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date | event | tags | firsts |
1989 25 – 29 Dec | The first International Bahá'í Summer School of Bophuthatswana was held at the Pilanesberg National Game Reserve, attended by 263 people from 12 countries. [BINS215:1–2] | Summer schools; First summer and winter schools; Bophuthatswana, South Africa; South Africa | first International Bahá’í Summer School of Bophuthatswana |
1989 18 Dec - 1990 2 Jan | West Berlin Bahá'í communities were joined by 26 Bahá'ís from six European countries and the United States in proclamation and teaching activities among East Germans. [BINS215:2]
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Promise of World Peace (statement); Teaching; Berlin, Germany; Germany | |
1989 18 Dec - 1990 2 Jan | During the Youth Winter School in Traben-Trarback participants from 12 countries including East Germany, Romania, Hungary and the Soviet Union gathered for the first time since the Second World War. [BINS215:2] | Conferences, Bahá'í; Conferences, Youth; Youth; - Conferences, International; Winter schools; - First conferences; Traben-Trarbach, Germany; Germany; Eastern Europe; Soviet Union; Russia | first gathering soviet-bloc countries since WW II |
1989 15 Dec | A World Forestry Charter Gathering organized by the Offices of Public Information in London and New York took place in London. [AWH75; BINS214:1–2]
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Richard St. Barbe Baker; Environment; London, England; United Kingdom | |
1989 (Late in the year) | The Local Spiritual Assembly of Budapest was re-elected for the first time since the proscription of 1950. [BINS223:4; Letter of the Universal House of Justice to the National Spiritual Assembly of Austria, 6 December 1989
www.bahai.hu Note 68]
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Local Spiritual Assembly, re-formed; Budapest, Hungary; Hungary | |
1989 28 Nov - 8 Dec | In 1988, when 14 young Soviets youth were hosted by the Bahá'ís at a summer camp in Hawaii, they were introduced to the Universal House of Justice's peace statement, found it to be supportive of their mission, and invited the Bahá'ís to come and share it with Soviet youth. In return, under the auspices ofYouth Ambassadors International (YAI) and Foundation for Social Innovation (FSI), 62 Bahá'ís from eight Pacific Island nations made a return trip to the Soviet Union. The project was called the "Promise of World Peace Tour". They spent five days in Moscow and four in Kazan, capital of the Tatar ASSR. Their activities were: The group was invited to visit Kazan, at that time a "closed city", where they spent four days touring schools and visiting private homes. |
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1989 4 Nov | Half a million citizens had gathered in East Berlin's public square Alexanderplatz, calling for change. Five days later, the German Democratic Republic, facing mounting public pressure from its people, relented. They thought they could calm the protests by loosening the border controls, making it easier for East Berliners to travel, without opening the border up completely. A spokesperson for the East German government, Günter Schabowski, held a hastily arranged press conference to announce the changes. But in a moment that would alter the course of history, he mistakenly declared that East Germans would be allowed to cross the border freely, effective immediately.
The announcement stunned the journalists at the press conference, who greeted it with first disbelief and then elation. The news spread like wildfire and within hours, thousands of East Germans began flocking to the checkpoints along the wall. They were met by bewildered border guards, struggling to understand what their instructions were regarding this new policy. At around 22:45, overwhelmed by the sheer number of people arriving and lacking any clear orders, the border guards finally opened the gates and overjoyed East Germans flowed over into West Berlin. [BBC] |
Berlin Wall, Germany; Berlin, Germany; East Germany | |
1989 4 – 6 Nov | The European Bahá'í Youth Council, comprised of seven youth and appointed by the Universal House of Justice to coordinate those European youth activities that have a continental impact, met for the first time, in London. [BINS213:4; BW93–4:121] | European Bahá'í Youth Council; Youth; London, England; United Kingdom; - Europe | first meeting European Bahá’í Youth Council |
1989 26 Oct | The Universal House of Justice issued statement on the environment. [AWH144] | Universal House of Justice; Environment; - Statements; Nature | |
1989 21 – 22 Oct | The Southern African Bahá'í Association for the Advancement of Women was formed in Johannesburg. [BINS210:8] | Women; Johannesburg, South Africa; South Africa | |
1989 10 Oct | The Bahá'í World Centre received official approval by the Local Town Planning Committee and City Council of Haifa of the Town Planning Scheme for the initiation of the Projects on Mt Carmel. | Arc project; Haifa, Israel | |
1989 Oct | One Country, the newsletter of the Bahá'í International Community, started publication in five other languages - French, Spanish, Chinese, Russian, and German. The first French language edition of the publication was launched in Paris in October, 1989. Each issue contained two or three in-depth feature stories on the United Nations, noteworthy social and economic development projects, environmental efforts or educational programs, along with an editorial that addresses world problems from a Bahá'í point of view. | Bahá'í International Community; One Country (magazine); - First publications; - Newsletters; * Publications | First French language edition of One Country |
1989 Oct | The National Spiritual Assembly of Bangladesh reported the enrolment of 7,500 people in the year since November 1988. [BINS210:1] | Mass conversion; Bangladesh | |
1989 Oct - Nov | In India, 4,300 people became Bahá'ís in the State of Orissa. [BINS213:3] | Mass conversion; Orissa, India; India | |
1989 16 – 17 Sep | Bahá'ís in Liechtenstein mounted a display of Bahá'í books and an exhibition at an international festival for peace, justice and the preservation of creation held in Balzers, the first time they have been allowed to have a booth or stand of any kind in public. [BINS209:8] | Exhibitions; Firsts, other; Liechtenstein | first pubic display booth or stand Liechtenstein |
1989 Sep | The Bahá'í Office of the Environment was established as part of the Bahá'í International Community in New York. [AWH75; VV54, 106] | Bahá'í Office of the Environment; Environment; Bahá'í International Community; New York, USA; USA | |
1989 (Summer) | The founding of the Maxwell International Bahá'í School. It was a co-ed Bahá'í school located on Shawnigan Lake, British Columbia, Canada. It offered day students and boarding students from many parts of the world instruction from grades 7-12. Its educational philosophy was based on the principles of the Bahá'í Faith. The school was opened in a ceremony with guest of honour Amatu'l-Bahá Rúhíyyih Khánum (Mary Maxwell, daughter of May and Sutherland) and wife of the Bahá'í Faith's Guardian, Shoghi Effendi). A tree was planted in dedication to the opening of the school. In the early 2006-2007 school year, the school board decided to drop "Bahá'í" from its name, changing it to "Maxwell International School". The school closed on its 20th anniversary in 2008. [Wiki] | Maxwell International School, Canada; - Bahá'í inspired schools; Amatul-Bahá Ruhiyyih Khanum; Maxwell International School, Canada; Shawnigan Lake, BC; British Columbia, Canada; Canada | |
1989 27 Aug | The Universal House of Justice sent a message offering clarification on the subject of the Nineteen Day Feast. [Universal House of Justice 27 August, 1989, AWH192-4] | Nineteen Day Feast; - Bahá'í World Centre | |
1989 3 Aug | The first Latvian resident in Latvia to become a Bahá'í, Lilita Postaza, a renowned tapestry artist, enrolled after visiting the Bahá'í temple in India. | Lilita Postaza; Mashriqu'l-Adhkár, Delhi; Lotus temple, New Delhi; First Bahá'ís by country or area; Latvia | first Latvian Bahá'í resident in Latvia |
1989 Aug | The first Mongolian to become a Bahá'í, Ms Oyundelger, a 22-year-old English-language pupil of Sean Hinton, enrolled in Ulaan Baator. [VV101] | First Bahá'ís by country or area; Sean Hinton; Ulaan Baatar, Mongolia; Mongolia | first Bahá’í in Mongolia |
1989 Aug | Forty Bahá'ís from Réunion, Mauritius, Seychelles and France joined a teaching campaign in Madagascar during which 724 people become Bahá'ís. [BINS217:4] | Mass conversion; Madagascar | |
1989 23 Jul | The first meeting of Bahá'í women in Mauritius took place at the Bahá'í Institute. [BINS215:6] | Mauritius | first meeting of Bahá’í women in Mauritius |
1989 10 Jul | The Universal House of Justice issued statement on literacy. [AWH142-3] | Universal House of Justice; Literacy; - Statements | |
1989 5 Jul | Dr Ugo Giachery (b. 13 May, 1896, Palermo, Sicily), Hand of the Cause of God, passed away while on a visit to Western Samoa. [BINS204:1; VV123]
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Ugo Giachery; - Hands of the Cause; Hands of the Cause, Births and deaths; Births and deaths; In Memoriam; Hands of the Cause, First Contingent; Tiapapata, Samoa; Apia, Samoa; Samoa | |
1989 Jul | Sean Hinton, the first Bahá'í to reside in Mongolia, was named a Knight of Bahá'u'lláh by the Universal House of Justice. | Sean Hinton; - Knights of Bahá'u'lláh; Mongolia | first Bahá’í to reside in Mongolia |
1989 3 Jul | The passing of Bobbie Cowan in Invermere, BC. [AC297] | Bobbie Cowan; In Memoriam; Births and deaths; Invermere, BC; British Columbia, Canada; Canada | |
1989 1 – 2 Jul | The first European Bahá'í Women's Conference was held at De Poort Conference Centre, the Netherlands. [BINS203:2] | Conferences, Bahá'í; Conferences, Women; - Conferences, International; De Poort, Netherlands; - First conferences; Groesbeek, Netherlands; Netherlands; - Europe | first European Bahá’í Women’s Conference |
1989 Jul - Aug | Five European Regional 'Peace Moves' Youth Conferences were held in different parts of the continent. | Conferences, Bahá'í; Conferences, Youth; Youth; Peace; - Europe | |
1989 25 Jun | The Universal House of Justice said in a message it was timely for the knowledge of the Bahá'í Faith to be disseminated on the mainland of China as quickly as possible. [PH80]
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Universal House of Justice; China | |
1989 6 May | The Bahá'í World Centre received one of six awards given by the Council for a "Beautiful Israel" in a ceremony in Jerusalem. [BINS199:2] | - Bahá'í World Centre; Awards; Jerusalem, Israel; - Bahá'í World Centre | |
1989 May | The Olinga Teaching Project was launched in Fiji, resulting in over a thousand people becoming Bahá'ís. [BINS204:3] | Mass conversion; Fiji | |
1989 May | Nearly 880 people became Bahá'ís in Guyana. [BINS202:8] | Mass conversion; Guyana | |
1989 Ridván | The Universal House of Justice reported that nearly half a million people had became Bahá'ís in the past year. [AWH60] | Statistics | |
1989 Ridván | The Local Spiritual Assembly of 'Ishqábád (now Ashgabat, Turkmenistan) was re-formed after a lapse of 61 years, the first local assembly to be formed in the Soviet Union. [AWH73; VV111] | Local Spiritual Assembly; Ashgabat; Turkmenistan; Soviet Union; Russia | first Local Spiritual Assembly to in the former Soviet Union. |
1989 Ridván | The National Spiritual Assembly of Guinea-Bissau was formed. [PH73; BW20p249; AWH62; BINS199:1, 4]
In 1975 Senegal had jurisdiction over Mauritania (1978), Cape Verde Islands (1984) and Guinea-Bissau (1989). With the last of its territories gone this left Senegal alone hence the National Spiritual Assembly of Senegal was formed with its seat in Dakar. |
National Spiritual Assembly, formation; Guinea Bissau; Dakar, Senegal; Senegal | first NSA Guinea-Bissau |
1989 9 Apr | The Bahá'ís of Moscow celebrated the first Feast since the 1930s. The event took place in the Hainsworth home. [BW20p229] | Feast; Moscow, Russia | first Feast in Moscow since the 1930s |
1989 Apr | Some four million persons had visited the House of Worship in New Delhi to this date. [AWH61] | Mashriqu'l-Adhkár, Delhi; Lotus temple, New Delhi; * Mashriqu'l-Adhkár (House of Worship); Statistics; New Delhi, India; India | |
1989 Apr | The Universal House of Justice announced a vast majority of prisoners that had been held by authorities in Irán had been released. [AWH62] | Universal House of Justice; Persecution, Iran; - Persecution, Other; - Persecution; Iran | |
1989 Ridván | The first National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of Macau was formed. [PH73; AWH62] | National Spiritual Assembly, formation; Macau | first NSA of Macau |
1989 Apr | The Association for Bahá'í Studies of Malaysia was established. [BINS206:8] | Bahá'í Studies, Associations for; Malaysia; - Asia | |
1989 Apr | Nearly one half million new believers were enrolled since last Ridván. [AWH60] | Statistics; Growth; - Worldwide | |
1989 24 – 27 Mar | The first All-Ireland Youth Spring School was held in Closkelt, Northern Ireland. [BINS197:51] | Closkelt, Northern Ireland; Northern Ireland, UK | first All-Ireland Youth Spring School |
1989 23 – 26 Mar | The First National Women's Conference of Spain was held in Madrid. [BINS201:6] | Conferences, Bahá'í; Conferences, Women; - Conferences, National; Women; - First conferences; Madrid, Spain; Spain | first National Women’s Conference of Spain |
1989 17 Mar | The Bahá'í International Community entered into a 'working relationship' with the World Health Organization (WHO) for the period 1989–91. [AWH61; BINS201:1] | Bahá'í International Community; World Health Organization (WHO) | |
1989 9 Mar | The Commission on Human Rights adopted a resolution expressing grave concern at human rights violations in Iran, mentioning the Bahá'ís three times. [BINS195:1] | United Nations; Human Rights; Persecution, Iran; - Persecution, Other; - Persecution; Bahá'í International Community; Iran | |
1989 15 Feb | The publication of the statement by the Bahá'í International Community, "Creating a Universal Culture of Human Rights", to the fourty-fifth session of the United Nations Commission on Human Rights. | Bahá'í International Community; - BIC statements; - Statements; Human Rights; United Nations; Geneva, Switzerland | |
1989 9 Feb | The publication of the statement by the Bahá'í International Community, "Right to Development", to the forty-fifth session of the United Nations Commission on Human Rights. | Human Rights; Bahá'í International Community; - BIC statements; - Statements; United Nations; Geneva, Switzerland; Switzerland | |
1989 8 Feb | The publication of the statement by the Bahá'í International Community, "Eliminating Racism", to the forty-fifth session of the United Nations Commission on Human Rights. | Racism; United Nations; Bahá'í International Community; - BIC statements; Geneva, Switzerland; Switzerland | |
1989 Feb | The inaugural publication of One Country, the newsletter of the Bahá'í International Community. It was a publication of the Office of Public Information of the Bahá'í International Community in New York. The periodical reported mainly on activities of the worldwide Bahá'í community in relation to issues of sustainable development, peace and world order, human rights, and the advancement of women. [BW'86-'92 p.539] | One Country (magazine); - Newsletters; Bahá'í International Community; - First publications; * Publications; - Periodicals; New York, USA; USA | |
1989 7 Jan | A week-long teaching project was launched in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands resulting in 43 enrolments and the re-formation of two local spiritual assemblies. [BINS191:7] | Local Spiritual Assembly, re-formed; Teaching; Andaman and Nicobar Islands, India | |
1989 Jan | Three per cent of the population of North Tarawa, Kiribati, 70 people, became Bahá'ís. [BINS193:3] | North Tarawa, Kiribati; Kiribati | |
1989 (In the year) | The establishment of the Bahá'í International Community's Office of the Environment in New York. Ridván Message 1992 [AWH75; VV54 106] | Bahá'í International Community; Environment; New York, USA; USA | |
1989 (In the year) | Three International Music Festivals were held in Africa. [BINS215] | Music festivals; - Music; * Arts and crafts; - Africa | |
1989 (In the year) | A branch of the Bahá'í International Community's Office of Public Information was established in Hong Kong in anticipation of the time when the Bahá'í Faith can be proclaimed on the mainland of China. [AWH61; VV54] | Bahá'í International Community; Office of Public Information; Hong Kong; China | |
1989 (In the year) | The New Era Foundation was formed by the US National Spiritual Assembly to sponsor a wide range of development projects in several continents. [VV81] | New Era Foundation; USA | |
1989 (In the year) | The first travel teachers to visit Albania since World War II arrived from Italy. | Albania | first travel teachers visit Albania since WW II |
1989 (In the year) | During a three-week teaching effort on the island of Tobago, 450 people became Bahá'ís. [BINS201:7] | Teaching; Mass conversion; Trinidad and Tobago | |
1989 (In the year) | More than 250 people became Bahá'ís in Zambia in the first three months of the year. [BINS201:6] | Mass conversion; Zambia | |
1989 (In the Year) | The Bahá'ís of Warwick (U.K.) began producing a series of leaflets known informally as the "Warwick leaflets", and marketed in North America as the "Star Series". They were designed to be given out to seekers and new believers, and cover many introductory aspects of the Bahá'í Faith. For a list of titles see Bahá'i Library.
For the history of the Warwick Leaflets see Bahaipedia. |
* Publications; Publishing; Warwick, England; United Kingdom | |
1988 24 Dec | The first National Youth Conference of Côte d'Ivoire took place. [BINS196:9] | Conferences, Bahá'í; Conferences, Youth; Youth; - First conferences; Ivory Coast | first National Youth Conference of Côte d’Ivoire |
1988 30 Dec - 1989 1 Jan | Senior officers of the Bahá'í International Community in the Holy Land, Geneva, and New York met with representatives of five national spiritual assemblies to discuss their collaboration with the United Nations, its agencies and their governments. | Bahá'í International Community | |
1988 29 Dec | The Universal House of Justice issued a letter to the Bahá'ís in the United States published as Individual Rights and Freedoms in the World Order of Bahá'u'lláh. [Mess86-01p60] | * Universal House of Justice, Letters and messages; * Publications; - Administration; - Administrative Order; Authority; Bahá'í Faith, Evolutionary nature of; Consultation; Criticism and apologetics; - Ethics; Freedom and liberty; Freedom of expression; Human Rights; Individualism; Moderation; Publishing, Review; Unity; Culture, Western; - Bahá'í World Centre; USA | |
1988 28 Dec | Sean Hinton, a British Bahá'í youth of 22 years, arrived in Ulaan Baator, Mongolia, as an official research scholar in ethnomusicology from the University of Cambridge, the first Bahá'í to reside in Mongolia. [VV101]
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Sean Hinton; - Knights of Bahá'u'lláh; Ulaan Baatar, Mongolia; Mongolia | first Bahá’í to reside in Mongolia |
1988 18 Dec | H. Borrah Kavelin, (b. 18 March, 1906, Russia), former member of the first House of Justice, passed away in Albuquerque, New Mexico. He was buried in Fairview Memorial Park in Albuquerque. [VV97]
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H. Borrah Kavelin; Universal House of Justice, Members of; Births and deaths; In Memoriam; Albuquerque, NM; New Mexico, USA; USA | |
1988 9 Dec | The passing of Edna M. True, (b. July 29, 1888, in Grand Rapids, Michigan) She was a daughter of the Hand of the Cause of God Corinne Knight True whose valiant work from 1909-25 as financial secretary of Bahá'í Temple Unity was instrumental in building the House of Worship in Wilmette.
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Edna True; Corinne True; Counsellors; National Spiritual Assemblies; European Teaching Committee; In Memoriam; Grand Rapids, MI; Wilmette, IL; USA | |
1988 8 Dec | The plenary session of the General Assembly of the United Nations adopted a resolution concerning human rights in Iran which specifically mentions the suffering of the Bahá'ís. [BINS189:2] | United Nations; Persecution, Iran; - Persecution, Other; - Persecution; Human Rights; Bahá'í International Community; Iran | |
1988 4 Dec | A two-week teaching project was launched, resulting in 414 people becoming Bahá'ís, including ten chiefs. [BINS192:4] | Mass conversion | |
1988 Dec c. | The Government of Western Samoa published a Christmas issue of four stamps of religious buildings, among them the Bahá'í House of Worship in Samoa. [BINS196:8] | Mashriqu'l-Adhkár, Apia, Samoa; Stamps; Apia, Samoa; Samoa | |
1988 Nov - 1989 Feb | Teaching projects were launched in the Philippines, resulting in 3,847 people becoming Bahá'ís. [BINS195:4] | Mass conversion; Philippines | |
1988 30 Nov | The Bahá'í International Community was elected Secretary of the Board of the 'Conference on Non-Governmental Organizations in consultative status with the Economic and Social Council of the United Nations' (CONGO) for the period 1988–91. [BINS189:2] | Bahá'í International Community; United Nations; Social and economic development; New York, USA | |
1988 26 Nov - 4 Dec | Over a thousand people became Bahá'ís in Bolivia during a teaching project. [BINS189:2]
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Mass conversion; Bolivia | |
1988 Nov - Dec | Six hundred people became Bahá'ís in West Bengal and 5,150 in Orissa, India. [BINS189:4–5] | Mass conversion; West Bengal, India; Orissa, India; India | |
1988 Nov - Dec | One thousand one hundred people became Bahá'ís in the State of Gujarat, India. [BINS190:5] | Mass conversion; Gujarat, India; India | |
1988 Nov | More than 2,500 people enrolled in Bangladesh. [BINS190:5]
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Mass conversion; LSA; Bangladesh | |
1988 Nov c. | Pietro Pandolfini, the first from the Albanian minority in Sicily to become a Bahá'í, enrolled. [BINS189:5] | First believers by background; Sicily, Italy | first from Albanian minority Sicily |
1988 Nov - Dec | The first members of the Jhana tribe to become Bahá'ís enrolled in India. [BINS189:5] | First believers by background; India | |
1988 Oct | Thirteen Romanies became Bahá'ís in northern Spain. [BINS186:7] | Gypsies; Minorities; Spain | |
1988 Oct | One hundred and twenty people in Hong Kong and 280 in Macau become Bahá'ís as a result of teaching institutes. [BINS189:8]
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Teaching institutes; Mass conversion; Hong Kong; Macau | |
1988 Oct | In the State of Orissa, India, 2,600 people became Bahá'ís and 16 new local spiritual assemblies were formed in 15 days. | Mass conversion; LSA; Orissa, India; India | |
1988 24 – 25 Sep | The first annual Bahá'í Studies Conference of Spain was held in Barcelona. [BINS192:5] | Bahá'í studies; Conferences, Bahá'í; Conferences, Other; - First conferences; Barcelona, Spain; Spain | first annual Bahá’í Studies Conference of Spain |
1988 24 Sep | The six-week Manicaland Teaching Campaign was launched in Zimbabwe and reported 166 enrolments in the first three weeks. [BINS188:8] | Zimbabwe | |
1988 10 Sep | A three-month teaching project was launched in Colombia, resulting in 1,245 people becoming Bahá'ís. [BINS193:1] | Colombia | |
1988 Sep | A five-day teaching project in the Lake Titicaca region of Peru enrolled 738 youth and 1,026 adults, almost half of whom were women. [BINS184:10]
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Lake Titicaca; Peru | |
1988 Sep | An intensive teaching campaign in Kenya enrolled 448 new Bahá'ís. [BINS184:8] | Kenya | |
1988 Sep | A teaching project in Maddhya Pradesh, India, enrolled 20,000 new Bahá'ís in Morena District. [BINS185:4] | Mass conversion; Madhya Pradesh, India; India | |
1988 3 – 7 Aug | The first Iberian Youth Conference was held in Lisbon, attended by 120 Bahá'ís from nine European countries. [BINS181:6] | Conferences, Bahá'í; Conferences, Youth; - Conferences, International; Youth; Lisbon, Portugal; Portugal; - Europe | first Iberian Youth Conference |
1988 Aug | A 20-day teaching project in Coro, Falcon State, Venezuela, enrolled 120 people in the first two days. [BINS182:7] | Falcón, Venezuela; Venezuela | |
1988 Jul - Aug | Over 500 people became Bahá'ís in Liberia. [BINS184:8] | Liberia | |
1980-1988 | The paper, Iranian Baha'is and the Iran-Iraq War (1980-1988) was presented by Dr Kamali Sarvestani at the annual meeting of the Middle East Studies Association on November 4th, 2023. The study examines the Iranian Bahá'ís engagement in the Iran-Iraq War.
An abstract can be found at myMESA. |
Persecution, Iran; Iran; Iraq | |
1988 26 Jul | In the final phases of the Iran-Iraq war Supreme Leader Ruhollah Khomeini felt that defeat was imminent and decided to take his revenge on the political prisoners. He issued fatwas ordering the execution of anyone who had not "repented" and who was not willing to collaborate entirely with the regime. The massacres began, and every day hundreds of political prisoners were hanged and their corpses were buried hurriedly in mass graves all over major cities, in particular, Tehran. By the time it ended in the autumn of 1988, some 30,000 political prisoners, the overwhelming majority activists of the People's Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI or MEK), had been slaughtered. On August 9, 2016, an audiotape was released by Khomeini's former heir, Hossein-Ali Montazeri, acknowledging that that massacre took place and had been ordered at the highest levels. [National Council of Resistance in Iran website; Facebook - Iran Gathering]
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Persecution, Iran; Mohammad Jaffar Mahallati; Ayatollah Bahaoddin Mahallati; Iran | |
1988 15 Jul | The first International Women's Conference of Paraguay opened, attended by 130 women from seven countries. [BINS180:5] | Conferences, Bahá'í; Conferences, Women; Women; Paraguay; Latin America | first International Women’s Conference of Paraguay |
1988 14 – 17 Jul | The Bahá'í Association for Arts (BAFA) helds its first arts festival at the Bahá'í conference centre De Poort, Netherlands. [BINS180:4] | Bahá'í Association for Arts (BAFA); Conferences, Bahá'í; Conferences, Arts; - First conferences; De Poort, Netherlands; Groesbeek, Netherlands; Netherlands | first arts festival Netherlands |
1988 7 – 10 Jul | The first Youth Convention of Spain was held in Madrid. [BINS180:5] | Madrid, Spain | first Youth Convention of Spain |
1988 Jul | In 18 days of teaching, 876 adults, youth and children became Bahá'ís in Haiti. [BINS181:7]
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Mass conversion; Haiti | |
1988 Jul | Eighty–nine people became Bahá'ís in Belize. [BINS186:2] | Belize | |
1988 Jul | Nearly 50 people became Bahá'ís in Saipan, Mariana Islands. [BINS181:5]
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Saipan, Mariana Islands; Mariana Islands | |
1988 30 Jun - 3 Jul | The Bahá'í Arts Council, Canada, held the first arts festival, 'Invitation 88: A Festival of the Human Spirit' at the University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario. [BINS179:2] | * Arts and crafts; Firsts, other; London, England; Ontario, Canada; Canada | first arts festival Canada |
1988 Jun | The founding of the Virtues Project by Dr. Dan Popov, Linda Kavelin-Popov and her brother John Kavelin. The project spawned a number of books by Linda Kavelin-Popov:
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Virtues Project; Dan Popov; Linda Kavelin-Popov (Linda Popov); John Popov | |
1988 Jun | Over 100,000 people, including large numbers of women, youth and families, became Bahá'ís in Uttar Pradesh, India. [BINS179:4] | Mass conversion; Uttar Pradesh, India; India | |
1988 31 May | The Universal House of Justice wrote to the National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of New Zealand to comment on a paper titled The Service of Women on the Institutions of the Baha'i Faith presented at the New Zealand Bahai Studies Association Conference in Christchurch earlier that month.
The paper raised the possibility that the ineligibility of women for membership on the Universal House of Justice may be a temporary provision subject to change through a process of progressive unfoldment of the divine purpose. [31 May 1988] |
Bahá'í Studies, Associations for; Women; Universal House of Justice, Membership on; Christchurch, NZ; New Zealand | |
1988 19 May | The Universal House of Justice announced changes in the membership of the International Teaching Centre.
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International Teaching Centre; Farzam Arbab; Hartmut Grossmann; Lauretta King; Donald Rogers; Joy Stevenson; Peter Vuyiya; Magdalene Carney; Masud Khamsi; Isobel Sabri; Aziz Yazdi; Anneliese Bopp; - Bahá'í World Centre | |
1988 8 May | The passing of Beatrice Owen Ashton (b. 17 May, 1890, Cleveland). She was buried in the Lake View Cemetery in Cleveland. [BW20p896-899]
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Beatrice Owen Ashton; Beatrice Ashton; Travel Teaching; Summer schools; Cleveland, OH; Ohio, USA; Lethbridge, AB; Canada | |
1988 Ridván | The Universal House of Justice was elected for the sixth time at the International Convention held in Haifa. Delegates from 148 National/Regional Assemblies participated. [BINS176; VV97]
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Universal House of Justice, Election of; Elections; Universal House of Justice, Members of; Conventions, International; David Hofman; H. Borrah Kavelin; Retirements; Hooper Dunbar; Gifts; Roses; Bahá'í World News Service (BWNS); - Bahá'í World Centre; Haifa, Israel; Iran | |
1988 11 - 15 Apr | The Global Survival Conference in Oxford attracted 200 spiritual and legislative leaders. For five days parliamentarians and cabinet members met with cardinals, metropolitans, bishops, swamis, rabbis, imams and elders. Among them were the Dalai Lama, Mother Teresa, the Archbishop of Canterbury, the High Priest of Togo's Sacred Forest, Cardinal Koenig of Vienna and Native American spiritual leader Chief Oren Lyons of the Onondaga. They conferred with renowned experts on the issues: astronomer Carl Sagan, Soviet scientist Evguenij Velikhov, women's leader Wangari Maathai, environmental scientist James Lovelock, Cosmonaut Valentina Tereshkova and population specialist Fred Sai. [] | Global Survival Conference; Calamities and catastrophes; Interfaith dialogue; Carl Sagan; Oxford, England; United Kingdom | |
1988 Apr | The House of Abdu'lláh Páshá was open for the Bahá'ís to visit for the first time on the occasion of the Sixth International Convention. [ARG61-62] | House of `Abdu'lláh Páshá; Conventions, International; Haifa, Israel; - Bahá'í World Centre | |
1988 11 Mar | The passing of Italian orientalist, scholar and linguist Alessandro Bausani. As an orientalist he made contributions in several fields: Persian Literature, Islam, linguistics, the history of Islamic science, Urdu, Indonesian, and other Islamic literatures. He was a polyglot having studied all the main European languages plus Basque, Arabic, Turkish, Persian as well as Latin and Greek.
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Alessandro Bausani; In Memoriam; Births and deaths; Italy | |
1988 8 Mar | Shirin Fozdar, ardent champion of women's rights and influential women's leader, was honoured for her work for equality and women's advancement at a ceremony organized by the Singapore Council of Women, which she founded in 1952. [BINS176:7] | Shirin Fozdar; Women; Awards; Singapore | |
1988 Mar | The publication of the first edition of the trilingual publication The Journal of Bahá'í Studies under the auspices of the Association for Bahá'í Studies in North America.
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Bahá'í studies; Journal of Bahá'í Studies; Bahá'í Studies, Associations for; Association for Bahá'í Studies (North America); Canada; USA; North America | |
1988 19 Feb | The publication of the statement by the Bahá'í International Community, "Eliminating Torture", for the forty-fourth session of the United Nations Commission on Human Rights. | Torture; United Nations; Bahá'í International Community; - BIC statements; Geneva, Switzerland | |
1988 17 Feb | The publication of the statement by the Bahá'í International Community, "Eliminating Religious Intolerance", for the forty-fourth session of the United Nations Commission on Human Rights. | Religious intolerance; United Nations; Bahá'í International Community; - BIC statements; * Publications; Geneva, Switzerland; Switzerland | |
1988 1 Jan | The publication of Fountain of Wisdom: A Collection of Writings from Bahá'u'lláh by the Bahá'í Publishing Trust in Wilmette. It is a re-printed and re-titled Tablets of Baha'u'llah Revealed after the Kitab-i-Aqdas. | * Bahá'u'lláh, Writings of | |
1988 Jan | A teaching campaign was launched in Chad, resulting in 1,340 new Bahá'ís and 33 new local spiritual assemblies. [BINS187:1] | Local Spiritual Assembly; Chad | |
1988 (In the year) | Hand of the Cause of God William Sears and his wife Marguerite Reimer Sears initiated the first Desert Rose Bahá'í School with the assistance of a core group of dedicated friends. This became an annual event for the Southern Arizona Bahá'í's each Thanksgiving weekend and was held in a rented hall in Tucson, Arizona. in 1992, after the passing of her husband, Mrs Sears was encouraged by the Universal House of Justice to expand the four-day Desert Rose Bahá'í school to a permanent institute. In 1996 Mrs Sears, with the help of many friends, purchased land near Eloy, Arizona for the development of the Desert Rose Bahá'í Institute, which she envisioned as an Institute for education in the arts and agriculture. When the land was purchased, the Round House was the only building on the property. A cottage was constructed for Mrs. Sears that provided both comfortable living space and room where she could work with partners on cataloguing and publishing some of Bill Sears' remaining works while building a library. The following year the Desert Rose Bahá'í Institute was incorporated with Not-for-Profit status. Since that time a Meeting and Dining Hall was built and a Guest House was constructed near the Sears Cottage was built by David Hadden for use by him and his family. In 2018 this Guest House was converted into and Art Gallery. In 2001 a 16 rental apartment was built to help offset the operating costs. In 2004 the William Sears Pavilion was dedicated. It was designed as a place were people could go to reflect, pray, meditate, or celebrate. More accommodations were built in 2005 in the name of the Guffey Center, honouring two volunteers, Ray and Gloria Guffey. In 2017 the DRBI was granted a licence to operate a low power (LP) radio station for Eloy Arizona to serve the community. Radio station KURE was licensed to operate on 106.1 FM as part of the Institute. In 2019 DRBI Board member Dwight Cox initiated an agricultural project to grow organic produce. [DRBI website; Desert Rose Bahá'í Institute - History] |
Bahá'í Radio; Bahá'í-owned radio; Institutes; Tucson, AZ; USA | |
1988 (In the year) | The publication of La terre n'est qu'un seul pays! by Andre Brugiroux. Brugiroux, a French traveller, set out in 1955 at the age of 17 with 10 Francs in his pocket to fulfill his dream of travelling to every country in the world. He did so purely by hitchhiking and spent no more than a dollar a day on his journey. He travelled a total of 240,000 miles and ended his journey in South Sudan in 2011, having visited 251 countries and territories. He went on to write several books, this being the first. It was published in English as One People, One Planet: The Adventures of a World Citizen. [Wikipedia]
|
Andre Brugiroux | |
1988 (In the year) | The Bahá'í International Community became a founding member of 'Advocates for African Food Security: Lessening the Burden for Women, a coalition of agencies and organizations formed to act on behalf of farm women in Africa, and is convener for 1988–92. | Bahá'í International Community; Rural development; Social and economic development; Women; - Africa | |
1988 (In the year) | More than a thousand people became Bahá'ís in Taiwan as a result of the Muhájir Teaching Project. [BINS187:4] | Muhajir Teaching Project; Taiwan | |
1988 (In the year) | 'Arts for Nature', a fund-raising programme held to benefit the work of the World Wide Fund for Nature, was held in London with the collaboration of the Bahá'í International Community. [AWH61; VV106] | Bahá'í International Community; * Arts and crafts; Nature; World Wide Fund for Nature; Environment; London, England; United Kingdom | |
1988 (In the year) | Branches of the Bahá'í International Community's Office of Public Information were established in Paris and London. [VV54] | Bahá'í International Community; Paris, France; London, England | |
1988 (In the year) | The first Caribbean Bahá'í Women's conference took place in Antigua. | Caribbean; Conferences, Bahá'í; Conferences, Women; - First conferences; Antigua | first Caribbean Bahá’í Women’s conference |
1988 (In the year) | The government of Niger authorized the resumption of Bahá'í activities and Bahá'í administration under an administrative committee. | Recognition (legal); Niger | |
1988 (In the year) | The opening of the School of the Nations in Taipa, Macau with 5 students enrolled in kindergarten and operated out of an apartment. The teachers outnumbered the students.
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School of the Nations, Macau; - Bahá'í inspired schools; Bahá'í World News Service (BWNS); Taipa, Macau; Macau | |
1987 Dec | The first Children's Conference of Uganda was held in Kikaaya, Kampala. [BINS173:7] | Conferences, Bahá'í; Conferences, Children; - First conferences; Kikaaya, Uganda; Kampala, Uganda; Uganda | first Children’s Conference of Uganda |
1987 17 Nov | The Universal House of Justice announced the retirement of Mr. David Hofman and Mr. Borrah Kavelin. [Mess86-01p43; VV97] | Universal House of Justice, Members of; David Hofman; H. Borrah Kavelin; - Bahá'í World Centre | |
1987 Nov | Representatives of 17 national spiritual assemblies in Europe and North America, together with senior representatives of the Offices of the Bahá'í International Community, met in Germany to discuss their external affairs. [AWH56; VV105] | External Affairs; Germany | |
1987 3 Oct | The Bahá'í International Community joined the Network on Conservation and Religion of the World Wide Fund for Nature, the sixth major religion to do so. [AWH56; BBD38; VV106] | Bahá'í International Community; World Wide Fund for Nature; Nature; Environment | |
1987 Oct 1987 | Lynda Godwin made her first journey to the Soviet Union, travelling under the auspices of a programme called Citizen Diplomacy, which encouraged individuals to design projects of cultural exchange between Americans and Soviets. She developed one project, called the Soviet/American Teachers Task Force, which brought American teachers to the Soviet Union to team teach in Soviet class rooms, and another called Birthday Friends for Peace, which made pen pals out of Soviet and American children with common birth dates. The projects were so successful that she was invited back numerous times, making more friends each visit as she worked with Soviet guides and translators and arranged for visitors to stay in Soviet homes. Between October 1987 and April 1992, Lynda Godwin made at least twenty trips into what became the former Soviet Union, each time introducing a new group to the region and finding different avenues for exchange. [BW20p199] | Lynda Godwin; Soviet Union | |
1987 Oct | The first local spiritual assembly on the island of São Tomé was formed at São Tomé. | Local Spiritual Assembly; Sao Tome and Principe | first Local Spiritual Assembly São Tomé |
1987 (Autumn) | The National Spiritual Assembly of Brazil submitted proposals based on Bahá'í principles such as human rights to the National Constitutional Assembly drafting the new constitution. [BINS174:2]
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National Spiritual Assembly; Constitutions (general); Brazil | |
1987 (Autumn) | The Post Office of the United Kingdom issued a commemorative stamp honouring Bernard Leach, Bahá'í and world-renowned potter. [BINS173:8] | Bernard Leach; Stamps; - Artists; * Arts and crafts; United Kingdom | |
1987 23 Sep | Three members of the Yaran-e Iran, Mr. Jamaluddin Khanjani, Mr. Hasan Mahboobi and Mr. Changeez Fanaeyan, along with two other Bahá'í citizens, were arrested. After spending 59 days in jail, they were released on November 11th. One of the two Bahá'ís arrested with the members of the Yaran, Mr. Bahman Samandari, was jailed and later executed in March of 1991. Authorities announced that his incarceration and execution was in connection to the 1987 case. Mr. Hasan Mahboobi was killed in a hit-and-run accident as he was heading to a meeting of the Yaran in August 1992. After the release of the Yaran-e Iran until their next arrest in May 2008, the Iranian government was in close contact with them and had complete and detailed knowledge of all Bahá'í activities. On that basisBahá'ís were able to refute the charges of "illegal activities" or "illegal organization" against the security of the nation. [Iran Press Watch 10561] | Yaran; Persecution, Iran; - Persecution, Arrests; - Persecution, Deaths; - Persecution; Iran | |
1987 Sep | The United Nations Secretary-General designated the Bahá'í International Community and the National Spiritual Assemblies of Australia, Belgium, Brazil, Kenya and Lesotho as Peace Messengers, an honour given to only 300 organizations worldwide for their support of the UN Year of Peace 1986. [BINS173:4] | United Nations; Bahá'í International Community; International Year of Peace; Peace; New York, USA; USA; Australia; Belgium; Brazil; Kenya; Lesotho, South Africa | |
1987 31 Aug | The Universal House of Justice called for the erection of the remaining three buildings along the arc at the Bahá'í World Centre—the Centre for the Study of the Sacred Texts, the Seat of the International Teaching Centre and the International Bahá'í Library—as well as an expansion of the International Archives building and the creation of 19 monumental terraces from the foot of Mount Carmel to its crest. [AWH50–4, 90; BBD21; VV96; Message 31 August 1987] | Centre for the Study of the Sacred Texts; International Teaching Centre, Seat; International Bahá'í Library; International Bahá'í Archives; Terraces; Arc project; - Bahá'í World Centre buildings, monuments and gardens; - Bahá'í World Centre; - Basic timeline, Expanded; Mount Carmel; - Bahá'í World Centre | |
1987 1 Jul | The passing of Dr Aziz Navidi (b. 9 September 1913 in Hamadan, Iran) in London. He was buried at the Great Northern Cemetery near the Resting Place of Shoghi Effendi. He studied law and started his legal practice in Iran at the age of 24. The National Spiritual Assembly asked him to defend the oppressed Bahá'ís of Sháhrúd, where, on 8 August 1944, three friends had been martyred and 17 Bahá'í homes had been plundered and set on fire. 'Aziz defended them with great eloquence and undaunted courage, braving the vicious opposition of the clergy. Later he was asked to defend the Bahá'ís of Shiraz and still later those in Yazd. His unceasing endeavours won him the praise of the beloved Guardian who later designated him the "Shield of the Cause of God" and predicted that future historians would study his achievements. In 1953 he and his wife Shamsi pioneered to Monte Carlo in Monaco to replace Mrs French who had passed away. While at this post he studied international law at the University of Paris-Sorbonne. In 1955 the Guardian appointed him to the Commission that appealed to the United Nations in Geneva and New York about the Iranian attempt to exterminate the Bahá'í community. In 1962 he became involved with the imprisoned Bahá'ís in Algeria and Morocco. In 1968 Dr. Navidi became a representative of the Iranian Oil Company for its operations in the Indian Ocean and the family made their new home in Mauritius from where he worked to secure legal recognition of several of the new National Assemblies in the Indian Ocean region as he did with various African states. He fearlessly visited countries hostile to the Bahá'ís with no protection except his faith and his credentials as official lawyer to the Universal House of Justice with special status at the United Nations. His missions took him to Cameroon, the Central African Republic, Chad, the Congo, Gabon, the Gambia, Kenya, Madagascar, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Zaire, and many, many other countries throughout the world. He was successful time and again in persuading democratic governments and dictators alike to alter their laws and constitutions and to officially recognize the Bahá'í Faith. [BW20p866; Navidi, Dr. Aziz (1913-1987): Intrepid Pioneer, Knight of Bahá'u'lláh by Graham Walker; KoB341-344] |
In Memoriam; Aziz Navidi; Knight of Bahá'u'lláh; Names and titles; London, England; United Kingdom | |
1987 28 Jun | The Universal House of Justice sent a message regarding the requirements for membership in the Bahá'í Community. [Mess86-01p32] | Membership; - Bahá'í World Centre | |
1987 30 Apr | The Universal House of Justice indicated that the way was open to erect the remaining buildings on the arc at the Bahá'í World Centre. [AWH51] | Arc project; Mount Carmel; - Bahá'í World Centre | |
1987 22 Apr | A ceremony was held to sign a 'status agreement' between the Bahá'í International Community and the Government of Israel defining the relationship of the Bahá'í World Centre with the State of Israel. [Message of the Universal House of Justice 30 April 1987]
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Status agreement; Bahá'í International Community; Shimon Peres; Donald Barrett; Israel; Haifa, Israel; - Bahá'í World Centre | This agreement was the first "International Agreement" signed by the BWC with a sovereign government. |
1987 Ridván | The National Spiritual Assembly of Zaire was re-formed. [AWH48; BW20p249] | National Spiritual Assembly, formation; Congo, Democratic Republic of | |
1987 Ridván | A reorganization of the areas of jurisdiction of local spiritual assemblies in India resulted in the loss of 5,000 assemblies, substantially reducing the overall number of local assemblies in the world. | Local Spiritual Assembly; Statistics; India | |
1987 Ridván | The National Convention of Turkey was held for the first time with the official permission of the Turkish government. | Conventions, National; First conventions; Recognition (legal); Turkey | first National Convention held with official permission of Turkish government |
1987 27 Mar | A National Spiritual Assembly with its seat in Johannesburg had been in existence continually since 1956. The first Assembly for this region was the National Spiritual Assembly of South and West Africa which included several other countries and territories. The name of the Assembly was changed on this date to the National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of South Africa. [BW20p548]
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National Spiritual Assembly, formation; Johannesburg, South Africa; South Africa | |
1987 24 Mar | Radio Bahá'í of Liberia (ELRB), the first Bahá'í-owned radio station in Africa, was inaugurated in Paynesville. [BINS164:6; BW19:121; VV77]
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Bahá'í Radio; Bahá'í-owned radio; Firsts, other; Paynesville, Liberia; Liberia | first Bahá’í radio station in Africa |
1987 20 Mar | Dr Peter Khan was elected to the Universal House of Justice. [Mess86-01p18]
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Universal House of Justice, Election of; Peter Khan; Auxiliary board members; - Bahá'í World Centre | |
1987 Mar | The first Bahá'í Winter School held on San Salvador Island, Bahamas, took place. [BINS164:11] | First summer and winter schools; San Salvador Island; Bahamas | first Bahá’í Winter School on San Salvador Island |
1987 24 Feb | The Bahá'í Cultural Centre was opened in the Guaymi area of Panama. | Bahá'í Cultural Centres; Panama | |
1987 15 Feb | The passing of Eleanor Hollibaugh (b. 17 February 1897 in Hastings, Nebraska) in Montraux, Switzerland. She was a pioneer to La Paz, Bolivia but when she had to return for reasons of health, she settled in Reno, Nevada. At the end of World War II the European Teaching Committee asked her to join fellow American Dagmar Dole in Copenhagen, Denmark. In 1949 they asked her to move to the Netherlands and in 1958, again at their request, she moved to France where she remained until 1960 when the Committee requested that she go to Switzerland. [BW20p868-871] Find a Grave. | In Memoriam; Eleanor Hollibaugh; Hastings, NE; Nebraska, USA; Montreux, Switzerland; Switzerland; La Paz, Bolivia; Bolivia; Reno, NV; Nevada, USA; Amsterdam, Netherlands; Netherlands; Copenhagen, Denmark; Denmark; France | |
1987 6 – 8 Feb | Maori women held the first National Women's Hui in the tribal area of Ngati Tuwharetoa, New Zealand. [BINS163:8] | Maoris; Firsts, other; Indigenous people; Ngāti Tūwharetoa, New Zealand; New Zealand | first National Women’s Hui in Ngati Tuwaretoa, New Zealand |
1987 26 Jan | Charles Wolcott (b. September 29, 1906 in Flint, MI) member of the Universal House of Justice, passed away in Haifa. [BINS162:1; VV97]
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Charles Wolcott; In Memoriam; Births and deaths; Peter Khan; Universal House of Justice, Members of; Bahá'í World News Service (BWNS); Auxiliary board members; - Bahá'í World Centre | |
1987 16 – 17 Jan | The first Youth Conference of the Bahamas was held with representation from three islands. [BINS173:9] | Conferences, Bahá'í; Conferences, Youth; Youth; - First conferences; Bahamas | first Youth Conference of the Bahamas |
1987 Jan | The first Huqúqu'lláh Conference was held at the World Centre.
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Huququllah, Basic timeline; Huqúqu'lláh; Varqá, `Alí-Muhammad; - Bahá'í World Centre | |
1987 (In the year) | The first Pygmy local spiritual assembly in the Central African Republic was formed. [BINS173:1] | Local Spiritual Assembly; Central African Republic | first Pygmy Local Spiritual Assembly Central African Republic |
1987 (In the year) | The first conference on the production of Bahá'í literature in Spanish was held in Argentina. | Publishing; * Translation; Firsts, other; Spanish language; Argentina | first conference on the production of Bahá’í literature in Spanish |
1987 (In the year) | The film, Heart of the Lotus, made by Elizabeth Martin, documented the dedication of the House of Worship in New Delhi. [HNWE45] | - Documentaries; Elizabeth Martin; Lotus temple, New Delhi; Mashriqu'l-Adhkár, Delhi; Haifa, Israel; - Bahá'í World Centre; New Delhi, India; India | |
1987 (In the year) | The first National Children's Camp in Australia was held in Yerrinbool School with 36 children between 9 and 13 years of age in attendance. [BINS173:10] | Yerrinbool Bahá'í School; - Bahá'í inspired schools; Children; Yerrinbool, New South Wales; Australia | first National Children’s Camp in Australia |
1987 (In the year) | The Bayan Hospital, the first Bahá'í hospital in Honduras, opened in Palacios. | Bahá'í hospitals; Palacios, Honduras; Honduras | first Bahá’í hospital in Honduras |
1987 (In the year) | Faced with unrelenting religious persecution involving a wide range of human rights violations, the Bahá'í Institute for Higher Education (BIHE) was founded in response to the Iranian government's continuing campaign to deny Iranian Bahá'ís access to higher education.
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Bahá'í Institute for Higher Education (BIHE); Persecution, Iran; - Persecution; Human Rights; Education; - Persecution; - Persecution, Education; - BIC statements; Iran | |
1986 24 Dec | The House of Worship in New Delhi, the Mother Temple of the Indian Subcontinent, was dedicated in the presence of Hand of the Cause Amatu'l-Bahá Rúhíyyih Khánum and more than 8,000 Bahá'ís from 114 countries. [AWH47; BINS161; BW19:102 BW20p732-733, VV92]
Specifics
Foundation Stone: 17 October 1977 (Amatu'l-Bahá Rúhíyyih Khánum) Construction Period: April 1980 - December 1986 Site Dedication:24 December 1986 (Amatu'l-Bahá Rúhíyyih Khánum placed a silver casket containing Dust from the Shrines of Bahá'u'lláh and the Báb into the crown of the Prayer Hall arch facing 'Akká) Architect/Project Manager: Fariburz Sahbá Seating: 1200 Dimensions:Inner buds are 34.3m high, the outer leaves are 15.4m wide and 22.5m high. Cost: $10m Dependencies: References: BW16p486-487, BW17p368-370, BW18p103-104, 571-584, BW19p559-568, BW20p731-753 |
* Mashriqu'l-Adhkár (House of Worship); - Mashriqu'l-Adhkár, Mother Temples; * Mashriqu'l-Adhkár, Quick facts; Mashriqu'l-Adhkár, Delhi; Lotus temple, New Delhi; Amatul-Bahá Ruhiyyih Khanum; Dedications; Marble; Fariborz Sahba; Architects; Boxes containing dust, earth or plaster; Gifts; Bahá'u'lláh, Shrine of; Báb, Shrine of; Bahá'í World News Service (BWNS); - Basic timeline, Expanded; Margraf; New Delhi, India; India; Chiampo, Italy; Italy | |
1986 23 - 27 Dec | International Teaching Conference was held in New Delhi in conjunction with the opening of the Mashriqu'l-Adhkár. It was attended by 8,000 Bahá'ís from 114 countries. [BW20p731-753] | Conferences, Bahá'í; Conferences, Teaching; - Conferences, International; Teaching; Mashriqu'l-Adhkár, Delhi; Lotus temple, New Delhi; New Delhi, India; India | |
1986 20 Dec | The official opening of Radio Bahá'í Chile in Labranza, Commune of Temuco.
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Bahá'í Radio; Bahá'í-owned radio; Temuco, Chile; Chile | |
1986 Dec | The National Spiritual Assembly of Mauritania and all ten local spiritual assemblies in the country were dissolved. | National Spiritual Assembly, dissolved; Local Spiritual Assembly, dissolved; Mauritania | |
1986 13 Nov | Zikrullah Khadem (Dhikru'lláh Khádem), Hand of the Cause of God, passed away in Skokie, Illinois. (b.1904 in Tehran) [VV123; ZK151]
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Zikrullah Khadem; - Hands of the Cause; Hands of the Cause, Births and deaths; Births and deaths; In Memoriam; Hands of the Cause, Second Contingent; Skokie, IL; Illinois, USA; USA | |
1986 19 Oct | Lorraine Kahn of Pine Springs, Arizona, is elected a delegate to the United States National Convention, the first Navajo woman to serve in this capacity. [BINS161:19] | Lorraine Kahn; Native Americans; Conventions, National; Firsts, other; USA | first Navajo woman delegate national convention |
1986 6 Aug | The Indo-Chinese Refugee Committee of Thailand estimates that five to six thousand people are Bahá'ís in the refugee camps on the Thai border. [BINS158:17] | Indo-Chinese Refugee Committee; Thailand | |
1986 6 Aug | The Brazilian Society of Physicians for Peace is formed by Bahá'í physicians in Pôrto Alegre at a ceremony attended by 120 medical professionals. [BINS159:2–3] | Bahá'í associations; Conferences, Health; Porto Alegre, Brazil; Brazil | |
1986 3 – 4 Aug | The Honourable Sir Thomas David, Prime Minister of the Cook Islands, at his request, consulted with the Universal House of Justice at the Bahá'í World Centre about world peace, 'the most concrete response to date by a political leader to the Peace Statement'. BINS157:1; VV88]
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Prominent visitors; Universal House of Justice; Haifa, Israel; - Bahá'í World Centre; Cook Islands | |
1986 18 – 24 Jul | The European Bahá'í Youth Movement is launched at the Bahá'í Youth School, Landegg Conference Centre, Switzerland. [BINS157:9–10; BINS158:10] | Youth; Landegg Academy, Switzerland; Landegg, Switzerland; Switzerland; - Europe | |
1986 Jul | Jack Malardy, 88-year-old tribal leader of the Karradjarrie people of Australia, and his wife Lilly become Bahá'ís in Lagrange, Australia. [BINS156:3; BINS179:1] | Jack Malardy; Lilly Malardy; Australia | |
1986 23 May | Fourteen State Bahá'í Councils were elected in India by members of local spiritual assemblies. [BW19:162; VV99–100]
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State Bahá'í Councils; Regional Bahá'í Councils; India | |
1986 28 Apr | In 2008, the Bahá'í International Community published the names of 221 Iranian Bahá'ís who had been murdered or executed in the three decades since the Islamic Revolution. (The Bahá'í Question: Cultural Cleansing in Iran) The youngest on this list was Payman Sobhani Ezabadi, a resident of Saravan in the southwestern province of Sistan and Baluchistan, who was only 15 at the time. This story from Iranwire, untold before, is based on his father's written memoirs. | Payman Ezabadi; Persecution, Iran; Saravan, Iran | |
1986 - 1992 | The Six Year Plan (1986-1992) was launched. [AWH40, 42–4; BBRSM159; VV91]
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Six Year Plan (1986-1992); - Teaching Plans; - Bahá'í World Centre | |
1986 Ridván | The Seven Year Plan was successfully completed. (1979-1986) [BW19:23]
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Seven Year Plan (1979-1986); - Teaching Plans; Restoration; - Bahá'í World Centre | |
1986 Ridván | The heroic steadfastness of the Persian friends has been the mainspring of tremendous international attention focused on the Cause, eventually bringing it to the agenda of the General Assembly of the United Nations, and, together with world-wide publicity in all the media, accomplishing its emergence from the obscurity which characterized and sheltered the first period of its life.[Ridván Message] |
Emergence from obscurity; - Bahá'í World Centre | |
1986 20 Apr | The world population of Bahá'ís was estimated to be 4,335,000. [BW19p67] | Statistics | |
1986 Apr | The first province-wide gathering of Bahá'í youth in Northern Ireland convenes. [BINS154:15] | Youth; Northern Ireland, UK | first province-wide gathering Bahá’í youth in Northern Ireland |
1986 13 Mar | The United Nations Commission on Human Rights adopted a resolution asking its chairman to appoint a new special representative to report to the General Assembly in November 1986 on the human rights situation in Iran, including the situation of the Bahá'ís. [BINS153:12] | United Nations Commission on Human Rights; Iran | |
1986 9 Mar | The passing of Continental Board of Counsellor member Angus Welldon Cowan (b.12 September 1914 in Bishopton, Quebec) at his home in Invermere, BC. [BW19p703–70; BCNS]
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Angus Cowan; In Memoriam; Bishopton, QC; Quebec, Canada; Invermere, BC; British Columbia, Canada | |
1986 5 Feb | The publication of Epochs of the Formative Age by the Research Department of the Universal House of Justice which explained that the epochs of the Formative Age mark progressive stages in the evolution of the organic Bahá'í community and signal the maturation of its institutions. The timing of each epoch is designated by the Head of the Faith, and given the organic nature of evolutionary development, the transition from one epoch to another may not be abrupt, but may well occur over a period of time. [Messages from the Universal House of Justice 1963-1986 p710-716] | - Historical overviews by Central Figures or BWC; - Bahá'í World Centre | |
1986 5 Feb | The message from the Universal House of Justice addressed to all National Assemblies with the compilation entitled The Epochs of the Formative Age prepared by the Research Department. [Messages63-86p710-716] | Ages and Epochs; Formative Age; - Compilations; - Bahá'í World Centre | |
1986 31 Jan | The announcement of the inaugural broadcast of Radio Bahá'í Panama. [Mess63-86p710]
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Bahá'í Radio; Teaching institutes; Bahá'í-owned radio; Boca del Monte, Panama; Panama | |
1986 28 Jan | The death of NASA Astronaut Ronald Erwin McNair (b. 21 October, 1951 in Lake City, SC) when Space Shuttle Challenger disintegrated nine miles above the Atlantic Ocean just 73 seconds after liftoff. Prior to this launch he had served 7 days, 23 minutes in space. He was buried in Rest Lawn Memorial Park in Lake City, South Carolina. [BlackPast.org]
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Ronald McNair; Space exploration; * Science; African Americans; - Famous Bahá'ís; Cape Canaveral, FL; Florida, USA; Lake City, SC; South Carolina, USA; USA | |
1986 21 Jan | The Islamic Research Academy at the Azhar University in Cairo published in a number of newspapers a lengthy opinion about the Bahá'í Faith in advance of the court cases of Bahá'ís due to be heard in February. [BW19:286]
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Persecution, Egypt; - Persecution, Court cases; - Persecution; Court cases; Bahá'í International Community; Criticism and apologetics; Moshen Enayat; Egypt | |
1986 2 Jan | The Universal House of Justice ended the Counsellors' Conference at the Bahá'í World Centre by announcing in a letter that the Bahá'í world has entered the fourth epoch in the Formative Age of the Cause. [AWH39–42; BBD79, 85; BW19:29; VV91]
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Formative Age; Ages and Epochs; Holy Years; Six Year Plan (1986-1992); Conferences, Counsellors; Haifa, Israel; - Bahá'í World Centre | |
1986 1 Jan | The publication of the compilation entitled "Women" by the Universal House of Justice. [Messages63-86p704, Compilation of CompilationsVol 2 p355]
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Women; Peace; - Compilations; * Publications; Universal House of Justice, Membership on; - Bahá'í World Centre | |
1986 (In the year) | Iran's hugely unsuccessful attempt to convince the international community that Bahá'ís were indeed spies was probably one of the reasons that convinced Iranian officials to review Iran's contemporary history. The aim of this review was in no way to reconsider age-old beliefs and assumptions, but to generate so-called "objective" facts and data which would ultimately serve to justify those assumptions. It was in light of this conviction that, the Institute for Cultural Research and Studies was founded "with a mandate to maintain, organize and catalogue valuable historical documents acquired during and after the Islamic Revolution in Iran. In 1996, it was replaced by the Institute for Iranian Contemporary Historical Studies (IICHS), a professional research centre devoted to the study of contemporary Iranian history. Its objective is to undertake various research projects regarding social, political, economic and cultural aspects of post-eighteenth-century Iran, using its collection of primary sources." Another such organization, the Political Studies and Research Institute, was founded in 1988. [Iran Press Watch 1407; the institute's website] |
Conspiracy theories; Persecution, Iran; - Persecution, Other; - Persecution; Iran | |
1986 (In the year) | The founding of the Ruaha Secondary School in southwestern rural Tanzania near Iringa, about 500 km from Dar-es-salaam. The school was operated under the auspices of the National Spiritual Assembly. [The Mona Project (information on the Iringa School no longer available on this web site), One Country]
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- Bahá'í inspired schools; Bahá'í World News Service (BWNS); Mona Foundation; Tanzania; Iringa, Tanzania; Dar-es-salaam, Tanzania | |
1986 (In the year) | The persecution of the Bahá'ís of Iran continued throughout the year. [BW19:177–226]
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Persecution, Iran; - Persecution, Deaths; - Persecution; Bahá'í International Community; Human Rights; Iran | |
1986 (In the year) | The Bahá'í Association for Arts (BAFA) was formed with its base in the Netherlands. | Bahá'í Association for Arts (BAFA); Bahá'í associations; * Arts and crafts; Netherlands | |
1986 (In the year) | The first local spiritual assembly of San Salvador Island, mentioned in the Tablets of the Divine Plan as Watling Island, was formed. | Local Spiritual Assembly; San Salvador Island | first Local Spiritual Assembly San Salvador Island |
1986 (In the year) | The Sri Lanka post office issued a commemorative postage stamp featuring the Bahá'í-sponsored World Religion Day. [BINS176:4] | World Religion Day; Stamps; Sri Lanka | |
1986 (In the year) | Community-based Bahá'í health care programmes were launched in Kenya, Uganda and Swaziland, spearheaded by Dr Ethel Martens of Canada. | Ethel Martens; Kenya; Uganda; Swaziland | |
1986 (In the year) | Hundreds of members of the Aeta tribe in Tarlac and Pampanga, Philippines, became Bahá'ís. [BINS158:13] | First believers by background; Philippines | |
1986 (In the year) | Reynaldo Galindo Pohl, a prominent diplomat, and professor of law from El Salvador served as the United Nations Special Rapporteur on Human Rights in Iran from 1986 to 1995. He visited Iran three times between 1990 and 1992, but after his third visit, he was barred from visiting Iran.
[Wikipedia]
|
United Nations; Galindo Pohl; Special Rapporteur on Human Rights in Iran; Bahá'í International Community; New York City, NY | |
1986 (In the year) | The Bayán Association started in Honduras in the mid-1980s by two Bahá'í families - the Smiths and the Sabripours. [Website]
|
Social and Economic Development Organizations; Bayan Association; La Ceiba, Honduras; Honduras | |
1986 -2001 | The end of the Third Epoch and the beginning of The Fourth Epoch of the Formative Age. [Message from the Universal House of Justice dated 5 February 1986; Mess63-86 p710-716]
|
Formative Age; Ages and Epochs | |
1985 27 Dec - 1986 2 Jan | The Universal House of Justice convened a Counsellors' Conference at the Bahá'í World Centre. [AWH39; BW19:29; VV122]
|
Counsellors; Conferences, Bahá'í; Conferences, Counsellors; Haifa, Israel; - Bahá'í World Centre | The first international Conference for Counselors from all Continental Boards |
1985 13 Dec | For the first time, the United Nations General Assembly adopted a resolution on the human rights situation in Iran which contained specific references to the Bahá'ís. [BW19:38; VV55] | Persecution, Iran; - Persecution, Other; - Persecution; United Nations; Human Rights; Bahá'í International Community; Iran | first resolution on human rights that specifically mentions the situation of the Bahá'ís in Iran. |
1985 22 Nov | The Promise of World Peace was presented to the Secretary-General of the United Nations Javier Perez de Cuellar by Hand of the Cause Amatu'l-Bahá Rúhíyyih Khánum and representatives of the Bahá'í International Community. [BW19:33, 382; VV87] | United Nations; Javier Perez de Cuellar; United Nations, Secretary-Generals; Promise of World Peace (statement); Bahá'í International Community | |
1985 24 Oct | In anticipation of the United Nations International Year of Peace, and on the fortieth anniversary of the United Nations, the Universal House of Justice addressed a message "To the Peoples of the World" inviting them to consider that a new social order can be fostered by all peoples' seeing themselves as members of one universal family. This message, The Promise of World Peace was presented to world leaders and countless others during the United Nations International Year of Peace. [BBD174, 187–8; BW19:139, 155; VV59, 86–8, The Promise of World Peace]
|
United Nations; Universal House of Justice; Universal House of Justice, Basic timeline; Promise of World Peace (statement); - Statements; * Publications; Peace; World peace; - Basic timeline, Condensed; - Basic timeline, Expanded; * Universal House of Justice, Letters and messages; Bahá'í International Community; - Bahá'í World Centre; - Worldwide | |
1985 22 - 23 Oct | The 14th Muzakarah (Conference) of the Fatwa Committee of the National Council for Islamic Religious Affairs Malaysia discussed the Bahá'í doctrine and decided that the Bahá'í doctrine was not part of Islam. Muslims involved in this teaching were deemed as apostates. Therefore, Muslims are prohibited from following this teaching and anyone involved in it must denounce it at once and repent. [Fatwa] | Fatwa; Persecution, Malaysia; - Persecution, Other; - Persecution; Malaysia | |
1985 19 Oct | The Association for Bahá'í Studies, Chile, was established in Santiago. [BW19:358–9] | Bahá'í Studies, Associations for; Santiago, Chile; Chile; Latin America | |
1985 18 Oct | Dr. Rudolph Kirchlaeger, the President of Austria, was the first head of state to receive The Promise of World Peace. [Mess63-86p681; Mess 63-86p698] | Promise of World Peace (statement); Firsts, other | the first head of state to receive "The Promise of World Peace" |
1985 18 Oct | The "re-interment of the remains of Mirza Muhammad-Quli, the faithful half-brother and companion in exile of Baha'u'llah and of eleven members of his family, in a new Bahá'í cemetery on a hillside looking across Lake Kinnerer and the hills of Galilee towards the Qiblih of the Faith". [BW19:56] He was Bahá'u'lláh's youngest half-brother and was raised by Him because their father, Mírzá Buzurg died two years after his birth. He was greatly devoted to Bahá'u'lláh. He and his family settled on lands in the Jordan valley on the eastern shore of the Sea of Galilee. These lands were later exchanged for land that now comprises a part part of the site at Bahji. He had died in 1887. [SoG112; SE124; MGW45; RoB1p16; DoH31, 207, 228] He had been buried on land that had been in the possession of Mirza Muhammad-Quli's family on the eastern shore of the Sea of Galilee, at a place called Nuqayb. He and his family lived there and farmed the land for many years and on his passing, at the instruction of 'Abdu'l-Bahá, his remains were buried there, as were subsequently those of members of his family. In 1937 Kibbutz Ein Gev was established just to the north of the farm, and the two groups of settlers lived as amicable neighbors until the war of 1948 forced the family to leave the land which, lying on the troubled frontier of the new State of Israel, was expropriated by the Government. The grandchildren of Mirza Muhammad-Quli gave their rights in the land to the Faith which was received in exchange the much needed land in Bahji. Thus the little cemetery passed out of Bahá'í hands. In 1972 the Bahá'ís made plans to embellish the site and maintaining it as a place of historic significance for the Faith. However, plans had already been made for the extension of the plantings of the kibbutz and the eventual development of the land in a way that would not permit the permanent reestablishment of the cemetery in that place. Another plot of land in the immediate neighborhood, but slightly farther from the shore of the Lake on the slope of Tel Susita, was officially designated a Bahá'í cemetery and given over to the Bahá'í Community. The work of fencing it and planting suitable shrubs and trees was then put in hand and preparations were made to reinter the precious remains of this family. The ceremony was attended by Hands of the Cause Amatu'l-Baha Ruhiyyih Khanum and 'Ali-Akbar Furutan, members of the Universal House of Justice and of the International Teaching Center, and a large gathering of World Center friends as well as representatives of the Israeli authorities and of Kibbutz Ein Gev. Mrs. Husniyyih Bahá'í, the granddaughter of Mirza Muhammad-Quli, who was pioneering in St. Lucia in the West Indies, accompanied by members of her family, had been especially invited to attend the ceremony in honour of her illustrious forebear. [Mess63-86p698-99] |
Mírzá Muhammad-Quli; Nuqayb, Palestine; Israel | |
1985 7 Oct | The court cases against the Bahá'ís arrested in Egypt for contravening the 1960 ban on Bahá'í activities, due to be heard this, were adjourned until 3 February 1986 owing to adverse and unfair reports appearing in the newspapers. [BW19:286] | Persecution, Egypt; - Persecution, Court cases; - Persecution; Court cases; Egypt | |
1985 Oct | The first National Bahá'í Youth Conference in Nepal took place, attended by 120 Bahá'ís, the largest Bahá'í gathering ever held in the country. [VV74] | Conferences, Bahá'í; Conferences, Youth; Youth; - First conferences; Nepal | first National Bahá’í Youth Conference in Nepal |
1985 Sep | The first Bahá'í Studies conference in Hawaii took place at the national Bahá'í centre. [BW19:360] | Bahá'í studies; Conferences, Bahá'í; Conferences, Other; - First conferences; Hawaii, USA | first Bahá’í Studies conference in Hawaii |
1985 28 or 31 Aug | Mr Rahmatu'lláh Vujdani, a 57 year old teacher, was executed by firing squad in Bandar 'Abbas. He was an elected member of the Local Spiritual Assembly. [Iranian.com] | Persecution, Iran; - Persecution, Deaths; - Persecution; Bandar Abbas, Iran; Iran | |
1985 9 Aug | The publication of the compilation entitled "Peace" prepared from the Bahá'í writings and the letters of the House of Justice by the Research Department. [Messages63-86p679-680, Compilation of CompilationsVol 2 p151]
|
Peace; World peace; - Compilations; * Publications; - Bahá'í World Centre | |
1985 8 – 11 Aug | An International Youth Conference to support the United Nations International Youth Year was held in Kauai, Hawaii, attended by 300 youth from nine Pacific countries. [BW19:301]
|
Conferences, Bahá'í; Conferences, Youth; - Conferences, International; - Conferences, International; Youth; International Youth Year; Kauai, HI; Hawaii, USA; Oceania | |
1985 2 – 5 Aug | An International Youth Conference to support the United Nations International Youth Year was held in Lima, Peru, attended by 500 youth from 18 countries and representing four native tribes. [BW19:300]<
|
Conferences, Bahá'í; Conferences, Youth; - Conferences, International; - Conferences, International; - Conferences, International; Youth; International Youth Year; Lima, Peru; Peru; Latin America | |
1985 1 – 4 Aug | An International Youth Conference to support the United Nations International Youth Year was held in Port Dickson, Malaysia, attended by 1,300 youth from 15 countries, the largest gathering of Bahá'ís ever held in Malaysia. [BW19:301] | Conferences, Bahá'í; Conferences, Youth; - Conferences, International; Youth; International Youth Year; Port Dickson, Malaysia; Malaysia; - Asia | |
1985 Aug | An International Youth Conference to support the United Nations International Youth Year was held in Molepolole, Botswana, attended by 119 youth from six countries. [BW19:300]
|
Conferences, Bahá'í; Conferences, Youth; - Conferences, International; Youth; International Youth Year; Molepolole, Botswana; Botswana; - Africa | |
1985 Aug | An International Youth Conference to support the United Nations International Youth Year was held in New Delhi, India, attended by more than 550 youth from 24 countries. [BW19:300] | Conferences, Bahá'í; Conferences, Youth; - Conferences, International; Youth; International Youth Year; New Delhi, India; India; - Asia | |
1985 6 – 9 Jul | The European Bahá'í Youth Conference was held in Antwerp, Belgium, in July 1985, and was attended by some 1,450 youth from 45 nations. The youth addressed the European Parliament and the Council of Europe in letters which told of their resolve to put into action the International Youth Year themes of 'Participation, Development and Peace'. The youth spoke of programs in which Bahá'ís were supporting the themes, including human rights education and social and economic development projects. [BW19:301]
|
Conferences, Bahá'í; Conferences, Youth; - Conferences, International; Youth; International Youth Year; European Union; Antwerp, Belgium; Belgium; - Europe | |
1985 21 Jul | Prior to this time, some national communities elected their delegates to the National Conventions on the basis of areas that had Local Spiritual Assemblies, while in other larger national communities, delegates were elected on the basis of electoral units in which all adult believers had the vote. From this time forward, all were to use the Electoral Unit system. There would be no change in the number of delegates elected to attend the National Convention.
When establishing the electoral unit basis for the election of delegates, a National Spiritual Assembly should divide the territory under its jurisdiction into electoral units, based on the number of adult Bahá'ís in each area, in such a way that each unit will be responsible for electing preferably one delegate only. Given the wide variety of geography in the Bahá'í world, each National Spiritual Assembly was directed to establish the most effective means for the election of the delegates to its National Convention and for providing for an opportunity for consultation among the electors. "It is the hope of the Universal House of Justice that the implementation of [the electoral unit method of electing delegates to the National Convention] will promote Bahá'í solidarity, broaden the basis of representation at National Conventions and that thereby the work of the Faith in each country will be characterized by greater efficiency and enhanced harmony." [21 July 1985] |
Conventions, National; Elections; - Administration; Electoral unit system; - Bahá'í World Centre | |
1985 15 – 26 Jul | Ten representatives of the Bahá'í International Community attended the third World Conference on Women to Review and Appraise the Achievements of the United Nations Decade for Women and Forum '85 in Nairobi. [BW19:147–8, 412; VV28–9]
|
Bahá'í International Community; United Nations; Women; Nairobi, Kenya; Kenya | |
1985 4 Jul | The publication of the compilation entitled "The Law of Huququ'lláh". [Messages63-86p670, Compilation of CompilationsVol 1 p489] | Huququllah, Basic timeline; Huqúqu'lláh; - Compilations; * Publications; - Bahá'í World Centre | |
1985 3 – 7 Jul | An International Youth Conference to support the United Nations International Youth Year was held in Columbus, Ohio, United States attended by more than 3,200 youth from 42 nations. [BW19:300] | Conferences, Bahá'í; Conferences, Youth; - Conferences, International; Youth; International Youth Year; Columbus, OH; Ohio, USA; USA; North America | |
1985 2 Jul | In his report to the UN Human Rights Commission, the special rapporteur on the prevention and punishment of the crime of genocide Benjamin Whitaker, used the term genocide in connection with the treatment of Bahá'ís by the Islamic Republic. It is believed that it was the first time the word had been applied to this situation in an official context. This assertion, although it was in an official UN report, was not pursued by the United Nations.
Resolution 96 of the UN General Assembly, of December 11, 1946, titled "The Crime of Genocide," describes genocide as the "denial of the right of existence of entire human groups, as homicide is the denial of the right to live of individual human beings." In an article in IranWire of 15 November 2023, author Faramaz Dakar asks, "Is the Islamic Republic Committing a Silent Genocide Against the Bahá'ís?". Q. What groups are the victims of genocide? A. Victims of the crime of genocide fall into four specific groups: ethnic, national, religious and racial. This means that, for example, a political group cannot be considered a victim of genocide based on its legal definition. What is relevant in genocide is the annihilation of a group or a community as a unit and even as a whole. Q. What specific actions constitute genocide? A. Behaviors that constitute the crime of genocide fall into five groups: (1) killing the members of the group; (2) inflicting physical harm that can gradually lead to the loss of life or impose permanent and extensive suffering on a person's life; (3) imposing conditions with the intent of annihilating the target group, such as starvation or cutting access to water, or depriving the members of the group of the means of survival such as seizing and confiscating their residences and businesses which ultimately makes it impossible for them to live that an environment; (4) creating conditions that prevent birth and childbearing or lead to the sterilization of people, and make the birth of a new generation of that religious, ethnic, racial or national group impossible; (5) the forced removal of the children of the target group. Iran is a signatory to the Convention Against Genocide therefore the the Islamic Republic must be held accountable for the systematic persecution of the Baha'is. There is no sign that this government has ever had any intention of doing so and Iranian laws do not address the crime of genocide in any form. [IranWire 15 November 2023 |
Genocide | |
1985 Jul | Three Bahá'í youths in Mentawai were imprisoned for having married according to Bahá'í law. [BW19:42] | Persecution, Indonesia; - Persecution, Other; - Persecution; Human Rights; Mentawai Islands; Indonesia | |
1985 7 May | The court hearings open on the cases of the Bahá'ís arrested in Egypt in February on charges of disregarding the 1960 ban on Bahá'í activity. [BW,9:285]
|
Persecution, Egypt; - Persecution, Arrests; - Persecution, Bans; - Persecution, Court cases; - Persecution; Court cases; Egypt | |
1985 May | The Office of Public Information was established at the Bahá'í World Centre. [BBD38; BW19:58–9; VV54]
|
Office of Public Information; Haifa, Israel; - Bahá'í World Centre | |
1985 30 Apr - 1 May | The first annual conference of the Association for Bahá'í Studies, Brazil, took place in Saõ Paulo. [BW19:358] | Bahá'í Studies, Associations for; Conferences, Bahá'í; Conferences, Bahá'í studies; - First conferences; Sao Paulo, Brazil; Brazil; Latin America | first annual conference of the Association for Bahá’í Studies, Brazil |
1985 | Number of countries and territories where the Faith has been established: 355 Number of National Spiritual Assemblies: 148 Number of Local Spiritual Assemblies: 29,664 Indigenous tribes, races and ethnic groups represented in the Faith: 2,112 [from a pamphlet, The Bahá'í Faith and its World Community published by the NSA of Canada] |
Statistics | |
1985 Ridván | The National Spiritual Assembly of Mozambique was formed with its seat in Maputo. [BW19:62, 147]
|
National Spiritual Assembly, formation; Maputo, Mozambique; Mozambique | first NSA Mozambique |
1985 Ridván | The National Spiritual Assembly of the Eastern Caroline Islands was formed with its seat in Pohnpei. [BW19:168] | National Spiritual Assembly, formation; Pohnpei, Caroline Islands | first NSA Eastern Caroline Islands |
1985 Ridván | The National Spiritual Assembly of the Western Caroline Islands was formed with its seat in Colonia, Yap. [BW19:62, 168]
|
National Spiritual Assembly, formation; Colonia, Caroline Islands | first NSA Western Caroline Islands |
1985 Ridván | The National Spiritual Assembly of the Ivory Coast and Mali was formed in 1977 when Upper Volta formed an independent assembly. Now that Mali had formed its own assembly led the way for the formation of the independent National Spiritual Assembly of the Ivory Coast. [BW19:62, 147]
|
National Spiritual Assembly, formation; Abidjan, Ivory Coast; Cote d'Ivoire | |
1985 Ridván | The National Spiritual Assembly of Mali was formed with its seat in Bamako. [BW19:62, 147]
|
National Spiritual Assembly, formation; Bamako, Mali; Mali | first NSA Mali |
1985 Ridván | The National Spiritual Assembly of the Cook Islands was formed with its seat in Rarotonga. It was formerly in a union with Tonga and so this left the formation of the National Spiritual Assembly of Tonga with its seat in The National Spiritual Assembly of Tonga and the Cook Islands was formed with its seat in Nuku'alofa. [BW15:275]. [BW19:62, 168]
|
National Spiritual Assembly, formation; Rarotonga, Cook Islands; Cook Islands; Nukualofa, Tonga; Tonga | first NSA Cook Islands; first NSA Tonga |
1985 Ridván | The National Spiritual Assembly of Ciskei was formed with its seat in Mdantsane. [BW19:62]
|
National Spiritual Assembly, formation; Mdantsane, South Africa | first NSA Ciskei |
1985 5 – 8 Apr | An International Youth Conference to support the United Nations International Youth Year was held in Bophuthatswana, attended by 198 people. [BW19:300] | Conferences, Bahá'í; Conferences, Youth; - Conferences, International; Youth; International Youth Year; Bophuthatswana, South Africa; South Africa; - Africa | |
1985 7 March | The passing of Continental Board of Counsellor Lloyd Gardner. [Mess63-68p660]
|
In Memoriam | |
1985 23 Feb | Forty–one Bahá'ís from various parts of Egypt were arrested, charged with offences against laws introduced in 1960 banning activities of Bahá'í institutions. [BW19:41, 283]
|
Persecution, Egypt; - Persecution, Arrests; - Persecution, Bans; - Persecution; Egypt | |
1985 6 Feb | The passing of Claire Gung (b. 3 November, 1904, Gladbeck, Ruhrgebeit, Germany, d. Kampala, Uganda). She was buried in The National Bahá'í Cemetery of Uganda. [BW19p653-657]
|
In Memoriam; - Knights of Bahá'u'lláh; Claire Gung; Auntie Claire; Eyneddin Alai; Tahirih Alai; Ken Christian; Roberta Christian; Rhodesia; Zimbabwe; Uganda; Tanzania | |
1985 23 Jan | The plans of the Universal House of Justice for the International Year of Peace were outlined to national spiritual assemblies. [AHW31–4; VV86; Messs63-86p420] | International Year of Peace; Universal House of Justice; Peace; - Worldwide | |
1985 (In the year) | The publication of Bahá'í Focus on Human Rights by Philp Hainsworth. It has been described as the first attempt at an analytic approach by an individual believer to the question of human rights. It was published in London by the Bahá'í Publishing Trust. [Collins p86, 7.1117] | Bahá'í Focus on Human Rights; Philip Hainsworth; London, England; United Kingdom | |
1985 (In the year) | Annemarie Krüger, who began travelling to Moldavia to teach the Bahá'í Faith in 1974, was named a Knight of Bahá'u'lláh by the Universal House of Justice, although she never lived in the country. [Candle9 28 July, 2008] | - Knights of Bahá'u'lláh; Travel Teaching; Moldova | |
1985 (In the year) | To support the United Nations International Youth Year Bahá'í communities undertook a variety of activities. [BW19:301–10] | United Nations; International Youth Year; - Worldwide | |
1985 (In the year) | A regional office of the Bahá'í International Community affiliated with the Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP) was established in Bangkok. [BW19:161–2] | Bahá'í International Community; Social and economic development; Bangkok, Thailand; Thailand | |
1985 (In the year) | The persecution of the Bahá'ís of Iran continued throughout the year. [BW19:177–226]
|
Persecution, Iran; - Persecution, Deaths; - Persecution; Bahá'í International Community; Human Rights; Iran | |
1984 28 – 30 Dec | The first National Bahá'í Youth Conference to be held in Greece took place in Athens. [BW19:319] | Conferences, Bahá'í; Conferences, Youth; Youth; - First conferences; Athens, Greece; Greece | first National Bahá’í Youth Conference Greece |
1984 c. Dec | Dr. Ruhollah Taelim, a popular physician living in Kermanshah, was hanged in Tehran in 1984 at the age of 47 on charges of following the Bahá'í faith. For his story see The Bahá'í Doctor Hanged for Refusing to Deny His Faith. | Ruhollah Taelim; Persecution, Iran; - Persecution, Deaths; Tehran, Iran; Iran; Kirmánsháh, Iran | |
1984 16 Nov | Shu'á'u'lláh 'Alá'í, Hand of the Cause of God, passed away in Scottsdale, Arizona. (b. 16 November 1889) [BW19:594; VV123]
|
Shuaullah Alai; - Hands of the Cause; Hands of the Cause, Births and deaths; Births and deaths; In Memoriam; Hands of the Cause, Second Contingent; Scottsdale, AZ; Arizona, USA; USA | |
1984 9 Nov | The Universal House of Justice met with representatives of the Bahá'í International Community and various national spiritual assemblies at the World Centre. | Universal House of Justice; Bahá'í International Community; National Spiritual Assembly; Haifa, Israel | |
1984 Nov | The International Bahá'í Refugee Office, responsible for coordinating efforts to resettle Iranian Bahá'í refugees, was established by the National Spiritual Assembly of Canada at the request of the Universal House of Justice. [BW19:50]
|
International Bahá'í Refugee Office; Refugees; Canada | |
1984 21 Oct | His Excellency Chaim Herzog, President of the State of Israel, pays an official visit to the Bahá'í World Centre at the invitation of the Universal House of Justice. [BW19:377; VV88]
|
Chaim Herzog; - Presidents; Prominent visitors; Haifa, Israel; - Bahá'í World Centre; Israel | first visit by head of state to Seat of the House of Justice |
1984 19 Oct | The United Nations Commission on Human Rights (UNCHR) appointed Andrés Aguilar of Venezuela as its Special Representative to Iran on human rights. Iran refused to engage with him and he eventually resigned in 1986, unable to persuade Iranian officials to cooperate with him in any way. [Wikipedia; BIC site History] | United Nations; UNHCR; Andres Aguilar; Special Rapporteur on Human Rights in Iran; Bahá'í International Community; New York City, NY | |
1984 Oct | In Tunisia, the activities of the Faith were curtailed and Bahá'ís were interrogated. [BW19:50] | Persecution, Tunisia; - Persecution, Bans; - Persecution; Tunisia | |
1984 1 Sep | The House of Worship in Apia, Western Samoa, the Mother Temple of the Pacific, was dedicated in the presence of Hand of the Cause of God Amatu'l-Bahá Rúhíyyih Khánum, Hand of the Cause Dr Ugo Giachery, His Highness Malietoa Tanumafili II and more than a thousand Bahá'ís from 45 countries. [BW19:100–1; VV64]
Specifics
Foundation Stone: Laid by Malietoa Tanumafili II and Amatu'l-Bahá Rúhíyyih Khánum on 27 January 1979. She placed a small casket of Dust from the Shrine of Bahá'u'lláh in a niche in a stone. Period: 1980-1984 Site Dedication:1 September 1984 Architect:Husayn Amanat Seating: 500 - 700 Dimensions:Top of the dome to ground: 28m (92ft), Top of the dome to basement floor: 31m (102ft), Height of the dome: 19m (62ft), Width of the dome: 27M (88ft) Cost: $6.5m Dependencies: References: BW16p488-489, BW17p371-374, BW18p104, 585-588, BW19p547-557 |
Amatul-Bahá Ruhiyyih Khanum; Ugo Giachery; Malietoa Tanumafili II of Western Samoa; * Mashriqu'l-Adhkár (House of Worship); - Mashriqu'l-Adhkár, Mother Temples; * Mashriqu'l-Adhkár, Quick facts; Mashriqu'l-Adhkár, Apia, Samoa; Dedications; Marble; Husayn Amanat; Malietoa Tanumafili II of Western Samoa; Architects; Boxes containing dust, earth or plaster; Gifts; Bahá'u'lláh, Shrine of; Bahá'í World News Service (BWNS); - Basic timeline, Expanded; Margraf; Apia, Samoa; Samoa; Pacific; Chiampo, Italy; Italy | |
1984 30 Aug - 2 Sep | An International Teaching Conference was held to coincide with the dedication of the House of Worship at Apia, Western Samoa. [BW19:548–54; VV64]
|
Mashriqu'l-Adhkár, Apia, Samoa; Conferences, Bahá'í; Conferences, Teaching; - Conferences, International; Teaching; Apia, Samoa; Samoa | |
1984 9 Aug | A statement on the encouragement of Bahá'í scholarship was issued by the International Teaching Centre. [BW19p372] | Bahá'í Scholarship; - Bahá'í World Centre | |
1984 4 Jun | Vladimir Malai, the first Moldovan to become a Bahá'í in Moldova, enrolled. [Candle 9] | First Bahá'ís by country or area; Moldova | first Bahá'í in Moldova |
1984 Jun | A Bahá'í in Tetuan, Morocco, was arrested and sentenced to three years imprisonment for violating the 1983 ban on Bahá'í meetings. [BW19:49]
|
Persecution, Morocco; - Persecution, Arrests; - Persecution; Tétouán, Morocco; Morocco | |
1984 Jun | The Association for Bahá'í Studies, Australia, was established in Perth. [BW19:356] | Bahá'í Studies, Associations for; Perth, Australia; Australia | |
1984 Ridván | The National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of Guadeloupe was formed. [Bahaipedia Guadeloupe] | National Spiritual Assembly, formation; Pointe-à-Pitre, Guadeloupe; Guadeloupe | |
1984 Ridván | The National Spiritual Assembly of Equatorial Guinea was re-formed with its seat in Malaho. [BW19:62, 147]
|
National Spiritual Assembly, formation; Aziz Navidi; Malaho, Equatorial Guinea; Equatorial Guinea | |
1984 Ridván | Delegates at the United States National Convention petition the Universal House of Justice requesting that the law of Huqúqu'lláh be made binding on the American Bahá'ís. [AWH30; ZK146–77]
|
Huququllah, Basic timeline; Conventions, National; Universal House of Justice; - Gradual implementation of laws; USA | |
1984 Ridván | The National Spiritual Assembly of Yemen (North) was formed. [BW19:524]
With respect to Yemen: |
National Spiritual Assembly, formation; Yemen | first NSA Yemen (North) |
1984 Ridván | The National Spiritual Assembly of Martinique was formed with its seat in Fort-de-France. [BW19:62, 155]
|
National Spiritual Assembly, formation; Fort-de-France, Martinique; Martinique | first NSA Martinique |
1984 Ridván | The National Spiritual Assembly of Grenada was formed with its seat in St George's. [BW19:62, 155]
|
National Spiritual Assembly, formation; St. Georges, Grenada; Grenada | first NSA Grenada |
1984 Ridván | The National Spiritual Assembly of Gabon was formed with its seat in Libreville. [BW19:62, 147]
|
National Spiritual Assembly, formation; Libreville, Gabon; Gabon | first NSA Gabon |
1984 Ridván | The National Spiritual Assembly of French Guiana was formed with its seat in Cayenne. [BW19:62, 155]
Formally part of a region assembly with French Guiana, the new National Spiritual Assembly of Suriname was formed with its seat in Paramaribo. |
National Spiritual Assembly, formation; Cayenne, French Guiana; French Guiana; Paramaribo, Suriname; Suriname | first NSA French Guiana |
1984 Ridván | The National Spiritual Assembly of Cape Verde was formed with its seat in Praia. [BW19:62, 147]
|
National Spiritual Assembly, formation; Aziz Navidi; Praia, Cape Verde; Cape Verde | first NSA Cape Verde |
1984 Ridván | The National Spiritual Assembly of the Canary Islands was formed with its seat in Santa Cruz. [BW19:62, 169]
|
National Spiritual Assembly, formation; Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Canary Islands; Canary Islands, Spain | first NSA Canary Islands |
1984 Ridván | The National Spiritual Assembly of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands was formed with its seat in Port Blair. [BW19:62, 162]
|
National Spiritual Assembly, formation; Port Blair, Andaman and Nicobar Islands; Andaman and Nicobar Islands, India | first NSA Andaman and Nicobar Islands |
1984 Ridván | The emergence from obscurity, which has been so marked a feature of the Cause of God during the first five years of the Seven Year Plan [1979-1986], has been attended by changes, both external and internal, affecting the Bahá'í world community. Externally, there are signs of a crystallization of a public image of the Cause -- largely uninformed, however friendly -- while internally growing maturity and confidence are indicated by increased administrative ability, a desire for Bahá'í communities to render service to the larger body of mankind and a deepening understanding of the relevance of the divine Message to modern problems. Both these aspects of change must be taken into consideration as we enter the third and final phase of the Seven Year Plan. [The Universal House of Justice Ridvan 1984] | Emergence from obscurity; - Bahá'í World Centre | |
1984 21 Mar | The inaugural broadcast for Radio Baha'i WLGI, located at the Louis Gregory Bahá'í Institute in Hemingway, South Carolina, was Naw Ruz, 141 B.E. (March 21, 1984). [from an email from Greg Kintz, General Manager, Radio Baha'i, dated 19 March, 2019]
|
Bahá'í Radio; Bahá'í-owned radio; Hemingway, SC; South Carolina, USA; USA | first Baha'i radio station in North America |
1984 Naw-Rúz | The inauguration of Radio Bahá'í of Bolivia on the medium-wave band at Caracollo, Bolivia. Construction of the new station and its associated Teaching Institute was completed in January 1984 and inaugurated on March 21, the Baha'i new year Naw-Ruz. [Mess63-86p619]
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Bahá'í Radio; Teaching institutes; Bahá'í-owned radio; Caracollo, Bolivia; Bolivia | |
1984 28 Feb | The passing of Renée Szanto-Felbermann (b 21 June, 1900, d. 28 February, 1984) in Freiburg, Germany. She is considered the first to declare her faith in Hungary. [BW19p633]
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First Bahá'ís by country or area; In Memoriam; Births and deaths; Freiburg, Germany; Germany; Hungary | |
1984 3 Jan | The Universal House of Justice addressed a letter to the Bahá'í youth of the world encouraging them to volunteer a period of service to the Bahá'í Faith. [AWH14–17; BW19:297–8, 299, 311–13; VV116] | Universal House of Justice; Youth, Year of service; Youth; Haifa, Israel | |
1984 (In the year) | The persecution of the Bahá'ís of Iran continued throughout the year. [BW19:177–226]
|
Persecution, Iran; - Persecution, Deaths; - Persecution; United Nations; Human Rights; Bahá'í International Community; Iran | |
1984 (In the year) | The first Bahá'í university, Universidad Núr, opened in Santa Cruz, Bolivia. [VV82–3]
|
- Bahá'í inspired schools; Santa Cruz, Bolivia; Bolivia | first Bahá’í university, Universidad Núr |
1984 (In the year) | The publication of Heroes of God: History of the Bahá'í Faith in Ecuador, 1940-1979 by Helen Bassett Hornby. | Bahá'í history by country; Helen Hornby; Ecuador | |
1984 (In the year) | Four Bahá'ís, one of whom had already spent five years in prison, were imprisoned in Indonesia, convicted of membership in a banned religious organization, with teaching the Bahá'í Faith and with insulting Islám. [BW19:42]
|
Persecution, Indonesia; - Persecution, Arrests; - Persecution, Court cases; Court cases; - Persecution; Indonesia | |
1983 Dec | Bahá'ís were arrested in Mohammadieh and Casablanca, Morocco. [BW19:49]
|
Persecution, Morocco; - Persecution, Arrests; - Persecution; Mohammadieh, Morocco; Casablanca, Morocco; Morocco | |
1983 21 - 23 Nov | A brief entitled The Future of Canada: A Bahá'í Perspective was presented to The Royal Commission on the Economic Union and Development Prospects of Canada on behalf of the Canadian Bahá'í Community through the National Spiritual Assembly in Saskatoon. [The Future of Canada: A Bahá'í Perspective] | Social and economic development; - National Spiritual Assembly, statements; - Statements; Saskatoon, SK; Canada | |
1983 21 Oct | The Republic of Panama issued a postage stamp bearing the picture of the House of Worship in Panama. [BW19:157] | Mashriqu'l-Adhkár, Panama; * Mashriqu'l-Adhkár (House of Worship); Stamps; Panama | |
1983 20 Oct | The establishment of the Office of Social and Economic Development. In a message to the Bahá'í world the Universal House of Justice called on individuals and Bahá'í communities to apply the teachings of Bahá'u'lláh systematically to the problems of their societies. This seminal statement pointed to the teachings of Bahá'u'lláh as a source of order in the world, asserted the coherence of the spiritual and the material dimensions of human life, praised the social and economic progress achieved by the Bahá'í community of Iran, announced the establishment of the Office of Social and Economic Development at the World Centre and defined the role of various Bahá'í agencies in fostering development. [Message from the Universal House of Justice dated 20 October, 1983, Mess63-86p602-603,AWH6–10; BW19:153, BW92-93pg229-245] |
Social and economic development; Social action; Office of Social and Economic Development (OSED); Bahá'í International Development Organization; Bahá'í International Community; - BIC statements; - Bahá'í World Centre | |
1983 Sep | Persian Baháʾís have made great contributions in international Bahá'í fields. The Persian Bahá'í community, as the oldest and wealthiest Bahá'í community in the world has played a vital role in almost every major accomplishment of the Bahá'í world community. The earliest Bahá'í communities in the Middle East, and southern Russia were without exception formed through the pioneering activities of the Persian Bahá'ís. In later periods they traveled and settled in different parts of the world to propagate the Faith. During the Ten Year World Crusade (1953-63) and subsequent global activities, the Persian community contributed substantial manpower and financial support. During 1968-73 alone, as a partial goal of the international Nine Year Plan (1964-1973), 3,500 Persian Bahá'ís were relocated to goal areas, both domestic and international, and some five thousand individuals, often using their own resources, served as missionaries abroad. [BW13p291-292; BW15p247; BAHAISM v. The Bahai Community in Iran by V. Rafati] | Statistics; Iran | |
1983 Sep | All property and endowments owed by the Bahá'í administration in Iran was seized.
The acquisition, preservation, and maintenance of the places directly associated with the history of the Bahá'í faith had been among the goals of the community since its early years. These places consisted of houses and sites associated with the principal figures of the Faith, burial places of Bahá'í saints, places where the martyrdoms of believers took place, prisons, fortresses, and defense centres of heroes and renowned Bahá'ís. The fact that these places were located throughout the country made their care a major undertaking for various committees at local and national levels. The work included the registration, description, and photographing of the sites in addition to their regular maintenance and restoration. In the late 1960s more than 124 holy places belonged to the faith in various localities throughout the country. There were more than 200 national and 452 local endowments consisting of Bahá'í centres, cemeteries, hostels, and public baths. [Department of Statistics, Baháʾí World Centre, Haifa, "Persia - Nine Year Plan File," 14 January 1969] In addition the Bahá'is had acquired 3.58 square kilometers of land on the slopes of Mount Alborz, named Ḥadīqa, in northeast Tehran, for the eventual construction of a National Mašreq al-Aḏkār. Although the temple had not yet been built a complex of buildings had been erected on the site to serve as the seat of Bahá'í summer schools and other social and administrative activities. [BW10p48; BAHAISM v. The Bahai Community in Iran by V. Rafati] |
Persecution, Iran; Mashriqu'l-Adhkár, Tihran; * Mashriqu'l-Adhkár (House of Worship); Statistics; Tehran, Iran; Iran | |
1983 3 Sep | In response to the Iranian authorities banning all Bahá'í administrative and community activities and the making of membership in a Bahá'í assembly a criminal offence, as their last act the National Spiritual Assembly of Iran sent an open letter to the Prosecutor General of the Islamic Revolution refuting the false charges made against the Bahá'ís and informing him of their willingness to obey the government and disband the Bahá'í administration. [BW19:43]
Since the 1920s when the Bahá'í administration was introduced in Iran they had made considerable progress. 1950 Local Spiritual Assemblies: 280 Localities: 712 1968 Local Spiritual Assemblies: 560 Localities: 1,541 1979 Local Spiritual Assemblies: 679 Localities: 1,699[BAHAISM v. The Bahai Community in Iran by V. Rafati] |
National Spiritual Assembly, Iran; Persecution, Iran; - Persecution; National Spiritual Assembly, dissolved; Local Spiritual Assembly, dissolved; Yaran; Khadimeen; Statistics; Iran | |
1983 29 Aug | In Iran the Bahá'í Faith was banned in Iran and membership of Bahá'í institutions made a criminal offence. This
order required the dissolution of the third National Spiritual Assembly and roughly 400 local
assemblies. [BW19:43]
In time, seven former members of the third National Spiritual Assembly were arrested and eventually executed by the government.
|
Persecution, Iran; - Persecution, Bans; - Persecution; National Spiritual Assembly, formation; Iran | |
1983 23 Aug | Seyyed Hussein Musavi Tabrizi, the Attorney General of Iran, declared all Bahá'í administrative activities illegal, thus requiring the dissolution of the National Spiritual Assembly of Iran, along with some 400 Local Assemblies which operated under its jurisdiction. [Iran Press Watch] | Persecution, Iran; - Persecution, Other; - Persecution, Bans; - Persecution; Iran | |
1983 5 – 7 Aug | The first Los Angeles Bahá'í History Conference was held at the University of California at Los Angeles. [BW19:369–70] | Bahá'í history; Conferences, Bahá'í; Conferences, Other; - Conferences; - First conferences; Los Angeles, CA; USA | first Los Angeles Bahá’í History Conference |
1983 1 - 12 Aug | The second World Conference Against Racism was held in Geneva, Switzerland.
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United Nations; Bahá'í International Community; UNESCO; Racism; Discrimination; Geneva, Switzerland | |
1983 Ridván | The number of Local Spiritual Assemblies in Africa rose to some 7,200 and localities where Bahá'ís resided to over 35,000. In Algeria, the Congo, Egypt, Libya and Niger the Faith remained banned. [BW19p147] | Statistics; - Persecution; National Spiritual Assembly, formation; Algeria; Congo, Democratic Republic of; Egypt; Libya; Niger | |
1983 17 Jul | The passing of Counsellor William Mmutle Masetlha (b.February 21, 1921 in Sophiatown, a township of Johannesburg) in Dube (Soweto), South Africa. [BW19p607-608]
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In Memoriam; Williams Mmutle Masetlha; William Mmutle Masetlha Foundation (WMMF); Auxiliary board members; Banani School, Zambia; Sophiatown, South Africa; Johannesburg, South Africa; Soweto, South Africa; South Africa | |
1983 12 Jun | The Hojjatiyeh society, also known as Hojjatieh or Hojjatiyeh Movement, was a religious and political organization in Iran with a short but controversial history. It emerged in the 1950s and gained significant influence within Iran's Shia Muslim community in the 1970s and early 1980s. The movement's name is derived from its founder, Shaikh Mahmoud Halabi, who was known as Hojjat-ol-Eslam Hojjati. The Hojjatiyeh movement initially presented itself as a conservative Islamic group that aimed to combat the spread of the Bahá'í Faith and defend the principles of Twelver Shia Islam. It considered the Bahá'í teachings to be a heretical deviation from Islam and saw Bahá'ís as apostates. The movement was critical of the Shah's regime and initially aligned itself with Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, who led the Iranian Revolution in 1979. After the revolution, the Hojjatiyeh movement's activities and ideology began to be viewed with suspicion. Its radical and confrontational approach towards other religious minorities and even other Shia Muslims drew criticism from other clerics and political factions within the new government. In response to mounting pressure and criticism, Ayatollah Khomeini ordered the dissolution of the Hojjatiyeh society in 1983, effectively banning the organization. The movement's radical and divisive teachings were seen as a threat to the stability and unity of the newly established Islamic Republic. [Wikipedia; Hojjatiyeh, Mesbahiyeh, and Ahmadinejad by M Sashimi] |
Hojjatieh Society; Persecution, Iran; Iran | |
1983 (early) Jul | The European European Board of Counsellors sponsored a Bahá'í Youth Conference in Innsbruck. Amatu'l-Bahá Rúḥíyyih Khánum was a special guest. It was attended by about 1,500 from some 40 countries. [BW19p173]
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- Conferences; Conferences, Youth; Innsbruck, Austria; Austria | |
1983 Jul 1983 | The Office of Social and Economic Development was opened at the Bahá'í World Centre. [AWH8; BBD70; BBRSM154; BW19:58; VV78]
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Office of Social and Economic Development (OSED); Social and economic development; Social action; - Bahá'í World Centre | |
1983 25 Jun | The passing of Reginald "Rex" Collison (b. 3 May 1884 in Ohio). He was buried in Oak Mound Cemetery, Healdsburg, Sonoma County, California, USA. [BW19p595-596]
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Rex Collison; In Memoriam; Mary Collison; Dunduzu Chisza; - Knights of Bahá'u'lláh; Healdsburg, CA; California, USA; USA | |
1983 24 Jun | In response to the hanging of 10 Bahá'í women in Shíráz, the Universal House of Justice addressed a cable to the Bahá'í youth throughout the world, urging them to re-dedicate themselves to the Cause. [BW19:187–8, 297] | Youth; - Bahá'í World Centre | |
1983 18 Jun | In Shiraz, ten Bahá'í women ranging in age from 17 to 57, were hanged. All of the women had been tortured and interrogated in the months prior to their execution. The youngest of these martyrs was Mona Mahmudnizhad, a 17-year-old schoolgirl who had been beaten on the soles of her feet, kissed the hands of her executioner and placed the hangman's rope around her own throat. The names of the others executed were Zarrin Muqimi-Abyanih, 28, Ruya Ishraqi, a 23-year-old veterinary student, Shahin Dalvand, 25, a sociologist; Izzat Janami Ishraqi, 57, a homemaker and mother of Roya; Mahshid Nirumand, 28, who had qualified for a degree in physics but had it denied her because she was a Bahá'í, Simin Sabiri, 25; Tahirih Arjumandi Siyavushi, 30, a nurse; Akhtar Sabet Sarvestani, 25, also a nurse; Nusrat Ghufrani Yalda'i, 47, a mother and member of the local Bahá'í Spiritual Assembly. [Hanged for teaching "Sunday school"]
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Martyrs, Shiraz 1983; Mona Mahmudnizhad; Persecution, Iran; - Persecution, Deaths; - Persecution; Youth; - Persecution, Education; Shahin Dalvand; Izzat Janami Ishraqi; Mahshid Nirumand; Simin Sabiri; Tahirih Arjumandi Siyavushi; Akhtar Thabit; Nusrat Ghufrani Yaldai; Zarrin Muqimi-Abyanih; Ruya Ishraqi; Shíráz, Iran; Iran | |
1983 16 Jun | Six Bahá'ís were executed by hanging:
Dr. Bahrarn Afnan, aged 50, a prominent physician specializing in heart and internal diseases; Mr. Bahram Yalda'i, aged 28, who had studied to obtain his doctorate in economics; Mr. Jamflid Siyavushi, aged 39, who owned a clothing shop; Mr. 'Inayatu'llah Ifiraqi, aged 61, who had worked for the Iran Oil Company and was retired; Mr. Kurug Haqqbin, aged 34, an electrical technician specializing in the repair of radio and television sets; and Mr. 'Abdu'l-Husayn Azadi, aged 66, a veterinarian who had been an employee of the Ministry of Health. Of this group, all save Mr. Igraqi and Mr. Yalda'i were members of Local Spiritual Assemblies in Shíráz or surrounding communities. [BW19p178] |
Persecution, Iran; Shíráz, Iran | |
1983 23 May | A five year term for the Counsellor members of the International Teaching Centre was established by the Universal House of Justice. [Message 19 May, 1983; BW19:27] "... a five-year term for the Counsellor members of the International Teaching Centre. Each term will start on 23 May immediately following the International Bahá'í Convention, and the current term will end on 23 May 1988. Should circumstances prevent the Universal House of Justice from making new appointments at the end of any five-year term, the Counsellors will remain in office until such time as new appointments can be made." |
Counsellors; International Teaching Centre, Members of; Appointed arm; Universal House of Justice; - Bahá'í World Centre | |
1983 19 May | The Universal House of Justice announced a number of changes to the membership of the International Teaching Centre raising the number of members to nine. [BW19:27]
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International Teaching Centre; Counsellors; Florence Mayberry; Magdalene Carney; Masud Khamsi; Peter Khan; Isobel Sabri; - Bahá'í World Centre | |
1983 29 Apr - 2 May | The Universal House of Justice was elected for the fifth time at the International Convention held in Haifa.
|
Universal House of Justice, Election of; Elections; Universal House of Justice, Members of; Conventions, International; Gifts; Roses; NSA; - Bahá'í World Centre; Haifa, Israel; Iran | |
1983 Ridván | The renovation of the House of 'Abdu'lláh Páshá in 'Akká was completed. [BW18:77]
|
House of `Abdu'lláh Páshá; Restoration; Conventions, International; Firsts, other; Pilgrimage; - Bahá'í World Centre; - Bahá'í World Centre buildings, monuments and gardens; Akka, Israel; - Bahá'í World Centre | first pilgrims to House of ‘Abdu’lláh Páshá |
1983 Ridván | The National Spiritual Assembly of St Vincent and Grenada was formed. [BW18:107]
|
National Spiritual Assembly, formation; St. Vincent, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines; Grenada | first NSA St Vincent and Grenada |
1983 Ridván | The National Spiritual Assembly of St Lucia was formed with its seat in Castries. [BW18:107, 171, 514-515] | National Spiritual Assembly, formation; Castries, St. Lucia; St. Lucia | first NSA St Lucia |
1983 Ridván | The National Spiritual Assembly of Dominica was formed with its seat in Roseau. [BW18:107, 171, 514-515] | National Spiritual Assembly, formation; Roseau, Dominica; Dominica | first NSA Dominica |
1983 Apr | The Government of Morocco prohibited all Bahá'í meetings. [BW19:49] | Persecution, Morocco; - Persecution, Bans; - Persecution; Morocco | |
1983 Mar | Five local and two pioneer Bahá'ís were arrested, interrogated and held briefly in prison in Mauritania. [BW19:49]
|
NSA; Persecution, Mauritania; - Persecution, Arrests; - Persecution; Mauritania | |
1983 Mar | The first International Youth Camp of Surinam was held in NW Nickerie, attended by 130 Bahá'ís. [BW18:176] | International Youth Camps; Nickerie, Suriname; Suriname | first International Youth Camp of Surinam |
1983 24 Feb | The inauguration of the Bahá'í Vocational Institute for Rural Women at Indore, India. It offered rural women residential courses on literacy, health care and income generating skills. The success of this school was recognized when it won one of the Global 500 Environmental Action awards that was presented at the Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro in 1992 [The Baha'is magazine]. | - Bahá'í inspired schools; Women; Social and economic development; Earth Summit; Indore, India; India | |
1983 13 Jan | The publication of the compilation entitled "The Importance of Deepening Our Knowledge and Understanding of the Faith" by the Universal House of Justice. [Messages63-86p571, Compilation of CompilationsVol 1 p187] | Deepening; - Compilations; * Publications; - Bahá'í World Centre | |
1983 Jan - Feb c. | The Seat of the Universal House of Justice was completed; the Universal House of Justice officially occupied the building. [BBD204; BW19:23; VV62]
|
Universal House of Justice, Seat of; Universal House of Justice, Basic timeline; Marble; Architecture; - Bahá'í World Centre buildings, monuments and gardens; - Bahá'í World Centre; Bahá'í World News Service (BWNS); - Basic timeline, Expanded; Margraf; - Bahá'í World Centre; Mount Carmel | |
1983 (In the year) | The film Heritage of the Martyrs, made by Elizabeth Martin, documented the fate of the Bahá'ís in Iran. [HNWE45] | - Film; Elizabeth Martin; Heritage of the Martyrs (film); Elizabeth Martin; Toronto, ON; Canada | |
1983 (In the decade) | During its first decade in power, the Islamic regime openly persecuted and killed Bahá'ís. These persecutions, however, caused reaction in the international community. In response to the international calls for the persecutions to be stopped, Siyyid Husayn Musawi, then the attorney general of Iran, declared that the Bahá'ís were not being harassed for their religious beliefs but because they were Israel spies. This was despite the fact that by that time it had become plainly obvious that the attorney general's so-called "spies" could avoid maltreatment and persecution by openly denouncing their faith. The Bahá'í community forcefully denied the charges and challenged the attorney general to produce evidence to back his allegations. [Iran Press Watch 1407] | Conspiracy theories; Persecution, Iran; - Persecution, Other; - Persecution; Iran | |
1983 (In the year) | The Association for Bahá'í Studies, German-Speaking Europe, was established in Austria. [BW19:357–8] | Bahá'í Studies, Associations for; German language; Austria | |
1983 (In the year) | The Diary of Juliet Thompson with a foreword by Marzieh Gail was published by Kalimat Press. The diary was of one of the earliest Bahá'ís of New York, covering her many hours with 'Abdu'l-Bahá in 1909, 1911, and 1912. It was a vivid personal account of spiritual love and the tests of her faith. [Collins7.2553] | Pilgrims notes; Diary of Juliet Thompson; Juliet Thompson; `Abdu'l-Bahá, Life of (chronology); `Abdu'l-Bahá, Travels of; Marzieh Gail; Los Angeles, CA; USA | |
1983 (In the year) | The persecution of the Bahá'ís of Iran continued throughout the year. [BW18:92; BW19:177–226]
|
Persecution, Iran; - Persecution, Deaths; - Persecution, Human rights; - Persecution, Bans; - Persecution; United Nations; Bahá'í International Community; Human Rights; Yaran; Bahá'í World News Service (BWNS); Iran | |
1983 (In the year) | The Association for Bahá'í Studies of Francophone Europe was established in Switzerland. | Bahá'í Studies, Associations for; French language; Switzerland | |
1983 (In the year) | The Association for Bahá'í Studies, English-Speaking Europe, was established in the Republic of Ireland.
|
Bahá'í Studies, Associations for; Ireland; United Kingdom; - Europe | |
1983 (In the year) | The Association for Bahá'í Studies, India, was established. [BW19:360] | Bahá'í Studies, Associations for; India | |
1943 - 1983 | Child's Way was a periodical published by the National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of the United States beginning in 1943. It aimed to serve parents, teachers and children. In January 1968 the periodical shifted to focus more on children, providing games, stories, puzzles, songs and other material for kids. It was "published bi-monthly in January, March, May, July, September and November in Baltimore, Maryland. [National Bahá'í Review Issue 9 September 1968 p9]
|
Childs Way; Baltimore, MD; Maryland, USA | |
1982 29 Dec | The passing of Stanwood Cobb, (b. November 6 Newton, Massachusetts, 1881 – d. December 29, 1982) noted Bahá'í lecturer, educator and author at his home in Chevy Chase, Maryland at the age of 101 after 75 years of service to the Cause.
|
Stanwood Cobb; In Memoriam; Births and deaths; Chevy Chase, MD; USA | |
1982 3 Dec | Paul Haney, Hand of the Cause of God, died in Haifa in an automobile accident. [BW18:617; VV52]
|
Paul Haney; - Hands of the Cause; Hands of the Cause, Births and deaths; Births and deaths; In Memoriam; Hands of the Cause, Appointments; Haifa, Israel | |
1982 18 Nov | Publication by the Universal House of Justice of the compilation on "Family Life". [BW18p41; CoC1p385] | Marriage; Family; - Compilations; * Publications; - Bahá'í World Centre | |
1982 Nov | The West African Centre for Bahá'í Studies was established in Nigeria. [BW18:167; BW19:366]
|
Bahá'í studies; Nigeria; - Africa | |
1982 23 Oct | Akhtar Sabet was born into a Baha'i family. Her father owned a small shop and she assisted him while also acquiring an education at school. At the age of 18, on 8 December 1978, her family home and shop were looted, as were the properties of the other Baha'is living in the area. They were forced to leave Sarvestan and moved to Shiraz where she continued her studies and later graduated as a nurse. She worked at a hospital and taught Bahá'í children's classes. She was arrested and first held at the Sepah Detention Centre for 38 days. She was then transferred to Adilabad prison and executed on 18 June 1983, together with 9 other women. [Tweet from @BahaiBIC 18 July 2023] | Persecution, Iran; Shíráz, Iran; Iran; Sarvestan, Iran; Iran | |
1982 23 Oct | Authorities arrested 45 Bahá'ís in Shiraz on the order of the prosecutor. On October 30th another 40 Baha'is were arrested. In all cases, they were arrested simply because of their religious beliefs. Some were later released but many of those arrested were subjected to interrogation and excruciating torture. The interrogations and torture were carried out to extract information about Bahá'í organizations and to force prisoners to renounce their faith and convert to Islam.
|
- Persecution, Arrests; - Persecution; Deaths; Persecution, Iran; - Persecution; Mona Mahmudnizhad; Youth; Shíráz, Iran; Iran | |
1982 22 or 23 Oct | The murder of Daniel Jordon in New York. The crime was unsolved. Mr. Jordon was on the National Spiritual Assembly and was a co-founder of The Anisa Model. [New York Times Archives] | Dan Jordan; In Memoriam; Stamford, CT; Connecticut, USA; USA | |
1982 7 Sep | The Revolutionary Prosecutor General, Seyyed Hossein Mousavi Tabrizi, banned all Bahá'í community activities in Iran. "Others" In Their Own Land 5min36sec] | Persecution, Iran; Tehran, Iran; Iran | |
1982 2 – 5 Sep | A Bahá'í International Conference to mark the fiftieth anniversary of the passing of the Greatest Holy Leaf was held in Canberra, Australia, attended by some 2,400 Bahá'ís, twice as many as were expected, from 45 countries. [BW18:100; VV61]
|
Conferences, Bahá'í; - Conferences, International; Bahiyyih Khanum (Greatest Holy Leaf); Canberra, Australia; Australia | |
1982 2 – 5 Sep | A Bahá'í International Conference to mark the fiftieth anniversary of the passing of the Greatest Holy Leaf was held in Montreal, Canada, attended by 9,400 Bahá'ís from 101 countries. [BW18:100; VV61]
|
Conferences, Bahá'í; - Conferences, International; Bahiyyih Khanum (Greatest Holy Leaf); Montreal, QC; Canada | |
1982 19 – 22 Aug | A Bahá'í International Conference to mark the fiftieth anniversary of the passing of the Greatest Holy Leaf was held in Lagos, Nigeria, attended by some 1,110 Bahá'ís from 46 countries representing some 90 ethnic groups. [BW18:100; VV61]
|
Conferences, Bahá'í; - Conferences, International; Bahiyyih Khanum (Greatest Holy Leaf); Statistics; Lagos, Nigeria; Nigeria | |
1982 6 – 8 Aug | A Bahá'í International Conference to mark the fiftieth anniversary of the passing of the Greatest Holy Leaf was held in Quito, Ecuador, attended by some 1,450 Bahá'ís from 43 countries. [BW18:100; VV61]
|
Conferences, Bahá'í; - Conferences, International; Bahiyyih Khanum (Greatest Holy Leaf); Quito, Ecuador; Ecuador | |
1982 Aug | Shakontala ('Shaku') Aswani, the first Gibraltarian to become a Bahá'í, enrolled in Northern Ireland, shortly afterwards returning to Gibraltar. | First Bahá'ís by country or area; Northern Ireland, UK; Gibraltar | first Gibraltarian Bahá’í |
1982 17 Jul | A seminar on the life of Bahíyyih Khánum, the Greatest Holy Leaf, was conducted at the Seat of the Universal House of Justice, the first gathering held in the building. [BW18:53–4; VV62]
|
Bahiyyih Khanum (Greatest Holy Leaf); Universal House of Justice, Seat of; - Bahá'í World Centre | first gathering held in Seat of the Universal House of Justice |
1982 15 Jul | In commemoration of the fiftieth anniversary of the passing of Bahíyyih Khánum, the Greatest Holy Leaf, Bahá'ís at the World Centre prayed at midnight at the Shrine of the Báb and at the tomb of the Greatest Holy Leaf, commemoration services were held in many parts of the world. [BW18:53, 102]
"The five international conferences of the Seven Year Plan were called to commemorate the fiftieth anniversary of the passing of the Greatest Holy Leaf, to discuss anew the present condition of the Faith in a turbulent world society, to examine the great opportunities for its future growth and development, and to focus attention on the unfulfilled goals of the Plan. We are certain that the contemplation of the gathered friends on the sterling qualities which distinguished the heroic life of the Greatest Holy Leaf will help them to persevere in their noble endeavours." [The Universal House of Justice, from a message to the International Conference in Canberra, Australia, 2, September 1982 para 3] |
Bahiyyih Khanum (Greatest Holy Leaf); Báb, Shrine of; Haifa, Israel | |
1982 27 Jun | The Bahá'í Youth Academy was established in Panchgani, India. [BW18:230–2] | Bahá'í Youth Academy, India; Bahá'í Academy, India; Youth; Bahá'í study centers; Panchgani, India; Maharashtra, India; India | |
1982 25 – 27 Jun | A Bahá'í International Conference to mark the fiftieth anniversary of the passing of the Greatest Holy Leaf was held in Dublin, Ireland, attended by some 1,900 Bahá'ís from 60 countries. [BW18:100; VV61]
|
Conferences, Bahá'í; - Conferences, International; Bahiyyih Khanum (Greatest Holy Leaf); Dublin, Ireland; Ireland | |
1982 19 – 20 Jun | The teaching project Camino Del Sol (Trail of Light), comprising indigenous believers from North America, was formed on the Navajo Reservation in Arizona, United States. [BW18:239]
|
Indigenous people; Native Americans; Navajo; Arizona, USA; USA | |
1982 9 Jun | The passing of Richard Edward St. Barbe Baker (b. 9 October, 1889 West End, Hampshire, England d. Saskatoon, Saskatchewan). [BW18p802-805; BW5p549]
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Richard St. Barbe Baker; Men of the Trees; International Tree Foundation; Environment; In Memoriam; Births and deaths; Cemeteries and graves; Hampshire, England; United Kingdom; Saskatoon, SK; Saskatchewan, Canada; Canada | the first member of the English gentry to join the Bahá’í Faith. |
1982 Jun | The first edition of the Bahá'í Studies Bulletin was published under editor Stephen Lambden with the permission of the National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of the United Kingdom. Its stated purpose was to facilitate communication among those engaged in the academic study of the Babi and Bahã'i religions. The periodical ran unit June 1993 when Volume 7 Issue 3-4, was published.
Reprints of the articles in pdf format can be found on the Hurqalya Publications: Center for Shaykhī and Bābī-Bahā’ī Studies website. An incomplete index of the publications up to October 1992 can be found at Bahá'í Library Online. |
Bahá'í Studies Bulletin; Newcastle-upon-Tyne, England; United Kingdom | |
1982 25 May | The Subcommittee on Human Rights and International Organizations of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the United States House of Representatives heard the testimony of six witnesses concerning the persecution of the Bahá'ís in Iran. [BW18:172]
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Human Rights; Persecution, Iran; - Persecution, Other; - Persecution; United States government; Washington, DC, USA; USA; Iran | |
1982 14 May | Amoz Gibson, (b. 3 Aug 1918 Washington), a member of the Universal House of Justice from 1963 until 1982, passed away in Haifa. He was buried in the Bahá'í Cemetery in Haifa. [BW18:669; VV52]
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Amoz Gibson; In Memoriam; Births and deaths; Universal House of Justice, Members of; Glenford Mitchell; Bahá'í World News Service (BWNS); - Bahá'í World Centre | |
1982 Ridván | The formation of the National Spiritual Assembly of Morocco. (Note: No reference can be found to substantiate the formation on this date. In BW18p58 there is a reference to the NSA of Morocco functioning in July of 1982.) | National Spiritual Assembly, formation; Rabát, Morocco; Morocco | |
1982 Ridván | The Regional Spiritual Assembly of Liberia and Guinea was dissolved and each formed their own national assembly. The National Spiritual Assembly of Liberia had its seat in Monrovia and the National Spiritual Assembly of Guinea established its seat in Conakry. [BW98-99p54-55]
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National Spiritual Assembly, formation; Monrovia, Liberia; Conakry, Guinea | |
1982 Ridván | The National Spiritual Assembly of Nepal was re-formed. [BW18:107, 181, 553(photo)]
"In the Himalayan Kingdom of Nepal, the believers have, through the integrity of their character and the excellence of their conduct, overcome in recent years restrictions on the expansion of the Cause. They are now held in high regard and are successfully engaged in presenting the Faith to the people as a unifying force which can contribute to the progress of the nation. As they grow in strength, they can begin to look beyond their own borders and assist in the propagation of the Faith in those areas to which they have such easy access." [Ridván 153] |
National Spiritual Assembly, dissolved; National Spiritual Assembly, re-formation; Local Spiritual Assembly, dissolved; Local Spiritual Assembly, re-formed; National Spiritual Assembly, formation; Kathmandu, Nepal; Nepal | |
1982 12 Apr | The Universal House of Justice announced the successful achievement of the objective to issue "a compilation of letters to" the Greatest Holy Leaf "and statements about her by Bahá'u'lláh, 'Abdu'l-Bahá, and the beloved Guardian, and her own letters" to mark the 50th anniversary of her passing. [BW18p41]
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Bahiyyih Khanum (Greatest Holy Leaf); - Bahá'í World Centre | |
1982 10 – 11 Apr | The Bahá'í International Health Agency was established as an affiliate of the Association for Bahá'í Studies. Dr Ethel Martens, a researcher in social and preventative medicine was asked to serve as the Executive Secretary.
The agency was established with a view to co-ordinating and encouraging research and education among Bahá'ís who are health professionals and others who are interested or who have knowledge in this area. Goals of the agency include compiling a world directory of Bahá'ís who work in health-related professions, scientists and resources; organizing an international Bahá'í conference on health to be held every three years; publishing the proceedings of these conferences; and developing and distributing educational health programmes for children and adults in various countries and cultures. These programmes will be made available in written and audiovisual form for use by Bahá'í radio stations, Bahá'í schools, Spiritual Assemblies and non-Bahá'í' entities. [BW18:201; BW12p194; VV25] |
Bahá'í Studies, Associations for; Bahá'í International Health Agency; Ottawa, ON; Canada | |
1982 10 – 11 Apr | The National Spiritual Assembly of Panama petitioned its government to issue a stamp in commemoration of the dedication of the Mother Temple of Latin America. [BW18:172–3] | National Spiritual Assembly, Panama; Mashriqu'l-Adhkár, Panama; Stamps; Panama | |
1982 9 – 12 Apr | The first Conference on Bahá'í Scholarship to be held in Australia took place at Yerrinbool Bahá'í School in New South Wales. [BW18:202-203] | Conferences, Other; - Conferences; Bahá'í studies; - First conferences; New South Wales; Australia | first conference on Bahá’í scholarship |
1982 18 Feb | The publication of the compilation entitled "Family Life" by the Universal House of Justice. [Messages63-86p533, Compilation of CompilationsVol 1 p385] | Marriage; Family; - Compilations; * Publications; - Bahá'í World Centre | |
1982 (In the month) | French Minister of State for the Interior, Gaston Defferre. and Mme. Defferre, were formally welcomed by the Secretary General of the Bahá’í International Community on behalf of the Universal House of Justice on their visit to the Seat of the House of Justice. The visit was the first by a government official of cabinet rank following occupation of the Seat. Those present were: Mr. Mohsen Enayat, World Centre Legal Officer; M. Defferre; Mr. Donald Barrett, Secretary General of the Bahá’í International Community; His Worship Arieh Gurel, Mayor of Haifa; and Mme. Defferre, who is better known as Edmonde Charleroux, one of Europe’s leading authors. [BW18p137] | The visit was the first by a government official of cabinet rank following occupation of the Seat. | |
1982 20 Jan | Ayatollah Mohammadi Gilani, who at the time was lead religious judge and head of the Central Islamic Revolutionary Courts, and Assadollah Lajevardi, Tehran's Revolutionary Prosecutor, in a press conference regarding the execution of 15 Bahá'í citizens, members National Assembly Tehran's Local Assembly, said: "These people, who have been executed, had been proven to be spying for Israel and its allies, in the Islamic Republic's Sharia courts, and have been punished for their actions according to the Holy Quran." No evidence was offered to substantiate the accusation that they were spies. Nor did any of the Bahá'ís convert to Islam, if they had, the court would have acquitted them of the charges and commuted the death sentence. Iran Press Watch 7 January 2020] | Persecution, Iran; Tehran, Iran | |
1982 4 Jan | The martyrdom of Fatollah Ferdowsi. (See above)
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Persecution, Iran; Iran | |
1982 4 Jan | Seven members of the Local Spiritual Assembly of the Tehran were executed. They had been arrested on the 13th and tried on the 26th of December. They were:
Shidrokh Amirkia, (46),
Ataollah Yavari, (35),
Khosrow Mohandesi, (52),
Shiva Assadollah Zadeh, (36),
Kourosh Talaei, (33),
Fathollah Ferdowsi, (63) and,
Eskandar Aziz (61).
On January 2, the seven Baha'i prisoners were taken to the prosecutor's office for trial. The Sharia judge was Hojjatoleslam Fahim Kermani, and the charges against them were exactly the charges of the National Assembly members, such as spying for Israel. They did not accept any of the charges and the court did not provide any evidence. The trial was held in private and the defendants were denied the right to a lawyer. After several hours of trial, all seven were sentenced to death and the confiscation of their properties. Each of the defendants was summoned separately by the representative of the court and the verdicts were communicated to them. 'If you abandon the Bahá'í faith, you will be set free,' they were each told. The proposal was met with a negative response from all seven. An hour later, the court representative collectively offered the defendants a reduction in punishment if they condemned the actions of the Bahá'í National Assembly; again, all seven gave a negative response." The men were shot at Evin Execution Square and the two women were shot in the basement of Evin Prison. The seven were buried in plain clothes, without any religious ceremonies, in Khavaran Cemetery. [Iran Press Watch 7 January 2022] |
Persecution, Iran; Tehran, Iran | |
1982 Jan | After a lapse of six years, the first formal meeting of the National Spiritual Assembly of Laos was held at the Bahá'í Centre. [BW18:96; BW19:49] | National Spiritual Assembly, Laos; Laos | |
1982 (In the year) | The persecution of the Bahá'ís of Iran continued throughout the year. [BW18:92]
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Persecution, Iran; - Persecution, Deaths; - Persecution; United Nations; Bahá'í International Community; Human Rights; Iran | |
1982 (In the year) | The Canadian Bahá'í International Development Service was established. [BBRSM154] | Development; Canada | |
1982 (In the year) | One of the members of the National Spiritual Assembly of Vietnam sent to a 're-education' camp was released owing to ill health; the other remained in detention. [BW18:96] | Persecution, Vietnam; - Persecution, Other; - Persecution; Vietnam | |
1982 (In the year) | Soon after the Islamic Revolution's victory in 1979, Baha'i cemeteries in various cities and villages were subjected to attacks by government forces, and were destroyed and seized by the government. The Bahá'í cemetery in Tehran, the Golestan Javid Cemetery, spanning an area of 83,000 square meters, was confiscated in 1982. Subsequently, the government demolished the burial site of over 15,000 Bahá'ís and sold the gravestones. The corpses were exhumed and transported away in trucks. Finally, the land was leveled by a bulldozer before the Khavaran Cultural Center was constructed thus the cultural center currently stands on the grounds of the former Baha'i cemetery. [IranWire 11 July 2023] | Persecution, Iran; Golestan Javid Cemetery; Tehran, Iran; Iran | |
1982 (In the year) | The first publication of Arohanui: Letters from Shoghi Effendi to New Zealand by the Bahá'í Publishing Trust in Suva, Fiji Islands. [BW18p878] | * Shoghi Effendi, Writings of; * Publications; Shoghi Effendi, Works of; New Zealand; Suva, Fiji; Fiji | |
1981 27 Dec | Eight of the nine members of the replacement National Spiritual Assembly of Iran were executed. They replaced the members who had been arrested and who had "disappeared" in August of 1980. The members of the second National Assembly were:
Mr. Mihdi Amin Amin,
Mrs. Zhinus Mahmudi,
Dr. 'Izzatu'lláh Furúhi,
Mr. Kamran Samimi,
Mr. Jalal Azizi,
Dr. Mahmud Madjhub,
Mr. Sirus Rawshani Oskui, and
Mr. Qudratu'llah Rawhani. Gítí Vahíd was absent from the meeting of the National Spiritual Assembly through illness and so was not arrested.
[BI13; BW19:43; Message from the Universal House of Justice 28 December 1981]
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National Spiritual Assembly, Iran; Persecution, Iran; - Persecution, Deaths; - Persecution; Iran | |
1981 10 Dec | The Universal House of Justice announced that the House of Bahá'u'lláh in Tákur, Núr, Iran, had been confiscated by the Revolutionary Government in the spring of 1979, had been totally demolished and the site offered for sale by auction. [BW18:289; BW19:42] | House of Bahá'u'lláh (Takur); Persecution, Iran; - Persecution, Destruction; - Persecution; Takur, Iran; Núr, Iran; Iran | |
1981 5 Dec | The Bahá'í cemetery in Tehran was seized "by order of the Revolutionary Court". Five caretakers and eight temporary workers were arrested and the cemetery was closed. [Mess63-86p510] The Baha'i cemetery, known as "Golestan-i-Javid" – the Eternal Garden – was confiscated. Ten years later, the City of Tehran demolished the cemetery in order to build the Khavaran Cultural Complex. In accordance with Shi'a jurisprudence, the conversion for the purpose of so-called "improvement" of a cemetery is only permissible after 30 years, but in this case only ten years had passed. The construction of the Khavaran Cultural Centre required deep excavation and the disinterment of more than 1,000 bodies. The design for the sunken yard and the vast basement of this complex was in reality a modern solution to the doctrinal problem of cleansing the soil of the "contamination" of the "unclean" remains of Bahá'ís. During the excavation and recycling of the soil, the remains of the "non-believer" Bahá'ís were apparently used in the foundation for the road and a new overpass. [Iran Press Watch 11 June 2018] |
Cemeteries and graves; Persecution, Iran; - Persecution, Destruction; - Persecution, Arrests; - Persecution; Golestan-i-Javid; Khavaran Cultural Complex; - Persecution, denial of burial; Tehran, Iran; Iran | |
1981 1 Dec | The Bahá'í International Community made its first appeal to the Commission on Human Rights to address the situation of the Bahá'í community in Iran and released a publication called The Baha'i's in Iran: A Report on the Persecution of a Religious Minority found in the Iran Human Rights Documentation Centre. | Bahá'í International Community; Persecution, Iran; - BIC statements; New York, USA; USA | |
1981 26 Nov | The inauguration of Radio Bahá'í Peru at Chucuito near Puno on the shore of Del Lago Titicaca (Lake Titicaca). [Mess63-86p510]
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Bahá'í Radio; Teaching institutes; Bahá'í-owned radio; Chucuito, Peru; Peru | |
1981 26 Nov | The Comunicación Intercambio y Radiodifusión Bahá'í para America Latina y el Caribe (CIRBAL) was established by the Universal House of Justice to promote the development of Bahá'í radio and mass media activities in Latin America. [BW19:59]
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Bahá'í Radio; Social and economic development; Universal House of Justice; Committee for Service to the Blindness; Disability; Peru; Latin America | |
1981 23 Nov | The publication of the compilation entitled "Excellence in all Things" by the Universal House of Justice. [Messages63-86p509-510, Compilation of CompilationsVol 1 p367] | Excellence; - Compilations; * Publications; - Bahá'í World Centre | |
1981 21 Nov | The passing of 'Abdu'l-Missagh Missaghiyeh (b.1880 in Káshán) in Tehran. [BW18p779-781]
He made a pilgrimage in 1912 and a second one in 1919. Upon his departure he was given a gold coin by 'Abdu'l-Bahá which he interpreted as a sign that he would have great wealth. In addition to the services he rendered as a member of Bahá'í institutions and through the teaching trips he made throughout lran offering encouragement to the friends, he made generous gifts of funds which made possible the acquisition of lands and buildings for the Faith in Asia, Europe and Africa. These gifts were made without ostentation, often without even his family being informed and in many cases in response to Shoghi Effendi's wishes. Although it is impossible to compile a complete record, his munificence can be glimpsed by mentioning that in Africa alone he had up to 1958 purchased no less than forty-four Temple sites, Teaching Institutes, Bahá'í Centres and other sites. Another notable contribution was the Missaghiyeh Hospital and Maternity Clinic in Tehran. |
In Memoriam; `Abdu'l-Missagh Missaghiyeh; Kashan, Iran; Tehran, Iran | |
1981 2 Oct | The passing of Hazel Scott (b. 11 June 1920 in Port of Spain and raised in Harlem) in Manhattan. She was buried in Flushing Cemetery in Queens, NY. Her friend Dizzy Gillespie, along with other Bahá'í musician friends, had told her about the Bahá'í Faith over the years. On December 1, 1968, she became a Bahá'í. [Bahá'í Blog]
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In Memoriam; Hazel Scott; - Famous Bahá'ís; Port of Spain, Trinidad; Manhattan, NY | |
1981 16 Sep | The Universal House of Justice addressed a message to all National Assemblies with the compilation of prayers and passages from the Bahá'í Writings with a view to have it translated and distributed where there was a dearth of Bahá'í literature. This was published by the Bahá'í World Centre under the title of "Words of God". [Messages63-86p486, 504-505] | - Compilations; Teaching; Words of God (compilation); * Publications; * Translation; Prayer; - Bahá'í World Centre | |
1981 24 Aug | The publication of the compilation entitled "The Assistance of God" by the Universal House of Justice. It was renamed "The Power of Divine Assistance" when published in the |
Power of Divine Assistance (compilation); - Compilations; * Publications; - Bahá'í World Centre | |
1981 15 Aug | The passing of Muhamad Mustafá (b.1898 in El Dhahriya, Egypt), stalwart servant and mainstay of the Egyptian and Northern African communities. He was buried in the Bahá'í Cemetery in Cairo. The follow cable was received from the Universal House of Justice:
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In Memoriam; Muhamad Mustafa; Knight of Bahá'u'lláh; Continental Board of Counsellors; Zaytun (Zeitoun), Iran; Egypt | |
1981 29 Jul | See the story of the martyrdom of pharmacist Dr. Parviz Firouzi,.
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Persecution, Iran; Martyrdom; Tabríz, Iran; Iran | |
1981 Jul | The reconstituted Bahá'í Publishing Trust of Uganda met for the first time. [BW18:112] | Publishing Trusts; Uganda | |
1981 Jul | An International Chinese Teaching Committee was appointed by the Universal House of Justice. [BW19:76] | Universal House of Justice | |
1981 23 Jun | Dr. Masih Farhangi had spent 502 days in the Evin Prison before his martyrdom by firing squad. For his execution he was accompanied by three other Baha'i souls: Mr. Badi'u'llah Farid, Yadu'llah Pustchi, and Varqa Tibyaniyan. Dr Farhangi was known as the "Prison Angel" for his service as the prison physician by treating his prison mates, who were clearly not receiving the medical care they needed by the prison establishment. [The Life and Services of Dr. Masih Farhangi by Dr. Farhang Farhangi (Jabbari); translated by: Farzin Farhangi; first edition 2020; publisher: Baran, Sweden].
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Persecution, Iran; - Persecution, Deaths; Tehran, Iran; Iran | |
1981 14 Jun | Seven members of the Local Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of Hamadan were executed by firing squad. These members were: Mr. Muhammad (Suhrab) Habibi, Mr. Muhammad-Baqir (Suhayl) Habibi, Mr. Husayn Khandil, Mr. Tarazu'llah Khuzayn, Mr. Husayn Mutlaq, Dr. Firuz Na'imi, and Dr. Nasir Vafa'i. The ribs of Tarazu'llah Khuzayn were crushed, and his hands were slashed. His legs and thighs had been pierced with a bayonet, and the injuries had turned his skin black and the tissues were swollen. [He was sixty-four when he died.] Suhrab Habibi's back had been branded with a hot ring – his own – and he had severe burns. The fingers of Husayn Khandil were slashed and his abdomen had been cut open. Dr. Na'imi's back had been broken and Dr. Vafa'i's thighs had been cut open; Suhayl Habibi's shoulders had been broken and smashed. Hossein Mutlaq had not been tortured but his body showed the greatest number of bullet wounds.
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- Persecution; Persecution, Iran; - Persecution, Deaths; Hamadán, Iran; Iran | |
1981 11 Jun | All the title deeds, deeds of ownership and the plans [buildings] in various cities which were available and registered in the books of the Nawnahalan Company, were forfieted to the Iranian government. In addition, the title deed of Gypsum Mines in the Village of Mesgarabad, which belonged to the company, was also confiscated. [Archives of Bahá'í Persecution in Iran]
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Nawnahalan; Persecution, Iran; Tehran, Iran | |
1981 23 May | Helmut Winkelbach, Knight of Bahá'u'lláh for Belarus, married Olga Grigorevna Dolganova, a Russian, their wedding ceremony was the first Bahá'í wedding in the Soviet Union. | Helmut Winkelbach; Olga Grigorevna Dolganova; - Knights of Bahá'u'lláh; Firsts, other; Weddings; Soviet Union; Russia | first Bahá’í wedding in Soviet Union |
1981 Ridván | The National Spiritual Assembly of St Vincent and the Grenadines was established with its seat in Kingstown. [BW19p62] | National Spiritual Assembly, formation; Kingstown, St Vincent and the Grenadines; Saint Vincent and the Grenadines | |
1981 Ridván | The National Spiritual Assembly of Uganda was re-formed after a period of 19 months during which the Faith was banned. [BW18:107, 163; Ridván Message 1981] | National Spiritual Assembly, formation; Kampala, Uganda; Uganda | |
1981 Ridván | The National Spiritual Assembly of Bermuda was formed with its seat in Hamilton. [BW18:107, 171] | National Spiritual Assembly, formation; Hamilton, ON; Bermuda | first NSA Bermuda |
1981 Ridván | The National Spiritual Assembly of Kiribati was formed. Since 1967 they had been part of the Assembly of the Gilbert (Kiribati) and Ellice (Tuvalu) Islands. [Wikipedia] | National Spiritual Assembly, formation; Kiribati; Gilbert and Ellice Islands | first NSA in Kiribati |
1981 Ridván | The National Spiritual Assembly of Tuvalu was formed with its seat in Funafuti. [BW18:107; BW19:62]
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National Spiritual Assembly, formation; Funafuti, Tuvalu; Tuvalu | first NSA Tuvalu |
1981 Ridván | The National Spiritual Assembly of the Windward Islands was formed with its seat in Kingstown, St Vincent. [BW18:171; BW18p515,; BN No 602 May 1981 p19]
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National Spiritual Assembly, formation; Kingstown, St Vincent and the Grenadines; St. Vincent, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines | first NSA Windward Islands |
1981 Ridván | The National Spiritual Assembly of the Leeward Islands was formed with its seat in St John's, Antigua. [BW18:107, 171]
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National Spiritual Assembly, formation; St. Johns, Antigua; Antigua; Leeward Islands | first NSA Leeward Islands |
1981 Ridván | The National Spiritual Assembly of South West Africa/Namibia was formed with its seat in Windhoek. [BW18:107, 163; BN no606 November 1981 p10] | National Spiritual Assembly, formation; Windhoek, Namibia; Namibia | first NSA South West Africa/Namibia |
1981 Ridván | The National Spiritual Assembly of Bophuthatswana was formed with its seat in Mmabatho. [BW18:107, 163; BN no606 November 1981 p10]
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National Spiritual Assembly, formation; Mmabatho, South Africa; Bophuthatswana, South Africa; South Africa | first NSA Bophuthatswana |
1981 Apr | The Canadian Association for Studies on the Bahá'í Faith was renamed the Association for Bahá'í Studies. [BBD202; VV24–5] | Bahá'í Studies, Associations for; Association for Bahá'í Studies (North America); Canada | |
1981 Apr | In Pakistan a constitutional amendment named the Bahá'í Faith among the non-Muslim faiths of the country, thus according it legal recognition. [BW18:107; VV67] | Constitutions (general); Recognition (legal); Pakistan | |
1981 - 2002 | A Persian-language Bahá'í quarterly journal entitled `Andalíb was published from 1981 to 2012 under the auspices of the National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of Canada. From issue no. 69, responsibility for the publication was moved to the Association of Bahá'í Studies in Persian (an agency of the National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of Canada).
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* Publications; Andalib (journal); Bahá'í studies; Thornhill, ON; Ottawa, ON; Canada | |
1981 1 Jan | The European branch office of the Bahá'í International Community was established in Geneva. [BW19:33, VV54, BIC-History] | Bahá'í International Community; Geneva, Switzerland; Switzerland | |
1981 1 Jan | The publication of Der Bahā'ismus, Weltreligion der Zukunft?: Geschichte, Lehre und Organisation in Kritischer Anfrage (Bahá'ism-Religion of the Future? History, Doctrine and Organization: A Critical Inquiry) by Francesco Ficicchia under the auspices of the Central Office of the Protestant Church for Questions of Ideology in Germany. This book was distributed by the Protestant Church and became the most widespread book on the Bahá'í Faith in German, and as such was widely accepted as a critical academic publication. At the time of its distribution a decision was taken to not dignify the publication with a rebuttal. This proved to be an error. Making the Crooked Straight was published in 1995 in German and translated/published by George Ronald Publishers in 2000. The purpose of the book, as the name suggests, was to address the distorted views presented in Ficicchia's publication. [MCSintroduction]
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Opposition; Criticism and apologetics; Making the Crooked Straight (book); Bahá'í Scholarship; Protestantism; - Christianity; Germany | |
1981 (In the year) | The persecution of the Bahá'ís of Iran continued throughout the year. [BW18:92]
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Persecution, Iran; - Persecution, Deaths; - Persecution; United Nations; Bahá'í International Community; Human Rights; NSA; Iran | |
1981 (In the year) | The National Assembly of Zaire was dissolved temporarily and three administrative committees were appointed in its place. [BW19:62, 147] | National Spiritual Assembly, formation; Congo, Democratic Republic of | |
1981 (In the year) | The site of the House of the Báb, destroyed by a mob in 1979, was made into a road and public square. [BBD108] | Báb, House of (Shiraz); Persecution, Iran; - Persecution, Mobs; - Persecution, Destruction; - Persecution; Shíráz, Iran; Iran | |
1980 Dec | Professor Manouchehr Hakim, who, at one time was the head of the Misaghieh Hospital, was shot and killed by "unknown elements" while he was in his office. The murderers were never identified, and three days later, a revolutionary court confiscated Professor Hakim's assets. [Iran Wire] | Persecution, Iran; Manouchehr Hakim; Misaghieh Hospital; Tehran, Iran | |
1980 26 Nov | The date, coincident with the Day of the Covenant, determined by the Universal House of Justice to be when the members of the Continental Board of Counsellors will start their five years term of service. [Message from the Universal House of Justice 29 June, 1979, BW19:27] | Counsellors; - Bahá'í World Centre | |
1980 20 Nov | Abu'l-Qásim Faizí, Hand of the Cause of God, passed away in Haifa. (b.1906) [BW18:659; VV52]
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Abu'l-Qasim Faizi; - Hands of the Cause; Hands of the Cause, Births and deaths; Births and deaths; In Memoriam; Hands of the Cause, Third Contingent; Haifa, Israel | |
1980 3 Nov | The Universal House of Justice announced that the zones of the Continental Boards of Counsellors will, from the Day of the Covenant of the year 137 (26 November 1980), be as follows: 1. Africa, comprising the areas of the four present zones of that continent. 2. The Americas, comprising the present zones of North, Central and South America. 3. Asia, comprising the present zones of Western, South Central and Southeastern Asia, together with the present zone of Northeastern Asia without the Hawaiian Islands and Micronesia. 4. Australasia, comprising the present zone of Australasia plus the Hawaiian Islands and Micronesia. 5. Europe. [Universal House of Justice Message 3 November, 1980] |
Counsellors; Appointed arm; - Bahá'í World Centre | |
1980 26 Oct | Publication by the Universal House of Justice of the compilation on Attendance at National Spiritual Assembly Meetings. [MUHJ63-86p404] | National Spiritual Assemblies; - Compilations; * Publications; - Administration; - Bahá'í World Centre | |
1980 17 Oct | Leonora Stirling Holsapple Armstrong, (b.June 23, 1895, Hudson, New York), the 'spiritual mother of South America' and the first Latin American pioneer, passed away in the city of Salvador in Bahia, Brazil. She had served on the Continental Board of Counsellors from her appointment in 1973. [Mess63-86p248; BW18:738; VV32]
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Leonora Holsapple Armstrong; Names and titles; In Memoriam; Bahia, Brazil; Brazil | first pioneer Latin American |
1980 Oct (Mid) | The First Latin American Bahá'í Women's Conference was held in Brasilia at the Convention Centre.
Woman, light of the future generation - when we, the women of the world, reflect on the true meaning of this theme that was chosen and as its full meaning penetrates more and more deeply into the conscience of each woman, we must understand that affectionate, that supreme privilege is ours and that inescapable duty is ours, and so we must rise as never before, to fulfill our first obligation. Women know that they are the first educators of humanity ... |
Conferences, Women; - Conferences; Leonora Holsapple Armstrong; Brasilia, Brazil; Bahia, Brazil; Brazil; Latin America | The First Latin American Bahá'í Women's Conference was held in Brasilia. |
1980 Oct | A completely new electrical system was installed in the Shrine of the Báb. [Bahái Chronicles] | Báb, Shrine of; - Bahá'í World Centre | |
1980 24 Sep | Universal House of Justice announced that additional land had been acquired in the south-western area of the Haram-i-Aqdas in exchange for some land near Nazareth. The acquisition of this new land permitted the completion of the fourth quadrant. In addition, it was announced that nearly 50,000 square meters of agricultural land adjacent to and north of the Mazra'ih property had been acquired as a protection for the Mansion because this area was being developed rapidly. [BW18:99; DH122, Message from the Universal House of Justice 24 September, 1980] | Haram-i-Aqdas; House of Bahá'u'lláh (Mazraih); Purchases and exchanges; - Bahá'í World Centre buildings, monuments and gardens; - Bahá'í World Centre; - Bahá'í World Centre; Akka, Israel; Bahji, Israel; Haifa, Israel | |
1980 Sep | Building work began on the Samoan House of Worship. [BW18:104] | Mashriqu'l-Adhkár, Apia, Samoa; * Mashriqu'l-Adhkár (House of Worship); Apia, Samoa; Samoa | |
1980 (In the year) | The Anís Zunúzí Baháʼí School, located at Lilavoix, Haiti, opened its doors to students in 1980. The inauguration ceremony took place on the 20th of October 1982 when Hand of the Cause Amatu'l-Bahá Khánum planted an orange tree as part of the opening ceremonies. [BN No 625 April 1983 p5-7; BW17:158; Wikipedia]
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Anis Zunuzi School, Haiti; - Bahá'í inspired schools; Lilavois, Haiti; Haiti | |
1980 Sep | The European Parliament, the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe and the United Nations Sub-Commission on Prevention of Discrimination and Protection of Minorities adopted resolutions on the plight of the Bahá'ís in Iran. [BW19:38] | European Union; United Nations; Persecution, Iran; - Persecution, Other; - Persecution; Human Rights; Bahá'í International Community; Iran | |
1980 21 Aug | The members of the National Spiritual Assembly of Iran were arrested along with two colleagues. They disappeared without trace and were presumed dead. In late December the bodies of five of the members of the National Assembly were discovered. [BW18p257; BW19:43, 235; Message from the Universal House of Justice 28 December 1981]
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National Spiritual Assembly, Iran; Persecution, Iran; - Persecution, Arrests; - Persecution, Deaths; Iran | |
1980 13 Aug | In a message the Universal House of Justice announced the publication of translations into English of "The Long Healing Prayer" and "Qad-Ihtaraqa'l-Mukhisún", the prayer commonly known as the "Fire Tablet". These tablets have subsequently been published in prayer books. [Messages63-86p455]
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Healing prayer, Long; Lawh-i-Qad-Ihtaraqal-Mukhlisun (Fire Tablet); Prayer; * Translation; * Publications; - Bahá'í World Centre | |
1980 29 Jul | Adelbert Mühlschlegel, Hand of the Cause of God, passed away at his pioneer post in Athens, Greece. (b.16 June 1897) [BW18:613; VV52]
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Adelbert Muhlschlegel; - Hands of the Cause; Hands of the Cause, Births and deaths; Births and deaths; In Memoriam; Athens, Greece; Greece | |
1980 27 Jul | The death of Mohammad Reza Shah Pahlavi in Cairo. (b.26 October, 1919 in Tehran).
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Reza Shah Pahlavi; Cairo, Egypt; Egypt | |
1980 14 - 30 Jul | Representatives of the Bahá'í International Community participated in the Second World Conference of Women in Copenhagen, Denmark and its preparatory conferences in Paris, New Delhi, Macuto (Venezuela) and Lusaka (Zambia). [Wikipedia; BIC History Second World Conference on Women]
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United Nations; Bahá'í International Community; - BIC statements; Copenhagen, Denmark; Denmark | |
1980 14 Jul | Two of the Bahá'ís arrested in Tabríz in April were executed. [BW18:256] | Persecution, Iran; - Persecution, Deaths; - Persecution; Tabríz, Iran; Iran | |
1980 13 Jul | The execution by firing squad of Dr. Faramarz Samandari as well as another Bahá'í by the name of Yadollah Astani, a reputable Tabriz merchant. Dr Samandari had been arrested on April 22nd along with a number of other Bahá'ís in Tabriz who had gathered to discuss what could be done about the Bahá'ís who had been expelled from government employment. Raised in Babol he had studied medicine in Tehran, completed his military service then left for England to study English and then Canada. After completing his studies in which he trained as an otolaryngologist (ear, nose and throat specialist), he returned to Iran. His Canadian fiancee, Anita, followed and they were married in 1971. She and their three children, all under the age of seven, left Iran after the Revolution on the advice of the Canadian Embassy. He was 48 years old at the time of his execution and was considered one of the top microscopic ear surgeons in the world. He was an innovator who devised a new method of ear surgery for the treatment of deafness. The method, now used in a modernized form around the world, allows a surgeon to implant a small hearing aid behind the ear of a hearing impaired person in a way that cannot been seen. [Iran Wire] |
Persecution, Iran; Yadollah Astani; Dr. Faramarz Samandari; Tabríz, Iran; Iran; Babul (Barfurush), Iran; Iran | |
1980 10 Jun | The martyrdom of Yúsuf Subhání in Ivín Prison in Tehran. For an account of his execution and the events leading up to it see The Account of the Martyrdom of Mr. Yusuf Subhání, 10 June 1980 written by his brother-in-law, Jálál Khánimání. [World Order, Series2, Volume_17 Issue 1 p12-18] | - Persecution, Deaths; Persecution, Iran; Yusuf Subhani; Ivin Prison; Tehran, Iran; Iran | |
1980 2 May | The first Bahá'í International Conference on Health and Healing was held in Ottawa, Canada, under the sponsorship of the Association for Bahá'í Studies. [BW 18:201] | Bahá'í Studies, Associations for; Conferences, Bahá'í; Conferences, Health; - Conferences, International; - First conferences; Ottawa, ON; Canada | first Bahá’í International Conference on Health and Healing |
1980 2 May | The Bahá'ís of India commemorated the centenary of the founding of the Bahá'í Faith in their country with a reception attended by about 400 guests, including the Minister of Foreign Affairs. [BW18:246–7]
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Centenaries; Prominent visitors; India | |
1980 Ridván | The National Spiritual Assembly of Transkei was formed with its seat in Umtata. [BW18:107, 163]
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National Spiritual Assembly, formation; Mthatha, South Africa; Transkei, South Africa | first NSA Transkei |
1980 Apr | Eight Bahá'ís were arrested in Tabríz; five were released after signing an agreement not to take part in Bahá'í administrative activities. [BW18:256]
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Persecution, Iran; - Persecution, Arrests; - Persecution, Deaths; - Persecution; Tabríz, Iran; Iran | |
1980 3 Mar | Publication by the Universal House of Justice of the compilation on The Importance of Prayer, Meditation and the Devotional Attitude. [MUHJ63-86p404] | Prayer; Meditation; - Compilations; * Publications; - Bahá'í World Centre | |
1980 Mar | The first Bahá'í Summer School of the Cameroon Republic was held in Victoria. [BW18:166] | Summer schools; First summer and winter schools; Limbé, Camaroon; Cameroon | first Bahá’í Summer School of the Cameroon Republic |
1980 25 Feb | Robert Hayden, much-honoured American poet, passed away in Ann Arbor, Michigan. [BW18:717]
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Robert Hayden; - Poetry; In Memoriam; Births and deaths; Poet Laureate; Commemorative stamp; Ann Arbor, MI; Michigan, USA | |
1980 12 Feb | Hasan M. Balyuzi, Hand of the Cause of God, passed away in London. (b. 7 September, 1908, Shiraz, Iran). He was buried at the New Southgate Cemetery London. [BW18:635; VV52, Mess63-86p442]
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Hasan Balyuzi; - Hands of the Cause; Hands of the Cause, Births and deaths; Births and deaths; In Memoriam; Bahá'í studies; London, England; United Kingdom | |
1980-10 Feb | Message from the Universal House of Justice addressed to the Bahá'ís of Iran and Iranian believers resident in other countries. [Mess63-68p433-441]
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Persecution, Iran; - Bahá'í World Centre; Iran | |
1980 Feb | The persecution of the Bahá'ís in Iran entered a new, more dangerous phase. [BW18:255]
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National Spiritual Assembly; Persecution, Iran; - Persecution, Arrests; - Persecution; Iran | |
1980 18 Jan | The publication of the compilation on Divorce by the Universal House of Justice. [MUHJ63-86p404] | Divorce; Marriage; Family; - Compilations; * Publications; - Bahá'í World Centre | |
1980 (In the year) | The film Jubilee, commissioned by the Universal House of Justice and made by Elizabeth Martin, documented the dedication of the cornerstone for the House of Worship in Samoa.
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- Documentaries; Elizabeth Martin; * Mashriqu'l-Adhkár (House of Worship); Mashriqu'l-Adhkár, Apia, Samoa; Foundation stones and groundbreaking; Toronto, ON; Canada | |
1980 (In the year) | The publication of Stories from the Delight of Hearts - The Memoirs of Hají Mírzá Haydar-Alí as translated by A Q Faizi and published by Kalimat in 1980. | Hájí Mírzá Haydar-`Alí (Angel of Carmel); Abu'l-Qasim Faizi; * Publications; * Translation | |
1980 (In the year) | The persecution of the Bahá'ís of Iran continued throughout the year. [BW18:92]
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Persecution, Iran; - Persecution, Deaths; - Persecution; United Nations; Bahá'í International Community; Human Rights; Iran | |
1980 (In the year) | Yee Wah Sing, the first Fiji-born person to become a Bahá'í in Fiji, enrolled. [BN596:14] | First Bahá'ís by country or area; Fiji | first indigenous Bahá’í in Fiji |
1980 (In the year) | The first local spiritual assemblies in Guinea were formed. | Local Spiritual Assembly; Guinea | first Local Spiritual Assembly in Guinea |
1980 (In the year) | The opening of the Native American Bahá'í Institute (NABI) on Navajo land in Arizona. The programs at NABi integrate Native American spirituality with that of the Bahá'i faith. It was designated an agency of the National Spiritual Assembly thereby becoming one of the five permanent school and institutes. Over the years it has been focused upon various goals.
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Bahá'í Institutes; Native American Bahá'í Institute; Houck, Arizona; Arizona, USA |
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