Baha’is from across the United Kingdom gathered in Nottingham this weekend for the annual election of the National Spiritual Assembly, the governing body of the Baha’is in this country.

Ninety-five delegates, themselves elected by Baha’is at local level, fulfilled what for Baha’is is a sacred task of administrative and spiritual renewal.

They were joined by around 600 observers.

The role of National Convention

Delegates cast their ballots as the tellers observe the process

National Convention is an established part of the Baha’i calendar and has been held in the United Kingdom since the National Spiritual Assembly was first elected in 1923.

Each year during the 21 April-2 May festival of Ridvan – the Baha’is’ most significant annual festival and the time when Baha’is elect their local and national administrative councils – the Universal House of Justice, the community’s world governing council, addresses a major message to the Baha’is of the world.

This year’s message reviewed the progress of the global Baha’i community in recent years and and commented on the development in the community of a culture in which learning is the focus. All are encouraged to contribute to the development of knowledge, which is central to social existence.

The message also gave detailed guidance on how to promote ‘a way of thinking, studying, and acting, in which all consider themselves as treading a common path of service’.

Reflection on the message provided the platform for the delegates’ consultations. The discussions focused on the neighbourhood-level community building that Baha’is the world over are committed to.

Delegates shared their experiences and thinking about how the building of spiritual, social and material capacity is the foundation of community building. They spoke about the way Baha’is work with people of all faiths and none to improve the well-being of all.

The Convention encourages all delegates, whether veterans or first-timers, to speak freely. There is an ethos of careful listening and all contributions are accorded equal respect.

‘Convention is a time to renew our spirits and focus our vision,’ said one delegate. Another delegate was touched by the ‘sharing of experience and the very focused contributions’.

Election of the National Spiritual Assembly

Delegates receive the newly elected National Spiritual Assembly

One of the delegates’ main tasks at Convention is to elect the members of the National Spiritual Assembly for the coming year. Delegates were struck by the contrast with the political electoral process as the voting took place in silence and in an atmosphere of intense prayer.

There are no nominations and there’s no canvassing. Each delegate confidentially writes the names of the nine people he or she considers most suitable to serve on the National Assembly on his or her ballot paper. Once the delegates have placed their ballots in the ballot box, nine tellers count the votes. The nine people with the most votes are elected for the year.

Inclusivity

Those attending Convention this year were struck by the level of inclusivity. Everyone, whether enrolled Baha’is or friends of the community, is encouraged to participate in what the Universal House of Justice describes as ‘a process that seeks to raise capacity within a population to take charge of its own spiritual, social and intellectual development’.

Children and young people

Adults have a go at the gamelan

Activities for children and young people, including the opportunity to have a go at playing in a gamelan orchestra of Indonesian drums and gongs added to the energy of the occasion.

At the end of Convention the children performed a song they had learned to the delegates and observers.

The 11-14 year olds performed two plays, including one that contrasted the experience of Baha’i elections with the General Election currently under way in the UK.

And the older youth shared their very perceptive reflections on the message to the Baha’is of the world from the Universal House of Justice.

Bigger, brighter, happier than ever before

The children sing to Convention

One participant observed that delegates, members of Baha’i institutions, local dignitaries, and friends from localities around the United Kingdom ‘are literally flowing together through the university building..it is bigger, brighter, happier than ever before’.

Photos: Mehdi Van Den Bos, Barney Leith, Saleem Vaillancourt.

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The central role in the convention is played by the 95 delegates elected by Baha’is at local level across the country.

The delegates take part intensive consultations about the work of the Baha’i community in the coming year. They also participate in the election of the nine members of the community’s national governing council, the National Spiritual Assembly.

Elected to serve on the National Spiritual Assembly for the coming year are Mrs Zarin Hainsworth-Fadaie, Mr Pete Hulme, Mr Barney Leith, Dr Kishan Manocha, Ms Fidelma Meehan, Mr Patrick O’Mara, Dr Vafa Ram, Dr Shirin Tahzib, and Ms Sara Talai.

Discussions at this year’s convention have been inspired and shaped by a major message from the Universal House of Justice, the Baha’i world’s international governing council. Delegates have focused on developing understanding of Baha’i approaches to community building.

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As the sun sets on 20 April, Baha’is around the world will be preparing for the greatest and holiest of their annual festivals, the twelve-day festival of Ridvan.

Perhaps uniquely amongst religious festivals, Ridván is not just a time for prayer and celebration. It is the occasion when Baha’is take part in the elections of their local and national governing councils, the Spiritual Assemblies.

Baha’is in some 100,000 localities around the world will get together in a prayerful atmosphere to elect their local Spiritual Assemblies, the nine-member bodies that coordinate local community activities.

“Baha’i elections are different,” said Aref Taidi, a member of the Welwyn Baha’i community in the south east of England. “Every adult Baha’i can vote and be voted for. Nobody is nominated and no one canvasses for votes. Before we vote, we pray so the election takes place in a spiritual atmosphere. It’s a sacred duty for Baha’is to take part in electing the Assembly.”

The same prayerful atmosphere will pervade the election of the Baha’i National Spiritual Assembly at the end of the Ridván period.

“It’s a two-stage election,” explained veteran Baha’i and former National Assembly member Dr Wendi Momen.

“Last December local Baha’is got together in 95 electoral units to elect their delegates. It’s the 95 delegates who go to National Convention on behalf of all of us,” Dr Momen said. “Each delegate votes in secret for the nine people she or he thinks can best serve as the members of the National Spiritual Assembly for the coming year. The nine people who get the most votes will form the National Assembly.”

“It’s very different from our General Election on 6 May,” said Mr Taidi. “We don’t have different parties in the Baha’i community. We vote for individuals who have the right qualities, such as well trained minds and a record of service to the community.”

“Baha’is can vote in political elections too, if they choose to do so,” said Dr Momen, “but they won’t vote on a party basis. As in the Baha’i elections, they should vote on the basis of the candidates’ personal qualities and integrity.”

The festival of Ridvan – an Arabic word meaning “paradise” – marks the anniversary of a crucial period in Baha’i history.

Baha’u'llah, Founder of the Baha’i Faith, exiled to Baghdad from His native Iran in 1853, had been summoned to Constantinople. During the twelve days before His departure, 21 April to 2 May 1863, He camped in a garden on the banks of the River Tigris. He named the garden Rivdan, or Paradise.

During this period Baha’u'llah announced to His closest companions that He was the Promised One of all earlier religions — “Him Whom God shall make manifest.” His declaration marks the beginning of the Baha’i Faith.

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The new members are Stephen Birkland and Stephen Hall. They were elected in a by-election in which members of national Baha’i governing bodies around the world serve as electors. The voting was done by mail, and results were conveyed on 20 March to all Baha’i National Spiritual Assemblies.

The Universal House of Justice is the head of the Baha’i Faith. Its permanent seat is at the Baha’i World Centre in Haifa, and all members reside here for the duration of their service.

The regular election of the nine members of the House of Justice occurs every five years at an international convention, held in Haifa. The most recent election was in 2008.

The by-election was necessary to fill two vacancies created when the House of Justice approved the request of two members, Mr. Hooper Dunbar and Dr. Peter Khan, to relinquish their positions owing to their advanced age and the heavy burden of work involved in membership.

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The election of the Assembly – in common with all Bahá’í elections – is a unique process that does not allow campaigning and uses no nominations. Rather, in an atmosphere of prayerful silence, each delegate to the convention writes down the names of the nine adult members of the Bahá’í community whom they feel are best qualified to serve for the coming year. A total of 95 delegates cast their ballots in the quiet and dignified procedure.

The members elected to the National Spiritual Assembly were: Mrs Zarin Hainsworth-Fadaei, Mr Peter Hulme, Mr Barney Leith, Dr Kishan Manocha, Ms Fidelma Meehan, Mr Patrick O’Mara, Dr Vafa Ram, Dr Shirin Tahzib and Mr Robert Weinberg. Tribute was paid to Mrs Rita Bartlett of Abercarn in south Wales who was not re-elected to the National Spiritual Assembly after 15 years of dedicated service to the body.

The National Spiritual Assembly was elected at the national Bahá’í convention held at the Venue Cymru in Llandudno, Wales. Also present were representatives of other Bahá’í institutions and more than 200 observers.

The convention, which ran from the afternoon of Friday 24 April until Sunday 26 April, also afforded delegates the opportunity to consult freely upon subjects of interest and concern. Foremost in the minds of participants this year was the way that Bahá’í communities are responding to the particular challenges in their wider communities, learning how to apply the teachings of the Bahá’í Faith to the needs of society by providing activities of a spiritual, social and educational nature. Programmes of moral education for children and early teenagers are among the many initiatives Bahá’ís are carrying out with their friends and neighbours to serve society.

The ongoing persecution of the Bahá’í community in Iran, where the Bahá’í Faith was born in the mid-19th century, was also in the minds of delegates who joined in a special programme of prayer and remembrance.

Mrs Reed, who spent her final years in a care home near Hollywood, County Down in Northern Ireland, passed away on 25 October.

Born in Wellingborough, Northamptonshire, Mrs Reed joined the Bahá’í faith in the 1940s and immediately became an active participant in its community life.

She was elected to the National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of the British Isles in 1953 and served as its Secretary from 1961 until 1970. In that year, she was appointed as one of the first Bahá’í “Counsellors” for Europe. For 15 years she travelled extensively throughout the continent, inspiring and educating Bahá’í communities and developed a special appreciation for the Scandinavian countries and Iceland, where she enjoyed many close friendships. Mrs Reed also made extended visits to South America and India.

Mrs Reed’s love of Icelandic culture resulted in the publication of a book for children, Stories of Bahá’u'lláh as told by Pokka, published in 1972.

In a written tribute, the National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of the United Kingdom recalled her “staunchness of faith, unfailing reliability and keen sense of humour.”

Mrs Reed spent the last two decades of her life in Northern Ireland after moving from Inverness. “She was extraordinarily knowledgable about the history and administration of the Bahá’í faith,” said Dr Keith Munro, Secretary of the Bahá’í Council for Northern Ireland, “She inspired our lives tremendously. She will be very sorely missed.”

Mrs Reed’s funeral will take place at Kirkwood’s, 150a Kings Road, Belfast on Thursday 30 October at 11.30am.

The government of Vietnam has given full recognition to the Bahá’í community as a religious organization.
A certificate was presented to representatives of the National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of Vietnam at a ceremony on 25 July.

It was the final act in a series of steps that included the election four months ago of the Bahá’í Assembly – itself a landmark event in that it was the first time in many years that elections for the governing council were held. Government representatives were on hand to observe the balloting.
The head of the central government’s Committee for Religious Affairs, Nguyen The Doanh, officiated at last week’s ceremony in Ho Chi Minh City.

The official government news agency reported the event and referred to comments by the chairman of the National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís, Mr. Nguyen Thuc Trong: “(He) said the Government’s recognition of the Baha’i religion ‘charts a new course of development for the entire Bahá’í community’ and motivates followers to make more contributions to social and humanitarian activities and to drive to preserve traditional spiritual values.”

The Bahá’í Faith was established in the country in 1954, and the first National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of Vietnam was elected 10 years later. In the mid-1970s, formal activities of the community were suspended.

The Vietnam News Agency said last week’s ceremony means that “the Government’s Committee for Religious Affairs has recognized the Bahá’í Community of Vietnam as a religious organization able to operate on an equal footing with other religions.”

Bahá’ís of Vietnam are now working on consolidating their community, gathering accurate statistics, and expanding social projects to serve the people of Vietnam, particularly in the area of education.

Reprinted from Bahá’í World News Service

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The letter, dated 3 June 2008, and translated from its original Persian version, reads:

“Almost three weeks have passed since the recent arrest of the members of the distinguished body termed the “Friends in Iran”. No reliable information regarding their circumstances or whereabouts is available. This lack of news and the fact that these dear ones are deprived of access to their families and to legal counsel to defend their rights are causes of deep concern to the Bahá’ís of the world and to all those who seek justice and equity.

What is a source of comfort to our grief-stricken hearts is the courage and steadfastness you have manifested in the face of this crisis. You continue to discharge your spiritual obligations in unity and resolutely adhere to the Divine Teachings. Relying on heavenly grace, you are exerting efforts to protect and safeguard the interests of the Faith. The support that the press and other mass media have given to the oppressed believers in Iran, the advocacy of their cause undertaken by social activists, and the sympathy voiced by Iranian intellectuals evoke our hope and deep gratitude.

Observe how an increasing number of Iranians, who in honouring their ancient traditions, value human rights, believe that the time has now passed for ignorant prejudices to cause division and discrimination amongst people, and recognize that the true exaltation of the nation of Iran is to be attained through unity in diversity. Rest assured that the Iranian people will exert themselves to fulfil such a vision. How regrettable that a small band of those, their hearts darkened by the clouds of prejudice, have yielded to hatred and animosity, are incapable of comprehending the truth that Bahá’ís have no intention but to serve the world of humanity and to assist in the establishment of a spiritual civilization, attribute to you baseless conspiracies, persecute you for your religious beliefs and practices, and seek to inflict harm upon you. Yet, you recall the counsels of Bahá’u’lláh, Who asserts: “That one indeed is a man who, today, dedicateth himself to the service of the entire human race.”

Strive, then, to exemplify these words of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá: “It behoveth the loved ones of the Lord to be the signs and tokens of His universal mercy and the embodiments of His own excelling grace. Like the sun, let them cast their rays upon garden and rubbish heap alike, and even as clouds in spring, let them shed down their rain upon flower and thorn.” Despite the current crisis, pay no heed to oppression and cruelty and, inspired by the Divine Teachings, act in the opposite manner. Focus your thoughts on being a source of good to those around you.

Exert every endeavour to serve your fellow citizens—heirs to a culture rich and humane—who themselves suffer from many an injustice. Avoid all divisiveness and conflict, consort with everyone with kindliness and sincerity, and engage with your compatriots in the discussion of ideas and the exchange of thoughts on matters with which they are anxiously concerned. Ignite in their hearts the flame of hope, faith, and assurance in Iran’s glorious future and in the bright destiny of humankind which you well know is sure to come to pass.”

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