- 1940-00-00 —
An institution for Bahá'í orphans in Iran was founded which served the community for many years. [BW9p251]
- On a more general level, an achievement of the Bahá'í communities in Iran was the establishment of modern public baths in most of the major populated towns and villages throughout the country to replace the unhygienic traditional baths. Some of the baths were built and donated to the community by individual Bahá'ís and some were established through the collective financial participation of the members of the community.
[BAHAISM v. The Bahai Community in Iran by V. Rafati]
- 1953-04-21 —
The Ten Year Crusade (1953-1963) was launched. See MBW151-156, MBW151.
The four primary goals of the plan were outlined as follows:
-the development of institutions at the World Centre
-consolidation of the twelve countries where the Faith was well established
-consolidation of all other territories already open
-the opening of the remaining "chief virgin territories" around the globe (131)
For the objectives of the Crusade see BW12:256–14.
Among the goals to be achieved was the construction of the International Bahá'í Archives building. [BBD22; DH168; MBW43]
"the first of the major edifices destined to constitute the seat of the World Bahá'í Administrative Centre to be established on Mount Carmel". [PP264]
To those Bahá'ís who arose to open new territories to the Faith during the Ten Year Crusade, the title 'Knight of Bahá'u'lláh' was given. On 27 May 1992, the Roll of Honour containing the names of all the Knights of Bahá'u'lláh was deposited beneath the entrance door to the Shrine of Bahá'u'lláh.
"…Sometimes people strive all their lives to render outstanding service. Here is the time and opportunity to render historic services; in fact, the most unique in history, aiding in the fulfillment of Daniel's Prophecies of the Last Day, and the 1335 days, when men are to be blessed by the Glory of the Lord, covering the entire globe—which is the real goal of the Ten Year Crusade. [DG54-55]
A map of goals for the Ten Year World Crusade by Shoghi Effendi can be found in Bahá'í World, Vol. 12 (April 1950-1954). Electronic versions, in both medium and large format can be found here.
The achievements of the Ten Year Crusade were celebrated at the Most Great Jubilee in April and May 1963, which commemorated the Centenary of the Declaration of Baha'u'llah's Mission. Two historic events transpired during that time: the International Convention, convened in Haifa, Israel, to elect the first Universal House of Justice; and the World Congress held in London, England.
- See The Journal of Bahá'í Studies Vol 14, no. 3-4, 2004 for the essay The Ten Year Crusade by Ali Nakhjavani.
- See CBN No 66 July 1956 in a message dated the 13 of May 1956 Leroy Ioas, (unsure if it was sent on behalf of the Guardian or from the International Bahá'í Council, probably the former), Mr Ioas outlined the three phases of the Crusade; First Phase: open virgin territories, Second Phase: 1. widespread dispersal, 2. settlement in new areas, 3. formation of Local Assemblies and National Assemblies, 4. incorporate Local Assemblies. Third Phase: (open on 21 April 1956, the formation of National Assemblies, with their own Haziratu'l-Quds, have their own endowments and to be incorporated.
- See The Bahá'í Faith 1844-1952 Information Statistical and Comparative (PDF) compiled by Shoghi Effendi.
- For a graphic representation of the goals of the Ten Year Crusade see Objectives and Tasks of Ten-Year Spiritual Global Crusade of the Bahá'í World Faith by Shoghi Effendi
compiled by Beatrice Ashton published in Bahá'í World, Vol. 12 (April 1950-19540).
- Map of Goals for the Ten Year World Crusade by Shoghi Effendi published in Bahá'í World, Vol. 12 (April 1950-1954) Wilmette, IL: Baha'i Publishing Trust, 1956.
- Progress Bahá'í World Crusade 1953-1958 was the map that Shoghi Effendi finished on the night of his passing.
- At the start of the Ten Year Crusade the only sovereign countries in Africa were Egypt and Ethiopia, the remainder were still under the yoke of colonialism.
- Many who arose as pioneers to the African continent came from Iran, the United States,
the United Kingdom, and India. In Southern Africa
alone, 27 pioneers arrived in the first year of the Crusade. Among them were Melvin and Helen Hope in Angola; Fred and Beth Laws in Lesotho; Enayat Sohaili and
'Izzat Zahrai in Mozambique; Mehranguiz Munsiff in Madagascar; Ottilie Rhein in Mauritius; Lowell and
Edith Johnson, William, Marguerite and Michael Sears and Harry and Bahíyyih Ford in South Africa; Claire
Gung in Southern Rhodesia; and Ted Cardell in South West Africa. In the whole of Africa, 58 of the international pioneers
opened new territories and were named Knights of Bahá'u'lláh [A Brief Account of the Progress of the Bahá'í Faith in Africa Since 1953 by Nancy Oloro-Robarts and Selam Ahderom p3]
- 1955-03-20 —
Shoghi Effendi announced the acquisition of 36,000 square metres of land for the first Mashriqu'l-Adhkár of the Holy Land. [DH175; MBW78–9]
- The entire sum of $180,000 for the purchase was donated by Amelia Collins. [MBW79]
- In April Shoghi Effendi reported that $50,000 had been contributed by the Hand of the Cause, Amelia Collins for the purpose of establishing Bahá'í national endowments in no less than fifty countries, situated in all five continents of the globe. [MBW81-82]
- See the letter from the Guardian dated the 1st of October 1954 for a list of other properties/ buildings that were acquired due to the generosity of Millie Collins. [CBN No58 Nov 1954 p1; BN No 285 November 1954 p1]
- 1956-05-02 — After the annual reports were received from the 12 National Conventions Shoghi Effendi compiled a list of achievements made up to and including the two years since the start of the Ten Year Crusade. [MBW p76-86]
There were now 3,700 localities opened to the Faith over the surface of the entire planet
-
237 Sovereign States and Chief Dependencies where the Bahá'í Faith was present
-
900 Local Spiritual Assemblies
-
All the countries listed as pioneering goals were now opened to the Faith except for those in the Soviet Union
-
Over 70 islands in the Pacific, the Atlantic, and the Indian Oceans, were opened except for 6, bringing the total to 98 islands worldwide
-
40 territories were opened to the Faith in the Pacific, with 170 Bahá'í localities
-
Bahá'í literature was now translated into 190 languages including 34 not included in the original plan
-
In over 60 territories, the number of those who have become Bahá'ís has surpassed the number originally anticipated
-
In a considerable proportion of these territories, Bahá'í membership has far exceeded the number required for the formation of local Assemblies, such as Gambia, for example, with 300 Bahá'ís
-
There were 3,000 Bahá'ís in Africa
-
58 territories and islands were opened in Africa, with 400 Bahá'í localities
-
140 African tribes were now represented in the Bahá'í community
-
120 Local Spiritual Assemblies in Africa were functioning
-
Bahá'í literature was now published in 50 African languages
-
There were 43 National Ḥaẓíratu’l-Quds—National Bahá'í Centres
-
168 incorporated Local and National Spiritual Assemblies
-
Land for 10 Temple Sites was acquired
-
The value of National Bahá'í endowments in 51 countries exceeded $100,000—$1.1 million in today’s currency—and now included the Maxwell Home in Montreal
-
The design for the House of Worship in Iran was approved
-
Plans for three additional Houses of Worship in Europe, Africa, and Australia had begun
-
In the Holy Land, the Covenant-breakers suffered defeat after defeat and Mírzá Majdi’d-Dín, the last survivor of the original Covenant-breakers from the time of 'Abdu'l-Bahá finally died
-
In more positive news, 52 pillars of the International Bahá'í Archives had been raised and 450 tons of stone safely arrived in Haifa
-
The contract was signed with the same factory in Utrecht who provided the golden tiles of the Shrine of the Báb for the green tiles of the Archives building
-
The Monument Gardens were extended
-
Several properties were acquired in Bahjí and on Mount Carmel
-
The Temple Land on Mount Carmel was in the process of being purchased
-
In the United States the Bahá'ís were invited by the San Francisco Council of Churches to attend a prayer meeting for the United Nations
-
At this inter-religious gathering, the voice of the Bahá'í representative was the first to be raised, reciting a prayer revealed by Bahá'u'lláh
-
A prayer revealed by `Abdu'l-Bahá for America was presented by the elected national representatives of the United States Bahá'í Community to President Eisenhower, who acknowledged its receipt in warm terms and above his own signature.
-
A Bahá'í Publishing Trust was established in India
-
30 new centers and 15 assemblies were formed in India, Pakistan and Burma
-
In Edirne, Bahá'ís were able to purchase sites blessed by the footsteps of Bahá'u'lláh
-
The very first Bahá'í Summer School in Central Africa was held in Kobuka, Uganda, with 100 attendees
-
The first All-France Teaching Conference was convened
-
The Bahá'ís of Tripoli, Libya and the Capital of Tanganyika both identified plots to serve as future Bahá'í cemeteries
-
In Iraq, the Bahá'ís purchased land for a Bahá'í Summer School in Iraq
-
The women of Egypt were granted the right to be elected to the Egyptian National Spiritual Assembly and participate as delegates at National Convention
-
In the Mentawai Islands, a plot of land was purchased supplementing the National Bahá'í Endowment of Indonesia
-
The northernmost outpost of the Faith in Alaska was pushed beyond the Arctic Circle
-
The Seychelles and the Sudan both initiated plans for the propagation of the Faith
-
The worldwide Bahá'í communities appealed with over 1,000 messages to the United Nations after the massacres of the Bahá'ís in Iran in 1955, subjected to the severest persecutions in decades.
-
The Bahá'ís also contacted the Sháh of Iran, Government, the Majlis and the Senate
-
Publicity was given on radio, in the world’s leading newspapers, protests were voiced by scholars, statesmen, government envoys and people of eminence such as Pandit Nehru, Eleanor Roosevelt, Professor Gilbert Murray and Professor A. Toynbee
-
A written memorandum listing the atrocities was submitted to the Secretary General of the United Nations, who appointed a commission of United Nations officers, headed by the High Commissioner for Refugees, instructing its members to contact the Persian Foreign Minister and urge him to obtain from his government in Tihrán a formal assurance that the rights of the Bahá'í minority in that land would be protected. [Utterance Project part 20] - 1957-10-00 —
From a message from the Guardian dated October 1957
-
Number of Bahá'í Centres from 2500 to 4500
-
Number of sovereign States and Dependencies: from 128 to 254
-
Number of National and Regional Spiritual Assemblies; from 12 to 26
-
Number of Local Spiritual Assemblies; more than 1,000
-
Number of islands open to the Faith: 70
-
The erection and completion of the International Bahá'í Archives Building at a cost of $250M
-
The enlargement of
the scope of Bahá'í international endowments
in the twin cities of 'Akka and Haifa at a present value of $5.5m
-
The Bahá'í holdings in Iran estimated at over 40m tumans
-
The acquisition of 48 National Haziratu'l-Quds at more than $500
-
The founding of Bahá'í national endowments in no less than 50 capitals and chief cities on all five continents, at a cost of at least $150,000
-
The initiation of the construction of the Mother Temples of both Africa and Australia
-
The purchase of 11 Temple sites for over $400,000
-
The incorporation of over 90 national and local Spiritual assemblies raising the global total to over 200
-
The translation of Bahá'í literature into 148 languages bringing the total to 237
- 2001-11-12 — The World Centre Endowment Fund was inaugurated by the Universal House of Justice.
"…we have decided to set up the World Centre Endowment Fund, for the preservation, upkeep, and security of the edifices and precincts of the Spiritual and Administrative Centres of the Faith — activities that currently form so large a part of the responsibilities of the Bahá'í International Fund. This decision follows the example of Shoghi Effendi, who during his ministry dedicated the income from lands in the environs of the Jordan Valley for the upkeep of the Holy Shrines."
• The Universal House of Justice, 2001 Nov 12, International Endowment Fund
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