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Baha'i Councils & Training Institutes

Baha'i Council for Scotland

Agenda 21 Conference

On 26th September the Baha'i Council for Scotland sponsored a first of its kind grassroots conference on Agenda 21 which was attended by over 120 adults from all over Scotland. The day also included a varied and fun-filled programme for forty-five children. Many organisations were represented including Gaia Planning, Friends of the Earth, Save the Children, Centre for Human Ecology, One World Trust, a Women's Forum and several local community councils.

West Lothian Provost Joe Williams welcomed the delegates and the conference began with three keynote presentations. The first was by National Spiritual Assembly secretary Barney Leith who, as an executive member of UNED-UK, set the global scene by exploring the role of the United Nations and the way ahead to Earth Summit III. COSLA (Convention of Scottish Local Authorities) LA21 Advisor, Alan Speedie, gave a presentation on LA21 in Scotland. Tara O Leary from CSV Environment completed the morning, bringing things down to grassroots level by exploring the relationship between poverty and sustainability.

Then the real work began when participants joined their workshops. Thirteen workshops covered a wide range - sustainable community themes, including health, education, waste, work, wildlife, and community participation, to name a few! The workshops were facilitated by experts in their field including West Lothian's Local Agenda 21 Officer who, after facilitating her workshop on transport commented, "I am surprised and encouraged by how much I have learnt myself!"

The day ended with a feedback session from the workshops and included discussion on repeating the event next year. The participants had found the day useful, inspiring and unusual with respect to the diversity of those attending. (Only 40 of whom were Baha'is!). There was a definite spirit of enthusiasm and co-operation with much networking and sharing of information. The children had a full programme which was mostly provided by outside organisations working for sustainable development. Their activities included alternative energy experiments, an environmental arts theatre, games, quizzes and stories.

The conference has definitely raised the profile of the Faith in Scotland, especially amongst those working for LA21 and sustainable development in general. It was an example of how the Faith has so much to offer in this area of external affairs - and how we have the expertise within the Baha'i community to facilitate sharing the principles and vision contained within the teachings with the wider community. "It was a privilege to be involved in such an interesting conference" was a comment from the Highland s LA21 Officer which was typical of many received.

Orkney Summer School - Living on the Edge

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Scottish Teaching Projects

The weekend of 18th-19th September saw a host of Baha'is descend on the quiet Aberdeenshire market town of Alford for a big pow-wow. For the first time ever, representatives of all the institutions concerned with Scotland: the Counsellor, the National Spiritual Assembly, the Board Members, the Council and the Training Institute met to discuss strategies to bring the Four Year Plan to a successful conclusion. It was a very exciting weekend which, for the Council members at least, broke new ground in the way in which all the representatives consulted and planned projects together.

The main tangible result of the consultation was the setting up of three national teaching projects. In line with the Council's strategy of nurturing and transplanting successful local projects throughout Scotland, two of the projects already exist and will be developed further. One involves running Baha'i Children's classes for children from non-Baha'i families and the other is about developing arts-based workshop projects for youth. The youth project has already got off to a very exciting start resulting with a dance team being established consisting of Baha'i and non-Baha'i youth and with fifteen of these youth now attending regular firesides.

Edinburgh Centenary event

As well as the UK centenary, the Baha'i community in Scotland commemorates another very special event. It is fifty years since the first Scottish Local Spiritual Assembly was established in Edinburgh. To mark these two events, a reception was held in the prestigious Playfair Library, University Old College, Edinburgh on Friday 13th November. The programme included guest speakers Dr John Parris of the National Spiritual Assembly and Professor Frank Whaling of the University of Edinburgh and an artistic presentation consisting of: the Edinburgh Baha'i Choral Group; Kerry-Ann Boyle; Sean O Rourke and Kingsley and Suzanne Swan.

The programme was extremely well-received by an audience of over 150 of whom many were non-Baha'i guests. Both of the speakers were excellent and all the artistic presentations were of the highest standard. One surprise during the evening was the talk by Professor Whaling. Originally, a councillor from Edinburgh District Council had been scheduled to give a talk but he had a (minor) accident and had to call off. With only a few minutes to go to the start, Professor Whaling was asked if he could say a few words instead. He accepted and proceeded to give the most wonderful talk, full of praise of the Baha'i community. We couldn't have wished for a better talk if we'd planned it!

This event helped to raise the profile of the Baha'i community. It was organised jointly by the LSA of Edinburgh and the Council for Scotland. A number of voluntary organisations were represented and other religious groups attended.

Baha'i Council for Scotland - Secretary: Parvin Morrissey, 4 Simpson Court, Tillicoultry, Clacks FK13 6QQ e-mail: council_for_scotland@bci.org

Baha'i Council for Wales

Report from the Council

The newly appointed Council held its first meeting on 29th November in Newtown. The following officers were elected:

Chairperson: Tim Melville
Secretary: Christine Abbas
Treasurer: Steve Wagg
Vice Chair: Penny Kemp

Other members are Tracey Jones, Jean Owen and Yasmin Delpak who were formally welcomed on to the Council. Our warm love and many thanks also go to those who served previously, Habib Behi, Margaret Sweet and Joanne Collins.

At this one day meeting we had the bounty of meeting with National Spiritual Assembly representative Rita Bartlett. Her warm greetings from the NSA and her enthusiastic and encouraging approach imbued us with a renewed spirit of dedication to the Cause in Wales, to the continued empowering of the Insitutions and individuals whom the Council holds dear.

The work begins

One of the Council's major plans which it is to review fully soon is the Centenary Project (Faith into Schools). As outlined in the National Conference, at Scarborough, the Council, as a gift to Baha'u'llah for the Centenary, planned to start a process to introduce the Faith into each local education authority with the aim of gaining recognition as an independent major religion and increasing the numbers of schools offering lessons on the Faith with the goal of having it taught by the teachers themselves. Over the years many communities have already begun links with schools which have shown that, in Wales, this can have positive results. From its launch last May till now there have been some exciting developments that are ready to take on to further stages. Where meetings with Directors of Education or Religious Education Advisors have taken place the results have been extremly positive.

One Director has agreed to endorse resource material for teachers which the Baha'is can channel through his department. Another Director redirected his letter to the RE Advisor who invited Baha'is to speak to thirty teachers from five different Local Education Authorities at a Heads of RE Conference in Bridgend. All were presented with a resource pack and over lunch many expressed a desire to have more information or for Baha'is to come into their schools. In north Wales an RE Advisor and a member of a Standing Advisory Council for RE both attended the Centenary Concert in Conwy. The RE Advisor will be meeting with Baha'is soon whilst the possibility of the Faith being introduced onto Gwynedd's RE syllabus is being considered. The Council is looking forward to developing links with the Assemblies, groups and individuals to further this goal.

Over the next 18 months, this, and other challenges, lay before us as each institution and every individual arises to respond. Planning systematic lines of actions, involvement in regional teaching plans and undergoing Training Institute courses are just a few of the main tasks that will assist us in accelerating the process of entry by troops.

Youth Task Force for England

Universal House of Justice praises Centenary Experience

The Universal House of Justice received your letter dated 17th August 1998 on behalf of the Baha'i Youth Task Force for England, enclosing the report from the participants in the All-England Youth Conference, and was pleased to learn that this event has inspired the youth to arise in a systematic manner, striving towards ever greater heights of service. Be assured of its prayers in the Holy Shrines for the confirmation of their devoted efforts to advance the process of entry by troops in England at this critical time in history.

With loving Baha'i greetings, for the Department of the Secretariat