Resident for several years of various East Coast cities, Luke Slott, a 26-year-old Irishman, Baha’i and musician, has been jealously hoarded by our American friends for far too long.

London finally had a chance to enjoy Luke’s Chopin-inspired piano, bluesy guitar and hauntingly beautiful sung prayers at a musical devotional held in London, in April.

With an audience of nearly fifty people at his feet, Luke scattered his music with stories from the early history of the Baha’i Faith and its central Figures. There were few dry eyes by the end.

Musical devotionals are held by Baha’is around the world, who believe that the arts are often the best way to create an atmosphere for prayer and devotion in their own homes. Music, Baha’is believe, is a “ladder for the soul”, whether it be piano and blues, hip hop or traditional music from around the world.

Technorati Tags: Baha’i, Bahai, Luke Slott, music, Irish, London

On 5th December the first ever Inter Faith Eisteddfod took place in Cardiff as the culmination of events held in Wales for the Inter Faith Week in Wales.

An eisteddfod – Welsh for ‘sitting together’ – is a festival of literature, music and performance and this particular eisteddfod gave people from the different faith communities in South Wales opportunities to perform in the spirit of creating connections and friendships.

Inter-faith Wales used funding from the Welsh Assembly Government and the Big Lottery to employ South Wales Baha’i Fleur Missaghian to manage this exciting and innovative project.

‘It was a three month project,’ said Mrs Missaghian, ‘and we had to work hard to persuade people to take part. But we did a lot of leg-work and had a good many one-to-one conversations with people from the various faiths. In the end it all came together.’

The eisteddfod aimed to include stories from different faiths, stories of inspirational people of faith, spiritual stories, the story of a particular art form practiced by a faith community and so on.

Said Fleur Missaghian, ‘The aim was to contribute positively towards building a strong, diverse and united community in Wales, celebrating and finding common ground amongst the different ways of life in Wales.’

‘For two months prior to the eisteddfod,’ explained Christine Abbas, one of two Baha’i representatives on Inter-faith Wales,’creative arts workshops were held to engage the faith and wider communities in story telling and to prepare for the eisteddfod itself. Some of the faith groups hadn’t previously been involved in inter faith dialogue.’

The preparations culminated in a presentation of stories, music, dance and drama by faith groups. The show was attended by the Deputy Mayor of Cardiff, by Dr Harriet Crabtree, Director of the Inter Faith Network of the UK and by other guests. Baha’is, Hindus and Muslims were amongst the faith communities supporting the event.

‘We felt we were not so much organising an event as developing a model to work with faith communities,’ said project organiser Fleur Missaghian, who had been assisted in her work by Baha’i youth Kalim Bartlett.

‘These words of Baha’u'llah underpinned this process,’ said Christine Abbas,’Our hope is that the world’s religious leaders and the rulers thereof will unitedly arise for the reformation of this age and the rehabilitation of its fortunes.’

A film of the eisteddfod will be available to download from the Inter-faith Wales website sometime in January.

Technorati Tags: Baha’i, Bahai, inter-faith, eisteddfod, Wales, Cardiff, arts, storytelling

The 91 year old actor was honoured with a CBE in HM the Queen’s New Year Honours list for his “services to drama”. In an investiture ceremony held at Buckingham Palace, Mr Cameron received his award from HRH The Prince of Wales.

“The Prince was very warm and friendly,” said Mr Cameron after the presentation, “and he seemed to be aware of my work which I was very pleased about.”

Mr Cameron attended the ceremony on Thursday 28 May with his wife Barbara, and two daughters Jane and Serena, pictured, who are all Bahá’ís.

A dedicated member of the Bahá’í faith since 1963, Bermudan-born Mr Cameron – who now lives in Kenilworth, Warwickshire – made his screen debut in the Ealing drama, Pool of London, in which he played a Jamaican sailor on shore leave who befriends a white girl. This was the first British film to show, however tentatively, a mixed-race relationship.

Mr Cameron’s most famous screen roles were in two films that confronted racism in Britain – Sapphire (1959) and Flame in the Streets (1961). He also became a familiar face on television in such cult favourites as Danger Man, Doctor Who and The Prisoner. In his 80s, he co-starred as a despotic African dictator in The Interpreter, with Nicole Kidman and Sean Penn. Most recently, he had a cameo role in The Queen with Helen Mirren.

The exhibition, at the St.Mungo Museum of Religious Life and Art, entitled Sacred Journeys: Expressions of Faith, explored the journeys of nine different religious adherents from Glasgow, two of whom - Menai Shahim and Carrie Varjavandi - are Bahá’ís who have recently returned from their pilgrimages to the Bahá’í holy places in the Haifa-Acre area of northern Israel.

Cabinets and panels explored aspects of pilgrimage in the different religions, showing objects associated with the journey and displaying quotations from the pilgrims themselves who were also featured in moving video testimonials about the  spiritual journeys they experienced. 

The St.Mungo Museum of Religious Life and Art showcases the importance of religion in people’s lives across the world. “The museum plays a vital role in promoting understanding and respect about faiths in the city and in Scotland as a whole,” said Allan Forsyth, spokesperson for the Scottish Bahá’í community.

In a letter published in today’s edition of The Times, the comedians – including David Baddiel, Bill Bailey, Sanjeev Bhasker, Jo Brand, Rob Brydon, Jimmy Carr, Jack Dee, Omid Djalili, Sean Lock, Alexei Sayle and Meera Syal – express their concern for the safety of the seven Bahá’í leaders. “No formal evidence has been brought against them,” says the letter, “They have not been given access to their legal counsel, the Nobel laureate Shirin Ebadi. She has had no access to their files and has suffered threats and intimidation since taking on their case.”

Charges that are likely to be filed against the Bahá’ís in the Revolutionary Court include “espionage for Israel, insulting religious sanctities and propaganda against the Islamic republic”.

“In reality, their only “crime”, which the current regime finds intolerable, is that they hold a religious belief that is different from the majority,” says the letter.

The prosecution of the leaders is the latest development in a 30-year-long systematic effort orchestrated by the government to eliminate the 300,000 member Bahá’í community in Iran, where the faith began in the mid-19th century. Documentary evidence has been provided by United Nations agencies on this campaign of religious persecution against Iran’s largest non-Muslim religious minority.

The seven detained Bahá’ís had been looking after the basic needs of Iran’s 300,000-strong Bahá’í community after all Bahá’í institutions were banned by the Iranian government following the 1979 Islamic revolution. In the absence of any national governing council, the informal group of seven was formed with the full knowledge of the government who had routine dealings with them.

“As artists who strive to uplift the human spirit and enrich society through our work,” wrote the comedians, “we register our solidarity with all those in Iran who are being persecuted for promoting the best development of society – be it through the arts and media, the promotion of education, social and economic development, or adherence to moral principles.”

“Further, we join with the governments, human rights organizations and people of goodwill throughout the world who have so far raised their voices calling for a fair trial, if not the complete release of the Bahá’í leaders in Iran,” they wrote.

The letter has been signed by David Baddiel, Bill Bailey, Morwenna Banks, Sanjeev Bhasker, Jo Brand, Russell Brand, Rob Brydon, Jimmy Carr, Jack Dee, Omid Djalili, Sean Lock, Lee Mack, Alexei Sayle, Meera Syal and Mark Thomas.

After a career spanning seven decades, 91 year old Mr Cameron has been honoured for his “services to drama”.

A dedicated member of the Bahá’í faith since 1963, Mr Cameron – who now lives in Kenilworth, Warwickshire - made his screen debut in the Ealing drama, Pool of London, in which he played a Jamaican sailor on shore leave who befriends a white girl. This was the first British film to show, however tentatively, a mixed-race relationship.

Bermudan-born Mr Cameron’s most famous screen roles were in two films that confronted racism in Britain – Sapphire (1959) and Flame in the Streets (1961). He also became a familiar face on television in such cult favourites as Danger Man, Doctor Who and The Prisoner. In his 80s, he co-starred as a despotic African dictator in The Interpreter, with Nicole Kidman and Sean Penn

Most recently, he had a cameo role in The Queen with Helen Mirren. Mr Cameron told the Birmingham Post that he is ready to meet the real-life Queen. “I played an artist who painted Helen Mirren’s portrait in The Queen,” he said, “so I have already had a trial run. It never occurred to me I would come up for any kind of award like this.”

Among other Bahá’ís who have received honours are Hollywood film-music composer Russell Garcia and his singer wife Gina, now resident in New Zealand, who receive Queen’s Service Medals for their services to music.

Mabel Wharekawa-Burt, 61, television presenter, recevied the New Zealand Order of Merit for services to performing arts and the community.

The Wayfarer is an informative documentary written and directed by filmmaker Jess Firth. Mr Firth first encountered the Bahá’í faith while visiting an old school-friend from New Zealand who was working at the Bahá’í World Centre in Haifa, Israel. Intrigued by what he saw of this new religion, Mr Firth set out on a year-long journey through five different countries, meeting Bahá’ís, experiencing their holy places, questioning their beliefs and visiting their development projects.

The Wayfarer DVD is available directly from Quest Media Productions.

The Wayfarer received its first screening on 10 November at the Curzon Soho cinema in London’s Shaftesbury Avenue. Some 120 invited guests were present at the premiere which was introduced by Mr Firth.

“The Wayfarer must be among the first independent documentaries to investigate the Bahá’í faith,” said Robert Weinberg, a spokesman for the UK Bahá’í community. “It has been shot entirely in state-of-the-art High Definition digital video and uniquely combines thought-provoking content with stunning images of the various locations where Bahá’ís are active in the world.”

More than 130 guests, including representatives of Wales’s diverse faith communities, gathered at the city’s Sherman Theatre to view a specially-commissioned exhibition charting the history of the Bahá’í community in Cardiff. A selection of photographs showing the activities of the Bahá’ís in the city over the years was also projected onto the foyer ceiling.

Following a recital by the acclaimed Mavron String Quartet, the guests enjoyed a theatrical performance by professional actor and story-teller Sarah Clive, inspired by the life of Martha Root, a world-renowned Bahá’í teacher who first visited Cardiff in 1925.

After the performance, the audience was invited to ask questions of a special panel comprised of Ms Clive, Mrs Zarin Hainsworth-Fadaei – President of UNIFEM-UK, Mrs Rita Bartlett – the only Welsh member of the National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of the United Kingdom, and Ms Jessica Naish of the Sherman Theatre.

“The most inspiring thing about the event was the diversity of the audience, in terms of culture and age,” said Ms Naish. “To see that the most profound questions were being asked by the children present was very touching.”

The Bahá’ís of Cardiff received numerous messages of goodwill and congratulations, as well as a gift of a birthday cake from the Nantyglo & Blaina Friendship Group.

“The whole event marked the significant contribution the Bahá’í faith has made to the cultural and creative life of our capital,” said Ms Naish.

Technorati Tags: Baha’i, Bahai, Wales, Cardiff

Technorati Tags: Nelson Evora, Olympics, Bahai, Baha’i

Mr Locke, a Bahá’í, is known throughout the world as a visionary Hoop Dancer, the preeminent player of the indigenous Northern Plains flute, a traditional storyteller, cultural ambassador, recording artist and educator.

“I am thrilled to be in the United Kingdom,” said Mr Locke, “I last performed here at the WOMAD Festival in Bath in the early 1990s and it’s so good to be back. It’s the first time I’ve seen the sun shining which makes it even more special!”

While Mr Locke’s early instruction was received from his immediate family and community, he says he has since learned many lessons in global citizenship from his extended family in many parts of the world. 

“I want to demonstrate how we each can draw from our individual heritages to create a vibrant, evolving global civilization embracing and celebrating our collective heritage,” said Mr Locke. “All of the people have the same impulses, spirit and goals. Through my music and dance, I want to create a positive awareness of the oneness of humanity.”

Each year, Mr Locke performs hundreds of concerts and presentations at performing arts centres, festivals, schools, universities, conferences, state and national parks, monuments and historic sites, powwows and reservations. Approximately 80% of his presentations are shared with children.

Mr Locke will be presenting a total of six workshops and three evening programmes at Glastonbury’s Green Fields site during the Festival which runs from Friday 27th to Sunday 29th June.

On Thursday 3 July, from 5.30-7pm, Mr Locke and his performing partner Doug Foote will be running a Native American Dance, Song and Story Workshop for children at the Pullens Centre, 184 Crampton Street, London, SE17 3AE (nearest Tube station: Elephant and Castle).

Later, also at the Pullens centre, at 7pm, Mr Locke and Mr Foote will perform a special concert. Tickets, available on the door, are £10 (£8 concessions). Entrance for those who previously participate in the workshop will be further reduced.  

Technorati Tags: Kevin Locke, Bahai, Baha’i, Glastonbury, Native American, world citizenship