Appendix 12
References,
Web Sites
(for Rel. St. 3901 presentation)
Status of the Baha'i Faith:
The Faith
of Baha'u'llah: A World Religion, This summary of the origin,
teachings and institutions of the Baha'i Faith was prepared in 1947 for
the United Nations Special Committee on Palestine by Shoghi Effendi in
his capacity as Head of the Baha'i Faith. Palestine, Palestine
July, 1947 (BIC Document 47-0701, from www.bic-un.bahai.org )
The Baha'i
Faith, prepared for the opening of the Terraces, May 2001 by the
Office of Public Information (From www.bahaiworldnews.org/terraces/index.html
)
Act of the
Canadian Parliament, April 1949, establishing the National
Spiritual Assembly of the Baha'is of Canada
( www.ca.bahai.org/main.cfm?SID=116&storyid=86
)
Act of the Newfoundland House of Assembly,
Baha'i Marriage recognized in Newfoundland, 1983
( www.gov.nf.ca/hoa/sr/ )
Text Books
for Grades 4 to 9 in the public Newfoundland and Labrador
Schools: Inclusion of accurate information on the Baha'i Faith
Include the local history
materials prepared for the teacher presentation packages (update the
BWNS and CBNS story references)
( www.sji.ca/bahai/roots.html )
The Work of the Faith
The work of
the Faith is within the framework of the purpose of religion:
(a) The purpose of religion as
revealed from the heaven of God's holy Will is to establish unity and
concord amongst the peoples of the world; make it not the cause of
dissension and strife. The religion of God and His divine law are
the most potent instruments and the surest of all means for the dawning
of the light of unity amongst men. The progress of the world, the
development of nations, the tranquillity of peoples, and the peace of
all who dwell on earth are among the principles and ordinances of
God. Religion bestoweth upon man the most precious of all gifts,
offereth the cup of prosperity, imparteth eternal life, and showereth
imperishable benefits upon mankind. It behoveth the chiefs and
rulers of the world, and in particular the Trustees of God's House of
Justice, to endeavour to the utmost of their power to safeguard its
position, promote its interests and exalt its station in the eyes of
the world. In like manner it is incumbent upon them to enquire
into the conditions of their subjects and to acquaint themselves with
the affairs and activities of the divers communities in their
dominions. We call upon the manifestations of the power of God - the
sovereigns and rulers on earth - to bestir themselves and do all in
their power that haply they may banish discord from this world and
illumine it with the light of concord.
(Baha'u'llah: Tablets of Baha'u'llah, pp. 129-130)
and:
(b) The Baha'i Faith upholds the
unity of God, recognizes the unity of His Prophets, and inculcates the
principle of the oneness and wholeness of the entire human race.
It proclaims the necessity and the inevitability of the unification of
mankind, asserts that it is gradually approaching, and claims that
nothing short of the transmuting spirit of God, working through His
chosen Mouthpiece in this day, can ultimately succeed in bringing it
about. It, moreover, enjoins upon its followers the primary duty
of an unfettered search after truth, condemns all manner of prejudice
and superstition, declares the purpose of religion to be the promotion
of amity and concord, proclaims its essential harmony with science, and
recognizes it as the foremost agency for the pacification and the
orderly progress of human society....
(Shoghi Effendi: The Promised Day is Come, pp. v-vi)
Participation
in the UN Founding Convention, San Fransisco, 1945
(BWC: www.bahai.org/article-1-6-0-6.html
)
A summary
of international activities from the League of Nations to 1995,
in the article Bahá'í International Community and
International Organizations:
(BIC: www.bic-un.bahai.org/95-0229.htm
)
Social and
Economic Development Activities and Principles
(BWC: www.bahai.org/article-1-8-0-1.html
)
Include auxiliary articles
like:
Baha'i Development Projects: A
Global Learning Process
(BWC: www.bahai.org/article-1-8-1-1.html
)
In the Field: Some Examples
(BWC: www.bahai.org/article-1-8-1-3.html
)
The Integrity of the Development
Process
(BWC: www.bahai.org/article-1-8-1-4.html
)
Overview of Bahá'í
Social and Economic Development
(BWC: www.bahai.org/article-1-8-1-6.html
)
The NGO
Status of the BIC at the UN
The Baha'i role in the
10-year review of the ground-breaking World Summit for Social
Development.
(BWNS:
news.bahai.org/story.cfm?storyid=354 )
The active defense of the
Baha'is of Iran (e.g. BWNS Story 341)
(BWNS: news.bahai.org/story.cfm?storyid=341
)
Publicity of continued
persecution and "cultural Cleansing" in Iran:
(BWNS: news.bahai.org/story.cfm?storyid=323
)
Collaboration
of the EBBF and the ILO (One
Country 14(4), 2003)
( www.onecountry.org/e144/e14408as_EBBF_story.htm
)
Active
participation in the UN NGO process
The BIC representative
asked to Chair the UN NGO Millennium Forum
(BWNS: news.bahai.org/story.cfm?storyid=62
)
The extensive BIC Statement
Library of presentations to UN NGO Conferences on a wide range of
topics (at: www.bic-un.bahai.org
)
Participation of the Faith in the recent
Tsunami Memorial Service in Ottawa
( www.ca.bahai.org/main.cfm?SID=116&storyid=65
)
Credit course on the Baha'i Faith at Wilfrid
Laurier University
( www.ca.bahai.org/main.cfm?SID=116&storyid=64
)
Participation in the "Dialogue between World
Bank and world faiths sparkes new approaches to poverty", One Country
10(4), 1999
( www.onecountry.org/e104/e10404as.htm
)
Appreciations of the Baha'i Faith and
of Individual Believers
Report from a special session of the Brazilian
Parliament in the Holy Year, 1992, in:
Who Is Writing the
Future?
Reflections on the
Twentieth Century
On May 28, 1992, Brazil's Chamber of Deputies met in
special session to commemorate the centenary of the passing of
Bahá'u'lláh, whose influence is becoming an increasingly
familiar feature of the world's social and intellectual landscape. His
message of unity had clearly struck a deep chord with the Brazilian
legislators. During the course of the proceedings, speakers
representing all parties in the Chamber paid tribute to a body of
writings which one deputy described as "the most colossal religious
work written by the pen of a single Man," and to a conception of our
planet's future which, "transcending material frontiers", in the words
of another, "reached out to humanity as a whole, without petty
differences of nationality, race, limits, or beliefs." (1)
Notes
1. Remarks by Deputy Luis Gushiken and Deputy Rita
Camata. "Sessão Solene da Câmara Federal em Homenagem ao
Centenário da Ascensão de Bahá'u'lláh",
Brasilia, 28 May 1992.
(The full text of "Who
is Writing the Future" is available at http://www.bahai.org/article-1-7-3-1.html
)
A selection
of recent BWNS and CBNS stories (update every few months for new
items), such as:
some of the attached list
of BWNS stories of Golden Jubilee celebrations:
CBNS Stories:
2005 01 28
(67), Bahá'í wins Governor-General's award for
northern arts festival
2004 12 07
(58), Bahá'í attests to art as vibrant force among
Aboriginals.
2004 10 08
(52), Globe and Mail cites Bahá'í Faith as one of
five most widespread religions
BWNS Stories:
2005 02 15 (351),
Religion gives basis for human rights (Netherlands)
2005 02 02 (349),
Magazine wins design award (USA)
2005 01 12 (344),
Distinguished visitors praise Baha'i Temple (India)
2004 12 23 (342),
Teacher appreciation days held in Canada and Australia
2004 11 18 (334),
Conferences stress service to others (Australia)
2004 11 04 (331),
People's Theater begins new season (Germany)
2004 10 06 (328),
Official urges study of 'noble principles' (Ghana)
2004 08 11 (316),
Top Sportsmen Find Support in Faith (Portugal)
2004 07 27 (313),
Fishing project yields extra dividends (Chad)
2004 07 14 (309),
Leading economist calls for global reform (United Kingdom)
Global Extent of the Faith
ca. 180 National and Regional Assemblies
Role of training grassroots
in the electoral process and administration
Examples:
The Election of the Universal
House of Justice
( news.bahai.org/story.cfm?storyid=202
), and
( www.bahai.org/article-1-3-6-4.html
)
(add more ...)
BWNS:
Golden Jubilee Celebrations
The Fruits of the Ten Year Crusade
(1953-1963)
Date and Story
ID Title of Article (Country)
1. 2001 08 05 (135)
Baha'i
Community of Uganda
2. 2003 08 19 (240)
Dramatic
stories thrill Malawi golden jubilee (Malawi)
3. 2003 09 09 (246)
Light of
Spirit Shines in the Congo (Congo
Republic)
4. 2003 09 17 (248)
Double Cause
for Celebrations (Democratic Republic
of the Congo)
5. 2003 09 23 (249)
Cameroon
Celebrates Golden Time
6. 2003 10 12 (252)
Golden
anniversary of the Queen of Carmel (The
Shrine of the Bab)
7. 2003 10 23 (254)
Island
of faith holds jubilee (Sicily)
8. 2003 11 05 (255)
High tribute
at Swiss centenary (Switzerland)
9. 2003 11 09 (256)
Public parade
a triumph of faith (Vanuatu)
10. 2003 12 03 (262)
Lively
festivities in Lesotho
11. 2003 12 14 (265)
Double
blessing for Cook Islands
12. 2003 12 17 (266)
Celebrating
with music and dance (Canary Islands)
13. 2003 12 30 (270)
Generation
expresses gratitude (South Africa)
14. 2004 01 07 (271)
Jubilee
Becomes Major Talking Point (Andaman
and Nicobar Islands)
15. 2004 01 12 (272)
Festivities
exceed expectations (Seychelles)
16. 2004 01 17 (274)
Handing on the
light of faith (Mauritus)
17. 2004 01 25 (275)
Drumming and
dancing in delight (Zimbabwe)
18. 2004 02 18 (280)
Secret
rendezvous of faith (Namiba)
19. 2004 03 03 (283)
National
communities celebrate together (Senegal)
20. 2004 03 14 (286)
Tongan Baha'is
parade to the palace (Tonga)
21. 2004 03 28 (288)
Four islands
unite in celebrations (Madagascar,
Reunion, Mauritius, and Seychelles)
22. 2004 04 11 (291)
Festivities
honor community service (Solomon Islands)
23. 2004 05 25 (299)
Celebrations
in a principality (Monaco)
24. 2004 05 31 (301)
Sailing in for
a jubilee (Kiribati)
25. 2004 06 08 (303)
Spiritual
legacy now paying dividends (Mariana
Islands)
26. 2004 07 21 (311)
Royal praise
for development projects (Swaziland)
27. 2004 07 26 (312)
Celebrations
held throughout the land (Papua New
Guinea)
28. 2004 10 06 (328)
Official urges
study of ‘noble principles' (Ghana)
29. 2004 10 19 (329)
Togo Baha'is
celebrate jubilee
30. 2004 11 14 (332)
Jubilee
celebrated in ‘world's oldest republic' (San Marino)
31. 2004 11 18 (335)
Mountainous
country marks anniversary (Andorra,
Spain)
32. 2004 11 30 (337)
Royal welcome
at jubilee gathering in Samoa
33. 2004 12 16 (339)
Attractive
center holds fond memories (Taiwan)
34. 2005 01 02 (343)
Spiritual
solace in a recovering land (Burundi)
35. 2005 01 23 (346)
Two reasons
for festivities (Gambia)
36. 2005 02 02 (348)
Thriving
community builds social unity (Rwanda)
37. 2005 02 08 (350)
Completing the
circle of service (Cape Verde)
38. 2005 03 16 (356)
Minister
praises Baha'i activities (Botswana)
39.
40.
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