{"componentChunkName":"component---src-templates-archive-page-jsx","path":"/archive/79/","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! 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They came with high hopes and great expectations, eager to get a look at a\n\nproject that, over the last ten years and at a cost of some $250 million, has\n\nvirtually reshaped Mount Carmel.\n\n\"It has been my dream to come here, and now my dreams have come true,\" said Jaipal\n\nBali Singh, a 42-year-old businessman from Srinagar, Kashmir, India, who has been a\n\nBaha'i since 1986. \"For me, this is the holiest place on earth.\"\n\nIndeed, Mount Carmel, which is sacred to Christians, Jews and Muslims, also looms\n\nlarge in Baha'i history and prophetic expectations. Baha'u'llah, the Faith's\n\nFounder, chose Mount Carmel as the site of the spiritual and administrative center of\n\nHis cause in the 1890s when He was a prisoner here of the Ottoman Empire and the\n\nmountain slope was covered with little more than rocks and shrubs. He prophesied much\n\ngreatness for Mount Carmel in the future.\n\nNow, the fact that such extraordinary gardens, as well as two majestic new\n\nadministrative buildings, have arisen from those humble beginnings is a source of\n\ngreat pride to Baha'is, who raised the funds for their completion entirely from among\n\nthemselves.\n\n\"When I arrived, I came here directly from the bus and tears just came to my eyes\n\nbecause of the beauty and spirituality of these terraces,\" said Jean-Marie Nau, a\n\ndelegate from Luxembourg. \"This is a fulfillment of the prophecies of our Faith, that\n\nthese structures would be built here.\"\n\nThe celebration of the completion of these projects begins on Monday with a\n\ndevotional visit by the 3,000 Baha'is assembled here to the resting place of\n\nBaha'u'llah, at Bahji, located across Haifa Bay in the city of Acre.\n\nOn Tuesday, 22 May, the delegates will assemble for a concert at the base of Mount\n\nCarmel to officially inaugurate the terraces, which extend nearly one kilometer up\n\nthe mountainside. The concert will feature the premier of two orchestral works\n\ncomposed especially for the occasion. Hundreds of Baha'i communities in other\n\ncountries are expected to watch the concert and inaugural ceremony through a live\n\nsatellite feed and Webcast.\n\nOn Wednesday, the 3000 delegates will ascend the mountain as a group, climbing the\n\nstairs towards the Shrine of the Bab, which is the focus of the terraces and the\n\nsecond-most holy place to Baha'is after Bahji.\n\nOn Thursday and Friday, further cultural, informational and devotional programs will\n\nbe held on Mount Carmel and at the nearby Haifa Convention Centre.\n\n\"Over the course of the next few days, the Baha'is gathered here from around the\n\nworld will celebrate what we feel is a significant achievement in the creation of\n\nthese terraces,\" said Douglas Samimi-Moore, Program Coordinator for the inaugural\n\nevents. \"One of the themes to the overall program will be a look back at the growth\n\nand development of the Baha'i Faith in the 20th century -- and a look ahead at the\n\nfuture.\n\n\"The people gathered here represent the kind of world we are working for as Baha'is,\n\na unified community of people from every nation, religion, race, ethnic group and\n\nculture,\" said Mr. Samimi-Moore. \"And they are people, by and large, who have been\n\nworking towards this goal, whether in Africa, Asia, the Americas, Europe or other\n\nregions of the world.\"\n\nMany of the participants arriving today indeed felt that the diversity of the\n\ngathering itself is very much a fulfillment of Baha'u'llah's vision for humanity.\n\n\"To meet so many brothers and sisters, from different countries, speaking different\n\nlanguages, it brings me great happiness,\" said Claudio Limachi, a member of the\n\nQuechua people who is part of the delegation from Bolivia. \"I feel like I am next to\n\nGod, with people of different colors, from different places, and that we are flowers\n\nof one garden.\"\n\nPeter Wathum Onega, a 48-year-old farmer from a remote village in northwestern\n\nUganda, also said that the combination of beautiful gardens and diverse people was\n\nhis idea of heaven.\n\n\"When you see this place, you see that peace can come in the world,\" said Mr. Onega.\n\n\"The beauty here, it can bring people together. It is, like the Bible says, the\n\nKingdom of God on earth.\""}],"disableInlineCaptions":false,"slideshow":[],"pushRelatedContentDown":null,"relatedContent":[],"updatedContent":false,"excludeFromHomepage":false,"category":[],"highlightClip":null},{"storyNumber":115,"evergreenUrl":"high-excitement-lofty-expectations-bahais-heading-israel-terraces-inauguration-ceremony","title":"High excitement and lofty expectations for Baha'is heading to Israel for terraces inauguration ceremony","description":"When Henrietta Josias arrives here at the end of the week, it will be her first time in Israel -- and only the second time in her life to travel...","date":"2001-05-15","customDateline":null,"city":"HAIFA","country":"ISRAEL","thumbnail":{"url":"https://www.datocms-assets.com/6348/1687959778-bwns-default-missing-image-endslate-still-8-1-1.jpg"},"featureAudio":null,"feature":[],"storyContent":[{"__typename":"DatoCMS_ParagraphRecord","paragraphText":"When Henrietta Josias arrives here at the end of the week, it will be her first time in Israel -- and only the second time in her life to travel outside of her native South Africa.\n\nLike an estimated 3,000 other Baha'is who will be coming for the inauguration of a majestic series of garden terraces on Mount Carmel here on 22 May, Ms. Josias comes with high excitement and lofty expectations for what she believes will be one of the highlights of her life.\n\n\"To me, it is a phenomenal thing that is happening to me,\" said the 45-year-old mother and flea market sales lady from Cape Town. \"Prior to becoming a Baha'i, I would never have had any idea about traveling to Israel, or anywhere else for that matter, coming from a very disadvantaged community in South Africa.\n\n\"But being a Baha'i opens your vision to the world around you,\" said Ms. Josias, who became a Baha'i nine years ago. \"I feel I'm part of this great process where people are trying to become citizens of this whole wide world and so that we see one another as brothers and sisters.\"\n\nThat sentiment -- to help foster the processes of world peace and human unity -- indeed underlies the construction of the kilometer-long terraces on Mount Carmel, which is sacred not only to Baha'is but also to Christians, Jews and Muslims. Built over 10 years at a cost of some US$250 million, the terraces and two new adjacent administrative buildings are designed in part to offer to humanity at large a vision of peace and harmony.\n\nDedication ceremonies will begin at dusk on 22 May 2001 with an open-air world premiere concert, which will be available live worldwide by satellite and Internet webcast. On 23 May, indigenous musicians will perform and the thousands of celebrants, many in colorful national dress, will ascend the terraces for the first time.\n\nThe diversity of the gathering will itself reflect the ideals of the Baha'i Faith, which aims to enlist people everywhere, from all races, religions and nationalities, in a common endeavor to build a just, peaceful and ever-advancing civilization. There are about five million Baha'is and the Faith is the second-most widespread independent religion after Christianity, with communities in more than 200 countries and territories.\n\n\"It will be like a 'preview' of how the world will become in the future, showing a cross-section of humankind coming together in unity,\" said Nogol Rahbin, a 20-year-old medical student, who will be among the delegation from Sweden. \"To me, this will be a chance to experience the vision that the founder of the Baha'i Faith, Baha'u'llah, gave to humanity about 150 years ago.\"\n\nBaha'i communities from more than 170 countries are planning to send delegations. And the list of delegates likewise spans the gamut of professions, social and economic class, and racial and religious backgrounds.\n\nAttendees range from a New York investment banker to a young woman from the Fulnio people in northeastern Brazil; from a Nepalese journalist to an architectural student from Belarus.\n\n\"To me, this event will show how a great many people, from all different locations and backgrounds, can come together in unity, to help create something as close to perfection as I can think of,\" said Alexandar Sawka, a 17-year-old student from St. Johns, Antigua, West Indies. \"The completion of a project of this magnitude is a great step forward for any religion.\"\n\nThe delegates were chosen by various means to represent their countries at the inauguration ceremonies by their National Spiritual Assemblies, the nation-level governing bodies in the Baha'i Faith. Limited to 19 delegates each, National Spiritual Assemblies around the world used different methods to choose their delegations. Some Assemblies gave weight to individuals who had given exemplary service over the years while others simply held a lottery.\n\nSara Nobre, like other members of the delegation from Portugal, was chosen by lot. The 24-year-old staffing manager from Lisbon feels incredibly lucky.\n\n\"The event is the end result of many years of hard work from Baha'is everywhere,\" said Ms. Nobre, who, like millions of other Baha'is, contributed funds to the project, which was built entirely with donations from Baha'is around the world. \"It is the fruit of perseverance and love.\"\n\nJean Scales, one of the delegates from the United States of America, feels honored to have been selected. \"I couldn't believe it at first,\" said Jean Scales, a 71-year-old retired English professor who now lives in Durham, North Carolina. \"I have no idea why I've been chosen. I guess it is because I've been active over the years.\"\n\nDr. Scales has served the Faith on a number of levels since becoming a Baha'i in 1960. Last year, for example, she toured South Africa and Swaziland with her husband, Jay, to promote the Faith's ideals.\n\nLike others selected to travel to Haifa, she views the inauguration of the terraces as a once-in-a-lifetime event, one that she believes will likewise showcase the Faith's message and teachings.\n\n\"The construction of these gardens is a reason for humanity to have hope,\" said Dr. Scales. \"So many people just don't see any hope in the world today, between wars and rumors of wars. But this shows that humankind can come together.\"\n\nDr. Scales believes that the beauty of the gardens -- she has seen numerous photographs of them -- reflects the harmonious blend of spiritual and material attributes that Baha'is believe is needed in the world.\n\n\"Around the world, Baha'is are asked to engage in social and economic development projects to do things that will help their communities,\" she said. \"They don't just pray. Rather, they seek to combine the material and the spiritual.\"\n\nDr. Scales and others also believe that the completion of the Baha'i projects on Mount Carmel, which include the construction of two new administrative buildings, also represent a significant fulfillment of prophecy, both for Baha'is and others.\n\n\"I do know that Mount Carmel is important in Christian and Jewish history, and that the Holy Land itself is important to many of the religions in the world,\" she said. \"In the main Christian prayer, they speak of 'Thy Kingdom come, Thy will be done.' To me, this is a fulfillment of that prayer in that we Baha'is believe we are helping to build the Kingdom of God on earth.\""}],"disableInlineCaptions":false,"slideshow":[],"pushRelatedContentDown":null,"relatedContent":[],"updatedContent":false,"excludeFromHomepage":false,"category":[],"highlightClip":null},{"storyNumber":96,"evergreenUrl":"live-web-cast-opening-ceremonies-bahai-terraces-on-mount-carmel","title":"Live web cast of opening ceremonies of Baha'i terraces on Mount Carmel","description":"The opening ceremonies of the Baha'i terraces on Mount Carmel will be carried on a live, on-demand Web cast on 22 May 2001 at 15:00 GMT. The...","date":"2001-05-02","customDateline":null,"city":"HAIFA","country":"ISRAEL","thumbnail":{"url":"https://www.datocms-assets.com/6348/1687959778-bwns-default-missing-image-endslate-still-8-1-1.jpg"},"featureAudio":null,"feature":[],"storyContent":[{"__typename":"DatoCMS_ParagraphRecord","paragraphText":"The opening ceremonies of the Baha'i terraces on Mount Carmel will be carried on a live, on-demand Web cast on 22 May 2001 at 15:00 GMT.\n\nThe Web cast will enable the public and many of the world's five million Baha'is to watch the proceedings from their homes.\n\nThe ceremonies will mark the end of a 10-year, US$250 million project to complete key elements of the spiritual and administrative center of the Baha'i Faith. The majestic garden terraces now stretch one kilometer from the crest of the mountain to the base, and surround the gold-domed Shrine of the Bab, a well-known symbol of the city of Haifa.\n\nMore than 3,000 Baha'is from 170 countries are expected to attend the open-air event on the evening of 22 May, which will feature specially commissioned music by contemporary composers from Norway and Tajikistan. At the height of the ceremony, the terraces will be dramatically illuminated.\n\nThe free Web cast will be accessible on the Baha'i World News Service at www.bahaiworldnews.org in Real Media format and will be archived for future access. Other Web sites are free to establish links to this site for the Web cast.\n\nThe Web cast is copyrighted and may not be used for commercial purposes. An official set of VHS tapes will be available for sale at a later date."}],"disableInlineCaptions":false,"slideshow":[],"pushRelatedContentDown":null,"relatedContent":[],"updatedContent":false,"excludeFromHomepage":false,"category":[],"highlightClip":null},{"storyNumber":94,"evergreenUrl":"opening-bahai-terraces-on-mount-carmel-be-available-live-around-world-satellite","title":"Opening of Baha'i terraces on Mount Carmel to be available live around the world by satellite","description":"Coverage of ceremonies inaugurating a series of majestic terrace gardens extending nearly one kilometer up the side of Mount Carmel will be available...","date":"2001-04-15","customDateline":null,"city":"HAIFA","country":"ISRAEL","thumbnail":{"url":"https://www.datocms-assets.com/6348/1687959778-bwns-default-missing-image-endslate-still-8-1-1.jpg"},"featureAudio":null,"feature":[],"storyContent":[{"__typename":"DatoCMS_ParagraphRecord","paragraphText":"Coverage of ceremonies inaugurating a series of majestic terrace gardens extending nearly one kilometer up the side of Mount Carmel will be available live by satellite around the world on 22 and 23 May 2001.\n\nMore than 3,000 Baha'is from some 170 countries are expected to attend the outdoor event on the evening of 22 May, which will feature an original oratorio, performed by a symphony orchestra and choir assembled at the base of the terraces. At the height of the ceremony, the kilometer-long terraces will be dramatically illuminated. They extend from the base to the crest of a mountain that has been considered holy throughout recorded history.\n\nThe ceremonies will mark the end of a 10-year, US$250 million project to complete key elements of the spiritual and administrative center of the Baha'i Faith. Two major administrative buildings have also been completed on Mount Carmel during the project.\n\nOn 23 May, following concert and inauguration, indigenous performers will lead a devotional program, and the thousands of celebrants, many in colorful national dress, will ascend the terraces for the first time. This event will also be carried live by satellite.\n\n\"Given the universal character of the Faith and its vision for global unity and peace, it makes sense that coverage of these events is available worldwide, \" said Douglas Samimi-Moore, director of the Office of Public Information at the Baha'i World Centre. \"This celebration tells a story of sacrifice, of transformation from deprivation and darkness into beauty and light. That such a diverse and widespread community could complete these tasks and share them with the people of the world should give us all confidence for the future.\"\n\nThe celebration of the opening of the gardens will last through the week. The festivities precede the opening of the gardens to the public in June, when visitors and tourists of all backgrounds and beliefs will be able to enjoy the gardens, everyday, free of charge.\n\nSatlink Communications Ltd will be transmitting the events from 13.30 – 17.30 GMT on 22 May, and from 05.30 – 08.30 GMT on 23 May. Inside Israel, the events can be seen on the EUTELSAT W1 and on television channel 9. Outside Israel, coverage will be on EUTELSAT-W1 (Israel, Europe and the Middle East), INTELSAT 604- (Africa Coverage), ASIASAT 2 (Asia Coverage), TELSTAR 6 (North America), NSS 806 (South America), and NSS 803 (USA).\n\nThe Israel Broadcasting Authority is also preparing a full-length live radio broadcast of the May 22 event on its flagship music station, Kol Israel (Voice of Israel), with narration. The IBA will also act as the sponsoring station to carry the program to the European Broadcast Union and thereby to national radio outlets in many member countries.\n\nMore information about the satellite up-link of the opening of the Terraces is available at http://terraces.bahai.org/satellite.en.html."}],"disableInlineCaptions":false,"slideshow":[],"pushRelatedContentDown":null,"relatedContent":[],"updatedContent":false,"excludeFromHomepage":false,"category":[],"highlightClip":null},{"storyNumber":93,"evergreenUrl":"bahai-international-community-issues-statement-on-spiritual-dimension-sustainable-development","title":"Baha'i International Community issues statement on the spiritual dimension of sustainable development","description":"The Baha'i International Community today issued a statement, entitled \"Sustainable Development: the Spiritual Dimension,\" for the first session...","date":"2001-04-19","customDateline":null,"city":"UNITED NATIONS","country":"","thumbnail":{"url":"https://www.datocms-assets.com/6348/1687959778-bwns-default-missing-image-endslate-still-8-1-1.jpg"},"featureAudio":null,"feature":[],"storyContent":[{"__typename":"DatoCMS_ParagraphRecord","paragraphText":"The Baha'i International Community today issued a statement, entitled \"Sustainable Development: the Spiritual Dimension,\" for the first session of the United Nations Preparatory Committee of the World Summit on Sustainable Development.\n\nScheduled to be held 30 April-2 May at the United Nations in New York, the Preparatory Committee meeting will provide direction for the World Summit on Sustainable Development, which is scheduled to be held next year in Johannesburg, South Africa. The Summit will focus on reviewing environmental progress made worldwide since the 1992 Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro.\n\nHere follows the complete text of the statement, which was issued by the United Nations Office of the Baha'i International Community:\n\nSome nine years ago, over the course of the Earth Summit process, the governments of the world, with significant contributions from global civil society, crafted Agenda 21, a remarkably forward-looking strategy for the achievement of sustainable development worldwide.\n\nSome nine years later, the work of determining the next steps in the evolution of Agenda 21 has been placed upon the shoulders of the World Summit on Sustainable Development.  The Summit has been called to \"identify major constraints hindering the implementation of Agenda 21\" and to \"address new challenges and opportunities that have emerged since the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development.\"  It is in identifying these major constraints, challenges and opportunities that the Summit's Preparatory Committee (PrepCom) must necessarily come face to face with spiritual issues.\n\n\"No matter how far the material world advances,\" the Baha'i Writings state, \"it cannot establish the happiness of mankind.  Only when material and spiritual civilization are linked and coordinated will happiness be assured... for in material civilization good and evil advance together and maintain the same pace.\"\n\nThe Baha'i International Community is convinced that unless and until spiritual issues become central to the development process, the establishment of a sustainable global civilization will prove impossible.  For the vast majority of the world's people the idea that human nature is fundamentally spiritual is an incontrovertible truth.  Indeed, this perception of reality is the defining cultural experience for most of the world's people and is inseparable from how they perceive themselves and the world around them.  It is, therefore, only by bringing a focus on the spiritual dimension of human reality that development policies and programs can truly reflect the experiences, conditions and aspirations of the planet's inhabitants and elicit their heartfelt support and active participation.\n\nOn the one hand, the governments of the world have, collectively, begun to acknowledge a spiritual dimension to development.  This can be seen in the global action plans that emerged from the great world conferences held in the 1990's by the United Nations.  Agenda 21, for example, calls for \"social, economic and spiritual development,\" recognizing that \"individuals should be allowed to develop their full potential, including healthy physical, mental and spiritual development.\"  Subsequent declarations and action plans have reinforced this call and gone further.  For example, in the Copenhagen Declaration the governments of the world unambiguously affirm that \"our societies must respond more effectively to the material and spiritual needs of individuals, their families and the communities in which they live... not only as a matter of urgency but also as a matter of sustained and unshakeable commitment through the years ahead.\"  In the Beijing Platform for Action they agree that \"[r]eligion, spirituality and belief play a central role in the lives of millions of women and men, in the way they live and in the aspirations they have for the future.\"  And in the Habitat Agenda, the world's governments commit to \"achieving a world of greater stability and peace, built on ethical and spiritual vision.\"\n\nOn the other hand, beyond such general statements and commitments, these global agreements offer little understanding of what the terms \"spirituality,\" \"spiritual vision,\" and \"spiritual development\" mean in principle or in practice.  If, indeed, spirituality is as crucial to sustainable development as these global action plans have avowed, then it is time to move beyond generalities, to explore, in depth, the spiritual principles at the heart of development and to consider fully their ramifications for all stages of the development process.\n\nThis exploration of spiritual principles is completely in line with the PrepCom's mandate to \"identify major constraints hindering the implementation of Agenda 21\" and to \"address new challenges and opportunities that have emerged\" since the Earth Summit.  Any strategies for overcoming such constraints and challenges as war, poverty, social disintegration, extreme nationalism, greed, corruption and apathy, which do not take into account spiritual principles will prove ephemeral, at best.  In considering new opportunities for overcoming these constraints and challenges, the PrepCom should look to the remarkable development of interfaith relations and the expansion of interfaith initiatives.  Religious and spiritual traditions are increasingly coming together to foster friendliness, fellowship and understanding among their diverse communities.  They are also increasingly working together on policies, programs and initiatives with secular bodies ranging from private enterprises and organizations of civil society, to governments and international institutions.  In such work, religious and spiritual value systems are viewed not as separate from \"real world concerns,\" but as vital sources of knowledge and motivation, as wellsprings of values, insights, and energy without which social cohesion and collective action are difficult, if not impossible, to achieve.\n\nThis blossoming of interfaith work can be seen in such initiatives as the World Faiths Development Dialogue; the World Conference on Religion and Peace; the Alliance of Religions and Conservation (ARC); the Parliament of the World's Religions; and the Millennium World Peace Summit of Religious and Spiritual Leaders.  It can be read in the numerous joint declarations and agreements in which the religions have articulated a common vision of humanity's future based on such universal principles as love, justice, compassion, moderation, humility, sharing, service, peace and the oneness of the human family.\n\nIn seeking to incorporate spiritual principles into its deliberations, the PrepCom should take advantage of this new stage in the relations among the world's religions.  It might do so by making the topic \"Sustainable Development: the Spiritual Dimension\" one of the \"main themes for the Summit.\"  It could then initiate a major review of international agreements, proclamations and statements which focus on religious and spiritual values, particularly as they relate to and impact the development process.  This review should begin with the global action plans of the world conferences of the 1990's, since it was here that the governments of the world publicly acknowledged the importance of spiritual values in development.  It should then be expanded to include major interfaith declarations and agreements and other relevant initiatives.\n\nWhile this review is being conducted, the PrepCom could facilitate a series of consultations involving both representatives and leaders of various religious and spiritual traditions.  These consultations, which might be held before the next PrepCom, should focus on spiritual principles as they relate to Agenda 21 and sustainable development.  A series of regional consultations followed by an international consultation might be held, or, if that is not feasible, then, at the very least, an international consultation should be organized.  The results of these consultations and of the \"documents review\" should be issued as a UN document for use by the PrepCom in its deliberations.\n\nAlthough these proposed efforts are modest, the world's governments would, by supporting them, be sending a clear message that they are serious about their previous commitments to incorporate spiritual considerations into the development process.  More important, however, the \"documents review\" and the global consultations would undoubtedly produce innovative ideas and approaches and might possibly generate a powerful vision based on spiritual principles - principles which, because they resonate with the human soul, have the power to motivate the sacrifices and changes that will be needed if humanity is to overcome the seemingly intractable problems it faces.\n\nUltimately, the creation of a peaceful and just global civilization, in which the diverse peoples of the world live in harmony with one another and with the natural world, will require a significant reorientation of individual and collective goals and a profound transformation in attitudes and behaviors.  Such far-reaching changes will come about only by addressing the non-material dimension of reality and drawing on humanity's vast spiritual resources.\n\n- end -\n\n*To read the statement with footnotes, go to:*\n\n[ http://www.bic-un.bahai.org/01-0430.htm](http://www.bic-un.bahai.org/01-0430.htm)"}],"disableInlineCaptions":false,"slideshow":[],"pushRelatedContentDown":null,"relatedContent":[],"updatedContent":false,"excludeFromHomepage":false,"category":[],"highlightClip":null},{"storyNumber":92,"evergreenUrl":"bahais-release-statement-on-racial-tolerance","title":"Baha'is release statement on racial tolerance","description":"In observance of the International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination, observed 21 March each year, the Baha'i International Community...","date":"2001-03-21","customDateline":null,"city":"GENEVA","country":"","thumbnail":{"url":"https://www.datocms-assets.com/6348/1687959778-bwns-default-missing-image-endslate-still-8-1-1.jpg"},"featureAudio":null,"feature":[],"storyContent":[{"__typename":"DatoCMS_ParagraphRecord","paragraphText":"In observance of the International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination, observed 21 March each year, the Baha'i International Community released the following statement, which was presented to Mary Robinson, the High Commissioner for Human Rights:\n\n\"The coming together of the peoples of the world in a harmonious and creative relationship is the crucial need of the present hour.  In the wake of advances in human knowledge which have deepened bonds of interdependence and contracted the planet, the central task now before all its inhabitants is laying the foundations of a global society that can reflect the oneness of human nature.  Creating such a universal culture of collaboration and conciliation will require a return to spiritual awareness and responsibility.\n\n\"More than a century ago, Baha'u'llah declared that humankind was entering a new era in its history when accelerating processes of unification would soon compel recognition that humanity is a single people with a common destiny.  In appealing to humanity to accept the central truth of its oneness, and to set aside the barriers of race, religion and nationality which have been the principal causes of conflict throughout history, Baha'u'llah urges, 'regard ye not one another as strangers.  Ye are the fruits of one tree, and the leaves of one branch.' There is, He said, no possibility of achieving world peace until the fundamental principle of unity has been accepted and given practical effect in the organization of society:  'The well-being of mankind, its peace and security, are unattainable unless and until its unity is firmly established.'  And:  'Deal ye one with another with the utmost love and harmony, with friendliness and fellowship...So powerful is the light of unity that it can illuminate the whole earth.'\n\n\"The unity that must underpin a peaceful and just social order is a unity which embraces and honors diversity.  Oneness and diversity are complementary and inseparable.  That human consciousness necessarily operates through an infinite diversity of individual minds and motivations detracts in no way from its essential unity.  Indeed, it is precisely an inhering diversity that distinguishes unity from homogeneity or uniformity.  Acceptance of the concept of unity in diversity, therefore, implies the development of a global consciousness, a sense of world citizenship, and a love for all of humanity.  It induces every individual to realize that, since the body of humankind is one and indivisible, each member of the human race is born into the world as a trust of the whole.  It further suggests that if a peaceful international community is to emerge, then the complex and varied cultural expressions of humanity must be allowed to develop and flourish, as well as to interact with one another in ever-changing patterns of civilization.  'The diversity in the human family,' the Baha'i writings emphasize, 'should be the cause of love and harmony, as it is in music where many different notes blend together in the making of a perfect chord.'\n\n\"From this basic principle of the unity of the earth's peoples is derived virtually all concepts concerning human liberty and well-being.  If the human race is one, any notion that a particular racial, ethnic, or national group is in some way superior to the rest of humanity must be dismissed; society must reorganize its life to give practical expression to the principle of equality for all its members regardless of color, creed or gender; and all individuals must be given the opportunity to realize their inherent potential and thereby contribute to 'an ever-advancing civilization.'\n\n\"For too much of history, the evil of racism has violated human dignity.  Its influence has retarded the development of its victims, corrupted its perpetrators and blighted human progress.  Overcoming its devastating effects will thus require conscious, deliberate and sustained effort.  Indeed, nothing short of genuine love, extreme patience, true humility and prayerful reflection will succeed in effacing its pernicious stain from human affairs.  'Close your eyes to racial differences,' is Baha'u'llah's counsel, 'and welcome all with the light of oneness.'\n\n\"Clearly, the promotion of tolerance and mutual understanding among the diverse segments of the human race cannot be a passive or rhetorical exercise.  All forms of provincialism, all insularities and prejudices must be directly confronted.  The implementation of appropriate legal measures that safeguard the rights and opportunities of all and the adoption of educational initiatives that foster human solidarity and global citizenship should be among the first practical steps taken by all nations.\n\n\"The moral leadership provided by religious communities must undoubtedly be a key component of any such effort.  To ensure a constructive role for religion, however, the followers of all faiths must acknowledge the strife and suffering caused by those who have appropriated the symbols and instruments of religion for their own selfish purposes.  Fanaticism and conflict poison the wells of tolerance and represent corrupt expressions of true religious values.  The challenge facing all religious leaders is to contemplate, with hearts filled with the spirit of compassion and a desire for truth, the plight of humanity, and to ask themselves whether they cannot, in humility before their Almighty Creator, submerge their theological differences in a great spirit of mutual forbearance that will enable them to work together for the advancement of social justice and peace.  In His exhortation 'to observe tolerance and righteousness,' Baha'u'llah affirms that it is possible to both believe in God and to be tolerant.\n\n\"The path of unity and reconciliation is the only path available to the human family.  A world in which all nations, races, creeds and classes are closely and permanently united is not a utopian vision but an inevitable and vital necessity.  'Illumine and hallow your hearts; let them not be profaned by the thorns of hate or the thistles of malice,' Baha'u'llah warns.  'Ye dwell in one world, and have been created through the operation of one Will.  Blessed is he who mingleth with all men in a spirit of utmost kindliness and love.' \""}],"disableInlineCaptions":false,"slideshow":[],"pushRelatedContentDown":null,"relatedContent":[],"updatedContent":false,"excludeFromHomepage":false,"category":[],"highlightClip":null},{"storyNumber":91,"evergreenUrl":"full-length-feature-film-inspired-bahai-writings-premieres-australia","title":"Full-length feature film, inspired by the Baha'i writings, premieres in Australia","description":"A tale of love and oppression, set in Australia's Outback in the 1890s and focusing on the story of an Aboriginal girl and a group of Lutheran...","date":"2001-02-05","customDateline":null,"city":"PERTH","country":"AUSTRALIA","thumbnail":{"url":"https://www.datocms-assets.com/6348/1543418330-bwns7620-0.jpg"},"featureAudio":null,"feature":[{"__typename":"DatoCMS_ImageRecord","image":{"url":"https://www.datocms-assets.com/6348/1543418330-bwns7620-0.jpg"},"imageDescription":"Mojgan Khadem, writer and director of the film \"Serenades,\" on set with actress Alice Haines, who plays the central character, Jila.","imageStyle":"body-right","imageLink":""}],"storyContent":[{"__typename":"DatoCMS_ParagraphRecord","paragraphText":"A tale of love and oppression, set in Australia's Outback in the 1890s and focusing on the story of an Aboriginal girl and a group of Lutheran missionaries, had its world premiere at the Perth International Arts Festival today.\n\nThe full-length feature film, entitled \"Serenades,\" was written and directed by Mojgan Khadem, an Iranian-born Baha'i from Adelaide, South Australia. The film received a glowing review ahead of its release in an industry publication, Screen International, where critic Frank Hatherley described it as an international gem.\"\n\n\"Sandra Levy's production is a small miracle, with exquisite landscape cinematography by Russell Boyd and a moving cross-ethnic soundtrack,\" Mr. Hatherley wrote.\n\nShot on location in the South Australian outback, Serenades is Ms. Khadem's first feature film. It stars Alice Haines and Aden Young. Producer Sandra Levy and director of photography Russell Boyd both have a long list of major films to their credit.\n\n\"Serenades\" is set in the 1890s when German Lutheran missionaries were trying to bring Christianity to South Australia's Aboriginal people. It tells the story of a young woman who has an Afghan father and an Aboriginal mother.\n\n\"The film does have a love story at the very center of it,\" said Ms. Khadem. \"It's basically a journey of one woman through very diverse cultures and religions. And it's a journey where she is desperately searching for identity, for a sense of love.\"\n\nMs. Khadem said she found her inspiration for the story in the Baha'i writings.\n\n\"One day when I was reading the Book of Certitude, I came across a quote from Baha'u'llah, which made it very clear what my film needed to be about. It needed to be about oppression, and what that oppression meant,\" she explained.\n\n\"At the centre of that idea was an Aboriginal girl who felt this grave oppression that Baha'u'llah speaks about, where she looks everywhere for God, but she can't find Him,\" Ms. Khadem said.\n\nThe passage that inspired her was this: \"What 'oppression' is greater than that which hath been recounted? What 'oppression' is more grievous than that a soul seeking the truth, and wishing to attain unto the knowledge of God, should know not where to go for it and from whom to seek it? For opinions have sorely differed, and the ways unto the attainment of God have multiplied.\"\n\nMs. Khadem's family left Iran in 1978, and settled in Spain as refugees before migrating to Australia three years later.\n\nHer interest in film developed from a passion for theatre and, later, photography. She graduated from the prestigious Australian Film, Television and Radio School in Sydney, New South Wales, in 1991.\n\nThe film cost $3.7 million Australian dollars to make. More than half the funding came from Australian government's Film Finance Corporation. The rest came from the private Southern Star company and the South Australian Film Corporation. Palace Films has purchased the Australian distribution rights.\n\nAfter screening for two weeks at the Perth Festival, the film is expected to open across Australia in April.\n\n-- Reported by Susan Couhbor"}],"disableInlineCaptions":false,"slideshow":[],"pushRelatedContentDown":null,"relatedContent":[],"updatedContent":false,"excludeFromHomepage":false,"category":[],"highlightClip":null},{"storyNumber":90,"evergreenUrl":"interfaith-dialogue-participants-meet-with-king-norway","title":"Interfaith dialogue participants meet with King of Norway","description":"Participants in a national interfaith dialogue project met privately with King Harald V of Norway on 11 December 2000 to present the results...","date":"2000-12-18","customDateline":null,"city":"OSLO","country":"NORWAY","thumbnail":{"url":"https://www.datocms-assets.com/6348/1687959778-bwns-default-missing-image-endslate-still-8-1-1.jpg"},"featureAudio":null,"feature":[],"storyContent":[{"__typename":"DatoCMS_ParagraphRecord","paragraphText":"Participants in a national interfaith dialogue project met privately with King Harald V of Norway on 11 December 2000 to present the results of the year-long project and discuss their commitment to extending and broadening the dialogue into the future.\n\nLast year, the King was the guest of honor at the launching of the interfaith dialogue project, held at the University Aula with Professor Hans Kung and the Bishop of Oslo, Mr. Gunnar Stalsett, as the keynote speakers.  Six dialogue groups - on the issues of religious freedom; family life; cohabitation, sexuality and equality; environmental issues; violence and non-violence; and religious and values education - were formed at the event and have continued to meet throughout the year.\n\n\"The personal interest shown by His Majesty in interfaith dialogue was deeply appreciated by all the participants and has lent weight to the project,\" said Mrs. Britt Strandlie Thoresen, who represented the Baha'i Faith at the meeting.  \"In the year since we launched this effort, we have formed bonds of fellowship and understanding among Norway's various faith communities, which we hope will contribute to an atmosphere that welcomes diversity in our increasingly multicultural country.\"\n\nThe interfaith dialogue project was sponsored by Norway's Commission on Human Values and the Cooperation Council on Religious and Life-stance Communities, one of Norway's principal interfaith organizations. According to a government press release, the Commission on Human Values was appointed in January 1998 with a three-year mandate to \"contribute to a broad mobilization for human values and socio-ethics,\" to \"enhance positive joint values, and strengthen the responsibility for the environment and community\" and \"to work against indifference, and promote personal responsibility, participation and democracy.\"\n\nThe representatives who met with the King were Mr. Dag Hareide, member of the Values Commission and main initiator of the project; Mr. Egil Lothe, head of the Buddhist organization in Norway; Mr. Inge Eidsvag, member of the board of the Values Commission; Mrs. Nazim Riaz of the Islamic Council of Norway; Rev. Ornulf Steen of the Church of Norway; Mrs. Barbro Sveen, coordinator of the Cooperation Council for Religions and Life-stance Communities; and Mrs. Thoresen, member of the National Spiritual Assembly of the Baha'is of Norway.\n\nThe half-hour meeting with the King took place at the Royal Castle in Oslo. Mr. Hareide gave an overview of the work of the six dialogue groups in the year since the opening event at the University Aula.\n\n\"This led to a broad conversation about the importance of interfaith dialogue, its possibilities and limits, and its importance as a step toward the removal of prejudices, toward mutual respect and deep tolerance, leading in the end to a peace-building process,\" Mrs. Thoresen reported.\n\n\"His Majesty told us about his school days and preparation for religious confirmation and said that he had been given broad information about other religions as early as in 1953. He found this very valuable, he said, because Norway is now a multicultural and multi-religious country and he represents all inhabitants of Norway. The King stated the importance of listening to each other, and not using the dialogue project as a platform for persisting in one's own viewpoints.\"\n\nBecause the mandate of Values Commission expires at the end of December 2000, the Cooperation Council on Religious and Life-stance Communities will take on the task of carrying forward the dialogues."}],"disableInlineCaptions":false,"slideshow":[],"pushRelatedContentDown":null,"relatedContent":[],"updatedContent":false,"excludeFromHomepage":false,"category":[],"highlightClip":null},{"storyNumber":89,"evergreenUrl":"bahai-temple-india-continues-receive-awards-recognitions","title":"Baha'i Temple in India continues to receive awards and recognitions","description":"The Baha'i House of Worship here, long recognized as an architectural triumph and one of India's most visited sites, has received several more...","date":"2000-12-05","customDateline":null,"city":"NEW DELHI","country":"","thumbnail":{"url":"https://www.datocms-assets.com/6348/1543418296-bwns4675-0.jpg"},"featureAudio":null,"feature":[{"__typename":"DatoCMS_ImageRecord","image":{"url":"https://www.datocms-assets.com/6348/1543418296-bwns4675-0.jpg"},"imageDescription":"The Baha'i House of Worship near New Delhi, known as the Lotus Temple, was named as one of 100 canonical works of the 20th century in the recently published \"World Architecture 1900-2000: A Critical Mosaic, Volume Eight, South Asia.\"","imageStyle":"body-right","imageLink":""}],"storyContent":[{"__typename":"DatoCMS_ParagraphRecord","paragraphText":"The Baha'i House of Worship here, long recognized as an architectural triumph and one of India's most visited sites, has received several more popular and professional recognitions and awards in recent months.\n\nIn China, the House of Worship, which is also known as the Lotus Temple due to its distinctive lotus-shaped design, was recognized by the Architectural Society of China as one of 100 canonical works of the 20th century in the recently published \"World Architecture 1900-2000: A Critical Mosaic, Volume Eight, South Asia.\"\n\nThe book is one of a series of ten volumes organised by the Society and endorsed by the International Union of Architects, in co-ordination with the XX World Architects Congress convened in June 1999 in Beijing, China. According to the editor, Mr. Rahul Mehrotra, the book is intended to \"reflect and document architectural achievements in a multicultural world background, as represented by 100 canonical works of this century.\"\n\nThe selections, based on a process of nominations by architects from around the world, include works by master architects such as Le Corbusier, Edwin Lutyens and Louis I. Khan. The House of Worship, which appears as the book's cover illustration, is described as \"a powerful icon of great beauty that goes beyond its pure function of serving as a congregation space to become an important architectural symbol of the city.\""},{"__typename":"DatoCMS_InlineImageRecord","slideshowImageNumber":2},{"__typename":"DatoCMS_ParagraphRecord","paragraphText":"In Austria, the GlobArt Academy in Vienna presented its \"GlobArt Academy 2000\" awards to the architect of the Lotus Temple, Fariborz Sahba, and to Catholic theologian Hans Kung for their work in overcoming religious barriers. The awards were presented on 3 September 2000 at a ceremony in the church of Pernegg cloister attended by ambassadors and cultural attaches of Canada, Germany, Switzerland and India as well as representatives of the Hindu, Jewish, Buddhist, Christian, Muslim and Baha'i communities of Austria.\n\nMr. Sahba received the award in recognition of \"the magnitude of the service of [this] Taj Mahal of the 20th century in promoting the unity and harmony of people of all nations, religions and social strata, to an extent unsurpassed by any other architectural monument worldwide.\" A model of the Temple, brought specially for the occasion from the museum of the World Center for Peace in Verdun, France, was on public display for one month in the nearby town of Horn.\n\nIn France, the magazine \"Actualite des Religions\" published a four-page article on the Lotus Temple in the fall of 2000 in a special edition called \"Les religions et leurs chef-d'Ouvres\" (Religions and Their Masterpieces).\n\nIn Spain, the Centro Andaluz de Fotografia published \"Arquitectos de Unidad,\" a coffee table book featuring photographs of the House of Worship.\n\nIn India, national newspapers recently carried a 2-page advertisement for IndiaTimes with an image of the Lotus Temple and the legend: \"One of the most visited sites in India. The Baha'i Temple, an architectural landmark. Through these gates millions of people enter, and find what they are looking for.\"\n\nThe House of Worship was dedicated to public worship in 1986 and has since become one of the most visited buildings in the world, with an average of 3 million visitors each year. In the first few years of its existence, the House of Worship won numerous architectural and engineering awards, including a \"special award\" from the Institution of Structural Engineers of the U.K. in 1987; the \"Excellence in Religious Art and Architecture 1987\" First Honor Award from the American Institute of Architects; and an award in 1990 from the American Concrete Institute recognizing it as one of the finest concrete structures of the world."}],"disableInlineCaptions":false,"slideshow":[{"image":{"url":"https://www.datocms-assets.com/6348/1543418298-bwns4674-0.jpg"},"imageDescription":"Mr. Fariborz Sahba, architect of the Lotus Temple in India, and Dr. Hans Kung, a Catholic theologian known for his work on a \"global ethic,\" receive the GlobArt Academy 2000 award at a ceremony in the Pernegg cloister, Austria.| From left to right: Dr. Angerer, resident Abbot of Pernegg Church; Mr. Sahba; Dr. Kung; and Mr. Bijan Khadem-Missagh, well-known violinist and president of GlobArt Academy."}],"pushRelatedContentDown":null,"relatedContent":[],"updatedContent":false,"excludeFromHomepage":false,"category":[{"tagName":"houses_of_worship"}],"highlightClip":null},{"storyNumber":88,"evergreenUrl":"new-book-from-university-press-maryland-explores-bahai-views-governance-globalization","title":"New Book from University Press of Maryland Explores Baha'i Views of Governance and Globalization","description":"A new book from the University Press of Maryland by sociologist Nader Saiedi examines the philosophical and theological underpinnings of the...","date":"2000-12-24","customDateline":null,"city":"BETHESDA","country":"UNITED STATES","thumbnail":{"url":"https://www.datocms-assets.com/6348/1687959778-bwns-default-missing-image-endslate-still-8-1-1.jpg"},"featureAudio":null,"feature":[],"storyContent":[{"__typename":"DatoCMS_ParagraphRecord","paragraphText":"A new book from the University Press of Maryland by sociologist Nader Saiedi examines the philosophical and theological underpinnings of the concepts of world order and governance found in the writings of Baha'u'llah.\n\nIn \"Logos and Civilization: Spirit, History, and Order in the Writings of Baha'u'llah,\" Dr. Saiedi argues that Baha'u'llah's writings, despite the great diversity of their styles and the topics they address, are animated by the common purpose of establishing the oneness of humanity in all spheres, whether spiritual, ethical, legal, or social.\n\n\"There has been a tendency among some scholars to perceive the writings of Baha'u'llah as a chaotic phenomena with internal contradictions and no overall unity,\" said Dr. Saiedi during a recent interview.   \"The book is structured to show the overall harmony of Baha'u'llah's writings, which were revealed in roughly three stages, addressed first to the mystics, then the divines and religious leaders, and finally to the kings and rulers of His day. He used different languages: the language of the mystic, the truth-seeker or the law-giver - but in all stages, the animating purpose was the same.\"\n\nMore than a century ago, Baha'u'llah wrote about the appearance of a new social order of global dimensions. \"The world's equilibrium hath been upset through the vibrating influence of this most great, this new World Order,\" He wrote. \"Mankind's ordered life hath been revolutionized through the agency of this unique, this wondrous System, the like of which mortal eyes have never witnessed.\"\n\nDr. Saiedi examines Baha'u'llah's conception of the three component terms of the phrase 'new world order,' arguing that they correspond to the three stages in which Baha'u'llah revealed his major works.\n\n\"Baha'u'llah's early ethical and mystical works contain His idea of the necessary conditions for the possibility of order,\" said Dr. Saiedi. \"The term 'new' reflects the historical consciousness found in His later hermeneutic and theological writings. The fundamental characteristic of 'newness' in our age is the global nature of the challenges facing humanity. Therefore the term 'world' defines Baha'u'llah's basic position toward history and present day society and corresponds to the final phase of His revelation when he revealed laws of personal and social conduct.\"\n\nDr. Saiedi discusses the philosophical premises of Baha'u'llah's concept of globalization, emphasizing its qualitative difference from both Middle Eastern and Western political philosophy and showing that it represents a new conception of civil society and state.\n\n\"The solution to any problem in our age has to be global,\" said Dr. Saiedi. \"Take for example the question of citizenship.  This has been largely ignored in discussions of social injustice, which have focused instead on questions of race, class or gender. Yet today one's national citizenship is one of the greatest determinants of one's access to social justice.  This accident of birth determines one's entitlements and perpetuates a system of global inequality.\"\n\nThe book's initial chapters sketch the background context, in Islamic Sufism, of Baha'u'llah's early mystical works and explore the structure of Baha'u'llah's mystical treatises, the Four Valleys and the Seven Valleys, which describe the stages in the spiritual journey of the human soul. Later chapters discuss the Kitab-i-Iqan (The Book of Certitude), Baha'u'llah's principal hermeneutical work, and the Kitab-i-Badi (The Most Wondrous Book), which reaffirms the foundational principles of the Kitab-i-Iqan and is largely unknown to Western audiences. The final chapters investigate the structure and constitutive principles of the Kitab-i-Aqdas (The Most Holy Book), regarded as the charter or book of laws for a global civilization.\n\nDr. Saiedi received his M.S. degree in economics from Pahlavi University in Shiraz, Iran, and his Ph.D. in sociology from the University of Wisconsin."}],"disableInlineCaptions":false,"slideshow":[],"pushRelatedContentDown":null,"relatedContent":[],"updatedContent":false,"excludeFromHomepage":false,"category":[],"highlightClip":null},{"storyNumber":87,"evergreenUrl":"israel-postal-authority-issue-commemorative-stamp-opening-terraces-shrine-bab","title":"Israel Postal Authority to issue commemorative stamp for the opening of the Terraces of the Shrine of the Bab","description":"The Philatelic Service Department of the Israel Postal Authority will issue a commemorative stamp to mark the completion of the Terraces of the...","date":"2000-12-27","customDateline":null,"city":"HAIFA","country":"ISRAEL","thumbnail":{"url":"https://www.datocms-assets.com/6348/1687959778-bwns-default-missing-image-endslate-still-8-1-1.jpg"},"featureAudio":null,"feature":[],"storyContent":[{"__typename":"DatoCMS_ParagraphRecord","paragraphText":"The Philatelic Service Department of the Israel Postal Authority will issue a commemorative stamp to mark the completion of the Terraces of the Shrine of the Bab. The nine-centimetre-long stamp will be released in April 2001, shortly before the official opening of the Terraces in May.\n\nThe Terraces, stretching above and below the Shrine of the Bab on the north slope of Mount Carmel in Haifa, have been built as a majestic path of approach to one of the holiest sites of pilgrimage for members of the Baha'i Faith (see related story).\n\nA souvenir leaf containing the stamp and a description of the Shrine of the Bab and the Terraces will be released by the Philatelic Service Department on the day of the official opening of the Terraces. As collectors' items, the souvenir leaves will be printed only once."}],"disableInlineCaptions":false,"slideshow":[],"pushRelatedContentDown":null,"relatedContent":[],"updatedContent":false,"excludeFromHomepage":false,"category":[],"highlightClip":null},{"storyNumber":85,"evergreenUrl":"peace-monument-brazil-receives-final-earth-samples","title":"Peace Monument in Brazil receives final earth samples","description":"Nearly a decade after being inaugurated, an hourglass-shaped monument in Rio de Janeiro now contains soil samples from nearly 150 countries,...","date":"2000-09-19","customDateline":null,"city":"RIO DE JANEIRO","country":"","thumbnail":{"url":"https://www.datocms-assets.com/6348/1543418265-bwns4668-0.jpg"},"featureAudio":null,"feature":[{"__typename":"DatoCMS_ImageRecord","image":{"url":"https://www.datocms-assets.com/6348/1543418265-bwns4668-0.jpg"},"imageDescription":"Mr. Iradj Roberto Eghrari speaking on behalf of the Brazilian Baha'i community at a ceremony to deposit soil samples from 26 nations in the hourglass-shaped Peace Monument in Rio de Janeiro.","imageStyle":"body-right","imageLink":""}],"storyContent":[{"__typename":"DatoCMS_ParagraphRecord","paragraphText":"Nearly a decade after being inaugurated, an hourglass-shaped monument in Rio de Janeiro now contains soil samples from nearly 150 countries, a symbolic representation of the oneness of humanity and the global cooperation needed to achieve lasting peace.\n\nIn a ceremony on 19 September 2000, the final earth samples from 26 nations were deposited in the Peace Monument, which was built by the Baha’i International Community and the Baha’i Community of Brazil in 1992 for the 1992 Earth Summit.\n\n\"Peace is the paramount need of humanity today,\" said  Bani Dugal-Gujral, a Baha’i International Community representative to the United Nations, who was the keynote speaker at the ceremony. \"The soils that have been contributed by some 150 nations are at the heart of the monument. Each of these soils came with a testimony for peace.\"\n\nAlso in attendance were representatives of the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organizations (UNESCO), several diplomatic missions in Brazil, local authorities, members of several Brazilian NGOs, as well as representatives of the Baha’i Community of Brazil.\n\nTo deposit the final 26 soils, a human chain was formed and each of the samples of soil was passed from hand to hand to the top of the monument, where a street child, who happened to be passing by at that moment, placed it in the monument. The street child was the only youth present, and he brought a very special symbolic effect to the ceremony."},{"__typename":"DatoCMS_InlineImageRecord","slideshowImageNumber":2},{"__typename":"DatoCMS_ParagraphRecord","paragraphText":"Designed by the renowned Brazilian sculptor Siron Franco, the five-meter concrete and ceramic monument is located near the entrance to the Santos Dumont Airport in Rio de Janeiro, just north of Flamengo Park and the site of the 1992 Global Forum, the parallel conference of non-governmental organizations held during the 1992 Earth Summit, which was formally known as the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development.\n\nThe monument is composed of two pyramids, one inverted on top of the other, creating an hourglass shape that serves as a reminder that time is running out for humanity to unite in a spirit of global cooperation. Etched in four languages on the four sides of the upper pyramid is a quote from Baha’u’llah, who wrote more than a century ago: \"The earth is but one country and mankind its citizens.\" The quote is displayed in English, Portuguese, Chinese and Terena, an indigenous language of Brazil.\n\nThe soil of 42 nations was deposited in the monument at its inauguration on 14 June 1992, held as one of the closing ceremonies of the Earth Summit and Global Forum. The Baha’i International Community had requested the soil samples from the government delegations attending the Earth Summit, and many of the samples were taken from sacred or historic sites.\n\nSoil from Iceland, for example, was taken from the site of Iceland's first parliament, considered the country's most sacred and historic spot.  In the years since then, Baha’is have continued to solicit soil samples from other nations and have held several ceremonies to deposit the samples in the monument.\n\nMs. Dugal-Gujral said the monument serves as an enduring symbol of the spirit of global understanding and world citizenship that is characterized by the Earth Summit and the Global Forum.\n\n\"The Earth Summit fundamentally changed the world's understanding of and approach to social and economic development, linking it inextricably with environmental presentation,\" said Ms. Dugal-Gujral. \"The monument's symmetry indicates that sustainable development requires a balanced approach to the challenges of conservation and development. This symmetry also suggests that men and women must, as equals and in partnership, work to bring about peace, justice and sustainable development.\""}],"disableInlineCaptions":false,"slideshow":[{"image":{"url":"https://www.datocms-assets.com/6348/1543418265-bwns4667-0.jpg"},"imageDescription":"A \"human Chain\" is formed to deposit earth samples from 26 nations in the Peace Monument in Rio de Janeiro, bringing the total number of nations represented to nearly 150."}],"pushRelatedContentDown":null,"relatedContent":[],"updatedContent":false,"excludeFromHomepage":false,"category":[],"highlightClip":null},{"storyNumber":84,"evergreenUrl":"bahai-chair-hebrew-university-hosts-conference-on-modern-religions","title":"Baha'i Chair at Hebrew University hosts conference on modern religions","description":"Some 54 scholars of religion -- Jewish, Muslim, Christian, Mormon and Baha'i-- gathered in December at the Hebrew University to discuss the impact...","date":"2001-01-18","customDateline":null,"city":"JERUSALEM","country":"","thumbnail":{"url":"https://www.datocms-assets.com/6348/1543418237-bwns7619-0.jpg"},"featureAudio":null,"feature":[{"__typename":"DatoCMS_ImageRecord","image":{"url":"https://www.datocms-assets.com/6348/1543418237-bwns7619-0.jpg"},"imageDescription":"Dr. Stephen Lambden, Dr. Susan Maneck, Dr. Vahid Ra'fati and Dr. Amin Banani (left to right) participate in a panel discussion at a conference on modern religions held on 17-21 December 2000 at the Hebrew University in Jerusalem.","imageStyle":"body-right","imageLink":""}],"storyContent":[{"__typename":"DatoCMS_ParagraphRecord","paragraphText":"Some 54 scholars of religion -- Jewish, Muslim, Christian, Mormon and Baha'i-- gathered in December at the Hebrew University to discuss the impact of modernism on their traditions. The conference, co-sponsored by the Chair in Baha'i Studies at the Hebrew University's Faculty of Humanities and Landegg Academy, has advanced Baha'i studies as an independent field of academic study and enriched the dialogue on the core values common to the monotheistic faiths.\n\nThe First International Conference on Modern Religions and Religious Movements in Judaism, Christianity and Islam, and the Babi and Baha'i Faiths, was held from 17 to 21 December 2000 and focused on common approaches within Judaism, Christianity, Islam and the Baha'i Faith toward the philosophical, social and psychological challenges of modernity.\n\n\"Religious studies often deal with the origins or history of religions.  For example we study the origins of Islam or medieval Judaism,\" said Yair Zakovitch, Dean of the Hebrew University's Faculty of Humanities. \"But the study of religion in modern times is so relevant, so important to the lives of people. It was very significant that these scholars, despite the delicate political situation, were able to gather in Jerusalem to discuss their commonalities and appreciate their differences. People are generally suspicious, and the walls of suspicion collapsed.\"\n\nThe President of the Hebrew University, Menachem Magidor, described to the conference participants his vision of making the Hebrew University into a preeminent center for the study of religion, with research centers devoted to each of the monotheistic faiths. \"The Chair in Baha'i Studies is the first link in this chain,\" he said.\n\nMoshe Sharon, the holder of the Chair in Baha'i Studies and co-convenor of the conference, said that the field of Baha'i studies is emerging as an independent area of academic inquiry and that this was the first conference convened by a major international university for the study of the Baha'i Faith and its relationship to its sister faiths.\n\n\"Through this conference,\" said Dr. Sharon, \"the Hebrew University has declared its interest in Baha'i studies and its recognition of the importance of this field alongside Jewish, Christian and Islamic studies.\"\n\nThe other co-convenor of the conference was Hossain Danesh, the Rector of Landegg Academy, a Baha'i-sponsored institution of higher education in Switzerland.\n\n"},{"__typename":"DatoCMS_InlineImageRecord","slideshowImageNumber":2},{"__typename":"DatoCMS_ParagraphRecord","paragraphText":"\"The conference focused on fundamental issues that are common to religions, held in a city and at a time when religious conflict in political terms was considerable,\" Dr. Danesh said.\n\nIn his keynote address Dr. Danesh reviewed the common elements of the monotheistic religions that have made them cornerstones of civilizations, as well as some of the teachings and principles of the Baha'i Faith that address challenges unique to the modern age.  He presented President Magidor with a volume of fine pen and ink drawings of Baha'i holy places in the Old City of Acre by the Persian architect and draftsman Hushang Seyhoun.\n\nOther presentations and panel discussions were grouped around themes such as \"Religion in Modern Times: Philosophical, Social and Psychological Reflections,\" \"Mysticism and Messianism,\" \"Eschatology and Ethics,\" \"Tradition, Renewal and Reform,\" and \"Religion and the Realm of Science.\" Most of the panelists spoke on aspects of Judaism or the Baha'i Faith, but there were also contributions on Sufism, the Wahhabi movement, modern Islam, and Mormonism.\n\nThe participants came mainly from the United States and Israel, but also from Canada, Denmark, Russia, South Africa, Sweden, Switzerland, Thailand, and the United Kingdom. Prof. Degui Cai from China's Shandong University gave a presentation on the fundamental principles of the Baha'i Faith and their relevance to Chinese society.\n\nThe final panel discussion, on \"Contemporary Meeting of Ultimate Differences,\" featured presentations about African Christians in Israel and about the Baha'i Faith, Christianity and indigenous religions in the Pacific islands.  The panel closed with a presentation by Dr. Amnon Netzer of the Hebrew University on \"The Jews and the Baha'i Faith.\"  A Jew of Iranian background, Prof. Netzer spoke about the conditions that led as many as ten percent of Iran's Jews to convert to the Baha'i Faith.\n\n\"The courteous talk, in which Dr. Netzer showed great respect for those who converted, created an atmosphere of interfaith reconciliation for the audience, which included several Israeli Jews with Baha'i relatives,\" said Robert Stockman, Coordinator of the Institute for Baha'i Studies in Wilmette, Illinois.\n\nAnother significant element of the conference was the participation of many young scholars alongside well-known and outstanding professors and scholars in the field of religious studies.\n\n\"The juxtaposition of youth and experience was very insightful and promising for the future of religious studies. It demonstrated that there are fine minds coming up, and this augurs well for the emergence of new insights into the role of religion in the development of civilization,\" said Dr. Danesh.\n\nThe conference also featured a number of cultural activities. The opening day closed with a program of classical music by the King David String Ensemble, one of the foremost chamber music groups in Israel.  Among the selections they performed was a piece well known to Baha'is, \"Dastam Bigir Abdu'l-Baha,\" which the composer had arranged especially for the occasion.\n\nKiu Haghighi, a Persian Baha'i and master of the santour, closed the conference with a virtuoso performance of an original piece he composed for the event.\n\nOn the final day of the conference, 21 December, the participants made a special trip to the Baha'i World Center in Haifa and Acre.  They visited the Shrine of the Bab and toured the nearly completed garden terraces stretching above and below the Shrine on the slopes of Mount Carmel.  After a luncheon at the Seat of the Universal House of Justice, they visited the Shrine of Baha'u'llah and the Baha'i holy places in Acre.\n\nA compilation of articles based on the proceedings of the conference will be published during the coming year, and many of the papers will be made available through the Landegg Academy Web site, www.landegg.org.\n\nThe Hebrew University and Landegg Academy have agreed to sponsor annual conferences of this nature, with the venue alternating between Jerusalem and the Landegg campus in Wienacht, Switzerland.  The overarching theme of this series of conferences will be \"Religion and Science.\" The next conference is planned for late January 2002 at Landegg.\n\nThe Chair in Baha'i Studies at the Hebrew University was established in 1999 as the first academic chair in the world devoted to the study of the Baha'i Faith. Other academic centers and programs, most notably the Baha'i Chair for World Peace at the University of Maryland's Center for International Development and Conflict Management, have been established to study Baha'i perspectives on and contributions to other academic disciplines.\n\n\"The systematic study of Baha'i religion, history and literature was introduced into the Hebrew University in the 1990s,\" wrote Prof. Sharon in the published proceedings of the dedication ceremonies for the Baha'i Chair, held at Mount Scopus and at the Baha'i World Center in Haifa in June 1999.\n\n\"The magnitude of the material involved, and the vast scope of research which has already been done in the field persuaded the University of the necessity of creating a proper framework for research and teaching designed to accommodate the future development of the field within the academic vision of the University of forming a cluster of research centers dedicated to the study of the major religions of the world.\""}],"disableInlineCaptions":false,"slideshow":[{"image":{"url":"https://www.datocms-assets.com/6348/1543418237-bwns4666-0.jpg"},"imageDescription":"Dr. Hossain Danesh, Rector of Landegg Academy, and Dr. Moshe Sharon, holder of the Chair in Baha'i Studies at the Hebrew University, convenors of the conference on modern religions held at the Hebrew University on 17-21 December 2000."},{"image":{"url":"https://www.datocms-assets.com/6348/1543418239-bwns4665-0.jpg"},"imageDescription":"Participants in a session on \"Contemporary Meeting of Ultimate Differences\" at the conference on modern religions held at the Hebrew University in Jerusalem on 17-21 December 2000."},{"image":{"url":"https://www.datocms-assets.com/6348/1543418237-bwns4664-0.jpg"},"imageDescription":"The conference on modern religions held on 17-21 December 2000 at the Hebrew University in Jerusalem featured a panel discussion on the doctrines, theology and ethics of the Babi and Baha'i Faiths. (Left to right: Mr. Zaid Lundberg, Dr. Eugene Jones, Prof. Cai Degui, Prof. R. Werblowsky)"},{"image":{"url":"https://www.datocms-assets.com/6348/1543418238-bwns4663-0.jpg"},"imageDescription":"Dr. Michael Penn speaking at a conference on modern religions held on 17-21 December 2000 at the Hebrew University in Jerusalem."}],"pushRelatedContentDown":null,"relatedContent":[],"updatedContent":false,"excludeFromHomepage":false,"category":[],"highlightClip":null},{"storyNumber":83,"evergreenUrl":"human-rights-day-program-united-nations-focuses-on-upcoming-world-conference-against-racism","title":"Human Rights Day program at the United Nations focuses on upcoming World Conference Against Racism","description":"Featuring a nine-city videoconference that gave it global reach, a commemoration of Human Rights Day held here on 7 December focused on preparations...","date":"2000-12-15","customDateline":null,"city":"UNITED NATIONS","country":"","thumbnail":{"url":"https://www.datocms-assets.com/6348/1687959778-bwns-default-missing-image-endslate-still-8-1-1.jpg"},"featureAudio":null,"feature":[],"storyContent":[{"__typename":"DatoCMS_ParagraphRecord","paragraphText":"Featuring a nine-city videoconference that gave it global reach, a commemoration of Human Rights Day held here on 7 December focused on preparations for next year's World Conference Against Racism, with speakers stressing the worldwide nature of racism and intolerance and the need to find new approaches that will promote the acceptance of human diversity.\n\nSpeakers included Mary Robinson, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights; Jyoti Singh, Executive Coordinator of the UN World Conference Against Racism; Techeste Ahderom, Chairman of the NGO (Non-Governmental Organization) Committee on Human Rights and a Baha'i International Community representative to the United Nations; and Pitso Montwedi, Counsellor of the Permanent Mission of South Africa to the UN.\n\n\"My central message for the World Conference is that we are all one human family, regardless of race, color, descent, ethnic or social origin, and that for too long diversity has been regarded as a threat rather than a gift,\" said Ms. Robinson, who spoke from Santiago, Chile, where she was taking part in a regional preparatory meeting for the upcoming World Conference Against Racism, Racial Discrimination, Xenophobia and Related Intolerance, which is scheduled to be held in Durban, South Africa, from 31 August to 7 September 2001.\n\n\"It is time that we refocus our understanding and allow diversity to be a potential for mutual enrichment and benefit,\" continued Ms. Robinson, who is also Secretary-General of the Racism Conference. \"I believe, therefore, there is a need to generate a constructive, positive, forward-looking approach to the possible outcome of the World Conference against Racism, the first of its kind to be organized by the United Nations in the post-cold war and post-apartheid era.\"\n\nPitso Montwedi of South Africa, also speaking from Santiago, expressed his hopes for next year's conference and for the efficacy of the outcome document, which will be known as the Durban Declaration and Platform of Action.\n\n\"We, as the hosts of the World Conference, believe that racism is a global problem,\" said Mr. Montwedi. \"We would like to see the widest possible participation from governments, NGOs and civil society because everyone has a stake in this issue.\"\n\nMr. Ahderom, speaking in New York, addressed the concerns of non-governmental organizations (NGOs) in the upcoming World Conference. \"NGOs are already going to the substance of the issues to be presented at the Conference,\" said Mr. Ahderom, noting that NGOs have been extensively involved in preparatory meetings for the Conference. \"There is an effort to try to pass from the mere articulation of the problems to true implementation of a solution.\n\n\"Racism is a stubborn foe with roots that run deep in the human psyche,\" Mr. Ahderom added. \"Racism is very tenacious because it is not confined to its political manifestation. It is enduring because it takes place in the hearts and minds of individual people.\"\n\nThe videoconference linked participants in Bogota, Chicago, Geneva, Mexico City, New York, Rome, San Francisco, Santiago and Vienna. It also enabled participants in those cities and on the Internet to ask questions and join in the discussion.\n\nIn that discussion, participants expressed concern about a wide range of issues related to racism and intolerance, from the exploitation of indigenous peoples, migrant workers, the mentally ill, and refugees to the concerns of specific groups like the Dalits in India.\n\nRenata Bloom, a participant in Geneva, asked, for example: \"How do we go beyond the naming of the issues to the real matter of seeing diversity as a gift?\"\n\nAddressing this question, Mary Robinson said there was a need for a positive approach to teach the acceptance of the value of diversity and stressed the need for education at the primary school level.  \"Racism is a value system that is learned,\" she said. Schools should get involved by sponsoring essay contests and other such competitions to engender greater tolerance and appreciation of cultural and ethnic differences.\n\n\"Racial hatreds are the fruits of ignorance,\" added Mr. Ahderom. \"In the absence of spiritual values, people have a need to elevate one group over another.\"\n\nLike Ms. Robinson, Mr. Ahderom called for a far-reaching educational campaign as the answer to racial intolerance, and said that NGOs and civil society should be in the forefront of such an effort, building on the \"beautiful consensus\" they have already achieved in many respects.\n\nThe provisional agenda of the World Conference Against Racism is grouped around five themes: (1) sources, causes, forms and contemporary manifestations of racism, racial discrimination and related intolerance; (2) victims of racism, racial discrimination and related intolerance; (3) measures of prevention, education and protection aimed at the eradication of racism, racial discrimination and related intolerance at the national, regional and international levels; (4) provision for effective remedies, recourses, redress, and other measures at the national, regional and international levels; and (5) strategies to achieve full and effective equality, including international co-operation and enhancement of the United Nations and other international mechanisms in combating racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia."}],"disableInlineCaptions":false,"slideshow":[],"pushRelatedContentDown":null,"relatedContent":[],"updatedContent":false,"excludeFromHomepage":false,"category":[],"highlightClip":null},{"storyNumber":82,"evergreenUrl":"un-general-assembly-expresses-concern-over-treatment-bahais-iran","title":"UN General Assembly expresses concern over treatment of Baha'is in Iran","description":"For the 15th time in 16 years, the United Nations General Assembly has expressed \"concern\" over human rights violations in Iran, once again specifically...","date":"2000-12-06","customDateline":null,"city":"UNITED NATIONS","country":"","thumbnail":{"url":"https://www.datocms-assets.com/6348/1687959778-bwns-default-missing-image-endslate-still-8-1-1.jpg"},"featureAudio":null,"feature":[],"storyContent":[{"__typename":"DatoCMS_ParagraphRecord","paragraphText":"For the 15th time in 16 years, the United Nations General Assembly has expressed \"concern\" over human rights violations in Iran, once again specifically mentioning the \"unabated pattern of persecution\" against the Baha'i community of Iran, that country's largest religious minority, and calling for its complete emancipation.\n\nIn a resolution passed on 4 December 2000, the Assembly called on Iran to \"eliminate all forms of discrimination based on religious grounds or against persons belonging to religious minorities\" and decided to continue its examination of the human rights situation in Iran for another year.\n\nApproved by a vote of 67 to 54, with 46 abstentions, the resolution followed release of a UN report that stated that some 11 members of the Baha'i community of Iran currently face death sentences because of their religious belief and that the community as a whole continues to experience discrimination in areas education, employment, travel, housing and the enjoyment of cultural activities.\n\nThat report, issued on 8 September 2000 by Maurice Copithorne, the Special Representative of the Commission on Human Rights on the situation of human rights in the Islamic Republic of Iran, said there had been recent reports of \"situations of discrimination and persecution\" against Baha'is, including \"acts of intimidation carried out in order to prevent Baha'is from participating in religious gatherings or educational activities.\"\n\nIn its resolution, the Assembly expressed concern that Iran has failed \"to comply fully with international standards in the administration of justice, the absence of guarantees of due process of law, and the absence of respect for internationally recognized legal safeguards with respect to persons belonging to religious minorities.\"\n\n\"We are pleased that the United Nations most representative body, the General Assembly, has once again taken note of the ongoing persecution of our co-religionists in Iran,\" said Techeste Ahderom, the principal representative of the Baha'i International Community to the United Nations.\n\n\"Like the United Nations, we remain concerned at a wide range of human rights violations directed against the Baha'is of Iran by the Government of the Islamic Republic of Iran,\" said Mr. Ahderom. \"As we have stated numerous times, the Baha'i community of Iran is entirely non-partisan in its nature and poses no threat to the Government. The Baha'is in Iran only wish to be allowed to practice their religion fully, in accordance with the numerous international human rights covenants that Iran is a party to.\"\n\nSince 1979, when the Islamic Republic of Iran was formed, more than 200 Baha'is have been killed or executed, hundreds have been imprisoned, and thousands of been deprived of jobs, education or property.\n\nBackground information on the situation of the Baha'is in Iran may be found at www.bahai.org/article-1-8-3-6.html."}],"disableInlineCaptions":false,"slideshow":[],"pushRelatedContentDown":null,"relatedContent":[],"updatedContent":false,"excludeFromHomepage":false,"category":[],"highlightClip":null},{"storyNumber":81,"evergreenUrl":"amjad-ali-khan-master-classical-indian-music-performs-bahai-lotus-temple","title":"Amjad Ali Khan, master of classical Indian music, performs at the Baha'i Lotus Temple","description":"Earlier this year the Baha'i House of Worship received a letter from the eminent master of the sarod, Ustad Amjad Ali Khan, expressing his desire...","date":"2000-11-22","customDateline":null,"city":"NEW DELHI","country":"","thumbnail":{"url":"https://www.datocms-assets.com/6348/1543418211-bwns4659-0.jpg"},"featureAudio":null,"feature":[{"__typename":"DatoCMS_ImageRecord","image":{"url":"https://www.datocms-assets.com/6348/1543418211-bwns4659-0.jpg"},"imageDescription":"The sarod maestro Amjad Ali Khan, assisted by his sons Amaan Ali Bangash and Ayaan Ali Bangash, performs in the shadow of the Baha'i House of Worship in New Delhi. The concert, entitled \"Sarod for Harmony,\" was part of the opening program of the Colloquium on Science, Religion and Development.","imageStyle":"body-right","imageLink":""}],"storyContent":[{"__typename":"DatoCMS_ParagraphRecord","paragraphText":"Earlier this year the Baha'i House of Worship received a letter from the eminent master of the sarod, Ustad Amjad Ali Khan, expressing his desire to perform on the premises of the Temple. \"I have had a dream for sometime now, which I want to share with you,\" he wrote. \"I have wished to perform, most humbly, with the Baha'i Temple in the background.\"\n\nAmjad Ali Khan's dream was fulfilled yesterday when he performed with his two sons, Amaan and Ayaan Ali Bangash, with the lotus-shaped House of Worship glimmering in the moonlight behind him. They played the sarod, a classical Indian instrument resembling the lute, with an ensemble of traditional Indian musicians. The concert was held as part of the opening ceremony for the international \"Colloquium on Science, Religion and Development\" organized by the National Spiritual Assembly of the Baha'is of India and the Institute for Studies in Global Prosperity (see related story).\n\nWhen asked about the significance of playing, as a devout Muslim, at a Baha'i House of Worship, Amjad Ali Khan said, \"I feel connected to every religion of the world. Water, air, fire, flowers and music have no religion, but their beauty is universally acknowledged. I feel drawn to any religion that is not fanatical in its approach but teaches love of other humans.\"\n\nThe concert was the tenth in a series of performances given by Amjad Ali Khan under the title \"Sarod for Harmony.\""}],"disableInlineCaptions":false,"slideshow":[],"pushRelatedContentDown":null,"relatedContent":[],"updatedContent":false,"excludeFromHomepage":false,"category":[{"tagName":"houses_of_worship"}],"highlightClip":null},{"storyNumber":80,"evergreenUrl":"in-buryatia-struggle-against-aids-substance-abuse","title":"In Buryatia, a struggle against AIDS and substance abuse","description":"In response to rising rates of alcoholism, drug use and AIDS among youth in this Siberian republic, Baha'is here have created a \"Youth Center...","date":"2000-11-29","customDateline":null,"city":"BURYATIA","country":"RUSSIA","thumbnail":{"url":"https://www.datocms-assets.com/6348/1687959778-bwns-default-missing-image-endslate-still-8-1-1.jpg"},"featureAudio":null,"feature":[],"storyContent":[{"__typename":"DatoCMS_ParagraphRecord","paragraphText":"In response to rising rates of alcoholism, drug use and AIDS among youth in this Siberian republic, Baha'is here have created a \"Youth Center for Social Initiatives\" to promote a healthy lifestyle among youth and teenagers and to train teachers and other specialists to do prevention work with youth. Deaths from AIDS have increased 33-fold in Buryatia since the beginning of the year, a symptom of the general moral crisis afflicting much of the region.\n\n\"No prevention work is effective without the development of a sustainable system of moral values among the youth and offering them channels for individual growth and self-fulfillment through community service,\" said Oxanna Dorzhieva, director of the Youth Centre. \"Our principal tasks are the development of young people's awareness of their personal dignity and the need for spiritual independence, development of a volunteer movement for prevention work, training of teachers and other specialists in prevention education, and cultivation of a positive lifestyle among youth and teenagers.\"\n\nThe Youth Center is an outgrowth of a Baha'i project for youth in Ulan-Ude known as the \"Young Lions\" social project, which provided alternative youth activities, training in moral leadership, and popular social activities for the youth of the Ulan-Ude region.\n\n\"Many prevention projects organized by Young Lions, such as \"Youth Against Drugs,\" \"Be Sober in the New Millennium,\" \"Our City,\" and seminars on AIDS, have won serious attention from the government of Buryatia and popularity among youth in Ulan-Ude and neighboring communities,\" said Ms. Dorzhieva.\n\nThe local administration of Ivolga, a region with the highest rates of drug use among youth and of alcohol and drug-related crime in recent years, approached the Young Lions for assistance in organizing prevention activities for the whole region.\n\n\"We wanted to extend our work with this key segment of the population and assist them in addressing these problems through the creation of the Youth Center for Social Initiatives,\" said Ms. Dorzhieva. \"We are trying to build a network together with teachers and other specialists, parents, administration, the police, media and possibly other institutions, to protect youth from alcohol and drug use. The experience gained from this project will start spreading all over the Republic within a year.\"\n\nThe Youth Centre also works to develop regional, national and international collaboration in prevention work, and courses, seminars and workshops on moral leadership and prevention of AIDS and substance abuse. The Centre is working with specialists from the AIDS Centre of Buryatia to create a youth and teen prevention program that will include materials on moral education. The program will be submitted to the Ministry of Education of Buryatia for inclusion in the school curriculum for children aged 12 to 15."}],"disableInlineCaptions":false,"slideshow":[],"pushRelatedContentDown":null,"relatedContent":[],"updatedContent":false,"excludeFromHomepage":false,"category":[],"highlightClip":null},{"storyNumber":79,"evergreenUrl":"reshaping-gods-holy-mountain-create-vision-peace-beauty-all-humanity","title":"Reshaping \"God's holy mountain\" to create a vision of peace and beauty for all humanity","description":"Many of the visitors who will soon wander the nearly completed gardens and terraces that extend almost a kilometer up the side of Mount Carmel...","date":"2000-11-30","customDateline":null,"city":"HAIFA","country":"ISRAEL","thumbnail":{"url":"https://www.datocms-assets.com/6348/1687959778-bwns-default-missing-image-endslate-still-8-1-1.jpg"},"featureAudio":null,"feature":[],"storyContent":[{"__typename":"DatoCMS_ParagraphRecord","paragraphText":"Many of the visitors who will soon wander the nearly completed gardens and terraces that extend almost a kilometer up the side of Mount Carmel are perhaps unlikely to notice what sort of stones lie at the bottom of the fountains.\n\nBut the fact that the color of the stones in a series of cascade pools almost perfectly matches the beige stonework of the surrounding ornaments reflects the enormous attention to detail surrounding the completion of a project that some say is destined to become a much visited wonder of the modern world.\n\nIn their shape and size, the stones are almost perfectly ovoid in contour and slightly larger than a human heart -- aspects which further harmonize with the style and scheme of the project, a succession of 19 majestic terraces and associated gardens that have virtually reshaped the north slope of what has been known since ancient times as the \"Mountain of the Lord.\"\n\nIt took some eight months of searching to find the stones, a quest that took place in three countries and ended on a remote beach in Cyprus.\n\n\"I wanted stones that had the same color and natural characteristics of the other elements of this project,\" said Fariborz Sahba, the architect behind the project. \"This is an example of the simple things that make the difference.\"\n\nYet the attention to such details is but one sign of the great importance given to this project by the Baha'is of the world, who have sacrificially contributed some US$250 million to build it over the last decade.\n\nScheduled to be opened to the world during public ceremonies in May 2001, the terraces and gardens are being offered to the world as a reflection of the Baha'i standard of beauty, peace and harmony. Those who have had an advance look say the project will undoubtedly take its place alongside the other great spiritual monuments constructed throughout history.\n\n\"You can go on a spiritual journey just looking at the gardens [on Mount Carmel], which are the equivalent of any great icon, great tantra, or any other of the great recognized works of religious art or architecture,\" said Martin Palmer, the author of several books on comparative religion, the most recent of which is entitled Sacred Gardens. \"The Baha'is have created a vision, literally, of what it means to understand the Baha'i Faith in both its historic setting and its contemplative spiritual message.\"\n\nSpiritual and Administrative Center\n\nCollectively known as the Mount Carmel Projects, the effort involves not only the construction of the 19 garden terraces on Mount Carmel -- terraces that bracket the Shrine of the Bab, the second-most holy spot in the world for Baha'is after the Shrine of Baha'u'llah -- but the completion of two majestic new administrative buildings, which are also set high on the face of the mountainside.\n\nThese two buildings, known as the Center for the Study of the Texts and the International Teaching Center, have been built alongside the International Archives building, which houses relics, writings and artifacts associated with the lives of the Faith's central figures, and the Seat of the Universal House of Justice, the headquarters of the international governing body of the Baha'i Faith.\n\nFor Baha'is, the completion of the Mount Carmel Projects is the realization of a century-long dream to create a spiritual and administrative center, commensurate with the beauty of the Baha'i teachings, that will fully and fittingly represent the Faith's position as an independent world religion, now the second-most widespread geographically after Christianity.\n\n\"Architecture is a language, and these projects carry a message,\" said Albert Lincoln, Secretary General of the Baha'i International Community. \"As a worldwide community, we believe we are the bearers of a very important message. And these gardens and new buildings offer an enduring testimony to the importance of this message -- which, in its most fundamental form, is that God has sent a new Revelation aimed at addressing the problems of the modern age and ushering in an era of peace and justice for all humanity.\"\n\nCertainly, for the world at large, the completion of the Mount Carmel Projects offers a glimpse of the type of world that Baha'is are working for: one that expresses in its harmonious blend of architectural and horticultural styles the principle of unity in diversity, emphasizes in its beauty the precedence of spiritual values over materialism, and, in its open invitation to all, embraces all peoples and cultures.\n\n\"I think it is really becoming a landmark, not only in Haifa, but also one of the spots in Israel that is a must-see,\" said Mirko Stefanovic, Yugoslavia's ambassador to Israel, who has visited the Baha'i World Center many times. \"It is something of an oasis in the desert. As everyone knows, the Middle East is a hectic place, full of contrasts and conflict. The Baha\"i gardens are kind of like an island of tranquility and peace.\"\n\nMa'ariv, Israel's second-largest newspaper, reports that the project has earned the appellation \"the eighth wonder of the world.\"\n\nThe Significance of Mount Carmel\n\nAs far back as 1600 BC, Mount Carmel was mentioned as a \"holy mountain\" in Egyptian records. In the Bible, it is the site of Elijah's confrontation with the worshippers of Baal. It was also sacred to the early Christians and is where the Carmelite  Roman Catholic monastic order was founded in 1150.\n\n\"Mount Carmel and Elijah have a very important place in both the Christian and Jewish traditions,\" said Moshe Sharon, a professor of Middle East Studies who holds the Chair of Baha'i Studies at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. \"Elijah is supposed to come before the Messiah, and there are hundreds of traditions and stories connected with Mount Carmel, which give it a unique place in more than one religious tradition.\"\n\nFor Baha'is, the mountain was given supreme significance when Baha'u'llah visited it in the early 1890s and revealed an important tablet designating Mount Carmel as the site of the Faith's spiritual and administrative center.\n\nThe development of the Baha'i World Center, as the complex of buildings, gardens and holy places here is officially known, has proceeded slowly over the last century. Significant events include the construction of the Shrine of the Bab and the interment of the Bab's sacred remains in its mausoleum in 1909; the completion of the golden-domed superstructure of the Shrine in 1953; the erection of the International Archives building in 1957; and the completion of the Seat of the Universal House of Justice in 1983.\n\nWith the construction of the gardens and terraces that now surround the Shrine of the Bab, along with the other administrative buildings on Mount Carmel, Baha'is believe a major goal of their Faith has been fulfilled.\n\n\"Our scriptures tell us that the very construction of these facilities for housing these institutions will coincide with several other processes in the world,\" said Douglas Samimi-Moore, director of the Baha\"i International Community\"s Office of Public Information. \"One of these processes is the maturation of local and national Baha'i institutions. The other is the establishment of processes leading to political peace for humanity, and we feel this synchronicity is obvious if you look broadly at the way things are going in the world.\"\n\nBaha'is believe the completion of the terraces and gardens and new administrative buildings on Mount Carmel offers a reflection of the spiritual principles that must be applied to world problems if humanity is to create a truly peaceful world.\n\n\"Baha'is have gone about building these structures from a spiritual motivation, stemming from an underlying belief in the benefits to the world at large that they think will come from them,\" said Mr. Samimi-Moore. \"They believe these new structures will contribute to the unification of the planet.\"\n\nGardens and Terraces\n\nWithout doubt, the most striking feature of the new projects is the series of terraces and associated gardens that now run from the foot to the crest of Mount Carmel, entirely reshaping its countenance. In all, the gardens cover some 200,000 square meters of land. After May 2001, they will be open to people of all religious beliefs, background and nationalities, like other Baha'i holy places.\n\nSince the 1950s, the golden dome and gleaming white marble superstructure of the Shrine of the Bab, located almost exactly halfway up the north slope of Mount Carmel, has been a familiar landmark in Haifa, Israel's third largest city.\n\nThe 19 terraces -- one on the same level as the Shrine of the Bab, nine extending above it and nine extending below it -- form a grand series of brackets, which accentuate the Shrine's position in the heart of the mountainside.\n\nArchitect Sahba compared the new structures to the setting for a precious jewel. \"If a diamond is not set properly, its value does not show,\" said Mr. Sahba. \"The terraces provide both physical and spiritual setting for the Shrine. Everything directs your eyes towards the Shrine.\"\n\nThe terraces are designed with a series of stairs running from the base of Mount Carmel almost to its summit. The staircase, made of beige-colored local stone, is flanked by two streams of running water, forming a man-made brook that gently cascades down the mountainside, pausing in shallow pools -- containing the ovoid stones mentioned above. Mr. Sahba said he had teams search in Israel, Italy and India, before finding stones in Cyprus that met his vision for that particular detail.\n\n\"It has not been our aim just to build beautiful architecture, or merely beautiful, landscaped gardens,\" said Mr. Sahba, who also designed the widely recognized lotus shaped Baha'i House of Worship in New Delhi, India. \"There are so many beautiful gardens in the world. The whole aim was to create beautiful, spiritual gardens; gardens that touch the spirit, so that a visitor may pause and think, \"This place is different, there is something special about it.\"\n\nMr. Sahba said he sought to express a sense of spirit through the interplay of light, water and color. \"At night, it is as if waves of light are emanating from the Shrine, which is the center of illumination,\" Mr. Sahba said. \"During the day these movements are created by sunlight filtering through the lines of cypress trees, and reflecting on the curved parallel surfaces of the emerald green lawns.\n\n\"Another element is water,\" he continued. \"As you walk down the terraces, water accompanies you. The oasis of water attracts birds, and in harmony with the song of the birds creates the best camouflage for the noise of the city, gives the space the tranquility that one needs to be separated from the day to day reality of life.\"\n\nThe terraces, which feature decorative stone balustrades, fountains, benches and statues, are intensively cultivated. The gardens on each terrace feature plants and flowers indigenous to Israel.\n\n\"If one wants to imagine what the Hanging Gardens of Babylon must have looked like, come to Mount Carmel and you will see something more nearly than anything else on earth to what we understand they were like,\" said Mr. Palmer, who is also secretary general of the Alliance on Religion and Conservation.\n\nThe formality of the design of the gardens  merges into the mountain's natural environment on either side of the central axis defined by the staircase.\n\n\"Nature is very ordered near the center of the path -- but the further you move away from it, it becomes more wild, more natural,\" said Mr. Palmer. \"So you have this fascinating model of bringing order out of chaos. There is also a sense that the wilderness is a place where you can find God, so as you move away from the center, you find larger trees and bushes and you can lose yourself spiritually.\"\n\nMany of the terraces are cut into the  mountainside in such a way that, when one is standing on one, the other terraces -- as well as the buildings on either side -- cannot be seen. For the most part, the only visible reference points are the sky, the blue waters of the Bay of Haifa below, the surrounding gardens, and the Shrine itself.\n\n\"It is an amazing use of perspective,\" said Mr. Palmer. \"Everything else is cut out. You don't see the streets above or below. You are in a sense caught up in the seventh heaven. It is as though you have left earth and been transported to paradise.\"\n\nMr. Palmer also noted that the gentle sound of the water gurgling down the two sides of the central staircase drowns out the sounds of the outside world.\n\n\"For me, this is symbolic,\" said Mr. Palmer, who is a Christian. \"To quote from my Scriptures: you need to hear the 'still small quiet voice' of God, which is what Elijah himself heard on Mount Carmel. And with the trickling water, gently drowning out the urban hubbub all around, hearing that voice becomes possible.\"\n\nFor Baha'is, the whole design is evocative and symbolic.\n\n\"When you ascend the terraces from the bottom, the Shrine of the Bab, which is your goal, is always visible, right in your line of sight, at the center of your devotion,\" said Lasse Thoresen, a renowned Norwegian composer who has spent much time in the gardens as part of a commission to write a symphony for the opening ceremonies. \"This is a beautiful kind of contemplative feature.\"\n\n\"At the same time, for me, the waters coming down from the top of the mountain symbolize the living water that is the grace of God, that is God's vitalizing energy, spoken of in the Baha'i writings and in the Bible and other scriptures, that descend from Heaven,\" said Dr. Thoresen.\n\nSuheil Bushrui, who has visited Haifa off and on since his childhood and who currently holds the Baha'i Chair for World Peace at the University of Maryland, USA, said he believes the gardens and terraces offer a new model for sustainable development.\n\n\"These projects on Mount Carmel provide an example of man's shaping of the physical environment in accord with a religious teaching that emphasizes the importance of the natural world and upholds the value of beauty and the virtue of excellence,\" said Prof. Bushrui. \"They show a glimmer of the extent to which material and spiritual elements can complement each other, to the mutual benefit of each, and with favorable consequences for the environment.\"\n\nNew Administrative Buildings\n\nWhile the terraces are without doubt the most visible feature of the new developments on Mount Carmel, the completion of two new nearby administrative buildings are for Baha'is of equal significance, inasmuch as they signalize the formal emergence of two important institutions designed to assist the Universal House of Justice in providing guidance and governance for the rapidly growing worldwide Baha'i community.\n\nTogether with the Seat of the Universal House of Justice and the International Archives building, the International Teaching Center and the Center for the Study of the Texts form an arc on the face of the mountainside. As one faces the mountain, that arc sits slightly to the left of the axis defined by the central stairway of the terraces.\n\nThe Center for the Study of the Texts building will house an institution of scholars, whose role is to study the Baha'i sacred writings. \"The Baha'i writings are extensive, encompassing more than 100,000 documents,\" said Mr. Samimi-Moore. \"The Center stands to serve the needs of the Universal House of Justice by researching the sacred writings, historical documents and other related materials. It will also translate texts, prepare compilations, and draft commentaries as required.\"\n\nThe International Teaching Center building will house a body of appointed individuals who function collectively to assist the Universal House of Justice and also to provide guidance to the worldwide Baha'i community through a network of fellow \"Counsellors\" who reside around the world. \"They promote the ideas of the Faith, which include unity and education,\" said architect Hossein Amanat, who designed the two new buildings, as well as the Seat of the Universal House of Justice.\n\nLike the Seat of the Universal House of Justice, the two new buildings were designed in a classic Greek style that harmonizes with the design chosen roughly 50 years ago for the International Archives building.\n\n\"Originally, I thought there might be a kind of contemporary style which could fit into the environment there,\" said Mr. Amanat, who started designing the Seat of the Universal House of Justice in 1972 at age 30 after winning a design competition for a major monument and associated complex in his native Iran. He noted, however, that Shoghi Effendi, who headed the Baha'i Faith from 1921 to 1957, had chosen classic Greek style because it had proved enduringly beautiful through the ages.\n\n\"I saw how nicely the classic style fits into this surrounding of serene gardens,\" continued Mr. Amanat. \"The reason is this: in our modern life, we are rushing everywhere. And there is no time for looking at the details of a classic building. But the classic style is meant for a society that is more relaxed, that is taking time to meditate and pray. Modern buildings evolved after the industrial revolution, which is when the material life took over from the spiritual. But we Baha'is think beauty is an important factor in design, because beauty is so important to the human soul.\"\n\nAlthough both of the new buildings rise some three stories above ground level, much of their structure is tucked into the mountain slope. \"The idea is that the buildings are pavilions adorning this garden,\" said Mr. Amanat. \"They should not impose on it.\"\n\nThe total floor area of the two new buildings combined is some 35,000 square meters, reflecting their importance as administrative centers for the more than five million Baha'is around the world.\n\n\"Essentially, the people who will work in these buildings have the goal of serving a growing worldwide community,\" said Mr. Samimi-Moore.\n\nThe funds for the completion of the two new buildings, the terraces and all of the other structures on Mount Carmel came entirely from members of the Baha'i Faith.\n\n\"No money has come from outside,\" said Secretary General Lincoln. \"And we are not a community that is rich. The funds for these projects have come from donations by thousands upon thousands of individuals, who have given sacrificially over many years.\n\n\"Three-quarters of the worldwide Baha'i population resides in the third world,\" added Dr. Lincoln. \"It is not unusual to visit a mud hut in an African village and find a photograph of this project on the wall, along with a receipt for some small contribution.\"\n\n-- END OF MAIN STORY --\n\nACCOMPANYING STORY:\n\nThe Baha'i Faith and its Connection to Israel\n\nFounded in Iran, the Baha'i Faith today has its spiritual and administrative center in Israel because of historic forces that led to the exile of its Founder, Baha'u'llah, to the city of Acre, located across the bay from Haifa.\n\nAfter a series of banishments from His native Iran, Baha'u'llah, along with His family and a small group of followers, was sent in 1868 to Acre, then a bleak penal colony under Ottoman rule.\n\nAlthough prisoners, the Baha'is eventually came to be regarded as a respected religious community in Acre. Over time, Baha'u'llah was granted limited freedom and, during a visit to Haifa in 1891, He designated Mount Carmel as the site for the world headquarters of His Faith. Baha'u'llah also directed that the remains of the Bab, the Faith's Herald and a Prophet in His own right, be buried on Mount Carmel.\n\nWith Baha'u'llah's passing and burial in the vicinity of Acre in 1892, the location of the spiritual center of the Baha'i Faith was likewise fixed. Baha'u'llah's burial place at Bahji, north of Haifa near the city of Acre, is the holiest place on earth for Baha'is.\n\nIn 1909, the Bab's remains were interred in a stone mausoleum on the side of Mount Carmel. In 1953, the golden-domed, white marble superstructure was erected over the mausoleum, completing the Shrine that is the second holiest place for Baha'is.\n\nOver the years, Baha'is have built a series of gardens, encompassing other holy monuments, as well as other administrative buildings in the Haifa/Acre area. All are funded entirely by contributions from the worldwide Baha'i community.\n\nToday, more than 800 Baha'is serve as volunteers at the Baha'i World Center. They come from all over the world, serving for specified periods of time, and are engaged solely in the care of the Baha'i Holy places and the internal administration of the Baha'i world community.\n\nThe city of Haifa and the government of Israel have welcomed the Baha'i presence and the new construction. The Mayor of Haifa, Amram Mitzna, recently wrote that the nearly completed Gardens and Terraces for the Shrine of the Bab offer \"unforgettably stunning panorama\" for the \"appreciation of all beauty lovers.\""}],"disableInlineCaptions":false,"slideshow":[],"pushRelatedContentDown":null,"relatedContent":[],"updatedContent":false,"excludeFromHomepage":false,"category":[],"highlightClip":null},{"storyNumber":78,"evergreenUrl":"un-agencys-partnership-helps-bahai-quest-bridge-digital-divide","title":"UN agency's partnership helps Baha'i in quest to bridge the digital divide","description":"While heads of state were meeting at the United Nations Millennium Summit, the UN Office for Project Services (UNOPS) announced a partnership...","date":"2000-11-15","customDateline":null,"city":"UNITED NATIONS","country":"","thumbnail":{"url":"https://www.datocms-assets.com/6348/1543418184-bwns4649-0.jpg"},"featureAudio":null,"feature":[{"__typename":"DatoCMS_ImageRecord","image":{"url":"https://www.datocms-assets.com/6348/1543418184-bwns4649-0.jpg"},"imageDescription":"President Alpha Oumar Konare of Mali, UNOPS Executive Director Reinhart Helmke, GTO President Neysan Rassekh, and H.E. Ambassador Diarra of Mali attend a UNOPS roundtable at the State of the World Forum in New York.","imageStyle":"body-right","imageLink":""}],"storyContent":[{"__typename":"DatoCMS_ParagraphRecord","paragraphText":"While heads of state were meeting at the United Nations Millennium Summit, the UN Office for Project Services (UNOPS) announced a partnership with an organization founded by a young Baha'i to help people in developing countries make greater use of the Internet.\n\nAt a New York press conference 7 September 2000, UNOPS announced the launch of the Digital Service Corps, a private-sector partnership with the nonprofit Global Technology Organization (GTO), whose founder and president is Neysan Rassekh. Digital Service Corps will send volunteers to developing countries and countries in transition, to conduct intensive training programs in the use of the Internet as a community development tool.\n\nReinhart Helmke, executive director of UNOPS, introduced Mr. Rassekh as a \"young social entrepreneur of the dot-com generation\" who is bridging two \"gaps\" through the Digital Service Corps - the generation gap at the United Nations and the digital divide in the developing world.\n\nNow in his twenties, Mr. Rassekh was born in Portland, Oregon. His family left the United States when he was four years old to settle in West Africa, where they helped to strengthen the Baha'i communities in Senegal, the Gambia and Mali. He later attended Maxwell Baha'i School in Canada. Mr. Rassekh holds a bachelor's degree from the Wharton School of Business and a master's degree from the University of Pennsylvania, where he focused on the use of technology for development in Africa."},{"__typename":"DatoCMS_InlineImageRecord","slideshowImageNumber":2},{"__typename":"DatoCMS_ParagraphRecord","paragraphText":"\"My generation of Americans grew up taking computers for granted. By the time we got to college, most of us were regularly doing research on the Internet,\" Mr. Rassekh said.\n\n\"To work in development at the grassroots, my family lives in Mali, one of the poorest countries on the planet. I have seen first hand how extreme the digital divide really is. I know there are thousands of people like me who would gladly give four to six weeks of their time to personally contribute to closing that gap. That is why I am sure that GTO's Digital Service Corps will be a success.\"\n\nUNOPS reported that in May, GTO completed a successful pilot project in Mali. A team of three professors and 30 students from the University of Pennsylvania, armed with refurbished computer equipment and the accessories needed to connect to the Internet, spent four weeks in Mali and trained 120 carefully selected professors, primary- and secondary-school teachers, students and teacher trainers. The team established four computer centers, now operated by the Victory Foundation, a Mali-based organization whose mission is to promote innovation in public education.\n\nThe day after the press conference, Mr. Rassekh introduced President Alpha Oumar Konare of Mali at a roundtable discussion on public-private partnerships convened by UNOPS and Global Leaders for Tomorrow of the World Economic Forum. At a news conference after the roundtable, the president thanked the Global Technology Organization for its efforts and the impact it had in his country.\n\nMoreover, contacts at the United Nations Millennium Assembly and the State of the World Forum, which was also taking place in New York that week, afforded Mr. Rassekh the opportunity to meet with several heads of state and foreign ministers. Five of them invited Mr. Rassekh to look at implementing GTO projects in their countries in the coming months."}],"disableInlineCaptions":false,"slideshow":[{"image":{"url":"https://www.datocms-assets.com/6348/1543418184-bwns4648-0.jpg"},"imageDescription":"President Alpha Oumar Konare of Mali speaks to the press in New York with Neysan Rassekh, President of GTO, on 8 September 2000 following a round-table discussion on public-private partnerships convened by UNOPS."}],"pushRelatedContentDown":null,"relatedContent":[],"updatedContent":false,"excludeFromHomepage":false,"category":[],"highlightClip":null},{"storyNumber":77,"evergreenUrl":"art-on-fijian-bark-cloth-reflects-unity-diversity","title":"Art on Fijian bark cloth reflects unity in diversity","description":"Artists Robin White of New Zealand and Leba Toki of Fiji recently opened an exhibit at the Helen Maxwell Gallery here of collaborative works...","date":"2000-11-25","customDateline":null,"city":"CANBERRA","country":"AUSTRALIA","thumbnail":{"url":"https://www.datocms-assets.com/6348/1543418158-bwns4652-0.jpg"},"featureAudio":null,"feature":[{"__typename":"DatoCMS_ImageRecord","image":{"url":"https://www.datocms-assets.com/6348/1543418158-bwns4652-0.jpg"},"imageDescription":"Artists Robin White and Leba Toki in front of the ‘Rewa Milk’ tapa at the Helen Maxwell Gallery, Canberra, Australia. They are with Naminapu, Aboriginal artist-in-residence at the School of Fine Arts at the Australian National University, her daughter Jennifer and her nephew Michael. (Left to right: Robin, Jennifer, Leba, Naminapu, Michael)","imageStyle":"body-right","imageLink":""}],"storyContent":[{"__typename":"DatoCMS_ParagraphRecord","paragraphText":"Artists Robin White of New Zealand and Leba Toki of Fiji recently opened an exhibit at the Helen Maxwell Gallery here of collaborative works on tapa (bark cloth) that won widespread admiration for their uniqueness and harmonious blending of Western and Fijian artistic traditions.\n\nMs. White and Ms. Toki are both highly regarded artists and members of the Baha'i Faith. Their collaboration was \"not just a way of experiencing new forms of artistic expression,\" said Ms. White, \"but also a way of demonstrating the potential for people from very different cultural backgrounds to work together in harmony, in a positive and creative manner.\"\n\nThe opening of the month-long exhibit on October 20 was attended by the High Commissioner of New Zealand, Simon Murdoch, and the Counsellor of the Fijian High Commission, Akuila Waradi.  Mr. Waradi spoke during the brief formal portion of the opening, and he expressed his pleasure at having the opportunity to view art work that was the product of collaboration and said the work was \"very different and very beautiful.\"\n\nThe three works, each approximately two meters by two and a half meters revolve around \"tea\" as a symbol of people coming together in a convivial atmosphere, a symbol which is common to English and Indian culture and has been incorporated into Fijian culture as well. The designs, integrating European and Indian imagery with traditional Fijian patterns, are based on the packaging of three well-known products: Punja's Tea and Rewa Milk, which are very commonly used in Fiji, and Chelsea Sugar, which is produced and sold in New Zealand from sugar grown in Fiji.\n\n\"While for some, tea, milk and sugar might seem like a rather superficial expression of togetherness, we were interested in taking the idea of having a cup of tea as a means for conveying a deeper significance and investigating a broader theme, that is the possibility of different cultures being able to come together harmoniously, to honor and celebrate their diversity and to share in the pleasures and benefits of this world,\" said Ms. White. \"The work is about the process involved in exploring the interface between cultures and arriving at a visual metaphor for the concept of unity in diversity.\"\n\nTapa was chosen as the medium because it is inseparably associated with indigenous Fijian culture and other indigenous Pacific Island cultures.\n\n\"By using tapa to convey designs that include recognizable Indian and European elements, we aimed at suggesting the possibility of one culture embracing, in a positive way, features of other cultures, and that this process generates change without necessarily compromising the essential values that form the basis of a secure sense of  identity and belief,\" said Ms. White. \"Leba and I wanted to produce a work that could not have been done by either of us on our own, something that sits at a fine balance between what is familiar and traditional and what is unexpected and new. In recognition of this goal, the set of three tapa have been titled 'Cakacakavata,' which means 'working together.'\""},{"__typename":"DatoCMS_InlineImageRecord","slideshowImageNumber":2},{"__typename":"DatoCMS_ParagraphRecord","paragraphText":"The project came about when Ms. White was visiting Ms. Toki at her home in Fiji about three years ago.\n\n\"I questioned her about some samples of tapa that she had in her home. Leba explained that she had made them herself and that she came from the island of Moce, one of only two islands in Fiji where tapa is made,\" said Ms. White. \"For some time I had been attracted by the particular aesthetic quality of Fijian tapa and had a long-held desire to experience the making of it.  This prompted me to ask Leba if she would be interested in entering into a collaborative art project with me and she readily agreed.\"\n\nThe set of three tapa has been purchased by the National Gallery of Australia."}],"disableInlineCaptions":false,"slideshow":[{"image":{"url":"https://www.datocms-assets.com/6348/1543418157-bwns4651-0.jpg"},"imageDescription":"Leba Toki and Robin White apply decorative elements to the tapa cloth in Robin's studio in Masterton, New Zealand."},{"image":{"url":"https://www.datocms-assets.com/6348/1543418157-bwns4650-0.jpg"},"imageDescription":"Artists Leba Toki and Robin White in the studio."}],"pushRelatedContentDown":null,"relatedContent":[],"updatedContent":false,"excludeFromHomepage":false,"category":[],"highlightClip":null}],"lang":"en","language":"en","location":"/archive/79/"}},"staticQueryHashes":["2762707590"]}