Then let us not pretend not to > know what human rights truly represent." 23 > Yet it is important to acknowledge, as the German scholar > Heiner Bielefeldt has emphasized, that human rights cannot be > considered "a self-evident expression of Occidental culture" or > modernity alone. 24 Comparable concepts of human respect, dignity , and duty can be found in all parts of the world. The right > to resist oppression can be found in the traditions of many cultures in Africa and Asia.25 The widespread cultural pattern of > offering hospitality to strangers is perhaps evidence of a broad moral > > 22. New York Tim es, December 10, 1995. A recognition of the dignity of human > life, as expressed by an emphasis on the cultivation and development of the > human person , is also central to Confucian thought. In the Confucian > v iew, human beings are independent moral actors who have basic rights as > we ll as responsibilities. See Anwar Ibrahim, "The Asian Renaissance," > New P erspectives Quarterly (Summer 1997), pp. 31-43. > 23. Obinna Anyadika, "Soyinka: Power- Freedom Gulf," Terra Viva, June 18, 1993. > 24. Heiner Bielefeldt, "Human Rights in a Multicultural World," paper delivered > to the Law Faculty of the University of Toronto, Spring 1994. > 25. Ibid. > > }{llMAN RIGHTS DISCOURSE > > imperative in which outsiders are viewed as being equally human. > Some societies may in fact possess the concept of rights without > having an explicit vocabulary that expresses or codifies it. 26 In addition, the principle of the golden rule is common to the scriptures > of all the major world religions and hence is given expression in > many cultures. The injunction of Buddha to "act in a such a way, > as if it were happening to yourself" 27 and the oral statement of > Muhammad that "kindness is a mark of faith, whoever hath not > kindness hath not faith" are clear ethical precursors of modern > human rights thinking. 28 > In short, human rights are not arbitrary in nature because they are > grounded in the universal realities of human ex~erience and embody > values presupposed by a wide range of cultures. 9 As the philosopher > Martha Nussbaum observes, there are "features of humanness that > lie beneath all local traditions and are there to be seen whether or > not they are in fact recognized in local traditions."30 Such "humanness" includes a set of potentialities, not wholly determinable, that > are actualized differently by every human being. The logical extension of this point is that all human beings are entitled to flourish, if > not as a claim on God or nature, then as a claim on each other. This > implies a universal obligation to promote collective well-being and > suggests that human morality itself must be universal. 31 Human > rights can then be regarded as a vehicle for shaping social conditions "so as to realize the possibilities of human nature." 32 > > 26. Damien Keown, "Are There Human Rights in Buddhism?" Journal of > Buddhist Ethics 2, 1995. > 27. Cited in Udo Schaefer, The Light Shineth in Darkness (Oxford: George > Ronald, 1979), p. 149. > 28. Cited in Marzieh Gail, Six Lessons on Islam (Wilmette: Baha'i Publishing > Trust, 1976), p. 21. > 29. Although it is logically possible to reject the idea that human rights have > philosophical foundations, in light of widespread anthropological realities and > a deepening global political consensus it cannot be plausibly argued that the > concept of universal human rights is an arbitrary construct. Freeman, p. 514. > 30. Cited in Michael J. Perry, "Are Human Rights Universal?" Human Rights > Quarterly 19, 1997, pp. 461 - 509. > 31 . Puchala. > 32. Jack Donnelly, Universal Human Rights: In Theory and Practice (Ithaca, > N.Y. : Cornell University Press, 1989, fourth printing 1996). > > The human rights discourse over the past five decades has produced a gradual elaboration and expansion of the initial list of rights > enumerated in the 1948 Universal Declaration. The European > jurist Karel Vasak has provided one framework for describing this > process with his notion of "three generations of human rights." 33 > The first generation pertains to civil and political rights-those > rights as found in Articles 2-21 of the Universal Declaration that > address questions of liberty: the right to life, freedom of thought, > expression, conscience, religion, and movement; the right to freedom of peaceful assembly and association; the security of person; > freedom from slavery, torture, and cruel or degrading punishment; > the right to own property; the right to full equality and fair treatment > before the law. These rights generally reflect the philosophical > doctrines of liberal political theory which place primacy on the > individual and seek to limit the powers of a minimalist state. > The second generation pertains to economic, social, and cultural > rights-those rights concerned with issues of equality that are promulgated in Articles 22-27 of the Universal Declaration and more > specifically in the International Covenant on Economic, Social, and > Cultural Rights of 1966: the right to social security; the right to work > and to protection against unemployment; the right to rest and leisure; > the right to a standard of living adequate for health and well-being > of self and family; the right to education; the right to protection of > one's scientific, literary, and artistic production. While some theorists consider such rights as inseparable from rights relating to > basic freedoms, others do not regard economic, social, and cultural > rights as fundamental because they demand positive duties on the > part of governments rather than straightforward duties of restraint. > The third generation pertains to the area of collective or solidarity rights . This category of rights was adumbrated in general > terms in Article 28 of the Universal Declaration which declared: > "Everyone is entitled to a social and international order in which > the rights set forth in the Declaration can be fully realized." At > present, third generation rights include the following: the right to > political, economic, social, and cultural self-determination; the > right to economic and social development; the right to participate > > 33. Ibid., pp. 143-44. > > H UMAN RIGHTS DISCOU RSE > > in and benefit from the "common heritage of mankind"-for > example, the resources of earth and space; and scientific, technical, and other products of human progress; the right to peace; the > right to a vital and healthy environment; the right to humanitarian > assistance in times of emergency. Such collective rights reflect > the idea that political, economic, and social rights are indivisible > and are each integral aspects of development. They also imply a > need for new forms of international collaboration. > These "three generations" of rights represent the varying perspectives of Western and non-Western countries, of developed > and developing societies, and of democratic and non-democratic > regimes. They reflect underlying tensions between those who > place primacy on the rights of the individual versus those of the > community. In many respects, the task of understanding the foundations of human rights and of developing and applying human > rights standards is just beginning. > In a very real sense the international human rights regime is > the fruit of an ongoing process of moral dialogue among diverse > nations and peoples. More than establishing normative standards, > the human rights discourse provides a mechanism for people of > divergent convictions to learn about each other, resolve particular > disagreements, and arrive at new understandings of what is possible for human beings. This cross-cultural enterprise, as evidenced > by the increasing interaction among governments and organizations of civil society, has gradually given rise to a new ethos of > human solidarity and collective responsibility. It has led to the > adoption of new legal instruments that explicitly address the rights > of women, children, and racial and religious minorities. Yet, if this > global dialogue is to produce a "compelling core of shared values" > and a further refined set of universally accepted moral norms, the > "cooperative search for truth," as the philosopher Jurgen Habermas > calls it, must be intensified. 34 The establishment of peaceful and > > 34. Amitai Etzioni, "The End of Cross-Cultural Relativism," Alternatives, 22. 2 > (April-June 1997); Jurgen Habermas cited in George Ritzer, Sociological > Theory, 4th ed. (New York: McGraw Hill, 1996), p. 295. Some concrete > examples of how transcultural discourse can lead to new understandings > concerning long-held beliefs and practices are highlighted in Perry, "Are > Human Rights Universal?" > > progressive patterns of living throughout the world will inevitably > depend upon an open and sincere consultative process among all > peoples. In the words ofBaha'u'llah, Founder of the Baha'i Faith, > "No welfare and no well-being can be attained except through > consultation. " 35 > However important the human rights discourse has been to > securing basic human freedoms, if that discourse is to remain > relevant to a world experiencing unprecedented political, social, > and economic turmoil, it must respond to the deep-seated spiritual inclinations that guide and inspire its inhabitants. The basic > processes of civilization can be reordered to embrace justice only > if the spiritual dimension of human existence is fully recognized. > For the vast majority of humankind, the perception that human > reality is fundamentally spiritual in nature is a self-evident truth > that finds expression in all spheres of life. To the extent that this > understanding of human identity becomes a central feature of the > discourse concerning human rights and social development, the > upheavals now deranging human affairs will give way to new > vistas of freedom and opportunity. > More than a century ago, Baha'u'llah not only anticipated the > rise of the human rights movement, but provided an underlying > moral and spiritual framework upon which to view human rights in > the modem age-a period He described as the "stage of human > maturity."36 His vision of a unified global community gives central > consideration to the safeguarding and enhancement of the rights > of all human beings. > > 35. Baha ' u ' llah, in Consultation: A Compilation (Wilmette: Baha ' i Publishing Trust, 1980), p. 3. > 36. Baha 'u 'llah, Gleanings from the Writings of Baha 'u 'llah (Wilmette: > Baha' i Publishing Trust, 1983), p.77. Humanity has moved through stages > in its collectiv e development which are analogous to the periods of > infancy, childhood, and adolescence in the lives of its individual members. It is now entering the period of its collective maturity. The principal > challenge of maturity is for the peoples of the world to recognize their > interdependence as a single human family whose homeland is the earth > itself. "O contending peoples and kindreds of the earth," Baha'u'llah > urges, "Set your faces towards unity, and let the radiance of its light shine > upon you." Ibid., p. 217. > > H UMAN RIGHTS DISCOURSE > > In addressing the world's rulers Baha'u 'llah warns: "If ye stay > not the hand of the oppressor, if ye fail to safeguard the rights of > the down-trodden, what right have ye then to vaunt yourselves > among men?" 37 And : "They that perpetrate tyranny in the world > have usurped the rights of the peoples and kindreds of the earth > and are sedulously pursuing their selfish inclinations." 38 > He further elucidates the essential requirements ofjust governance: > > It behoveth every ruler to weigh his own being every day in the > balance of equity and justice and then to judge between men > and counsel them to do that which would direct their steps > unto the path of wisdom and understanding. This is the cornerstone of statesmanship and the essence thereof. From these > words every enlightened man of wisdom will readily perceive > that which will foster such aims as the welfare, security and > protection of mankind and the safety of human lives. 39 > > In exhorting His followers to the path ofjustice, Baha'u'llah declares: > > Thou must show forth that which will ensure the peace and > the well-being of the miserable and the down-trodden. Gird > up the loins of thine endeavor, that perchance thou mayest > release the captive from his chains, and enable him to attain > unto true liberty. > Justice is, in this day, bewailing its plight, and Equity > groaneth beneath the yoke of oppression. The thick clouds of > tyranny have darkened the face of the earth, and enveloped its > peoples.40 > > Baha'u'llah not only addresses human rights issues in general > terms, but condemns and prohibits specific practices such as slavery. > His strong censure of two great European powers for the persecution > of their Jewish populations, represented, in a sense, an early example of the principle of external intervention into the affairs of a > sovereign state, a concept that has received considerable currency > > 37. Baha' u'llah, Th e Proclamation of Baha 'u 'llah (Haifa: Baha'i World Centre, 1967), p. 10. > 38. Baha ' u' llah, Tablets of Baha 'u '!!ah Revealed after th e Kitab-i-Aqdas > (Wilmette: Baha'i Publishing Trust, 1978), p. 85. > 39. Ibid., pp. 166-67. > 40. Baha'u'llah, Gleanings from the Writings ofBahci 'u '!!ah , p. 92. > > only recently. 41 Indeed, all of His epistles and pronouncements to > the governors of human society could be regarded as such. > In the writings of Baha'u' llah the voice of the Creator speaks > to the fundamental equality of all: "Know ye not why We created > you all from the same dust? That no one should exalt himself over > the other."42 And: "Ever since the seeking of preference and distinction came into play, the world has been laid waste. It hath > become desolate ... Indeed, man is noble, inasmuch as each one > is a repository of the sign of God. Nevertheless, to regard oneself > as superior in knowledge, in learning or virtue, or to exalt oneself > or seek preference, is a grievous transgression." 43 > So in 'Abdu'l-Baha's words: "Baha'u'llah taught that an equal > standard of human rights must be recognized and adopted. In the > estimation of God all men are equal; there is no distinction or r,referment for any soul in the dominion of His justice and equity." 4 > That the standard of justice established by Baha'u'llah is > applicable to all members of the human race is made abundantly > clear by Shoghi Effendi, the Guardian of the Baha'i Faith, in a letter to members of the Baha'i community in 1925: > > [Baha'is] should have the most scrupulous regard to safeguarding the legitimate personal and civil rights of all individuals, > whatever may be their chosen career or station in life, and irrespective of their racial, religious or ideological backgrounds. It is > not permissible in matters related to such rights to make distinctions and discriminations or show preferences. In all transactions > and dealings that affect basic human rights, the standard required > of the chosen supporters of Baha'u'llah-a standard that must > claim their unhesitating and unreserved acceptance, and which > they must meticulously and assiduously uphold-is that they > should not make the slightest distinction between friend and > stranger, believer and unbeliever, supporter and antagonist. 45 > > 41. Baha'u'llah, Tablets of Bahci 'u 'llah, p. 170. > 42. Baha'u'llah, The Hidden Words (Wilmette: Baha'i Publishing Trust, > 1985), Arabic #68, p. 20. > 43. Baha 'u 'llah, cited in a letter of the Universal House of Justice dated 27 > March 1978. > 44. 'Abdu '1-Baha, The Promulgation of Universal Peace, p. 182. > 45. Translation of a letter from Shoghi Effendi to the Baha'is of Iran, July > 1925: courtesy of Research Department of the Universal House of Justice. > > }1l2MAN RIGHTS DISCOURSE > > The Baha'i commitment to justice is an essential and tangible > expression of faith. In contrast to the secular liberal theory that > gave rise to the present human rights regime, the Baha'i teachings > ground human rights in what is regarded as the objective spiritual > nature of the human person. "I knew My love for thee," is the > Divine assurance, "therefore I created thee, have engraved on thee > Mine image and revealed to thee My beauty." 46 A loving Creator > exists Who is the Source of all that is. 47 It is not simply because > human beings have the capacity for rational choice that they deserve > moral protection, as modem philosophic liberalism would claim, > but that they are spiritual beings who have the capacity to reflect > Divine attributes such as love, creativity, and charity. As the 1947 > statement of the National Spiritual Assembly of the Baha'is of > the United States and Canada eloquently affirmed: "The source of > human rights is the endowment of qualities, virtues and powers > which God has bestowed upon mankind without discrimination > of sex, race, creed or nation. To fulfill the possibilities of this divine > endowment is the purpose of existence."48 In short, human beings > must be free in order to discover and know God: " ... to ascend unto > the station conferred upon their own inmost being, the station of > the knowledge of their own selves."49 This process of spiritual discovery and development is the essence of life itself. The innate and > fundamental aspiration to investigate reality is thus not only the > right but the obligation of every human being. And it is for this > very reason that 'Ab du' 1-Baha states that the "conscience of man > is sacred and to be respected ... " 50 > > 46. Baha'u'llah, The Hidden Words, Arabic #3, p. 4. > 47. For Baha'is, Baha'u'llah's claim to be the Messenger of God for this age reaffirms traditional foundationalist arguments that human rights ultimately derive > from an objective and transcendent Supreme Being. In referring to His own > Revelation and to the standard ofjustice it creates, Baha'u'llah declares: "Weigh > not the Book of God with such standards and sciences as are current amongst you, > for the Book itself is the unerring Balance established amongst men." Baha'u'llah, > The Kitilb-i-Aqdas (Wilmette: Baha'i Publishing Trust, 1993), p. 56, para 99. > 48. Submitted to the first session of the United Nations Commission on Human > Rights, February 1947. > 49. Baha'u 'llah, Gleanings from the Writings of Baha 'u 'llah, p. 5. > 50. 'Abdu'l-Baha, A Traveller 's Narrative (Wilmette: Baha'i Publishing Trust, > 1980), p. 91. > > THE BAHA'f WORLD > > That human rights are ultimately grounded in the successive > Revelations of God's will to humanity is explicitly affirmed by > 'Ab du' 1-Baha: > Universal benefits derive from the grace of the Divine religions, > for they lead their true followers to sincerity of intent, to high > purpose, to purity and spotless honor, to surpassing kindness > and compassion, to the keeping of their covenants when they > have covenanted, to concern for the rights of others, to liberality, > to justice in every aspect of life, to humanity and philanthropy, > to valor and to unflagging efforts in the service of mankind. It > is religion, to sum up, which produces all human virtues, and it is > these virtues which are the bright candles of civilization. 51 > As repeatedly emphasized throughout Baha'u'llah's writings, the > primary purpose of God in revealing His will through His Messengers is to effect a transformation in the spiritual and material life of > society. The transformation called for by Baha'u'llah is directed to > the inner life and character of every human being and to the organization of human affairs itself-a transformation that engenders > cooperation, compassion, rectitude of conduct, and justice. The > establishment of justice is contingent upon a fundamental reformulation of all human relationships- among individuals themselves, > between human society and the natural world, between the individual > and the community, and between individual citizens and their governing institutions. 52 It implies a basic reconceptualization of social > reality; a reality that in spirit and practice reflects the principle of the > oneness of humankind. To accept that "the body of humankind is > one and indivisible" is to recognize that every human being is "born > into the world as a trust of the whole." 53 > From this basic principle of the unity of the human family is > derived virtually all other concepts concerning human rights and > freedoms. If the human race is one, any notion that a particular > racial or ethnic group is in some way superior to the rest of humanity must be dismissed; society must reorganize its life to give > > 51. Abdu ' 1-Baha, The Secret ofDivine Civilization (Wilmette: Baba ' i Publishing > Trust, 1970), p. 98. > 52. For a detailed discussion of this point see the Baha'i International Community > statement, The Prosperity of Humankind, reprinted in Th e Bahil 'i World > 1994-95,pp.273-96. > 53 . Ibid., p. 281. > > HUMAN RIGHTS DISCOURSE > > practical expression to the principle of equality between women > and men; 54 each and every person must be enabled to "look into all > things with a searching eye" so that truth can be independently > ascertained; 55 and all individuals must be given the opportunity > to realize their inherent potential and thereby contribute to "an > ever-advancing civilization." 56 > Even some of the more challenging rights claims such as the > right to development, shelter, food, employment, and basic health > services are subsumed by the principle of the oneness of humanity. > As 'Abdu'l-Baha states, "Every human being has the right to live; > they have a right to rest, and to a certain amount of well-being ... > Nobody should die of hunger; everybody should have sufficient > clothing; one man should not live in excess while another has no > possible means of existence." 57 If liberty truly involves a genuine > opportunity to determine a way of life, then the set of rights necessary > to achieve that way of life cannot be restricted to civil or political > rights alone. Social and economic imperatives cannot be segregated from basic civil and political protections. "Justice is not > limited," 'Abdu'l-Baha emphasizes, "it is a universal quality." 58 > Under conditions of true justice, "all mankind will find comfort > and enjoyment in life .. .In the future there will be no very rich nor > extremely poor. There will be an equilibrium of interests, and a > condition will be established which will make both rich and poor > comfortable and content." 59 While affirming private property rights > and the value of individual economic initiative, the Baha'i teachings > "advocate voluntary sharing, and this is a greater thing than the > > 54. Baha'u'llah emphatically states that "Women and men have been and will > always be equal in the sight of God." He insists upon the emancipation of > women from long-entrenched patterns of subordination and calls for the > full participation of women in the social, economic, and political realms of > civilized life. Wom en: Extracts from the Writings of Bahti 'u 'llah, 'Abdu 'l- > Bahti, Shoghi Effendi and th e Universal House of Justice (Thornhill, > Ontario: Baha'i Canada Publications, 1986), No. 54. > 55. Baha'u'llah, Tablets of Baha 'u '!!ah, p. 157. > 56. Baha 'u 'llah, Gleanings from the Writings of Baha 'u 'lla.h, p. 215. > 57. 'Abdu'l-Baha, Paris Talks: Addresses given by 'Abdu'l-Baha in Paris in > 1911- 1912 (London: Baha'i Publishing Trust, 1972), pp. 131- 32. > 58. Ibid., p. 159. > 59. 'Abdu'l-Baha, The Promulgation of Universal Peace, p. 132. > > THE BAHA:f WORLD > > equalization of wealth. For equalization must be imposed from > without, while sharing is a matter of free choice."60 Reciprocity and > altruism are then integral features of the Baha'i vision of a just social > polity. As Baha'u'llah counsels, "if thine eyes be turned towards justice, > choose thou for thy neighbor that which thou choosest for thyself. " 61 > The imperative of preserving cultural diversity is also implied by > the Baha'i ~rinciple of"the oneness and wholeness of human relationships." 2 If a peaceful international order is to emerge, then the > complex and infinitely varied cultural expressions of humankind > must be allowed to develop and flourish, as well to "interact with > one another in ever-changing patterns of civilization." 63 That there > must be a cross-cultural basis for human rights is fully recognized > by the Baha'i teachings. The very diversity of the human race is, > in fact, a means for creating a world based on unity rather than > uniformity. "The diversity in the human family," 'Abdu'l-Baha > states, "should be the cause oflove and harmony, as it is in music > where many different notes blend together in the making of a perfect > chord." 64 Ultimately, the recognition of the unity of the human > race suggests that the principle of unrestricted state sovereignty > must give way to a true global system of law and order. 65 The > > 60. 'Abdu '1-Baha, Selections from the Writings of 'Abdu 'l-Bahil (Wilmette: > Baha'i Publishing Trust, 1982), sec. 79, p. 115. > 61. Baha'u'llah, Tablets of Bahil 'u 'llah, p. 64. > 62. Shoghi Effendi, The World Order of Baha 'u 'llah, p. 202. > 63. The Prosperity ofHumankind, p. 282. > 64. 'Abdu'l-Baha, Paris Talks, p. 53. > 65. Baha'u'llah outlined a number of steps that would lead to permanent stability in international relations. At the heart of His vision was a set of new > institutional mechanisms based on participation and consultation among the > world ' s peoples. The main institutions envisaged include a freely elected > world legislature with genuine representation and authority, an international > court having final jurisdiction in all disputes between nations, and an international executive empowered to carry out the decisions of these legislative > and judicial bodies. These institutions would have the means to ensure and > maintain a general disarmament by applying principles of collective security. They would neither usurp nor suppress the basic autonomy of nations, > and would safeguard the personal freedom and initiative of individuals. The > system of governance propounded by Baha'u'llah emphasizes the importance of grassroots decision-making, but also provides mechanisms of > coordination and authority that make cooperation possible on a global scale. > > H UMAN RIGHTS DISCOURSE > > Baha'i concept of the oneness of humanity therefore goes beyond > basic communitarian notions of mutual obligation for it not only > embraces human diversity but anticipates a definite framework of > rights and duties in the context of a global society. > Although, as we have seen, there is considerable convergence > between Baha'i belief and the principal objectives of the unfolding > international human rights discourse, there do exist some rather > substantive differences with the liberal philosophic thought that > underpins that discourse. At the heart of contemporary liberal > philosophy is the notion that personal prerogative defines the > structure of society, and that "as free and independent selves" > individuals are entitled to remain "unencumbered by moral or > civic ties they have not chosen." 66 Consequently, the institutions of > civil society are viewed as necessary only because the separate > interests of individuals inevitably interfere with each other. Government and community are thus regarded as "procedural" imperatives > that must be lived with. 67 There is no moral bond with others > unless individuals choose to concern themselves with the interests > of the community. Furthermore, current conceptions of liberal > thought essentially view rights as being prior to and often unconnected to duties. The rights of individuals are often seen as rights > that provide immunity from communal interests. Even though > Article 29 .1 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights specifies that "everyone has duties to the community in which alone > the free and full development of his personality is possible," the > brevity and less than prominent location of this statement hardly > does justice to the notion that rights must correlate with obligations. > In this regard, it is noteworthy that the Most Holy Book of > Baha'u'llah, His Book of Laws, opens by specifying the duties of > all human beings rather than their rights. "The first duty" is "recognition" of the Divine Authority that is the foundation of all > > 66. Michael J. Sandel, Democracy's Discontent: America in Search of a Public Philosophy (Cambridge: Harvard University Press , 1996), p. 6. > 67. A society that "asserts the priority of fair procedures over particular ends" - > ends such as concerning oneself with the welfare of the community- has > been described as "procedural" in nature. Ibid., p. 4. > > THE BAHA'f WORLD > > law; the second is observance of that law. 68 To exercise these > twin duties "may be regarded as the highest expression of free > will with which every human being is endowed by an all-loving > Creator." 69 From this perspective, the right to exercise freedom > of conscience in the matter of religious belief comes into being > so that one can fulfill the spiritual duty of observing the commandments of God. In short, it is the requirement of individuals' > being able to meet fundamental spiritual and moral obligations > that gives rise to human rights. > The Baha'i Faith teaches that a balance must be struck between > the latitudes of individual freedom and the promotion of the collective good. "True liberty," Baha'u'llah says, can only be achieved > by following the path of moderation. 70 It is by relinquishing a > degree of personal liberty to a commonly accepted set of laws and > collective interests that the individual helps shape a social milieu > that returns far greater benefits in terms of personal freedom than > any sacrifice required. Individual well-being is intimately tied to > the flourishing of the whole. It is thus a reciprocated benevolence > and selflessness, rather than utilitarian self-interest, that underlies > the Baha'i idea of social life. As 'Abdu'l-Baha states, "the honor > and distinction of the individual consist in this, that he among all > the world's multitudes should become a source of social good." 71 > While preservation of "personal freedom and initiative" is considered essential, so too must the relational aspect of human existence > be recognized. 72 The "maintenance of civilized life," the Universal > House of Justice-the international governing body of the Baha'i > Faith-explains, "calls for the utmost degree of understanding and > cooperation between society and the individual; and because of > the need to foster a climate in which the untold potentialities of the > individual members of society can develop, this relationship must > allow 'free scope' for 'individuality to assert itself' through modes > > 68. Baha 'u'llah, The Kitab-i-Aqdas, p. 21, para. l. > 69. Universal House of Justice, Message to the Baha'is of the World, November > 26, 1992. > 70. Baha' u' llah, The Kitab-i-Aqdas, pp. 63, para. 122- 25. > 71. 'Abdu ' l-Baha, Th e Secret ofDivine Civilization, p. 2. > 72. Shoghi Effendi, The World Order ofBaha 'u 'llah , p. 203. > > H UMAN RIGHTS DISCOURSE > > of spontaneity, initiative and diversity that ensure the viability of > society. " 73 > The Baha'i community therefore has much in common with > peoples whose traditional values are more communally oriented > and less individualistic than with those who adhere to the secular > liberal conception of social life. Interestingly, this understanding > of the place of the individual in society strongly resonates with > the original strand of liberal philosophy enunciated by John > Locke. In his Second Treatise of Government, Locke asserts that > "The first and fundamental natural Law, which is to govern even > the Legislative itself, is the preservation of the Society, and (as > far as will consist with the publick good) of every person in it." 74 > The individual human being, he further argues, "and all the rest > of Mankind are one Community." 75 Consequently, "the end of > Government (is) the preservation of all,'' and "the end of Law is not > to abolish or restrain, but to preserve and enlarge Freedom." 76 > The modem secular tum away from Locke's conception of human > nature is made apparent by his statement that "God having made > Man such a Creature, that, in his own Judgement, it was not good > for him to be alone, put him under strong obligations of Necessity, Convenience and Inclination to drive him into Society, as > well as fitted him with Understanding and Language to continue > and enjoy it." 77 Locke then not only set forth a communitarian > conception of justice but also found the ultimate ground for justice in a transcendent Supreme Being. 78 > The creation of an "equilibrium of responsibilities" among all > members of society has been a long sought after and elusive goal. 79 > > 73. Universal House of Justice, Individual Rights and Freedoms in the World > Order ofBahti 'u 'llah (Wilmette: Baha'i Publishing Trust, 1989), p. 20. > 74. John Locke, cited in Jack Donnelly, Universal Human Rights: In Theory > and Practice, p. 92. > 75. Ibid. > 76. Ibid., pp. 100-01. > 77. Ibid., p. 92. > 78. For a detailed discussion of Locke's belief that morality is ultimately > derived from God see Wendy M. Heller, "Covenant and the Foundations > of Civil Society," in Th e Baha'i World 1995-96, pp. 185- 222. > 79. Universal House of Justice, Individual Rights and Freedoms in the World > Order ofBaha 'u 'llah, p. 20. > > THE BAHA'I WORLD > > 'Abdu'l-Baha states that the "moderate freedom which guarantees > the welfare of the world of mankind and maintains and preserves > the universal relationships, is found in its fullest power and extension in the teachings of Baha'u'llah." 80 The establishment of laws > and institutions has one primary purpose, the promotion of "human happiness"-happiness that, in the words of 'Abdu'l-Baha, > achieves it fullest expression by drawing "closer to the Threshold of Almighty God, and in securing the peace and well-being > of eve? individual member, high and low alike, of the human > race." 8 In consequence, justice, 'Abdu'l-Baha explains, "means > to have no regard for one's own personal benefits and selfish advantages," and to "consider the welfare of the community as one's > own." 82 > In the Baha'i teachings a construction of justice is presented > which views justice not as a static legalistic end or an unapproachable ideal, but as an evolving capacity that individuals, > communities, and institutions must continually seek to develop. > The realization of justice is dependent upon universal participation > and action among all members and agencies of society. In essence, > creating a "universal culture of human rights" is bound up with a > process of moral and spiritual development. 83 As a moral capacity, > justice is a vehicle that bonds the individual to the common weal. > "The purpose of justice," Baha 'u' llah explains, "is the appearance > of unity among men." "No radiance," He continues, "can compare > with that of justice. The organization of the world and the tranquility of mankind depend upon it." 84 Individual rights must then be > interpreted in light of the law of universal fellowship. "The supreme > need of humanity," 'Abdu'l-Baha underscores, "is cooperation > and reciprocity. The stronger the ties of fellowship and solidarity > amongst men, the greater will be the power of constructiveness > > 80. 'Abdu'l-Baha, Selections from the Writings of 'Abdu 'l-Baha, sec. 227, p. 305. > 81. 'Abdu '1-Baha, The Secret ofDivine Civilization, p. 60. > 82. Ibid., p. 39. > 83. Office of the United Nations Commissioner for Human Rights, Plan of > Action for the United Nations Decade for Human Rights Education, > 1995-2004, para. 2 (1995). > 84. Baha'u'llah, cited in Shoghi Effendi, The Advent of Divine Justice (Wilmette: Baha'i Publishing Trust, 1984), p. 28. > > fNMAN RIGHTS DISCOURSE > > and accomplishment in all planes of human activity." 85 Only in unity > can human rights be secured and the release of the human spirit > achieved. Unity must be the guiding concept of humanity's attempts > to construct an international community that truly embraces the justice of which Baha'u'llah speaks and for which the peoples of the > earth desperately seek. > Baha'u'llah established specific institutional mechanisms to > ensure the realization of justice in human affairs. The unique and > unprecedented covenantal arrangements of Baha'u'llah's Administrative Order offer a definitive moral and spiritual basis for a > universal system of human rights. 86 The evolution of a social milieu > that promotes the development of individual and collective capacities, and an understanding of our rights and obligations as spiritual > beings, is explicitly provided in the Baha'i dispensation by these > arrangements. 87 This divinely conceived System depends, as the > > 85. 'Abdu'l-Baha, The Promulgation of Universal Peace, p. 338. > 86. Baha'u'llah's Covenant with His followers ensures both unity of understanding of His Faith's fundamental doctrines and actualization of that unity > in the Baha'i community's spiritual and social development. In particular, > this Covenant explicitly specifies the structures and principles of the Baha'i > Administrative system. To ensure that power is used as an instrument of justice, and that governance serves humanity's true needs, decision-making > authority, Ba ha 'u' llah insists, must rest with corporate bodies and not be left > in the hands of individuals. Founded on a unique set of electoral and consultative principles that are democratic in spirit and method, the Baha'i > Administrative Order is organized around freely elected governing councils > which operate at the local, national, and international levels. Baha'u'llah > called these governing councils "Houses of Justice." Baha' is believe that this > administrative system offers a model of the institutional structures necessary > for global community life. For more on the underlying principles of the Baha'i > Administrative Order see Shoghi Effendi, The World Order of Bahti 'u 'llah, > pp. 143-57. For more on the covenantal basis of social order see Wendy M. > Heller, "Covenant and the Foundations of Civil Society." > 87. The institutions of the Baha'i Administrative Order are charged with protecting > the rights of all persons-Baha'is and non-Baha'is alike. The ultimate guarantor > of these rights is the Universal House ofJustice, whose constitution explicitly > sets out as its responsibilities: "to safeguard the personal rights, freedom and > initiative of individuals; and to give attention to the preservation of human > honor. .. " The Universal House ofJustice, The Constitution of the Universal > House ofJustice (Haifa: Baha'i World Centre, 1972), p. 5. > > Universal House of Justice states, "not so much on the force of law, > which admittedly must be respected, as on the recognition of a > mutuality of benefits, and on the spirit of cooperation maintained > by the willingness, the courage, the sense of responsibility, and > the initiative of individuals-these being expressions of their > devotion and submission to the will of God."E 8 In the Order of > Baha'u'llah, the House of Justice continues, "the individual is > not lost in the mass but becomes the focus of primary development, so that he may find his own place in the flow of progress, > and society as a whole may benefit from the accumulated talents > and abilities of the individuals composing it. Such an individual > finds fulfillment of his potential not merely in satisfying his own > wants but in realizing his completeness in being at one with > humanity and with the divinely ordained purpose of creation." 89 > Hence, the Baha'i Faith does not simply outline a set of minimal > conditions necessary for the protection of human dignity, as various national and international charters do, but rather offers a > comprehensive vision of the purpose of human life and society. > Embedded in this covenantal or spiritually centered understanding of life is a social ethic of deep commitment that goes far > beyond the idea of a social contract that simply establishes legal > bonds among individuals with disparate interests. Baha'u'llah's > vision of the oneness of humankind involves not just the safeguarding of human rights, the deepening of human solidarity, or > the establishment of an enduring international peace, but rather > "an organic change in the structure of present-day society, a > change such as the world has not yet experienced. " 90 It calls for > a pattern of social interaction that cultivates the moral and creative capacities latent in human nature; it embraces a concept of > prosperity in which material advancement makes possible new > avenues of intellectual endeavor and spiritual expression rather > than being an end in itself; it anticipates the "emergence of a > world community, the consciousness of world citizenship, the > founding of a world civilization and culture ... " 91 > > 88 . Universal House of Justice, Individual Rights and Freedoms in the World > OrderofBaha'u'llah, p. 9. > 89. Ibid., p. 21. > 90. Shoghi Effendi, The World Order of Baha 'u 'llah, p. 43. > > INMAN RIGHTS DISCOURSE > > In some respects, the covenantal grounding of rights and obligations is not new. As the sociologist Robert Bellah has suggested, > the processes of social breakdown now taking place in America can > be attributed, in great measure, to the displacement of an early > American social order based on religious and moral duty by one > based on individualism and self-interest. 92 At the heart of that covenantal order was a set of concepts that explicitly aclmowledged the > spiritual foundations of human life: "the free and willing recognition > of a binding duty, originating in or guaranteed by a transcendent > source"; the need to act collectively in a purposive manner according > to a commonly accepted set of moral norms; and measures to ensure > individual accountability in fulfilling obligations to the community. 93 > The teachings of Baha'u 'llah reaffirm the vision of a deep and > inseparable connection between the spiritual and practical dimensions of human existence. Inherent to such a perspective is the idea > that human rights and freedoms are not only necessary but sacred. > The assurance that every human being is indelibly imprinted with > the image of God affords the ultimate respect that all persons seek. > That each individual has been bestowed with a unique destiny by > God-a destiny which unfolds in accordance with the free exercise > of the choices and opportunities presented in life-lies at the center of Baha'i belief. For the Baha'i community, the protection of > human freedoms is part of a larger spiritual enterprise of fostering > a set of attitudes and practices that truly release human potential. > Genuine social progress, it believes, can only flow from spiritual > awareness and the inculcation of virtue. > Universal recognition of the dignity of every person, without > reference to the spiritual provenance of that dignity, will not guarantee > the protection of basic human freedoms . Without a transcendent > basis for rights-a power that reaches to the heart of human consciousness and motivation-humanity will not be able to develop > an integrating moral framework that will secure the advancement > of all peoples. Human rights founded on materialistic criteria > > 91. Ibid., p. 163. > 92. Robert N. Bellah, The Broken Covenant: American Civil Religion in Time > of Trial (New York: Seabury, 1979). > 93 . Heller, "Covenant and the Foundations of Civil Society," pp. 205--06. > > alone, no matter how logically compelling, are ultimately limited > in their power to transform-to fuse diverse and contending peoples > into a universal community. Without such a universal identity > there can be no basis for universal moral action. In this regard, the > teachings of Baha'u'llah could be said to embody a new generation of human rights that are based on the belief that humanity is > now entering its long-awaited stage of maturity and collective > awakening . More than urging humankind to free itself from > destructive patterns of behavior and static cultural imperatives, > Baha'u' llah has laid the foundations for a global civilization > wherein the rights and innate capacity of every human being can > be realized. "A new life," Baha'u'llah avers, "is, in this age, stirring > within all the peoples of the earth." 94 > A tangential point should be made here. Baha'is certainly recognize that secularism played a pivotal role in freeing humanity > from the shackles of religious fanaticism. The Enlightenment, and > the period of modernity to which it gave birth, can be understood > as part of a larger spiritual and historical process-a process guided > by God Himself. But unfortunately secularism has assumed a dogmatic character just as pernicious as the religious orthodoxies that > preceded it. Much of the confusion of contemporary life can be > traced to the failure to tap in a balanced way the powers of both > reason and faith. In His exhortation to the peoples of the world "to > observe tolerance and righteousness ," Baha'u'llah is affirming > that it is possible to believe in God and to be tolerant. 95 In this > respect, it is important to note that the "very purpose" of the Baha'i > community "is regulated by the twin directing principles of the > worship of God and of service to one's fellow-men." 96 > Although the Baha'i understanding of human rights is not well > known, the affirmative response to the Revelation of Baha'u'llah > from within virtually every national, racial, and ethnic group on > the planet cannot be casually dismissed. In its models of unity and > > 94. Baha'u ' llah, Gleanings from the Writings ofBaha 'u 'llah, p. 196. > 95. Baha'u ' llah, Tablets of Bahil 'u 'llah, p. 36. > 96. Shoghi Effendi, Messages to America: Selected Letters and Cablegrams > Addressed to the Baha 'is ofNorth America, 1932-1946 (Wilmette: Baha'i > Publishing Committee, 1947), p. 24. > > HlZMAN RIGHTS DISCOURSE > > justice now being put into practice throughout the world, the > Baha'i community is demonstrating the universal applicability of > the concepts it propounds. The Baha'i perspective on human rights > draws its legitimacy not only from its belief in a benevolent and > omnipotent Source-from the recognition of the spiritual reality > that transcends and pervades all life-but also from the content of > that belief. Whether the precepts, laws, institutions, and provisions > for international order found in the teachings ofBaha'u'llah offer a > distinct and comprehensive approach to the establishment of justice > in world affairs is for humanity itself to decide. From the Baha'i > view, however, it is no coincidence that the principles of human > rights and human well-being enunciated in the Baha'i teachings > have been, and continue to be, at the center of the ongoing human > rights discourse. > It is clear that the Faith of Baha'u'llah is intimately concerned > with the process of liberating the human race from its baneful > heritage of oppression and suffering and guiding it to the path of > "true liberty"-the path of "freedom, well-being, tranquillity, > exaltation, and advancement ... " 97 In the words of the Universal > House of Justice: > > Consider what Baha'u'llah has done: He revealed laws and principles to guide the free; He established an Order to channel > the actions of the free; He proclaimed a Covenant to guarantee > the unity of the free. > Thus, we hold to this ultimate perspective: Baha'u'llah > came to set humanity free. His Revelation is, indeed, an invitation to freedom-freedom from want, freedom from war, > freedom to unite, freedom to progress, freedom in peace and > joy.98 > > 97. Baha 'u 'llah, Tablets ofBaha 'u '!!ah, p. 92. > 98. Universal House of Justice, Individual Rights and Freedoms in the World > Order ofBahci 'u '!!ah, p. 22. > > A concept paper prepared by > the Baha 'i International Community > for the Second United Nations Conference > on Human Settlements (Habitat II) > held 3- 14 June I 996 in Istanbul, Turkey. > > SUSTAINABLE > COMMUNITIES IN AN > INTEGRATINGWORLD > > W ith the approaching dawn of the twenty-first century, > governments, organizations and peoples are expending > enormous energies to develop communities which are socially > vibrant, united and prosperous. The United Nations Conference on > Human Settlements (Habitat II), which builds on the major global > conferences of this decade, is a milestone in these efforts and portends major advances in community development. > In the long term, however, community-building efforts will > succeed only to the extent that they link material progress to > fundamental spiritual aspirations, respond to the increasing interdependence among the peoples and nations of the planet, and > establish a framework within which all people can become active > participants in the governance of their societies. > It is to these three foundational elements of sustainable communities that the following comments are addressed. > Material Progress Must Reflect > Spiritual Principles and Priorities > Human nature is fundamentally spiritual. Communities are unlikely, > therefore, to prove prosperous and sustainable unless they take into > account the spiritual dimension of human reality and seek to foster > > THE BAHA'I WORLD > > a culture in which the moral, ethical, emotional and intellectual > development of the individual are of primary concern. It is in such > a milieu that the individual is likely to become a constructively > engaged, service-oriented citizen, working for the material and > spiritual well-being of the community, and that a common vision > and a shared sense of purpose can be effectively developed. > It follows that the material aspects of community developmentenvironrnental, economic and social policies; production, distribution, communication and transportation systems; and political, legal > and scientific processes- must be driven by spiritual principles and > priorities. Today, however, the substance and direction of community development are largely determined by material considerations. > Our challenge, therefore, is to redesign and develop our communities around those universal principles-including love, honesty, > moderation, humility, hospitality, justice and unity- which promote > social cohesion, and without which no community, no matter how > economically prosperous, intellectually endowed or technologically > advanced, can long endure. > Among the considerations and principles that should guide this > undertaking are the following: > • The protection of the family and the promotion of its well-being must > become central to community processes. The family is the primary > institution of society and the principal incubator of values, attitudes, > beliefs and behaviors. When it is spiritually healthy, it contributes > significantly to the development of happy and responsible citizens. > • The physical, social, economic, legal and political designs of our > communities must serve all members of society, not just the privileged. A truly just and equitable society will require a citizenry > which understands that the interests of the individual and of the > community are inextricably linked; that the advancement of human > rights requires full commitment to the corresponding responsibilities; and that when women are welcomed into full partnership with > men in all fields of human endeavor, families, communities and > nations will prosper and advance. > • Work is both a means of livelihood for the individual and a way > of contributing to the prosperity of the community as a whole. > As such, it helps give meaning to one's life. Therefore, community > design must ensure that the creative energies of the individual have a > > SUSTAlNABLE COMMUNITIES > > channel of useful employment in which they can be expressed. For > his or her part, the individual must assume responsibility in carrying out this trust. Progress in this area will lend great momentum to > the elimination of extremes of wealth and poverty in the world. > "Religion," the Baha'i writings state, "is the greatest of all > means for the establishment of order in the world and for the > peaceful contentment of all that dwell therein." 1 In every community, therefore, freedom of religion must be ensured, including > the right to establish centers of worship. 2 Places of worship provide > > 1. Although enormous injustices have, throughout history, been perpetrated > in the name of religion, it is impossible to deny the primary role that faith > has played in social progress, motivating individuals to develop spiritual > qualities, empowering them to sacrifice for their fellow human-beings and > to contribute to the betterment of their communities. > 2. Centers of worship, and the institutions and activities to which they give > rise, should become a fundamental part of every hamlet, village, town and > city-indeed of all types of human settlements in every nation-but they > must contribute to the community's overall harmony, peace, well-being, > understanding and tolerance. If not, they will only serve to retard the > development of sustainable and prosperous communities, and the people > will eventually abandon them as they come to recognize the divisive and > parochial role they play in society. > Of course, almost any place can serve as a center of worship. One of the > prayers revealed by Baha'u'llah stresses this point: "Blessed is the spot, and > the house, and the place, and the city, and the heart, and the mountain, and the > refuge, and the cave, and the valley, and the land, and the sea, and the island, > and the meadow where mention of God hath been made and His praise > glorified." The importance, however, of physical, community-based centers > for the development and expression of faith cannot be overemphasized. > The Baha'i Mashriqu'l-Adhkar (the Dawning-Place of the Praise of > God) is one such center which, by its very design, integrates worship and > service, or, put another way, expresses the spiritual in practical ways. At > the heart of this complex lies the House of Worship which is open to all > people, regardless of faith. Surrounding the House of Worship, and animated by it, are to be nine dependencies-or institutions----dedicated to > social, administrative, humanitarian, educational and scientific affairs. As > each Mashriqu'l-Adhkar complex develops, these dependencies will > include "a hospital, a drug dispensary, a travelers' hospice, a school for > orphans, and a university for advanced studies." This practical model for > harmonizing the moral and ethical, the physical and environmental, and > the economic and social aspect of human settlements is worthy of study by > those involved in community-building processes. > > THE BAHA'I WORLD > > a venue for prayer and meditation, acts of devotion through which > the individual can come closer to the Creator, thereby strengthening his or her spiritual capacities for sacrifice and service. As > physical monuments, these buildings also often serve to express > the cultural genius of the society. > • The promotion of beauty, whether natural or man-made, should > become a guiding principle in community planning, for beauty can > touch the heart and inspire the soul to noble sentiments and actions. > • Community development will need to incorporate principles of > environmental preservation and rehabilitation, not only to bring our > current civilization into a sustainable pattern of development, but > also to respond to the human spirit's great need for close contact > with the natural world. The primary role of the farmer in food > and economic security also needs to be carefully considered in > the design of all human settlements. > • The vast forces of science and technology must be harnessed to > serve the material, intellectual, emotional and spiritual needs of > the entire human family. This will require that all peoples be > involved in generating scientific knowledge and determining its > applications. As participation increases, technologies which have > tended to desensitize and alienate, to make satisfying work and > crafts redundant, to destroy the environment, and to cause sickness, > infirmity or death, will, no doubt, be reconsidered, redesigned or > abandoned. > Interdependence among the Peoples and Nations > of the World Will Only Increase in the Years Ahead > The peoples and nations of the planet are being drawn together as > they become more and more dependent upon one another. Settlements worldwide-from hamlets, villages and towns, to cities and > megalopoli-are becoming home to increasingly diverse populations. This growing interdependence and the intensifying interaction > among diverse peoples pose fundamental challenges to old ways of > thinking and acting. How we, as individuals and communities, > respond to these challenges will, to a large degree, determine > whether our communities become nurturing, cohesive and progressive, or inhospitable, divided and unsustainable. > Unity in diversity is at once a vision for the future and a principle > to guide the world community in its response to these challenges. > > S USTAINABLE COMMUNITIES > > Not only must this principle come to animate relations among the > nations of the planet, but it must also be applied within both local > and national communities if they are to prosper and endure. The unifying, salutary effects of applying this principle to the redesign and > development of communities the world over, would be incalculable, > while the consequences of failing to respond appropriately to the > challenges of an ever-contracting world will surely prove disastrous. > Obviously, humanity must be prepared for the opportunities > and responsibilities that are emerging as a result of this growing > interdependence. People need to develop the knowledge, values, > attitudes and skills necessary to participate confidently and constructively in shaping the world community, on all levels, so that it might > reflect principles of justice, equity and unity. Education will play an > indispensable role here. It must help the individual develop a sense > of place and community-not limited to the local or national level, > but extending out to include the whole world.3 It should cultivate > virtue as the foundation for personal and collective well-being, and > should nurture in individuals a deep commitment to the welfare > of their families, their communities, their countries, indeed, all > mankind. 4 Education should also encourage thinking in terms of > historical process, seeing in history an inexorable movement toward > a world civilization, a movement whose successes are the patrimony > of all peoples and whose challenges we must now, as a single > race, address. > Humanity Must Move toward More Participatory, Knowledge- > Based and Values-Driven Processes of Governance > Top-down models of community development can no longer adequately respond to modem day needs and aspirations. The world > community must move toward more participatory, knowledgebased and values-driven systems of governance in which people > > 3. In this regard, community might be conceived of as a set of concentric circles, with the local community being the smallest, and the global community > being the largest. > 4. The concept of world citizenship helps integrate all levels of community: > being a responsible citizen on the local and national levels is not at odds > with love for all humanity; rather, these multi-layered allegiances and > obligations fonn a tightly woven web, an inseparable whole. > > THE BAHA'I WORLD > > can assume responsibility for the processes and institutions that > affect their lives. These systems need to be democratic in spirit and > method, and must emerge on all levels of world society, including > the global level. Consultation5-the operating expression of justice > in human affairs-should become their primary mode of decisionmaking. > Naturally, old ways of exercising power and authority must > give way to new forms ofleadership. Our concept ofleadership will > need to be recast to include the ability to foster collective decision > making and collective action. It will find its highest expression in > service to the community as a whole. > Toward a Common Community, a Common Destiny > In conclusion, communities that thrive and prosper in the new > millennium will do so because they acknowledge the spiritual > dimension of human nature and make the moral, emotional and > intellectual development of the individual a central priority. They > will guarantee freedom of religion and encourage the establishment > of places of worship. Their centers of learning will seek to cultivate > the limitless potentialities latent in human consciousness and will > pursue as a major goal the participation of all peoples in generating and applying knowledge. Remembering at all times that the > interests of the individual and of society are inseparable, these > communities will promote respect for both rights and responsibilities, will foster the equality and partnership of women and men, > and will protect and nurture families. They will promote beauty, > natural and man-made, and incorporate into their design principles of > environmental preservation and rehabilitation. Guided by the concept > of unity in diversity, they will support wide-spread participation in > the affairs of society, and will increasingly tum to leaders who > > 5. In consultation, the individual participants strive to transcend their respective points of view, in order to function as members of a body with its own > interests and goals. In an atmosphere characterized by both candor and > courtesy, ideas belong not to the individual who presents them, but to the > group as a whole, to take up, discard, or revise as seems to best serve the > goal pursued. Consultation succeeds to the extent that all participants support > the decisions arrived at, regardless of the individual opinions with which > they entered the discussion. Under such circumstances an earlier decision > can be readily reconsidered if experience exposes any shortcomings. > > S USTAINABLE COMMUNITIES > > are motivated by the desire to serve. In these communities the > fruits of science and technology will benefit the whole society, > and work will be available for all. > Communities such as these will prove to be the pillars of a > world civilization-a civilization which will be the logical culmination of humanity's community-building efforts over vast stretches > of time and geography. Baha'u'llah's statement that all people are > "born to carry forward an ever-advancing civilization," implies > that every person has both the right and the responsibility to contribute to this historic and far-reaching, collective enterprise whose > goal is nothing less than the peace, prosperity and unity of the > entire human family. 6 > > 6. It is interesting to note that a number of the concepts in this paper were > also present in the statement that the Baha'i International Community > delivered to the first United Nations Conference on Human Settlements in > 1976. More recent Baha'i statements which shed light on the subject of > sustainable communities include Th e Prosperity of Humankind; World > Citizenship: A Global Ethic for Sustainable Development; and Turning > Point for All Nations. > > The Bahci 'i International Community > presented this statement to the 53rd session > of the United Nations Commission on > Human Rights in March 1997, in Geneva. > > UNITED NATIONS > DECADE FOR > HUMAN RIGHTS > EDUCATION > > 0 ne of the most striking features of this century is the transformation technical and scientific advances have brought to all > forms of human interaction. Modem means of travel and communications have contracted our planet, and created a global web of > commerce, migration and intellectual and scientific exchange that > has made discussions of global interdependence commonplace. > Despite the overwhelming evidence of our interdependence and > increased contact with diverse people, differences of culture, language and religion are still considered grounds for suspicion and > hostility. Even in countries where people of different faiths and ethnic backgrounds have lived side by side for generations, ancient > rivalries and suspicions lurk just below the surface, ready to erupt > with disastrous consequences for human rights. > To defuse these conflicts and to protect human rights a new foundation of universal understanding-a new framework of values > within which diversity is seen not as a threat but as an aspect of > our common humanity-will be required. Laying this moral and > ethical foundation for what some have referred to as "a universal > > culture of human rights" is one of the most important aspects of > human rights education. > In the Baha'i view, the foundation of universal understanding > and, therefore, for human rights education is the oneness of humanity, > a spiritual principle amply confirmed by all the sciences. Anthropology, physiology and psychology recognize only one human > species, albeit infinitely varied. If we see ourselves as members > of one human family, interconnected and interdependent, we will > be unable to violate the rights of another member of that family > without feeling the pain ourselves. > Violations of human rights are sometimes a misguided expression > ofloyalty. Human rights education, by applying the principle of the > oneness of humanity, can help people to see that loyalty to a large > entity does not necessarily conflict with loyalty to a small entity. > We live and work in many social units and institutional environments, often nested one within the other, that are complementary > and often mutually supportive. Love of one's country does not > preclude love of family or community, rather, it enlarges the circle > of relationships. > The enlargement of social organization from clan to nation > state has opened new opportunities for the expression of human > capacity, as it has expanded the circle of those deemed deserving > ofrecognition and respect. For stability in any social organization, > the rights of all, including minorities, need to be respected. Current conflicts in Africa and in Europe involve gross violations of > human rights, some based on ethnicity, others on religious belief, > which are destructive of the foundations of society. The evolution > of ever-larger circles of organic relationships and interactions now > embraces the entire planet. As we educate our children to accept > diversity as part of the human condition and to extend respect and > full human rights to the entire human family, civilization will benefit from an unimaginable wealth of contributions. > In that respect, human rights education could be considered > basic education for life in the modem world. According to the International Commission on Education for the 21st Century, "learning > to live with others," which necessitates respecting their rights, is > "one of the major issues in education today." The Commission > also points out that children and youth are coping with special > > :f-IUMAN RIGHTS ED UCATION > > tensions that come from living in a contracting and interdependent world. Among them are the tension "between the global and > the local: people need gradually to become world citizens without losing their roots"; the tension "between the universal and the > individual: culture is steadily being globalized, but as yet only > partially"; and the tension "between the spiritual and the material." Human rights education grounded in the principle of the > oneness of humanity, can provide children and youth the tools > and the philosophical framework to enable them to resolve these > tensions for themselves. > Religion has an important role to play in human rights education. > The Plan of Action for the Decade for Human Rights Education > states that "Education should promote understanding, tolerance, > peace and friendly relations between nations and all racial and > religious groups ... " Historically, religion has always shaped the > laws and social values that determine how individuals treat each > other. The Plan of Action also calls for education directed to "the > full development of the human personality and the sense of its > dignity." Religion teaches people who they are and why they are > here and calls them to transcendence and service. "Noble have I > created thee," Baha'u'llah asserts, "yet thou hast abased thyself. > Rise then to that for which thou wast created." Religious convictions > empower individuals to confront their own character defects, to root > out undesirable behavior, and to cultivate such virtues as truthfulness, compassion, trustworthiness, and generosity. These spiritual > qualities taught by all religions are conducive to nobility and to > respect for the rights of others. > The worldwide Baha'i community has historically been a strong > supporter of United Nations human rights programs and activities. > In 1947 Baha'is presented a statement on human obligations and > rights to the newly formed UN Commission on Human Rights. As > soon as the UN established December 10th as Human Rights > Day, national and local Baha'i institutions began planning commemorations. Over the years, Baha'is have circulated widely the > Universal Declaration of Human Rights in a number of languages. > When the United Nations adopted conventions implementing the > various articles of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, > Baha'i communities worldwide disseminated these documents, > > held public meetings to explain them, and, in some cases, participated in efforts in their countries to ratify them. > The Baha'i International Community has invited all 174 national > Baha'i councils to lend their support to the Decade for Human > Rights Education. > Finally, it is important to bear in mind that changing attitudes > and values after they are formed is inevitably a difficult and gradual > process. Therefore, human rights education efforts should be > concentrated on reaching children and youth, who are still in the > process of forming the values that will shape their lives. Instilling in our children respect for themselves and others, recognition > of the oneness of humanity, appreciation of unity in diversity, > and a sense of citizenship in a world community will be the best > guarantee of improved protection of human rights in the years to > come. > > The Bahiz 'i International Community > presented a joint Non-Governmental > Organization statement to the United > Nations Commission on Human Rights > in Geneva on 23 April 1996 on > Agenda item 20(a): Status of the > Convention on the Rights of the Child. > > CONVENTION > RIGHTSONTHE > OF THE HILD > c > > T he Baha'i International Community is pleased to offer, on > behalf of 34 non-governmental organizations, comments > under this agenda item on the implementation of the Convention > on the Rights of the Child. > The Vienna Declaration and Program of Action emphasizes the > importance of the implementation of this human rights instrument, > and states that "measures should be taken to achieve universal > ratification of the Convention on the Rights of the Child." We > therefore welcome the continued attention given to the Convention by the Commission on Human Rights. Persistent attention to > this vital issue, since 1983, by the NGO Group on the Convention and the cooperation evinced among many organizations of > civil society as well are a source of hope and encouragement to > people throughout the world. > The universal ratification and full implementation of the Convention is an essential and compelling task. We believe that ensuring the > well-being of this most important, yet often overlooked, segment of > society is the responsibility of the whole of society. Its neglect has > grave consequences not only for the children themselves and for > THE BAHA'I WORLD > > present-day communities, but also for future development and the > fate of generations to come. We therefore believe that full implementation of the Convention is a universal responsibility, the attainment > of which will contribute significantly to the advancement of humanity toward the establishment of justice, peace and order. Rapid and > universal implementation is a task worthy of the concerted efforts > of national institutions and non-governmental organizations alike. > Full implementation of the Convention will also facilitate the > implementation of other UN instruments. Children of future > generations, raised under conditions where their rights are fully > protected, will be better able to take advantage of their rights and > to fulfill their responsibilities towards others. Protection of their > fundamental rights will be a major step toward equipping them > to build a society in which all human rights are respected, and in > which the collective aspirations expressed in numerous United > Nations declarations and instruments become a reality. > Within the Convention, certain articles deserve special consideration. Among these are Articles 28 and 29, which address rights > and responsibilities related to education. Education is a powerful > social force that both transmits and shapes culture and beliefs. > Properly conceived and implemented, education reveals and > develops the potentialities inherent in each individual and prepares > those individuals to contribute to the well-being of themselves, > their families, their communities, and to humankind as a whole. > Indeed, it is only through a well-conceived education that the > child can find a proper balance between his/her own self and society > around him/her. The individual and his environment are profoundly > interconnected. The human relationships, cultural norms and values, > the social structures and processes which compose the child's environment all influence and shape the individual, but the individual, > whether child or adult, in tum moulds and influences that environment. The two act upon one another, and every abiding change in > the life of humankind is the result of their mutual interactions. The > healthy and full development of the child depends on the nature of > this interaction and on the reciprocal relationship between the child > and society around him/her. Without effort and activity on behalf of > others, the individual is unable to develop fully virtues and talents, > but likewise, without individual transformation, lasting social change > is impossible. > Given the complex interactions affecting the relationship between > the individual and society, it is inconceivable that a harmonious > and healthy relationship can be achieved without addressing the > need to develop the spiritual potentials of the child. Although > essential, scholastic education alone, devoid of the aims defined > in Article 29 of the Convention and the basic human values such > as love, humility, kindness, tolerance, and justice, is incapable of > ridding the world of hatred, prejudice, greed and oppression. > Education devoid of these essential concepts and human values > in fact creates in the child greater potential for violence and destructive behavior. > Educational programs that foster the development of moral > qualities and capabilities are one of the strongest forces both to > protect children from destructive behavior and to help create a just > and harmonious society in which the rights of all are upheld. > Moral qualities, sometimes referred to as spiritual qualities or > human values, are the building blocks of human personality. They > are the endowments of every human being and the adornments of > the human spirit. The full power of these fundamental qualities can > be released, however, only when they are acquired in the context > of an understanding of the oneness of humanity and with attention > to their application in action for the betterment of society as a > whole. Indeed, unless applied universally and in action, these > qualities can easily become little more than slogans, at times > degenerating even to become excuses for prejudice and injustice. > However, when learned and applied in conjunction with the > development of skills and abilities, concepts and attitudes, they > empower the individual (child) to transform both himself/herself > and society. Rather than merely longing for a more harmonious > society, the child can become a builder of unity. Rather than > being bound by the unjust and often violent patterns of behavior > learned in a dysfunctional family, the future adult can help to create a loving, harmonious and just family life. Rejecting violence, > the child can become a facilitator of non-violent conflict resolution and a proponent of true consultation. He or she can become > a bringer of joy and an empowerer of others. > Moral education centered on an understanding of the essential > oneness of humankind and applied on a universal basis constitutes an indispensable foundation for the universal respect for > human rights. Development of these essentially human qualities > and capabilities must be integrated into all aspects of formal and > non-formal education. Existing school curricula from kindergarten through secondary and post-secondary education must be > revised so that all elements therein contribute to the moral > development of the child, and so that the moral implications of > personal and social choices are fully recognized. In addition, > training programs for parents, educators, counsellors and others > who serve as role models and mentors for children and youth would > also be essential. These programs would address both the process > of assisting children and youth to build moral capabilities, and > the skills necessary for specific capabilities such as creating a > non-violent and harmonious family, consultation, and building > unity. They would build a practical understanding of the oneness > of humankind, and equip participants with the skills necessary to > promote and actualize that understanding. > Article 17 of the Convention, addressing the role of the media > in enabling the child to fulfill its potential, also requires careful > consideration. The media have a powerful influence on people's > attitudes and perceptions, and that influence is magnified in the > case of children. The media can identify, provide and encourage > examples of high ideals and achievements worthy of human > endeavor, and highlight conditions of injustice with the aim of > educating humanity toward their rectification. Or, they can choose, > instead, to focus on the many examples of conflict, to undermine > faith in human capacity to change, and to reinforce values and patterns of behavior that lead to disunity, injustice, violence: in short, > values and patterns which lead to violations of human rights and > instability in society. > We believe that the mass media and incisive, educational and > scholarly books are ideal vehicles for the cultivating values that > will lead to the protection of human rights and the establishment of > peace. They can provide models for children by exalting people > who have implemented these values and by providing a forum for > impartial examination of issues and solutions. We call on the media > to take up this challenge, and to fulfill their role in promoting the > "social, spiritual and moral well-being and physical and mental > health" of the child. We also call for a broad-based discourse to > examine how this role can most effectively be fulfilled. > In conclusion, we suggest that the Committee on the Rights of > the Child pay concerted attention to the aims of education indicated > in Article 29 of the Convention and to the role of the media and > scholarly books as vehicles for moral education. Specialized agencies, particularly UNESCO and UNICEF have an important role to > play in the promotion of these educational endeavors. We believe > that this would serve greatly "the best interests of the child." > List of Co-Signatory NGOs > I) African Association of Education for Development (AFASED) > 2) All India Women's Conference > 3) American Association of Jurists > 4) Defence for Children International > 5) Federation Internationale des Femmes de Carrieres Juridiques > 6) Fondation France-Liberte > 7) Human Rights Advocates Inc. > 8) Inter-African Committee on Traditional Practices Affecting the Health of Women > and Children (IAC) > 9) International Abolitionist Federation > IO) International Alliance of Women > 11) International Association of Democratic Lawyers (!AOL) > 12) International Association of Educators for World Peace > 13) International Association for Religious Freedom > 14) International Council of Jewish Women > 15) International Council of Women > 16) International Educational Development, Inc. > 17) International Federation of Social Workers > 18) International Federation of University Women (IFUW) > 19) International Movement ATD Fourth World > 20) International Movement Against all Forms of Discrimination and Racism > 21) International Movement for Fraternal Union Among Races and Peoples > 22) International Organization for the Development of Freedom of Education (OIDEL) > 23) Liberation > 24) National Council of German Women's Organizations > 25) Susela Dharma International Association > 26) Women's International League For Peace and Freedom (WILPF) > 27) Women's World Summit Foundation > 28) World Association for the School as an Instrument of Peace > 29) World Federalist Movement > 30) World Federation of Methodist Women > 31) World Federation of United Nations Associations (WFUNA) > 32) World Movement of Mothers > 33) World Vision International > 34) Zonta International > > This report, submitted by the Baha'i International > Community's Office for the Advancement of Women > in April 1996, appears in The Emerging Role of > NGOs in African Sustainable Development, > published by the United Nations for the Mid-Term > Review of the United Nations New Agenda for the > Development ofAfrica in the 1990 's (UN-NADAF). > New York, 20 June 1996. > > Two Baha'i International Community Projects: > > CAMEROON & ZAMBIA > > T he Baha'i International Community has 44 national affiliates > in Africa with over 5,000 grassroots communities. Baha'is > are committed to improving the collective life of everyone on the > planet. Within this framework, there are both collective (institutional) and individual responsibilities. As Baha'i institutions, the > national and local Baha'i councils are responsible for the wellbeing of the entire community, not just the Baha'is. As individuals, > Baha'is see work done in the spirit of service to the community as > a form of worship. This framework of institutional and individual > responsibility is buttressed by certain principles, e.g., equality of > men and women, necessity of independent investigation of truth, > high station of education, and the importance of agriculture for > society. The Baha'i approach to social and economic development > has at least three major components, which you will see manifested > in both projects presented in this paper: 1) the practice of the art of > consultation; 2) rectitude of conduct individually and collectively; > and 3) the solution of problems through the application of spiritual > principles. The effort of putting these principles into practice, the > > THE BAHA'I WORLD > > Baha'i writings state, leads to self-sufficiency and self-reliance and > the enhancement of individual and community honor and dignity. > The Baha'i International Community will demonstrate the effectiveness of its approach to development by describing two projects > and sharing lessons learned. The first project, in Cameroon, promotes > changes in community values by teaching participants to use analytic tools like focus groups, interview techniques, and community > surveys to identify problems; consultation as a means to analyze > them; and traditional media presentations as a non-threatening way > to generate dialogue within the entire community which can lead > to solutions. The second project is the Masetlha Foundation in > Zambia which combines spiritual enrichment with training in primary health care, literacy and agriculture, and which has recently > added a secondary school for rural girls which emphasizes science > and agriculture. Both projects emphasize the development of individual human resources and the capacity of institutions to sustain > the development work. Although both projects capitalize on the > institutional infrastructure and commitment of the Baha'i community, > they are open to all and serve the community at large. > Traditional Media as Change Agent, Cameroon > Goal: The goal of the "Traditional Media as Change Agent" project > was to raise the status of women in selected communities through > strategies designed to involve men. Instead of ignoring men > altogether or assuming that men could not or would not change, > this project boldly advanced the premise set forth in the Baha'i > writings that improving the status of women benefits everyone. > Project designers, therefore, set out to effect a shift in community > values (1) by involving men in partnership with women in identifying > community problems associated with women's low status and (2) > by stimulating community discussion of those problems by using > traditional media. The project was designed by the Baha'i International Community and implemented in countries on three continents > with funds from UNIFEM. > Activities: Working through elected local Baha'i governing councils > in self-selected communities in Cameroon, trainers facilitated the > following process: > • Gathering the facts: Project participants were taught how to use > > ywo PROJECTS: CAMEROON & ZAMBIA > > tools like focus groups, interview techniques, and community > surveys to gather data on the status of women and identify > problems in their own communities related to women's status. > • Analyzing the data: Using consultation as a basis, participants > analyzed the data in light of certain principles such as the > equality of men and women, the power of example, unity of > purpose, commitment, and service to the community. > • Stimulating community-wide discussion: The analysis and recommendations were shared with the community as a whole through > such traditional media as theater, songs, and dance. Messages > communicated in this way are taken very seriously in non-literate > communities, and they provide a non-threatening opening for > dialogue with the whole community. > • Impact on local development: Because the project initially sought > only to increase awareness and develop capacity of local institutions, the results exceeded expectations. > • Information produced: Participants identified the following as > the primary problems faced by women: lack of education; domination by men; uneven distribution of workload between > women and men; and poor management of household finances > by men (who did not consult their wives). These findings were > the same in every project village in Cameroon (in Malaysia and > Bolivia, as well, where this project was also implemented). > • Interaction with beneficiaries: Qualitative evaluation data showed > increases in husband-wife consultation such that men made more > money available to the family and spent less on themselves; > alcohol abuse and domestic violence decreased drastically; in > most project areas the enrollment of girls in schools increased > from 6-7% at the start of the project to near 100%; and evidence > of significant shifts in labor patterns emerged as men began to > take on some of the work women had been handling, both in the > home and in the field. > • Capacity-building: Local communities were able to use skills of > planning, consultation, implementation and evaluation for activities other than the women's program, showing that these skills > are general and can be extended to other issues and sectors. > • Follow-up: Attempts to quantify the results are in process. Data > has been gathered on behavior patterns in three project villages > > and three non-project villages. Project participants themselves > interviewed 50 couples in each village, men interviewing men, > women interviewing women. The data gathered is now being > analyzed. > Some lessons learned: > • The concept of a project with no immediate material benefits may be > difficult to grasp at first. However, the initial bewilderment can be > overcome if the project leaders stress the benefits of core skills > training and provide consistent support, including regular visits. > • Communities can be-indeed must be-proactive partners in > change, not just recipients of "aid." The process at the heart of > this project was inherently participatory and collective-the > rethinking of community values, not just modifying activities > or behaviors. Re-examining traditional values together as a > community allowed the community to accept and slowly integrate new values as the norm into their social life. > • New values require a new vision. When communities--especially > men-begin to see that their happiness and welfare depends on > their women's happiness and welfare, real community development can take place. Stated another way, when social norms > shift, change becomes sustainable. > • Participation by women in decision-making increases much more > rapidly when men are involved. The 1995 United Nations Development Report identifies 30% participation by women as the > critical minimum level for women's participation in decisionmaking. At this level there seems to be a fundamental change in > any organization, but the report also mentions that this level is > rarely attained. This project demonstrated that this threshold is > reached more quickly when men are included as partners in unity > to achieve gender equity, than when they are excluded or ignored. > • Change is difficult for everyone, so anticipate resistance from both > women and men. Talk of partnership is fashionable, but many > women have no real interest in working with men, and many > men do not really believe in equality. > • Social norms are more powerful than individual values. Both > projects (Cameroon and Zambia) identified social norms and the > power of group culture as the critical variable in attitudinal and > behavioral change. Both projects noted that changing gender > > ~o PROJECTS: CAMEROON & Z AMBIA > > roles and perceptions at the household level can be extremely > difficult; however, when institutional values favor gender equity, > both women and men are able to practice new behaviors that > eventually lead to attitude and behavior change observable in other > settings. Community institutions/organizations (educational, religious, and legal) which actively promote gender equity may > thus be the key to sustainable behavioral and attitudinal change. > • Development of institutional capacity is critical to sustaining development efforts. It is our expectation that the institutional capacity > within the Cameroon community will progress through the > establishment of a training institute (recently finalized) and the > evolution of the development committee, so that, like the > Masetlha Foundation, it will engage over time in action and > reflection on a wide variety of initiatives that will support the > integration of diverse initiatives for the progress of individuals > and villages in the country. Thus both projects illustrate the elements for sustained activity in the future: human resource > development and institutional capacity development, both > designed to give local people the capacity to participate in and > guide their own development. > William Mmutle Masetlha Foundation, Zambia > Goal: The William Mmutle Masetlha Foundation is a non-profit > charitable organization located in central Zambia. Its purpose is to > support a spiritual approach to social and economic development > which stirs people to develop themselves and achieve self-sufficiency. The Masetlha Foundation was created in 1995 by the > Baha'i governing council of Zambia to oversee the William Mmutle > Masetlha Institute (founded October 1983) and the Banani Secondary > School for rural girls (opened in January 1993). The foundation is > the latest stage in a sustained development process which was > initiated at the grassroots, nurtured at the national level, and funded > both by government agencies and organizations of civil society. > The William Mmutle Maset/ha Institute: The Institute combines > spiritual education with practical training for volunteers in a wide > variety of skills, including agriculture, health education, children's > education, literacy, and numeracy. Spiritual education, which helps > to develop qualities such as enthusiasm, dedication, creativity and > > THE BAHA'I WORLD > > service, along with the practical skills, leads to self-sufficiency. The > active involvement of women is an important focus in all training > and field work. The Institute offers a wide variety of courses. For > example, one course offered since 1985 is a four-month-long spiritual > development and agricultural training program that includes four > hours of daily lectures and practical work in the villages. Two of > the institute's special projects are the Baha'i Literacy Project and > the Zambia Baha'i Primary Health Care Project. > The Baha'i Literacy Project aims to assist the Baha' is of Zambia > to achieve universal literacy and to strengthen Baha'i communities > by (1) developing a Baha'i approach to literacy education which > achieves both :functional literacy and spiritual empowerment; and by > (2) training volunteer literacy tutors from both the Baha'i community > and the community at large to offer classes in their villages, where > illiteracy may be as high as 60%. The methodology used is conspicuously participatory, as it de-emphasizes the role of facilitators > and empowers people with little education to study in groups and > develop independent thinking. > Zambia Baha'i Primary Health Care Project, launched in August > 1993, is intended to help the Zambian Government achieve Health > for All by the Year 2000 through primary health care education by > (1) identifying and training a cadre of volunteer Community Health > Educators (CHEs); (2) assisting CHEs to promote communitybased primary health activities and educate their communities > about basic hygiene, nutrition, and disease prevention (emphasizing > AIDS and malaria); (3) increasing the level of immunization coverage; and (4) integrating primary health care into a broad range of > development-related training programs. The project also provides > training for CHE trainers, holds Village Health Committee workshops, and provides refresher courses for Community Health > Educators. The Institute has also been training Community Health > Care Workers (CHWs) since 1987. > The Banani International Secondary School: The Banani International Secondary School in the Chisamba district, is a residential > school for young women in grades 8 to 12 with an emphasis on > science and agriculture. Established by the Masetlha Institute to > serve rural girls, the school has adopted the University of Cambridge > > ~o PRO TECTS : CAMEROON & ZAMBIA > > Examinations Syndicate curriculum, which provides students with > an International General Certificate of Secondary Education at the > end of grade 12. The University of Cambridge courses currently > offered by the school are English as a second language, French, > mathematics, geography, history, English Literature, agriculture, > biology, chemistry, and physics. Two courses supplement the > Cambridge curriculum: world religions and character development. A key element in the moral training offered by the school is > a community service program. The school has an eleven-member > academic staff drawn from six countries. Scholarships for > deserving students were offered for the first time in 1993. > Impact on local development: > • Information produced. The literacy project has adapted a participatory methodology developed in Colombia. Materials are > being developed and translated into local languages, and one > booklet has been published. Another kind of information is produced by volunteers in the field. For the health project, despite > very little opportunity for follow-up visits (problems of distance > and accessibility), some 75% of trainees are reporting on their > activities. This is evidence of the development of individual > capacity being able to carry out activities out of one's own volition, without someone else needing to push. > • Volunteers trained. Armies of volunteers have been raised up > and trained, many of whom are women. The literacy project has > trained 41 tutors from Care International and DAPP, who are > conducting classes for approximately 20 students each, reaching around 800 learners; and some 40 Baha'i tutors who have > conducted classes, sponsored by local Baha'i communities, for > another 800 people. Baha'is encourage youth to offer a year of > service; from two "youth year of service" training sessions, 50 > youth from Southern Africa have arisen to serve throughout > Zambia and the region. More than 150 volunteer primary Health > Care Workers and 93 volunteer Community Health Educators > (CHEs) have been trained; 78 percent of the CHEs have reported > conducting health education activities in their communities. > • Interaction with beneficiaries. Approximately one half of all trainees > are women-no small achievement-many from the community > > at large. Women have proven effective in the role of Community > Health Educators and Workers, earning the respect of their > community. > • Capacity-building. Health facilities lack personnel; therefore, > NGO-trained community volunteers have proven to be an important resource in both preventive and curative medical care. A > number of CHEs have attached themselves to their local clinics, > some as volunteers, others as paid employees, and they are > reported to work very well. The girls' school opened in January > 1993 with 58 students; in 1994, more than 90 students were > enrolled. > • Relations with development partners. There has been good collaboration with the Zambian Ministries of Health and of Community > Development, who have seconded staff to the Institute. The > training provided at the Institute has been commended by a > number of Ministry of Health, and of Community Development > officials, and recognized by several other NGOs. Ministry people > have said that the "Baha'i" CHEs and Health Instructors are > excellent workers who are extremely conscientious. > • Financial flows. Baha'i development programs tend to have > extremely low overheads as compared to other organizations, > even government. Everyone in the field works voluntarily, and > Institute-based staff work with modest salaries. Because of the > emphasis and value placed on personal integrity, everyone handling money takes care of it, regardless of its source. Institute > programs reach almost every province of Zambia through the > network of Baha'i communities; without this network, the > projects would have to be limited in geographical scope. The > network makes it possible to select and invite trainees, without > high investments of time and money on the part of the Institute. > Letters are mailed to local Baha'i governing councils who > select those who go for training. > Some lessons learned: > • Promoting full participation of women requires patience and persistence. Regular, focused discussions with health educators > and literacy instructors about improving gender equity are > needed because both men and women find that when they > > rwo PROJECTS: CAMEROON & ZAMBIA > > return to the village, very strong and persistent habits hold them > back and push them to adopt traditional roles. > • Training women as health educators raises their status in the community. Having been selected by the community for training, > and then becoming known as a "Community Health Educator,'' > gives many women the confidence and respect to be able to participate in general community events and to begin making > changes in other areas. But it is slow, and not enough women > are empowered in this way. > • Social norms are extremely powerful. We observe that more > progress toward equality is made in the Institute setting than at > home in the village. More needs to be done in the village. Many > women are able to become more confident to speak in public > and participate as equals during the training sessions, and the > men seem willing to practice a more equitable culture in the > Institute setting. One important reason to have people leave the > village for training is that it is possible to create a temporary > new culture at the Institute. > • A service ethic produces superior workers. The willingness of > Baha'is to volunteer and the high quality of Baha'i community > health educators (CHEs) is not surprising, as the training and > the whole of Baha'i community life encourages work and selfless service. > • The interface with donors has been difficult at times. The flow of > money is often irregular, and going through Baha'i institutions > not used to handling grant money is difficult. The Canadian Public Health Association, which is an NGO funded by CIDA to give > grants and assist management of some 30 health/immunization > projects, is doing a reasonable job of this NGO partnership > arrangement. They are holding their annual partners' workshop > on the very topic of partnership. It does pool together a certain > amount of expertise and learning, while retaining the small and > flexible NGO arrangements. > • Consultation with a wide range of people and organizations at all > phases of project development and implementation is essential > There has been a great deal of consultation guiding all the > projects. The notion of human resource development as spiritual > empowerment came out of consultations involving international, > > THE BAHA'f WORLD > > national and local organizations and people from all over Zambia. > The Core Group for that permanent institute consults regularly > with the Foundation's Board of Directors, and the Baha'i national > governing council. Baha'i national conventions, involving > elected delegates from villages all over Zambia, have always > included consultations about the Institute's programs and how > to improve them. > > Notes > 1 The following quotes from the Baha'i writings have profoundly shaped both > projects: "The world of humanity has two wings-one is women and the > other men. Not until both wings are fully developed can the bird fly ... " > ('Abdu'l-Baha, Selections from the Writings of 'Abdu 'l-Bahti, p. 302) and > "As long as women are prevented from attaining their highest possibilities, > so long will men be unable to achieve the greatness which might be theirs." > ('Abdu'l-Baha, Paris Talks, p. 133.) > > 2. The agencies that have supported William Mmutle Masetlha Foundation to > date: the Department of Agriculture in Zambia, Zambian Baha'i National > Teaching Committee, Sweden's International Development Agency (SIDA), > Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA), Canadian Public > Health Association (CPHA), National Spiritual Assembly of the Baha'is of > Canada, CARE, CUSA, Swedish Baha' i Community, Baha'i International > Health Agency (BIHA), Canadian Baha'i International Development Service > (CBIDS), Ettehadieh Foundation, Beit Trust, and the World Community > Foundation. The Ministries of Health and of Community Development in > Zambia have provided staff. > > INFORMATION > REsOURcEs > OBITUARIES > > Abbas Afnan > On 10 May 1996, in the United King- the Afnans went to England in order > dom. Raised in Shiraz, Iran, Abbas for Dr. Afnan to study preventive > Afnan came from an illustrious medicine and public health. At the > Baha'i family: both his father and request of the National Spiritual Asmother were descendants of uncles of sembly of the British Isles they > the Bab. He graduated from the Fac- remained in England as "homefront" > ulty of Medicine at the University of pioneers, moving to Burnley in 1960 > Tehran in 1949, following which he and later to Norfolk. He served as a > pursued postgraduate medical studies member of the National Assembly of > in both Switzerland and France. He the British Isles, and later of the > married Shomais Ala'i in the early United Kingdom, for 12 years. In > 1950s. Dr. Afnan's early services to 1975, the Afnans moved to Canada, > the Baha'i community included settling in Grand Falls, Newfoundassisting the development and invig- land, but returned to England in > oration of the Baha'i community of 1988, and then moved to Ljubljana, > Yazd, which was under pressure in the former Yugoslavia. Eventually, > from fanatical elements. In March Dr. Afnan was invited to lecture on > 1954, Dr. Afnan joined his wife at the Baha'i Faith for the comparative > their pioneer post in Ethiopia, where religion course in the University of > he worked in several hospitals, train- Ljubljana. After some time, a decline > ing medical students in a United in his health necessitated their return > Nations' project in Gondar. In 1958, to England, where he passed away. > > THE BAHA'I WORLD > > Hushang Ahdieh Iran in 1936, living in various towns > On 6 February 1997 in Canada. Born in the provinces until 1952. During > in Ramadan, Iran, into a Baha'i fam- that time he attained a position as the > ily in August 1929, Hushang Ahdieh Director-General of that country's > graduated in 1954 from the dental sugar factories and donated a school > faculty of Tehran University. In 1955, to one of the towns . He spent 1952 > he departed for Asmara, Eritrea, in France, pursuing another diploma, > where he lived for 23 years. He mar- and returned to Iran in 1953, where > ried Nahid Ettehadieh and together he worked as an Advisory Engineer > they raised two children. Dr. Ahdieh for France and bought and installed a > was elected as a member of the Local sugar factory in the south. By 1954 > Spiritual Assembly of Asmara from he was back in France, where in > 1956 through the 1960s, and he also 1958 he was elected to the National > served for many years on the Re- Spiritual Assembly of France at its > gional Spiritual Assembly of North inaugural convention. He married > East Africa. In 1978, the Ahdiehs > Arlette Barbanson that same year. > moved to the Central African Repub- > Mr. 'Ala'i served on that National > lic, where they lived for many years. > Assembly for many years. He was > He was appointed a member of the > the director of the House of Iran in > Auxiliary Board in 1968 and served > Paris from 1966 to 1980 and in 1975 > in that capacity until 1973, when he > he was given the medal of the > was appointed to the Continental > Board of Counsellors in Central and "Legion d'honneur" of Iran. He and > East Africa, and later to the Board of Mrs. 'Ala'i raised one daughter. > Counsellors in Africa, serving as the Sergio Resende Couto > trustee of its funds for over 20 years. On 26 July 1996 in Brazil. Born in > In 1987, he was also appointed by the Aracaju, Sergipe, Brazil, on 8 May > Trustee of I:Iuququ 'llah, Hand of the 1942, Mr. Couto became a Baha'i at > Cause Dr. 'Ali-MuJ:iammad Varqa, to the age of 15. In February 1962, he > be the Deputy of I:Iuququ'llah for and another Baha'i youth took the > Central and East Africa, a duty which Baha' i teachings to the Indian vilhe carried out until 1996. lages in the northeast of Brazil for > Chahabedine 'Ala 'i the first time. He married Ann Brew > in 1970 and they moved to Rio de > On 4 November 1996 in France. > Janeiro, where they participated in > Born in 1911 in Tehran, Iran, Mr. Brazil's first efforts to teach the > 'Ala'i was raised in a Baha' i family. Baha'i Faith to large numbers of > He received his diploma from the people. Mr. Couto served as a mem- > School of Agriculture in Tehran in ber of the Auxiliary Board and in > 1930, and that same year he moved 1975 moved to the Baha'i institute in > to France to continue his studies and Bahia, where he coordinated highly > to promote the development of the successful large-scale efforts to > Baha'i Faith. Mr. 'Ala'i returned to teach others about the Baha'i Faith, > > OBITUARIE S > > while also translating Baha'i litera- a very active career as a painter, > ture into Portuguese and developing mural designer, decorator, and art > new materials to help others gain a teacher. She was the first woman to > deeper knowledge of the Baha'i become a member of the National > teachings. His efforts earned him Spiritual Assembly of the Baha'is of > renown as the "father" of Brazil's Pakistan. After returning to Dentraining institutes. Mr. Couto was a mark, she served on the National > psychotherapist by profession, dedi- Spiritual Assembly and on various > cating his life to helping those committees and started evening > dependent on drugs or with family or courses for adults on comparative > marital problems. He and his wife religion, moving with her family 18 > raised one daughter. times to different places to serve the > Tove Deleuran needs of the Danish Baha'i community. Mrs. Deleuran passed away in > On 16 December 1996, in France. > France, where she and her husband > The only child of Protestant parents, > had eventually moved due to health > Tove Larsen was born and raised in > considerations. > Denmark. She graduated from an > academy of fine arts and began her David M. Earl > career in the film industry as the first On 23 August 1996, in the United > woman in Denmark to do animated States. Born in 1911 in Missouri, in > drawing. Later she worked for a the United States, David Earl spent > fashion designer. In 1944 she mar- his youth in Punjab, India, where his > ried Jean Pierre Louis Deleuran and father was employed. He graduated > together they raised one daughter. from college in the United States and > After the Deleurans became Baha'is, married Joy Hill in 1933. In 1938, he > Mrs. Deleuran started the first Dan- enrolled in the Baha'i Faith and > ish Baha'i children's class. They actively served on Local Assemblies > participated in the formation of the and regional committees. The Earls > first Local Assembly in Denmark in pioneered to Japan in 1952, assisting > 1949. In December 1953 they pio- with some of the early translations of > neered to Majorca in the Belearic Baha' i texts into Japanese. From > Islands and were designated Knights 1958 to 1964 he was a member of > ofBaha'u'llah for their efforts. They the National Spiritual Assembly of > assisted in the formation of the first Northeast Asia. Dr. Earl served on > Local Assembly of Majorca in 1956. the faculties of two universities in > Mrs. Deleuran was among the first Japan while pursuing his doctorate > Auxiliary Board members appointed in Far Eastern Studies, which he > in Europe and traveled all over Spain earned in 1957. From 1963 to 1965 > and Portugal in the path of her ser- the Earls pioneered to Korea where > vice. In 1957 the Deleurans moved Dr. Earl was a member of the > to Dhaka (Bangladesh) in what was National Assembly for a year. > then Pakistan to promote the Baha'i Through his position as head of the > Faith, and Mrs. Deleuran engaged in University of Maryland's program in > > THE BAHA:f WORLD > > Korea, he was able to travel and center for community activity in the > serve in Asia, Europe, and North city. Mrs. George had a special love > America. In 1965, due to Mrs. Earl's for the Indians of Honduras, particuill health, the family returned to larly the Jicaque tribe, and she traveled > Michigan in the United States, indefatigably, often by horse or > where Dr. Earl served on Local mule, to the most remote comers of > Assemblies and was appointed to the country to teach the people the > other committees. Five years after Baha' i Faith. In spite of the fact that > Joy Earl's death in 1972, Dr. Earl her health was permanently impaired > responded to an appeal for pioneers from injuries she received during an > to the Pacific islands and set out for airplane crash while en route to the > Palau, in the Caroline Islands. He International Baba' i Convention in > was elected to the new National 1968, and her family ' s urging that > Spiritual Assembly of the Caroline she live a more comfortable life in > Islands in 1978 and moved to Guam California, Mrs. George returned to > in 1979, where he served on the Honduras in 1969, where she contin- > National Spiritual Assembly of the ued to serve the community to the > Mariana Islands from 1980 until his extent of her strength. In 1986 ill > appointment to the Auxiliary Board health forced her to return to Califorin 1982. In June 1986 Dr. Earl nia, where she passed away. > returned to the United States due to > Elena Hernandez Tartabu > his weakened health. > On 22 July 1996 in Venezuela. Born > Wanita George 17 February 1928, Elena Hernandez > On 22 March 1997 m the United became a Baha'i in 1961, earning > States. Edith Wanita Montgomery distinction as the first Baha'i of her > was born 30 June 1906 in Kansas, native Margarita Island. Her efforts > U.S.A. She married Lynn Craig to share the Baha' i Faith with others > George in 1930. Professionally, she have born the fruit of several Local > earned a master's degree in child Spiritual Assemblies on the Island. > psychology and worked as a school > teacher in Redondo Beach, Califor- Hector Alexander (Lex) Meerburg > nia, for some twenty years. The On 9 July 1996 in the Netherlands. > Georges divorced before she became Lex Meerburg became a Baha'i in > a Baha' i in 1957. In 1959 she left her 1954, two years after his wife, Elly. > teaching job and pioneered to Teg- The Meerburgs were designated > ucigalpa, Honduras, with her daughter Knights of Baha'u'llah for pioneer- > Maralynn, where she worked for ing to Dutch New Guinea (now a > many years at the American school. province of Indonesia), where they > She was a member of the first lived for several years. After their > National Spiritual Assembly of Hon- return to the Netherlands they both > duras, serving on that body for a served as members of the Local > number of years. Together with Spiritual Assembly of Amsterdam > Maralynn, she held weekly Baha'i before settling in Zaanstad. The > meetings in her home, providing a Meerburgs raised one daughter. > > OBITUARIES > > Jeffrey Mondschein services as a translator and served as a > On 8 December 1996 in Israel. Jef- member of the National Spiritual Asfrey Mondschein was born in the sembly of Transkei from 1980 until > United States on 9 February 1952. 1992, when the Transkei area was > He graduated with honors from placed under the jurisdiction of the > Amherst College in 1974 and in National Assembly of South Africa. > 1977 earned his master's degree in Fritz Semle > business administration with distinc- On 2 May 1996 in Switzerland. Born > tion at New York University. In 27 October 1896 in Niirnberg, Ger- > 1982, he married Pamela Mathers. many, Friedrich Semle trained as a > Over the years, Mr. Mondschein pastry chef in his youth, but his life > held various financial management was changed by the outbreak of > positions and also served as a World War I. Though the Semle > Trustee of the Wilmette Housing family was living in Switzerland at > Commission. He was elected to the that time, Mr. Semle was still a Ger- > Local Spiritual Assemblies of West- man citizen and was conscripted into > port, Connecticut, and Wilmette, the German army at the age of 19. > Illinois. Placing his expertise at the His experience of the brutality of > disposal of the Baha'i community, combat and four years as a prisoner > he served as a financial consultant of war convinced him of the need for > for the National Assembly of the universal peace. Around 1920 he > United States from 1987 to 1992, discovered the Baha'i Faith while on > and as the Chief Financial Officer at a visit to Germany and enrolled > the Baha'i World Centre from 1992 almost immediately, becoming upon > until his death. At the time of his his return to Switzerland the first > passing he was also an Alumni Baha'i living in the German-speak- > Admissions Advisor for Amherst ing region of that country. He took a > College and a member of the Union job as the manager of a toy factory > League Club of Chicago, Illinois. and in 1924 married Ella Itin, who > The Mondscheins have two children. also became a Baha'i. By 1943 there > Julia Nodada was a small group of Baha'is in > On 2 September 1996 in South Switzerland. He was elected to the > Africa. Born in Dangwane, Transkei, National Spiritual Assembly of Italy > South Africa, Mrs. Nodada became a and Switzerland upon its formation > Baha'i in the late 1960s. Despite her in 1953 and to that of Switzerland > isolation and the difficulties she faced when it was first elected in 1962. > in learning more about the Baha'i The Semles had two children and > Faith because there were no Baha'is also raised a foster daughter. Mrs. > living near her, she remained stead- Semle passed away in 1967 and Mr. > fast in her belief. Eventually, through Semle married Lotti Habig in 1970. > her efforts, a Local Assembly was Mohamad Shaikhzadeh > formed in Dangwane, after which the On 31 October 1996 in Brazil. Born > Baha'i message was taken to other in Zavareh, Iran, on 23 March 1931, > communities nearby. She rendered Muhammad Shaikhzadeh lost both > > his parents when he was 9 years old, of the United States in 1961, she > and his eldest sister raised him as a served on both institutions until > Baha'i. As a young man he served as 1964, when she resigned from the > a "homefront" pioneer in Abadan, National Spiritual Assembly to conespecially focusing on promoting tinue serving as an Auxiliary Board > Baha'i youth activities. He studied member. Named in 1967 as execuchemical engineering at university tive assistant to Hand of the Cause of > and began working in a petroleum God Dhikru 'llah Khadem, Mrs. > company after his graduation. In Sherrill was appointed a member of > 1960, the Shaikhzadeh family moved the Continental Board of Counselto Brazil as pioneers, settling in the lors for the Americas in 1973, a > state of Sao Paulo, where Mr. position she held until 1985. During > Shaikhzadeh lived for the rest of his the last 10 years of her life she was > life. In 1961 the Shaikhzadehs moved an enthusiastic supporter of the St. > from Sao Caetano do Sul to Santo Louis Dialogue Group of the World's > Andre, where Mr. Shaikhzadeh was Religions and Philosophies. > elected to the first Local Spiritual Richard T. Suhm > Assembly, serving on that institution > On 7 September 1996 in the United > until his death. He also served for > States. Born 17 April 1926 in the > periods of time on the National > United States, Richard Suhm was > Assembly of Brazil and its commitfive years old when his parents > tees. In 1984, with the establishment > accepted the Baha'i Faith; his was > of the Soltanieh Baha'i Educational > one of the first Baha'i families in > Center, Mr. Shaikhzadeh rendered > Milwaukee, Wisconsin. He attended > distinguished services in fostering its > the University of Wisconsin for a > growth, organization, and in coordiyear but was then inducted into the > nating programs. > army, serving as a medical techni- > Velma L. Sherrill cian in the Philippines and in Korea. > On 17 May 1996 in the United He graduated from the University of > States. Born in Wallace County, Wisconsin in 1951 with a degree in > Kansas, in the United States, on 27 economics and finance, after which > June 1911, Velma Sherrill graduated he obtained a job with the Standard > from high school at the age of 15. Register Company. In 1952, Mr. > She moved to Kansas City, Mis- Suhm married Mary Louise Kelsey > souri, where she embraced the and the two moved to Whitefish Bay > Baha'i Faith around 1935. From when they learned that two more > 1953 to 1963 Mrs. Sherrill served as Baha'is were needed there in order > secretary of the National Teaching to form a Local Spiritual Assembly. > Committee. She and her husband, In 1954, the Suhms pioneered to > Lloyd, helped form the first Spiritual Tangier, Morocco, arriving shortly > Assembly in Webster Groves, Mis- before Riqvan with their threesouri, in 1957. Appointed to the month-old son. Mr. and Mrs. Suhm > Auxiliary Board in 1957 and elected thus became Knights of Baha'u'llah > to the National Spiritual Assembly and with seven other pioneers were > > OBITUARIES > > able to form the first Local Spiritual islands and island groups in the > Assembly in the country. After some Pacific, including Fiji, the Mariana > time, Mrs. Suhm contracted polio Islands, Samoa, Tonga, and the > and the family returned to the United Solomon Islands. At the request of > States in 1956, settling in Hacken- Hand of the Cause of God Collis > sack, New Jersey, where they were Featherstone, he relocated to Sydable to form a Local Assembly. ney, Australia, in 1967, but in 1969 > Later they moved to the town of he developed a respiratory illness > Ramapo, New York, where, after and had to return to California. In > many years of patient effort, a Local 1979, Mr. Towers and his wife, > Assembly was formed in that town Florence, moved to the United States > as well. Mr. Suhm moved to Texas Virgin Islands; he served on that > in the 1970s and eventually settled in National Spiritual Assembly for 13 > Dallas. From 1992 to 1996 he served years. They moved back to the contion the Board of Directors of the Dal- nental United States in 1994. > las Chapter of the United Nations Wilhelmina Willems > Association, which created a Baha'i > On 13 May 1996 in Chile. Born in > chair especially for him, although no > Canada on 4 December 1906, Wilother religions were represented. > helmina Hird was still a child when > The Suhms raised three children. > she arrived with her parents in Punta > Marc Towers Arenas, Chile, where she lived for > On 29 April 1996 in the United most of her life. She pursued studies > States. Born 23 January 1927 in in the arts in England as a young > New York, Marc Towers attended woman, married, and bore three chil- > Columbia University in his youth to dren, whom she was left to raise > study writing and acting. In 1955, he alone upon her husband's early > moved to Southern California to pur- death. She became a Baha'i in 1945, > sue his acting career, where he and over the years her home was > enrolled in the Baha'i community in open for Baha'i meetings and was a > August 1958. During his life as a constant center of activity. One of > Baha'i he served on various Local the first Baha'is in Punta Arenas, > Spiritual Assemblies and avidly Mrs. Willems labored unceasingly to > shared the Baha'i message with oth- ensure that the Local Spiritual > ers. In 1962 the Hands of the Cause Assembly in that community never > of God appointed him an Auxiliary lapsed, even though, as a port com- > Board member. He was asked to munity, its residents were often only > travel to Hawaii to assist in the for- living there temporarily. In 1992 she > mation of that National Spiritual moved to Santiago to be with her > Assembly and he eventually moved son, and from 1993 to 1996 she lived > to Honolulu, where he was able to in Guayaquil, Ecuador, to be near > obtain employment at a local radio her grandchildren, but in early 1996 > station. While based in Hawaii, Mr. she returned to Chile where she > Towers made many trips to the other passed away. > > STATISTICS > > General Statistics > > Worldwide Baha'i population More than 5 million > > Countries/dependent territories where 190 countries/ > the Baha'i Faith is established 45 territories > Continental Counsellors 81 > Auxiliary Board members serving > throughout the world > National/Regional Spiritual Assemblies 174 > Local Spiritual Assemblies 15,798 > Localities where Baha'is reside 126,904 > Tribes, races and ethnic groups > 2,112 > represented in the Baha'i community > Languages into which Baha'u'llah's > writings have been translated > Baha'i Publishing Trusts 30 > > Geographic distribution of Local Spiritual Assemblies > by continent > > .Am.ericas 4,050 -~- Europe 998 > :::;._-~---; > > Australasia 952 > > Growth in the number of localities where Baha' is reside > > li 'Jl11)!)!) > > 1nnnnn > > Hnnnn > > 6.llilG(1 > > .1.llllOI) > > ?f)llO I) > > 0 rnmoutrn~~u~ 197(1 > 195.J. 1960 1965 1975 1980 1985 1990 1995 > > STATISTICS > > Growth in the number of National and > Regional Spiritual Assemblies > > 17'1 > > I" > > 1936 1946 1956 1966 1976 1986 ] CJC)() > > Social and Economic Development > Bahii 'i development activities are initiated either by Bahii 'i administrative institutions or by individuals or groups. Together, these activities > contribute to a global process of learning about a Bahii 'i approach to > social and economic development. They presently fall into three general categories. > > Activities of Fixed Duration > Most Baha'i social and economic development efforts are fairly > simple activities of fixed duration in which Baha' is in villages and > towns around the world address the problems and challenges > faced by their localities through the application of spiritual > principles. These activities either originate in the Baha'i communities themselves or are a response to the invitation of other > organizations. It is estimated that in 1996-97 there were some > 1,450 endeavors of this kind, including tree-planting and cleanup projects, health camps, workshops and seminars on such > themes as race unity and the advancement of women, and > short-term training courses. > > THE BAHA'I WORLD > > Sustained Projects > The second category of Baha'i social and economic development consists of approximately 225 ongoing projects. The vast > majority are academic schools, while others focus on areas > such as literacy, basic health care, immunization, substance > abuse, child care, agriculture, the environment, or microenterprise. Some of these projects are administered by nascent > development organizations which have the potential to grow in > complexity and in their range of influence. > > Organizations with Capacity to Undertake Complex Action > Certain Baha'i development efforts have achieved the stature > of development organizations with relatively complex programmatic structures and significant spheres of influence. > They systematically train human resources and manage a number of lines of action to address problems of local communities > and regions in a coordinated, interdisciplinary manner. Also > included in this category are several institutions-especially > large schools-which, although focusing only on one field, > have the potential to make a significant impact. In this category > there are currently 31 such organizations, which are located in > all continents of the globe. > > DIRECTORY > > Association for Baha'i BRAZIL > Studies Caixa Postal No. 11019 > 80.421 Curitiba-Pararni > Brazil > ARGENTINA CAMEROON > Otamendi 215 c/o Mr. Enoch Tanyi > 1405 Buenos Aires, C.F. B.P.4230-Yaounde > Argentina Cameroon > > CHILE > AUSTRALIA > c/o Casilla 3731 > c/o Colin Dibdin, secretary > Santiago 1 > P.O. Box 319 > Chile > Rosebery, NSW 2018 > Australia E-mail: uninet@chilepac.net > E-mail: abs@bahai.org.au > COLOMBIA > BERMUDA c/o Asamblea Espiritual Nacional de > 46 Cut Road los Baha'is de Colombia > "Channel View" Apartado Aereo 51387 > St. George ' s G. E. 04 Santa Fe de Bogota 12 > Bermuda Colombia > E-mail: bahaicol@colombianet.net > > THE BAHA'I W ORLD > > EAST, CENTRAL AND SOUTHERN HAWAII > AFRICA c/o Robert McClelland > c/o C. Rouhani, secretary 1414 Komo Mai Drive > P.O. Box 82549 Pearl City > Mombasa Hawaii 96782-2244 > Kenya U.S. A. > > ECUADOR INDIA > Asamblea Espiritual Nacional C-12, Vidyanagari > de los Baha'is de! Ecuador Mumbai University > P.O. Box 869-A Santacruz (east) > Quito Mumbai - 400 098 > Ecuador India > > ENGLISH-SPEAKING EUROPE ITALY > Roger Kingdon, secretary c/o Assemblea Spirituale Nazionale > c/o 27 Rutland Gate dei Baha'i d'ltalia > London Via della Fontanella 4 > SW7 lPD 1-00187 Rome > England Italy > E-mail: roger.kingdon@aeat.co.uk > JAPAN > FRANCOPHONE EUROPE c/o Tokyo Baha'i Center > c/o Centre Baha' i 7-2-13 Shinjuku > 24 route de Malagnou Shinjuku-ku > CH-1208 Geneva Tokyo 160 > Switzerland Japan > Email: dalai@geneva.bic E-mail: sfotos@gol.com > > GERMANY MALAYSIA > Wirichsbongardstr. 40 c/o The Spiritual Assembly of > D-52062 Aachen the Baha' is of Malaysia > Germany 4 Lorong Titiwangsa 5 > E-mail : mediger@axpgr. Setapak > physik.rwth-aachen.de 53000 Kuala Lumpur > Malaysia > GHANA > c/o The National Spiritual Assembly NEW ZEALAND > of the Baha'is of Ghana c/o The National Spiritual Assembly > P.O. Box 7098 of the Baha'is of New Zealand > Accra-North P.O. Box 21-551 > Ghana Henderson, Auckland > New Zealand > E-mail: b.mclellan@auckland.ac.nz > > DIRECTORY > > NORTH AMERICA WEST AFRICA > 34 Copernicus Street c/o Farhang Tahzib, secretary > Ottawa, Ontario KIN 7K4 P.O. Box 2029 > Canada Marina-Lagos > E-mail: as929@freenet.carleton.ca Nigeria > > PUERTO RICO Association Medicale BaM'ie > c/o Cesar Reyes, secretary c/o Mirabelle Weck > Chemistry Dept., University of 26 rue de Paris > Puerto Rico F-78560 Paris > Mayaguez, Puerto Rico 00708 France > U.S.A. > Bahaa Esperanto-Ligo (BEL) > RUSSIA P.O. Kesto 500133 > Uralskaya St. 6-1-66 D-60391 Frankfurt > Moscow 107207 Germany > Russia E-mail: bahaaeligo@aol.com > E-mail: ackerman@glasnet.ru > Baha'i Association for Arts > SINGAPORE Dintel 20 > c/o Dr. Anjam Khursheed 7333 MC > B, #09-02, Kentbale Apeldoom > 105 Clementin Road Netherlands > Singapore 129789 > Baha'i Computer and > SPAIN Communications Association > c/o Rima Sheeromohamadi-Motlaq c/o OneWorld Enterprises > cl Padilla 312 2 2 203 Bellevue Way N.E. Suite 314 > 08025 Barcelona Bellevue, WA 98004 > Spain U.S.A. > E-mail: du7202@cc.uab.es E-mail: bcca-cc@bcca.org > > TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO Baha'i Health Agency > c/o The National Spiritual Assembly c/o 27 Rutland Gate > of the Baha'is of Trinidad and London > Tobago SW7 lPD > 3 Petra St. United Kingdom > Woodbrook > Trinidad, West Indies Baha'i International Community, > E-mail: hfarabi@carib-link.net Haifa Offices: > • Office of the Secretary-General > VENEZUELA • Office of Public Information > c/o Donald R. Witzel P.O. Box 155 > Apartado 934 31 001 Haifa > Barquisimeto, Edo. Lara Israel > 3001-A E-mail: opi@bwc.org > Venezuela > E-mail: dwitzel@sa.omnes.net > > THE BAHA'I WORLD > > Baha'i International Community, Baha'i Office of the Environment > New York Offices: for Taiwan > •United Nations Office 149-13 Hsin Sheng South Road > • Office for the Advancement of Section 1 > Women Taipei 10626 > •Office of the Environment Taiwan > 866 United Nations Plaza, Suite 120 ROC > New York, NY 10017-1822 E-mail: tranboet@asiaonline.net.tw > U.S.A. > E-Mail: bic-nyc@bic.org European Baha'i Business Forum > c/o George Starcher, secretary > Baha'i International Community, 35 avenue Jean-Jaures > Geneva Office: F-73000 Chambery > •United Nations Office France > Route des Morillons 15 E-mail: GS l 2@calva.net > CH-1218 Grand-Saconnex, Geneva > Switzerland European Baha'i Youth Council > E-Mail: bic@geneva.bic.org 27 Hampstead Hill Gardens > London > Baha'i International Community, NW3 2PJ > Paris Office: United Kingdom > •Office of Public Information E-mail: ebyc@dawn.joensuu.fi > 45 rue Pergolese > F-75116Paris Health for Humanity > France 467 Jackson Street > E-Mail: opiparis@club-intemet.fr Glencoe, IL 60022 > USA > Baha'i International Health E-mail: health@USBNC.org > Agency > P.O. Box 510 Hong Kong Baha'i Professional > Westmount, Quebec H3Z 2T6 Society > Canada C-6, 11th Floor, Hankow Centre > Middle Road, Tsim Sha Tsui > Baha'i Justice Society Kowloon > c/o The National Spiritual Assembly Hong Kong > of the Baha'is of the United States. > 536 Sheridan Road International Association of > Wilmette, IL 60091 Baha'i Publishers and > U.S.A. Distributors > c/o Baha'i Publishing Trust > Baha'i Medical Association of 6 Mount Pleasant > Canada Oakham > 931 Beaufort Ave Leicestershire > Halifax, Nova Scotia LE15 6HU > B3H 3X8 United Kingdom > Canada > E-mail: joanne.langley@dal.ca > > DIRECTORY > > Landegg Academy BRAZIL > CH-9405 Wienacht/AR Editora Baha'i do Brasil > Switzerland Rua Conego Eugenio Leite, 350 > E-mail: info@landegg.org 05414 - Sao Paulo - SP > E-mail: dean@landegg.org Brazil > E-mail: nsabr@bahai.org.br > Mottahedeh Development > Services CAMEROON > 750 Hammond Drive, Bldg. 12, Baha'i Publishing Agency of > Suite 300 Cameroon > Atlanta, Georgia 30328 P.O. Box 2032 > USA Douala > E-mail: mdssed@msn.com Cameroon > E-Mail: bushrui@cyberkoki.net > World Community Foundation > 315 West 70th Street, COTED 'IVOIRE > Suite 9B Maison d'Editions Baha'ies > New York, NY 10023 08 B.P. 879 > USA Abidjan 08 > Cote d'Ivoire > Baha'i Publishing Trusts > FIJI ISLANDS > ARGENTINA Baha'i Publishing Trust > Editorial Baha'i Indolatino- P.O. Box 2007 > americana Government Buildings > Otamendi 215 Suva > 1405 Buenos Aires, C.F. Fiji Islands > Argentina > E-mail: bahaiargentina@ GERMANY > ciudad.com.ar Baha'i-Verlag > Eppsteiner Strasse 89 > AUSTRALIA D-65719 Hofheim > Baha'i Publications Australia Germany > P.O. Box 285 E-mail: nsagermany@aol.com > Mona Vale NSW 2103 > Australia HONGKONG > E-mail: bahaipub l @peg.apc.org Baha'i Publishing Trust > C-6, 11th Floor, Hankow Centre > BELGIUM Middle Road, Tsimshatsui > Maison d'Editions Baha'ies Kowloon > 205 rue du Trone Hong Kong > B-1050 Brussels E-mail: bahaihk@asiaonline.net > Belgium > E-Mail : centre.bahai@skynet.be > > INDIA NETHERLANDS > Baha'i Publishing Trust Stichting Baha'i Literatuur > P.O. Box 19 Riouwstraat 27 > New Delhi 110 001 2585 GR The Hague > India Netherlands > E-mail: nsaindia@ E-mail: nsaneth@tref.nl > giasdlO l.vsnl.net.in > NIGERIA > ITALY Baha'i Publishing Trust > Casa Editrice Baha' i P.O. Box 2029 > Via Filippo Turati, 9 Marina-Lagos > 1-00040 Ariccia (Rome) Nigeria > Italy E-mail: FMottahed@aol.com > E-Mail: ceb.italia@pcg.it > NORWAY > JAPAN Baha'i Forlag > Baha' i Publishing Trust Drammensveien 110 A > 7-2-13 Shinjuku N-0273 Oslo > Shinjuku-ku Norway > Tokyo 160 E-mail: nsanor@bahai.no > Japan > E-mail: PXQ01044@ PAKISTAN* > niftyserve.or.jp > PHILIPPINES > KENYA Baha' i Publishing Trust > Baha'i Publishing Agency P.O. Box 4323 > P.O. Box 47562 1099 Manila > Nairobi Philippines > Kenya E-mail: nsaphil@misa.irf.ph.net > E-mail: wbahai@users.AfricaOn- > POLAND > line.co.ke > Baha'i Publishing Trust > KOREA ul. Nowogrodzka 18A/4 > Baha' i Publishing Trust P0-00-511 Warsaw > C.P.O. Box 991 Poland > Seoul 100-609 E-mail: bahainsa@medianet.com.pl > Korea > PORTUGAL > E-mail: nsakorea@nuri .net > Editora Baha'i de Portugal > LEBANON* Avenida Ventura Terra, No. 1 > 1600 Lisbon > MALA YSIA* Portugal > E-mail: aenbahaipo@mail. telepac. pt > > * Address communications to Baha'i World Centre, P.O. Box 155, 31 001 > Haifa, Israel. > > DIRECTORY > > ROMANIA TAIWAN > Casa de Editura si Tipografia Baha'i Publishing Trust > Baha'i Ta Hsueh Road, Lane 18, No. 26 > C.P. 124 O.P. 1 Tainan, 701 > 3400 Cluj-Napoca Taiwan R.O.C. > Romania E-mail: bahaiptt@pristine.com.tw > E-mail: bahai@mail.soroscj.ro > UGANDA > RUSSIAN FEDERATION Baha'i Publishing Trust > Unity Baha'i Publishing Trust P.O. Box 2662 > Bolshaya Morskaya Str. 53-17 Kampala > St. Petersburg Uganda > Russia E-mail: bahai@starcom.co.ug > E-mail: unity@glas.apc.org E-mail : olinga@starcom.co.ug > > SPAIN UNITED KINGDOM > Editorial Baha'i de Espana Baha'i Publishing Trust > Bonaventura Castellet 17 6 Mount Pleasant > ES-08222 Terrassa Oakham > Spain Leicestershire > E-mail: edibahai@arrakis.es LEIS 6HU > United Kingdom > SWEDEN E-mail: sales@bahaibooks.co.uk > Baha'i FOrlaget AB > Box 468 UNITED STATES > S-194 04 Upplands Vasby Baha'i Publishing Trust > Sweden 415 Linden Avenue > Wilmette, IL 60091 > U.S. A. > E-mail: bpt@usbnc.org > > Selected NEW > PUBLICATIONS > > Baha'u'llah's Teachings on Spiritual Reality > Compiled by Paul Lample. Florida, U.S.A: Palabra Publications, 1996. 256 pp. > Second in a planned series of books for those investigating the Baha'i Faith, this > volume explores Baha'u ' llah's teachings on topics such as the quest for spirituality, the spiritual life, material and spiritual reality, the progress of the soul in this > world and the next, and humanity's spiritual education. > > A Basic Baha'i Chronology > Glenn Cameron with Wendi Momen. Oxford: George Ronald Publisher, 1996. > 560 pp. > A companion volume to A Basic Baha 'i Dictionary, this comprehensive guide to > Baha ' i history is helpful for use in classes to study the Baha'i Faith, talks for summer school, media interviews, or simply to satisfy individual curiosity. Thousands > of facts about the Babi and Baha ' i Faiths are presented and are illustrated with over > 300 photographs. > > Crystallizations: 20 Works by Baha'i Artists > Edited by Ross Woodman. Ottawa: Association for Baha'i Studies, 1996. 301 pp. > Twenty works by Baha'i artists- including poems, short stories, calligraphy, and > paintings-are presented in a volume published under the auspices of the Association for Baha'i Studies. > > THE BAHA'I WORLD > > The Eco Principle---Ecology and Economics in Symbiosis > Arthur Lyon Dahl. Oxford: George Ronald Publisher, 1996. 192 pp. > The teachings of Baha' u'llah and scientific thought are brought together to produce an analysis of the world situation . > > Healing Racism in America: A Prescription for the Disease > Nathan Rutstein. U.S.A.: Whitcomb Publishing, 1997. 184 pp. > The author focuses on the pathology of the disease of racism and how it has > plagued Americans since the founding of their nation-infecting or affecting most > Americans along the way. Rutstein introduces the Institutes for the Healing of > Racism and tells how this grassroots movement is spreading throughout the United > States. > > He Cometh With Clouds-A Baha'i View of Christ's Return > Gary L. Matthews. Oxford: George Ronald Publisher, 1996. 416 pp. > Gary L. Matthews investigates the Bible's teachings about the Second Coming of > Christ and explores the relationship between Christ and Baha' u'llah . > > Messages from the Universal House of Justice 1963-1986: The Third > Epoch of the Formative Age > Compiled by Geoffrey W. Marks. Wilmette: Baha'i Publishing Trust, 1996. 815 pp. > Composed of major communications from the Universal House of Justice covering the third epoch of the Formative Age of the Baha' i Faith. > > The Ocean of His Words: A Reader's Guide to the Art ofBaha'u'llah > John Hatcher. Wilmette: Baha'i Publishing Trust, 1997. 388 pp. > John Hatcher presents a literary interpretation of the Writings of Baha' u ' llah. > > The Origins of the Baha'i Community of Canada, 1898-1948 > Will C. van den Hoonaard. Waterloo, Ontario : Wilfrid Laurier University > Press, 1996. 384 pp. > Using diaries, memoirs, official reports, private correspondence, newspapers, > archives and interviews, Will C. van den Hoonaard has created the first historical > account of the Baha' is in Canada. > > Le Plus Saint Livre > Baha'u'llah. Bruxelles: Maison d'Editions Baha'ies, 1996. 328 pp. > The Kitab-i-Aqdas, the Most Holy Book, is Baha' u' llah's charter for a new world > civilization. Written in Arabic in 1873, this is the volume ' s first authorized French > translation . > > Poems of the Passing > Rui)iyyih Rabbani . Oxford: George Ronald Publisher, 1996. 136 pp. > The sudden passing in 1957 of Shoghi Effendi, the Guardian of the Baha'i Faith, > occasioned this poetic expression of grief by his widow, Amatu ' 1-Baha Ru~iyyih > Khanum, which is now published for the first time. > > NEW P UBLICATIO NS > > A Short Introduction to the Baha'i Faith > Moojan Momen. Oxford: Oneworld, 1997. 150 pp. > This introduction covers subjects ranging from teachings on the spiritual development of the individual to the Baha'i belief in the oneness of all religions and the > need for world peace. Chapters explore Baha' i teachings on the individual, family > and society, laws, and spiritual issues, as well as history, organization, and community life. > > The Twin Manifestations > The Ruhi Institute. Riviera Beach, Florida: Palabra Publications, 1996. 128 pp. > Fourth in the series of Ruhi books, this one presents the basic history of the Faith > and prepares teachers to present it to others. Includes the courses "The Greatness of > this Day", "The Life of the Bab", and "The Life ofBaha'u ' llah". > > Understanding Biblical Prophecy (Vol. 3 of the "Preparing for a Baha'i/Christian > Dialogue" series) > Michael Sours. Oxford: Oneworld, 1997. 242 pp. > The final volume of a three-volume study program designed to help Baha' is familiarize themselves with the Bible and Christian beliefs. > > Unveiling the Hidden Words (Baha'i Studies Volume II) > Diana Malouf. Oxford: George Ronald Publisher, 1997. 230 pp. > This book is a study of Shoghi Effendi 's translation of the Arabic verses of the > Hidden Words. Shoghi Effendi, designated the ' interpreter' of the Baha'i teachings, > was uniquely placed to render the words of Baha' u' llah , his Great-Grandfather, > into English of outstanding beauty and charm. > > William Henry Randall > Bahiyyih Randall-Winckler/ M. R. Garis. Oxford: Oneworld, 1996. 276 pp. > Drawing on the previously unpublished dail y diaries of two early pilgrimages > (1 9 19 and 1922), this book provides unique glimpses into the life of' Abdu ' l-Baha > and His family. It also offers an intimate portrait of the history of the Faith in > America and the challenges that faced the early Western Baha' is. > > Women: Peacemakers, Reformers, Leaders > Wilma Ellis. Mona Vale, N.S.W.: Baha'i Publications Australia, 1997. 14 pp. > The emancipation of women is changing the social, economic, and moral structures of the nations of the world. In this essay Wilma Ellis points to a "revolution" > in values taking place around the world and explores some of the issues associated > with these changes. > > A Basic BAHA' f > READING List > > The following list has been prepared to provide a sampling of works > conveying the spiritual truths, social principles, and history of the Baha'i > Faith. It is by no means exhaustive. For a more complete record of Baha'i > literature, see Bibliography of English-language Works on the Babi a nd > Baha'i Faiths, 1844-1985, compiled by William P. Collins (Oxford: > George Ronald, 1990). > > SELECTED WRITINGS OF BAHA'U'LL4H > > The K.itab-i-Aqdas > The Most Holy Book, Baha'u' llah 's charter for a new world civilization. Written > in Arabic in 1873, the volume's first authorized English translation was released > in 1993. > > The Kitab-i-iqan > The Book of Certitude was written prior to Baha'u'llah's declaration of His > mission as an explanation of progressive revelation and a proof of the station of > the Bab. > > The Hidden Words ofBahli'u'llah > Written in the form of a compilation of moral aphorisms, these brief verses > distill the spiritual guidance of all the Divine Revelations of the past. > > Tablets of Bahli'u'llah revealed after the Kitab-i-Aqdas > A compilation of tablets revealed between 1873 and 1892 which enunciate > important principles of Baha'u'llah's Revelation, reaffirm truths He previously > proclaimed, elaborate on some of His laws, reveal further prophecies, and > establish subsidiary ordinances to supplement the provisions of the Kitab-i- > Aqdas. > > Gleanings from the Writings ofBahli'u'llah > A selection of Baha'u'llah's sacred writings translated and compiled by the > Guardian of the Baha'i Faith to convey the spirit of Baha'u'llah's life and > teachings. > > WRITINGS OF THE BAB > > Selections from the Writings of the Bab > The first compilation of the Bab's writings to be translated into English. > > SELECTED WRITINGS OF 'ABDU'L-BAHA > > Paris Talks: Addresses given by' Abdu'l-Baha in Paris in 1911-1912 > Addresses given by ' Abdu'l-Baha to a wide variety of audiences in Paris in > 1911 - 1912, explaining the basic principles of the Baha'i Faith. > > The Secret of Divine Civilization > A message addressed to the rulers and people of Persia in 1875 illuminating the > causes of the fall and rise of civilization and elucidating the spiritual character > of true civilization. > > Selections from the Writings of'Abdu'l-Bahli > A compilation of selected letters from 'Abdu'l-Baha 's extensive correspondence > on a wide variety of topics, including the purpose of life, the nature of love, and > the development of character. > > Some Answered Questions > A translation of 'Abdu' l-Baha's answers to a series of questions posed to Him > during interviews with Laura Clifford Barney between 1904 and 1906. The > topics covered include the influence of the Prophets in the evolution of > humanity, the Baha' i perspective on Christian doctrine, and the powers and > conditions of the Manifestations of God. > > BAHA'I READING UST > > SELECTED WRITINGS OF SHOGHI EFFENDI > > God Passes By > A detailed history of the first one hundred years of the Baha'i Faith. > > The Promised Day Is Come > A commentary on Baha'u'llah's letters to the kings and rulers of the world. > > The World Order ofBah:i'u'll:ih: Selected Letters > An exposition on the relation between the Baha'i community and the entire > process of social evolution under the dispensation of Baha ' u' llah, in the form of > a series of letters from the Guardian of the Baha'i Faith to the Baha'is of the > West between 1929 and 1936. > > INTRODUCTORY WORKS > > Bah:i'u'll:ih > Baha ' i International Community, Office of Public Information, 1991. > A brief statement detailing Baha'u'llah's life and work issued on the occasion of > the centenary of His passing. > > Bah:i'u'll:ih and the New Era > John Esslemont. 5th rev. paper ed. Wilmette: Baha'i Publishing Trust, > 1990. > The first comprehensive account of the Baha'i Faith, written in 1923 and > updated for subsequent editions. > > The Baha'i Faith: The Emerging Global Religion > William S. Hatcher and J. Douglas Martin. San Francisco: Harper & Row, > Publishers, 1985. > Textbook providing an overview of Baha'i history, teachings, administrative > structures, and community life. > > All Things Made New > John Ferraby. 2d rev. ed. London: Baha'i Publishing Trust, 1987. > A comprehensive outline of the Baha'i Faith. > > Most of the books listed above have been published by various Baha'i > Publishing Trusts and are available in bookshops, libraries, or from > the Trusts. Please see the Directory for addresses. > > GLOSSARY > > 'Abdu'l-Baha: (1844-1921) Son of Baha ' u ' llah, designated His > successor and authorized interpreter of His writings. Named 'Abbas > after His grandfather, 'Abdu'l-Baha was known to the general public as ' Abbas Effendi. Baha'u ' llah gave Him such titles as "the > Most Great Branch," "the Mystery of God," and "the Master." After > Baha'u' llah' s passing, He chose the name 'Abdu 'l-Baha, meaning > "Servant of Baha'u' llah." > > Administrative Order: The system of administration as conceived by > Baha ' u' llah, formally established by 'Abdu ' l-Baha, and realized > during the Guardianship of Shoghi Effendi. It consists, on the one > hand, of a series of elected councils, universal, national and local, in > which are invested legislative, executive, and judicial powers over > the Baha'i community, and, on the other hand, of eminent and > devoted Baha'is appointed for the specific purpose of propagation > and protection of the Faith under the guidance of the Head of that > Faith, the Universal House of Justice. > > Amatu'l-Baha RU.I!iyyih Khanum: Mary Sutherland Maxwell, an > eminent North American Baha' i who became the wife of Shoghi > > THE BAlLA..'f WORLD > > Effendi Rabbani, Guardian of the Baha ' i Faith, in 1937, after which > she became known as Ru~iyyih Khanum Rabbani. (Amatu ' l-Baha > is a title meaning "Handmaiden of Baha'u' llah.") She served as the > Guardian ' s secretary during his lifetime and was appointed a Hand > of the Cause of God in 1952. She is the most prominent dignitary of > the Baha'i community. > > Arc: An arc cut into Mount Carmel in Haifa, Israel; along this pathway the international administrative buildings of the Baha 'i Faith > are being built. > > Auxiliary Boards: An institution created by Shoghi Effendi in 1954 to > assist the Hands of the Cause of God. When the institution of the > Continental Boards of Counsellors was established in 1968 by the > Universal House of Justice, the Auxiliary Boards were placed > under its direction. > > Bab, the: The title, meaning "Gate,'' assumed by Siyyid 'Ali-Mu~am­ > mad, the Prophet-Founder of the Babi Faith and the Forerunner of > Baha 'u'llah. Born 20 October 1819, the Bab proclaimed Himself to > be the Promised One of Islam and announced that His mission was > to alert the people to the imminent advent of "Him Whom God > shall make manifest," namely, Baha ' u ' llah. Because of these > claims, the Bab was executed by order ofNa~iri ' d-Din Shah on 9 > July 1850. > > Baha'i Era: The period of the Baha ' i calendar beginning with the > Declaration of the Bab on 23 May 1844, and expected to last until > the next appearance of a Manifestation (Prophet) of God after the > expiration of at least one thousand years. > > Baha'i International Community: A name used generally in reference > to the worldwide Baha 'i community and officially in that community' s external relations. In the latter context, the Baha'i International > Community is an association of the National Spiritual Assemblies > throughout the world and functions as an international nongovernmental organization. Its offices include its Secretariat at the Baha'i > World Centre, a United Nations Office in New York with a branch > in Geneva, an Office of Public Information, an Office of the Environment, and an Office for the Advancement of Women. > > GLOSSARY > > Baha'i World Centre: The spiritual and administrative center of the > Baha'i Faith, located in the twin cities of Acre and Haifa, in Israel. > > Baha'u'llah: Title assumed by Mirza I:Iusayn-'Ali, Founder of the > Baha'i Faith. Born on 12 November 1817, He declared His mission > as the Promised One of all Ages in April 1863 and passed away in > Acre, Palestine, on 29 May 1892 after 40 years of imprisonment, > banishment, and house arrest. Baha'u'llah's writings are considered > by Baha'is to be direct revelation from God. > > Consultation: A form of discussion between individuals and within > groups which requires the subjugation of egotism so that all ideas > can be shared and evaluated with frankness, courtesy, and openness > of mind, and decisions arrived at can be wholeheartedly supported. > Its guiding principles were elaborated by 'Abdu 'I-Baba. > > Continental Boards of Counsellors: An institution created in 1968 by > the Universal House of Justice to extend into the future the work of > the institution of the Hands of the Cause of God, particularly its > appointed functions of protection and propagation. With the passing > of Shoghi Effendi, the Guardian of the Baha'i Faith, there was no > way for additional Hands of the Cause to be appointed. The duties > of the Counsellors include directing the Auxiliary Boards in their > respective areas, advising and collaborating with National Spiritual > Assemblies, and keeping the Universal House of Justice informed > concerning the conditions of the Faith in their areas. Counsellors > are appointed for terms of five years. > > Convention: A gathering called at a regional, national, or international level for consultation on matters affecting the welfare of the > Baha'i community and for the purpose, respectively, of electing > delegates to a National Convention, electing the members of a National Spiritual Assembly, or electing the members of the Universal > House of Justice. > > German Templer Colony: Group of houses with red-tiled roofs at the > foot of Mount Carmel that once housed members of the Society of > the Temple, founded in Germany in the mid-l 800s. Templers foregathered in Haifa in 1863 to await the second coming of Christ. > > THE BAHA'I WORLD > > Hands of the Cause of God: Individuals appointed first by Baha 'u 'llah, > and others named later by Shoghi Effendi, who were charged with > the specific duties of protecting and propagating the Faith. With the > passing of Shoghi Effendi there is no further possibility for appointing Hands of the Cause; hence, in order to extend into the future the > important functions of propagation and protection, the Universal > House of Justice in 1968 created Continental Boards of Counsellors > and in 1973 established the International Teaching Centre which > coordinates their work. > > Holy Days: Eleven days commemorating significant Baha'i anniversaries, on nine of which work is suspended. > > I;Iuququ'llah: Arabic for "the Right of God." As instituted in the > Kitab-i-Aqdas, payment to "the Authority in the Cause to whom all > must turn" (at present, the Universal House of Justice) of 19 percent > of what remains to one's personal income after one 's essential > expenses have been covered. Funds generated by the payment of > I:Iuququ ' llah are used for the promotion of the Faith and for the > welfare of society. > > International Teaching Centre: An institution established in 1973 by > the Universal House of Justice to bring to fruition the work of the > Hands of the Cause of God in the Holy Land and to provide for its > extension into the future. The duties of the International Teaching > Centre include coordinating, stimulating, and directing the activities of the Continental Boards of Counsellors and acting as liaison > between them and the Universal House of Justice. The membership > of the Teaching Centre comprises all the surviving Hands of the > Cause and also nine Counsellors appointed by the Universal House > of Justice. The seat of the International Teaching Centre is located > at the Baha' i World Centre in Haifa, Israel. > > Knight of Baha'u'llah: Title initially given by Shoghi Effendi to > those Baha' is who arose to open new territories to the Faith during > the first year of the Ten Year Crusade (1953-1963) and subsequently applied to those who first reached those remaining unopened > territories at a later date. > > Lesser Peace: A political peace to be established by the nations of the > > GLOSSARY > > world in order to bring about an end to war. Its establishment will > prepare the way for the Most Great Peace, a condition of permanent > peace and world unity to be founded on the spiritual principles and > institutions of the World Order of Baha ' u ' llah and signalizing > humanity' s coming of age. > > Local Spiritual Assembly: The local administrative body in the > Baha'i Faith, ordained in the Kitab-i-Aqdas. The nine members are > directly elected by secret ballot each year at Ri<;lvan from among the > adult believers in a community. > > Monument Gardens: Beautifully landscaped gardens at the heart of > the Arc on Mount Carmel where befitting monuments have been > erected over the graves of the daughter, wife, and youngest son of > Baha'u'llah, and also the wife of 'Abdu'l-Baha. > > Mount Carmel: The mountain spoken of by Isaiah as the "mountain > of the Lord. " Site of the Baha ' i World Centre including several > Baha'i holy places, the most important of which are the Shrine of > the Bab and the Monument Gardens. > > National Spiritual Assembly: The national administrative body in the > Baha 'i Faith, ordained in the Baha'i sacred writings, with authority > over all activities and affairs of the Baha'i Faith throughout its area. > Among its duties are to stimulate, unify, and coordinate the manifold > activities of Local Spiritual Assemblies and of individual Baha'is > within its jurisdiction. The members of National Spiritual Assemblies > throughout the world constitute the electoral college for the Universal House of Justice. At Ri<;tvan 1996, there were 174 National or > Regional Spiritual Assemblies. See also Regional Spiritual Assembly. > > Nineteen Day Feast: The principal gathering in each local Baha'i > community, every Baha'i month, for the threefold purpose of worship, consultation, and fellowship . > > Pioneer: Any Baha' i who arises and leaves his or her home to journey > to another country for the purpose of teaching the Baha'i Faith. > "Homefront pioneer" is used to describe those who move to areas > within their own country that have yet to be exposed to the Baha'i > Faith or where the Baha'i community needs strengthening. > > THE BAHA.'f WORLD > > Regional Spiritual Assembly: An institution identical in function to > the National Spiritual Assembly but including a number of countries > or regions in its jurisdiction, often established as a precursor to the > formation of a National Spiritual Assembly in each of the countries > it encompasses. > > Ric.Ivan: Arabic for "Paradise." The twelve-day festival (from 21 April > through 2 May) commemorating Baha'u'llah ' s declaration of His > mission to His companions in 1863 in the Garden of Ric.Ivan in > Baghdad. > > Shoghi Effendi Rabbani: (1897-1957) The Guardian of the Baha'i > Faith after the passing of 'Abdu'l-Baha in 1921 , designated in His > Will and Testament as His successor in interpreting the Baba 'i > writings and as Head of the Faith. > > Shrine of Baha'u'llah: The resting place of Baha'u'llah's mortal > remains, located near the city of Acre, Israel. The Shrine is the holiest spot on earth to Baha'is and a place of pilgrimage. > > Shrine of the Bab: The resting place of the Bab's mortal remains, located on Mount Carmel in Haifa, Israel, a sacred site to Baha'is, and a > place of pilgrimage. > > Tablet: Divinely revealed scripture . In Baha'i scripture, the term is > used to denote writings revealed by Baha ' u' llah, the Bab, and > 'Abdu'l-Baha. > > Universal House of Justice: Head of the Baha ' i Faith after the passing of Shoghi Effendi, supreme administrative body ordained by > Baha'u ' llah in the Kitab-i-Aqdas, His Book of Laws. The Universal House of Justice is elected every five years by the members of > the National Spiritual Assemblies who gather at an International > Convention. The House of Justice was elected for the first time in > 1963 and occupied its permanent Seat on Mount Carmel in 1983. > > Adapted from A Basic Baha 'i Dictionary, Wendi Momen, ed. > (Oxford: George Ronald, 1989). > > I NDEX > > A Baha'i Esperanto League 87, 88, 319 > aZock, Tiati 130, 131 Baha' i Faith > 'Abdu'l-Baha 6, 27, 37, 61 , 113, 118- 119, administrative order of 8- 9 > 120, 123, 146, 15 7, 164, 166, aims of 11 - 15 > 194, 212, 227- 229, 246, 247, hi story of 4-9 > 260, 262,264,266, 268 spiritual and moral teachings 9- 11 > Will and Testament of 165, 179, 180 principles of 195 > writings of22- 25, 34, 168, 302, 330 Baha'i Frauen Forum (Baha'i Women's Fo- > Abzug, Bella 129 rum) 74 > Adamson, Hugh 144 Baha' i Health Agency 319 > Advocates for African Food Security 129 Baha'i Institute for the Built Environment > Afnan, Abbas 305 141 > Africa 33 , 35, 58, 7 1, 102, 103, 284, 293 Baha'i International Community 2, 4, 12- > Ahdieh, Hushang 306 13 , 74, 99, 125- 136, 138- 140, > 'Ala'i, Chahabedine 306 141, 142, 145, 154, 157, 158, > Alaska 67, 71 , 86, 107 159, 219, 286, 293 , 294 > Albania 15, 71, 82, 83, 106 Geneva Office 320 > A ma tu '1-Baha Ru~iyyih Khan um 1, 29, 36, Office for the Advancement of Wom- > 47- 54, 56, 63, 85 , 177, 178 en 12, 29, 126, 131 , 320 > Amnesty International 152 Office of Public Information 88, 126, > Andaman and Nicobar Islands I 0 I, I 08 127, 134-136, 144, 145, > Angola 3, 29, 68, I 03 157, 3 19,320 > Argentina 68, 113, 317, 321 Office of the Environment 12, 126, > Armenia 15, 100, 108 128, 129, 320 > Armstrong, Leonora Holsapple 47, 49, 50, Office of the Secretary-General 319 > 54 offices and representations in 126 > arts31,33,49, 54,56, 66, 103, lll - 113 United Nations Office 12, 126- 134, > Association baha'ie de I' Architecture et de 145, 320 > l ' Urbanisme 139 Bahit 'i International Health Agency 302, > Association for Baha'i Studies 109- 110 320 > directory of 317- 319 Baha'i Justice Society 320 > Association for Women in Development Baha'i Medical Association of Canada 320 > (AWID) 71, 131 Baha'i Office of the Environment for Tai- > Association medicale baha' ie 319 wan 320 > Australasia 34 Baha'i Peace Relay 78 > Australia 64, 71 , 72, 73, 75, 95, 131 , 153, Baha'i Publishing Trusts, directory of321 - > 317, 321 323 > Austria 66, 108, 111, 126, 130, 132, 133 Baha'i World Centre 4, 7, 31 , 41 , 61 , 126, > Azerbaijan 15, I 01, 108 184 > Office of Social and Economic Devel- > B > opment 236 > Bab, the 4, 7, 61 , 15 7, 164, 330 > Baha'i World Centre, visitors to 134 > Shrineofll9, 121, 122, 123 > Baha 'i WorldWebsite 134, 15 7- 160 > writings of 34 > Baha'u' llah 5- 14, 27, 34, 35, 61, 88 , 111 , > Badi Foundation 240 > 123, 138, 146, 15 7, 164, 166, > Baha ' i Agency for Social and Economic > 178, 209, 210, 212, 216, 218, > Development (BASED) 71 > 219, 245 , 258, 259, 260, 262, > Baha' i Association for Arts 319 > 264, 265 , 266, 268, 269, 272, > Baha'i Computer and Communications As- > 277, 281,285 > sociation 319 > Revelation of 190 > Baha'i Conference on Law and Internationteachings of 188 > al Order 85 > > World Order of 54, 167, 171 , 177, Chad 58, 67, 108 > 187, 193- 194, 196 Chair for Baha'i Studies, Indore 93 > writings of 19- 22, 31 , 329- 330 Chaovalit Yong Chaiyut, Prime Minister of > Bahamas 58, l 03 Thailand 99 > Baltic States 15, 79 children 30, 60, 82, 93, 94, 105, 107, 111, > Bangkok Declaration 253 112, 141,257, 284,286 > Bangladesh 82, 84, 89, 97, 99, I 05, I 08 education of 33 > Barbados 69, 111 exploitation of 132, 133 > Belarus 15, 43 , 57, 58, 243 rights of84, 287- 291 > Belgium 61 , 69, 71 , 95, 100, 321 Chile 87, 317 > Belize 68, I 07 China91,95, 158, 199, 231,240 > Benin 108 Christ, return of 123 > Bergen Music Festival 111 Christopher, Warren, United States Secre- > Berlin, Isaiah 193 tary of State 98 > Bermuda 99, I 00, 317 Clinton, Bill, President of the United States > Bertha Dobbins Day 96 96,97,98 > Black Men's Gathering 58, I 02 Clinton, Hillary Rodham , First Lady of the > Bolivia 59, l 06, I 08, 233- 236, 295 United States 97, 98 > Botswana 61 , 68, 72, 80, l 03 , 108 Club ofBudapest 52, 85 > Boyles, Ann 197 Colombia 3, 48, I 06, 136, 299, 317 > Brazil I, 36, 44, 47- 54, 56, 64, 79, 84, 100, Commission on Global Governance 66, 85 > 106, 128, 129, 135, 136, 139, community I, 30, 33, 56- 61 , 105, 197- 219 > 317,321 development of 275- 281 > Federal Chamber of Deputies 36, 48, community life, Baha'i 11 > 49- 51,56 conflict resolution 141 > Buddhism 35 Congo 109 > Bulgaria 42, 60, 63 , 68, 88 consultation 280 > Burkina-Faso 90, I 01 Continental Board of Counsellors 42, 44 > Burundi 3 I, 67 Convention on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women 97 > c > Calderon Sol , Armando, President of El Convention on the Rights of the Child, > statement on 287- 291 > Salvador 64 > Cambodia 15, 29, 67, 108, 129, 236 Cook Islands 88 > Cameroon3, 57,58,67, 71 , 74,82,95, IOI , Costa Rica 58, 85, I 06, 133 > 130, 294--297, 317,321 C6ted'Ivoire67, 101 , 107,321 > Canada 3, 33, 58, 67, 70, 71, 76, 88, I 03, Couto, Sergio Resende 306 > Covenant ofBaha'u ' llah 157, 269 > 109, 112, 118, 122, 124, 139, > Croatia 15, 71 > 261,302,319,320 > Canadian Baha'i International Develop- Cyprus 3, 63, 84, 89 > ment Service (CBIDS) 302 Czech Republic 15, 85, 87, 91 > Canary Islands 69, 72, 77, 109 D > Cape Verde 44 Deleuran, Tove 307 > Cardoso, Fernando Henrique, President of Demirel , Suleyman, President of the Turk- > Brazil 51, 84 ish Republic 138 > Caribbean region 34, 35, 58, 69, 131 Denmark 71, 84, 132, 139, 158 > Carl XVI Gustaf, King of Sweden 96 development. See social and economic de- > Center for International Development and velopment > Conflict Management, Universi- Dialogue and Universalism 109 > ty of Maryland 85 directory of Baha'i agencies 317- 323 > Central African Republic 57, 78, 96, 236 Ojala! Eghrari Rural Institute of the Ama- > Centre for the Study of the Texts 114 zon 53 > > Djalili, Omid 136 G > Dominican Republic, the 106 Gabon 44, I 03 > Dubai 134 Gambia, the 74, I 0 I > George, Wanita 308 > E Georgia 15, 104, 107, 108 > Earl , David M. 307 German Templer Colony 123 > Earth Charter 128 Germany 70, 71, 74, 86, 111, 132, 139, 151 , > Eastern Caroline Islands 99 318 , 319, 321 > Ecole Instrument de Paix (EIP) 86 Ghana 132, 318 > Ecuador48, 70, 129, 318 global civilization 215 , 216 > education 29, 30, 50, 54, 66, 72, 89, 148, global governance 51 , 64, 85, 135, 141 , 264 > 279, 285,288 glossary of Baha'i terms 333- 338 > schools, Baha'i academic 91 Gorbachev, Mikhai l 129 > Egypt35 Gore, Al , Vice-President of the United > Eidelkhani, Jabbar 89 States 85 > El Salvador 64, 81 governance, participatory 279 > Ellis, Wilma 73, 96, 98 Greece 68 , 89, 95 > Encyclopedia Britannica 4 Green Light Expedition 49, 52- 53 > environment 35, 49, 51, 81 - 82, 112, 128- Greenland 36, I 08, 158 > 129, 133, 134, 219 GROOTS 141 > See also Baha'i International Commu- Guardian of the Baha'i Faith. See Shoghi > nity, Office of the Environment Effendi > Equatorial Guinea 58 , 60, 132 Guardianship 8 > Eritrea 15, 107 Guinea 101, 103 > Estonia 79, I 0 I Guinea-Bissau 44, 95 > Ethiopia 95, 106, 126 Guyana 64, 68, 83 , 90, 236--239 > Ettehadieh Foundation 302 > Europe 34, 36, 37, 284 H > European Baha'i Business Forum 72, 88 , Haiti 106 > 139, 141 , 142, 320 Hands of the Cause of God 9 > European Baha' i Family Task Force 141 Harald V, King of Norway 111 > European Baha'i Task Force for Women 135 Havel , Vaclav, President of the Czech Re- > European Baha'i Youth Council 36, 66, public 85 > 139, 141 , 142, 143, 320 Hawaii 70, 318 > health 29, 74, 82, 91, 263 > F Health for Humanity 139, 141, 320 > Falkland Islands 99 Holley, Horace 212, 213 > Faroe Islands 34, l 00, 158 Honduras 106, 136 > Federated States of Micronesia 129, 158 Hong Kong 79, 82, 88, 92, 240, 320, 321 > Fifth International Dialogue on the Transi- Hong Kong Baha'i Professional Society 320 > tion to a Global Society 85, 135 Houses of Worship 11, 57, 61- 62 > Fiji 3, 321 Australia 65 , 7 5 > Finland 63, 68, 87, 231, 243 India 61-62, 65 > Finnbogadottir, Vigdis 85 United States 173 > France 37, 63 , 71 , 87, 95, IOI , 106, 111 , human rights 12, 31 , 84, 97, 126--127, 138, > 122, 126, 132, 135, 139, 151 , 247- 273 , 283- 286, 287- 291 > 319, 320 Hungary 15, 67, 82, 85, 95, 111, 124, 134, 135 > Freire, Paolo 237 > French Guiana 64 > French Polynesia 34 Iceland 85 > Furutan, 'Ali-Akbar 61 India 34, 35, 61-62, 65, 72, 73- 74, 79, 91 , > Fynn, Kobina 44 92- 93, 95, 105, 135, 231 , 318, 322 > > indigenous peoples 28, 33, 34, 48, 49, 53, Lenelgau, Jean-Marie Leye, President of > 54,57,63,69, 73, 75, 76, 78,86, Vanuatu 96, 104 > 102, 103, 113 Lesotho 96, 99, 129 > institutes, Baha'i 31 , 32, 56, 67, 82, I 06-109 Letsie Ill, King of Lesotho 96, 99 > interfaith activities 56, 79- 81, 90 Liberia 29 > International Association of Baha'i Pub- Liechtenstein 158 > lishers and Distributors 91 , 320 literacy 29, 32, 74, 90, 132, 236-239 > International Baha'i Archives Building 7 Lithuania I 05 , 112 > International Commission on Education for Locke, John 267 > the 21st Century 284 Locke, Kevin 113, 136 > International Forum of the Association for Locke, Patricia 73 > Women in Development 71 Lord Waddington, Governor of Bermuda > International Labor Organization 152 99, 100 > International Teaching Centre 28, 31, 45, Louis Gregory Institute 58, 102 > 116, 118 Lumiere de !'Unite theater group 103 > involvement in the life of society 55- 56, Luxembourg 82, 111 > 81 - 91 > M > Iran 33 > Macau 91, 239- 242 > Baha'i community of 2, 13, 31, 35, > Macedonia 71 > 126, 136, 147- 156 > Madagascar 104 > Iraq 164 Malawi 66, 90, I 06 > Ireland 63, 66, 75, 95, I 06, 112 > Malaysia 73, 90, 110, 139, 208, 295, 318, > lrfan Colloquium 110 > Israel 2, 4, 61 , 95, 101 , 122, 123, 124, 126, > Mali 101 , 103, 108 > 134, 164, 319 > Mamobato, Queen Mother of Lesotho 96 > Italy 71,86,88,89, 126, 129, 130, 133,231, Manifestations of God 10, 37, 158, 189 > 318,322 Mariana Islands 60, 70, 71, 133 > Marshall Islands 70 > Jamaica 88, 129, 135 Martin Luther King Jr. Day 77 > Japan 59, 60, 70, 78, 95, 110, 318, 322 Ma~iqu'l-Adhkar 277 > Jordan 124, 134 Mauritius 80, 98, I 04 > Meerburg, Hector Alexander (Lex) 308 > K > Menuhin, Sir Yehudi 85 > Kazakhstan 15 > Mexico 85, I 06, 112 > Kenya 67, 72, 102, 106, 110, 126, 133, 135, > Microcredit Summit 136 > 318,322 > Mirza 'Ali-Mul:Jammad. See the Bab > Kiribati 70, 71 - 72, 92 > Mirza J:Iusayn-'Ali. See Baha'u'llah > Knights ofBaha'u ' llah 44, 96 > Mitchell, Glenford E. I, 163 > Korea 60, 124, 134, 322 > Moldova 15, 31 , 41 , 42-43, 78, 111,231 > Kriiger, Annemarie 42, 43 > Monadjem, Shapoor 48 > Kyrgyzstan 15, 66 > Mondschein, Jeffrey 308 > L Mongella, Gertrude 85 > Laghari, Farooq Ahmad, President of Paki- Mongolia3, 15 , 99, 104 > stan 97 moral development 31, 32, 50, 56, 91 - 93, > Landegg Academy 64, 85, 110, 127, 243, 227- 246,289, 290 > 321 Moral Education Project, St. Petersburg, > landmark occasions 56, 61-64 Russia 93 , 242- 245 > Laszlo, Ervin 52 Mottahedeh Development Services 321 > Latin America 34, 35, I 06, 131 Mount Carmel Projects 2, 28, 31 , 56, 115- > Latvia I 00, 231 124 > Lebanon 322 Myanmar 95 > > N prosperity, global 31 , 90, 128- 129, 270 > N'Dow, Wally, Secretary-General of Habi- publications, selected new Baha'i 325- 327 > tat II 98- 99, 129, 138, 139, 143, Puerto Rico 319 > 144, 145 > Namibia 102, 158 R > National Spiritual Assembly 41-45 race unity 55, 56, 75- 77, 262 > Native American Baha' i Institute 69 Race Unity Day 77 > Nepal 87 racism 127 > Netherlands 69, 71, 82, 86, 90, 111 , 112, radio 49, 59, 70 > 139, 319, 322 reading list of basic Baha'i books 329- 331 > New Zealand 58, 67, 76, 84, I 03 , 318 recognition 56, 100 > Nicaragua 129 Reunion 104 > Nigeria 44, 45, 73 , 80, 81, 93, 102, 319, 322 Richard Ralph , Governor of the Falkland > Nodada, Julia 309 Islands 99 > Norway 63, 111, 231, 322 Ric;Ivan 41 , 43 > Nur University Rogers, Otto Donald 112 > moral leadership training program Romania 15, 42, 84, 94, 111, 112, 122, 323 > 233- 236 Root, Martha 47, 48 > Ruhi Institute, Colombia I 06, I 07 > 0 Russia 15, 42, 63 , 71, 93, 102, 110, 111, > Ocean of Light project 34, 83, 104 136, 229- 233, 242- 245, 319, > On the Wings of Words literacy project 90, 323 > 236--239 Rwanda 31 , 57, 95 > One Country 126, 135- 136 > s > p Sao Tome and Principe 31, 41, 44-45 > Pacific region 34, 36 Schechter, Fred 45 > Pakistan 81, 97, 322 scholarship 56, 109- 110 > Palazzi, Marcello, Chairman of World School of the Nations, Macau 91 , 239- 242 > Business Forum at Habitat II 142 schools > Panama 57, 78 spring 60, 68 > Papua New Guinea 34, 63 , 158 summer 59, 60 > Paraguay 54, 63 winter 60 > Patasse, Ange Felix, President of the Cen- Schreiber, Elise 44 > tral African Republic 96 Semle, Fritz 309 > peace 5, 14, 56, 63 , 77- 79, 86, 103, 113, Senegal 60, I 03 > 132, 270 Seychelles I 04 > Lesser Peace 191 Sezgin, llhan 42 > Most Great Peace 166, 191 Shaikhzadeh, Mohamad 309 > Peace Child International 141 Sheikh Hasina, Prime Minister of Bang- > Peace Monument, Brazil 79, 129 ladesh 97 > Peru 48, 66, 129 Sherrill, Velma L. 310 > Philip, Prince (the Duke of Edinburgh) 134 Shoghi Effendi 1, 7, 8, 12, 27, 43 , 44, 48, > Philippines 64, 83, 92, 93, 322 157, 158, 163- 196, 210, 215, > pioneering 37 217,260 > Poland 15, 70, 109, 322 community builder 166- 175 > Pope John Paul II 98 interpreter 175- 185 > Portugal44,63 , 64,322 vision of 185- 194 > prominent people 56, 95- 99 writings of 331 > Promise of World Peace, The 14, 76, 97 Sicily 15, 59 > Prosperity of Humankind, The 15, 29, 76, Sierra Leone 29, 57, 104, 129 > 90, 97, 99, 138, 281 Singapore 69, 71 , 79, 80, 110, 112, 132, 319 > > Sister to Sister project I 02 Turkey 42, 89, 113, 116, 117, 122, 128, > Slovak Republic 15, 95 134, 137- 146, 164 > Slovenia 15, 71, 129 Turkmenistan 15 > social and economic development 28, 29, Turning Point for All Nations 14, 86, 90, 97, > 31,32, 35,50,56,60, 71, 74,89- 138, 281 > 91, 94, 128- 129, 130, 132, 136, u > 160,263,293-302 Uganda 67, 90, 94, 323 > statistics 315- 316 Ukraine 15 , 42, 43 , 101 , 103, 231 > Solomon Islands 83, I 04, I 07 United Kingdom 85, 95, 99, 106, 110, 111, > Somavia, Juan 129 132, 134, 135, 139, 144, 145, > South Africa 73, 75, 95, 136 318,319,320, 323 > South Korea 59, 60, 68, 70 Northern Ireland I 06, 112 > Southeast Asia 35 Wales 75 > Spain 63 , 67, 71, 72, 109, 134, 319, 323 United Nations 12, 66, 83, 100, 125- 136, > Sparks of Peace 69 151, 153, 191, 285 > Sri Lanka 78, 105, 158 Children's Fund (UNICEF) 92, 126, > St. Vincent and the Grenadines 92 130, 131 , 133, 291 > statistics of the Baha 'i world community Commission for Social Development > 313- 316 133 > Strong, Maurice F. 129 Commission on Crime Prevention and > Sudan 60 Criminal Justice 133 > Suhrn, Richard T. 310 Commission on Human Rights 84, > Sultan Ibrahim Mbombo Njoya, Foumban, 127, 153, 155, 156, 285 > West Cameroon 95, IOI Commission on Human Settlements > Suriname 64 133 > Sustainable Communities in an Integrating Commission on Narcotic Drugs 133 > World 99, 138, 140, 275- 281 Commission on Sustainable Develop- > Swaziland 67, 102, 158 ment 133 > Sweden 63 , 74, 95 , 96, l 33, 231, 302, 323 Commission on the Status of Women > Switzerland 64, 84, 89, 98, l 10, 125, 126, 133 > 127, 128, 139, 243, 318, 320, 321 Conference on Environment and De- > Sylvia, Queen of Sweden 96 velopment (Earth Summit) > T 12, 125, 128, 129 > Taiwan 60, 70, 320, 323 Conference on Human Settlements > Tajikistan 15 (Habitat II) 2, 99, 113, 128, > Tanzania 67, I 06 129, 135, 136, 137- 146, > Tartabu, Elena Hernandez 308 219, 275 > teaching the Baha'i Faith 14, 100- 106 Convention on the Rights of the Child > Ten Year Plan 43, 44 127 > Thailand 66, 92, 99, 110, 126 Convention on Women 131 > Thoresen, Lasse 111 Decade for Human Rights Education > Three Year Plan 45 127, 283- 286 > Tito, Teburoro, President of Kiribati 72 Development Fund for Women > Togo 90, 107 (UNIFEM) 74, 130 > Tonga 106 Development Program (UNDP) 85, > Towers, Marc 311 87,90 > Townshend International Secondary School Economic and Social Council > 91 (ECOSOC) 126, 133, 155 > Traditional Media as Change Agent project Economic Commission for Latin Amer- > 71, 74, 130, 131,294- 297 ica and the Caribbean 133 > Trinidad and Tobago 60, 82, 319 Educational, Scientific, and Cultural > > I NDEX > > Organization (UNESCO) United States 42, 44, 58, 63, 67, 69, 71, 76, > 85, 88, 141, 291 7~ 89,95, 9~ 9~98 , 102, IO~ > fiftieth anniversary of 14, 29, 158 108,110, 125,126,131 , 133, 134, > Fourth World Conference on Women 139, 141 , 151, 152,200-206, 261 , > 12,29,73, 97, 131, 132, 158 271 , 319, 320,321,323 > General Assembly 128, 155 Unity in Diversity week 76 > Human Rights Committee 84 Universal House of Justice 2, 4, 8, 9, 27- 37, > Human Rights Day 75, 84, 97, 285 42, 45 , 61 , 115, 122, 124, 134, > Human Rights Sub-Commission 155 135, 157, 175, 210, 237, 266, > International Conference on Global- 269, 270, 273 > ization and Citizenship 128 Uruguay 83, 86, I 06 > International Covenant on Economic, USA Today 159 > Social, and Cultural Rights Ustinov, Sir Peter 85 > 256 Uzbekistan 15 > International Day for the Eradication > of Poverty 135 > v > Vanuatu 62, 96, 104 > International Day of Peace 83 > Varqa Foundation 237 > International Day of the Family 82 > Varqa, Dr. ' Ali-MuJ:iammad 59 > International Volunteers' Day for > Venezuela 48, 110, 319 > Social and Economic De- > Virgin Islands 60, 108 > velopment 83 > Vision TV 76 > International Women's Day 71, 72 > Vivian Wesson Institute 107 > International Year of Peace 158 > Voices of Bah:! choir I 11, I 12 > New Agenda for Development in > Africa in the I 990's (UN- w > NADAF) 130, 131 Wales 60 > Research Institute for Social Develop- Walker, Guilda 134 > ment (UNRISD) 128 Weinberg, Matthew 2 > Rio + 5 Forum 128 West Leeward Islands 69, 71 > Special Rapporteur on religious intol- Western and Central Asia 34 > erance 153, 154, 155, 156 Western Caroline Islands 59 > Special Representative on lran 153, Western Samoa 3, 65 , 94 > 154, 155 WETV 88 > Sub-Commission on the Prevention of Willems, Wilhelmina 311 > Discrimination and the William Mmutle Masetlha Foundation 294, > Protection of Minorities 297- 302 > 127, 154 Banani International Secondary School > United Nations Development Fund for 91, 130, 297, 298- 299 > Women (UNIFEM) 294 literacy project 298, 299 > Universal Declaration of Human primary health care project 298 , 299 > Rights 204, 248, 251 , 254, William Mmutle Masetlha Institute > 256,265,285 297- 298 > Vienna Declaration 253, 287 Wilmette Institute 110 > World Conference on Human Rights 12 women 3, 31, 50, 52, 56, 66, 71 - 74, 75, 80, > World Food Summit 88, 129, 130, 81 , 84, 86, 92, 135, 138, 141, > 133, 136 142, 158,257,263,280 > World Peace Day 77, 78 advancement of 29, 32, 36, 49, 130- > World Summit for Social Develop- 133, 294-297, 299- 301 , 302 > ment 12, 14, 29, 128, 129, See also Baha'i International Commu- > 144, 158 nity, Office for the Advancement of > World Youth Forum 129, 133, 134 Women > > world citizenship 83, 138, 279, 281 113, 129, 133, 140, 141 , 142- 144, > World Community Foundation 302, 321 148, 284, 286,290,299 > World Conference on Religion and Peace workshops 3, 67, 68, 69, 70, 71 > (WCRP) 132, 133 Yugoslavia 134 > World Day of Refusal of Extreme Poverty > z > Zaire 107 > World Religion Day 79, 80 > Zambia 2, 4, 67 , 91 , 99, 130, 294, 297- > World Wide Web 2, 134 > World Wildlife Fund 134 > Zimbabwe 59, 105 > y ZIPOPO or The Happy Hippo Show 229- > youth 29, 30, 56, 64-71 , 72, 89, 100- 102, 233 > > THE BAI-IA'f WORLD > 1996-97 > > 153 OF THE BAHA'I ERA > n just over one hundred years, the Baha'i Faith has grown from > I an obscure movement in the Middle East to the second-'most > widespread of the independent world religions. Embracing > people from more than 2, 100 ethnic, racial, and tribal groups, it > is quite likely the most diverse organized body of people on the > planet today. Its unity challenges prevailing theory about human > nature and the prospects for our common future. > The Faith's central message is that of unity. Its Founder, > Baha'u'llah, teaches that there is only one God, that there is only > one human race, and that all the world's religions have been > stages in the revelation of God's purpose for humankind. Today, > humanity has collectively come of age: "The earth is but one > country," Baha'u'llah asserts, "and mankind its citizens." The > emergence of the Baha'i community offers persuasive evidence > that the human race, in all its diversity, can learn to live and work > as a single people in its planetary homeland. > The Baha'i World is the principal public record of the community's growth and development. The volumes reproduce major > documents and provide statistical data and other detailed information on the Baha'i Faith's wide-ranging program of activities, > which are illustrated by many photographs and charts. In-depth > articles focus on major areas of Baha'i concern. > For the serious researcher and the general student alike, the > dramatic growth of the Baha'i Faith raises new and interesting > issues about the role of religion in social development. The > Baha'i World series has been redesigned primarily to meet these > needs. > > ISBN 0-85398-986-9 (hardcover) > > — *The Baha'i World: Volume 25 (1996-1997) (Used by permission of the curator)*