- 1908-08-31 —
"When the tyrannous regime of Sultan 'Abdu'l-Hamid ended, the gates of 'Akká were thrown open and 'Abdu'l-Bahá came forth free upon the fortieth anniversary of His entrance into that neglected and unspeakable place. This was August 31, 1908." [BW2p222; PUP Intro to the 1922 edition page xix]
- As an indication of the gravity of the threat posed by 'Abdu'l-Hamíd, "when He stood ready to be deported to the most inhospitable regions of Northern Africa," and when even His life was threatened, 'Abdu'l‑Bahá wrote to Ḥájí Mírzá Táqí Afnán, the cousin of the Báb and chief builder of the 'Ishqábád Temple, commanding him to arrange for the election of the Universal House of Justice should the threats against the Master materialize." [Message 9 March 1965]
- 1951-02-25 — In a letter from the Guardian addressed to the National Spiritual Assembly of the British Isles, concerning its Two Year Plan which immediately preceded the Ten Year Crusade, he made a reference to the election of the Universal House of Justice:
On the success of this enterprise, unprecedented in its scope, unique in its character and immense in its spiritual potentialities, must depend the initiation, at a later period in the Formative Age of the Faith, of undertakings embracing within their range all National Assemblies functioning throughout the Bahá'í world—undertakings constituting in themselves a prelude to the launching of worldwide enterprises destined to be embarked upon, in future epochs of that same Age, by the Universal House of Justice, that will symbolize the unity and coordinate and unify the activities of these National Assemblies. [UD261; 9 March 1965]
- 1959-11-04 —
The Hands of the Cause issued a message from their third Conclave. [MC166–70]
- The date for the election of the Universal House of Justice was fixed at Ridván 1963. [MC166]
- They called for the election at Ridván 1961 of 21 national spiritual assemblies in Latin America. [MC167–8]
- They called for the election at Ridván 1962 of 11 national spiritual assemblies in Europe. [MC168]
- They called for the election at Ridván 1961 of the International Bahá'í Council by postal ballot of the members of the national and regional spiritual assemblies constituted at Ridván 1960. [MC168]
- The name of Hand of the Cause Charles Mason Remey was missing from the list of signatories to this letter. [MC170]
- 1961-11-05 —
The Hands of the Cause issued a message from their fifth Conclave. [MoC313–23]
- They called for the election of the Universal House of Justice at a convention to be held in the Holy Land on the first, second and third days of Ridván 1963. [CB392; MoC321]
- They asked the electors to leave the Hands free to 'discharge their duties'. [MoC321]
- The celebration of the Most Great Jubilee, the Centenary of the Declaration of Bahá'u'lláh, was to be held in London rather than Baghdád, owing to the situation in the Middle East. [MoC322]
- 1963-04-21 —
Establishment of the Universal House of Justice
- The Universal House of Justice was elected for the first time. [BW14:427; MoC424]
Those elected were: Charles Wolcott, ‘Alí’ Nakhjavani, H. Barrah Kavelin, Ian Semple, Luṭfu’lláh Ḥakím, David Hofman, Hugh Chance, Amoz Gibson, and Ḥushmand Fatheazam. [BW14p425]
- The election was held at 9:30 in the morning at the home of 'Abdu'l-Bahá, 7 Haparsim Street, Haifa. [BW14:427; MoC425]
- Ballots were received from all 56 national spiritual assemblies. [BW14:427]
- 288 members of 51 national spiritual assemblies were present at the election. [BW14:427]
- For a list of the electors see MoC406–13.
- For details of the election see BW14:425–9 and MoC20–1.
- The election marked the end of the Second Epoch during which time the Faith had spread globally. The Third Epoch began.
- 1963-04-22 —
The results of the election of the Universal House of Justice were announced at the close of the morning session of the International Convention: Charles Wolcott, 'Alí Nakhjavání, H. Borrah Kavelin, Ian Semple, Lutfu'lláh Hakím, David Hofman, Hugh Chance, Amoz Gibson and Hushmand Fatheazam. [BBD231–3; BBRSM131; BW14:425 MoC425; SS50; VVXI-XII]
- For a picture of the Hands of the Cause of God with the Universal House of Justice see ZK123.
- 1968-04-21 —
The Universal House of Justice was elected for a second time by delegates from 81 National Spiritual Assemblies. [BW15:557]
- Dr David Ruhe was elected to replace Dr Hakím, who resigned for reasons of ill health. The members were: Amoz Gibson, 'Ali Nakhjavani, Hushmand Fatheazam, Ian Semple, Charles Wolcott, David Hofman, H. Borrah Kavelin, Hugh Chance and David Ruhe. [VV3]
- For a description of the second international convention and pictures see BW14:564–8.
- 1973-04-21 —
The Universal House of Justice was elected for the third time. The conference was attended by 472 National Spiritual Assembly members of the possible 1,017 from the 113 National and Regional Assemblies. Members of 14 Assemblies were prevented from attending for circumstances beyond their control but at least one person attended from the remaining 99 Assemblies. [VV14, SDSC296]
- The newly elected members of the Universal House of Justice were: 'Alí Nakhjavání, Hushmand Fatheazam, Amoz Gibson, Ian Semple, David Hofman, Charles Wolcott, Borrah Kavelin, David Ruhe, Hugh Chance. [Mess63-86]
- 1978-04-21 —
The Universal House of Justice was elected for the fourth time at the International Convention held in Haifa. [BW17:293]
- Those elected were: 'Alí Nakhjavání, Hushmand Fatheazam, Amoz Gibson, Ian Semple, David Ruhe, Charles Wolcott, David Hofman, Hugh Chance, Borrah Kavelin, . [Mess63-86p381]
.
- For details of the International Convention and pictures see BW17:293–300.
- 1983-04-29 —
The Universal House of Justice was elected for the fifth time at the International Convention held in Haifa.
- Those elected were: 'Al´Nakhjavání, Hushmand Fatheazam, Ian Semple, David Ruhe, Glenford Mitchell, David Hofman, Borrah Kavelin, Charles Wolcott, and Hugh Chance. [Mess63-86p359]
- The National Spiritual Assembly of Iran was unable to attend but sent 133 red roses as its gift to its sister Assemblies. [BW18:461]
- For a report of the Convention see BW18:461–4.
- See BW18:462, 464 for pictures.
- 1987-03-20 —
Dr Peter Khan was elected to the Universal House of Justice. [Mess86-01p18]
- Dr. Peter Khan, born in Australia, held professorial posts in electrical engineering at universities in the United States and Australia. He served as an Auxiliary Board member, a member of the National Spiritual Assembly of the Baha'is of Australia, and a Continental Counsellor before being appointed to the International Teaching Centre.
- 1988-04-21 —
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]
- Those elected were: 'Alí Nakhjavání, Glenford Mitchell, Hushmand Fatheazam, Ian Semple, Peter Khan, David Ruhe, Hugh Chance, Hooper Dunbar, Adib Taherzadeh. [Mess86-01p49]
- A gift of a large bowl of 120 roses was received from the Bahá'í of Iran.
- Mr. Hooper Dunbar, born in the United States, was a film actor in Hollywood before moving to Central and South America where he taught arts and English. He is an accomplished painter. He was first elected to the National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of Nicaragua in 1961. He later served as a Continental Counsellor before being appointed to the International Teaching Centre in 1973.
[BWNS208]
- 1993-04-29 —
The seventh Bahá'í International Convention at the World Centre. Those elected to the Universal House of Justice were: Mr. Ali Nakhjavani, Mr. Glenford Mitchell, Mr. Adib Taherzadeh, Mr. Ian Semple, Mr. Peter Khan, Mr. Hushmand Fatheazam, Mr. Hooper Dunbar, Mr. Farzam Arbab and Mr. Douglas Martin. [BINS295, BW93-4p51-58]
- Hugh Chance and David Ruhe announced their retirement. Mr. Chance had served since 1963 and Dr. Ruhe since 1968. [BINS295, BS93-4p57]
- For a report of the Convention see BW93–4:51–8.
- For pictures see BW93–4:52, 53, 54, 57.
- Dr. Farzam Arbab, born in Iran, obtained his doctorate in physics at the University of California, Berkeley. He was the representative for the Rockefeller Foundation in Colombia (1974 to 1983) and the president of the FUNDAEC development foundation there. He was a member of the National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of Colombia and a Continental Counsellor before being appointed to the International Teaching Centre.
- Mr. Douglas Martin, born in Canada, held degrees in business administration and in history, and was an author and editor. He was a member of the National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of Canada, serving as its chief executive officer from 1965 to 1985 when he was appointed Director-General of the Office of Public Information at the Bahá'í World Centre. [BWNS208]
- 1998-05-03 — The Universal House of Justice announced the election of Mr. Ali Nakhjavani, Mr. Glenford Mitchell, Mr. Adib Taherzadeh, Mr. Ian Semple, Mr. Peter Khan, Mr. Hushmand Fatheazam, Mr. Hooper Dunbar, Mr. Farzam Arbab and Mr. Douglas Martin. The membership remained unchanged from the previous election. [Mess86-01 264.1 p618]
- 2003-04-29 —
The ninth election of the Universal House of Justice by postal ballot by 1,544 electors from 178 countries. Chosen were Hartmut Grossmann and Firaydoun Javaheri to replace retiring members Mr. Nakhjavani, 83, and Mr. Fatheazam, 79 and re-elected were Farzam Arbab, Kiser Barnes, Hooper Dunbar, Peter Khan, Douglas Martin, Glenford Mitchell and Ian Semple. [One Country Vol.15 Issue1, BWNS207]
- Mr. Grossmann, born in Germany, had academic qualifications in the German and English languages. He served on the National Spiritual Assemblies of the Bahá'ís of Germany (1963 to 1969) and Finland (1977 to 1980). He was a university academic in Finland. Mr. Grossmann was appointed a Continental Counsellor in 1980, advising Bahá'í communities throughout Europe in their growth and development. He had been serving in the International Teaching Centre prior to his election.
- Dr. Javaheri, who was born in Iran, had a doctorate in agronomy. He lived for 27 years in Africa -- Gambia then Zambia -- where he was Chief Technical Adviser for the Food and Agricultural Organization of the United Nations. He served the Bahá'í communities there in the area of social and economic development. He was appointed a Continental Counsellor in 1995 after serving for 19 years as a member of its Auxiliary Board. He, like Mr Grossmann, had been serving in the International Teaching Centre prior to his election. [BWNS208]
- 2005-03-20 — The election of Dr. Payman Mohajer and Mr. Paul Lample to the vacancies on the Universal House of Justice created by the departure at Naw-Ruz of Mr. Ian Semple and Mr. Douglas Martin, owing to age and the related needs of the Faith. [From the Universal House of Justice to all National Spiritual Assemblies, 20 March 2005]
Dr. Mohajer was born in Tehran, Iran, where he received his elementary school education. He then
went with his family to India where he received a degree in homoeopathic medicine in 1984. After
several years work in his medical clinic, Dr. Mohajer completed a master's degree in psychology.
In 1966, his interest in the field of education led him to establish a Baha'i-inspired institution, the
Foundation for the Advancement of Science.
He was appointed as an Auxiliary Board member in 1986, serving until he was appointed to the
Continental Board of Counsellors in Asia in 1991. He was called to serve as a member of the
International Teaching Centre in 1998 and was reappointed in 2003.
Mr. Lample, an author and educator, was born in Philadelphia, Penn., USA. He received a Bachelor
of Arts degree in biology from Northwestern University in Evanston, Ill., and a Master of Science
from the National University in San Diego, Calif. In the early 1990s he served on the National
Teaching Committee of the National Spiritual Assembly of the United States.
In 1994 he moved to the Baha'i World Centre to serve as coordinator of the Office of Social and
Economic Development. He was appointed to the International Teaching Centre in 2003.
The other members of the Universal House of Justice are Dr. Farzam Arbab, Kiser Barnes, Hooper
Dunbar, Hartmut Grossmann, Dr. Firaydoun Javaheri, Dr. Peter Khan, and Glenford Mitchell.
[BWNS358; Bahá'í Canada Vol 17 No 11 April 2005 p4]
- 2008-04-30 —
The election of the Universal House of Justice at the 10th International Bahá'í Convention. It was attended by more than 1,000 delegates from 153 countries.
- Those elected
were Farzam Arbab, (an Iranian-born physicist who specialized in development in Colombia),
Kiser Barnes, (an African-American law professor),
Peter Khan, (an Australian-born electrical engineer of South Asian descent),
Hooper Dunbar, (an accomplished painter and former Hollywood actor who spent many years in Nicaragua),
Firaydoun Javaheri, (an agronomist who worked some 27 years in Africa),
Paul Lample, (an American educator),
Payman Mohajer, (a doctor of homoeopathic medicine and a psychologist), and
Gustavo Correa, (a former mathematics professor).
[BWNS629,
BWNS631,
BWNS627,
BWNS628,
BWNS626,
BWNS624]
- 2013-04-29 —
The 11th International Bahá'í Convention in Haifa and the 50th anniversary of the inaugural Convention in 1963 at which the first Universal House of Justice was elected. Those elected were Paul Lample, Firaydoun Javaheri, Payman Mohajer, Gustavo Correa, Shahriar Razavi, Stephen Birkland, Stephen Hall, Chuungu Malitonga, and Ayman Rouhani. [BWNS950, BWNS951, BWNS953]
- More than a thousand
members of one hundred and fifty seven National Spiritual Assemblies attended, and nearly five
hundred more, including those from an additional fourteen countries, participated in the election
by mail. [Letter from the Universal House of Justice to the delegates gathered at
Bahá'í National Conventions dated 16 May, 2013]
- 2018-04-30 —
The announcement of the election of the 12th Universal House of Justice. Those elected were Paul Lample, Chuungu Malitonga, Payman Mohajer, Shahriar Razavi, Stephen Hall, Ayman Rouhani, Stephen Birkland, Juan Francisco Mora, and Praveen Mallik. [BWNS1258]
- The twelfth International Bahá'í Convention was held from the 29th of April until the 2nd of May. In the election of the Universal House of Justice over 1,300 ballots were cast by representatives of 160 national communities. [BWNS1256, BWNS1257, BWNS1259, BWNS1261]
- See Vimeo for a short film of the International Convention by Farideh Baki-Nasseri.
- The film A Widening Embrace was screened at the Convention, enriching the consultations of the delegates. It is a documentary film about the community-building efforts of the Bahá'í world. Many of the themes discussed over the days of the Convention were highlighted in the practical examples presented in the documentary which tells the story of the transformation of communities unfolding throughout the world by featuring the process in 24 communities representing different realities and contexts. The 77-minute film, which was commissioned by the Universal House of Justice, was made available in English, Spanish, French, Russian, Arabic, and Persian. [BWNS1260]
.
- 2023-04-24 — The 13th International Bahá'í Convention was held at the Bahá'í World Centre.
To prepare for their duty in electing the Universal House of Justice, delegates immersed themselves in the spiritual atmosphere of the Bahá'í Holy Places in Akka and Haifa including the construction site of the Shrine of 'Abdu'l-Baha.
At the start of the Convention, the Bahá'ís in Iran, who for several decades have been prevented from forming Bahá'í institutions and therefore electing representatives, were remembered by the participants, and their absence was poignantly marked by a beautiful arrangement of 95 red roses.
Some 1,250 delegates came from 176 countries across the world to attend the International Convention which ran from the 29th of April to the 2nd of May. On the first day of their arrival the delegates visited the Holy Places in Haifa and in Akka [BWNS1656]
On Saturday, the 29th of April, the 12th day of Ridván, 1590 votes were counted on behalf of the assembled and absent delegates. There was a tie for the 9th place and the assembled delegates voted on Sunday to decided between the two men. On the 1st of May it was announced that Chuungu Malitonga,
Paul Lample, Juan Francisco Mora, Ayman Rouhani, Payman Mohajer, Shahriar Razavi, Praveen Mallik, Andrej Donoval, and Albert Nshisu Nsunga were elected.
[BWNS1656; BWNS1657; BWNS1658; BWNS1659]
See two photo albums posted by Hungarian delegate and photographer Edit Kalman called Precious Souls and Special days.
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