Bahai Library Online

Chronology of the Bahá'í Faith

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Date 2022, descending sort earliest first

date event tags firsts
2022 The year in review
202-
For a review of the treatment of the Bahá'ís in Iran during the year see the US State Department's 2022 Country Reports on Human Rights Practices: Iran for 2022 and search on "Baha'i". Persecution, Iran; Iran
2022 (In the year)
202-
HRANA's (Human Rights Activists News Agency) annual report in 2022 has highlighted a concerning trend where about 65% of reported human rights violations against religious minorities are directed toward the Bahá'í community. [HRANA] Persecution, Iran; Iran
2022 20 - 21 Dec
202-
The Appeals Examination Circuit of Egypt's Supreme Administrative Court upheld a ruling issued by the Alexandria Administrative Court allowing the Governorate of Alexandria to deny a request submitted by the Bahá'í community to create a new cemetery for the community.

Members of the Bahá'í community had requested that the Alexandria administrative authorities allocate a piece of land to be used as a burial site for its members because, at that time,, only a single cemetery space in Cairo's Basatin neighbourhood was available to the thousands of Egyptians of the Bahá'í Faith. This resulted in the depletion of the cemetery's capacity and forced families of deceased Bahá'ís to transport their loved ones' remains to Cairo from all across Egypt.

The legal representative of the Bahá'í community argued before the Alexandria Administrative Court that local administrative authorities had previously approved the allocation of burial sites for individuals who are not affiliated with the three officially recognized religions in Egypt — Islam, Christianity, and Judaism. He noted that the Cairo Governorate had leased land to the Indian Embassy to cremate the bodies of deceased Hindus in 1964. The Cairo authorities had also granted Bahá'ís the right to bury members of their community in a separate piece of land in 1965. He added that the Governorates of Ismailia and Port Said had approved the allocation of burial sites to the Bahá'í community in 1944 and 1949. Therefore, on the grounds that local governments had previously allocated burial sites to individuals not affiliated with the three recognized religions, the Governorate of Alexandria had no right to reject the Baha'i community's request that a new burial site be allocated for its members.

The reason given for not allowing the appeal by the court was that the Egyptian state recognizes only Islam, Judaism, and Christianity as religions. This was based on the opinionof the Islamic Research Academy affiliated with the Al-Azhar, the main Islamic institution of Egypt. The Islamic Research Academy claimed in a report submitted to the court that providing a burial site for the Bahá'í community would "lead to discrimination, further division, fragmentation, and rupture of the fabric of one society."

In another decision issued on December 20, 2022, the Administrative Court of the Governorate of Port Said rejected a petition submitted by members of the Bahá'í community to allocate a piece of land to be used as a new burial site by the community. In this case they had asked that a burial site should be located on a piece of land that had been confiscated in the 1970's for which no compensation was forthcoming. This request was also disallowed. [EIN Newswire]

Persecution, Egypt; Alexandria, Egypt; Egypt; Port Said, Egypt; Egypt
2022 15 Dec
202-
The Bahá'í World Centre announced that work had begun on the 'Akká Visitors' Centre which will accommodate pilgrims and visitors to the Shrine of 'Abdu'l-Bahá and the Ridván Garden. The complex will consist of three buildings: a pilgrim reception centre, which will be the largest of the buildings, a public visitors' centre, which will be located near the northernmost gate to the site, and a utility building located along the east fence. When the project is completed, pilgrims and visitors will enter the grounds through the east gate, where they can visit the 'Akká Visitor Centre before continuing along the path designed to facilitate stages on a meditative journey toward the Shrine. [BWNS1631] `Abdu'l-Bahá, Shrine of; `Abdu'l-Bahá, Shrine of; * Bahá'í World Centre
2022 6 Dec
202-
The release of the film A Library for All Who Seek Knowledge by the Bahá'í World News Service, a short documentary about the Afnan Library in Sandy, Bedfordshire. [BWNS1630] Afnan Library; - Film; Bahá'í World News Service (BWNS); Sandy, England
2022 21 Nov
202-
The sentencing of Mahvash Sabet and Fariba Kamalabadi in Revolutionary Court's Branch 26 in Tehran with Judge Iman Afshar presiding as judge, prosecutor and jury. They were both sentenced to another 10 years in prison. They had to be released in 2018.

They had been arrested on the 31st of July at the start of yet another crackdown against the Iranian Bahá'ís. Thirteen Bahá'ís were arrested in the raid including Afif Naeimi. Sabet, Kamalabadi and Naeimi were members of a group of people known as the "Yaran," or "Friends" of Iran, which until 2008 served as an informal leadership of the Iranian Bahá'í community. All seven of its members were arrested in 2007 and 2008 and jailed for a decade. [BWNS1631; BIC News 1AUF22; Iran Press Watch 14DEC22; Iran Press Watch July 31, 2023]

  • More than 320 Bahá'ís have been affected by individual acts of persecution since the 31 July arrest of Mahvash and Fariba. Dozens were arrested at various points in Shiraz, across Mazandaran province, and elsewhere throughout the country. [BIC New 18 Nov22]
  • Homes owned by Bahá'ís in the village of Roshankouh were demolished. [BIC News]
  • Government plans to tar the Bahá'ís through hate speech and propaganda were also exposed. [BIC News; BIC News]
  • At this time at least 90 Bahá'ís were in prison awaiting court proceedings or were subject to degrading ankle-band monitoring. [BWNS1631]
  • Mahvash Sabet; Fariba Kamalabadi; Afif Naeimi; Persecution, Iran; Tehran, Iran; Iran
    2022 8 Nov
    202-
    In a message addressed to all National Spiritual Assemblies the Universal House of Justice advised that Mr. Stephen Birkland and Mr. Stephen Hall have requested permission to relinquish their membership on the Universal House of Justice in accordance with Article V.2.(c) of its Constitution. They will continue to serve on the institution until the date of the completion of the election of the Universal House of Justice at the Thirteenth International Bahá'í Convention to be held at Riḍván 2023. [letter from the NSA of Canada S123870 8 November 2022; BWNS1655] Universal House of Justice, Members of; Stephen Birkland; Stephen Hall; * Bahá'í World Centre
    2022 1 Nov
    202-
    The Universal House of Justice addressed the Followers of Bahá'u'lláh in the Democratic Republic of the Congo in a message dated 1 November 2022, relating to the Nine Year Plan (2022-2031), ethnic and cultural diversity, the human family's crisis of identity, prejudice, Africa, and economic injustice.

    The letter starts with the statement, "Your country is blessed with remarkable ethnic and cultural diversity." (para 2). Indeed, there are about 250 ethnic groups in the DRC and 240 identified languages, four of which have been chosen as official regional languages with French being the common language of Instruction, business, national administration and external relations. More than half the population live in a rural setting and just less than half of the population is under the age of 15 years. [Britannica]

    More information about the Faith in the Democratic Republic of the Congo can be found in Bahaipedia and Bahá'í Media.

    * Universal House of Justice, Letters and messages; Congo, Democratic Republic of
    2022 1 Oct
    202-
    The passing of Kevin Locke, (b. Los Angeles, CA 1983) renowned Native American hoop dancer, self-taught traditional flute player, story teller, recording artist, educator and cultural ambassador, at the age of 68 in Custer, SD. [Native News OnLine; Inforum]
  • He recorded his first album, "Love Songs of the Lakota" in 1982 with Indian House Records and went on to record 13 albums. At the Native American Music Awards, Locke's music won "Best Traditional Recording" for "The First Flute" in 1999 and "Album of the Year" for "Earth Gift" in 2009. [Albums; Wikipedia]
  • In 2018, Kevin founded the Patricia Locke Foundation to provide cultural programming for communities. The foundation is named after Kevin's late mother, who was one of the authors of the American Indian Freedom of Religion Act (1978), and an advocate for education and tribal colleges. [Native News Online]
  • He was he the author of children's book with an Indigenous content. [Strong Nations website]
  • His autobiography titled Arising, written with Kim Douglas and Aleah Douglas-Khavari, was published by the Bahá'í Publishing Trust in 2018. Throughout the pages of Arising, Kevin brings his international travels to life in colourful detail; reflects on the significance of the Bahá'í Faith, the religion with the world-embracing vision that he embraced early in his adult life; recounts his experiences with and lessons learned from his mother, a recipient of the MacArthur Genius Award; and shares his understanding of Lakota belief and culture. The result is a beautiful book full of engaging stories and a deep spirituality that will touch the hearts of many readers.
  • See his website and his FaceBook page.
  • Kevin Locke; In Memoriam; Custer, SD; South Dakota, USA; United States (USA)
    2022 22 Sep
    202-
    The screening of the documentary film 'Others' in Their Own Land at the Toronto Bahá'í Centre. The film was directed by Farid Haerinejad, an Iranian-Canadian journalist and film-maker living in Germany. He had made several films about minorities in Iran, prior to making this film he had heard about the Bahá'í faith but did not know much about the Bahá'ís in Iran. He wanted to make sure that such a story was told truthfully and passionately and was glad that he could receive first-hand information from his Bahá'í friends.

    The film focuses on the period following the Islamic Revolution and traces the impact of the persecution of the Bahá'ís on several individuals and families. It contrasts the personal lives of Bahá'ís with the public statements of Iranian officials, highlighting the stigmatization and oppression of the Bahá'í minority in Iran.

  • The film is available on YouTube. [CBNS 22Sep2022; BIC News 31 Oct 2022]
  • Farid Haerinejad; - Film; - Film; 'Others' in Their Own Land (film); Toronto, ON; Canada
    2022 19 - 23 Sep
    202-
    People from nearby neighbourhoods gathered at the temple site to weave aluminum strips into a traditional pattern that will adorn the interior walls of the central edifice. The design of the temple dome and the interior weaving pattern are symbolic of unity and the coming together of people from diverse backgrounds.

    The progress on the construction work can be see in the gallery of pictures on the BWNS website. [BWNS1617]

    Mashriqu'l-Adhkár, Port Moresby; * Mashriqu'l-Adhkár (House of Worship); - Mashriqu'l-Adhkár, National; - Mashriqu'l-Adhkár, Design; - Mashriqu'l-Adhkár, Architecture; Bahá'í World News Service (BWNS); Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea; Papua New Guinea
    2022 16 Sep
    202-
    The death fo 22-year-old Mahsa Amini, an Iranian Kurdish woman, while being held by Iran's religious police for allegedly breaching the Islamic republic's dress code for women. . She was from the tow of Saqqez, Kurdistan Province, in northwestern Iran. Amini had come to Tehran to visit her brother and on 13 September 2022 was arrested by the Guidance Patrol in Tehran while in the company of her family. She was then transferred to the custody of Moral Security. Her brother, who was with her when she was arrested, was told she would be taken to the detention centre to undergo a "briefing class" and released an hour later. Her brother was later informed his sister had a heart attack and a brain seizure at the police station to which she had been taken. Two hours after her arrest, she was taken to Kasra Hospital.

    According to Amini's cousin, she was tortured and insulted in the van, as witnessed by her co-detainees. After she arrived at the police station, she began to lose vision and fainted. It took 30 minutes for the ambulance to arrive, and an hour and a half for her to get to Kasra hospital.

    For two days, Amini was in a coma in Kasra Hospital in Tehran. On 16 September, a journalist broke the story of her coma, posting to Twitter a photo of Amini's father and grandmother crying and embracing in the hospital hallway. Amini died in the intensive care unit later that day. [Wikipedia]

    A movement, "Woman, Life, Freedom" sprang up in the wake of Amini's death seeking the end of Iran's imposition of a headscarf on all women and an end to the Muslim cleric-led government in Tehran. The protests persisted until at least January 2023 with over 500 protesters killed at the hands of state security forces, and over 19,400 protestors arrested as per reports by Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA).

    Tehran, Iran; Iran
    2022 15 Sep
    202-
    Just weeks before the World Cup was scheduled to begin, the Bahá'í communities of nine countries delivered a letter addressed to His Highness Sheikh Tamim Bin Hamad Al Thani, the Emir of the State of Qatar, expressing their concerns at the discrimination, restrictions, and human rights violations that Bahá'ís in Qatar have experienced for decades, and asking him to intervene in the situation. The letters were delivered by hand by representatives of the Bahá'í communities of Australia, Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Spain, the United Kingdom, and the United States, to the Embassies of Qatar in their respective countries. [Global News Wire; BIC News 24 October 2022] Persecution, Qatar; Qatar
    2022 13 Sep
    202-
    Mahsa Amini, a 22-year-old Iranian-Kurdish woman, was arrested in Tehran while visiting the Iranian capital with her family. She was detained by Iran's so-called "morality police" for allegedly improperly wearing her hijab, or hair-covering head scarf. Within hours of her detention, she was hospitalized in a coma and died on September 16.

    Amini's death sparked mass protests, beginning in her home town of Saghez, then spreading around the country as the "Women, Life, Freedom" protests and ultimately posed one of the biggest threats to Iran's clerical establishment since the foundation of the Islamic republic in 1979. At least 500 people were reported killed in the government's crackdown on demonstrators. [RadioFreeEurope RadioLiberty 8 March 2024?]

    Mahsa Amini; Women, Life, Freedom; Tehran, Iran; Iran
    2022 8 Sept
    202-
    The passing of Queen Elizabeth II at Balmoral Castle in Scotland. Elizabeth Alexandra Mary (b. 21 April 1926) was Queen of the United Kingdom and other Commonwealth realms from 6 February 1952 until her death in 2022. She was queen regnant of 32 sovereign states during her lifetime and 15 at the time of her death. Her reign of 70 years and 214 days is the longest of any British monarch, the longest recorded of any female head of state in history, and the second-longest verified reign of any sovereign in history. She was succeeded by her eldest son, King Charles III. Charles was officially proclaimed King on the Saturday following the Queen's death, the 10th of September. This event took place at St James's Palace in London, in front of a ceremonial body known as the Accession Council. [Wikipedia; BBC News] In Memoriam; Queen Elizabeth II; King Charles III; Balmoral Castle, Aberdeenshire; Aberdeenshire, Scotland; Scotland
    2022 19 Aug
    202-
    The Bahá'í World News Service expanded its service in yet another language - Russian, to add to the English, French, Persian and Spanish versions.

    Established in 2000 the BWNS has been made available on mobile applications for both Android and iOS, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube. In addition there is a podcast and one can subscribe here and not miss any news releases. [BWNS1612]

    Bahá'í World News Service (BWNS); * Bahá'í World Centre
    2022 17 Aug
    202-
    The Universal House of Justice announced that a Persian Reviewing Panel, appointed by and operating under the auspices of the National Assembly of the Bahá'ís of the United States, would attend to the review and approval of manuscripts in Persian written by Bahá'ís in all countries, with the goal of ensuring that such publications represent the Bahá'í Faith accurately and with dignity. [Letter from the NSA of Canada S122269] Persian Reviewing Panel; Publishing, Review; United States (USA); Publishing, Policy and practice
    2022 16 Aug
    202-
    An update on the progress of the construction on the Shrine of 'Abdu'l-Bahá was published. It was announced that the cleaning of the fire damage had been completed and the construction had been resumed. [BWNS1611] `Abdu'l-Bahá, Shrine of; Bahá'í World News Service (BWNS)
    2022 Aug
    202-
    The publication of A Child in the Holy Land, a collection of stories by twenty-one such children and their encounters with the members of the Holy Family. Compiled and edited by Gisu Mohadjer Cook it was published by Bahá'í Publishing in Wilmette. Gisu Mohadjer Cook; Child in the Holy Land (book); Wilmette, IL; Illinois, USA; * Publications
    2022 31 Jul
    202-
    The arrest of Mahvash Sabet (Shahriari) and Fariba Kamalabadi alongside five other Baha'i individuals, apprehended by security forces across different cities. Moreover, intelligence agents conducted searches at a minimum of 37 Baha'i residences. [Iran Press Watch] Persecution, Iran; Tehran, Iran; Iran
    2022 29 - 31 Jul
    202-
    The 46th Annual Conference of the Association for Bahá'í Studies. The conference was held virtually and enabled attendance of over 1000 people from 30 countries.
    The concept of "reading groups" was introduced. The reading groups were born out of a question before the ABS about how the principle of consultation can be applied in various contexts to facilitate the generation of knowledge. Eric Farr, who also assisted with coordinating collaborative initiatives, said that the "groups typically identify an initial reading list of relevant literature, which can be expanded and refined over time. As participants of a group review these materials together, they try to understand the underlying assumptions, central concepts, and highest aspirations within a discourse that have shaped thought and practice in their fields, correlating them with the Bahá'í teachings." These groups, who met throughout the year, and each focused on a topic such as education, economics, climate change, dynamics of social change, the harmony of science and religion, justice and reconciliation, law, media, public health, and urban planning. Dr. Todd Smith, the secretary of the ABS executive committee, said: "Many of the presentations in this year's program were the fruit of collective learning initiatives, such as reading groups or thematic seminars, that took place in the months between the 2021 and 2022 conferences. The program was further enhanced by the contributions of presenters engaged in other academic and professional endeavours."
    Presentations and supplementary materials from this year's conference program, along with an archive of presentations from previous years are now available at the website of the Association for Bahá'í Studies. [ABS website; BWNS1616]
    Association for Bahá'í Studies (North America); Conferences, Bahá'í studies; Ottawa, ON; Ontario, Canada; Canada
    2022 19 Jul
    202-
    The release of a film titled A Bahá'í in Egypt: A story of 3 generations. It was a documentary produced by a news organization in Egypt and highlighted the history of the Bahá'ís of Egypt and their efforts to contribute to the progress of their society. [BWNS1604]

    A Bahá'í in Egypt: A story of 3 generations

    - Film; Bahá'í World News Service (BWNS); Cairo, Egypt
    2022 4 Jul
    202-
    In a message from the Department of the Secretariat addressed to all National Spiritual Assemblies provided an update on the progress of the construction of the Shrine if 'Abdu'l-Bahá in light of the recent fire. The investigation concluded that the fire was the result of an accident. Expenses will be covered by insurance. Testing will be done to ascertain which parts wither require repair or replacement.

    No date was set for the the conclusion of the project but it was recognized that the accident will cause a substantial delay. No increase in donations to the project will be required. [4 July 2022]

    `Abdu'l-Bahá, Shrine of; * Bahá'í World Centre
    2022 Jun
    202-
    A campaign by Iranian authorities to uproot the Baha'i community in Shiraz took a dark step forward, earlier in June, when Branch 1 of the Revolutionary Court sentenced 26 Baha'is to a combined total of 85 years in prison. Each individual was sentenced to prison terms ranging from two to five years.

    Travel bans and orders to report daily to a provincial intelligence office were also issued. A number of the Baha'is also received in addition a combined total of 24 years of internal exile—with the individual banishments set for two years.

    Many of the 26 sentenced to prison are couples with young children. [BIC News 23 June 2022]

    Persecution, Iran; Iran
    2022 6 Jun
    202-
    The passing of Jim (James Eugene) Seals, (b. 17 October 1941 or 1942 in Sidney, Texas) singer, musician and songwriter was announced on social media by a relative, Bradley Seals. He passed away in Nashville, TN. [The Guardian 10 June 2022]
  • See his obituary on the site of the Bahá'ís of the United States.
  • See YouTube.
  • See Wikipedia for their career trajectory and disography.
  • This chart, courtesy of Steven Kolins, shows the internet traffic generated by the announcement of his passing.
  • In Memoriam; Jim Seals; Seals and Crofts; - Famous Bahá'ís; Sidney, TX; Nashville, TN
    2022 2 - 3 Jun
    202-
    A conference titled, Stockholm+50: a healthy planet for the prosperity of all – our responsibility, our opportunity, was an international meeting convened by the United Nations General Assembly. It was a commemoration of 50 years since the 1972 Conference on the Human Environment. The purpose was to focus on ways to accelerate the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals and to tackle the planetary crisis of climate change, pollution and biodiversity loss.

    See the conference recommendations and actions.

    The Bahá'í International Community released a statement, One Planet, One Habitation: A Bahá'í Perspective on Recasting Humanity's Relationship with the Natural World. The statement underlines the gap between intention and action as one of the central challenges facing humanity and states that the essential principle of humanity's oneness as the only foundation on which sustainable societies can be raised. [BWNS1599]

    The statement is available on the BIC statements page and at Bahá'í Library.

    - Conferences; Environment; United Nations; Bahá'í International Community; Bahá'í World News Service (BWNS); Stockholm, Sweden; Sweden
    2022 22 May
    202-
    A story carried by The Sunday Telegraph in London and written by the law firm representing Remi Rouhani in Qatar's highest court against an unjust conviction, alleged that the Qatari authorities discriminated against him because of his Faith. He was a Bahá'í citizen of Qatar and the former director of the Qatar Chamber of Commerce and Industry. It is believed that Mr Rouhani's case may serve as a bellwether for Qatar's intention regarding the Bahá'í Faith and other religious minorities. [The Sunday Telegraph 22May2022] Persecution, Qatar; Qatar
    2022 Ridván - 2031 Ridván
    202-
    In a letter dated 25 November 2020 the Universal House of Justice announced a Nine Year Plan to begin at Ridván 2022. In the letter to the Conference of the Continental Boards of Counsellors dated 30 December 2021 the details were announced.

    Objectives:

  • establish programs of growth in all cluster in the world (22,000) 14,000 at some level and 11,000 intensive, with 5,000 past the third milestone.
  • establish at least on Milestone Three cluster in every country and every region of the world. This "constitutes on of the Plan's chief objectives"
  • deployment of teams of international and homefront pioneers.
  • enrollments "wide open" involvement of families and households as larger groups embrace the pattern of Bahá'í life.
  • expanding nucleus
  • coordination of large numbers as more communities enter the 3rd milestone
  • maturation of Bahá'í institutions
  • in areas where activities reach high degree of prevalence the inhabitants now possess a substantially increased capacity to steer the course of their own development, and the institutions and agencies of the Faith there now have an expanded vision of their responsibilities.
  • more efforts to support social and economic development
  • participation in the discourses of society as a means of releasing what the Guardian described as "the society-building power" of the Faith.
  • It will be heralded by the convocation of a series of conferences held over a span of months across the globe. [25 November 2020]
  • - Teaching Plans; Nine Year Plan (2022-2031); - Institute process; - Conferences; - Global Conferences; * Bahá'í World Centre
    2022 20 Apr
    202-
    The end of the One Year Plan

    Achievements

  • Gathering in the Holy Land November 2021 for the Centenary of the Ascension of 'Abdu'l-Bahá.
  • Programs of growth under way in over 6,000 clusters and close to 5,000 of those will have passed the 2nd milestone and that in 1300 have advanced further.
  • Construction continued on the Houses of Worship around the world and on the Shrine of 'Abdu'l-Bahá. [Ridván 2022]
  • One Year Plan
    2022 20 Apr
    202-
    The International Religious Freedom or Belief Alliance issued a statement noting "with grave concern the increased pattern of repression and discrimination against members of the Bahá'í community" in some countries around the world. The statement is the first time the Alliance, also known as IRFBA, has made a direct intervention on challenges facing Bahá'í communities as a result of religious prejudice. Specific countries where Bahá'ís are persecuted or discriminated against were not named in the statement but the description of the challenges made it clear that the statement was written in support of the Bahá'í communities in Iran, Qatar and Yemen. [Statement on Bahá'ís] The International Religious Freedom or Belief Alliance; IRFBA; Persecution, Iran; Persecution, Yemen; Persecution, Qatar; Iran; Yemen; Qatar
    2022 8 Apr
    202-
    A fire broke out and clouds of black smoke billowed from the construction site of the Shrine of 'Abdu'l-Bahá when wind-blown sparks from welding on the dome ignited scaffolding and plastic forms being used to mold poured concrete. Firefighters evacuate the nearby suburbs of Giv'at Hatmarim and Afraid. The completed concrete walls and structures were undamaged but the blaze destroyed "several months of work" on the 2,900-square-meter (0.7-acre) circular platform and piazza.
  • YouTube.
  • Message from the Universal House of Justice dated 14 April 2022. iiiii
  • `Abdu'l-Bahá, Shrine of; * Bahá'í World Centre
    2022 25 Mar
    202-
    In a statement was delivered by the Bahá'í International Community's representative, Simin Fahandej, by video to the 49th session of the United Nations Human Rights Council in Geneva it was announced that more than 1,000 Bahá'ís are in a "limbo" between their initial arrests, their legal hearings and their final summons to prison. A "rising trend" in the confiscation of Bahá'í-owned properties was also of "particular concern", Fahandej told the Human Rights Council. And while the appropriation of assets was not new, she added, it did seem that the Iranian authorities were "increasingly using the legal system" for such seizures. The concern is that confiscations of Bahá'í properties enrich the Execution of Imam Khomeini's Order, also known as Setad, which is controlled by Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. [Iran Press Watch 25 March 2022] Bahá'í International Community; Persecution, Iran; Geneva, Switzerland
    2022 21 Mar
    202-
    The World Centre released a progress report on the construction of the Shrine of 'Abdu'l-Bahá. They reported that the meticulous work of assembling the formwork for the trellis spanning the Shrine's central plaza was nearing completion and showed an animated sequence of design rendering showing the process of building the trellis, including the placement of polystyrene (EPS) formwork, the placement of rebar, the pouring of concrete, and finally, the removal of formwork. They also showed photos of the work being done in the quarry in Carrara, Italy for the marble company, Margraf, was sourcing the marble for the project. The groundwork for a visitor's centre had begun. [BWNS1588] `Abdu'l-Bahá, Shrine of; Bahá'í World News Service (BWNS); * Bahá'í World Centre
    2022 11 Mar
    202-
    The release of the Report of the Special Rapporteur on freedom of religion or belief, Rights of persons belonging to religious or belief minorities in situations of conflict or insecurity at the 49th session of the Human Rights Council in Geneva. The annex of the report said that concerns regarding the Bahá'ís "have persisted and even escalated across several country contexts". Dr Ahmed Shaheed's report illustrated the situations faced by Bahá'ís in Iran and in Yemen where they lack legal recognition and the discrimination as well as in Qatar they have experienced administrative deportations and in Tunisia where the government has refused to recognize the Faith. [Iranwire71448] Persecution, Iran; Persecution, Yemen; Persecution, Qatar; Persecution, Tunisia; Geneva, Switzerland
    2022 14 Feb
    202-
    The statement The Oneness of Humanity—Implications for the Africa-European Union Partnership was jointly prepared by the Addis Ababa and Brussels Offices of the BIC on the occasion of the 6th African Union (AU)-European Union (EU) Summit held in Brussels.

    Solomon Belay of the Addis Ababa Office stated: "The summit offered an opportunity to present EU leaders with key insights emerging from the many conversations of the BIC with government officials, policy makers, faith leaders, and civil society organizations about a range of themes being explored by the BIC in recent years, including global governance, migration, climate change, agriculture, and food security. We will be offering the same perspectives to AU leaders."

    Rachel Bayani of the Brussels Office explained that reshaping international structures and relationships according to the principle of humanity's oneness is a challenging task that will require effort over generations. "The statement offers a few practical suggestions for moving toward this goal. First is for careful consideration to be given to the impact of European policies on all segments of society in Africa, Europe, and across the world". [BWNS1594]

  • The statement.
  • Bahá'í International Community; Solomon Belay; Rachel Bayani; - BIC statements; Brussels, Belgium
    2022 Jan
    202-
    Representatives of all religious sects in Tunisia signed the National Charter for Peaceful Coexistence, the first of its kind in Tunisia, which calls for guaranteeing the right of religious minorities to differ and to show their beliefs in public. Representative to this conference came from the Jewish Synagogue in La Goulette, the Evangelical Church in Tunisia, the Union of Sufi Ways; the Ahl al-Bayt Shiite Centre in Tunis and Mohamed Ben Moussa, the Bahá'í representative in Tunisia.

    Notwithstanding the fact that Tunisian citizens have the right, according to the constitution, international charters and treaties, to establish their religious rites some religious communities, notably the Jews, Christians, Shites, and Bahá'ís still experience difficulty in practicing their faith. The Bahá'í representative, Mohamed ben Moussa acknowledged that adherents of the Bahá'í faith in Tunisia are subjected to violations, as fatwas of infidelity were issued against them by the grand mufti of Tunisia in December 2020. Additionally, the presidency of the Tunisian government accused them of apostasy.

    This charter aroused a great uproar among Tunisian society, which responded with an extensive campaign of insults and threats of violence, reaching the point of calling for murder. Although the official authorities were silent, the Ministry of Religious Affairs sent a representative to attend the signing. The organizers said that the strong reaction was expected but did not anticipate the many messages of threats and insults from the general public, radical Muslim sheikhs, intellectuals and others. All negative comments were unanimous; that Tunisia is a Muslim country and will remain so. This strong reaction was evidence of the extent of extremist ideology and hatred in the community and their lack of acceptance of those who differ from them. [The Christian Post 6Feb2022]

    Mohamed Ben Moussa; Persecution, Tunisia
    2022 26 Jan
    202-
    The BWC released a progress report on the construction of the national Bahá'í House of Worship in Kinshasa, DRC. [BWNS1579] Mashriqu'l-Adhkár, Kinshasa; * Mashriqu'l-Adhkár (House of Worship); - Mashriqu'l-Adhkár, National; Bahá'í World News Service (BWNS); Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo; Congo, Democratic Republic of
    2022 7 Jan
    202-
    The conference of the Continental Boards of Counsellors and Auxiliary Board members will coincide with the lapse of one hundred years since the first public reading of the Will and Testament of the Master. [25 November 2020]

    The Counsellors in all continents will be called to the Bahá'í World Centre in December 2021 to take part in deliberations on the general features of the Plan to be launched the following Riḍván. At the conclusion of that gathering, they are to be joined by members of the Auxiliary Boards for Protection and Propagation to consult on the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead and on the decisive role that the Counsellors and their auxiliaries are to play in meeting them. [From a message from the Universal House of Justice to the Bahá'ís of the World dated 29 October 2020]

    `Abdu'l-Bahá, Will and Testament of; Conferences, Counsellors; Centenaries; Auxiliary board members; - Teaching Plans; Nine Year Plan (2022-2031); * Bahá'í World Centre
    2022 5 Jan
    202-
    The film, Glimpses of a Hundred Years of Endeavour, commissioned by the Universal House of Justice, was released on this day.

    The film provided insight into a hundred years of endeavor and learning since the passing of 'Abdu'l-Bahá in 1921, carried out by a burgeoning Bahá'í community, and outlined the journey that has led to the community's current efforts to contribute to the emergence of a world organized around the principle of the oneness of humanity.

    The 66-minute film was made available in Arabic, English, French, Persian, Russian, Spanish, and Swahili. The original version with English subtitles was placed on YouTube. [BWNS1574]

    Glimpses of a Hundred Years of Endeavour (film); - Film; - Documentaries; - Documentaries, BWC; * Bahá'í World Centre
    2022 1 Jan
    202-
    The Universal House of Justice announced that the courses of the Ruhi Institute would continue to be a prominent feature of the educational endeavours of all training institutes during this new series of global Plans. The Ruhi Institute will, during the Nine Year Plan, complete the preparation of all the materials it has outlined for use in children's classes, junior youth groups, and study circles, and the revision of published editions as necessary in light of experience. However, beyond what it has already delineated, it is not expected to develop new materials to be used worldwide. [Message 1 January 2022] Nine Year Plan (2022-2031); - Institute process; Childrens classes; Youth empowerment program; Ruhi Institute; * Bahá'í World Centre
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