{"componentChunkName":"component---src-templates-archive-page-jsx","path":"/archive/73/","result":{"pageContext":{"strings":{"about":"About","additional_articles":"Additional Articles","administration":"Administration","africa":"Africa","all_bahaiorg_sites":"All Bahai.org Sites","all_sites":"All sites","all_sites_arising_serve":"Arising to Serve","all_sites_arising_serve_caption":"A film recounting highlights of the 41 regional Bahá’í conferences called by the Universal House of Justice in 2008","all_sites_bahai_org":"The official website of the worldwide Bahá’í community","all_sites_bahai_org_library":"Bahá’í Reference Library","all_sites_bahai_org_library_caption":"The authoritative online source of Bahá’í writings","all_sites_bahaullah_org":"The Life of Bahá’u’lláh","all_sites_bahaullah_org_caption":"A photographic narrative of the life of Bahá’u’lláh","all_sites_bic":"Bahá’í International Community Representative Offices","all_sites_bic_caption":"The official website of the Bahá’í International Community’s Representative Offices. The site contains news and information about recent activity and provides access to BIC statements, reports, and other publications","all_sites_bicentenary":"Bicentenary of the Birth of Bahá’u’lláh","all_sites_bicentenary_bab":"Bicentenary of the Birth of The Báb","all_sites_bicentenary_caption":"The official international website for the bicentenary of the birth of Bahá’u’lláh","all_sites_frontiers_learning":"Frontiers of Learning","all_sites_frontiers_learning_caption":"This film captures the insights and experiences of people from four communities across the world whose efforts to build vibrant communities are at the frontiers of learning","all_sites_light_to_the_world":"Light to the World","all_sites_light_to_the_world_caption":"A feature film about the life and teachings of Bahá’u’lláh","all_sites_media_bank":"Bahá’í Media Bank","all_sites_media_bank_caption":"Photographs available for downloading","all_sites_national_communities":"National Bahá’í Communities","all_sites_national_communities_caption":"A page containing links to the websites of many national Bahá’í communities from around the world","all_sites_news_bahai_org_caption":"The official news website of the worldwide Bahá’í community","all_sites_title":"Official Bahá’í Sites","all_sites_universalhouseofjustice_org":"The Universal House of Justice","all_sites_universalhouseofjustice_org_caption":"Information about the Universal House of Justice and selected statements and letters","all_sites_widening_embrace":"A Widening Embrace","all_sites_widening_embrace_caption":"A documentary film about the community-building efforts of the Bahá’í world","americas":"Americas","android":"Android","archive_results_to_of_a":"Results","archive_results_to_of_b":"to","archive_results_to_of_c":"of","asia":"Asia","back_to_story":"Back to Story","bahai_international_community":"Bahá'í International Community","bahai_media_bank":"Bahá’í Media Bank","bahai_reference_library":"Bahá’í Reference Library","bahai_world_centre":"Bahá’í World Centre","bahai_world_news_service":"Bahá’í World News Service","bahai_world_news_service_bwns":"Bahá’í World News Service (BWNS)","bahaiorg_home":"Bahai.org Home","bahais_semnan":"The Bahá’ís of Semnan","battambang_cambodia_house_worship":"House of Worship in Battambang, Cambodia","battambang_cambodia_temple":"Battambang, Cambodia Temple Inauguration","before_downloading_terms":"Before downloading please refer to the [Terms of use](/legal/).","bic_un_office":"Bahá’í International Community\nUN Office","brief_history":"Brief history","bwns_noTranslation":"BWNS","cdn_documentlibrary_path":"http://dl.bahai.org/bwns/assets/documentlibrary/","cdn_images_path":"//bwns.imgix.net/","chile_house_worship":"Chile House of Worship","chile_temple":"Chile Temple Inauguration","close":"Close","closed_doors_denial_education_iran":"Closed Doors: Denial of Education in Iran","comma":",","comprehensive_report":"Comprehensive report","contact":"Contact","contact_h1":"Contacting the Bahá’í World News Service","contact_h2":"Contacting Bahá’í institutions","contact_h3":"Reporting technical problems","contact_information":"Contact Information","contact_p1":"General inquiries about BWNS can be directed to [news@bahai.org](mailto:news@bahai.org). Information regarding news and media contacts is available in the [Media Information](/media-information/) section.","contact_p2":"The Bahá’í Faith is established in more than 100,000 localities in virtually every country and territory around the world. At the national level, the affairs of the Bahá’í community are guided by National Spiritual Assemblies, and a list of websites for many national Bahá’í communities can be found at the [National Communities page](https://www.bahai.org/national-communities/) on Bahai.org.","contact_p3":"To report a technical problem with this site, please send a detailed description and screenshot of the issue, along with the address of the page where it occurred, to [webmaster@bahai.org](mailto:webmaster@bahai.org). Please note that this email address exists to receive reports of technical problems with the site and it is not possible to respond to other queries through this facility.","copy_link":"Copy Link","did_not_match_any_documents_showing_results_for":"did not match any documents. Showing results for","did_you_mean":"Did you mean:","download":"Download","download_highest_resolution":"Download highest resolution","email":"Email","email_address":"Email Address","enlarge":"Enlarge","error_page":"Error Occurred","error_page_p1":"Sorry. An error has occurred with your request. It would help us if you let us know what you were trying to do when this error occurred by using our [contact form](https://www.bahai.org/contact/).","europe":"Europe","featured_stories":"Featured stories","featured_videos":"Featured videos","follow_updates_via_instagram_twitter":"Follow the Bahá’í World News Service on Twitter and Instagram for regular updates and stories","from_bwns_archive":"From the Bahá’í World News Service archive","get_notified_stories":"Get notified of stories","highest_resolution":"Highest resolution","historical_photographs":"Historical photographs","homepage_feature_audio_h2":"Recent podcast episodes","homepage_feature_audio_h3":"Audio versions of stories","homepage_feature_audio_p1":"Selected audio content from around the globe","homepage_feature_h1":"Subscribe to BWNS Updates","houses_worship":"Houses of Worship","human_rights_iran":"Human Rights in Iran","images":"images","ios":"iOS","iran_news_stories":"Iran News Stories","key_terms_facts":"Key terms and facts","latest_headlines":"Latest headlines","latest_video_category":"Latest","legal":"Legal","legal_h1":"Privacy","legal_h2":"Terms of Use","legal_information":"Legal Information","legal_li_1":"They must at all times be attributed to the Bahá’í World News Service.","legal_li_2":"Photographs and stories cannot be used in any way (including, without limitation, suggesting an association with or endorsement of any product, service, opinion or cause) that conflicts with the intent and premise of the original source.","legal_li_3":"Photographs may be edited for size only. Captions must remain with the photographs at all times.","legal_li_4":"The Bahá’í World News Service will not be responsible to any person or organization for any liability for any direct, incidental,  consequential, indirect, or punitive damages that may result from any access to or use of the stories and/or photographs on our site.","legal_li_5":"Although this blanket permission to reproduce BWNS material is given freely such that no special permission is required, the Bahá’í World News Service retains full copyright protection for its stories and photographs under all applicable national and international laws.","legal_p1_1":"On this Web site we try to ensure your privacy. We collect only personal information provided by you on a voluntary basis, in order to respond to your queries and to send you any additional information and material that you request.","legal_p1_2":"Visitors to this Web site are not tracked, except to produce aggregate statistical data that does not identify individual users. Where we must use cookies to provide essential functionality, these are not used to track your use of the site or to store personally-identifiable information. Steps have been taken to ensure that all information collected from you will remain secure, free from unauthorized access, use or disclosure. Please keep in mind that if you leave this site via a link, the other site may have a different policy regarding privacy.","legal_p1_3a":"We occasionally update this privacy policy and encourage you to review it periodically. If you wish to correct your personal information, or have questions regarding this policy, please send an email message to","legal_p1_3b":"or call the Bahá’í World News Service at +972 (4) 835-8412, between 8 a.m. and 5:30 p.m. GMT +2, Sunday through Thursday.","legal_p2_1":"All stories and photographs produced by the Bahá’í World News Service may be freely reprinted, e-mailed, posted to the World Wide Web and otherwise reproduced by any individual or organization, subject to the following restrictions:","legal_p2_2":"The Bahá’í World News Service is an agency of the Bahá’í International Community, a nongovernmental organization that represents and encompasses the five million members of the Bahá’í Faith.","links_other_websites":"Links to other Web sites","listen":"Listen","listen_bwns":"Listen to BWNS","load_more_results":"Load more results","media_bank":"Media Bank","media_information":"Media Information","media_information_about_bwns":"About BWNS","media_information_administration_h2":"International","media_information_administration_h3":"National","media_information_administration_h4":"Local","media_information_administration_p1":"The Bahá’í Faith is administered by a series of elected bodies at the local, national, and international levels. There is no class of ecclesiastics or clergy.","media_information_administration_p2":"The Universal House of Justice is the international governing council of the Bahá’í Faith. It is the supreme administrative body ordained by Bahá’u’lláh in His book of laws. The Universal House of Justice is elected every five years at the International Bahá’í Convention, where members of the National Spiritual Assemblies (see below) around the world serve as delegates. The Universal House of Justice was first elected in 1963. Its permanent seat is on Mount Carmel in Haifa.","media_information_administration_p3":"At the national level, the affairs of the Bahá’í community are administered by the National Spiritual Assembly, a nine-member elected council responsible for guiding, co-ordinating, and stimulating the activities of Local Spiritual Assemblies and individual members of the Bahá’í community within a given country. The responsibilities of a National Spiritual Assembly include channelling the community’s financial resources, fostering the growth and vibrancy of the national Bahá’í community, supervising the affairs of the community including its social and economic development activities and its properties, overseeing relations with government, resolving questions from individuals and Local Spiritual Assemblies, and strengthening the participation of the Bahá’í community in the life of society at the national level.","media_information_administration_p4":"At the local level, the affairs of the Bahá’í community are administered by the Local Spiritual Assembly. Each Local Assembly consists of nine members who are chosen in annual elections. As with all other elected Bahá’í institutions, the Assembly functions as a body and makes decisions through consultation. The responsibilities of the Local Spiritual Assembly include promoting the spiritual education of children and young people, strengthening the spiritual and social fabric of Bahá’í community life, assessing and utilizing the community’s resources, and ensuring that the energies and talents of community members contribute towards progress.","media_information_administration_p5":"In addition, the Bahá’í Faith has **counsellors**, appointed to five-year terms by the Universal House of Justice, who serve as advisers in countries and regions around the world. Currently there are 90 such counsellors assigned to specific countries or regions, and an additional nine counsellors who constitute the membership of the International Teaching Centre at the Bahá’í World Centre in Haifa.","media_information_administration_p6":"The Bahá’í International Community is a non-governmental organization that represents the worldwide Bahá’í community. It has been registered with the United Nations (UN) as a non-governmental organization since 1948. It currently has consultative status with the United Nations Economic and Social council (ECOSOC) and the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), as well as accreditation with the United Nations Environmental Program (UNEP) and the United Nations Department of Public Information (DPI). The Bahá’í International Community collaborates with the UN and its specialized agencies, as well as member states, inter- and non-governmental organizations, academia, and practitioners. It has Representative Offices in Addis Ababa, Brussels, Cairo, Geneva, Jakarta, and New York.","media_information_bahai_world_centre_li_4_a":"the Seat of the Universal House of Justice,","media_information_bahai_world_centre_li_4_b":"the International Teaching Centre,","media_information_bahai_world_centre_li_4_c":"the Centre for the Study of the Texts,","media_information_bahai_world_centre_li_4_d":"the International Archives Building.","media_information_bahai_world_centre_p1":"The spiritual and administrative center of the Bahá’í Faith is permanently established in the Acre-Haifa area of northern Israel, following the explicit instructions of Bahá’u’lláh.","media_information_bahai_world_centre_p2":"The burial place, or shrine, of Bahá’u’lláh near Acre and that of the Báb on Mount Carmel in Haifa are the holiest spots on earth for Bahá’ís. Other sites associated with the life of Bahá’u’lláh as well as the burial site of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá are revered by Bahá’ís as holy places.","media_information_bahai_world_centre_p3":"The shrines are the object of pilgrimage for thousands of Bahá’ís each year.","media_information_bahai_world_centre_p4":"The administrative offices are positioned in an Arc across Mount Carmel in Haifa and include:","media_information_bahai_world_centre_p5":"Also in Haifa are the Bahá’í International Community’s Secretariat and Office of Public Information.","media_information_bahai_world_centre_p6":"The Bahá’í World Centre is known for the gardens surrounding the Shrine of Bahá’u’lláh near Acre, and also for the gardens and terraces surrounding the golden-domed Shrine of the Báb on Mount Carmel in Haifa.","media_information_bahai_world_centre_p7":"At this time the Shrine of the Báb is open to the public.","media_information_brief_history_p1":"The Bahá’í Faith traces its origin to 1844 and the announcement by a young man, Siyyid ‘Alí-Muhammad, in Shiraz, Persia (now Iran), that He had been sent by God to prepare humanity for a new age and the imminent appearance of another Messenger even greater than Himself.","media_information_brief_history_p10":"During the 40 years of His exile, Bahá’u’lláh revealed a series of books, tablets, and letters that today form the core of the **holy writings of the Bahá’í Faith**. Comprising the equivalent of some 100 volumes, the writings of Bahá’u’lláh describe the nature of God and the purpose of human existence, give new religious laws, and outline a vision for creating a peaceful and prosperous global society.","media_information_brief_history_p11":"In His will, Bahá’u’lláh named His eldest son, ‘Abbás Effendi (1844-1921), as the head of the Bahá’í Faith and authorized interpreter of His teachings. ‘Abbás Effendi, known to Bahá’ís as ‘Abdu’l-Bahá (“Servant of Bahá”), became well-known in the Haifa/Acre area for his charitable works, and he also traveled through Europe and North America to encourage nascent Bahá’í communities and to proclaim Bahá’u’lláh’s teachings to the general public. The writings of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá are considered part of the sacred scriptures of the Bahá’í Faith.","media_information_brief_history_p12":"‘Abdu’l-Bahá passed away in 1921. In his will he had designated his grandson **Shoghi Effendi** (1897-1957) as his successor, with the title of **Guardian of the Bahá’í Faith**. During the ministry of Shoghi Effendi, the religion spread around the world, and its local and national administrative institutions were established. With the passing of Shoghi Effendi in 1957, the line of hereditary leaders of the Bahá’í Faith came to an end.","media_information_brief_history_p13":"Following provisions established by Bahá’u’lláh, in 1963 the **Universal House of Justice** was elected to direct the affairs of the worldwide Bahá’í community. The nine members of the Universal House of Justice are elected every five years by the members of the Bahá’í national administrative bodies around the world.","media_information_brief_history_p2":"Siyyid ‘Alí-Muhammad took the title of the **Báb** (meaning “Gate” in Arabic) and said the one whose coming He foretold would be the universal Manifestation of God sent to inaugurate an age of peace and enlightenment as promised in all the world’s religions.","media_information_brief_history_p3":"The Báb’s teachings, which spread rapidly, were viewed as heretical by the clergy and government of Persia. More than 20,000 of His followers, known as Bábís, perished in a series of massacres throughout the country.","media_information_brief_history_p4":"The Báb Himself was publicly executed in the city of Tabriz on 9 July 1850.","media_information_brief_history_p5":"Bahá’ís consider the Báb to be both an independent Messenger of God and the forerunner of **Bahá’u’lláh** (“the Glory of God” in Arabic), who is the founder of the Bahá’í Faith.","media_information_brief_history_p6":"Bahá’u’lláh, whose name was Mírzá Husayn ‘Alí, was born into a noble family in Tehran on 12 November 1817. In His mid-20s, He declined a life of privilege and became one of the leading disciples of the Báb.","media_information_brief_history_p7":"In 1852, in the course of the persecution of the Bábís, He was arrested, beaten, and thrown into an infamous dungeon in Tehran. After four months, He was released and banished from His native land – the beginning of 40 years of exile and imprisonment.","media_information_brief_history_p8":"He was first sent to Baghdad, where He and His companions stayed for 10 years. In 1863, on the eve of His further banishment to what is now Turkey and then to the Holy Land, Bahá’u’lláh announced that He was the Universal Messenger of God foretold by the Báb.","media_information_brief_history_p9":"In 1868, Bahá’u’lláh arrived in the Holy Land with about 70 family members and followers, sentenced by the Ottoman authorities to perpetual confinement in the penal colony of Acre. The order of confinement was never lifted, but because of the growing recognition of His outstanding character, He eventually was able to move outside the walls of the prison city. He lived His final years at a country home called Bahjí, where He passed away in 1892. He was interred there, and His shrine is the holiest place on earth for Bahá’ís.","media_information_description":"Contacts, facts, style guide,\ngeneral information, and photos","media_information_h1":"National and local","media_information_h2":"International","media_information_h2_a":"Bahá’í World News Service","media_information_h2_b":"Bahá’í International Community","media_information_h2_c":"Bahá’í International Community - United Nations Offices:","media_information_h2_e":"For languages other than English:","media_information_houses_worship_li_1":"Wilmette, Illinois, United States. Opened in 1953.","media_information_houses_worship_li_2":"Kampala, Uganda. Opened in 1961.","media_information_houses_worship_li_3":"Sydney, Australia. Opened in 1961.","media_information_houses_worship_li_4":"Frankfurt, Germany. Opened in 1964.","media_information_houses_worship_li_5":"Panama City, Panama. Opened in 1972.","media_information_houses_worship_li_6":"Apia, Samoa. Opened in 1984.","media_information_houses_worship_li_7":"New Delhi, India. Opened in 1986.","media_information_houses_worship_li_8":"Santiago, Chile. Opened in 2016.","media_information_houses_worship_li_9":"Battambang, Cambodia. Opened in 2017.","media_information_houses_worship_li_10":"Norte del Cauca, Colombia. Opened in 2018.","media_information_houses_worship_li_11":"Matunda Soy, Kenya. Opened in 2021.","media_information_houses_worship_li_12":"Tanna, Vanuatu. Opened in 2021.","media_information_houses_worship_li_13":"Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo. Opened in 2023.","media_information_houses_worship_li_14":"Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea. Opened in 2024.","media_information_houses_worship_p1":"Bahá’u’lláh designated Bahá’í Houses of Worship as spiritual gathering places for prayer and meditation around which will cluster social, humanitarian, educational, and scientific institutions. Eight continental, two national, and four local Bahá’í Houses of Worship have been built.","media_information_houses_worship_p2":"The physical structure of a House of Worship comprises a central building—a House of Worship—along with several dependencies. While the House of Worship forms the focal point of worship in a geographical area, its purpose is not solely to provide a place for prayer. ‘Abdu’l-Bahá explained that, through the provision of education, healthcare and other services it is also to support the social and economic progress of the community and afford shelter, relief and assistance to those in need. In this connection, ‘Abdu’l-Bahá anticipated that subsidiary branches—such as a hospital, school, university, dispensary, and hospice—would gradually be added to a House of Worship. Bahá’u’lláh refers to the House of Worship as a Mashriqu’l-Adhkár, Arabic for “dawning place of the mention of God.”","media_information_houses_worship_p3":"Bahá’í Houses of Worship are located in:","media_information_houses_worship_p4":"Plans are underway to build a national House of Worship in Brazil, Canada, and Malawi. A local House of Worship is also being constructed in Batouri, Cameroon; Bihar Sharif, India; Kanchanpur, Nepal; and Mwinilunga, Zambia. At the local level, meetings for worship are held regularly in Bahá’í centers and in the homes of believers all over the world.","media_information_key_terms_facts_h1":"Name of the religion and of the organization – the Bahá’í Faith","media_information_key_terms_facts_h2":"Founder of the Bahá’í Faith – Bahá’u’lláh","media_information_key_terms_facts_h3":"Year of founding – 1844","media_information_key_terms_facts_h4":"Head of the religion – the Universal House of Justice","media_information_key_terms_facts_h5":"Number of Bahá’ís – more than 5 million","media_information_key_terms_facts_h6":"Description of the religion and key beliefs","media_information_key_terms_facts_li_6_a":"the unity of the races and elimination of prejudice,","media_information_key_terms_facts_li_6_b":"the equality of women and men,","media_information_key_terms_facts_li_6_c":"universal education,","media_information_key_terms_facts_li_6_d":"the elimination of extremes of wealth and poverty,","media_information_key_terms_facts_li_6_e":"a spiritual solution to economic problems,","media_information_key_terms_facts_li_6_f":"establishment of a universal auxiliary language,","media_information_key_terms_facts_li_6_g":"the harmony of science and religion,","media_information_key_terms_facts_li_6_h":"the independent investigation of truth,","media_information_key_terms_facts_li_6_i":"the creation of a world commonwealth of nations that will keep the peace through collective security.","media_information_key_terms_facts_p1_a":"The Bahá’í Faith is an independent world religion.","media_information_key_terms_facts_p1_b":"A member is called a Bahá’í (plural: Bahá’ís). It is also correct to say that someone is a “member of the Bahá’í Faith,” a “follower of the Bahá’í Faith,” a “follower of Bahá’u’lláh,” or a member of the Bahá’í community of a given locality.","media_information_key_terms_facts_p1_c":"The term “Bahá’í International Community” refers to the non-governmental organization that represents the worldwide Bahá’í community. It has been registered with the United Nations (UN) as a non-governmental organization since 1948. It currently has consultative status with the United Nations Economic and Social council (ECOSOC) and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), as well as accreditation with the United Nations Environmental Program (UNEP) and the United Nations Department of Public Information (DPI). The Bahá’í International Community collaborates with the UN and its specialized agencies, as well as member states, inter- and non-governmental organizations, academia, and practitioners. It has Representative Offices in Addis Ababa, Brussels, Cairo, Geneva, Jakarta, and New York.","media_information_key_terms_facts_p2":"Bahá’ís consider Bahá’u’lláh to be the most recent in a line of great religious teachers, or Messengers of God, that includes Abraham, Buddha, Jesus Christ, Krishna, Muhammad, Moses, Zoroaster, and others. Bahá’u’lláh—the name is Arabic for “Glory of God”—was born in 1817 in Tehran, Iran, and passed away in 1892 in Acre, Israel. The coming of Bahá’u’lláh was announced by the Báb (Arabic for “Gate”), also considered by Bahá’ís to be a divine Messenger.","media_information_key_terms_facts_p3":"There are a number of important dates in the establishment of the Bahá’í Faith, but the first announcement by the Báb of the new religion came in 1844.","media_information_key_terms_facts_p4":"The Universal House of Justice is the international governing council of the Bahá’í community, an elected body of nine men. Its seat is at the Bahá’í World Centre in Haifa, Israel. Around the world, in almost all countries, a National Spiritual Assembly oversees the affairs of the Bahá’í Faith in that country, and Local Spiritual Assemblies oversee local affairs.","media_information_key_terms_facts_p6_a":"The Bahá’í Faith is an independent, monotheistic religion established in virtually every country of the world. Bahá’ís believe that the world’s major religions represent unfolding chapters in God’s teachings for humankind, and that the writings of Bahá’u’lláh represent God’s guidance for this age.","media_information_key_terms_facts_p6_b":"Bahá’u’lláh’s central teaching is the unity of humanity under one God.","media_information_key_terms_facts_p6_c":"Among the many Bahá’í principles are the following:","media_information_key_terms_facts_p7":"For more information, see [Bahai.org](https://www.bahai.org).","media_information_li_a_1":"Phone (office): +972 (4) 835-8412","media_information_li_a_2":"E-mail, for news inquiries: [news@bahai.org](mailto:news@bahai.org)","media_information_li_b_1":"Mr. Saleem Vaillaincourt (London)","media_information_li_b_2":"Senior information officer","media_information_li_b_3":"Phone (office): +1 (212) 803-2544","media_information_li_b_4":"E-mail: [media@bic.org](mailto:media@bic.org)","media_information_li_c_1":"Ms. Bani Dugal (New York)","media_information_li_c_2":"Principal Representative of the Bahá’í International Community to the United Nations","media_information_li_c_3":"Bahá’í International Community","media_information_li_c_4":"Phone: +1 (212) 803-2500","media_information_li_c_5":"After-hours phone: +1 (914) 329-3020","media_information_li_c_6":"E-mail: [uno-nyc@bic.org](mailto:uno-nyc@bic.org)","media_information_li_d_1":"Ms. Simin Fahandej (Geneva)","media_information_li_d_2":"Representative of the Bahá’í International Community to the United Nations","media_information_li_d_3":"Bahá’í International Community","media_information_li_d_4":"Phone: +41 (27) 798-5400","media_information_li_d_5":"After-hours phone: +41 (78) 880-0759","media_information_li_d_6":"E-mail: [geneva@bic.org](mailto:geneva@bic.org)","media_information_li_e_1":"Persian – Simin Fahandej, +41 (27) 798-5400","media_information_li_e_2":"French – Rachel Bayani, +32 (475) 750394","media_information_li_e_3":"To arrange other languages +972 (4) 835-8412","media_information_media_contacts":"Media Contacts","media_information_p1":"Editors, journalists, and other media professionals are encouraged to contact the National Office of the Bahá’ís of their own country. See [National Communities](https://www.bahai.org/national-communities/).","media_information_p2":"BWNS reports on major developments and endeavors of the global Bahá’í community.","media_information_p3":"Information about the Bahá’í Faith is available at [Bahai.org](https://www.bahai.org/)","media_information_p_native":"The website for BWNS is located at [news.bahai.org](https://news.bahai.org/)","media_information_photographs_p1":"To arrange for photographs, you are encouraged to contact the office of the National Spiritual Assembly of the  Bahá’ís of your country. See [National Communities](https://www.bahai.org/national-communities/).","media_information_photographs_p2":"For more information, or for international photographs, contact the Bahá’í World Centre:","media_information_photographs_p3":"Phone: +972 (4) 835-8412  \n            E-mail: [news@bahai.org](mailto:news@bahai.org)","media_information_photographs_p4":"Photographs here may be downloaded and published, with photo credit given to the Bahá’í World Centre. [Terms of use](https://news.bahai.org/legal/).","media_information_photographs_p5":"Additional photos are available through the [Bahá’í Media Bank](https://media.bahai.org/). Images attached to articles in the [Bahá’í World News Service](https://news.bahai.org/) main site may also be downloaded.","media_information_photographs_p6":"Photographs of Bahá’ís imprisoned in Iran are available in the [Iran Update](/human-rights/iran/iran-update/photos.html) section of this Web site.","media_information_sidecontent_h1":"Bahá’ís in Iran","media_information_sidecontent_li":"Updates, background, photos","media_information_statistics_p1":"There are more than 5 million Bahá’ís in the world.","media_information_statistics_p2":"The Bahá’í Faith is established in virtually every country and in many dependent territories and overseas departments of countries. Bahá’ís reside in well over 100,000 localities. About 2,100 indigenous tribes, races, and ethnic groups are represented in the Bahá’í community.","media_information_statistics_p3":"There are currently 188 councils at the national level that oversee the work of communities. A network of over 300 training institutes, offering formal programs of Bahá’í education, span the globe.","media_information_statistics_p4":"Of the several thousand Bahá’í efforts in social and economic development, more than 900 are large-scale, sustained projects, including more than 600 schools and over 70 development agencies.","media_information_statistics_p5":"There are currently 14 Bahá’í Houses of Worship – in Australia, Cambodia, Chile, Colombia, Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), Germany, India, Kenya, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Uganda, the United States, and Vanuatu. Plans are underway to build a national House of Worship in Brazil, Canada, and Malawi. Local Houses of Worship are also being constructed in Batouri, Cameroon; Bihar Sharif, India; Kanchanpur, Nepal; and Mwinilunga, Zambia. At the local level, meetings for worship are held regularly in Bahá’í centers and in the homes of believers all over the world.","media_information_statistics_p6":"The Bahá’í International Community has been registered with the United Nations as a non-governmental organization since 1948. It currently has consultative status with the United Nations Economic and Social council (ECOSOC) and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), as well as accreditation with the United Nations Environmental Program (UNEP) and the United Nations Department of Public Information (DPI). The Bahá’í International Community collaborates with the UN and its specialized agencies, as well as member states, inter- and non-governmental organizations, academia, and practitioners. It has Representative Offices in Addis Ababa, Brussels, Cairo, Geneva, Jakarta, and New York.","media_information_statistics_p7":"Bahá’í writings and other literature have been translated into more than 800 languages.","media_information_statistics_p8":"Each year, around one million people visit the Bahá’í Shrine, terraces, and gardens on Mount Carmel in Haifa, Israel.","media_information_statistics_p9":"In Iran, where the Bahá’í Faith originated, there are now about 300,000 Bahá’ís, constituting the largest religious minority in that country.","media_information_style_guide_h1":"Pronunciation guide","media_information_style_guide_h2":"Style guide and glossary","media_information_style_guide_p1":"**Bahá’í:**   Ba-HIGH  \n            **Bahá’u’lláh:**   Ba-ha-ul-LAH  \n            **Báb:**   Bahb (Bob)  \n            **‘Abdu’l-Bahá:**   Abdul ba-HAH  \n            **Naw-Rúz:**   Naw Rooz  \n            **Ridván:**   REZ-vahn","media_information_style_guide_p2_1":"**‘Abdu’l-Bahá** (1844-1921) – The son of Bahá’u’lláh who was the head of the Bahá’í Faith from 1892 to 1921. Bahá’u’lláh in His will had designated ‘Abdu’l-Bahá as His successor. ‘Abdu’l-Bahá occupies a special station as the authoritative interpreter of the writings of Bahá’u’lláh and as the perfect example of how a Bahá’í should live. ‘Abdu’l-Bahá traveled widely through Europe and North America from 1911-1913, explaining his Father’s teachings in talks, interviews, and addresses at universities, churches, temples, synagogues, and missions for the poor. (Bahá’ís capitalize pronouns—for example, “He”—that refers to ‘Abdu’l-Bahá out of respect for his special station. Such pronouns are not capitalized in this guide in deference to international journalistic style and also to avoid confusion with Bahá’u’lláh and the Báb, who are considered to be divine Prophets.) For more information, see [Bahai.org](https://www.bahai.org).","media_information_style_guide_p2_10":"**Bahá’í Faith** – The correct term for the religion is the Bahá’í Faith. It is an independent, monotheistic religion established in virtually every country of the world. It is not a sect of another religion. In a list of major religions, it would look like this: Hinduism, Zoroastrianism,  Buddhism, Judaism, Christianity, Islam, the Bahá’í Faith.","media_information_style_guide_p2_11":"**Bahá’í International Community** – The Bahá’í International Community is a non-governmental organization that represents the worldwide Bahá’í community. It has been registered with the United Nations as a non-governmental organization since 1948. It currently has consultative status with the United Nations Economic and Social council (ECOSOC) and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), as well as accreditation with the United Nations Environmental Program (UNEP) and the United Nations Department of Public Information (DPI). The Bahá’í International Community collaborates with the UN and its specialized agencies, as well as member states, inter- and non-governmental organizations, academia, and practitioners. It has Representative Offices in Addis Ababa, Brussels, Cairo, Geneva, Jakarta, and New York. For more information, see [bic.org](https://www.bic.org).","media_information_style_guide_p2_12":"**Bahá’í World Centre** – The spiritual and administrative center of the Bahá’í Faith, comprising the holy places in the Haifa/Acre area in northern Israel and the Arc of administrative buildings on Mount Carmel in Haifa. The Bahá’í World Centre itself uses the spelling “Centre”; elsewhere both “Centre” and “Center” are used, depending on the custom of the country.","media_information_style_guide_p2_13":"**Bahá’u’lláh** – The founder of the Bahá’í Faith, who lived from 1817 to 1892, considered by Bahá’ís to be the most recent divine Messenger, or Manifestation of God, in a line of great religious figures that includes Abraham, Buddha, Jesus, Krishna, Moses, Muhammad, Zoroaster, the Báb, and others. Bahá’u’lláh was born in Tehran in present-day Iran, and passed away near Acre, in what is now Israel. “Bahá’u’lláh” is a title that means the “Glory of God” in Arabic; His name was Mírzá Husayn-‘Alí. His writings, which would equal about a hundred volumes, form the basis of the Bahá’í teachings. For more information, see [Bahai.org](http://www.bahai.org).","media_information_style_guide_p2_14":"**Bahjí** – The place near Acre where the Shrine of Bahá’u’lláh (His burial place) is located, as well as the mansion that was His last residence and surrounding gardens. It is a place of pilgrimage for Bahá’ís. The word “Bahjí” is Arabic for “delight.”","media_information_style_guide_p2_15":"**children’s classes** – Classes in moral education, open to all, that are provided for children, operated at the community level by the Bahá’í training institute.","media_information_style_guide_p2_16":"**Convention** – See [International Bahá’í Convention](#internationalbahaiconvention) and [National Bahá’í Convention](#nationalbahaicconvention).","media_information_style_guide_p2_18":"**counsellor** – An adviser appointed by the Universal House of Justice who serves in a particular geographic area or at the Bahá’í World Centre in Haifa. At present, there are 90 counsellors assigned to specific countries or regions, and nine counsellors who form the membership of the International Teaching Centre at the  Bahá’í World Centre. Appointments are for five years.","media_information_style_guide_p2_19":"**devotional meetings** – Gatherings, often in people’s homes, for prayers and to read the sacred writings of the Bahá’í Faith and other religions. Usually undertaken as an individual initiative.","media_information_style_guide_p2_2":"**accent marks** – Bahá’í, Bahá’u’lláh, and other names are written with accent marks, but many publications and websites do not have the facility for using such marks.","media_information_style_guide_p2_20":"**fast, the** – A period during which Bahá’ís abstain from food and drink from sunrise to sundown during the Bahá’í month of ‘Alá’, from 2 March to 20 March. Bahá’u’lláh enjoined His followers to pray and fast during this period. The sick, the traveler, and pregnant women, among others, are exempt.","media_information_style_guide_p2_21":"**feast** – See [Nineteen Day Feast](#nineteendayfeast).","media_information_style_guide_p2_22":"**Guardian of the Bahá’í Faith** – See [Shoghi Effendi](#shoghieffendi).","media_information_style_guide_p2_23":"**Haifa** – The city in northern Israel that, along with nearby Acre, is the location of the Bahá’í World Centre. The international administrative buildings of the Bahá’í Faith (including the Seat of the Universal House of Justice), the Shrine of the Báb, and surrounding terraces and gardens are all located on Mount Carmel in the heart of Haifa.","media_information_style_guide_p2_24":"**Holy days** – Eleven days that commemorate significant Bahá’í anniversaries. The nine holy days on which work is suspended are the Birth of Bahá’u’lláh, the Birth of the Báb, Declaration of the Báb, Ascension of Bahá’u’lláh, Martyrdom of the Báb, Naw-Rúz, Ridván (a 12-day festival, of which the first, ninth and 12th days are holy days). The other two holy days are the Day of the Covenant and the Ascension of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá. *See names of individual holy days.*","media_information_style_guide_p2_25":"**Holy Land** – The area associated with present-day Israel, which is holy to a number of religions, including to Bahá’ís. The resting places of Bahá’u’lláh near Acre and of the Báb in Haifa are, to Bahá’ís, the holiest spots on earth.","media_information_style_guide_p2_26":"**International Archives Building** – One of the buildings at the Bahá’í World Centre on Mount Carmel in Haifa. The repository of many sacred relics of the Bahá’í Faith, it is visited by thousands of Bahá’í pilgrims each year.","media_information_style_guide_p2_27":"**International Bahá’í Convention** – A gathering every five years of delegates from around the world to consult on the affairs of the Bahá’í Faith and elect the members of the Universal House of Justice. Members of the National Spiritual Assemblies serve as delegates.","media_information_style_guide_p2_28":"**International Teaching Centre** – One of the institutions at the Bahá’í World Centre in Haifa. The International Teaching Centre has nine members, all counsellors appointed by the Universal House of Justice. Appointments are for five years.","media_information_style_guide_p2_29":"**Local Spiritual Assembly** – At the local level, the affairs of the Bahá’í community are administered by the Local Spiritual Assembly. Each Local Assembly consists of nine members who are chosen in annual elections. As with all other elected Bahá’í institutions, the Assembly functions as a body and makes decisions through consultation. The responsibilities of the Local Spiritual Assembly include promoting the spiritual education of children and young people, strengthening the spiritual and social fabric of Bahá’í community life, assessing and utilizing the community’s resources, and ensuring that the energies and talents of community members contribute towards progress.","media_information_style_guide_p2_3":"**Acre**– English rendering of the name of the city north of Haifa where Bahá’u’lláh was exiled in 1868. He lived in or near the city until His passing in 1892. Bahá’ís often use the Arabic name, ‘Akká, which was the name in general use during the time of Bahá’u’lláh. In Hebrew the name is Akko.","media_information_style_guide_p2_30":"**Mount Carmel** – In Haifa, Israel, site of the Bahá’í World Centre, including several Bahá’í holy places, the most important of which is the Shrine of the Báb, and the buildings housing the administrative offices of the Bahá’í World Centre.","media_information_style_guide_p2_31":"**National Bahá’í Convention** – In each country, the annual gathering of elected delegates to discuss the affairs of the Bahá’í Faith in their jurisdiction and to elect the members of the National Spiritual Assembly.","media_information_style_guide_p2_32":"**National Spiritual Assembly** – At the national level, the affairs of the Bahá’í community are administered by the National Spiritual Assembly, a nine-member elected council responsible for guiding, co-ordinating, and stimulating the activities of Local Spiritual Assemblies and individual members of the Bahá’í community within a given country. The responsibilities of a National Spiritual Assembly include channelling the community’s financial resources, fostering the growth and vibrancy of the national Bahá’í community, supervising the affairs of the community including its social and economic development activities and its properties, overseeing relations with government, resolving questions from individuals and Local Spiritual Assemblies, and strengthening the participation of the Bahá’í community in the life of society at the national level.","media_information_style_guide_p2_33":"**Nineteen Day Feast** – An administrative gathering at the local level. The term refers to a spiritual “feast” of prayers,  consultation and fellowship. It is held every 19 days, on the first day of each Bahá’í month.","media_information_style_guide_p2_34":"**pilgrimage** – Each year thousands of Bahá’ís undertake pilgrimage, during which they forge a profound and lasting connection with the spiritual and administrative centre of their Faith, located in the Haifa-Acre area of what is now northern Israel. Bahá’í pilgrims pray and meditate at the Shrine of Bahá’u’lláh and the Shrine of the Báb, as well as in the beautiful gardens that surround them. They also draw inspiration from the time spent at various historical sites associated with the lives of Bahá’u’lláh, ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, and Shoghi Effendi, as well as from visits to the edifices dedicated to the worldwide administration of the Bahá’í Faith.","media_information_style_guide_p2_35":"**progressive revelation** – The central belief that Manifestations of God have successively provided the guidance necessary for humanity’s social and spiritual evolution.","media_information_style_guide_p2_36":"**Regional Bahá’í Council** – In some countries, the National Spiritual Assembly assigns certain of its functions to Regional Bahá’í Councils, which serve a designated geographical area within the land in question. The responsibilities of a Regional Council may include carrying out policies of the National Spiritual Assembly, supervising progress of particular plans and projects, and taking steps to stimulate and coordinate the growth of the Bahá’í community within the region.","media_information_style_guide_p2_37":"**Shoghi Effendi** (1897-1957) – The head of the Bahá’í Faith from 1921 to 1957. His title is Guardian of the Bahá’í Faith. He is the grandson of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá and the great-grandson of Bahá’u’lláh. For more information, see [Bahai.org](https://www.bahai.org).","media_information_style_guide_p2_38":"**Shrine of Bahá’u’lláh** – The resting place of the mortal remains of Bahá’u’lláh, located near the city of Acre in what is now Israel. The shrine is the holiest spot on earth to Bahá’ís and a place of pilgrimage.","media_information_style_guide_p2_39":"**Shrine of the Báb** – The resting place of the mortal remains of the Báb, located on Mount Carmel in Haifa, Israel. It is a sacred site to Bahá’ís and a place of pilgrimage.","media_information_style_guide_p2_4":"**‘Akká, Akko** – See entry above for “[Acre](#acre)”.","media_information_style_guide_p2_40":"**study circles** – A study circle is one of the principal elements of the process of distance education offered by the [Bahá’í training institute](https://www.bahai.org/action/response-call-bahaullah/training-institute). It is a small group that meets regularly to study the institute course materials.","media_information_style_guide_p2_41":"**Universal House of Justice** – The international governing council of the Bahá’í Faith. It is the supreme administrative body ordained by Bahá’u’lláh in His book of laws. The Universal House of Justice is elected every five years at the International Bahá’í Convention, where members of the National Spiritual Assemblies around the world serve as delegates. The Universal House of Justice was first elected in 1963. Its permanent seat is on Mount Carmel in Haifa.","media_information_style_guide_p2_5":"**Arc** – An area on Mount Carmel in Haifa, shaped like an arc, where the major international administrative buildings of the Bahá’í Faith, including the Seat of the Universal House of Justice, are situated.","media_information_style_guide_p2_6":"**Báb** – The title, meaning “Gate,” assumed by Siyyid ‘Ali-Muhammad, the Founder of the Bábí Faith and the Forerunner of Bahá’u’lláh. Considered by Bahá’ís to be one of the twin Manifestations of God associated with the Bahá’í Faith. Born on 20 October 1819, the Báb proclaimed Himself to be the Promised One of Islam and said His mission was to announce the imminent coming of another Messenger even greater than Himself, namely Bahá’u’lláh. Because of these claims, the Báb was executed by firing squad in the public square in Tabriz on 9 July 1850. His remains were hidden in Iran for many years before being taken to Haifa/Acre in 1899 and buried on Mount Carmel in 1909. For more information, see [Bahai.org](http://www.bahai.org).","media_information_style_guide_p2_7":"**Bábí Faith** – The religion founded by the Báb. After 1863 and the announcement by Bahá’u’lláh that He was the Messenger whose coming had been foretold by the Báb, the Bahá’í Faith gradually became established and most followers of the Báb began to call themselves Bahá’ís.","media_information_style_guide_p2_8":"**Badí‘ calendar** – The Bahá’í calendar, consisting of 19 months of 19 days each, with the addition of intercalary days known as Ayyám-i-Há. The number of these intercalary days varies according to the timing of the vernal equinox in the northern hemisphere in successive years. The first day of the year corresponds to the spring equinox. The Bahá’í era (B.E.) begins with 1844, the year of the Báb’s declaration. For more information, see [Bahai.org](https://www.bahai.org/action/devotional-life/calendar).","media_information_style_guide_p2_9":"**Bahá’í** – (1) A noun referring to a member of the Bahá’í Faith. The plural is Bahá’ís. (2) An adjective describing a person, place, or thing related to the Bahá’í Faith. Examples: a Bahá’í book, the Bahá’í community, a Bahá’í holy day, a Bahá’í holy place.","media_reports":"Media Reports","menu":"Menu","meta_description_bwns":"The Bahá’í World News Service - BWNS - The official news source of the worldwide Bahá’í community, reports on major developments and endeavors of the global Bahá’í community.","minutes_short":"min","mobile_app":"Mobile app","national_bahai_communities":"National Bahá’í Communities","news_email":"news@bahai.org","news_service_home":"BWNS Home","no_matches_for":"No matches for","no_results_for":"No results for","number_of":"of","oceania":"Oceania","official_news_site":"Official news source of the worldwide Bahá’í community","one_country":"One Country","other_bahai_sites":"Other Bahá’í Sites","other_sites":"Other sites","other_stories":"Other Stories","overview_section":"Overview of this Section","page_link":"Page link","photographs":"Photographs","photographs_download":"Photographs for download","podcast":"Podcast","podcast_available":"Podcast available","podcast_description_bwns":"Reporting on major developments and endeavors of the global Bahá’í community.","podcast_p1":"The Bahá’í World News Service (BWNS) podcast reports on major developments and endeavors of the global Bahá’í community.","podcast_subscribe":"Subscribe to the BWNS podcast for additional audio content.","print":"Print","privacy":"Privacy","recent_articles":"Recent Articles","recent_headlines":"Recent headlines","recent_media_reports":"Recent media reports","recieve_stories_email":"Receive stories via email","related_stories":"Related Stories","results":"Results","return_top":"Return to top","rss":"RSS","search":"Search","search_bahai_reference_library":"Search the Bahá’í Reference Library","search_bahaiorg":"Search Bahai.org","search_news_service":"Search the News Service","section_shrine_of_abdulbaha_description":"Read reports on the progress","section_shrine_of_abdulbaha_title":"Coverage of Construction Work of the Shrine of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá","see_all":"See All","seven_bahais_leaders":"The Seven Bahá’í Leaders","share":"Share","share_this_article":"Share this article","share_this_page":"Share this page","show_more":"Show more","sign_up":"Sign Up","slideshow":"Slideshow","social_media_name_instagram":"Instagram","social_media_name_instagram_account":"bahaiworldnewsservice","social_media_name_twitter":"Twitter","social_media_name_twitter_account":"bahainews","special_reports":"SPECIAL REPORTS","special_reports_shrine_construction":"Coverage of construction work for the Shrine of ‘Abdu’l‑Bahá","statistics":"Statistics","story_archive":"Story Archive","style_glossary_pronunciation_guide":"Style guide, glossary and pronunciation guide","subscribe":"Subscribe","subscribe-confirmation-message":"Thank you for your interest in Bahá’í World News Service (BWNS)","subscribe-souble-optin-email":"You will receive an email shortly, asking you to confirm your subscription.","subscribe_bot_submission":"This doesn't look like a human submission.","subscribe_check_email":"Please check your email to confirm your subscription!","subscribe_email_exists":"This email already exists! Check your email to confirm your subscription.","subscribe_error":"Subscribe Error","subscribe_error_p1":"Sorry. An error has occurred with your subscription request to the Bahá’í World News Service. Please try again. If this problem persists, please use our [contact form](https://www.bahai.org/contact/).","subscribe_h1":"Stories via email","subscribe_h2":"Mobile app","subscribe_h3":"Updates via Twitter","subscribe_h4":"Podcast","subscribe_label_email":"Email","subscribe_label_email_fill":"Please enter a valid email address.","subscribe_label_first_name":"First name","subscribe_label_first_name_fill":"Please enter your first name.","subscribe_label_last_name":"Last name","subscribe_label_last_name_fill":"Please enter your last name.","subscribe_missing_fields":"Please fill in all required fields!","subscribe_p1":"Receive emails from the Bahá’í World News Service (BWNS) when new articles are published.","subscribe_p2":"Receive updates and notifications from the BWNS app.","subscribe_p3":"Follow the Bahá’í World News Service on Twitter for regular updates and stories.","subscribe_p4":"Subscribe to the BWNS podcast for additional audio content.","subscribe_success_h1":"You have been subscribed to Bahá’í World News Service (BWNS)","subscribe_success_p1":"Your email address has been added to our mailing list.","subscribe_success_p2":"Thanks for becoming a subscriber.","subscribe_to_bwns":"Subscribe to BWNS","subscribe_unknown_error":"Sorry, an unknown error has occurred. Please try again later.","subscribe_unsubscribe_bwns":"Unsubscribe from BWNS","subscribe_unsubscribe_error_client":"Something went wrong, please try again.","subscribe_unsubscribe_error_no_email":"We do not have this email in our database, please try again.","subscribe_unsubscribe_error_server":"Something went wrong on our server, please try again.","subscribe_unsubscribe_h1":"Unsubscribe - Bahá’í World News Service (BWNS)","subscribe_unsubscribe_success_h1":"You have been unsubscribed from the Bahá’í World News Service (BWNS)","subscribe_unsubscribe_success_p1":"Your email address has been removed from the mailing list.","subscribe_unsubscribe_success_p2":"Thanks for having been a subscriber.","subscribe_unsubscribe_success_p3":"(If you unsubscribed by accident and prefer to continue receiving emails from the Bahá’í World News Service, please [click here](./).)","tenth_international_bahai_convention":"Tenth International Bahá’í Convention","the_bahai_faith":"The Bahá’í Faith","thirteenth_international_bahai_convention":"Thirteenth International Bahá’í Convention","twelfth_international_bahai_convention":"Twelfth International Bahá’í Convention","united_nations":"United Nations","unsubscribe":"Unsubscribe","updated_content":"UPDATED CONTENT","updates_via_social_media":"Updates via social media","url_copied_to_clipboard":"URL copied to clipboard","video":"Video","view_all":"View all","view_all_articles":"View all articles","visit_page":"Visit page","watch_next":"Watch next","watch_video":"Watch video","what_bahais_believe":"What Bahá’ís Believe","what_bahais_do":"What Bahá’ís Do","texterify_timestamp":"2023-09-10T10:15:38Z"},"archivePageNumber":73,"archiveTotalPages":80,"totalStories":1596,"archiveList":[{"storyNumber":250,"evergreenUrl":"standing-up-oneness-humanity","title":"Standing up for the oneness of humanity","description":"Long before segregation of the races was outlawed in the United States, Ruth Pringle stood up in support of the oneness of humanity. It was in...","date":"2003-08-22","customDateline":null,"city":"CIUDAD COLON","country":"COSTA RICA","thumbnail":{"url":"https://www.datocms-assets.com/6348/1543422263-bwns4911-0.jpg"},"featureAudio":null,"feature":[{"__typename":"DatoCMS_ImageRecord","image":{"url":"https://www.datocms-assets.com/6348/1543422263-bwns4911-0.jpg"},"imageDescription":"Ruth Pringle with a colleague, Jacqueline Left Hand Bull at a pow wow in Shawnigan Lake, British Columbia, Canada, 1991.","imageStyle":"body-right","imageLink":""}],"storyContent":[{"__typename":"DatoCMS_ParagraphRecord","paragraphText":"Long before segregation of the races was outlawed in the United States, Ruth Pringle stood up in support of the oneness of humanity.\n\nIt was in the late 1930s and Ruth Yancey (as she was prior to marriage) arrived as a student for her first lecture at a school of nursing in the American south.\n\nUnlike the other African American students, Ruth firmly refused to sit in an area set apart for those who were not white.\n\nIt was more than a decade before she was to become a Baha'i and start her life's work of spreading the teachings of unity, especially to the indigenous peoples of the Americas.\n\nAs a Continental Counsellor, Ruth Pringle performed such outstanding service that after she passed away on 22 August 2003, aged 83, the Universal House of Justice praised her as an \"intrepid champion\" of the Faith of God.\n\nIn the 1930s, and even up to the 1950s, victims of racism in the United States were expected to accept oppression without complaint.\n\nThat was not in Ruth's character. She made it very clear to her fellow African American students that she would never comply with segregation in the classroom."},{"__typename":"DatoCMS_InlineImageRecord","slideshowImageNumber":2},{"__typename":"DatoCMS_ParagraphRecord","paragraphText":"She refused to do so -- even when called to the Dean's office to explain herself.\n\nAs a result of her principled stance, other students gradually moved out from the fenced-off area.\n\nAfter completing postgraduate courses in surgical nursing and operating room technique in Chicago, Ruth practiced as an operating room nurse and graduated with a degree in zoology and chemistry.\n\nShe became a Baha'i the first time she read the Writings of Baha'u'llah.\n\n\"Such marvels were unveiled before my eyes that both my heart and mind were kindled and set afire -- now I knew what I must do,\" she wrote in an autobiographical sketch.\n\nIn 1953, two months after her acceptance of the Faith, she left for Puerto Rico as a \"pioneer\" to assist in building up the Baha'i community there.\n\nIn 1956 she moved to Honduras, spent a year in Guatemala, and then returned to Honduras.\n\nIn the evenings, after working long hours as a registered nurse, she conducted weekly Baha'i youth activities at her home. They often attracted some 100 young people from all strata of society.\n\nRuth participated in projects to establish Local Spiritual Assemblies, including in Nicaragua where she pioneered on the eastern coast of that country. In 1961 Ruth was elected to the first National Spiritual Assembly there.\n\nFollowing the death of the then Head of the Faith, Shoghi Effendi, in 1957, at least five Hands of the Cause visited Central America.\n\n\"All these Hands had a profound influence on my formation and perhaps the direction of my Baha'i life,\" she wrote.\n\nShe said that one of them, Dr. Rahmatu'llah Muhajir, had introduced her to what she and her coworkers had been searching for --  \"the sweetness of witnessing\" the establishment of the first all-indigenous Baha'i community in Nicaragua.\n\nHer marriage to Alan Pringle was the first Baha'i wedding to be legally recognized in Panama.\n\nTaking the Baha'i teachings to indigenous people became their principal aim in life, and they made strong links with the native Guaymi people.\n\n\"Results were immediately forthcoming, and hundreds of indigenous believers were enrolled, and all-indigenous assemblies were formed,\" she wrote.\n\nBoth Ruth and Alan Pringle, as members of the National Spiritual Assembly of Panama, attended the 1963 International Convention in Haifa, Israel, to participate in the first election of the Universal House of Justice.\n\nAt the subsequent World Congress in London, Mrs. Pringle had the honor of giving an address on the topic of \"Victories of Pioneers\". She was on the same panel as Hand of the Cause Enoch Olinga.\n\nIn November 1963, she was appointed as an Auxiliary Board member, and traveled extensively in pursuit of her duties.\n\nShe spoke at international and inter-oceanic conferences, and in 1975 had what she described as \"the inestimable privilege\" to serve with the \"Green Light Expedition\", a major journey for the Baha'i Faith undertaken in South America by Madame Ruhiyyih Rabbani, a Hand of the Cause and the widow of Shoghi Effendi.\n\nIn 1980, Mrs. Pringle was appointed to the Continental Board of Counsellors, a position involving sustained hard work and constant journeys overseas.\n\nIn this capacity, she traveled to some of the remote parts of the world, guiding and encouraging young Baha'i communities.\n\nShe worked for the rights of women and dedicated herself to the establishment of the Guaymi Cultural Center and radio station in Soloy in the province of Chiriqui, Panama.\n\nHer next-door neighbor in Ciudad Colon, Costa Rica, for the past 15 years, Jere McKinney, said she was known for her quick wit, her ready laugh, her superb hospitality, and her grasp of where Baha'is should direct their efforts.\n\nMr. McKinney described how Mrs. Pringle would travel in remote parts of the country on very basic transport and arrive full of enthusiasm to assist the Baha'is and speak about the Faith.\n\nOne day in Honduras he accompanied Mrs. Pringle to meet a very poor lady in a simple hut with an earthen floor and adobe walls.\n\n\"Ruth pretty much swept her away with her love and hugs and words of encouragement,\" he said, adding that the lady remembered her visit for years afterwards.\n\nJust two weeks before her death, Mrs. Pringle went to Jamaica to attend the 60th anniversary of the establishment of the first Local Spiritual Assembly there.\n\nIn her typical fashion, and despite suggestions that for her health's sake she might slow down, she had a series of meetings with Baha'is -- especially youth -- spent an hour discussing the Faith with a senior official, and gave a talk about the early days of the Faith's activities on the island.\n\nShe also participated in a devotional meeting broadcast on the radio by reading a passage from the Kitab-i-Iqan (The Book of Certitude), by Baha'u'llah.\n\nAfter returning home to Costa Rica, Mrs. Pringle passed away. She is survived by her husband.\n\nIn a message of tribute to Mrs. Pringle, the Universal House of Justice wrote:\n\n\"Her magnificent career, spanning a full-half century and including two decades of splendid, resolute service as a Continental Counsellor, has shed new and fresh luster upon the American Baha'i community's historic world mission.\"\n\nNoting her promotion of the Faith among the indigenous peoples of the Americas, the message continued: \"May her devoted and energetic life inspire present and future generations to emulate her shining example.\"\n\nThe Universal House of Justice asked National Spiritual Assemblies to arrange befitting memorial meetings in her honor throughout the Americas and in both Houses of Worship there."}],"disableInlineCaptions":false,"slideshow":[{"image":{"url":"https://www.datocms-assets.com/6348/1543422263-bwns4910-0.jpg"},"imageDescription":""},{"image":{"url":"https://www.datocms-assets.com/6348/1543422264-bwns4909-0.jpg"},"imageDescription":"Ruth Pringle."}],"pushRelatedContentDown":null,"relatedContent":[],"updatedContent":false,"excludeFromHomepage":false,"category":[],"highlightClip":null},{"storyNumber":249,"evergreenUrl":"cameroon-celebrates-golden-time","title":"Cameroon celebrates golden time","description":"When there were only a handful of Baha'is in their country, five young Cameroonians left home to take the teachings of the Baha'i Faith to nearby...","date":"2003-08-23","customDateline":null,"city":"YAOUNDE","country":"CAMEROON","thumbnail":{"url":"https://www.datocms-assets.com/6348/1543422216-bwns4908-0.jpg"},"featureAudio":null,"feature":[{"__typename":"DatoCMS_ImageRecord","image":{"url":"https://www.datocms-assets.com/6348/1543422216-bwns4908-0.jpg"},"imageDescription":"","imageStyle":"body-right","imageLink":""}],"storyContent":[{"__typename":"DatoCMS_ParagraphRecord","paragraphText":"When there were only a handful of Baha'is in their country, five young Cameroonians left home to take the teachings of the Baha'i Faith to nearby lands.\n\nTheir actions in 1954 won them the designation \"Knight of Baha'u'llah\", a title given to individuals who brought the Baha'i Faith to new territories.\n\nThe five Cameroonian Baha'is were following the example of another young man, Enoch Olinga, who had left his homeland of Uganda to bring the Faith to British Cameroon less than a year earlier, in 1953.\n\nIn a message to those attending the golden jubilee festivities of the Faith in Cameroon held here on 22 and 23 August 2003, the Universal House of Justice referred to those dramatic early days as it extended congratulations on the \"outstanding accomplishments\" of the Baha'i community.\n\n\"An enduring model of consecrated labours,\" the Universal House of Justice wrote, \"has been set by a host of devoted believers, including Enoch Olinga, and the five Cameroonians who likewise arose to become Knights of Baha'u'llah.\"\n\nCameroon is now comprised of the former French Cameroon and part of the former British Cameroon, which merged in 1961. It is about twice the size of the United Kingdom and has a population of more than 15 million.\n\nHome to more than 250 tribes and ethnic groups with nearly as many languages, it is often referred to as \"Africa in miniature\"."},{"__typename":"DatoCMS_InlineImageRecord","slideshowImageNumber":2},{"__typename":"DatoCMS_ParagraphRecord","paragraphText":"The first National Spiritual Assembly of the Baha'is of Cameroon was elected in 1967. The Baha'i community, now 40,000 strong, has 58 Local Spiritual Assemblies.\n\nAmong the accomplishments of the Cameroon Baha'i community are contributions to their nation in the form of social and economic development projects.\n\nThe Baha'i Agency for Social and Economic Development, founded by the National Spiritual Assembly, has worked with the United Nations Development Fund for Women on a program in the eastern province aimed at improving family life and easing the lives of women.\n\nAs a result, women in villages instituted a communal cultivation program, which increased income and improved the quality of life. This led to further cooperation with international agencies.\n\nThe Baha'i agency has also worked successfully in family education projects in central and northwestern provinces and assisted in programs to eradicate river blindness.\n\nSince the 1980s, Baha'i radio programs in the northwest and in Buea have been helping communities improve their family life and the education of children.\n\nWeekly religious and moral education classes for children and study meetings for parents are also held. The Baha'is also organize interfaith activities, which serve to close gaps in Cameroon's multireligious society.\n\nMore than 560 Baha'is from all regions of Cameroon attended the 50th jubilee celebrations, including Knight of Baha'u'llah, Benedict Eballa.\n\nOther guests came from Australia, Botswana, Canada, Equatorial Guinea, France, Morocco, Rwanda, Uganda, United Kingdom, and the United States of America.\n\nAmong the guests of honor was George Olinga, the son of Enoch Olinga, the Knight of Baha'u'llah for British Cameroon.\n\nMr. Olinga spoke of his recollections of his father, who initially established a cohort of believers in Limbe, spent the rest of the decade in British Cameroon, was later named a \"Hand of the Cause\" and rendered historic services to the worldwide Baha'i community until his passing in Uganda in 1979.\n\nAlso present at the event were former member of the Universal House of Justice Ali Nakhjavani and his wife, Violette.\n\nIn 1953 Mr. and Mrs. Nakhjavani undertook a strenuous two-month car journey across Africa from Uganda with Mr. Olinga and two other Baha'is to establish the Faith in Cameroon and other countries.\n\nAt the jubilee, Mr. Nakhjavani delivered the keynote address and later spoke on the spiritual destiny of Africa.\n\nIn a tribute to Mr. Olinga, Mrs. Nakhjavani spoke of the \"purity\" and of the \"exemplary courage\" he showed at the age of 27 by leaving his home in Uganda to become the first Baha'i in Cameroon.\n\nHe arrived in British Cameroon within hours of the deadline set by the then Head of the Faith, Shoghi Effendi, on the last day of the Holy Year (1953) commemorating the centenary of the Revelation of Baha'u'llah.\n\nIn early April 1954, Shoghi Effendi told Mr. Olinga that he wanted some Baha'is in Cameroon to take the Faith to five other countries and territories by 21 April, the holy day known as the First Day of Ridvan.\n\nAccording to Mr. Nakhjavani, there were more volunteers than needed so the Baha'is decided to choose the names by lot.\n\nFour of the five chosen then traveled to Nigeria and, with the assistance of Mr. Nakhjavani, obtained the travel documents necessary to undertake their mission.\n\nSamuel Njiki went to French Cameroon (now part of Cameroon), and David Tanyi arrived in French Togoland (the present Togo).\n\nThree others went to territories now part of Ghana: Edward Tabe moved to British Togoland, Benedict Eballa to Ashanti Protectorate, and Martin Manga to Northern Territories Protectorate.\n\nCables were sent to Shoghi Effendi before 21 April  to advise him that his wishes had been carried out.\n\nThe achievements by the Baha'is of Cameroon were among the most remarkable in the 10-year plan (known as the \"Ten Year Crusade\") which took the teachings of the Faith around the world.\n\nThe five men were later designated by Shoghi Effendi as Knights of Baha'u'llah.\n\nFor Mr. Olinga's part in the achievement, Shoghi Effendi gave him the title of Abd'l-Futuh, a Persian name meaning \"the father of victories\".\n\nMeanwhile, so many people had become Baha'is in Limbe through the efforts of Mr. Olinga (the first Cameroonian Baha'i was Jacob Tabot Awo) that a Local Spiritual Assembly was able to be formed there by 21 April 1954.\n\nOther guests of honor at the jubilee festivities included Joan Lincoln, Counsellor member of the International Teaching Centre, and her husband Albert Lincoln, secretary-general of the Baha'i International Community.\n\nMrs. Lincoln spoke about the role of the International Teaching Centre in supporting community development. She also talked about her personal experiences in the Cameroonian Baha'i community.\n\nIn his speech Mr. Lincoln spoke on the activities of the Baha'i International Community.\n\nThe program also included a talk by a member of the National Spiritual Assembly, Francois Guebe, on \"50 Years of the Faith in Cameroon\".\n\nChairing the sessions were Tiati a Zock, a member of the Continental Board of Counsellors; Christine Tchamegni; and members of the National Spiritual Assembly Honoree Atem and Alexander Tatah Eyong.\n\nAlso present at the festivities from Buea in Cameroon was Dr. Mihdi Samandari, Knight of Baha'u'llah for Somalia, who, with his wife Ursula, moved to Cameroon three decades ago to aid the Baha'i community there. Mrs. Samandari, also a Knight of Baha'u'llah, passed away this year (see [here](http://www.bahaiworldnews.org/story.cfm?storyid=230)).\n\nThe celebrations included songs at regular intervals in the program and two evenings dedicated to cultural performances.\n\nSome 15 performance groups from all parts of the country, each comprising about 20 people, presented songs, poetry, and traditional dance.\n\nFollowing the celebrations in Yaounde, Mr. and Mrs. Nakhjavani, accompanied by Mr. and Mrs. Lincoln and some other guests of honor, went to Limbe to visit the Baha'is of the southwest province.\n\nThey also went to Buea where they were received by the paramount chief, and traveled to Douala, a city that has special significance in the history of the Cameroonian Baha'i community.\n\nMrs. Meherangiz Munsiff, a young Indian woman, arrived there in April 1954, for which she was honored with the title Knight of Baha'u'llah."}],"disableInlineCaptions":false,"slideshow":[{"image":{"url":"https://www.datocms-assets.com/6348/1543422219-bwns4907-0.jpg"},"imageDescription":"Baha'i children's class, Mamfe, 1980."},{"image":{"url":"https://www.datocms-assets.com/6348/1543422219-bwns4906-0.jpg"},"imageDescription":"Baha'i youth of Cameroon, 1998."},{"image":{"url":"https://www.datocms-assets.com/6348/1543422221-bwns4905-0.jpg"},"imageDescription":"Baha'is of Nkwen with Hand of the Cause, Ali-Muhammad Varqa (center) and Mihdi Samandari (far right), 1972."},{"image":{"url":"https://www.datocms-assets.com/6348/1543422219-bwns4904-0.jpg"},"imageDescription":"Participants at the celebrations."},{"image":{"url":"https://www.datocms-assets.com/6348/1543422218-bwns4903-0.jpg"},"imageDescription":"First Local Spiritual Assembly of the Baha'is of Tinto, 1958."},{"image":{"url":"https://www.datocms-assets.com/6348/1543422222-bwns4902-0.jpg"},"imageDescription":"First Local Spiritual Assembly of the Baha'is of Bekune, 1960."},{"image":{"url":"https://www.datocms-assets.com/6348/1543422218-bwns4901-0.jpg"},"imageDescription":"Mihdi Samandari and Janet Mughrabi, first secretary of the National Spiritual Assembly, meeting at the jubilee."},{"image":{"url":"https://www.datocms-assets.com/6348/1543422218-bwns4900-0.jpg"},"imageDescription":"Tiati a Zock, of Cameroon, a member of the Continental Board of Counsellors, with his family."},{"image":{"url":"https://www.datocms-assets.com/6348/1543422218-bwns4899-0.jpg"},"imageDescription":"Meherangiz Munsiff."},{"image":{"url":"https://www.datocms-assets.com/6348/1543422219-bwns4898-0.jpg"},"imageDescription":"Cameroon sent out many pioneers... James Mbu on his way to Northern Ghana, 1956."},{"image":{"url":"https://www.datocms-assets.com/6348/1543422219-bwns4897-0.jpg"},"imageDescription":"First National Spiritual Assembly of the Baha'is of Cameroon, 1967."},{"image":{"url":"https://www.datocms-assets.com/6348/1543422218-bwns4896-0.jpg"},"imageDescription":"Members of the National Spiritual Assembly of Cameroon and guests, who include Ali and Violette Nakhjavani, and Joan and Albert Lincoln."},{"image":{"url":"https://www.datocms-assets.com/6348/1543422218-bwns4895-0.jpg"},"imageDescription":"Forough and George Olinga at the jubilee."},{"image":{"url":"https://www.datocms-assets.com/6348/1543422219-bwns4894-0.jpg"},"imageDescription":"Baha'is who played an historic role in Cameroon. Front (left to right): Enoch Olinga, Ali Nakhjavani. Back (left to right): Benedict Eballa, David Tanyi, and Samuel Njiki, 1954."}],"pushRelatedContentDown":null,"relatedContent":[],"updatedContent":false,"excludeFromHomepage":false,"category":[],"highlightClip":null},{"storyNumber":248,"evergreenUrl":"double-cause-celebrations","title":"Double cause for celebrations","description":"Members of the Baha'i community here had a double reason to celebrate this month. The Baha'is marked the 50th anniversary of the Faith's activities...","date":"2003-09-06","customDateline":null,"city":"KINSHASA","country":"DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF THE CONGO","thumbnail":{"url":"https://www.datocms-assets.com/6348/1543422162-bwns4893-0.jpg"},"featureAudio":null,"feature":[{"__typename":"DatoCMS_ImageRecord","image":{"url":"https://www.datocms-assets.com/6348/1543422162-bwns4893-0.jpg"},"imageDescription":"Participants in a teacher training course at the Ola Baha'i Institute, 1999.","imageStyle":"body-right","imageLink":""}],"storyContent":[{"__typename":"DatoCMS_ParagraphRecord","paragraphText":"Members of the Baha'i community here had a double reason to celebrate this month.\n\nThe Baha'is marked the 50th anniversary of the Faith's activities in the nation.\n\nIt was also the first time in five years that the nine members of their national governing body could meet together in the capital.\n\nThe war that erupted in 1998 prevented members of the National Spiritual Assembly meeting here from then until now.\n\nCongolese Baha'i Mayika Manseki described why the community was so happy to see all the National Spiritual Assembly members in Kinshasa.\n\n\"They are our liaison with the Universal House of Justice,\" Mrs. Manseki said, \"and to have this institution we love so much present here with us is wonderful -- this is a sign of hope.\"\n\nThe jubilee celebrations in Kinshasa on 6 and 7 September 2003 began with the National Spiritual Assembly's message, read by its chairman, Nshisu Nsunga."},{"__typename":"DatoCMS_InlineImageRecord","slideshowImageNumber":2},{"__typename":"DatoCMS_ParagraphRecord","paragraphText":"\"Today our country is entering a crucial phase of its future,\" the message said.\n\n\"If the Baha'i model that our national community is striving to build, can in some way contribute to the renewal and construction of the infrastructures of our country, we humbly submit it for [the nation's] consideration.\"\n\nA reconciliation program is now under way after five years of turmoil in this country, which was once known as the Belgian Congo, and then, after independence in 1960, by a variety of other names, including Zaire.\n\nA vast country four times the size of France, it has a population of 56 million. It borders the smaller Republic of the Congo, whose Baha'i community celebrated its own 50th jubilee in August 2003. (See http://www.bahaiworldnews.org/story.cfm?storyid=246).\n\nAttending the opening of the 50th jubilee festivities in the Democratic Republic of the Congo was senior government representative, Jean Baptiste Nsa Lobete, Political and Diplomatic Counselor of the Governor of Kinshasa. He linked the jubilee to the rising climate of hope in the nation.\n\n\"Because the social development and the various economic endeavors of your faith across the country constitute a point of pride for all its members and leaders,\" Mr. Lobete said, \"all of these wonderful results justify the respect that the authorities of this country feel towards the Baha'i community in particular when it comes to answer one or another of your concerns.\"\n\nSome of the activities Mr. Lobete referred to include social and economic development field projects such as adult literacy initiatives in Kasai and Western and Eastern Kivu, community health projects in Southern Kivu, and community farming projects in Katanga and Southern Kivu.\n\nMr. Lobete particularly praised the Baha'i contribution to national education. The Baha'is have established primary and secondary schools in Katanga and throughout the country and centers for the promotion of the status of women and the education of children in Kinshasa and Katanga.\n\nThe vicechairman of the National Spiritual Assembly, Sefu Lemba, read a message from the Universal House of Justice that described the community as \"stalwart and valiant\" and said in part:\n\n\"Despite years of political strife and adversity that have severely torn the fabric of the society around you, the spirits of the believers in the Democratic Republic of the Congo have remained unbroken, and you have managed to lay the foundations of a community whose influence is felt throughout the continent.\"\n\nThe program included songs from the Dawn of Carmel Choir, including performers who won acclaim throughout the Baha'i world as the Congo Youth Choir at the opening of the Terraces on Mount Carmel in Haifa, Israel, in May 2001.\n\nAmong many others to sing were the Navvab Choir, and the Mona Choir from the neighboring Republic of the Congo.\n\nThe Millennium Theatre Troupe presented a play about the transforming effect of Baha'i teachings on family life.\n\nParticipants at the celebrations also learned more of the community's history, including the fact that there were esteemed visitors to their country 13 years before normal Baha'i activity could commence.\n\nThose visitors were the then Head of the Faith, Shoghi Effendi, and his wife, Madame Ruhiyyih Rabbani, who in 1940 drove across the eastern region of the Belgian Congo.\n\nIn 1953 Baha'is began formal efforts to start teaching the Baha'i Faith as part of a worldwide 10-year plan, directed by Shoghi Effendi, to bring the message of Baha'u'llah to the world.\n\nBefore that time, colonial authorities did not permit the promotion of the Faith by Baha'i pioneers (people who moved to the country to establish the Baha'i community).\n\nActive attempts to spread the teachings began in 1953 when Ali Nakhjavani and his wife, Violette, driving across Africa from Uganda, took Ugandan Baha'i Samson Mungongo to the city of Kamina. (The Nakhjavanis carried on to the Middle Congo and British Cameroon.)\n\nCongolese who had become Baha'is in Rwanda and Burundi moved back to settle in their home provinces.\n\nThe first Local Spiritual Assembly was elected in 1957, and there are now 541 assemblies. The first National Spiritual Assembly formed in 1970.\n\nTraveling long distances within the country is often extremely difficult, so in some regional centers, Baha'is unable to attend the jubilee festivities in Kinshasa held their own celebrations in support of the main event.\n\nAmong the 600 participants at the celebrations in the capital were three of the first Congolese Baha'is: Louis Selemani, 81, Remy Kalonji, 83, and Valerien Mukendi, 83.\n\nThey were joined by a dozen former pioneers from Europe, North America and other parts of Africa.\n\nOne who could not make it was Ola Pawlowska, 93, though she participated in the celebrations by sending from her home in Canada a message of congratulations and love to a community to which she devoted three decades of her life.\n\nMulmaba Munanga, 51, a Congolese Baha'i, met Mrs. Pawlowska when he was a teenager. He has remembered words from her that changed his life.\n\n\"She would say, 'Mulamba, take this Faith as if it were your personal belonging because a personal belonging is something you take care of, something you love,'\" said Mr. Munanga.\n\n\"As I always felt the truth of these words, I have always taken the Faith as a personal belonging and I have always wanted to serve as much as I possibly can -- if Baha'u'llah can give me the time and the strength to do so -- for the rest of my life.\"\n\nGuests of honor at the jubilee included Mr. Nakhjavani, former member of the Universal House of Justice, and Mrs. Nakhjavani, an author, as well as Joan Lincoln, counsellor member of the International Teaching Centre, and Albert Lincoln, secretary-general of the Baha'i International Community. All four had spent many years as pioneers in Africa.\n\nMrs. Nakhjavani greatly moved the audience with her recollections of early visits she made to the country with Mr. Nakhjavani and later with Madame Rabbani.\n\nMr. Nakhjavani spoke at the gathering about the spiritual destiny of Africa and answered questions on subjects ranging from journalism ethics and the finer points of Baha'i law and scripture to personal problem solving.\n\nMrs. Lincoln updated the Baha'is on current projects and methods and paid a tribute: \"We now see second and third generation Baha'is, and this is a true sign of the future of the Faith in this country, and all of this notwithstanding the years of conflict and adversities.\"\n\nIn the internal affairs of the community, the Baha'is have also made great strides, as pointed out by Laeticia Cigangu, a Baha'i for 26 years and an Auxiliary Board member.\n\nMrs. Cigangu said she remembered when she was the only Congolese woman in her local Baha'i community.\n\n\"Now,\" she said, \"a quarter of that same community is composed of women. And nationwide, a good third of Baha'is are women.\"\n\n\"With the arrival of training institutes in our communities, you have to understand the Faith is not just something for Baha'is or intellectuals anymore, the way it was perceived for a long time. Now the Faith spreads through children's classes, so the next 50 years are full of hope!\"\n\n[Report and jubilee photographs by Violetta Zein in Kinshasa.]"}],"disableInlineCaptions":false,"slideshow":[{"image":{"url":"https://www.datocms-assets.com/6348/1543422162-bwns4892-0.jpg"},"imageDescription":"On stage...performers at the festivities in Kinshasa."},{"image":{"url":"https://www.datocms-assets.com/6348/1543422162-bwns4891-0.jpg"},"imageDescription":"Participants at the celebrations."},{"image":{"url":"https://www.datocms-assets.com/6348/1543422161-bwns4890-0.jpg"},"imageDescription":""},{"image":{"url":"https://www.datocms-assets.com/6348/1543422162-bwns4889-0.jpg"},"imageDescription":"Performer at the jubilee."},{"image":{"url":"https://www.datocms-assets.com/6348/1543422162-bwns4888-0.jpg"},"imageDescription":"Participant at the jubilee."},{"image":{"url":"https://www.datocms-assets.com/6348/1543422162-bwns4887-0.jpg"},"imageDescription":"Chief (left) and fellow Baha'is in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, 1996."},{"image":{"url":"https://www.datocms-assets.com/6348/1543422167-bwns4886-0.jpg"},"imageDescription":"Members of the first National Spiritual Assembly, 1971."},{"image":{"url":"https://www.datocms-assets.com/6348/1543422162-bwns4885-0.jpg"},"imageDescription":"Member of Baha'i adult literacy class, Pygmy development project. Mubambiro, North Kivu, 1989. (Photo by Glen Egli.)"},{"image":{"url":"https://www.datocms-assets.com/6348/1543422163-bwns4884-0.jpg"},"imageDescription":"The Baha'i Women Group of Lumumbashi, Katanga, 1997."},{"image":{"url":"https://www.datocms-assets.com/6348/1543422162-bwns4883-0.jpg"},"imageDescription":"Two of the first Baha'is in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Remy Kalonji, 83 (left), and Louis Selemani, 81."},{"image":{"url":"https://www.datocms-assets.com/6348/1543422169-bwns4882-0.jpg"},"imageDescription":"Mr. and Mrs. Nakhjavani."},{"image":{"url":"https://www.datocms-assets.com/6348/1543422165-bwns4881-0.jpg"},"imageDescription":"Nabil Children's Theatre depicting a travel teaching trip by Mr. Nakhjavani to the Belgian Congo. The actor at left played the lead role to Mr. Nakhjavani's amusement."},{"image":{"url":"https://www.datocms-assets.com/6348/1543422165-bwns4880-0.jpg"},"imageDescription":"All members of the National Spiritual Assembly of the Baha'is of the Democratic Republic of the Congo together at the jubilee."},{"image":{"url":"https://www.datocms-assets.com/6348/1543422163-bwns4879-0.jpg"},"imageDescription":"Members of the Dawn of Carmel Choir, who performed at the jubilee. (Photo by Violetta Zein.)"}],"pushRelatedContentDown":null,"relatedContent":[],"updatedContent":false,"excludeFromHomepage":false,"category":[],"highlightClip":null},{"storyNumber":247,"evergreenUrl":"learning-higher-plane","title":"Learning on a higher plane","description":"Scholars should move away from a combative style and lift their discussion to a higher plane, a senior professor told a major conference here....","date":"2003-08-29","customDateline":null,"city":"SAN FRANCISCO","country":"","thumbnail":{"url":"https://www.datocms-assets.com/6348/1543422140-bwns4878-0.jpg"},"featureAudio":null,"feature":[{"__typename":"DatoCMS_ImageRecord","image":{"url":"https://www.datocms-assets.com/6348/1543422140-bwns4878-0.jpg"},"imageDescription":"Group of participants at the conference.","imageStyle":"body-right","imageLink":""}],"storyContent":[{"__typename":"DatoCMS_ParagraphRecord","paragraphText":"Scholars should move away from a combative style and lift their discussion to a higher plane, a senior professor told a major conference here.\n\n\"Contemporary academic scholarship is often vindictively vicious in attacking an idea or an author regardless of the merit of the thesis proposed,\" said Suheil Bushrui, who holds the Baha'i Chair for World Peace at the University of Maryland.\n\nProfessor Bushrui was delivering the prestigious Hasan M. Balyuzi Memorial Lecture at the 27th annual conference of the Association for Baha'i Studies-North America, held 29 August-1 September 2003.\n\nMore than 1,300 participants attended the conference.\n\n\"All knowledge in the Baha'i point of view is measured by its benevolent influence and contribution to the unity and prosperity of the human race,\" said Professor Bushrui, who also announced his retirement in 2004 from the Baha'i Chair.\n\nAddressing the conference, noted sociologist Philip Selznick discussed the importance of a stronger sense of civility in the effort to build stronger and yet more inclusive communities, in a world where many groups are seeking -- out of a sense of piety -- to distance themselves from others.\n\n\"Civility is naked without articles of faith, which tell us who we are and what we live by,\" said Professor Selznick, who is not a Baha'i."},{"__typename":"DatoCMS_InlineImageRecord","slideshowImageNumber":2},{"__typename":"DatoCMS_ParagraphRecord","paragraphText":"\"Piety without civility is debased and out of control,\" he said.\n\nFounded in 1975, the Association for Baha'i Studies promotes the development of scholarship on the Baha'i Faith in North America.\n\nThe San Francisco conference took the theme of \"Religion and Community in a Time of Crisis\" and featured a wide range of lectures, panel discussions, workshops, and artistic performances.\n\nA keynote speaker, Dr. Ann Boyles, addressed the topic \"Binding Together a Fragmented World: A Baha'i Perspective on 'Community'.\"\n\n\"Baha'is see religion as one powerful means to address the problems besetting the world, and this is because religion has traditionally been concerned with two broad questions:  the purpose of existence and the nature of the community,\" said Dr. Boyles, a lecturer at the University of Prince Edward Island in Canada.\n\n\"Baha'is are deeply and centrally concerned with the process of building an inclusive, rather than exclusive, community based on the enactment of transcendent values rather than mere material progress,\" said Dr. Boyles, a senior editor of the \"Baha'i World\", an annual volume recording Baha'i activities and perspectives.\n\n\"Theories and practices that promote self-indulgence and disrupt the connections among individuals have no place in the Baha'i community.\"\n\nDr. Boyles also commented on the inauguration of a new special interest group -- on indigenous studies -- within the Association.\n\nNamed in honor of the late Patricia Locke, a noted Lakota/Chippewa Baha'i, the group opened with a panel discussion that explored the diverse ways of \"knowing\" and \"seeing\" among indigenous peoples.\n\n\"This development is important because it showed how the Association is making efforts to nurture different approaches to scholarship, or different ways of 'knowing',\" said Dr. Boyles.\n\nShe said another aspect of the conference she found very moving was the artistic presentations.\n\n\"They ran the gamut from opera to a young group of kids doing hip-hop music. There was also a duo that played traditional Chinese instruments, including the yangqin (hammered dulcimer); music from Ghana; and a group of Armenian dancers.\"\n\nStephen Birkland, a member of the Continental Board of Counsellors for North America, told the conference that people find themselves in an age when the equilibrium of the world has been upset.\n\nNonequilibrium states, however, are \"characterized by extraordinary innovation\" and are \"where the greatest learning takes place\".\n\nHe identified three resources to help people thrive in this frustrating yet promising age: keenness of vision; communication with one another, or \"cultivating a culture of encouragement\"; and the Word of God, as \"the wellspring of all social and material progress\".\n\nThe challenge of practicing Baha'i values within the materialistic and secular settings of the academic world was the topic of a searching and lively panel discussion by five young Baha'i academics and professionals.\n\nRuha Benjamin, a sociology graduate student at the University of California, Berkeley, spoke of the \"severe mental tests\" that scholars must confront in \"the battle with our self, or ego\".\n\nShe urged Baha'is to engage in reflective practice as a learning community and to ask: \"Am I reinforcing hierarchies that Baha'u'llah came to change?\"\n\nDerik Smith, a professor of African-American literature at Arcadia University, noted that \"in order to be employable you have to articulate views in the discourse that holds sway.\"\n\nBut lest \"we forget where we're coming from... we must constantly cultivate a transcendent vision, a spiritualized approach to what we do.\"\n\nThe more than 90 papers, panel discussions, and workshops at the conference included a presentation on \"Creative Dimensions of Life Crisis and Suffering\" by Abdu'l-Missagh Ghadirian, a professor at the McGill University Faculty of Medicine; a discussion on \"Faith, History, and Community Building in the Babi and Baha'i Faiths\"; and a panel discussion on \"The Press as a Consultative Forum\", featuring Baha'i journalists.\n\nOther presentation and workshop topics included human rights and religious extremism, applying principle-based indicators of development, multiracial community building, bioethics, economics and social justice, and gender and ethics.\n\nSpecial interest groups within the Association held presentations on topics ranging from agriculture and ecology to marriage and family life.\n\n(Photos by Courosh Mehanian.)"}],"disableInlineCaptions":false,"slideshow":[{"image":{"url":"https://www.datocms-assets.com/6348/1543422140-bwns4877-0.jpg"},"imageDescription":"One of the speakers: Dr. June Thomas, professor of urban and regional planning at Michigan State University."},{"image":{"url":"https://www.datocms-assets.com/6348/1543422139-bwns4876-0.jpg"},"imageDescription":"One of the speakers: Dr. Michael Penn, associate professor of psychology at Franklin & Marshall College."},{"image":{"url":"https://www.datocms-assets.com/6348/1543422146-bwns4874-0.jpg"},"imageDescription":"Asako Takami Dance Group, who performed at the conference."},{"image":{"url":"https://www.datocms-assets.com/6348/1543422140-bwns4873-0.jpg"},"imageDescription":"Dr. Ann Boyles."},{"image":{"url":"https://www.datocms-assets.com/6348/1543422139-bwns4872-0.jpg"},"imageDescription":"Professor Suheil Bushrui."},{"image":{"url":"https://www.datocms-assets.com/6348/1543422139-bwns4871-0.jpg"},"imageDescription":"Some participants at the annual conference of the Association for Baha'i Studies-North America. (Photo by Courosh Mehanian.)"}],"pushRelatedContentDown":null,"relatedContent":[],"updatedContent":false,"excludeFromHomepage":false,"category":[],"highlightClip":null},{"storyNumber":246,"evergreenUrl":"light-spirit-shines-congo","title":"Light of the spirit shines in the Congo","description":"Teachings on peace prompted Anselme Nkouka to become a Baha'i during the earliest years of the Baha'i community here. \"I became a Baha'i because...","date":"2003-08-29","customDateline":null,"city":"BRAZZAVILLE","country":"CONGO REPUBLIC","thumbnail":{"url":"https://www.datocms-assets.com/6348/1543422108-bwns4870-0.jpg"},"featureAudio":null,"feature":[{"__typename":"DatoCMS_ImageRecord","image":{"url":"https://www.datocms-assets.com/6348/1543422108-bwns4870-0.jpg"},"imageDescription":"Children at the opening ceremony.","imageStyle":"body-right","imageLink":""}],"storyContent":[{"__typename":"DatoCMS_ParagraphRecord","paragraphText":"Teachings on peace prompted Anselme Nkouka to become a Baha'i during the earliest years of the Baha'i community here.\n\n\"I became a Baha'i because Baha'is even then spoke of peace when no one else did -- Baha'u'llah's message was addressing this issue,\" said Mr. Nkouka.\n\nAn interview with Mr. Nkouka was part of a documentary film shown to participants as part of the 50th anniversary celebrations held from 29 to 31 August 2003 to mark the introduction of the Baha'i Faith to this country.\n\nLike Marie-Joseph Sommere and Francois M'Bemba, who were also shown in the film, Mr. Nkouka, now 86, learned of the Baha'i Faith through the man who brought the Faith here, Ugandan Max Kanyerezi.\n\nThe Baha'i community, which now has 20 Local Spiritual Assemblies, celebrated its golden jubilee by honoring the struggles of the past, looking forward to its future and enjoying the present.\n\nThe event involved 28 theatrical and musical performances, including a play by a theater troupe from Pointe Noire.\n\n\"Everyone wants peace today, and everyone talks of peace -- it is quite a common topic -- but in the past, it was not so common,\" Mr. Nkouka said."},{"__typename":"DatoCMS_InlineImageRecord","slideshowImageNumber":2},{"__typename":"DatoCMS_ParagraphRecord","paragraphText":"Peace remains a vital issue in a country that has suffered through severe political and social unrest.\n\nThe national Baha'i center -- the venue of the jubilee festivities -- was seized by the communist regime in 1978 and occupied for 14 years.\n\nDuring that period, the Baha'i community was forced to stop its organized activities. Baha'is supported one another through mutual encouragement and informal family contacts, but without their elected administrative bodies.\n\nIn 1992, a new democratically elected government gave legal recognition to the Baha'i community.\n\nThe Baha'is reinstated their administration, regained use of the national center, and energetically resumed their activities.\n\nAlthough there has been civil unrest, including two civil wars since 1992, the country, with its 2.9 million population, is now healing from its wounds. In Brazzaville, on the edge of the mighty Congo river, buildings are being repaired, and roads paved. The city, its stately avenues bordered by flamboyant and mango trees, is mending slowly.\n\nToday, the Baha'i community is actively contributing to the development of the country through conducting children's education, providing opportunities for artistic creativity, holding capacity building study circles for adults, and welcoming the public to spiritual gatherings for prayer and readings from holy writings.\n\nThe jubilee celebrations, attended by 200 Baha'is, began with a brief welcome by the chairman of the National Spiritual Assembly, Ruffin Kinzuku.\n\nThen, as the message of the Universal House of Justice was read, the Congolese Baha'is stood up out of respect.\n\n\"That you are coming together under such auspicious circumstances,\" said the message, \"is a testimony to the tenacity, resolve and unflagging devotion of the followers of Baha'u'llah in the Congo Republic, who have been able to maintain their integrity as a community while the society around them erupted in conflict.\"\n\nThe Baha'i Faith came to the French Congo (then called the Middle Congo, now Republic of the Congo) on 20 September 1953 when Ali Nakhjavani and his wife, Violette, driving a small car through the jungles from Uganda, dropped off Mr. Kanyerezi in Brazzaville.\n\nMr. Nakhjavani, a recently retired member of the Universal House of Justice, and Mrs. Nakhjavani, an author, attended the jubilee as guests of honor and received a heartfelt welcome.\n\nSpeaking in French, Mr. Nakhjavani addressed the crowd on the great destiny of Africa. He recalled his reaction when only 20 years old to first reading the description in the Baha'i writings of black people as like the \"pupil of the eye\" through which the \"light of the spirit shineth forth\".\n\nMr. Nakhjavani: \"And I said to myself, Ali, why did God make you white? Why didn't God make you black? Why weren't you born in Africa? Why were you born here, in Asia? I am telling you the truth; those were my thoughts when I realized the high, exalted station Baha'u'llah gave the African people.\n\n\"His words, dear friends, were not compliments but the truth for the world to see.\"\n\nLater, in a two-hour question and answer session, Mr. Nakhjavani addressed topics ranging from Baha'i scripture and history, to personal spiritual growth.\n\nMr. Nakhjavani also spoke at the grave of his friend, Gudratullah Azemikhah, who contributed greatly to the Baha'i community after arriving, two years after independence, in 1962.\n\nMrs. Nakhjavani enthralled the audience with an account of the historic journey she and her husband undertook in 1953. They dropped off Ugandan Baha'is Enoch Olinga, Samson Mugono, and Max Kanyerezi at their respective posts in the Belgian Congo, Middle Congo and British Cameroon, as part of the worldwide project for the expansion of the Baha'i Faith.\n\nAlso present at the celebration was Dr. Ezzatullah Tai, 73, originally from Iran and now of France, who played a key role in assisting the growth of the Congolese Baha'i community.\n\nOther guests of honor included Joan Lincoln, Counsellor Member of the International Teaching Centre, and her husband, Albert Lincoln, Secretary-General of the Baha'i International Community in Haifa, Israel.\n\nMrs. Lincoln conveyed inspiring news from around the world, of Baha'i communities actively engaged in activities similar to those in the Congo: children's classes, capacity building study circles for adults, devotional gatherings, and projects to help rebuild the society.\n\nIn his public address, Mr. Lincoln paid tribute to the endurance of the Baha'i community.\n\n\"To extract the true and deep meaning of the event we are gathered here to celebrate, we must place it in its proper historical and human context, a scene in which the dominant color is not that of a rose but of red, the red of blood, of heart and of sacrifice.\"\n\nMr. Lincoln said that we had to accept trials because they were part of a larger process of \"finding a way to live together like the global human family we are and were created to be\".\n\nMr. Lincoln's speech was applauded by Mr. Roger Packa, Cabinet Director for the High Commission charged with Moral and Spiritual Education, a branch of the Presidency of the Republic of the Congo.\n\nNational television news reported the jubilee, and Mr. Lincoln gave an interview on the radio and on one of the country's most popular TV shows.\n\nBrazzaville Baha'i Urbain Niamba said the jubilee gave him a new vision of the future of the Faith in the Congo.\n\n\"I am sure that the creativity present in the celebrations will encourage more use of the arts and culture among the youth in the Baha'i community.\"\n\n[Report and photographs by Violetta Zein in Brazzaville.]"}],"disableInlineCaptions":false,"slideshow":[{"image":{"url":"https://www.datocms-assets.com/6348/1543422107-bwns4869-0.jpg"},"imageDescription":""},{"image":{"url":"https://www.datocms-assets.com/6348/1543422107-bwns4868-0.jpg"},"imageDescription":"Baha'is from the southern region of the Congo with guests of honor at the jubilee."},{"image":{"url":"https://www.datocms-assets.com/6348/1543422107-bwns4867-0.jpg"},"imageDescription":"Members of the Navvab Choir."},{"image":{"url":"https://www.datocms-assets.com/6348/1543422107-bwns4866-0.jpg"},"imageDescription":"Hand of the Cause Dr. Ali-Muhammad Varqa (front row, second right) and members of the first National Spiritual Assembly of Congo and Gabon(1971)."},{"image":{"url":"https://www.datocms-assets.com/6348/1543422107-bwns4865-0.jpg"},"imageDescription":"A founding member of the Congolese Baha'i community, Francois M'Bemba (right)and Dr. Ezzatullah Tai, a guest of honor."},{"image":{"url":"https://www.datocms-assets.com/6348/1543422108-bwns4864-0.jpg"},"imageDescription":"Guest singers -- the Navvab Choir from the neighboring Democratic Republic of the Congo."},{"image":{"url":"https://www.datocms-assets.com/6348/1543422107-bwns4863-0.jpg"},"imageDescription":"Guests of honor (left to right): Mr. Albert Lincoln, Mrs. Joan Lincoln, Mrs. Violette Nakhjavani and Mr. Ali Nakhjavani at the opening ceremony."},{"image":{"url":"https://www.datocms-assets.com/6348/1543422107-bwns4862-0.jpg"},"imageDescription":"Celebrating in dance -- Congolese Baha'is."},{"image":{"url":"https://www.datocms-assets.com/6348/1543422111-bwns4861-0.jpg"},"imageDescription":"(From left to right): National Spiritual Assembly members, Ruffin Kinzuku (Chairman) and Mina Rameschfar, guest of honor Mr. Ali Nakhjavani, and two local Baha'is."},{"image":{"url":"https://www.datocms-assets.com/6348/1543422107-bwns4860-0.jpg"},"imageDescription":"Looking forward to the future -- a participant at the Baha'i community's 50th jubilee in the Republic of the Congo.(Photo by Violetta Zein)"}],"pushRelatedContentDown":null,"relatedContent":[],"updatedContent":false,"excludeFromHomepage":false,"category":[],"highlightClip":null},{"storyNumber":245,"evergreenUrl":"inspired-art-from-spiritual-infusion","title":"Inspired art from spiritual infusion","description":"\"It is the atmosphere at the academy that makes you want to learn more and become better -- it gives you life and spirit!\" said Chanelle Fusco,...","date":"2003-08-02","customDateline":null,"city":"WINSCOMBE","country":"ENGLAND","thumbnail":{"url":"https://www.datocms-assets.com/6348/1543421871-bwns4859-0.jpg"},"featureAudio":null,"feature":[{"__typename":"DatoCMS_ImageRecord","image":{"url":"https://www.datocms-assets.com/6348/1543421871-bwns4859-0.jpg"},"imageDescription":"Tribal groove... a course for 11-14 year olds.","imageStyle":"body-right","imageLink":""}],"storyContent":[{"__typename":"DatoCMS_ParagraphRecord","paragraphText":"\"It is the atmosphere at the academy that makes you want to learn more and become better -- it gives you life and spirit!\" said Chanelle Fusco, 20, describing her experience at the Baha'i Academy for the Arts in England.\n\nA singing course at the academy three years ago inspired her to become a professional singer.\n\nThe academy is held at a boarding school in Sidcot, Somerset, for a week during the summer.\n\nIt opened in 1993 and now provides some 18 courses open to people of all ages.\n\nThis year's academy took place from 26 July to 2 August and brought together professional and amateur artists from 16 countries.\n\nCourse topics range from weaving to calligraphy, filmmaking to mural painting  -- and all aim to infuse spiritual values into artistic expression.\n\nMs. Fusco illustrated her experience at the academy by describing a singing course which, she said, gave her a tremendous amount of energy for her art."},{"__typename":"DatoCMS_InlineImageRecord","slideshowImageNumber":2},{"__typename":"DatoCMS_ParagraphRecord","paragraphText":"Participants in the course sang gospel-style and Baha'i prayers set to music, a form of learning she found instantly appealing.\n\n\"I liked music but during that week at the academy I feel I discovered myself,\" said Ms. Fusco.\n\nThe academy taught her to set goals. She now writes her own songs, has moved from Lancaster to London to concentrate on her career, and is currently preparing her first album.\n\nThe arts academy originated with Cecilia Smith and Margaret Appa, two Baha'is who wanted a summer camp for their children, one that combined arts education with spiritual values.\n\nThat initial concept became an academy which grew from just 20 enrolled students when it opened a decade ago to 260 this year.\n\n\"We have a very strong, spiritual source which of course is the writings of Baha'u'llah, but the artistic and educational philosophies are a very strong and very positive part of the whole event,\" said Ms. Appa, who serves with Ms. Smith and others on the organizing executive committee.\n\nIn contrast to conventional courses -- typically built on competition and comparison -- the Baha'i Arts Academy aims to challenge, encourage, and empower students in order for them to discover their hidden spiritual and artistic \"gems\".\n\n\"The energy and the power that comes from an environment where there is no judgment, no criticism, is huge and empowering,\" said Ms. Appa, an art teacher by profession.\n\n\"People feel safe to risk success, rather than accepting failure.\"\n\n\"It's a more positive mindset,\" she said, explaining that seeing successes encouraged all students to feel they can achieve their potential.\n\nPhotographer Darius Himes, who taught the photography course this year, said that the distinction of the academy lies in the fact that the community at the school -- individuals and families together -- strive to combine spiritual values with their art.\n\n\"It is the living qualities of being a Baha'i,\" he said. \"Courtesy towards others, inclusiveness, friendliness, respect, a deep concern for others, and being full of thought -- those qualities infuse the academy.\"\n\nMr. Himes, the editor of \"photo-eye\", an Internet-based bookstore and gallery of fine-art photography, encouraged his group to look at the different roles photography can play in representing spiritual ideas.\n\n\"Spirituality is a difficult thing to define. Mindfulness, attentiveness, ever striving for clear intent -- these are the qualities that I emphasized in the class because I see these qualities manifested in great art.\n\n\"The Prophets call forth these qualities in us as humans.\n\n\"To manifest those qualities in our chosen fields is the dream and goal of humanity.\"\n\nThe academy provides four hours of tuition daily. Each day has a period of \"morning focus\", when all the students gather to set the spiritual tone for the day with the help of prayers, music, and drama.\n\nThe evenings are filled with musical and theatrical performances, talks, or academic presentations.\n\nAt the end of the week the groups are invited to share the progress of their art with the rest of the participants.\n\nJessica Naish, an English theater director and performer, has been working with teenagers who have personal problems. She said that when starting to learn anything for the first time people, face barriers of self-consciousness and embarrassment, but the academy provides the perfect atmosphere to break these boundaries.\n\n\"The academy is like going on a journey,\" said Ms. Naish, 32, who this summer tutored a course on performing with masks.\n\n\"You come as you are; you can start from nothing, in competition with yourself, and go through spiritual, artistic, and personal development.\"\n\nShe said that the power of the academy comes from the mutual encouragement and love that exist among the students and the tutors -- and that helps them strive for personal excellence unashamedly.\n\nThe arts academy is also a meeting point for artists from all around the world.\n\n\"It doesn't matter if you are an amateur or a professional -- what makes it unique is the amazing artists you meet there,\" said Liza Gerhold, 22, a university student from Germany, who discovered photography as her medium at the academy.\n\n\"I learnt that art is not about putting one's self in the center of attention but to work on the gifts one has and share them with others,\" she said.\n\nThe executive team of organizers, also including Farzaneh Seegoolam, Aidan Matthews, Rob Weinberg and Ranjit Appa, has started planning for next year's academy.\n\n\"We are in a stage of transition,\" said Ms. Appa. \"We are planning to become an educational trust, part of which would be the arts academy.\"\n\nThe trust would also provide a forum for professional artists where they could challenge one another and evaluate their own personal development.\n\nAt the same time the team would like to focus more on the development of the arts within the Baha'i community and explore possible ways of assisting tutors of Baha'i study circles and children's classes.\n\nFor more information:\n\nhttp://www.bahai-artsacademy.com/welcome.html"}],"disableInlineCaptions":false,"slideshow":[{"image":{"url":"https://www.datocms-assets.com/6348/1543421872-bwns4858-0.jpg"},"imageDescription":"Art of relaxation...students and tutors take a break at the Baha'i Academy for the Arts."},{"image":{"url":"https://www.datocms-assets.com/6348/1543421871-bwns4857-0.jpg"},"imageDescription":"Facing reality...participants in the performing with masks course, tutored by Jessica Naish."},{"image":{"url":"https://www.datocms-assets.com/6348/1543421872-bwns4856-0.jpg"},"imageDescription":"Tiny hands... the first Arts Academy course for under fives, tutored by Victoria Donovan."}],"pushRelatedContentDown":null,"relatedContent":[],"updatedContent":false,"excludeFromHomepage":false,"category":[],"highlightClip":null},{"storyNumber":244,"evergreenUrl":"a-flower-lottie","title":"A flower for Lottie","description":"Next year at the annual convention of the Baha'is of the Netherlands, there will be a rose on an otherwise empty seat, the one traditionally...","date":"2003-07-25","customDateline":null,"city":"VOORBURG","country":"NETHERLANDS","thumbnail":{"url":"https://www.datocms-assets.com/6348/1543421863-bwns4855-0.jpg"},"featureAudio":null,"feature":[{"__typename":"DatoCMS_ImageRecord","image":{"url":"https://www.datocms-assets.com/6348/1543421863-bwns4855-0.jpg"},"imageDescription":"Lottie Tobias.","imageStyle":"body-right","imageLink":""}],"storyContent":[{"__typename":"DatoCMS_ParagraphRecord","paragraphText":"Next year at the annual convention of the Baha'is of the Netherlands, there will be a rose on an otherwise empty seat, the one traditionally occupied by the late Lottie Tobias.\n\nThe National Spiritual Assembly promised the gesture, in a eulogy read at her funeral.\n\nThe rose will be a symbolic tribute to the five decades of loving, expert attention paid by Elisabeth Charlotte (Lottie) Tobias to the development of the Baha'i administrative order in her homeland and beyond.\n\nOn 25 July 2003 Lottie, 93, died while on her way home to Voorburg from a summer school held in De Poort. More than 350 mourners attended her funeral.\n\nThe National Spiritual Assembly, describing her as the \"mother\" of the Netherlands Baha'i community, pointed out in its eulogy that Lottie herself had always said the Baha'i community was her family.\n\n\"She was interested in everyone and followed the progress of her friends' children -- they were her children and so it was very moving that she died in the arms of two of these, now very adult, children.\"\n\nLottie Tobias became a Baha'i in 1950 when there were only a few dozen believers in the whole country. She was elected to the first Local Spiritual Assembly of Den Haag in 1952, and in 1957 was elected a member of the first Spiritual Assembly of the Benelux countries (Belgium, Netherlands, Luxembourg), serving as secretary for the Netherlands.\n\nIn 1962 she was elected to the first National Spiritual Assembly of the Baha'is of the Netherlands, and served on that body until 1986. For 24 years she was the secretary.\n\n\"Alone, without the help of a secretariat, her only help a typewriter and a table, she performed this work cheerfully and uncomplainingly for all those years in a manner which today still serves as an example,\" the National Spiritual Assembly said.\n\n\"Everything had still to be built up both in the office in the Hague and in the administrative order in the country. In addition most of it had to be done in the evenings after a busy day's work.\"\n\nNot only was she meticulous in her work as secretary but also as a proofreading member of the editorial team of the \"Baha'i Vizier\" (a regular publication with scholarly and other articles). To the last moment of her life, she was a member of the national properties committee.\n\nShe kept in touch with Baha'is who went to live abroad to assist other communities and gave a warm welcome to newcomers, wrote cards to and visited the sick, and kept up to date with the welfare of others in person and by telephone.\n\nThat legendary care for others was in her nature. For years she wrote a column in the \"Haagse Courant\" newspaper as a counselor on social and legal matters. Her nom de plume was \"Raad\" (a combination of the words for \"advice\" and \"deed\"). She even held a weekly consultation hour for individuals at the newspaper office.\n\nWhen staff at her newspaper learned of her death, they placed a large display notice commemorating their beloved former colleague.\n\nIn a personal eulogy, Jan Sijsling, a Baha'i who had known her more than 50 years, said she had made a great impression upon him because of her reliability, the bond between them deepening as a result of her care not only for the work but everyone as individuals.\n\nAnother long time Baha'i friend, Wilco Broekhuizen, said that getting to know her was by observing her actions for she never really spoke about herself.\n\n\"The Covenant, loyalty to Shoghi Effendi, the Universal House of Justice, the Hands of the Cause and the Spiritual Assemblies formed the very foundation of her life.\"\n\nMr. Broekhuizen said that in consultation she provided clear, personal opinions and solutions but, having heard another point of view, could completely change her opinion.\n\nShe possessed an endearing humanity and a sense of humor.\n\nMr. Broekhuizen recalled once when a meeting was to be held in her flat, somebody said there was a wonderful film on television that evening.\n\n\"And it was actually Lottie who proposed we should 'leave the business' and all sit around the TV instead.\"\n\nArts and culture were dear to her, and she had begun to paint in watercolors.\n\nIn a tribute, the Universal House of Justice said: \"Having served with distinction for more than two decades on the National Spiritual Assembly of the Netherlands, as well as on the first Spiritual Assembly of the Benelux countries, she will always be lovingly remembered for her dedication to the progress of the Cause, the upbuilding of its institutions and her tireless endeavors over many years to inspire and encourage all the friends.\""}],"disableInlineCaptions":false,"slideshow":[],"pushRelatedContentDown":null,"relatedContent":[],"updatedContent":false,"excludeFromHomepage":false,"category":[],"highlightClip":null},{"storyNumber":243,"evergreenUrl":"in-midmost-heart-oceans","title":"In the midmost heart of the oceans","description":"Two Baha'is who have contributed to societies on remote islands have received high awards for their services. Basil George, who led a successful...","date":"2003-08-01","customDateline":null,"city":"JAMESTOWN","country":"SAINT HELENA","thumbnail":{"url":"https://www.datocms-assets.com/6348/1543421852-bwns4854-0.jpg"},"featureAudio":null,"feature":[{"__typename":"DatoCMS_ImageRecord","image":{"url":"https://www.datocms-assets.com/6348/1543421852-bwns4854-0.jpg"},"imageDescription":"","imageStyle":"body-right","imageLink":""}],"storyContent":[{"__typename":"DatoCMS_ParagraphRecord","paragraphText":"Two Baha'is who have contributed to societies on remote islands have received high awards for their services.\n\nBasil George, who led a successful attempt to restore British citizenship to the people of the St. Helena, has received an OBE (Officer of the Order of the British Empire) for his services to his birthplace, which lies about midway between South America and Africa.\n\nRobin White, a New Zealander who lived with her family in the Pacific nation of Kiribati from 1982 to 1999, has been appointed a Distinguished Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit for services to painting and printing. Much of her recent work depicts Kiribati.\n\nBasil George, 67, a descendant of the early settlers of St. Helena, received the award at a ceremony on the island, which has the status of a British Overseas Territory.\n\nSt. Helena's population of under 6,000 comprises people of British, African, Indian and Chinese descent. There is no air service but a ship calls monthly.\n\n\"The announcement of the award came unexpectedly and I am very touched by people on the island who put my name forward intending it as a surprise,\" Mr. George said.\n\nMr. George has served on the Local Spiritual Assembly of the Baha'is of St. Helena, including a number of times as chairman."},{"__typename":"DatoCMS_InlineImageRecord","slideshowImageNumber":2},{"__typename":"DatoCMS_ParagraphRecord","paragraphText":"In 1996 the Anglican Bishop of St. Helena, John Ruston, asked Mr. George to take over as chairman of the Citizenship Commission.\n\nThe Anglican Church had set up the commission four years earlier in an attempt to reverse a 1981 decision of the British Government to introduce various classes of citizenship, effectively depriving the islanders of their longstanding legal status as full British citizens.\n\nUnder Mr. George's leadership, the commission took its case to the United Nations in 2000 and 2001. Victory was achieved when the British government restored full citizenship rights, including the right of abode in the United Kingdom and the European Union, to the people of their overseas territories.\n\nThe law came into effect on 21 May 2002, specifically timed for the St. Helena celebrations of the 500th anniversary of the discovery of the previously uninhabited island.\n\nIn a tribute, the monthly magazine, the \"St. Helena Catalogue,\" said: \"Basil George's love and devotion to his island and its community are amply demonstrated in his work in education and his commitment to the restoration of British citizenship to the people of St. Helena.\"\n\nMr. George became a Baha'i in 1961 when he was a policeman. To serve the Faith and the community more effectively, he took up teaching, gaining an honors degree in secondary education and being appointed headmaster of the secondary selective school.\n\nIn 1983 he became the Chief Education officer of St. Helena, was closely involved in a project to establish the island's first Community High School open to all children. He managed the introduction of a three-tier system of education on the island.\n\nMr. George has also contributed to the island as chairman of the Agricultural Authority Board, founding member and chairman of the Disabled Persons' Aid society, Heritage society, and diving club. He is now retired but serves as a tourist guide, and writes children's stories and poems about the island. He is married with three adult children.\n\nAward for artist\n\nRobin White is one of New Zealand's most prominent artists, with her work represented in major collections.\n\nMs. White, 57, was invested as a Distinguished Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit at Government House in Wellington in August 2003.\n\n\"When I was first informed of the award I couldn't understand why I had received it for 'services to painting and printmaking' when there are so many very fine artists in New Zealand,\" she said.\n\n\"But I gather it has something to do with international connections -- the fact that I have exhibited overseas (India, United Kingdom, France, Japan, Australia) and that I have collaborated with Pacific artists.\"\n\nMs. White has been a member of the Baha'i Continental Board of Counsellors since 1995, and is now based in Masterton in the Wairarapa region of New Zealand.\n\nMany images in her works are regarded as symbolic of aspects of her country's life. Her art is known for its clear images, strong colors and clean lines.\n\nIn 1982, when her works were in ever-increasing demand, she and her husband, Mike Fudakowski, moved to Kiribati to assist with the development of the Baha'i community there. Two of their three children were born there.\n\nKiribati is an independent nation comprising a group of 33 coral atolls in the Pacific Ocean. Straddling the equator, it is about half-way between Australia and Hawaii and has a population of about 98,000.\n\nRobin White and her husband chose to live in a pandanus-thatched and coconut-ribbed house with a studio on stilts, rather than move into a conventional western style house.\n\nAfter their relocation, Ms. White began producing images depicting the Kiribati environment. She used a Pacific woodblock and hand-coloring technique by which she carved a design into a block of wood, which was then inked before paper was pressed against the design.\n\nMs. White created detailed images depicting scenes of fishing, women conversing, people strolling in villages, children, and ocean scenes. Those common, every-day images were the basis for an exploration of universal themes.\n\nHer reputation grew and her work was exhibited in distant New Zealand and Australia to good reviews.\n\nA tragic 1996 fire, destroyed their family's house and her studio and equipment. The loss, however, prompted her to collaborate with indigenous artists and to extend her skills in the use of locally available material. Her collaborative work includes tapa (bark cloth) pieces produced with Fijian artist Leba Toki. (See http://www.bahaiworldnews.org/story.cfm?storyid=77)\n\nIn Kiribati she also learned the Gilbertise language to the extent that she served as a translator and worked with the local women to enhance the education and advancement in society and participated fully in the Baha'i community.\n\nShe has been an artist in residence in New Zealand and Australian universities and still travels in the Pacific region."}],"disableInlineCaptions":false,"slideshow":[{"image":{"url":"https://www.datocms-assets.com/6348/1543421852-bwns4853-0.jpg"},"imageDescription":"Leba Toki (left) and Robin White apply decorative elements to tapa cloth in Robin's studio in Masterton, New Zealand."},{"image":{"url":"https://www.datocms-assets.com/6348/1543421852-bwns4852-0.jpg"},"imageDescription":"New Zealand Governor-General Silvia Cartwright (right) congratulates Robin White on her award."},{"image":{"url":"https://www.datocms-assets.com/6348/1543421852-bwns4851-0.jpg"},"imageDescription":"Basil George (left) receives his award from St. Helena Governor David Hollamby."}],"pushRelatedContentDown":null,"relatedContent":[],"updatedContent":false,"excludeFromHomepage":false,"category":[],"highlightClip":null},{"storyNumber":242,"evergreenUrl":"youth-animators-spring-life","title":"Youth animators spring to life","description":"\"I feel animated -- like a picture suddenly given life!\" says Anisa Beckman, 22, who recently qualified to assist the development of junior youth...","date":"2003-08-28","customDateline":null,"city":"THAMES","country":"NEW ZEALAND","thumbnail":{"url":"https://www.datocms-assets.com/6348/1543421628-bwns4850-0.jpg"},"featureAudio":null,"feature":[{"__typename":"DatoCMS_ImageRecord","image":{"url":"https://www.datocms-assets.com/6348/1543421628-bwns4850-0.jpg"},"imageDescription":"Animated...Anisa Beckman (front), Terra Lew, Nava Derakhshani (second row), Abdullah Norozi, Ezra Hopkins, Tessa Lew (back row).","imageStyle":"body-right","imageLink":""}],"storyContent":[{"__typename":"DatoCMS_ParagraphRecord","paragraphText":"\"I feel animated -- like a picture suddenly given life!\" says Anisa Beckman, 22, who recently qualified to assist the development of junior youth (12 to 14-year-olds).\n\nAnisa attended a five-day residential \"Animator\" course here and, like the other graduates, is keen to employ her new skills.\n\nGraduates, who are in their late teens or early 20s,  return home to help groups of young teenagers to devise and implement plans of community service as well as look to their spiritual, intellectual, and creative development.\n\n\"Animators\" encourage junior youth in New Zealand  to devote themselves to tasks like gardening at homes for the elderly, taking young people with disabilities to entertainment parks, and taping books for the blind.\n\nThe Aotearoa Institute, a training board founded and run by the National Spiritual Assembly of the Baha'is of New Zealand, organizes the course.\n\nSpokesperson Mary Ann White said the training course combines learning and practice.\n\n\"It's a very active course and quite demanding,\" she said.\n\nFor Anisa Beckman, who lives in Kaikoura, on the east coast of the country's South Island, the benefits of the course are clear.\n\n\"This training has reminded me of the enormous energy and potential that junior youth have,\" she said.\n\n\"This has stopped me from holding myself back and just leaving them [junior youth] to it, and to start working through this program and to stoke their fire for learning, for action and for doing good and useful things.\"\n\nOne of her co-students on the course, Nava Derakhshani, 18, said that as a result of the course she realized the positive effect that interaction by people her age has on younger youth, especially in the development of self-esteem.\n\n\"I hope to take [this experience] back to my home country and future countries that I may reside and serve in,\" said Nava, who is spending a year here away from her Botswana home in a \"youth year of service\", a period when young Baha'is volunteer to devote themselves full-time to serving their society through their religion.\n\nThis is the fourth year of the Animator training course, and was special because some earlier trainees, such as 19-year-olds Terra Lew, from Christchurch, and Abdullah Norozi, from Papakura, were returning to carry out the training.\n\nMr. Norozi said that before getting involved he did not take much notice of younger youth.\n\n\"But ever since I have made a conscious effort in involving myself with the junior youth and helping and supporting them in their endeavors.\"\n\nThe course held this month was the fourth since training began in 2000. The original trainer of the Animators was  Nina Perez, who came from Mexico to live in New Zealand while pursuing tertiary studies. She and Mr. Norozi also carried out additional training in Perth, Western Australia.\n\nThe Animators also contribute their skills in Baha'i children's camps, where pre-teens and junior youth combine studies of art and spirituality with games and fellowship, appreciation and enjoyment of nature, and outdoor activities."}],"disableInlineCaptions":false,"slideshow":[],"pushRelatedContentDown":null,"relatedContent":[],"updatedContent":false,"excludeFromHomepage":false,"category":[],"highlightClip":null},{"storyNumber":241,"evergreenUrl":"beauty-feminine-spirit","title":"Beauty of the feminine spirit","description":"A soft sari adorns an Indian woman as she shoulders a heavy water pot. An elder of the Navajo people decorates her practical clothing with a...","date":"2003-08-25","customDateline":null,"city":"CORDOBA","country":"SPAIN","thumbnail":{"url":"https://www.datocms-assets.com/6348/1543421591-bwns4849-0.jpg"},"featureAudio":null,"feature":[{"__typename":"DatoCMS_ImageRecord","image":{"url":"https://www.datocms-assets.com/6348/1543421591-bwns4849-0.jpg"},"imageDescription":"Woman from Iceland wearing national costume (Photo: Francisco Gonzalez)","imageStyle":"body-right","imageLink":""}],"storyContent":[{"__typename":"DatoCMS_ParagraphRecord","paragraphText":"A soft sari adorns an Indian woman as she shoulders a heavy water pot.\n\nAn elder of the Navajo people decorates her practical clothing with a turquoise necklace.\n\nThe long finger extensions of a Thai lady suggest she may be about to dance.\n\nThese are some of the images captured by Spanish photographer Francisco Gonzalez and reproduced in a book of photographs portraying women around the world.\n\nMr. Gonzalez introduces subjects dressed in myriad costumes and performing a variety of roles: homemakers, grandmothers, craftswomen, artists.\n\n\"Mujeres del Mundo: Retratos del Alma\" [\"Women of the World: Portraits of the Soul\"], depicts the mental, physical and emotional reality women cope with, whether living in villages or cities.\n\nThe images won for Mr. Gonzalez the Meridiana award from the Andaluz Institute of Women, and they have been seen in an exhibition that toured more than 20 cities and towns in Spain. With the publication of his book, a wider audience now has the opportunity to enjoy the work of this 43-year-old artist with a camera.\n\n"},{"__typename":"DatoCMS_InlineImageRecord","slideshowImageNumber":2},{"__typename":"DatoCMS_ParagraphRecord","paragraphText":"Mr. Gonzalez takes us into the homes of these women and to their workplaces. We witness their lives in rural and urban areas, and we see some of them at worship.\n\nHis photographic subjects appear undefeated by their challenges but shine out of the pages as examples of courage and spiritual insight who have risen above the pressures of their daily life. Somehow he has captured the beauty and sensitivity of the feminine spirit.\n\nA common approach among modern photographers is to exploit the image of women. In contrast, Mr. Gonzalez appears to look at his subjects with different eyes. The photographer seems to search to find out what is it that men can learn from women.\n\nFor example, in the picture showing an Indian woman with a pot of water on her shoulder the artist depicts a hard-working woman carrying water for her family. However, she is not straining under her burden. Her beauty comes from the dignity with which she carries out her task.\n\nMr. Gonzalez traveled the globe and selected for publication 59 of his photographs depicting women, young and old, of many ethnic and cultural backgrounds in countries as diverse as Italy and Samoa, Costa Rica and Bosnia.\n\nInspired by the photographs, young Bolivian writer Jorge Nazra wrote nine poems to accompany the images. Included, too, are excerpts from the Baha'i writings that point to the importance of the equality of men and women as a pathway towards a peaceful and united world civilization.\n\nTo carry out his project, Mr. Gonzalez, the photographic editor of the Spanish daily, \"Cordoba\", visited Baha'i-inspired social and economic development projects all over the world. He also obtained images at the May 2001 opening of the Terraces of the Shrine of the Bab at the Baha'i World Centre, in Haifa, Israel.\n\nIn an interview, Mr. Gonzalez said he considers his body of work a contribution to the well being of humanity. For him, he said, photography is a tool to represent the teachings of the Baha'i Faith -- in this case the equality of men and women.\n\nHe said the unity and equality of the sexes is not a goal but rather a pathway towards the attainment of a united and peaceful world.\n\nAwarded the Andalucia Award of Journalism in 1995, Mr. Gonzalez was nominated three years later for the Romeo Martinez International Award of Photography.\n\nDuring the seven years he spent collecting photographs for \"Women of the World: Portraits of the Soul\" Mr. Gonzalez initiated another project called \"The Pathway of the Sun\", in which he introduces his viewers to the life of the indigenous American populations and the ways they contribute to a global society.\n\n\"Mujeres del Mundo,\" by Francisco Gonzalez, (Barcelona, Arca Editorial, 2003). For information: http://arcaeditorial.com\n\nFor more information on the work of Francisco Gonzalez see http://www.bahaiworldnews.org/story.cfm?storyid=191.\n\nReview by Edit Kalman"}],"disableInlineCaptions":false,"slideshow":[{"image":{"url":"https://www.datocms-assets.com/6348/1543421590-bwns4848-0.jpg"},"imageDescription":"Happiness near the Shrine of the Bab. (Photo: Francisco Gonzalez)"},{"image":{"url":"https://www.datocms-assets.com/6348/1543421591-bwns4847-0.jpg"},"imageDescription":"Thai woman at the opening of the Terraces of the Shrine of the Bab. (Photo: Francisco Gonzalez)"},{"image":{"url":"https://www.datocms-assets.com/6348/1543421591-bwns4846-0.jpg"},"imageDescription":"Photographer Francisco Gonzalez."},{"image":{"url":"https://www.datocms-assets.com/6348/1543421592-bwns4845-0.jpg"},"imageDescription":"Navajo woman on her farm in Arizona. (Photo: Francisco Gonzalez)"},{"image":{"url":"https://www.datocms-assets.com/6348/1543421592-bwns4844-0.jpg"},"imageDescription":"Dignity...an Indian woman carrying water. (Photo: Francisco Gonzalez)"}],"pushRelatedContentDown":null,"relatedContent":[],"updatedContent":false,"excludeFromHomepage":false,"category":[],"highlightClip":null},{"storyNumber":240,"evergreenUrl":"dramatic-stories-thrill-malawi-golden-jubilee","title":"Dramatic stories thrill Malawi golden jubilee","description":"Fifty years ago the two original members of the Baha'i community in Malawi would meet in the bush at night where they would say their prayers,...","date":"2003-08-09","customDateline":null,"city":"LILONGWE","country":"MALAWI","thumbnail":{"url":"https://www.datocms-assets.com/6348/1543421567-bwns4843-0.jpg"},"featureAudio":null,"feature":[{"__typename":"DatoCMS_ImageRecord","image":{"url":"https://www.datocms-assets.com/6348/1543421567-bwns4843-0.jpg"},"imageDescription":"","imageStyle":"body-right","imageLink":""}],"storyContent":[{"__typename":"DatoCMS_ParagraphRecord","paragraphText":"Fifty years ago the two original members of the Baha'i community in Malawi would meet in the bush at night where they would say their prayers, discuss plans, enjoy biscuits, and then go their separate ways.\n\n\"This was done because in those days, blacks and whites could not meet openly,\" said Enayat Sohaili, who was describing the first Nineteen-day Feasts held in the country to an enthralled audience at the 50th jubilee celebration here on 9 August 2003.\n\nMr. Sohaili, a Baha'i of Persian background, had arrived from India in 1953 and was considered white. The first Malawian Baha'i, Dudley Smith Kumtendere, was black.\n\nThe colonial policy of discouraging racially mixed gatherings ended when Malawi, once known as Nyasaland, gained its independence in 1964.\n\nSince then Baha'is have been able to openly express their commitment to a basic principle of their faith, the oneness of humanity.\n\nThey did so when they commemorated the golden anniversary of the Faith's establishment in their country. Baha'is came from all over Malawi -- Nsanje to Karonga, from Mchinji to Nkhotakota. They were joined by participants from as far away as Bermuda Australia and Mauritius, and from nearby African countries like South Africa, Zambia, and Lesotho.\n\nThe celebrations were in great contrast to the early days. Julius (Robert) Kasakula, one of the first Malawian Baha'is, recalled that when Baha'i meetings were held indoors they were just as secretive as the encounters in the bush."},{"__typename":"DatoCMS_InlineImageRecord","slideshowImageNumber":2},{"__typename":"DatoCMS_ParagraphRecord","paragraphText":"\"Because the blacks and whites could not meet openly, we used to have meetings at our house at night,\" Mr. Kasakula said.\n\nMr. Sohaili, who now lives with his wife, Iran, in Zimbabwe, recounted the time when he asked a restaurant owner to provide a table to allow visiting Americans John and Val Allen (Baha'is living in Swaziland), to meet with him and Mr. Kumtendere.\n\n\"When the owner was approached, he asked us to come after 2 p.m. when there would be few customers. He put us right at the back where we had our lunch.\"\n\nThese days the Faith is highly visible in Malawi. There are some 15,000 Baha'is, a handsome national center, 15 local Baha'i centers, two institute buildings, and some 101 Local Spiritual Assemblies.\n\nThese achievements are considerable in such a time span.\n\nIn September 1953, Mr. Sohaili arrived as a participant in what came to be known as the \"Ten Year Crusade.\" From 1953 until 1963, in a plan initiated by Shoghi Effendi, Baha'is from various nations took their beliefs to countries that had not been exposed to the Faith. The ten-year effort more than doubled the number of national communities.\n\nIn that decade, the Faith entered 131 new countries, 37 of those in Africa. Accordingly, half a century on, many nations, including Malawi, are celebrating the 50th anniversary of the arrival of the faith.\n\nAs well as Dudley Kutendere and his brother Douglas (both have since died), the first Malawian Baha'is included Albert Ntala and Mr. Kasakula and his wife Alice.\n\nPresent at Malawi's celebrations was Counsellor Maina Mkandawire, a keynote speaker. Also there was Ramucy Namkopowe, whose 1964 wedding was the first Baha'i marriage service in the country.\n\nThe festivities included songs, traditional and modern dance performances and comedy sessions.\n\nBaha'is offered prayers of thanksgiving and read from the Baha'i writings and from the Bible and the Qur'an.\n\nAn uplifting message to the National Spiritual Assembly of the Baha'is of Malawi came from the Universal House of Justice, who said in part: \"The foundation has been laid on which a spiritual and social structure of unprecedented splendor can be raised that will spread its shelter of unity and peace over your struggling land.\"\n\nA highlight of the evening was the performance by a Zambian Baha'i theatrical group of a drama portraying the life of Mona Mahmudnizhad, a 17-year-old Baha'i girl martyred in Iran in 1983.\n\nAs part of the jubilee festivities, a formal reception was held at the Capital Hotel, where guest of honor Counsellor Enos Makhele of South Africa gave a talk on the Baha'i Faith from a global perspective. Among the distinguished guests was British High Commissioner Norman Ling and Lilongwe city councilor Stella Thunyani.\n\nIn her address, Councilor Thunyani spoke of the oneness of humanity and the unity of religions.\n\n\"You may wish to ask yourself as to why a group of people of different races and creed are dining together in a friendly atmosphere,\" Councilor Thunyani said.\n\n\"I feel it is through the Divine love which is taught to us by the different messengers of God that we are one.\"\n\nToday's Baha'i community in Malawi is comprised of Baha'is from villages, cities and from numerous tribes who speak different languages. Baha'is hold regular children's classes and study circles, perform in choirs and undertake social and economic development projects.\n\nThe Bambino School, a Baha'i initiative, has an enrolment of 1,100 from nursery level to secondary school and secretarial college.\n\nThese results have come after years of effort. By 1970 there were 12 Local Spiritual Assemblies, enough for the country to have its own National Spiritual Assembly, which was elected in the presence of Hand of the Cause Paul Haney.\n\nThe next year a Hand of the Cause, Enoch Olinga, asked for official registration of the Faith, a request met by President Hastings Banda, who was quoted in the local newspaper, The Times, as saying the Faith was a good religion because it had respect for the culture.\n\nThe next year, Madame Ruhiyyih Rabbani, the widow of Shoghi Effendi, had a cordial audience with Dr. Banda, and traveled throughout the country, meeting and encouraging local Baha'is.\n\nIn 1975, the first Baha'i book -- about teaching classes -- was translated into Chichewa, and that work has continued with expansion into the Tonga and Tumbuka languages. In 1985, as a contribution to the International Youth Year, Baha'i youth planted fuel wood and fruit trees throughout the country, benefiting entire villages.\n\nIn 1982 and 1992, Malawi hosted international summer schools with participants from 17 and 10 countries respectively.\n\nThe Baha'i National Center in Lilongwe was completed in March 2000."}],"disableInlineCaptions":false,"slideshow":[{"image":{"url":"https://www.datocms-assets.com/6348/1543421567-bwns4842-0.jpg"},"imageDescription":"Enayat Sohaili."},{"image":{"url":"https://www.datocms-assets.com/6348/1543421567-bwns4841-0.jpg"},"imageDescription":"Counsellor Maina Makandawire."},{"image":{"url":"https://www.datocms-assets.com/6348/1543421567-bwns4840-0.jpg"},"imageDescription":"Fidelis Kafumba, the youngest participant at the event."},{"image":{"url":"https://www.datocms-assets.com/6348/1543421567-bwns4839-0.jpg"},"imageDescription":"Participants at the jubilee celebrations in Malawi."},{"image":{"url":"https://www.datocms-assets.com/6348/1543421567-bwns4838-0.jpg"},"imageDescription":"Musicians from Mchinji singing Baha'i songs in Chichewa."},{"image":{"url":"https://www.datocms-assets.com/6348/1543421567-bwns4837-0.jpg"},"imageDescription":"First national convention of the Baha'is of Malawi, held in 1970, in the presence of Hand of the Cause Paul Haney (near center, second row)."},{"image":{"url":"https://www.datocms-assets.com/6348/1543421567-bwns4836-0.jpg"},"imageDescription":"Baha'i women from Lilongwe at the celebrations."},{"image":{"url":"https://www.datocms-assets.com/6348/1543421567-bwns4835-0.jpg"},"imageDescription":"Julius (Robert) Kasakula tells a story while Enayat Sohaili and master of ceremonies, Brown Malikete, look on."},{"image":{"url":"https://www.datocms-assets.com/6348/1543421567-bwns4834-0.jpg"},"imageDescription":"The group BABY (Blantyre Active Baha'i Youth) performs at the Malawian Baha'i community's 50th jubilee celebration."}],"pushRelatedContentDown":null,"relatedContent":[],"updatedContent":false,"excludeFromHomepage":false,"category":[],"highlightClip":null},{"storyNumber":239,"evergreenUrl":"launching-ship-faith","title":"Launching a ship of faith","description":"A new Baha'i center with a distinctive nautical design has taken pride of place here in a remote region of the country. More than 300 Baha'is...","date":"2003-07-11","customDateline":null,"city":"KINIVING","country":"PAPUA NEW GUINEA","thumbnail":{"url":"https://www.datocms-assets.com/6348/1543420880-bwns4833-0.jpg"},"featureAudio":null,"feature":[{"__typename":"DatoCMS_ImageRecord","image":{"url":"https://www.datocms-assets.com/6348/1543420880-bwns4833-0.jpg"},"imageDescription":"Welcome ceremony outside the new Baha'i Center in Kiniving.","imageStyle":"body-right","imageLink":""}],"storyContent":[{"__typename":"DatoCMS_ParagraphRecord","paragraphText":"A new Baha'i center with a distinctive nautical design has taken pride of place here in a remote region of the country.\n\nMore than 300 Baha'is and some Christian guests gathered from 11 to 14 July 2003 for the opening of the center in this village, all of whose residents are members of the Baha'i Faith.\n\nFor some visitors, the journey to Kiniving  entailed a 30-minute flight from the regional center of Lae followed by a three-hour hike into the mountains from Pindiu Station.\n\nThe center's architect, local Baha'i Roro Kugewa, gained his inspiration for the building from a picture of an ark on the cover of a Baha'i publication. (In the Baha'i Writings, the term \"Ark\" is often used to signify the Baha'i Faith and the law of God.)\n\nMr. Kugewa incorporated aspects of a ship in his design. The center's ground-floor meeting room for some 70 people resembles a ship's hold, with slightly curved half-walls and windows at eye level.\n\nThe upper level has an enclosed room for the meetings of the Local Spiritual Assembly, and within that room is another room reserved for Baha'u'llah's book of laws, the Kitab-i-Aqdas, and other Baha'i books.\n\nOutside the upper room is a deck, which commands a view over the whole village."},{"__typename":"DatoCMS_InlineImageRecord","slideshowImageNumber":2},{"__typename":"DatoCMS_ParagraphRecord","paragraphText":"Prayers and music by \"singsing\" (performance) groups from different villages featured at the welcoming ceremony.\n\nMarsha Milani, a representative of the National Spiritual Assembly of the Baha'is of Papua New Guinea, presented big laminated photographs of the Shrine of the Bab and the Terraces on Mount Carmel as gifts for the centers in Kiniving and nearby Doi and Bulu. She also gave them laminated quotations from the text of the Kitab-i-Aqdas.\n\nIn return the Local Spiritual Assemblies and individual Baha'is presented gifts of treasured woven bags, known as bilums, to the national Baha'i institutions and to the secretariat of the Universal House of Justice.\n\nMs. Milani said the presentation ceremony and the placement of the Kitab-i-Aqdas in the special room followed a study session on the book's significance.\n\n\"With great reverence the guests were accompanied back to the entry to the village with representatives of the (Baha'i) institutions carrying the Kitab-i-Aqdas and the prayer books in traditional bilums.\n\n\"Once again there was a formal welcome of prayers and singsing groups and a drama based on one of the Hidden Words (sacred Writings of Baha'u'llah).\n\n\"The guests were then escorted to the Center where devotions were read before the formal presentation of a copy of the Kitab-i-Aqdas to a representative of each of the nine Local Spiritual Assemblies in the area, namely: Belibaec, Bulu, Doi, Kiniving, Kolohong, Kuluntufu, Simbe, Sogobong and Songon.\"\n\n(There are about 500 Baha'is in the area. Papua New Guinea has 254 Local Spiritual Assemblies.)\n\nThe assemblies also received copies of excerpts translated into Tok Pisin (the language also known as Pidgin English), as well as 100 copies each of a newly published prayer book in their local language of Mongi, Ms. Milani said.\n\nThose local spiritual assemblies without centers entrusted their copies to the Kiniving Assembly to keep in the special room until they have a suitable place to keep it in their own village, she said.\n\n\"I gathered that the friends (local Baha'is) are so much in awe of the Most Holy book that they find it hard to actually hold it in their hand and read it,\" Ms. Milani said."}],"disableInlineCaptions":false,"slideshow":[{"image":{"url":"https://www.datocms-assets.com/6348/1543420880-bwns4832-0.jpg"},"imageDescription":"Holding a precious gift...Baha'is at the Kiniving Centre with the Kitab-i-Aqdas."}],"pushRelatedContentDown":null,"relatedContent":[],"updatedContent":false,"excludeFromHomepage":false,"category":[],"highlightClip":null},{"storyNumber":238,"evergreenUrl":"a-natural-driving-force","title":"A natural driving force","description":"Tony Deamer stepped on the gas pedal of his vehicle but didn't change down a gear as it rounded a corner and sped up a steep hill. Modified to...","date":"2003-08-13","customDateline":null,"city":"PORT VILA","country":"VANUATU","thumbnail":{"url":"https://www.datocms-assets.com/6348/1543420859-bwns4831-0.jpg"},"featureAudio":null,"feature":[{"__typename":"DatoCMS_ImageRecord","image":{"url":"https://www.datocms-assets.com/6348/1543420859-bwns4831-0.jpg"},"imageDescription":"Tony Deamer with a rally car converted to run on coconut oil.","imageStyle":"body-right","imageLink":""}],"storyContent":[{"__typename":"DatoCMS_ParagraphRecord","paragraphText":"Tony Deamer stepped on the gas pedal of his vehicle but didn't change down a gear as it rounded a corner and sped up a steep hill.\n\nModified to run on coconut oil instead of diesel fuel, the four-wheel-drive took the slope without slowing down.\n\n\"Coconut oil is a bit more torquey, because it burns slower,\" said Mr. Deamer, 52, an Australian-born motor mechanic. \"Normally, I'd have to shift down into first here, but with coconut oil, I can keep it in second gear.\"\n\nMr. Deamer lists other advantages coconut oil has over petroleum as a fuel: it doesn't make black smoke, it is less costly (at least in the South Pacific), it has the potential to stimulate employment among local coconut growers, and, perhaps most importantly for the world at large, it is an environmentally friendly fuel.\n\nIn what could prove to be a boon for both the environment and cash-strapped South Pacific islands, Mr. Deamer has succeeded in proving that automotive diesel engines, with very little modification, can run safely on coconut oil.\n\nThe discovery has huge potential for island nations like Vanuatu where the cost of imported oil is a heavy burden on the economy.\n\nHelping the population is a main goal of Mr. Deamer's project, which he sees as an extension of his commitment to the promotion of social and economic development -- a commitment that stems from his practice of the Baha'i Faith."},{"__typename":"DatoCMS_InlineImageRecord","slideshowImageNumber":2},{"__typename":"DatoCMS_ParagraphRecord","paragraphText":"\"This is not a commercial venture,\" said Mr. Deamer, explaining that the entire project stems instead from his desire to help his fellow citizens -- and the world at large.\n\nLate last year, some 200 mini-buses here were using a coconut oil/diesel mix on a daily basis, proving the concept. Mr. Deamer himself operates about a dozen vehicles on a pure coconut oil fuel.\n\n\"He's been talking about this for a few years,\" said Marc Neil-Jones, publisher and managing director of Vanuatu Trading Post and Pacific Weekly Review. \"But people's interest has shot up since he started running a few cars on it.\n\n\"The copra industry is having major problems at the moment and the government is shoring up the price and it is costing a fortune,\" Mr. Neil-Jones said.\n\n\"So the possibility of using coconut oil as a fuel has the potential to really help the rural people.\"\n\nMr. Deamer says that if coconut oil fuel is widely accepted, it will increase the local demand for copra -- the dried coconut meat that is a major, although low-priced, commodity on world markets.\n\nSuch an increase in demand would provide jobs and money for rural villagers in Vanuatu, where cutting copra has been the major source of outside income. This, he says, will help to stem the tide of villagers who have fled idle copra plantations to urban areas.\n\n\"For every ton of diesel fuel that we can offset, we can put back some $200 into the local economy. And at those prices, people could earn a very good living cutting copra,\" said Mr. Deamer.\n\n\"This is really a great idea -- because it goes all the way back to the farmers who plant and cut coconut,\" said Leo Moli, head of the energy unit within the Vanuatu Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources. \"And, if it succeeds, there will be a reduction in the importation of fossil fuels, especially diesel fuel.\"\n\nThe key to the entire project was proving that ordinary automotive diesel engines can run reliably on coconut oil.\n\n\"Tony has done groundbreaking work to show that coconut oil will work in automotive diesels without any major modification,\" said Rodney Newell, president of Renereltech, a small Vanuatu-based company that focuses on helping local businesses develop renewable energy.\n\n\"Vegetable oils are being used in other parts of the world in diesel engines,\" said Mr. Newell. \"But this is a unique project in that neat coconut oil is being used. This is a first for the Pacific area.\"\n\nUsing coconut oil for fuel has several inherent problems. First, it tends to be thicker -- more viscous -- than other fuels. The unprocessed oil also usually contains more water and impurities than other alternatives.\n\nMr. Deamer has experimented extensively and solved many of these problems. He has developed a small and inexpensive pre-heater that lowers the viscosity of the oil before it enters the engine. And he has also worked with another local fuel distributor to develop filtration techniques to remove water and impurities.\n\nUnlike many entrepreneurs, Mr. Deamer has been willing to share his findings widely, giving information to all concerned, even potential competitors.\n\nTrained as a mechanic, Mr. Deamer came to Vanuatu from Australia in 1971. As a Baha'i, he sought to promote social and economic development, residing first on the outer island of Tanna, working as a mechanic for the public works department there.\n\nIn 1981, he relocated to Port Vila, first working for the Ministry of Education and then establishing his own automobile rental and repair business.\n\nThat enterprise has provided a good living for Mr. Deamer -- and a platform on which to experiment with alternative fuels. He has converted many of his rental cars to run on coconut oil, tinkering with the pre-heaters until they ran smoothly.\n\nBaha'i principles guide his activities. In his business, he has hired and trained a number of female motor mechanics, a move that stems from his belief in the Baha'i ideal of equality between women and men.\n\n\"Work in the service of humanity is service to God,\" said Mr. Deamer. \"That is the driving force of what I am trying to do, to leave behind something of value to Vanuatu, instead of just to Tony Deamer.\"\n\nMr. Deamer soon switched back to a discussion of the advantages of coconut oil fuel.\n\n\"One of the reasons I like using coconut oil instead of diesel fuel is you are putting back into the atmosphere the same carbon dioxide that the tree took out a year ago,\" said Mr. Deamer. \"It's completely sustainable. Coconut trees are very efficient carbon absorbers.\n\n\"And coconut oil is also non-toxic,\" Mr. Deamer said. \"What other Pacific fuel can you cook your fish and chips in and run your truck on?\""}],"disableInlineCaptions":false,"slideshow":[{"image":{"url":"https://www.datocms-assets.com/6348/1543420858-bwns4830-0.jpg"},"imageDescription":"Tony Deamer and his wife, Easuary, with one of his first test vehicles."}],"pushRelatedContentDown":null,"relatedContent":[],"updatedContent":false,"excludeFromHomepage":false,"category":[],"highlightClip":null},{"storyNumber":237,"evergreenUrl":"memorial-shining-star","title":"Memorial to a shining star","description":"When British Baha'is cleaned a gravestone in a London cemetery recently they confirmed they had found the resting place of a figure of great...","date":"2003-08-10","customDateline":null,"city":"LONDON","country":"","thumbnail":{"url":"https://www.datocms-assets.com/6348/1543420839-bwns4829-0.jpg"},"featureAudio":null,"feature":[{"__typename":"DatoCMS_ImageRecord","image":{"url":"https://www.datocms-assets.com/6348/1543420839-bwns4829-0.jpg"},"imageDescription":"Lady Blomfield.","imageStyle":"body-right","imageLink":""}],"storyContent":[{"__typename":"DatoCMS_ParagraphRecord","paragraphText":"When British Baha'is cleaned a gravestone in a London cemetery recently they confirmed they had found the resting place of a figure of great historical importance.\n\nConcealed under clods of earth and long grass on the gravestone in Hampstead Municipal Cemetery was the name of Lady Blomfield, one of the most prominent Western Baha'is in the time of 'Abdu'l-Baha.\n\nAlso recorded was the name of her daughter, Mary (Esther) Basil Hall, a devoted Baha'i and a generous benefactor to the Faith.\n\nThe absence of any direct family members had led to the grave's disrepair, but that was about to change -- the Baha'is received permission from cemetery authorities to erect a new headstone.\n\nThat engraved headstone now stands as dignified memorial to Lady Blomfield and her daughter, one befitting a future visiting place for Baha'is from all over the world.\n\nSara Louisa, Lady Blomfield (1859-1939) was renowned as a humanitarian who was involved in the establishment of the Save the Children Fund. The worldwide Baha'i community remembers her for the significant role she played as a participant in, and recorder of, Baha'i history.\n\nShe hosted 'Abdu'l-Baha on His visits to London in 1911 and 1913. She took copious notes of His talks in Paris. They form the substance of \"Paris Talks,\" still one of the most widely-circulated Baha'i books.\n\n"},{"__typename":"DatoCMS_InlineImageRecord","slideshowImageNumber":2},{"__typename":"DatoCMS_ParagraphRecord","paragraphText":"As a tribute to her, 'Abdu'l-Baha bestowed upon her the name \"Sitarih Khanum\" (in Persian, \"sitarih\" means \"star\", and \"khanum\" means \"lady\").\n\nAfter the death of 'Abdu'l-Baha in 1921, Lady Blomfield accompanied His grieving grandson Shoghi Effendi back from England, where he was a student at Oxford University, to Haifa. He became the Head of the Faith, and later consulted with Lady Blomfield about plans for its future activities.\n\nWhile in Haifa, Lady Blomfield interviewed members of Baha'u'llah's family. Those recorded recollections, together with her account of the days when she hosted 'Abdu'l-Baha, make up the contents of her book, \"The Chosen Highway.\"\n\nIn the 1940 preface to \"The Chosen Highway,\" the eminent historian Hasan Balyuzi (later to be honored by Shoghi Effendi with the title Hand of the Cause) said the book would hand a message \"rich in enlightenment\" to generations unborn and would eternally merit the esteem of historians.\n\nDescribing Lady Blomfield as a gracious lady who served the Cause of Baha'u'llah with never-failing vigor and devotion, Mr. Balyuzi went on to mention \"the contagion of her enthusiasm and the brilliance of her talk and description...the intense light of her faith and the captivating charm of her presence.\"\n\nBorn in Ireland, Lady Blomfield was renowned as a London society hostess. She was the second wife of a distinguished architect, Sir Arthur Blomfield. In contrast to many women of her generation and position -- who occupied themselves primarily with the social events of \"polite society\" -- Lady Blomfield spent her time in religious and humanitarian activities.\n\nShe was a fearless supporter of the suffragettes and a protector of the rights of women, children, prisoners and animals, a defender of the oppressed and an ardent promoter of peace and inter-religious understanding. She was actively involved with the Save the Children Fund from its foundation until her death.\n\nThe Declaration of the Rights of the Child by the United Nations General Assembly in 1959 had its roots in the Geneva Declaration -- a document drawn up by the Save the Children Fund International -- which the League of Nations accepted in 1924 largely through the influence of Lady Blomfield.\n\nLady Blomfield's acceptance of the Baha'i teachings in 1907 marked the turning point in a lifelong quest for spiritual truth. She was the first person of Irish birth to become a Baha'i.\n\nThrough her identification with the principles of the Baha'i Faith came an increased desire to see justice and equality established in the world, a concern expressed in her selfless involvement in all manner of philanthropic causes as well as in direct service to the needy or oppressed, including her close involvement with the League of Nations and the welfare of the world's children.\n\nShe actively called upon her friends in the British Parliament to defend the persecuted Baha'is of Persia (now Iran).\n\nLady Blomfield also served for eight years as a member of the National Spiritual Assembly of the British Isles. She gave many talks about the Faith, and supported artistic activities in the community including those of a Baha'i Theatre Group in London. She maintained correspondence with Baha'is all over the world.\n\nHer daughter, Mary Basil Hall, who had been given the name of \"Parvine\" (a Persian name of a star) by 'Abdu'l-Baha, served the National Spiritual Assembly of the Baha'is of the British Isles for five years.\n\nShe described her mother as a \"wonderful personality and a deeply loved mother\" who faced difficulties with \"radiant acquiescence and invincible faith.\"\n\nIt was partly due to Mrs. Hall's generous bequest that the National Spiritual Assembly was able to buy what is now the national Baha'i center at 27 Rutland Gate, London.\n\n(Story compiled from an article by Rob Weinberg in the \"Baha'i Journal of the United Kingdom\" May/June 2003, with supplementary information from \"The Chosen Highway\" and \"The Baha'i World,\" volume VIII.)"}],"disableInlineCaptions":false,"slideshow":[{"image":{"url":"https://www.datocms-assets.com/6348/1543420839-bwns4828-0.jpg"},"imageDescription":"New headstone for Lady Blomfield and her daughter."},{"image":{"url":"https://www.datocms-assets.com/6348/1543420841-bwns4827-0.jpg"},"imageDescription":"Sara Louisa, Lady Blomfield (1859-1939)"}],"pushRelatedContentDown":null,"relatedContent":[],"updatedContent":false,"excludeFromHomepage":false,"category":[],"highlightClip":null},{"storyNumber":236,"evergreenUrl":"running-race-his-life","title":"Running the race of his life","description":"Champion runner David Krummenacker will be praying for his competitors at the world championships this month. \"Before races I pray everyone in...","date":"2003-08-08","customDateline":null,"city":"PARIS","country":"","thumbnail":{"url":"https://www.datocms-assets.com/6348/1543420823-bwns4826-0.jpg"},"featureAudio":null,"feature":[{"__typename":"DatoCMS_ImageRecord","image":{"url":"https://www.datocms-assets.com/6348/1543420823-bwns4826-0.jpg"},"imageDescription":"David Krummenacker with his mother, Marylou, and girlfriend, Karima White.","imageStyle":"body-right","imageLink":""}],"storyContent":[{"__typename":"DatoCMS_ParagraphRecord","paragraphText":"Champion runner David Krummenacker will be praying for his competitors at the world championships this month.\n\n\"Before races I pray everyone in the race runs well and that we all keep our health,\" says Mr. Krummenacker, who is from the United States and is a member of the Baha'i Faith.\n\n\"I never pray for victory, only for strength and for my health to remain strong,\" says Mr. Krummenacker, 28, who anchored a world record quartet in the 4x800 meter relay in 2000.\n\nRanked number one in the United States in the 800-meter and 1500-meter races, he has a good chance of success at the 9th International Association of Athletics Federations World Championships to be held in Stade de France, Paris, beginning on 23 August 2003.\n\nLast March, at the world indoor championships in Birmingham, England, he surged past world record holder Wilson Kipketer of Denmark to win the 800-meter race in a personal best of one minute 45.69 seconds.\n\nMr. Krummenacker has achieved some of his goals, such as being national champion, but he still has others. One is success in the Olympic Games to be held in Athens next year.\n\n\"I believe consistency, hard work, good coaching, proper diet, rest, and the grace of God, Who instills my health and internal strength, will aid me to achieve what I have set out to.\"\n\n"},{"__typename":"DatoCMS_InlineImageRecord","slideshowImageNumber":2},{"__typename":"DatoCMS_ParagraphRecord","paragraphText":"In defining the relationship between spirituality and sports, Mr. Krummenacker says that spirituality permeates every human activity.\n\n\"It is the essence of our existence and athletics is no exception.\n\n\"When it is not present, differences arise. Frequently we hear stories in the media of athletes having problems with their teammates, their coaches, their competitors, their wives and girlfriends. These turmoils are oftentimes a result of the lack of spirituality. I think when spirituality is present, conflicts cease.\"\n\nRunning, he says, has taught him life lessons, and he meditates on his goals as he goes on long training runs.\n\n\"As a result, I often envision things that I've set out to accomplish. For me, visualizing something before it happens helps it to materialize.\n\n\"Running has taught me over the years that life is very much what you will of it. I've had some years where I wasn't successful in running and was sad and frustrated because of it. I learned somewhere along the way that your treasure is where your heart and soul are.\"\n\nHe does not just pray and expect to win. In fact, he says he prepares tirelessly for competitions throughout the season.\n\n\"I believe when training is good and the grace of God has enabled me to stay healthy and strong, it's only left for me to believe in my ability and go for it. There is no room for doubt.\"\n\nMr. Krummenacker says he is \"very grateful for having had the guidance of Baha'ullah from day one.\" He was brought up in the Baha'i Faith by his mother, Marylou, who lives in Las Cruces, New Mexico. She has a \"Baha'i women's network\", linked globally by the Internet, whose members pray for him to run his best.\n\nRunning is a full time job, he says. \"A lot of my friends think, 'Oh, you just go for an hour run, then you sit around the rest of the day.'\n\n\"In contrast, between traveling to training sites, warming up, stretching, track workouts, weight training, morning runs, cool-downs, and ice whirlpools (injury prevention) I have very few moments in a day. There has to be a little time for fun, so I'm careful not to overdo it.\"\n\nHis other interests include surfing, playing chess, music and reading. He trains in Tucson Arizona with coach Luiz de Oliviera, spends time in Atlanta, and uses a training base near Stuttgart, Germany, during competitions in Europe.\n\nMr. Krummenacker, who holds a degree in management from Georgia Tech, says that after he retired in \"another six years or so\", he would like to devote his energies to children.\n\n\"I am very interested in restructuring -- or creating if need be -- after-school programs for underprivileged children. The programs would provide kids with tutoring, counseling and coaching for various sports.\"\n\n(Tom Mennillo of \"The American Baha'i\" contributed to this report)."}],"disableInlineCaptions":false,"slideshow":[{"image":{"url":"https://www.datocms-assets.com/6348/1543420824-bwns4825-0.jpg"},"imageDescription":"David Krummenacker at the US championships, 2003."},{"image":{"url":"https://www.datocms-assets.com/6348/1543420823-bwns4824-0.jpg"},"imageDescription":"David Krummenacker wins the 800-meter indoor title, beating world record holder Wilson Kipketer in March 2003. (Photo: Mark Shearman)"}],"pushRelatedContentDown":null,"relatedContent":[],"updatedContent":false,"excludeFromHomepage":false,"category":[],"highlightClip":null},{"storyNumber":235,"evergreenUrl":"spirited-choir-wins-encores","title":"Spirited choir wins encores","description":"Sustained and often rhythmic applause greeted every song at the opening night here of a concert tour by Voices of Baha, an international Baha'i...","date":"2003-07-02","customDateline":null,"city":"BUDAPEST","country":"HUNGARY","thumbnail":{"url":"https://www.datocms-assets.com/6348/1543420798-bwns4823-0.jpg"},"featureAudio":null,"feature":[{"__typename":"DatoCMS_ImageRecord","image":{"url":"https://www.datocms-assets.com/6348/1543420798-bwns4823-0.jpg"},"imageDescription":"The power of two... Van Gilmer and Rachael Price sing \"Soldiers in God's Army.\"","imageStyle":"body-right","imageLink":""}],"storyContent":[{"__typename":"DatoCMS_ParagraphRecord","paragraphText":"Sustained and often rhythmic applause greeted every song at the opening night here of a concert tour by Voices of Baha, an international Baha'i choir.\n\nRewarded with encores, the audience did not cease applauding until long after choirmaster Tom Price had taken his leave from the stage.\n\nThe performance on 2 July 2003 crossed the borders not only with respect to the nationalities -- the 120 singers came from 21 countries -- but also in terms of musical genres.\n\nStyles ranged from Western classical music and modern popular music, to traditional Persian songs and, most dramatically, African-American gospel.\n\nOn stage with the choir was the Budapest Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Mr. Price, a composer from Nashville, Tennessee, who founded Voices of Baha. (The choir's name is a reference to Baha'u'llah.)\n\nThe concert in Budapest was the starting point of a tour that was to take the choir to Prague, Warsaw, Berlin, Wernigerode and Frankfurt.\n\nThe Hungarian audience enthusiastically greeted gospel-style sounds from the full choir and from individual soloists like the veteran Van Gilmer and 17-year-old Rachael Price (the youngest of  Mr. Price's three daughters) -- and, on one dynamic occasion, the two together singing \"Soldiers in God's Army.\""},{"__typename":"DatoCMS_InlineImageRecord","slideshowImageNumber":2},{"__typename":"DatoCMS_ParagraphRecord","paragraphText":"Mr. Gilmer, the choir's gospel director, proved to be a master of the style. With a voice born for the occasion, he brought emotion to a pitch with his rendition of \"Amazing Grace.\"\n\nMs. Price, in fine voice, gave a demonstration of how the body -- and in particular the hands -- can convey in physical terms the pulsating power of gospel.\n\nMost of the some 1100 people present in the elegant Budapest Congress Center were the general public, guests of the Baha'is, and VIPs such as members of the diplomatic corps, parliamentarians and musicians.\n\nThe occasion marked an historic anniversary. Ninety years earlier 'Abdu'l-Baha had blessed the city with His presence, and now His words were to soar in song as the choir celebrated in praise of His Father with the oratorio, \"O Baha'u'llah.\"\n\nFirst sung during the inaugural performance of Voices of Baha at the 1992 Baha'i World Congress in New York, the song featured in Budapest the glorious soprano voice of Emily Price, another of Mr. Price's daughters.\n\nMs. Price also gave a memorable performance of the spiritually uplifting \"Whither Can a Lover Go?\"\n\nLater, she sang \"Minnie the Moocher's Wedding Day\" with sisters Rachael and Juliet, in a rendition that was a sassy mix of energy and humor.\n\nThe multi-cultural choir, dressed in black with colored scarves, followed the direction of Mr. Price with close attention. That paid off in excellent timing and controlled variations in volume that enabled them to work with the orchestra in a way that clearly delighted them both.\n\nAmong the songs presented were \"Render Thanks\", \"God is Sufficient unto Me\", and \"Dastam Bigir 'Abdu'l-Baha.\"\n\nPerhaps the most heartfelt applause of the night came after the choir sang the song \"Oh God, My God\" in Hungarian, a language the singers had only recently encountered.\n\nMr. Price varied the emotional level of the night between high drama and humor by employing a mix of self-deprecating humor and affectionate teasing of some of his colleagues.\n\nOne such target was Paul Seaforth, who repaid the attention with a stirring rendition of \"We Are One,\" a song by Dan Seals that points to the acceptance of the oneness of humanity as a solution to the agonies of the modern world.\n\nMr. Seaforth also delighted on other occasions with his solos on the saxophone and trumpet, and later playing alongside the orchestra members.\n\nMr. Price revealed his own melodious tenor voice when he led a barbershop quartet in the sweetest of harmonies as they sang \"Darkness on the Delta.\" At times both he and Mr. Gilmer accompanied the singing on a grand piano.\n\nComplementing the concert in Budapest was a display of photographs, by Hungarian Baha'i Dr. Laszlo Farkas, of  terraced gardens on Mount Carmel at the Baha'i World Centre in Haifa, Israel.\n\nA large part of the proceeds from ticket sales went to a development project for Roma women in Hungary.\n\nFollowing the concert in Hungary, Voices of Baha went on to win enthusiastic receptions from big houses in Prague, Warsaw, and Berlin.\n\nThe choir won a gold prize in the Johannes Brahms International Choirs Competition Festival in Wernigerode. It was the only choir selected to give an entire concert, singing before some 2000 people in a performance shown live on German television and repeated twice in the following days.\n\nIt also sang in the Baha'i House of Worship in Langenhain near Frankfurt in Germany. The Temple was filled to overflowing for the occasion.\n\nVoices of Baha, which has performed in Asia, North America and Europe, is setting its sights on other continents for future concerts.\n\nReview by Michael Day.\n\nPhotos by Edit Kalman.\n\nFor more information on Voices of Baha see http://www.bahaiworldnews.org/story.cfm?storyid=162"}],"disableInlineCaptions":false,"slideshow":[{"image":{"url":"https://www.datocms-assets.com/6348/1543420798-bwns4822-0.jpg"},"imageDescription":"Paul Seaforth on trumpet."},{"image":{"url":"https://www.datocms-assets.com/6348/1543420797-bwns4821-0.jpg"},"imageDescription":"Soaring soprano... Emily Price."},{"image":{"url":"https://www.datocms-assets.com/6348/1543420798-bwns4820-0.jpg"},"imageDescription":"Harmony in diversity... some members of Voices of Baha."},{"image":{"url":"https://www.datocms-assets.com/6348/1543420799-bwns4819-0.jpg"},"imageDescription":"Choirmaster Tom Price."},{"image":{"url":"https://www.datocms-assets.com/6348/1543420798-bwns4818-0.jpg"},"imageDescription":"Van Gilmer singing up a storm. (Photo: Edit Kalman)"}],"pushRelatedContentDown":null,"relatedContent":[],"updatedContent":false,"excludeFromHomepage":false,"category":[],"highlightClip":null},{"storyNumber":234,"evergreenUrl":"historic-role-ireland-malta","title":"Historic role in Ireland and Malta","description":"A memorial service for Una Dean, a Baha'i who played a prominent part in the history of the Faith in Ireland and Malta, is to be held in August...","date":"2003-03-08","customDateline":null,"city":"DUBLIN","country":"","thumbnail":{"url":"https://www.datocms-assets.com/6348/1543420785-bwns4817-0.jpg"},"featureAudio":null,"feature":[{"__typename":"DatoCMS_ImageRecord","image":{"url":"https://www.datocms-assets.com/6348/1543420785-bwns4817-0.jpg"},"imageDescription":"Una Townshend (later Dean) and her father, George Townshend, in Stockholm, 1953. (Photo courtesy of George Ronald, Publishers)","imageStyle":"body-right","imageLink":""}],"storyContent":[{"__typename":"DatoCMS_ParagraphRecord","paragraphText":"A memorial service for Una Dean, a Baha'i who played a prominent part in the history of the Faith in Ireland and Malta, is to be held in August 2003 at the Baha'i national summer school in Ireland.\n\nMrs. Dean, who died aged 81 on 8 March 2003 in Canada, was the daughter of a distinguished Baha'i, George Townshend, and his wife Nancy.\n\nThe Head of the Faith, Shoghi Effendi, appointed Mr. Townshend a \"Hand of the Cause of God\" in 1951.\n\n\"Hand of the Cause\" was a title given to 50 outstanding Baha'is whose chief duties were to protect and propagate the Baha'i Faith.\n\nOnce a dignitary in the Church of Ireland, Mr. Townshend was the author of books, essays, poems and prayers on Baha'i topics.\n\nBorn in Ireland, Una was the subject of an eloquent written meditation by her father describing her childhood happiness. It began: \"O little one, my Una, April's child, thou breath of spring wind embodied!\" (See full text below.)\n\nShe in turn gave great happiness to her father when, in 1940, she became a Baha'i, a process involving, as it does for all Baha'is, the independent investigation of the Faith: \"My heart just bursts into pieces with happiness and gratitude when I think of her,\" Mr. Townshend wrote."},{"__typename":"DatoCMS_InlineImageRecord","slideshowImageNumber":2},{"__typename":"DatoCMS_ParagraphRecord","paragraphText":"Una, who had attended a leading women's college in Cheltenham, England, spent the early years of World War II with her family, and was active in Baha'i life in Ireland. She later served in the British armed forces in Italy.\n\nIn 1946 Una became the first Baha'i to settle in Dublin, a city where the vast majority of residents were devoutly Catholic. This posed great challenges for a single woman seeking to find those who might be interested in hearing about her religion.\n\nFurthermore it involved her leaving her mother who wanted her at home as \"an extra pair of hands\" and to help with the family budget.\n\nAfter the number of Baha'is in Dublin grew, Una became an inaugural member of that city's first Local Spiritual Assembly, an elected nine-member administrative body. She later went to Liverpool to establish the first Local Spiritual Assembly there. Baha'is regard the establishment of such councils as vital in the building of a new spiritual civilization.\n\nShortly before his own death this year, George Townshend's biographer, Mr. David Hofman, fondly recalled Una Dean: \"She was a beautiful Irish girl -- full of fun, devoted to her father and a very active Baha'i.\"\n\nIn October 1953, she became the first Baha'i to reside in Malta, earning her the title \"Knight of Baha'u'llah\", an accolade first given by Shoghi Effendi to those who took the Faith to countries where there were no Baha'is.\n\nIn a letter to her father, Shoghi Effendi wrote: \"The work so splendidly initiated by your dear daughter is unique, historic and of vital importance. I admire her courage, zeal, devotion and perseverance. I will pray for her success from the depths of my heart.\"\n\nAfter Una's death this year, Mr. Hofman provided an historical context in which to view the sacrifice she made by responding to Shoghi Effendi's call and going to Malta : \"Malta was savagely destroyed in the war and by 1953 it offered no savory reputation to invite a young single woman of 33, delicately brought up and resident (nearly) all her life in Ireland.\"\n\nMoreover, as in Dublin, to proclaim a new Faith in a staunchly Catholic society required a deep well of steadfastness because progress was very slow -- indeed, it was not until 1973 that the first Local Spiritual Assembly of the Baha'is of Malta was formed.\n\nIn 1954, with her distinguished father suffering from Parkinson's disease, and on the instructions of Shoghi Effendi, Una returned home to help with the housework and also to assist her father with what Shoghi Effendi was to call his \"crowning achievement\" -- writing the book \"Christ and Baha'u'llah\". Una with her brother Brian, who died in 1988, attended to correspondence and put their father's thoughts on paper.\n\nAfter her father's death in March 1957 and Shoghi Effendi's passing in November that year (Una attended the funeral in London), she went to live in Canada. On a trip to Seattle  she met and later married  Baha'i, Richard (Dick) Dean, a former member of the Harlem Globe Trotters basketball team. They settled in Edmonton. Mr. Dean died in 1990.\n\nUna served on the Local Spiritual Assembly of Edmonton until 1987.\n\nIn an eloquent eulogy, Douglas Raynor quoted Felicity Enayat, a Baha'i, who remembered Una preparing studies on messages of the Universal House of Justice.\n\n\"She showed me the importance of taking the time to ponder the words of the Universal House of Justice,\" Ms. Enayat wrote.\n\n\"This itself enabled the meaning of that institution to go deep into my mind and heart...\n\n\"Her qualities of humility and generosity, her loyalty, her gentleness, her contentment with the will of God and her total consecration are unforgettable.\"\n\nIn 1992 Una Dean went to the Baha'i World Centre in Haifa, Israel to attend a gathering of the Knights of Baha'u'llah.\n\nThe Deans' daughter Farah, who survives them, had a severe mental disability. The Deans were among the founding members of the Alberta Association of Families in Action for the Dependent Handicapped.\n\nMrs. Dean died in Edmonton. Irish music was played at her funeral there, and messages from the National Spiritual Assemblies of Ireland and Malta were read.\n\nIn a message to the National Spiritual Assembly of the Baha'is of Canada, the Universal House of Justice, wrote of her \"exemplary courage\" in taking the Message of Baha'u'llah to the people of Malta.\n\n\"Her  service to the Faith was characterized by devotion and steadfastness,\" the tribute said.\n\n\"We remember with gratitude the loving assistance she rendered to her illustrious father, the Hand of the Cause of God, George Townshend, in particular with the completion of his influential work, 'Christ and Baha'u'llah'.\"\n\nThe Universal House of Justice advised the National Spiritual Assembly of the Baha'is of the Republic of Ireland is to hold a befitting memorial service to celebrate the life and services of \"this distinguished member\" of their community.\n\n(Report compiled with the assistance of Mr. David Hofman, Mrs. Olive McKinley and Mr. Doug Raynor).\n\nTo a Little Girl on Her Third Birthday\n\n(An ode to his daughter by George Townshend)\n\n\"O little one, my Una, April's child, thou breath of the spring wind embodied!\n\n\"The bluebells cluster about thy knees; overhead the giant beech trees spread their half-unfolded leaves; across the meadows the cuckoo calls, and from the distant bog comes the curlew's lonely cry.\n\n\"How happy art thou, leading the revel of the woods, their native queen, for whom a thousand springs have come and gone to weave thy flower-beauty, and to find their meaning and perfection in these fresh lips and laughing eyes of thine.\n\n\"O little one, joys more rare than these await thy wakening heart! A richer spring has cast its bounty at thy feet, a greater glory shines from another Heaven. And never morning breaks nor evening falls but lovers' prayers go forth to beg the early vision of God's Golden Age for thee who playest here thinking all happiness is already thine!\"\n\n(Reproduced from \"The Mission of Baha'u'llah\", by George Townshend, with the kind permission of George Ronald, Publishers.)"}],"disableInlineCaptions":false,"slideshow":[{"image":{"url":"https://www.datocms-assets.com/6348/1543420785-bwns4816-0.jpg"},"imageDescription":"Una Dean... \"exemplary courage\""}],"pushRelatedContentDown":null,"relatedContent":[],"updatedContent":false,"excludeFromHomepage":false,"category":[],"highlightClip":null},{"storyNumber":233,"evergreenUrl":"joyous-festivities-jamaica","title":"Joyous festivities in Jamaica","description":"The Governor General of Jamaica proclaimed 25 July 2003 as \"Baha'i Day\" for the Caribbean country. Sir Howard Felix Hanlan Cooke made his official...","date":"2003-07-25","customDateline":null,"city":"KINGSTON","country":"JAMAICA","thumbnail":{"url":"https://www.datocms-assets.com/6348/1543420767-bwns4815-0.jpg"},"featureAudio":null,"feature":[{"__typename":"DatoCMS_ImageRecord","image":{"url":"https://www.datocms-assets.com/6348/1543420767-bwns4815-0.jpg"},"imageDescription":"Governor General, Sir Howard Felix Hanlan Cooke (fifth from left), with Baha'i representatives.","imageStyle":"body-right","imageLink":""}],"storyContent":[{"__typename":"DatoCMS_ParagraphRecord","paragraphText":"The Governor General of Jamaica proclaimed 25 July 2003 as \"Baha'i Day\" for the Caribbean country.\n\nSir Howard Felix Hanlan Cooke made his official announcement on 23 July 2003 at a ceremony at his residence, the King's House.\n\nThe announcement marked the 60th anniversary of the establishment of the first Baha'i Local Spiritual Assembly in Jamaica.\n\nThe official proclamation read: \"Whereas the Baha'i Faith teaches that 'The earth is but one country and mankind its citizens,' and embraces as its supreme goal the unification of the entire human race, consisting of divers peoples and cultures...I do hereby proclaim July 25 2003 'Baha'i Day' and urge the members of the Baha'i Faith, and likewise all the citizens of goodwill, towards the high ideals of spiritual brotherhood, and of carrying humanity forward in an ever-advancing civilization.\"\n\nThe Governor General was presented with copies of more than 50 congratulatory messages to the Baha'is of Jamaica. They had been sent by National Spiritual Assemblies all over the world for the occasion."},{"__typename":"DatoCMS_InlineImageRecord","slideshowImageNumber":2},{"__typename":"DatoCMS_ParagraphRecord","paragraphText":"As part of the reunion events an official reception was held at the national Baha'i center in Kingston on 25 July. The guest of honor was Canon Weevil Gordon, who represented the Governor General.\n\nThe guest list also included the chairman of the Inter-Faith Council, Reverend Ashley Smith, and the representative of the Jewish community, Mrs. Norma Chin.\n\nAmong those attending were 30 Baha'is from overseas, some of whom were originally from Jamaica.\n\nThe reception came at the end of two weeks of events throughout the country which included local celebrations, such as a picnic and a dance party, talks on Baha'i topics, and a blood drive organized by the Baha'is of Kingston.\n\nAnother commemorative event was a symposium on 26 July that focused on the history and the vision of the Baha'i Faith in Jamaica.\n\nA public devotional gathering, with over 150 participants, involving prayers and readings from the Baha'i holy writings, was held on 27 July. The recording of that event will be broadcast on the radio throughout the nation."}],"disableInlineCaptions":false,"slideshow":[{"image":{"url":"https://www.datocms-assets.com/6348/1543420766-bwns4814-0.jpg"},"imageDescription":"Governor General, Sir Howard Felix Hanlan Cooke, with Baha'i representatives Linda Roche (left) and Namwar Zohoori (second from right)."}],"pushRelatedContentDown":null,"relatedContent":[],"updatedContent":false,"excludeFromHomepage":false,"category":[],"highlightClip":null},{"storyNumber":231,"evergreenUrl":"indian-youth-gather-unity","title":"Indian youth gather in unity","description":"Youth from Baha'i communities in the rural and tribal areas of the Indian state of Orissa gathered for a festival recently to share ideas and...","date":"2003-06-26","customDateline":null,"city":"BHUBANESWAR","country":"INDIA","thumbnail":{"url":"https://www.datocms-assets.com/6348/1543420750-bwns4813-0.jpg"},"featureAudio":null,"feature":[{"__typename":"DatoCMS_ImageRecord","image":{"url":"https://www.datocms-assets.com/6348/1543420750-bwns4813-0.jpg"},"imageDescription":"Sharing ideas, talents and faith... Baha'i festival in Orissa.`","imageStyle":"body-right","imageLink":""}],"storyContent":[{"__typename":"DatoCMS_ParagraphRecord","paragraphText":"Youth from Baha'i communities in the rural and tribal areas of the Indian state of Orissa gathered for a festival recently to share ideas and experiences and to enjoy dance, theatre, talent shows and cultural performances.\n\nThe occasion was the annual youth festival of Orissa in Bhubaneswar. Held from 26 to 29 June 2003, the festival was organized by the State Baha'i Youth Committee of Orissa.\n\nAmong the key speakers were Auxiliary Board Member Padrat Mohanty who gave a presentation on the history of the Baha'i Faith in Orissa and Ehsan Azadi, a guest from New Zealand, who talked about the laws and ordinances contained in the Kitab-i-Aqdas, the holiest book of the Baha'i Faith.\n\nIn a message to the 80 participants, the Universal House of Justice expressed hope that the youth of the region would \"take up with unrelaxing vigor the challenge of rapidly multiplying the number of study circles, devotional meetings and children's classes\" -- activities that have been highlighted as areas of major importance for Baha'i communities worldwide."}],"disableInlineCaptions":false,"slideshow":[],"pushRelatedContentDown":null,"relatedContent":[],"updatedContent":false,"excludeFromHomepage":false,"category":[],"highlightClip":null},{"storyNumber":230,"evergreenUrl":"a-love-all-peoples","title":"A love for all peoples","description":"A Baha'i who played an historic role in the development of the Faith in Ireland, Great Britain and three countries in Africa died here on 20...","date":"2003-06-20","customDateline":null,"city":"BUEA","country":"CAMEROON","thumbnail":{"url":"https://www.datocms-assets.com/6348/1543420731-bwns4812-0.jpg"},"featureAudio":null,"feature":[{"__typename":"DatoCMS_ImageRecord","image":{"url":"https://www.datocms-assets.com/6348/1543420731-bwns4812-0.jpg"},"imageDescription":"Ursula Newman (later Mrs. Samandari) in Dublin in 1950 with her future husband Dr. Mihdi Samandari (left) and George Townshend. (Photo: by permission of George Ronald, Publisher)","imageStyle":"body-right","imageLink":""}],"storyContent":[{"__typename":"DatoCMS_ParagraphRecord","paragraphText":"A Baha'i who played an historic role in the development of the Faith in Ireland, Great Britain and three countries in Africa died here on 20 June 2003.\n\nIn a tribute to Ursula Samandari, 93, the Universal House of Justice said that her long decades of historic service \"characterized by a purity of spirit, radiant joy and love for all peoples, are remembered with gratitude and admiration.\"\n\nAmong her many acts of service, were membership of the first Local Spiritual Assemblies of Dublin, Belfast, and Mogadishu. She was a member of the National Spiritual Assemblies of the British Isles (1945-51); North East Africa (1961-70) and Cameroon (1972-74; 1975-80).\n\nShe also served on the Local Spiritual Assemblies of London, Bristol and Nairobi.\n\nHer move in 1953 to Somalia with her husband, Mihdi Samandari, won them the accolade of Knights of Baha'u'llah, a title bestowed on them by the Head of the Faith, Shoghi Effendi.\n\nUrsula Newman, her maiden name, was born in Mitcham, Surrey, England on December 29, 1909.\n\nEducated by a governess and then at Wimbledon High School and Swanley Horticultural College in Kent, she became a lecturer in botany at that college. She had her own flower decorative business in London and ran a nursery garden in Dublin. In Somalia, she taught English."},{"__typename":"DatoCMS_InlineImageRecord","slideshowImageNumber":2},{"__typename":"DatoCMS_ParagraphRecord","paragraphText":"In biographical notes she wrote in 1986, Mrs. Samandari described how, from a Church of England background, she came to declare herself a Baha'i in 1938.\n\nShe began learning about the Faith in 1936 in London from Richard St. Barbe Baker (a well-known Baha'i who was founder of Men of the Trees), Hasan Balyuzi (later to be named a Hand of the Cause), and Dorothy Ferraby.\n\n\"Although I believed in Jesus Christ I was no longer a believer in Church teachings,\" she wrote.\n\n\"I first attended Baha'i meetings out of impersonal interest and a desire to meet Persians. I read and studied and attended meetings for two years. Gleanings (a book of Writings by Baha'u'llah) was the strongest influence.\"\n\nIn 1945, Ursula Newman became one of the first three Baha'is in Britain to answer the needs of a plan to spread the Faith by relocating to other towns, moving to St. Ives.\n\nShortly afterwards, she moved to Dublin and there became a member of the first Local Spiritual Assembly of that city (and of Ireland), and served as secretary at the time when the now internationally famous and historic figure, George Townshend (later named a Hand of the Cause) was chairman.\n\nLongtime Irish Baha'i Olive McKinley, who described Mrs. Samandari as artistically talented and a \"magnificent teacher of the Faith\" recalls: \"She had a wonderful sense of humor and everything seemed a joy and hilarious occasion to her -- no wonder David Hofman (Mr. Townshend's biographer) wrote that George Townshend missed his secretary so much when she had gone from Dublin.\"\n\nUrsula married Dr. Mihdi Samandari, with whom she had served the Faith in Belfast, at the Baha'i Center in London in 1951.\n\nIn 1953, the couple moved to Nairobi, Kenya, and a year later went to live in Mogadishu, Somalia where they stayed until 1971. At the request of the Universal House of Justice, they pioneered (moved to assist the development of the Faith) to Cameroon.\n\nDescribed by the Universal House of Justice as a \"noble soul\", Mrs. Samandari passed away at her pioneering post in Buea, Cameroon, after a long illness. Dr. Samandari survives her.\n\nThe Universal House of Justice has advised the National Spiritual Assembly of the Baha'is of Cameroon to hold memorial gatherings in her honor throughout the country.\n\nEditor's note:\n\nAfter the publication of this story a report was received of the funeral of Mrs. Samandari from the Local Spiritual Assembly of the Baha'is of Buea.\n\nThe report said Mrs. Samandari was buried at the Baha'i Center in Buea following a funeral service which included prayers, songs and a eulogy. The service ended with the Baha'i prayer for the dead. Throughout the burial, the Baha'is were singing, humming and chanting.\n\nIn attendance was Dr. Samandari together with more than 200 people, from the Baha'i and wider community, including two members of the Continental Board of Counsellors, four Auxiliary Board Members, and six members of the National Spiritual Assembly of the Baha'is of Cameroon.\n\nAmong comments in the condolence register were those of the paramount chief of Buea, HRH Samuel L. Endeley, a friend of the Samandaris since they arrived in the country. He wrote:\n\n\"My dear Sister, You lived with us like one of us, you served faithfully and lovingly to win souls into God's redeeming grace. You loved us and our country, Cameroon, and you have demonstrated this in dying here like the good soldier of God you have lived to be. You died with your boots on. We thank God for all you were to us. May your soul rest with the good God, our creator, in perfect peace.\""}],"disableInlineCaptions":false,"slideshow":[{"image":{"url":"https://www.datocms-assets.com/6348/1543420731-bwns4811-0.jpg"},"imageDescription":"Ursula Samandari (1909-2003)"}],"pushRelatedContentDown":null,"relatedContent":[],"updatedContent":false,"excludeFromHomepage":false,"category":[],"highlightClip":null}],"lang":"en","language":"en","location":"/archive/73/"}},"staticQueryHashes":["2762707590"]}