NATIONAL SPIRITUAL ASSEMBLY

Bahá’í Councils to become elected bodies in May 2000

Among the developments in the Cause in the Four Year Plan from which the National Spiritual Assembly has drawn immense satisfaction has been the work of the Regional Bahá’í Councils. During the two and a half years since March 1997, when the Universal House of Justice advised the National Spiritual Assembly to adopt the term "Bahá’í Councils" in place of "Regional Teaching and Administrative Committees", these new institutions of the Cause of God have begun to demonstrate their capacity and eagerness to assume the wide range of responsibilities conferred upon them.

The fruits of the National Spiritual Assembly’s extensive consultations on the question of the decentralisation of the Bahá’í administration in the UK were the establishment in 1995 of the Teaching and Administrative Committees for Scotland (in April 1995), England, Northern Ireland and Wales (all in November 1995). In 1997 the UK became one of only a handful of countries in the Bahá’í world to be served by Regional Bahá’í Councils when "this new element of Bahá’í administration" was brought into being by the Universal House of Justice. In its letter to National Spiritual Assemblies of 30th May 1997 announcing this "historic development", the Supreme Body expounded on the nature and functioning of these new bodies and set out general guidance on the manner of their establishment. Study of this letter and its attachment is vital to gaining a proper understanding of the far-reaching significance of this decision of the House of Justice and its implications for the work of the Cause in the United Kingdom; indeed the National Spiritual Assembly revisited this guidance during a special study session at its October 1998, prior to the appointment of the current membership of the Councils.

The Bahá’í Councils have been moving forward on a number of fronts as befits dynamic new institutions. Central to the successful prosecution of the Four Year Plan has been the recognition by the Councils of the need for them to develop a coherent vision of growth for the region they serve based on the abundant guidance of the Universal House of Justice, the further direction of the National Spiritual Assembly, and the advice of the Continental Board of Counsellors. With this to hand, the Councils have gone on to devise a number of strategies and lines of action to translate these visions into reality, further enhanced by the process of regular review and shaped by their ongoing analysis of the requirements and opportunities in the different parts of the country. In doing so, the Councils have been able to fulfil one of the primary goals of the decentralisation process, namely the carrying forward of the work of the Cause in a way that is ever attentive to the differing conditions and varying needs of the Bahá’í community at the grassroots.

It is clear that the Regional Councils have taken quite different approaches and placed different emphases on certain areas from their sister institutions. This is not entirely surprising given the differing strengths and resources in the various regions of the UK. What has been encouraging has been the extent to which each Council has made efforts to communicate with the friends they serve and to foster close and loving relationships with the Local Spiritual Assemblies, whose ongoing maturation they are charged with stimulating and overseeing. Such an ongoing process of collaboration and consultation between the regional and local tiers of the Bahá’í administration can only bode well for the future of the Cause in these islands, as it seeks to identify possibilities for growth and the means to sustain them.

The current term of office of the Bahá’í Councils opened on the Day of the Covenant (26th November) 1998 and will end in May 2000 when they will be elected for the first time by members of the Local Spiritual Assemblies in their respective regions. This historic development will mark the opening of a new stage in the evolution of these nascent bodies and in the development of the Bahá’í administrative system in the United Kingdom in general.

Voting on 23rd May 2000

In line with the guidance of the Universal House of Justice, the National Spiritual Assembly has made a number of specific decisions regarding the process by which the Councils in the United Kingdom will be elected next year. The election will be conducted by postal ballot. Local Spiritual Assemblies will be asked to arrange meetings on 23rd May 2000 at which the Assembly members will vote by secret ballot. Any member of the community may attend such a meeting and take part in the prayers for the election. The ballots will be collected by the secretaries of the Local Spiritual Assemblies and should reach the National Hazaritu’l-Quds no later than 30th May 2000. Absentee ballots can either be collected by the Assembly secretaries or sent directly to the National Spiritual Assembly by the individual Assembly members concerned. Once the results of the elections have been confirmed by the National Spiritual Assembly the membership of the newly-elected Bahá’í Councils will be announced to the community.

The National Spiritual Assembly has written to all Local Spiritual Assemblies and Groups to advise them of the importance and manner of these annual elections. Given the fact that the electors of the Regional Councils next May will be the members of the Local Spiritual Assemblies elected at Ridván 2000 and that theoretically any adult Bahá’í in the United Kingdom in possession of his or her administrative rights could find him or herself serving on an Assembly at that time, it is therefore vital that every adult believer takes the time now to become well acquainted with the nature and functioning of Bahá’í Councils and to deepen on the qualities and abilities required for membership of these senior institutions of the Cause in this country. The National Assembly therefore encourages the friends to study the guidance contained in the compilation on "Regional Bahá’í Councils" which is available from the Bahá’í Publishing Trust. The National Assembly has also asked all Local Spiritual Assemblies to deepen themselves and their communities on the importance of this issue and has advised them to consult with their assistants to the Auxiliary Board as to how best to move forward in this regard.

The responsibilities of the Bahá’í Councils will undoubtedly gain greater importance in the years ahead as the issues facing the Cause grow in complexity and urgency. Through the operation of these exciting new institutions, and with the support of the Continental Counsellors and their Auxiliaries, the training institutes, and the National and Local Spiritual Assemblies, the Bahá’í community in the United Kingdom will increasingly grow to appreciate, and benefit from, the advantages that "a dynamic integration of functions at a regional level" makes possible.

The November 1999 issue of "Internet Monthly"carries a feature (with colour pictures of the home pages) of what it calls the "Top 10" sites on the World Wide Web in each of a number of categories.

The "religion" category includes the Bahá’í World site as number three of its "Top 10 - Religion" Websites. See it for yourself at: www.bahai.org

In 1997 the Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of South Africa made a submission to that country’s Truth and Reconciliation Commission setting out their community’s experience and response under the previous regime. It gives an interesting insight into a community trying to put into action Bahá’í principles in a particular situation. While the experience may have been unique, the wider Bahá’í community can draw on it.

With the kind permission of that National Spiritual Assembly the Bahá’í Information Office of the United Kingdom is making the statement available. To obtain a copy please contact the Bahá’í Information Office (SAE appreciated as always).

Users of e-mail can also obtain it as plain e-text (or as an attached, formatted .rtf file if you prefer - please say) by sending a request message to: isp@iol.ie

A Shared Faith Communities event, hosted by the Department of Media Culture and Sport, will celebrate the Millennium in the Palace of Westminster on 3rd January 2000. The event, which will be attend by senior Government Ministers and senior religious leaders, will include a programme of writings from the various faith traditions.

At the invitation of the Bahá’í International Community’s United Nations Office, the National Secretary and Office of External Affairs staff attended the fourth "Seminar on Diplomatic Work Focusing on Defence of the Bahá’í Faith" in Acuto, Italy. Seminar participants, including external affairs representatives of twenty-two other National Spiritual Assemblies, received updates on the situation of the Bahá’í community in Iran and on the work of the BICs United Nations Offices in New York and Geneva.

Participants explored best practice from different countries and shared some of the great achievements from around the world. The Office of External Affairs was able to report some important UK achievements during the last year, especially the work done at local level with MPs to ensure that parliamentary attention is paid to the plight of the Bahá’ís in Iran.

The Bahá’í Institute for higher Education academic campaign was one of the focuses of the Acuto seminar. Mr. Douglas Samimi-Moore, representing the Bahá’í International Community Office of Public Information in Haifa, urged everyone to find new ways to develop the reach of this campaign. Although the Institute has been able to continue its teaching of classes, none of the materials confiscated in last year’s raids has been returned. Furthermore, four of the Institute’s staff are still serving prison sentences ranging from three to ten years.

In the United Kingdom the campaign has now reached 47 universities (domestic and international); some 240 academics have protested at the attempted closure of the Institute and called upon the Iranian Government to remove restrictions against Bahá’ís working or studying in state-run universities.

If you feel your Local Spiritual Assembly could assist by approaching academics at institutions of higher education in your area, please contact the Office of External Affairs for guidance and materials.

Members of Parliament are still signing the two Early Day motions in the House of Commons. Signatures on EDM 26 now stand at 197 and on EDM 418 at 119, but we know that a number of MPs’ signatures will be added at the resumption of Parliament after the summer recess in October.

The National Secretary will be meeting with a number of parliamentarians in October and November in and around the Palace of Westminster. These meetings offer an opportunity for Peers, MPs and MEPs to be updated about the situation of the Bahá’ís in Iran and to be generally informed about the Bahá’í Faith and its activities. The last round of meetings, held earlier in the year, proved very successful and contacts have been maintained. A number of parliamentarians have already proved themselves to be friends of the Bahá’ís and will prove to be important allies as we continue the work to defend our beleaguered brethren in Iran.