{"componentChunkName":"component---src-templates-archive-page-jsx","path":"/archive/80/","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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If this problem persists, please use our [contact form](https://www.bahai.org/contact/).","subscribe_h1":"Stories via email","subscribe_h2":"Mobile app","subscribe_h3":"Updates via Twitter","subscribe_h4":"Podcast","subscribe_label_email":"Email","subscribe_label_email_fill":"Please enter a valid email address.","subscribe_label_first_name":"First name","subscribe_label_first_name_fill":"Please enter your first name.","subscribe_label_last_name":"Last name","subscribe_label_last_name_fill":"Please enter your last name.","subscribe_missing_fields":"Please fill in all required fields!","subscribe_p1":"Receive emails from the Bahá’í World News Service (BWNS) when new articles are published.","subscribe_p2":"Receive updates and notifications from the BWNS app.","subscribe_p3":"Follow the Bahá’í World News Service on Twitter for regular updates and stories.","subscribe_p4":"Subscribe to the BWNS podcast for additional audio content.","subscribe_success_h1":"You have been subscribed to Bahá’í World News Service (BWNS)","subscribe_success_p1":"Your email address has been added to our mailing list.","subscribe_success_p2":"Thanks for becoming a subscriber.","subscribe_to_bwns":"Subscribe to BWNS","subscribe_unknown_error":"Sorry, an unknown error has occurred. Please try again later.","subscribe_unsubscribe_bwns":"Unsubscribe from BWNS","subscribe_unsubscribe_error_client":"Something went wrong, please try again.","subscribe_unsubscribe_error_no_email":"We do not have this email in our database, please try again.","subscribe_unsubscribe_error_server":"Something went wrong on our server, please try again.","subscribe_unsubscribe_h1":"Unsubscribe - Bahá’í World News Service (BWNS)","subscribe_unsubscribe_success_h1":"You have been unsubscribed from the Bahá’í World News Service (BWNS)","subscribe_unsubscribe_success_p1":"Your email address has been removed from the mailing list.","subscribe_unsubscribe_success_p2":"Thanks for having been a subscriber.","subscribe_unsubscribe_success_p3":"(If you unsubscribed by accident and prefer to continue receiving emails from the Bahá’í World News Service, please [click here](./).)","tenth_international_bahai_convention":"Tenth International Bahá’í Convention","the_bahai_faith":"The Bahá’í Faith","thirteenth_international_bahai_convention":"Thirteenth International Bahá’í Convention","twelfth_international_bahai_convention":"Twelfth International Bahá’í Convention","united_nations":"United Nations","unsubscribe":"Unsubscribe","updated_content":"UPDATED CONTENT","updates_via_social_media":"Updates via social media","url_copied_to_clipboard":"URL copied to clipboard","video":"Video","view_all":"View all","view_all_articles":"View all articles","visit_page":"Visit page","watch_next":"Watch next","watch_video":"Watch video","what_bahais_believe":"What Bahá’ís Believe","what_bahais_do":"What Bahá’ís Do","texterify_timestamp":"2023-09-10T10:15:38Z"},"archivePageNumber":80,"archiveTotalPages":80,"totalStories":1596,"archiveList":[{"storyNumber":76,"evergreenUrl":"bahais-take-part-ugandas-national-un-day-celebration","title":"Baha'is take part in Uganda's national UN Day celebration","description":"The Baha'is of Uganda showcased their achievements and activities in the areas of education, family health, moral training for children, publishing,...","date":"2000-11-10","customDateline":null,"city":"JINJA","country":"UGANDA","thumbnail":{"url":"https://www.datocms-assets.com/6348/1543418129-bwns4656-0.jpg"},"featureAudio":null,"feature":[{"__typename":"DatoCMS_ImageRecord","image":{"url":"https://www.datocms-assets.com/6348/1543418129-bwns4656-0.jpg"},"imageDescription":"Mr. Dauda Toure, United Nations Resident Coordinator, signs the Guest Book in the Baha'i exhibit at Uganda's national United Nations Day commemoration.","imageStyle":"body-right","imageLink":""}],"storyContent":[{"__typename":"DatoCMS_ParagraphRecord","paragraphText":"The Baha'is of Uganda showcased their achievements and activities in the areas of education, family health, moral training for children, publishing, and collaboration with other nongovernmental organizations at a national United Nations Day celebration held on 24 October 2000 at the Muguluka Primary School.\n\nThe school's grounds, located 15 miles from Jinja on the Jinja-Kamuli road, were transformed into a festive fairground, with booths and tents representing a large variety of United Nations, government, and civil society organizations.  The Baha'is erected a large white tent with a banner proclaiming \"The earth is one country and mankind its citizens.\"\n\nThroughout the day hundreds of people toured the five information tables in the Baha'i tent, many lingering for extensive discussions and requesting follow-up contact.  The Chief Guest for the day was Uganda's Minister of Information, Basoga Nsadhu, accompanied by the United Nations Resident Coordinator Dauda Toure.  They were escorted through the Baha'i exhibits by George Olinga, Director of the Baha'i Office of External Affairs."},{"__typename":"DatoCMS_InlineImageRecord","slideshowImageNumber":2},{"__typename":"DatoCMS_ParagraphRecord","paragraphText":"The Uganda Baha'i Institute for Development displayed curriculum guides and training materials for teachers and parents in the areas of health education and moral development. The Baha'i Publishing Trust displayed a wide range of Baha'i literature, including translations of Baha'i scripture into several indigenous languages.\n\nAnother table handled nominations for a peace prize to honor individuals, groups or institutions for their contributions to a culture of peace in Uganda. The Baha'is are co-sponsoring the prize along with the government and several NGOs as part of the observance of the International Year for a Culture of Peace.\n\nEarlier in the week, on 22 October, the Baha'is held an observance of United Nations Day at the Baha'i National Center in Kampala that opened with a devotional program at the Baha'i House of Worship.  The keynote speaker was A. M. Qureshi, representative in Uganda of the United Nations Food and Agriculture Association."}],"disableInlineCaptions":false,"slideshow":[{"image":{"url":"https://www.datocms-assets.com/6348/1543418129-bwns4655-0.jpg"},"imageDescription":"Uganda's Minister of Information, Basoga Nsadhu, is escorted to the Baha'i exhibit at Uganda's national United Nations Day commemoration by Mr. George Olinga, director of the Baha'i Office of External Affairs."},{"image":{"url":"https://www.datocms-assets.com/6348/1543418129-bwns4654-0.jpg"},"imageDescription":"Visitors view the Baha'i literature table at Uganda's national United Nations Day commemoration."},{"image":{"url":"https://www.datocms-assets.com/6348/1543418129-bwns4653-0.jpg"},"imageDescription":"Visitors view the Baha'i literature table at Uganda's national United Nations Day commemoration."}],"pushRelatedContentDown":null,"relatedContent":[],"updatedContent":false,"excludeFromHomepage":false,"category":[],"highlightClip":null},{"storyNumber":75,"evergreenUrl":"bahai-day-held-london-millennium-dome","title":"Baha'i Day held at London Millennium Dome","description":"London's Millennium Dome hosted a \"Baha'i Day\" on 21 October, as more than 2,000 Baha'is from around the United Kingdom came to the dome to commemorate...","date":"2000-11-07","customDateline":null,"city":"LONDON","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":"London's Millennium Dome hosted a \"Baha'i Day\" on 21 October, as more than 2,000 Baha'is from around the United Kingdom came to the dome to commemorate a Baha'i holy day.  About 30,000 people visited the Dome throughout the day.\n\nBaha'is were celebrating the Birth of the Bab, a festive occasion marking the birth of the Prophet-Herald of the Baha'i Faith. They presented a diverse program of artistic performances and entertainment, both on the main stage and in the dome's entrance hall, including juggling, clog dancing, a string quartet, singers, a Ceilidh band, dancers and a steel band. They also hosted an exhibit about the Faith just inside the main entrance, an Arts and Crafts area for children, and a Tranquillity Zone for prayer and meditation.\n\nThe Management of the Dome placed a large banner announcing the Baha'i holy day behind the main stage and gave the Baha'is 1,500 badges to wear on which was written \"Celebrating a Baha'i Holy Day.\"\n\n\"Baha'is had traveled from all parts of the United Kingdom,\" said Iain Palin of the United Kingdom Baha'i Information Office.  \"They had been asked to bring flowers, and they brought so many flowers that the Management of the Dome had to send out for more pots to put them in. It was a magnificent turnout and a great spirit was in evidence throughout the day,\" he said.\n\nIn the Faith Zone, one of the Dome's permanent exhibits, excerpts from the Baha'i scriptures are depicted on tall pillars along with those of other faiths co-existing in Britain, such as the Buddhist, Hindu, Jain, Jewish, Muslim, Sikh, and Zoroastrian faiths."}],"disableInlineCaptions":false,"slideshow":[],"pushRelatedContentDown":null,"relatedContent":[],"updatedContent":false,"excludeFromHomepage":false,"category":[],"highlightClip":null},{"storyNumber":74,"evergreenUrl":"500-000-people-visit-bahai-exhibit-hanover-expo-2000","title":"500,000 people visit Baha'i exhibit at the Hanover Expo 2000","description":"An estimated 500,000 people visited the Baha'i pavilion at the Hanover Expo 2000 from its opening in June 2000 to its closing last month. The...","date":"2000-11-05","customDateline":null,"city":"HANOVER","country":"GERMANY","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":"An estimated 500,000 people visited the Baha'i pavilion at the Hanover Expo 2000 from its opening in June 2000 to its closing last month.\n\nThe 170 square-meter Baha'i exhibit, hosted by the Baha'i International Community and the National Spiritual Assembly of the Baha'is of Germany, featured development projects in Colombia, Kenya and Eastern Europe that illustrate the importance of grassroots capacity-building, the advancement of women, and moral and spiritual values in the process of social and economic development.\n\nThe exhibit was designed to resemble a lotus flower, with 3-meter-high acrylic glass \"petals\" in a semi-circular arrangement around a central space for reflection and contemplation. It was located opposite the entrance of the \"Global House\" -- an area designated as a forum and meeting place for organizations and policy-makers interested in sustainable development and the Agenda 21 process.\n\nOver the past months, several of the Baha'i development projects have been the subject of in-depth presentations in the Seminar Room of the Global House.  On 9 September Shamil Fattakhov, a Russian TV journalist, presented \"Stop and Act,\" a form of interactive theatre that he developed into a successful television program in Russia.  The program features short sketches that present the audience with a conflict and a moral dilemma.  As the conflict is about to erupt into violence, the presenter calls out \"Stop!\" and begins a discussion with the audience on the ways of resolving the situation. Through the collective exploration of the relevant moral principles, the audience arrives at a solution, which is then acted out.\n\nThe program has been adapted to many audiences and media, including radio, theatre and schools, throughout Eastern Europe.  Under the sponsorship of the Royamount Process, which was initiated by the European Union to \"promote stability and good neighborliness\" among the nations of Southeastern Europe, the show has been offered to governments in the region as a creative approach to conflict resolution and moral education.\n\nSeptember 9 was also a \"Global House Day,\" organized jointly by all the exhibitors in the hall, which attracted 11,000 visitors to the Baha'i pavilion alone. Ranzie Mensah, a Baha'i artist from Ghana and a princess of the Fanti tribe, gave a stunning musical performance as part of an on-going cultural program presented by the Baha'is in the Global House's One World Cafe. In the evening the Baha'i International Community hosted a reception for the commissioners of the Expo's national pavilions and other exhibitors and dignitaries to mark the release of the German translation of \"Who is Writing the Future,\" a reflection on the 20th century and humanity's prospects for the future issued by the Baha'i International Community.\n\nAnother seminar on 29 September focused on the role of traditional women's groups as catalysts for grassroots development and the power of combining self-directed village initiatives with the support of development organizations.  These principles were illustrated through the Kalimani and Matinyani Women's Projects in Kenya's semi-arid Kitui District, which were selected as a \"Worldwide Expo 2000 Project.\" The women in these villages consulted together, set realistic goals for village development, and enlisted the support of outside development organizations. They have managed a number of projects, including dam construction, a health center, a mango-drying scheme using solar energy, and a rug-weaving project to generate income.\n\nThe presenter was Geraldine Robarts, a Baha'i artist living in Kenya who has supported the women of Kalimani and Matinyani with training in the arts. Ms. Robarts was also the designer of 20 outsize sails, each up to 15 meters high, that decorated the Hanover Expo's Africa Pavilion. Artists from all over Africa had been invited to submit their design for the pavilion in an open competition.\n\nThe third development project highlighted in the Baha'i Pavilion was the University for Integral Development, established in Colombia by FUNDAEC, a Baha'i-inspired development agency that was also named a \"Worldwide Expo 2000 Project.\"  The University has a network of 40,000 students in Colombia's rural areas who receive systematic training through a distance learning system in the areas of agriculture, education, appropriate technology, economic enterprise and institutional development.\n\nDrawing on the tools and insights of both science and religion, the University strives to impart a twofold moral purpose: to take charge of one's own intellectual and spiritual growth, and to make significant contributions to the transformation of society.\n\nMore than 250 Baha'i volunteers from around Europe received specialized training to staff the exhibit and answer questions from the public during the Expo's five months of operation.\n\nMore information about Baha'i participation in the Hanover Expo is available on-line at www.bahai-expo2000.de."}],"disableInlineCaptions":false,"slideshow":[],"pushRelatedContentDown":null,"relatedContent":[],"updatedContent":false,"excludeFromHomepage":false,"category":[],"highlightClip":null},{"storyNumber":73,"evergreenUrl":"new-approach-development-combines-science-religion","title":"New approach to development combines science and religion","description":"Noting the shortcoming of international development efforts to fully realize their goals of ending poverty and achieving social justice, speakers...","date":"2000-11-24","customDateline":null,"city":"NEW DELHI","country":"","thumbnail":{"url":"https://www.datocms-assets.com/6348/1543418097-bwns4658-0.jpg"},"featureAudio":null,"feature":[{"__typename":"DatoCMS_ImageRecord","image":{"url":"https://www.datocms-assets.com/6348/1543418097-bwns4658-0.jpg"},"imageDescription":"Participants at a workshop at the Colloquium on Science, Religion and Development exploring the relationship between values and economic activity.","imageStyle":"body-right","imageLink":""}],"storyContent":[{"__typename":"DatoCMS_ParagraphRecord","paragraphText":"Noting the shortcoming of international development efforts to fully realize their goals of ending poverty and achieving social justice, speakers at a ground-breaking gathering of non-governmental, academic and religious organizations called for a new model of development that would emphasize spiritual and religious values as the missing ingredients in stimulating positive social change.\n\nCalled the \"Colloquium on Science, Religion and Development,\" the event was held 21-24 November 2000 at the India International Center, with opening day ceremonies at the Baha'i House of Worship.\n\n\"Although there has been considerable evolution in development thinking over the past several decades, serious questions remain concerning present approaches and assumptions,\" said Bani Dugal Gujral of the Baha'i International Community's United Nations Office in an opening address on Tuesday. \"The great majority of the world's peoples do not view themselves simply as material beings... but rather as social and moral beings concerned with spiritual awareness and purpose.\"\n\n\"It has thus become evident that the mainly economic and material criteria now guiding development activity must be broadened to include those spiritual aspirations that animate human nature,\" Ms. Gujral continued. \"True prosperity -- a well-being founded on peace, cooperation, altruism, dignity, rectitude of conduct, and justice -- requires both the 'light' of spiritual virtues and the 'lamp' of material resources.\"\n\nCo-sponsored by the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), the International Development Research Centre of Canada, Decentralised Training for Urban Development Projects, the Department of Secondary Education and Higher Education of the Ministry of Human Resource Development, the World Health Organization (WHO) and The Textile Association (India), the Colloquium was organized by the National Spiritual Assembly of the Baha'is of India and the Institute for Studies in Global Prosperity, an agency of the Baha'i International Community.\n\nParticipants included representatives from a wide range of NGOs, academic institutions and religious groups involved in development work, mainly from India but also from Nepal, Sri Lanka, Colombia and Bolivia. The Colloquium also featured participation by representatives of the World Bank, UNICEF, WHO, the United Nations Development Fund for Women (UNIFEM), the United Nations Development Program (UNDP), and the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).\n\n\"Development practitioners have for a long time been looking for a missing link, to explain the shortcomings of the current model,\" said Dr. Behnam Ta'i, the Regional Representative for South Asia of the Netherlands-based Institute for Housing and Urban Studies, who participated in the Colloquium. \"For a long time, we thought it was the environment. Now there is a perception that spirituality is the link and the key idea for changing the attitudes for decision-making in the processes of development.\""},{"__typename":"DatoCMS_InlineImageRecord","slideshowImageNumber":2},{"__typename":"DatoCMS_ParagraphRecord","paragraphText":"Katherine Marshall of the World Bank said religious organizations have long played a \"special role\" in both understanding and helping the poor. \"Yet their insights and their work are too little known in many development circles,\" she said.\n\nMs. Marshall, who oversees the Bank's recently launched collaboration with religious organizations, known as the World Faiths Development Dialogue, urged a new partnership between religious groups and development specialists. \"The idea should be to engage in a process that opens new windows of understanding, raises the bar of objectives, offers new insights and new visions, on all sides,\" said Ms. Marshall in an address on Tuesday.\n\nThe Colloquium featured a mix of plenary sessions and workshops, and allowed for a wide range of discussion and consultation. One specific focus was on how capacity building in the four areas of governance, education, technology and economic activity can be assisted through the introduction of spiritual perspectives and values.\n\nIn some respects, participants indicated, it raised as many questions as it answered. There was a wide-ranging discussion, for example, of what exactly constitutes \"spirituality,\" \"values,\" \"religion,\" and \"faith.\" Participants came from virtually every religious background, including Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism, Islam, Sikhism, the Baha'i Faith -- as well as non-religious backgrounds.\n\nBut in the end, participants agreed on the importance of a number of principles and points, which will be compiled in a final statement of findings to be issued by the Colloquium's secretariat in the future.\n\nAmong the main points of agreement were: the importance of building new partnerships between religious organizations, NGOs, aid agencies and government offices concerned with development; the necessity of introducing moral or \"values-based\" curriculum in all educational endeavors; the significance of the principle of equality between women and men in all aspects of development; and the need to promote principles of good governance.\n\nOne frequently stressed theme was the essential harmony of science and religion.\n\n\"The formidable power of science and technology can benefit humankind only if we know how to temper it with humanism and spirituality,\" said M.S. Swaminathan, holder of the UNESCO Chair in Ecotechnology, in a talk on Wednesday at India International Centre, where the Colloquium was held.\n\nLikewise, Haleh Arbab Correa of the Colombia-based Foundation for the Application and Teaching of the Sciences (FUNDAEC), said development specialists must begin to see \"science and religion as two complementary sources of knowledge.\"\n\n\"The two systems are not as dissimilar as they are presented to be,\" said Dr. Arbab Correa. \"Objective observation, induction, the elaboration of hypotheses, and the testing of predictions are important components of scientific methods. But they are also present in religious pursuits, albeit in different configurations and at different levels of rigor.\n\n\"Similarly, faith does not belong exclusively to religion,\" Dr. Arbab Correa continued. \"Science, too, is built on elements of faith, particularly faith in the order of the world and the ability of the human mind to explain the workings of that order.\"\n\nThe centrality of justice to the development enterprise was also examined.   \"Creating a culture of justice,\" said the Attorney General of India, Mr. Soli Sorabjee, \"is intimately bound up with a process of moral and spiritual development.\"\n\nAs well, participants stressed the importance of the acceptance of religious diversity. Toward that end, many suggested that interfaith activities should be encouraged and increased as a means of promoting a wider understanding of the common basis of all religions.\n\nParticipants ended the event by calling for more research on a number of these areas, including ways to create a set of development indicators that might assess the impact of a values-based approach to development and on identifying \"best practices\" of religiously inspired development efforts.\n\n\"Our goal was to bring together a diversity of organizations and practitioners in the field of development to explore how scientific methods and religious values can work together to bring about a new, integrated pattern of development,\" said Matthew Weinberg, Director of the Institute for Studies in Global Prosperity, one of the Colloquium's organizers.\n\n\"In many ways, this event was an experiment and a learning endeavor, since an integrated discourse on these three topics has really only recently begun to take shape in the world at large,\" said Mr. Weinberg, noting the efforts of the World Bank through its World Faiths Development Dialogue to promote a similar discussion. \"The emphasis of this event was to involve national and grassroots level organizations in this dialogue. And we were pleased that a number of key points and possible lines of action were identified by the participants here for future consideration.\"\n\nFor more information, contact: Farida Vahedi / Deepali Jones / Han Ju Kim-Farley in New Delhi at:  (91) 11 3070513 or (mobile)  (91) 98 11040575."}],"disableInlineCaptions":false,"slideshow":[{"image":{"url":"https://www.datocms-assets.com/6348/1543418099-bwns4657-0.jpg"},"imageDescription":"The Colloquium on Science, Religion and Development featured a panel session exploring the relationship between justice and development.| The panel members were (left to right seated at table) Mr. Soli Sorabjee, Attorney General of India; Dr. Erma Manoncourt, Deputy Director, UNICEF, India; and Mr. Miloon Kothari, UN Special Rapporteur on the Right to Adequate Housing. Ms. Bani Dugal-Gugral (standing), Director, Office for the Advancement of Women, Baha'i International Community moderated the session."},{"image":{"url":"https://www.datocms-assets.com/6348/1543418098-bwns4647-0.jpg"},"imageDescription":"The Lieutenant-Governor of Delhi, Mr. Vijai Kapoor, addressing the inaugural session of the Colloquium on Science, Religion and Development on the grounds of the Baha'i House of Worship.| Seated on the dias (left to right) are Ms. Bani Dugal-Gujral, Director, Office for the Advancement of Women, Baha'i International Community; Ms. Katherine Marshall, Director on Faiths and World Faiths Development Dialogue, Office of the President, World Bank; and Mrs. Zena Sorabjee, Chairperson of the Baha'i House of Worship."}],"pushRelatedContentDown":null,"relatedContent":[],"updatedContent":false,"excludeFromHomepage":false,"category":[],"highlightClip":null},{"storyNumber":72,"evergreenUrl":"president-iceland-visits-bahai-temple-new-delhi","title":"President of Iceland visits Baha'i Temple in New Delhi","description":"The President of the Republic of Iceland, Olafur Ragnar Grimsson, and his family visited the Baha'i House of Worship here on 29 October. He was...","date":"2000-11-14","customDateline":null,"city":"NEW DELHI","country":"","thumbnail":{"url":"https://www.datocms-assets.com/6348/1543418076-bwns4642-0.jpg"},"featureAudio":null,"feature":[{"__typename":"DatoCMS_ImageRecord","image":{"url":"https://www.datocms-assets.com/6348/1543418076-bwns4642-0.jpg"},"imageDescription":"The President of Iceland, Olafur Ragnar Grimsson, tours the Baha'i House of Worship in New Delhi during an official state visit to India. He is accompanied by Mrs. Zena Sorabjee, a member of the Continental Board of Counsellors for Asia.","imageStyle":"body-right","imageLink":""}],"storyContent":[{"__typename":"DatoCMS_ParagraphRecord","paragraphText":"The President of the Republic of Iceland,  Olafur Ragnar Grimsson, and his family visited the Baha'i House of Worship here on 29 October.  He was the first head of state to visit the famous \"Lotus Temple,\" as the House of Worship is popularly known, during an official state visit.\n\nThe President was accompanied by a delegation of about 30 Icelandic dignitaries, including the Foreign Minister, Haldor Asgrimmson, and his wife. They were met by the Secretary-General of the National Spiritual Assembly of the Baha'is of India, Ramnik Shah, the General Manager of the House of Worship, Shahin Javid, and a member of the Continental Board of Counsellors for Asia, Zena Sorabjee.\n\nThe Icelandic delegation included a member of the Baha'i Faith, Vilhjalmur Gudmundsson, who is Director for Market Development for the Trade Council of Iceland.  Mr. Gudmundsson was on the advance team that visited India at the beginning of September to prepare for the President's visit."},{"__typename":"DatoCMS_InlineImageRecord","slideshowImageNumber":2},{"__typename":"DatoCMS_ParagraphRecord","paragraphText":"\"I really made a great effort in a very tight schedule to come to the Baha'i House of Worship and I was able to convince my partners, one from the Foreign Ministry and the other from the President's Office, to come along,\" Mr. Gudmundsson said.  \"When I came I was quite impressed and very much touched over the beauty of it.  I mentioned to my partners that the President would appreciate to see this House of Worship, and that we had to find time in his very tight schedule to do so.\"\n\nThe Indian Government has often included the House of Worship in the itinerary of visiting dignitaries, but this was the first time it was included in an official state visit by a head of state.\n\nThe President's visit began with a briefing in the library on Baha'i social and economic development efforts in India, with an emphasis on recent efforts to contribute to a moral education curriculum for Indian schools. The delegation then visited the House of Worship's main hall for a brief prayer service. The entire visit lasted about 40 minutes. President Grimsson was presented with \"Forever in Bloom,\" a book of photographs about the House of Worship.\n\nCompleted in 1986, the Baha'i House of Worship has become one of the most visited buildings in the world, with an average of 3.5 million visitors each year.  It's distinctive lotus-shaped design, with concrete \"petals\" sheathed in marble, has won numerous architectural and engineering awards."}],"disableInlineCaptions":false,"slideshow":[{"image":{"url":"https://www.datocms-assets.com/6348/1543418078-bwns4641-0.jpg"},"imageDescription":"The President of Iceland, Olafur Ragnar Grimsson, tours the Baha'i House of Worship in New Delhi during an official state visit to India. He is accompanied by Mrs. Zena Sorabjee, a member of the Continental Board of Counsellors for Asia."}],"pushRelatedContentDown":null,"relatedContent":[],"updatedContent":false,"excludeFromHomepage":false,"category":[{"tagName":"houses_of_worship"}],"highlightClip":null},{"storyNumber":71,"evergreenUrl":"bahais-vanuatu-celebrate-fifth-annual-bertha-dobbins-day","title":"Baha'is of Vanuatu celebrate fifth annual Bertha Dobbins Day","description":"In recognition of their contributions toward the creation of a culture of peace and the promotion of religious tolerance, five grassroots level...","date":"2000-10-25","customDateline":null,"city":"PORT VILA","country":"VANUATU","thumbnail":{"url":"https://www.datocms-assets.com/6348/1543418055-bwns4646-0.jpg"},"featureAudio":null,"feature":[{"__typename":"DatoCMS_ImageRecord","image":{"url":"https://www.datocms-assets.com/6348/1543418055-bwns4646-0.jpg"},"imageDescription":"Chief Peter Poilapa receives a Bertha Dobbins Award for his contributions to a culture of peace at the grassroots level.| The award is presented by Peter Kaltoli on behalf of the Baha'is of Vanuatu at the fifth annual celebration of Bertha Dobbins Day, Port Vila, Vanuatu.","imageStyle":"body-right","imageLink":""}],"storyContent":[{"__typename":"DatoCMS_ParagraphRecord","paragraphText":"In recognition of their contributions toward the creation of a culture of peace and the promotion of religious tolerance, five grassroots level leaders were recognized by the Baha'i community of Vanuatu in its annual Bertha Dobbins Day commemoration.\n\nIn ceremonies on 17 October 2000 at the National Baha'i Center in Port Vila, a local chief, several local ministers and a local community leader were presented awards for their \"grassroots leadership\" before an audience of some 200 people. Those recognized were:\n\n-- Mr William Sumbwe, from Malo, who has helped several local families to consult together and resolve problems\n\n-- Chief Peter Poilapa, of Mele village, who has worked tirelessly to solve disputes between families and villages on the island of Efate\n\n-- Pastor Dorothy Regenvanu, the only practicing woman pastor in the Presbyterian Church of Vanuatu, who \"through her patience and respect for others of different beliefs\" has exemplified a \"culture of peace.\"\n\nAlso recognized were a group of trainee pastors and their teachers from the island of Santo, who have decided to promote better understanding between different religious groups by visiting them and joining them in worship.\n\nThe occasion marked the 47th anniversary of the arrival in Vanuatu of Bertha Dobbins, who founded a well-known elementary school and played a key role in the establishment of the Baha'i community of Vanuatu."},{"__typename":"DatoCMS_InlineImageRecord","slideshowImageNumber":2},{"__typename":"DatoCMS_ParagraphRecord","paragraphText":"Mrs. Dobbins was a 58-year-old elementary school teacher in Medindie, South Australia, when she responded to a call for volunteers to travel abroad to help spread the Baha'i teachings. She set sail for the New Hebrides, as Vanuatu was then known, arriving in Port Vila in October 1953.  As the first Baha'i there, she founded an elementary school, \"Nur School,\" in 1955 and taught there until 1971.  She remained in the New Hebrides until 1977, when she was 82 and the local Baha'i community elected its first National Spiritual Assembly, the national level governing body for Baha'i communities.\n\nIn memory of her services to the people of Vanuatu, the Baha'i community here gives a series of awards each year in her name to people and organizations in the country who have rendered significant service to others.\n\nThis year, the event was hosted by the Baha'i community of Mele village, who designed the program, constructed a temporary shelter to house the guests, and issued hundreds of invitations.  They prepared of large quantities of island food and an exhibit depicting the life of Bertha Dobbins and the early days of the Faith in Vanuatu.\n\nAfter a brief welcome by the Master of Ceremonies, Saki Poilapa, and prayers in English, French and Bislama, Chief Willie Bongmatour, representing the chiefs of Vanuatu, expressed his gratitude to the Baha'is for recognising the role of the chiefs in fostering peace at a local level.  Merelyn Tahi spoke of the advancement of women as a key element of peace-making.  Payman Rowhani-Farid, representing the Baha'i community of Vanuatu, said that the peace process begins with individuals and families, and that the education of children is particularly important.  Baha'i youth gave choral renderings of prayers and sacred scriptures between the presentations.\n\nThe Awards were presented by Peter Kaltoli, the one of the first Baha'is in Vanuatu, and Charles Pierce, the Secretary of the National Spiritual Assembly of the Baha'is of Vanuatu.\n\nMrs. Dobbins was one of the Baha'is who, beginning in the early 1950s, responded to a call to settle in areas where no Baha'is had lived before.  As a result of their efforts, more than 100 countries and territories were opened to the Faith within the span of a few years.\n\nFollowing further musical selections and the closing prayers, a feast was set out for the guests in the Nur Institute Building, which formerly housed the Nur School, and the youth and children from the Baha'i communities on Efate performed a continuous stream of songs, dances and sketches.\n\nThe event received coverage on Radio Vanuatu and the national television news."}],"disableInlineCaptions":false,"slideshow":[{"image":{"url":"https://www.datocms-assets.com/6348/1543418057-bwns4645-0.jpg"},"imageDescription":"Baha'i youth from Erakor village dancing at the fifth annual celebration of Bertha Dobbins Day, Port Vila, Vanuatu."}],"pushRelatedContentDown":null,"relatedContent":[],"updatedContent":false,"excludeFromHomepage":false,"category":[],"highlightClip":null},{"storyNumber":70,"evergreenUrl":"humor-key-ingredient-samoan-healthy-cooking-tv-series","title":"Humor key ingredient in Samoan healthy cooking TV series","description":"\"O le Kuka Samoa,\" Samoa's first television series dedicated to a healthy diet, was launched on 16 October 2000, World Food Day, at the residence...","date":"2000-10-18","customDateline":null,"city":"APIA","country":"SAMOA","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":"\"O le Kuka Samoa,\" Samoa's first television series dedicated to a healthy diet, was launched on 16 October 2000, World Food Day, at the residence of the New Zealand High Commissioner. Well-known Samoan comedian Sumeo, alias \"O le King Kuka,\" will star as a master chef in the television cooking program, to be aired weekly on TV-Samoa starting 19 October.\n\nThe show is produced by the Samoan Baha'i Charitable Trust for Social and Economic Development in collaboration with the Samoan Nutrition Centre. Other partners include the New Zealand High Commission in Samoa, New Zealand Official Development Assistance (NZODA), the Australian Agency for International Development (AusAID), the FAO Pacific Regional Office, UNICEF, the Samoan Government's Health Department, and Television Samoa Corporation.\n\n\"Promoting greater use of nutritious locally grown fruits and vegetables to improve the diet of children in Samoa is the essential aim,\" said a spokesman for the Baha'i Charitable Trust, \"but the key ingredient to getting the message across is the humor masterfully ladled out by Sumeo. The show is also in the Samoan language and features interviews with local celebrities and sportspeople.\"\n\nA companion cookbook produced with the assistance of FAO and NZODA and featuring the recipes used in the show was also released at the launching ceremony. \"The special guest for the evening was none other than King Kuka himself who demonstrated how to make two new recipes with laughter,\" said the organizers."}],"disableInlineCaptions":false,"slideshow":[],"pushRelatedContentDown":null,"relatedContent":[],"updatedContent":false,"excludeFromHomepage":false,"category":[],"highlightClip":null},{"storyNumber":69,"evergreenUrl":"jodhpur-lancers-haifa-day-commemorated-bahai-house-worship-india","title":"Jodhpur Lancers' \"Haifa Day\" commemorated at Baha'i House of Worship in India","description":"Every year on 23 September the Indian Army commemorates Haifa Day, when two Indian cavalry brigades fighting under British General Edmund Allenby...","date":"2000-10-06","customDateline":null,"city":"NEW DELHI","country":"","thumbnail":{"url":"https://www.datocms-assets.com/6348/1543411605-bwns4637-0.jpg"},"featureAudio":null,"feature":[{"__typename":"DatoCMS_ImageRecord","image":{"url":"https://www.datocms-assets.com/6348/1543411605-bwns4637-0.jpg"},"imageDescription":"India’s Home Minister, Mr. L. K. Advani (third from left), and other guests listen to a choir service at the Baha’i House of Worship in New Delhi commemorating the Indian Army’s “Haifa Day” on 23 September 2000.","imageStyle":"body-right","imageLink":""}],"storyContent":[{"__typename":"DatoCMS_ParagraphRecord","paragraphText":"Every year on 23 September the Indian Army commemorates Haifa Day, when two Indian cavalry brigades fighting under British General Edmund Allenby during World War I helped liberate Haifa, Israel, from Turkish-German forces in 1918.\n\nThe courageous uphill assault by the Jodhpur Lancers, which took by surprise the German and Turkish artillery and machine gun emplacements on top of Mount Carmel, is also commemorated by the Haifa Monument that stands at one of New Delhi's busiest intersections.\n\nThis year, for the first time, a Haifa Day commemorative event was held at the Baha'i House of Worship in New Delhi, highlighting a little-known connection between the bravery of the Indian fighters and the early history of the Baha'i Faith.\n\nOne of the residents of Haifa in 1918 was 'Abdu'l-Baha, the son of the Founder of the Baha'i Faith and designated by Him as His successor. The commander of the Turkish forces in Syria and Palestine, Jamal Pasha, had threatened to crucify 'Abdu'l-Baha and destroy the Baha'i holy places in Haifa and nearby Acre. With the liberation of Haifa, the threat to 'Abdu'l-Baha's life was lifted.\n\nThis link between the Jodhpur Lancers and the life of 'Abdu'l-Baha first came to light in February 2000 when the architect of the Baha'i House of Worship, Fariborz Sahba, met with Union Minister for External Affairs, the Honorable Jaswant Singh. Mr. Singh's father was a member of the Jodhpur Lancers and fought under General Allenby.\n\nThe event on 23 September was attended by the Home Minister, Mr. L. K. Advani; the Union Minister for Disinvestments and Planning, Mr. Aroun Shourie; the Ambassador of Israel, Mr. David Aphek; the Deputy High Commissioner of the United Kingdom, Mr. T. McCann; the Ambassador of the European Commission, Mr. Caillouet; and other high-ranking army personnel, diplomats, and heads of nongovernmental organizations. The rulers of the princely states of Jodhpur, Mysore and Hyderabad, whose cavalries have now combined to form the Indian Army's 61st Cavalry, were also invited.\n\n\"The Jodhpur Lancers distinguished themselves with their equestrian and fighting skills and sheer courage ... and the day is a very important one in our annals,\" wrote the Maharaja Gajsingh of Jodhpur in response to the invitation. \"The link between the Haifa Charge of 1918 and the life of 'Abdu'l-Baha is indeed interesting and adds a new dimension to the whole story of Haifa for us here at Jodhpur.\"\n\nThe evening program consisted of a choir service in the Prayer Hall of the House of Worship and a gathering on the illuminated lawn surrounding the temple. Zena Sorabjee, a member of the Asian Continental Board of Counselors, spoke about 'Abdu'l-Baha's life of service and the spirit of service embodied by the 61st Cavalry."}],"disableInlineCaptions":false,"slideshow":[],"pushRelatedContentDown":null,"relatedContent":[],"updatedContent":false,"excludeFromHomepage":false,"category":[{"tagName":"houses_of_worship"}],"highlightClip":null},{"storyNumber":68,"evergreenUrl":"president-ethiopias-unity-college-named-global-young-entrepreneur","title":"President of Ethiopia's Unity College Named \"Global Young Entrepreneur\"","description":"Dr. Fisseha Eshetu, the President of Unity College and a member of the Ethiopian Baha'i community, received a \"Global Young Entrepreneur\" award...","date":"2000-10-01","customDateline":null,"city":"NEW YORK","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":"Dr. Fisseha Eshetu, the President of Unity College and a member of the Ethiopian Baha'i community, received a \"Global Young Entrepreneur\" award at the 7th World Summit of Young Entrepreneurs, held at the World Trade Center from 28 August to 1 September 2000.\n\nDr. Eshetu was one of four young entrepreneurs recognized at the summit for the growth and creativity of their enterprises and the shared prosperity they have generated.\n\nUnity College, officially inaugurated in March 1998, was the first private college to be accredited by the Ethiopian Ministry of Education. In only two years, it grew to become the largest private college in Ethiopia and the second-largest institute of higher education in the country, after Addis Ababa University. It now has an enrollment of more than 8,000 and offers courses in accounting, business administration, marketing, personnel management, hotel management and hospitality, and language training in Amharic, English and Arabic.\n\n\"Ethiopia was a country where there was no hope for thousands of young people to pursue their education at the tertiary level,\" said Dr. Eshetu. \"Unity College came into existence in response to this huge need for education. Our mission is training, research and community service.\"\n\nThe World Summit of Young Entrepreneurs was sponsored by the Institute for Leadership Development (ILD), a United Nations global partnership institute involving governments, multinational corporations, and United Nations agencies.  It was co-sponsored by United Nations Development Fund for Women (UNIFEM) and the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD).  More than 350 young entrepreneurs attended from 97 countries.\n\nThe Summit was held on the eve of the United Nations Millennium Summit as a complement to Secretary-General Kofi Annan's \"global compact,\" ILD Executive Director Sujit Chowdhury said at a UN press briefing on August 29.  One of the goals of the Summit was to offer the young entrepreneurs opportunities for access to venture capital, global markets, and international joint ventures, in the belief that developing the private sector is a key component for achieving social progress and equitable globalization.\n\nMr. Eshetu said the college is already self-sustaining and that he plans to upgrade it to a full-fledged university by 2004.  He is committed to providing scholarships to 10,000 women from poor families, and already has partial commitments from donor organizations.  In September 2000 the college launched a daily, non-political newspaper with a circulation of 10,000 that focuses on social development.  About two months ago the college also launched an educational radio program that airs for 20 minutes six days a week."}],"disableInlineCaptions":false,"slideshow":[],"pushRelatedContentDown":null,"relatedContent":[],"updatedContent":false,"excludeFromHomepage":false,"category":[],"highlightClip":null},{"storyNumber":67,"evergreenUrl":"reception-center-opens-bahai-pilgrims-holy-land","title":"Reception Center opens for Baha'i pilgrims to the Holy Land","description":"A new Pilgrim Reception Centre has opened here to receive Baha'i pilgrims and visitors to the Baha'i holy places in Haifa and Acre and the Faith's...","date":"2000-09-18","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":"A new Pilgrim Reception Centre has opened here to receive Baha'i pilgrims and visitors to the Baha'i holy places in Haifa and Acre and the Faith's world administrative headquarters on Mount Carmel.\n\nEvery two weeks from October through July, about 150 Baha'is arrive in Haifa to participate in the nine-day pilgrimage program. Pilgrims pray and meditate at the resting-places of the Founders of the Faith and visit other sites associated with Their lives. Baha'is around the world consider pilgrimage to the Baha'i Holy Places a sacred obligation, which they strive to fulfil at least once in their lives.\n\nThe Pilgrim Reception Centre is located near the Shrine of the Bab, the resting-place of the Herald of the Faith, and opposite the Monument Gardens, where members of the family of Baha'u'llah are interred. The Centre is housed in two historic buildings that formerly served as a clinic. The larger one was built during the time of the British Mandate and the smaller structure has a more Middle Eastern appearance, with patterned ceramic floors and stone arches.\n\nRemodeling of these buildings began in July 1998. The exteriors were restored and the interiors were completely remodeled to create large, functional spaces. A pedestrian walkway was built to connect the two buildings into one complex with a total floor area of 1,069 square meters. The complex contains a reception lounge, kitchen and dining facilities, and an auditorium with seating capacity for more than 300 and booths for translators.\n\nThe first Baha'i Pilgrim House in Haifa was built near the Shrine of the Bab by a Persian believer in 1909 and continued to serve as the primary gathering place for pilgrims until the new facility was completed. The Founder of the Faith, Baha'u'llah, was banished to Acre, then a prison city under Ottoman rule, in 1868 and lived in the vicinity of Acre until He passed away in 1892. He visited Haifa on several occasions and ordained that the spiritual and administrative centers of the Baha'i Faith be established on Mount Carmel. He also indicated the precise spot on Mount Carmel where the remains of the Bab should be interred."}],"disableInlineCaptions":false,"slideshow":[],"pushRelatedContentDown":null,"relatedContent":[],"updatedContent":false,"excludeFromHomepage":false,"category":[],"highlightClip":null},{"storyNumber":66,"evergreenUrl":"canadian-bahais-offer-sacred-words-gift-native-peoples","title":"Canadian Baha'is offer sacred words as gift to Native peoples","description":"On September 9 the Baha'is of Hay River hosted a feast to mark the release of a compact disk with selections of Baha'i sacred writings, set to...","date":"2000-09-15","customDateline":null,"city":"HAY RIVER","country":"CANADA","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":"On September 9 the Baha'is of Hay River hosted a feast to mark the release of a compact disk with selections of Baha'i sacred writings, set to music and translated into six languages spoken by the Dene peoples in Canada's Northwest Territories.\n\nThe release of the CD was the latest phase of a project launched four years ago by the National Spiritual Assembly of the Baha'is of Canada to enable Native Canadians to listen to the Baha'i scriptures in their own languages. A CD in the languages of the Canadian Inuit was produced two years ago.\n\nThe feast was held at K'atl'odeeche, the Hay River Dene Band Reserve, and opened with a drum prayer offered by the K'atl'odeeche drummers and a traditional feeding of the fire ceremony. Ms. Susan Lyons, a member of the National Spiritual Assembly of the Baha'is of Canada, present a copy of the CD on behalf of the Baha'is of Canada to Chief Pat Martel of the Hay River Dene Band.\n\nChief Martel received the gift and addressed the gathering at length, and with obvious emotion, in his own language. He spoke from the heart about the universal power of prayer, regardless of what source it comes from.\n\n\"When people are in pain you can help them by being kind,\" he said. \"You can pray for people.  It doesn't matter who says the prayer.\"\n\nOne of the selections on the CD was a Baha'i prayer for the departed. As it softly played in the background, one of the readers and translators who worked on the CD recited the names of friends who had passed from the community over the years.\n\nThe Hay River Baha'is then served a meal of moose and caribou stew, bannock, whitefish, salads and desserts. During the meal other guests received a copy of the CD.  Then tables and chairs were folded and put away for a drum dance by the K'atl'odeeche drummers.  About 100 people from the reserve came to the feast over the course of the evening.\n\n\"It was a spiritually charged evening with many questions asked and answered and hearts touched,\" a participant reported. \"Listening to prayers in any language stirs one's soul, but when we hear them in our own language it increases our knowledge and comprehension of God.\""}],"disableInlineCaptions":false,"slideshow":[],"pushRelatedContentDown":null,"relatedContent":[],"updatedContent":false,"excludeFromHomepage":false,"category":[],"highlightClip":null},{"storyNumber":65,"evergreenUrl":"radio-project-reach-more-than-1-million-ghanas-volta-region","title":"Radio project to reach more than 1 million in Ghana's Volta region","description":"A radio project to introduce people in Ghana's Volta region to the history and teachings of the Baha'i Faith is expected to reach an audience...","date":"2000-09-08","customDateline":null,"city":"ACCRA","country":"GHANA","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 radio project to introduce people in Ghana's Volta region to the history and teachings of the Baha'i Faith is expected to reach an audience of more than 1 million over the course of three months.\n\nThe project, which began last year in the Greater Accra region and then moved to the Central region, has now moved to the Volta region with programs airing on the Volta Star FM station since late July.\n\n\"This phase of the project, like the second one held in the Central region, features 12 topics on the history, teachings and principles of the Faith,\" said Mr. Micah Yeahwon, coordinator of the project.\n\n\"The scripts have been translated into one of the local languages, Ewe, and are being presented by a member of the National Teaching Committee who resides in the region,\" he said. As part of the program, a phone-in talk show will be aired in late September.\n\nThe organizers of the project have seen positive reactions to the broadcasts in Hohoe, one of the larger cities in the region, and surrounding villages.\n\n\"In Hohoe recently, many people who listened to our programs were seen stopping the Baha'i van to inquire more about what they had heard on the radio,\" Mr. Yeahwon said. \"A resident of Hohoe who heard the program followed up to inquire about the Faith and has since declared his belief in Baha'u'llah. Some residents of a village called Lolobe, about 12 kilometers from Hohoe, have requested the friends of Hohoe to take the Faith to their village.\"\n\nA Baha'i residing in Alavanyo, another town 16 kilometers away from Hohoe, wrote to request assistance in answering all the questions he had received from inquirers.\n\nThe radio programs can also be heard in parts of the Eastern, Brong Ahafo, Ashanti and Greater Accra regions. \"Our information is that we have an audience in neighboring Togo, mainly on the border towns of Aflao and Lome,\" Mr. Yeahwon said. \"It is our hope that by the end of the three-month period, the name of Baha'u'llah or the Baha'i Faith will have been heard by over one million people with some declarations of faith.\""}],"disableInlineCaptions":false,"slideshow":[],"pushRelatedContentDown":null,"relatedContent":[],"updatedContent":false,"excludeFromHomepage":false,"category":[],"highlightClip":null},{"storyNumber":64,"evergreenUrl":"youth-congress-ecuador-dedicated-service-transformation","title":"Youth Congress in Ecuador dedicated to service and transformation","description":"More than 500 young people from South and Central America gathered here from 9 to 14 August for a Baha'i Youth Movement Congress dedicated to...","date":"2000-08-29","customDateline":null,"city":"OTAVALO","country":"ECUADOR","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":"More than 500 young people from South and Central America gathered here from 9 to 14 August for a Baha'i Youth Movement Congress dedicated to \"Service and Transformation: The Challenge of this Generation.\"\n\nIt was the latest in a series of large youth gatherings that have taken place this year throughout the Americas, beginning in Paraguay in January and in El Salvador, Dominican Republic and Canada in July. Their focus has been to galvanize the youth to become catalysts for the spiritual transformation needed to break through the protracted social conflicts that afflict the continent, such as race and class prejudice, corruption, violence, poverty, and social injustice.\n\nIn a letter addressed to the youth of Latin America in January, the Universal House of Justice, supreme governing body of the Baha'i Faith, called on them to become \"invincible champions of justice.\"\n\n\"Be not dismayed if your endeavors are dismissed as utopian by the voices that would oppose any suggestion of fundamental change. Trust in the capacity of this generation to disentangle itself from the embroilments of a divided society,\" the letter stated.\n\nThe Baha'i youth movement is a global social movement that draws inspiration from the heroes and martyrs in the early history of the Baha'i Faith, many of whom were in their teens and twenties and who consecrated their lives to the spiritual regeneration of mankind. In the century and a half since the Faith was established, each generation of youth has drawn strength from their example to strive for moral excellence, good character, and service to humanity.\n\nThe first day of the Congress focused on how to accelerate the transformation of Latin American society by drawing on this rich spiritual heritage.\n\n\"We had a wonderful talk from Eloy Anello in which he called on us to become the 'living martyrs' of the West, to follow in the steps of our 'spiritual forebears' …and perform heroic acts,\" Paola Dumet, a member of the National Youth Committee of Ecuador, reported. Mr. Anello is a member of the Continental Board of Counsellors in the Americas.  The talk was followed with drama and other artistic presentations that called to remembrance the lives and deeds of the early martyrs of the Faith.\n\nThe second day of the Congress focused on individual transformation and the establishment of a distinctive Baha'i way of life. Workshops were held on such themes as courtship and marriage, service and family life, striving for excellence in studies and professional life, and freedom from vices and addictions. The underlying message of these workshops was that Baha'i youth can best become catalysts for social change and influence their peers by exemplifying the highest standards of moral excellence in their own lives. As stated in the Baha'i writings, such things as \"chastity, politeness, friendliness, hospitality, joyous optimism about the ultimate future happiness and well-being of mankind, should distinguish them and win over to them the love and admiration of their fellow youth.\"\n\nThe remainder of the Congress focused on the many practical lines of action open to the youth in their individual or collective efforts. The youth of the Ruhi Institute of Colombia presented a workshop on the training process that has been used in rural areas for large-scale development of human resources and moral capacity. Workshops were presented on the use of the arts, study circles, year of service opportunities (where youth offer one or two years of full-time volunteer service), and pioneering (the practice of settling in another country to assist in the development of the Baha'i community).   An exposition was held for representatives of each country to present information about their activities.\n\n\"One of the objectives of the Congress was to share the experiences of the other countries and widen our vision of the Baha'i youth movement and understand that what we were doing in each country is part of the Movement,\" Ms. Dumet said. \"We were able to feel as part of a single great movement in all of the Americas.\"\n\nA group of youth representing all the countries present met to draft a congress declaration that was symbolically ratified on the final evening as all the youth rose to their feet. The youth were named \"Spiritual Chasquis\" after the term used in the Andes for the messengers who ran from one city to another carrying messages for the Inca.\n\n\"In this way we all pledged to carry the message of the Baha'i Youth Movement and share it with all our generation,\" Ms. Dumet reported.\n\nThe next morning a closing festival was held to celebrate the unity in diversity of the Latin American youth. Some of the local authorities were present, including the mayor of Otavalo who is the first indigenous elected official in Otavalo. \"[The mayor] was attracted by the great diversity of the youth and the artistic presentations of young indigenous Baha'is from Ecuador and Peru,\" Ms. Dumet reported. As the youth bade their farewells, groups were organized for post-congress outreach campaigns throughout the country.\n\n\"I think for all of us, this historic event for the future of the Baha'i Youth Movement of the Americas was something unforgettable and affected the hearts of all the participants; and most importantly we all left inspired and with energy to take concrete action in our communities,\" she said.\n\nThe youth movement has made extensive use of the Internet for organizing and exchanging information. The Congress Web site at http://come.to/congreso-ecuador contains the Congress declaration, workshop materials, and other links and follow-up materials. Other youth movement portals include www.ibyc2000.org, www.mjb.cl, www.bahaiyouth.org, and www.bahaiyouth.com."}],"disableInlineCaptions":false,"slideshow":[],"pushRelatedContentDown":null,"relatedContent":[],"updatedContent":false,"excludeFromHomepage":false,"category":[],"highlightClip":null},{"storyNumber":63,"evergreenUrl":"bahais-around-world-host-interfaith-prayers-peace","title":"Baha'is around the world host interfaith prayers for peace","description":"Baha'is around the world -- from Cote d'Ivoire to Uruguay, from Thailand to the Andaman and Nicobar Islands -- hosted interfaith prayer gatherings...","date":"2000-09-17","customDateline":null,"city":"UNITED NATIONS","country":"","thumbnail":{"url":"https://www.datocms-assets.com/6348/1543411574-bwns4640-0.jpg"},"featureAudio":null,"feature":[{"__typename":"DatoCMS_ImageRecord","image":{"url":"https://www.datocms-assets.com/6348/1543411574-bwns4640-0.jpg"},"imageDescription":"Participants offer prayers during an interfaith meeting organized by the State Baha’i Council of Sikkim, India, on 28 August 2000 to mark the opening of the United Nations Millennium World Peace Summit of Religious and Spiritual Leaders.","imageStyle":"body-right","imageLink":""}],"storyContent":[{"__typename":"DatoCMS_ParagraphRecord","paragraphText":"Baha'is around the world -- from Cote d'Ivoire to Uruguay, from Thailand to the Andaman and Nicobar Islands -- hosted interfaith prayer gatherings in their homes, schools and community centers to mark the opening of the Millennium World Peace Summit of Religious and Spiritual Leaders, which was held at the United Nations 28-29 August 2000.\n\nThe prayers came in response to a call, issued on 3 August 2000, for people everywhere to observe a Day of Prayer for World Peace on the Summit's opening day.\n\nThe Summit brought together more than 1,000 spiritual and religious leaders representing every major world religion in an effort to \"forge a partnership of peace.\"\n\nAmong the local and national events hosted by Baha'is in support of the Summit were:\n\n-- The Baha'is of Dominica hosted a prayer gathering in an auditorium at the University of West Indies Centre in Roseau. Prayers from 13 of the religions represented at the Summit were read, and the program closed with a quotation from \"The Promise of World Peace,\" a statement to the peoples of the world issued in 1985 by the Universal House of Justice, the international governing council of the Baha'i Faith.\n\n-- In Mauritius, the National Spiritual Assembly invited representatives of the Christian, Muslim, Buddhist and Hindu communities to a prayer gathering at the Baha'i Institute in Belle Rose. The event was covered by the Mauritius Broadcasting Corporation radio and television services. \"Some 50 persons fervently joined in with their prayers in a spiritual surge for the establishment of world peace,\" the Assembly reported.\n\n-- In Ireland, representatives of several of the world's major faiths gathered at the Baha'i Centre in Dublin, Ireland, on 28 August  to participate in a devotional program of extracts from Baha'i, Christian, Hindu, Buddhist, Jewish, Islamic, Zoroastrian and Sikh sacred texts. Each guest was presented with a flower blossom on arrival. After devotions and music, tea was served and the representatives of the various religions learned about each other's faiths and traditions in an atmosphere of goodwill. Irish Baha'is sponsored similar events in Cavan, Fingal (a suburb of Dublin), Co. Sligo, Shannon and Waterford."},{"__typename":"DatoCMS_InlineImageRecord","slideshowImageNumber":2},{"__typename":"DatoCMS_ParagraphRecord","paragraphText":"-- In Cote d'Ivoire, the Baha'is of Abidjan and Dabou invited Animist, Jewish, Catholic and Muslim representatives to pray for peace at the Cocody Baha'i Center on 28 August 2000. The Ministry of Communication sent a representative. The invitation to the event was broadcast on the national radio, on the national television evening news, and in four articles in the main national newspapers. There were readings from the Old Testament, the Bible, the Koran and the Baha'i scriptures, followed by statements on world peace by the various religious representatives. Two major newspapers sent journalists to the event, and the following day the national radio broadcast an interview with the Baha'i, Christian and Muslim representatives. Similar events were held in Danan, in Bouak, where two Imams came and the local television filmed the meeting, and in Ferke, where the Baha'is arranged a one-hour program on the local radio.\n\n-- In the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, the Baha'is held a devotional gathering at the Baha'i community center in Port Blair, and invited representatives of the Buddhist, Christian, Hindu, Muslim, and Sikh communities to chant and recite prayers for world peace. About 60 people attended, and the event was covered by local newspapers and announced on the local bulletin of All India Radio.\n\n-- In Thailand, the Santitham School, a Baha'i-run primary school in Yasothon, held a gathering of about 250 students, teachers and staff to pray for world peace on 31 August 2000.   Three Buddhist monks, two Muslim representatives and three Catholic nuns were invited to share their prayers with the students. The Provincial Education Officer and the director of the District Education Office also attended. The Buddhist monks prayed in Bali for compassion toward all mankind and all living beings, and the Catholic nuns prayed that all mankind be safeguarded by the love of God. Several students recited Baha'i prayers for the unity of mankind. Local radio and television stations covered the event.\n\n-- In India, the State Baha'i Council of Sikkim organised a prayer gathering at the Hotel Rendezvous in Gangtok on August 28.  Although they had only four days to organise the event, the Baha'is sent out more than 100 invitations to dignitaries and religious leaders.  Nearly everyone agreed to participate. The Governor of Sikkim, Choudhary Randhir Singh, attended along with representatives of the Hindu, Buddhist, Christian, Sikh, and Jain communities.  News of the gathering was carried on the Sikkim cable television and several local and regional newspapers.\n\nOther prayer gatherings were held at the Baha'i House of Worship in Panama City, Panama, at the Baha'i Centre in Luanda, Angola, and at the Baha'i Center in Montevideo, Uruguay."}],"disableInlineCaptions":false,"slideshow":[{"image":{"url":"https://www.datocms-assets.com/6348/1543411574-bwns4639-0.jpg"},"imageDescription":"Mr. Patrick Dawson (Baha’i), Dr. D. N. Puri (Sikh), Professor A. N. Pandeya (Hindu), and Ms. Janice Johnston (Religious Society of Friends) at an interfaith devotional in the Baha’i Centre in Dublin, Ireland to mark the opening of the United Nations Millennium World Peace Summit of Religious and Spiritual Leaders in New York on 28 August 2000."}],"pushRelatedContentDown":null,"relatedContent":[],"updatedContent":false,"excludeFromHomepage":false,"category":[],"highlightClip":null},{"storyNumber":62,"evergreenUrl":"bahai-united-nations-representative-addresses-world-leaders-millennium-summit","title":"Baha'i United Nations Representative addresses world leaders at Millennium Summit","description":"Speaking in his capacity as the Co-Chair of the Millennium Forum, the principal representative of the Baha'i International Community to the United...","date":"2000-09-08","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":"Speaking in his capacity as the Co-Chair of the Millennium Forum, the principal representative of the Baha'i International Community to the United Nations today addressed world leaders gathered at the Millennium Summit, urging them to join in a global partnership with civil society to create a peaceful and more prosperous world.\n\n\"This historic Summit may well be remembered as having opened the door to a long-awaited era of peace, justice and prosperity for all humanity,\" said Techeste Ahderom, who led the Millennium Forum, which brought together some 1,350 representatives of non-governmental organizations (NGOs) at the United Nations last May to consult about humanity's future in anticipation of this week's Millennium Summit of world leaders.\n\n\"This new era will, of course, require concrete deeds and not just words,\" Mr. Ahderom continued. \"We in civil society stand ready to work with you and your governments, side by side, in a strong new partnership to create this new world. At the same time, civil society also stands ready to hold you to your commitments if you do not deliver on your words.\"\n\nIn his capacity as Co-Chair of the Millennium Forum, Mr. Ahderom was the only Summit speaker who represented civil society at large. The Summit drew more than 150 world leaders, making it the largest gathering of heads of state and government ever held.\n\nIn his address, Mr. Ahderom said that the Millennium Forum, which was organized by non-governmental organizations and held 22-26 May 2000 at the United Nations, was one of the most diverse and significant gatherings of civil society ever held.\n\n\"The Forum was significant for its attempt to accelerate the process among NGOs of networking and coalition building across issue areas that has proved to be such a powerful force for change and social action in today's world,\" said Mr. Ahderom. \"The Forum's focus was on six main issues: peace and security, the eradication of poverty, human rights, sustainable development and the environment, the challenges of globalization, and \"strengthening and democratizing the United Nations.\"\n\nMr. Ahderom asked Summit leaders to carefully review the Millennium Forum Declaration and Agenda for Action, a document that was drafted and adopted by NGOs and civil society organizations gathered at the Forum last May, who came from some 115 countries including a large number from the developing world.\n\nThe Forum's Declaration, he said, \"offers a bold vision for humanity's future and outlines a series of concrete steps that the United Nations, governments, and members of civil society themselves can take to address the global problems facing humanity today.\"\n\nIn particular, Mr. Ahderom told world leaders, the Forum's Declaration condemns global poverty as a \"violation of human rights,\" urges the immediate cancellation of Third World debt, calls for a \"strengthened and democratized United Nations\" with a reformed Security Council, invigorated through an enlarged membership, more democratic procedures, and eventual elimination of the veto.\n\nMr. Ahderom also explained that the Forum's Declaration states that while globalization offers \"significant opportunities for people to connect, share and learn from each other,\" in its currently unregulated form it increases \"inequities between and within countries, undermines local traditions and cultures, and escalates disparities between rich and poor, thereby marginalizing large numbers of people in urban and rural areas.\"\n\nThe Declaration, Mr. Ahderom said, urges governments to make serious \"commitments to restructure the global financial architecture based on principles of equity, transparency, accountability, and democracy,\" stating clearly that the United Nations should be the preeminent international organization, overseeing the World Bank, the IMF and the WTO.\n\nMr. Aherdom was selected as the Co-Chair of the Forum early last year after heading up an interim planning committee that emerged from the Task Force on UN Reform of the Conference of Non-Governmental Organizations (CONGO). In his position as Co-Chair of the Forum, he headed up the Forum's Executive Committee and directed the work of its Secretariat, all in the capacity of an unpaid volunteer.\n\nAs the principal representative of the Baha'i International Community to the United Nations, Mr. Ahderom is mainly responsible for the Community's work on human rights issues at the United Nations.\n\nThe Baha'i International Community was recognized as an international non-governmental organization at the United Nations in 1948. It represents the worldwide membership of the Baha'i Faith at the United Nations and in other fora. The Baha'i Faith has some five million members and has established communities in more than 235 countries and territories. In addressing the Millennium Summit, Mr. Ahderom sought to tell world leaders about the Millennium Forum and its results, emphasizing the important role civil society has played in promoting positive social change. \"Throughout history, from the abolition of slavery to the recognition of the equality of women and men, most great social movements have begun not with governments but with ordinary people,\" Mr. Ahderom said. \"In 1945, civil society again played an important role in shaping many of the key articles found in the Charter of the United Nations, especially in the area of human rights.\"\n\n\"More recently,\" he said, \"NGOs have played a leading role in shaping and supporting an International Criminal Court, in the movement for debt cancellation, and in the International Campaign to Ban Landmines.\"\n\nMr. Ahderom called on world leaders to grant NGOs and civil society groups increased access to the UN General Assembly as a first step towards an invigorated partnership for the new century.\n\nSpeakers at the Summit were limited to heads of state and government, foreign ministers, along with a few leaders of international, intergovernmental organizations, such as the League of Arab States and the Commission of the European Community. A few international organizations with observer status at the United Nations, such as the International Committee of the Red Cross, also spoke. Mr. Ahderom, however, was the only representative to speak who represented a wide association of civil society and non-governmental organizations around the world."}],"disableInlineCaptions":false,"slideshow":[],"pushRelatedContentDown":null,"relatedContent":[],"updatedContent":false,"excludeFromHomepage":false,"category":[],"highlightClip":null},{"storyNumber":61,"evergreenUrl":"summit-religious-leaders-un-takes-interfaith-dialogue-new-level","title":"Summit of religious leaders at the UN takes interfaith dialogue to a new level","description":"The images, broadcast around the globe by CNN and other major news networks, were compelling in their pageantry: some 1,000 religious leaders,...","date":"2000-08-31","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 images, broadcast around the globe by CNN and other major news networks, were compelling in their pageantry: some 1,000 religious leaders, representing every major world religion and resplendent in an array of saffron robes, purple vestments, white turbans and black cassocks, were gathered together in the stately General Assembly building of the United Nations.\n\nYet more significant than the imagery of the Millennium World Peace Summit of Religious and Spiritual Leaders, held 28-31 August 2000 at the UN and at the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel, was the substance of what was said -- and the great symbolism of having the opportunity to say it at the United Nations.\n\n\"This is very different than any interfaith meeting that has happened before,\" said Professor Lawrence Sullivan, director of the Harvard University Center for the Study of World Religions, who attended the Summit as an observer. \"If you hold an ecumenical meeting in a church or synagogue or a mosque, that is not common ground. But the United Nations is a global common ground. It changes the nature of the conversation.\"\n\nAnd the essence of the conversation was this: that it is time for the world's religious communities to stop fighting and arguing amongst themselves and, in an atmosphere of mutual respect and understanding, to begin working together -- in cooperation with secular leaders at the United Nations and elsewhere -- for peace, justice, the eradication of poverty, the protection of the environment, and social harmony.\n\n\"Humanity stands at a critical juncture in history, one that calls for strong moral and spiritual leadership to help set a new direction for society,\" states the preamble of a declaration issued by the Summit. \"We, as religious and spiritual leaders recognize our special responsibility for the well-being of the human family and peace on earth.\" Among other things, the declaration condemned all violence in the name of religion, urged religious communities to respect the right to freedom of religion, and recognized \"that men and women are equal partners in all aspects of life.\"\n\nA \"Galaxy of Leaders\"\n\nThe Summit was organized by a wide range of interfaith groups, non-governmental organizations, and private foundations, including Ted Turner's UN Foundation / Better World Fund, which gave US$600,000 to the event. It drew, in the words of former UN Under Secretary General Maurice Strong, a veritable \"galaxy of leaders\" from all of the world's major religions, including the Baha'i Faith, Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism, Jainism, Judaism, Islam, Shintoism, Sikhism, and Zoroastrianism, as well as indigenous religions from nearly every continent.\n\n\"This summit of religious and spiritual leaders is without doubt one of the most inspiring gatherings ever held here,\" said UN Secretary General Kofi Annan, in an address to the Summit. \"Whatever your past, whatever your calling, and whatever the differences among you, your presence here at the United Nations signifies your commitment to our global mission of tolerance, development and peace.\"\n\nAmong the leaders in attendance were Francis Cardinal Arinze, President of the Pontifical Council on Interreligious Dialogue; Chief Rabbi Israel Meir Lau, Ashkenazi Chief Rabbi of Israel; Abdullah al-Obaid, Secretary General of the World Muslim League; Konrad Raiser, Secretary General of the World Council of Churches; Metropolitan Pitrim of the Russian Orthodox Church; Eshin Watanabe, Patriarch of Tendai Buddhism; Hindu spiritual leader Sri Mata Amritanandamayi Devi; Firoze Kotwal, High Priest of Zoroastrianism; and Albert Lincoln, Secretary General of the Baha'i International Community.\n\nIn all, some 50 \"preeminent leaders,\" as Summit organizers termed them, were present. Together with hundreds of other delegates and representatives, many came from regions of significant religious conflict, including the Middle East, East Asia, the Indian sub-continent, and Eastern Europe. As well, a good number of the Summit's participants have not been significantly involved in interfaith events previously, according to Summit organizers.\n\n\"I've gone to many, many global interfaith gatherings, and what is unique about this gathering is many of the leaders are meeting face-to-face for the first time,\" said Bawa Jain, Secretary General of the Summit. \"This is going to have a major domino effect. They are already reaching out to their own communities. I think you will see the global interfaith movement really evolving from this Summit.\"\n\nTheme of Unity in Diversity\n\nDr. Lincoln of the Baha'i Community called on the gathering to work for a \"global community based on unity in diversity.\" That could be done, said Dr. Lincoln, by working to identify the \"core values that are common to all religious and spiritual traditions.\"\n\nThis theme -- that the world's religions can work together if they respect their diversity while understanding their essential commonalities -- was echoed by many during the Summit.\n\n\"The spirit loves diversity,\" said Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, a Hindu leader. \"The time has come to love each other's religions as one's own.\"\n\nRev. Nichiko Niwano, President of Rissho Kosei Kai in Japan, said: \"We are members of one family. Our lives are sustained by one great light.\"\n\nEven secular leaders who addressed the Summit made similar points. \"We are all one race, and there is only one God who manifests himself in different ways,\" said Ted Turner, the founder of CNN, who was the Summit's honorary chairman. \"So maybe what we ought to do – what we have to do now is we have to work together.\"\n\nThe opening day of the Summit began with several hours of prayers by the leaders, one aim being to prepare the hall for next week's scheduled meeting of heads of state and government at the Millennium Summit.\n\n\"Above and beyond a remarkable maturation in inter-religious dialogue, this meeting of spiritual leaders in the Chamber of the United Nations General Assembly, on the eve of the Millennium Summit of the world's Heads of State and Government, marks an historic and vital step forward in creating the necessary mutual respect and cooperation between religious and political leadership, conditions without which world peace and the prosperity of humankind are probably unattainable,\" said Dr. Lincoln of the Baha'i Community.\n\n\"Our disordered world is in desperate need of a moral compass that is above passing fashion and untainted by the pervasive materialism of the modern era,\" said Dr. Lincoln. \"The convening of this summit suggests that the world has become aware of this need and of the capacity latent in the world’s religious traditions.\"\n\nFor many participants, the level of dialogue, combined with the high level of representation, made for an historic event -- especially in view of the conflicts that have often broken out between religious communities.\n\n\"The significance of this Summit is that we have just completed a millennium -- a thousand years -- in which people too often killed other people in the name of God, a millennium that for my people begins with the first Crusade in 1096 and culminated in the Holocaust,\" said Rabbi Johnathon Sacks, Chief Rabbi of England.\n\n\"In my view this meeting was one in which we crossed a threshold, and we can never again go back to where we were,\" said Rabbi Sacks, \"because the leaders of 70 different faiths have come together in public assembly at the United Nations to commit themselves with their faith communities to an agenda of mutual respect and peace.\"\n\n\"This is no quick fix,\" Rabbi Sacks added. \"Hatreds that have been inculcated for centuries are not going to evaporate overnight. But the commitment of religious leaders to religious pluralism here has been a momentous event that will send a signal of hope to the world.\""}],"disableInlineCaptions":false,"slideshow":[],"pushRelatedContentDown":null,"relatedContent":[],"updatedContent":false,"excludeFromHomepage":false,"category":[],"highlightClip":null}],"lang":"en","language":"en","location":"/archive/80/"}},"staticQueryHashes":["2762707590"]}