US NSA 2010 Annual Report

Riḍván 2010 Annual ReportNational Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of the United States

early loved Co-workers,

Last Riḍván, the Universal House of Justice assessed in remarkable terms the progress that had been made in the current Five Year Plan. “A mere three years ago,” wrote the Supreme Institution, “we

set before the Bahá’í world the challenge of exploiting the framework for action that had emerged with such clarity at the conclusion of the last global Plan. … But no one could have imagined then how profoundly the Lord of Hosts, in His inscrutable wisdom, intended to transform His com-munity in so short a span of time.” Regarding the celebrations held at the Plan’s midpoint in 41 cities around the globe, the House of Justice noted the “coherence and energy” of the worldwide community of the followers of the Blessed Beauty, and the “extraordinary contrast” it provided “to the bewil-derment and confusion of a world caught in a spiral of crisis.”

“This, indeed,” the House of Justice continued, “was the community of the blissful to which the Guardian had referred. This was a community aware of the vast potentialities with which it has been endowed and conscious of the role it is destined to play in rebuilding a broken world. This was a commu-nity in the ascendant, subject to severe repression in one part of the globe, yet rising up undeterred and undismayed as a united whole and strengthen-ing its capacity to achieve Bahá’u’lláh’s purpose to liberate humankind from the yoke of the most grievous oppression.” Anticipating that the number of intensive programs of growth around the world would surpass the 1,000 mark during that Riḍván period, the message closed in a spirit of thanks-giving for the Almighty’s “unbounded generosity to the community of the Greatest Name.”

In the year since then, the signs of Bahá’u’lláh’s confirmations and boun-ties have increased to an astonishing degree. At this writing, there is high

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confidence that by the end of the coming Riḍván season the worldwide goal of 1,500 intensive programs of growth will have been achieved. The American Bahá’í community’s contribution toward that goal—to establish a minimum of 233 intensive programs of growth—will also have been accomplished. This will allow us to focus the final year of the Plan on increasing that number by some measure, but, more importantly, it will enable us to strengthen existing pro-grams as together we increase our capacity for sustained growth.

Such a monumental, worldwide triumph doubtless inspires in the heart of every sincere follower of Bahá’u’lláh feelings of profound gratitude and a fresh resolve to add still greater victories to those already achieved.

There is high confidence that

by the end of the coming Riḍván season the worldwide goal of 1,500 intensive programs of growth will have been achieved. The American Bahá’í community’s contribution toward that goal—to establish a minimum of 233 intensive programs of growth—will also have been accomplished.

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Intensive programs of growth are now under way in every region of the country. In each of the clusters where they exist, the friends have established continuous cycles of activity in which expansion and consolidation efforts are complement-ed by regular opportunities for reflection and learning. In these clusters, as well as in those that have yet to establish intensive programs of growth, the institute process acts as the driving force for progress, as human resources are repeatedly developed and deployed into the field of service.

Much was learned in the first four years of the Plan about advancing clusters to the point where they could launch intensive programs of growth. Such strate-gies as effective use of tutors; deployment of experienced resource persons, many of them as homefront pioneers; systematic proliferation of core activi-ties; and the regular diffusion of knowledge and insights gained in the field of action will be of continuing value as we learn how to achieve more sustainable growth in the years to come.

In addition, the most successful programs have learned the importance of the “neighborhood” approach to growth. With the institute process as the founda-tion, believers are learning how the core activities can be established to serve the same population in a given area. The chief sites for this learn-ing up to now have been specially designated “target” neighborhoods inhabited by populations known from experience to be receptive to the Cause. While such efforts will continue, the friends are increasingly coming to understand that the poten-tial to establish sustainable patterns of growth exists wherever they reside, and that the skills they have learned in target neighborhoods can easily be translated into action among their own friends and neighbors.

The reports from the Regional Bahá’í Councils contained in this Annual Report describe in greater detail all of the pertinent trends of the past year, from which the implications for the final year of the Plan can easily be seen. We are particularly gratified by the organized efforts that were undertaken in every region to encour-

While efforts in specially

designated “target” neighborhoods will continue, the friends are increasingly coming to understand that the potential to establish sustainable patterns of growth exists wherever they reside.

Building capacity for growth

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age the participation of youth. In many instances, youths were instrumental in providing the energy and talents that made the winning of the major goal of the Plan possible. Their future services will surely be one of the keys to achiev-ing sustained growth in every cluster.

In addition, we note with great pleasure the proliferation of neighborhood children’s classes, the rapid emergence of programs for the spiritual empower-ment of junior youth, and increasing patterns of support and assistance on the part of Local Spiritual Assemblies. These activities are among the hallmarks of clusters where the friends are, in an atmosphere of loving encouragement and institutional support, beginning to master the skills associated with the system-atic development of human resources.

The total number of new believers enrolled for the year ending at Riḍván 2010 is projected to be about 2,000 adults and youths, and 1,000 junior youths and children. While not as high as last year’s figures, they are nonetheless much higher than any year of the previous decade. There are clear reasons for a down-turn we expect to be temporary. First, most of the energies of the past year were devoted to establishing intensive programs of growth in clusters in which a small number of human resources were available in the existing Bahá’í communities. The effort required the services of tutors and other experienced individuals from more advanced clusters, which naturally had an impact on expansion.

Second, and more important, was the focus on consolidation adopted in many clusters, in which the friends deliberately set their sights on learning how to nurture and accompany those who had entered the Faith in recent months. These clusters tended to set more modest expansion goals, concentrating their energies on assisting the newest members of the community to quickly mature into active servants of the Cause.

As a result of this focus, the proportion of new believers entering the institute pro-cess and taking part in various associated services improved, with about half of the friends who enrolled within the past 18 months actively involved. One outstanding success has been the emergence in a few clusters of new believers who, having completed the full sequence of Ruhi courses, are now engaged in service in the very neighborhoods where they were first taught. We recently received news of a four-person teaching team in one such cluster, composed entirely of believers who had themselves enrolled in a target neighborhood within the past few years.

Because it portends extremely well for achieving sustainable growth, another development well worth mentioning is the rise in the past year of the number of people in our “community of interest”—people not enrolled as believers but who are taking part in one or more core activities. In many instances, their participation signifies far more than mere attendance and amounts to active involvement. In one cluster, for example, about a dozen youths who are not enrolled Bahá’ís are working with believers as leaders of junior youth spiritual

The proportion of new believers

entering the institute process and taking part in various associated services improved, with about half of the friends who enrolled within the past 18 months actively involved.

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empowerment programs. This trend can be discerned in more and more clusters and with all the core activities. This reduces distinctions between “members” and “non-members” that can often impede the spiritual transformation that results from all peoples’ direct interaction with the Word of God.

Although some intensive programs of growth are showing a steady enrollment rate over numerous cycles—and much is being learned from them—we now need to achieve both sustainability and higher rates of growth nationwide. The primary focus of the final year of the Plan will be to advance our understanding of sustained growth in preparation for the new Plan to be launched at Riḍván 2011. This will be accomplished through continued efforts to strengthen the institute process. In particular, we hope to see the emergence of strong patterns of activity in neighborhood settings, where the institute process can attend to the needs of all generations, and where more and more people who receive training can effectively serve among their friends, relatives, and associates.

An essential factor in achieving a successful pattern of sustainable growth will be the quality of our learning process, especially at the grassroots level. We will best be able to gain from our experiences in the field of action when we mas-ter—fully and with regularity—the practice of reflection and learning described in the guidance of the Universal House of Justice.

Just as important to our success will be the enthusiastic involvement of all believers, young and old, new and veteran, in the framework for action encom-passed by the institute process, coupled with a profound appreciation of its spirit and purpose. We are reminded of the Supreme Institution’s words to the believers of the world, in a letter dated October 20, 2008:

Let them not underestimate the power inherent in the system they are putting in place for the propagation of His Faith, nor mistake the true purpose of the global enterprise on which they have embarked. Let them not deviate from the path of learning on which they are set, nor be dis-tracted by the ephemeral pursuits of a bewildered society. Let them not fail to appreciate the value of the culture now taken root in the commu-nity that promotes the systematic study of the Creative Word in small groups in order to build capacity for service. Let them never forget the imperative to tend to the needs of the children of the world and offer them lessons that develop their spiritual faculties and lay the founda-tions of a noble and upright character. Let them come to realize the full significance of their efforts to help young people form a strong moral identity in their early adolescent years and empower them to contribute to the well-being of their communities. And let them rejoice at having learned through consistent, systematic action how to establish a rhythm of growth that pays due attention to the essential elements of expan-sion, consolidation, reflection and planning.

Important to our success will be

the enthusiastic involvement of all believers, young and old, new and veteran, in the framework for action encompassed by the institute process, coupled with a profound appreciation of its spirit and purpose.

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Toward a closer integration of efforts

In previous annual reports we have chronicled a number of administrative changes made in response to the needs of the Plan. As you know, the current Plan has seen a widespread proliferation of administrative bodies, including area teaching committees, at the level of the clusters, and the strengthening of the institute presence in the form of cluster coordinators and coordinators for spe-cialized tasks, such as children’s classes. A number of steps have been taken at the regional level to strengthen both the Regional Bahá’í Councils and Regional Training Institutes. We have also described a variety of adjustments at the na-tional level, the purpose of which, along with those at the cluster and regional levels, is to respond to and to facilitate a steady process of capacity building and learning throughout the community.

In one of the concluding paragraphs of its Riḍván 2008 message, the Universal House of Justice reminded us of the “two calls” extolled by ‘Abdu’l-Bahá to “success and prosperity” that can be heard from the “heights of the happiness of mankind”:

One is the call of “civilization,” of “progress of the material world.” It comprises the “laws,” “regulations,” “arts and sciences” through which humanity develops. The other is the “soul-stirring call of God,” on which depends the eternal happiness of humanity. “This second call,” the Master has explained, “is founded upon the instructions and exhor-tations of the Lord and the admonitions and altruistic emotions belong-ing to the realm of morality which, like unto a brilliant light, brighten and illumine the lamp of the realities of mankind. Its penetrative power is the Word of God.”

The Supreme Institution then made the following statement, anticipating new arenas of learning for the worldwide Bahá’í community:

As you continue to labour in your clusters, you will be drawn further and further into the life of the society around you and will be chal-lenged to extend the process of systematic learning in which you are engaged to encompass a growing range of human endeavours. In the approaches you take, the methods you adopt, and the instruments you employ, you will need to achieve the same degree of coherence that characterizes the pattern of growth presently under way.

In the two years since this message was released, the House of Justice has held a series of consultations with selected groups of believers aimed at a coherent integration of expansion and consolidation activities with emerging oppor-tunities at the grass roots for engaging in social action and advancing public discourse.

Members of this National Spiritual Assembly had the privilege of attending sev-eral of these consultations at the Bahá’í World Center and in the United States,

The House of Justice has held a series

of consultations with selected groups of believers aimed at a coherent integration of expansion and consolidation activities with emerging opportunities at the grass roots for engaging in social action and advancing public discourse.

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all of them facilitated by members of the House of Justice. We were particularly asked to contemplate what administrative adjustments might be required to achieve such coherence. As a result of these consultations and subsequent cor-respondence with the Supreme Institution, the Assembly took a few first steps in that direction, including the creation of two new “desks” under its Secre-tariat: one for learning about social action, the other for learning about public discourse.

The two desks will function in a manner similar to the Junior Youth Desk estab-lished nearly a year ago. The purpose of that desk is not to oversee the activities of junior youth coordinators and animators; rather, it is to facilitate learning on the part of those involved in this service—through a variety of activities—while leaving the responsibility for administration in the hands of the Regional Train-ing Institutes. The desks for social action and public discourse will begin by ex-ploring the range of relevant activities currently under way, and, in consultation with believers in various clusters, will determine what opportunities for effective engagement are emerging. As experience begins to accumulate, the desks will increasingly assume responsibility for the transfer of learning and skills across

The purpose of the Junior Youth Desk

is not to oversee the activities of junior youth coordinators and animators; rather, it is to facilitate learning on the part of those involved in this service while leaving the responsibility for administration in the hands of the Regional Training Institutes.

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various regions of the country.

In the coming years, we hope to learn a great deal about how to further the public discourse on such vital is-sues as race unity, the advancement of women, the moral development of young people, and the environ-ment—along with many others that will naturally emerge as the result of growth at the cluster level—and to engage in meaningful social action. All will complement the framework for growth that is now well established.

In conjunction with these develop-ments, we are pleased to share the news that the Institute for Studies in Global Prosperity (ISGP)—a program administered from the Bahá’í World Center to build capacity in young people for engaging in public dis-course—will offer its first undergradu-ate seminar in the United States this coming summer, at the Green Acre Bahá’í School. Although the first ses-

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sion will be limited to a relatively few students, it will be followed in the future by seminars in other locations.

The National Spiritual Assembly has also recently taken steps to reorganize its external affairs operations. The new external affairs structure will consist of two departments: an Office of Communications at the Bahá’í National Center in Evanston; and the current External Affairs offices in Washington, D.C., and at the United Nations. The two offices will operate in close collaboration, under the oversight of the Secretary-General. The Washington, D.C., and UN offices will continue to perform essentially the same functions, as detailed in the Ex-ternal Affairs section of this Annual Report.

The Office of Communications will focus on such matters as the development of the Bahá’í presence on the Internet, working in collaboration with the Office of Public Information in Haifa; the development of effective relations with the media; and consolidation of The American Bahá’í, the U.S. Bahá’í Newsreel, and the National Assembly’s Administrative Website—completing a process that has already been under way for more than a year. While it is true that some information can and should only be communicated to Bahá’í audiences, it is likewise true that much of what is created for the believers is also meaningful for others. Because there has increasingly been a conscious effort on the part of the creators of all these media to make information easily understandable even to those with very little knowledge of the Faith, much of what is being produced can be used with little or no adaptation. This is especially true for the Newsreel, which has become a popular teaching tool. A consolidated approach will allow us to preserve the necessary distinctions between audiences while providing for a more effective sharing of resources.

Although the development of relations with Persian-language media is be-ing pursued as a function separate from those under the aegis of the Office of Communications (see pages 49–50 in this Report), we consider it part of our overall external affairs effort. Regular communication and collaboration with the Evanston and Washington, D.C., offices will therefore take place, as appro-priate.

The new external affairs structure

will consist of two departments: an Office of Communications at the Bahá’í National Center in Evanston; and the current External Affairs offices in Washington, D.C., and at the United Nations.

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Remaining priorities

At this writing, an exceptional effort will be required to fulfill the Five Year Plan goal assigned to us by the Universal House of Justice for the placement of international Bahá’í pioneers. Out of a total goal of 1,300, 843 believers have undertaken this vital service. The pace must greatly accelerate if we are to live up to the legacy of boldness and heroism in this arena established by our com-munity in previous Plans.

Restoration work on the Bahá’í House of Worship in Wilmette continues apace and is scheduled for completion by early summer 2011. During the past year, the National Spiritual Assembly decided to make modifications to the design of the new Visitors’ Center that, while detracting in no way from its functionality, are expected to result in a facility less expensive to build and maintain. Work on the Visitors’ Center will commence as soon as the Temple restoration is complete; estimates are that it will take under two years.

A number of believers have asked what plans are under way to observe the 2012 centenary of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá’s sojourn in North America. We have recently received guidance from the Universal House of Justice on this matter and have estab-lished a task force to develop plans. More informa-tion will be shared with the community as soon as practicable.

Funds

Unexpected news thrilled the delegates at Bahá’í National Convention. The U.S. believers had risen to the challenge of the hour and had met—even surpassed—the $25 million National Bahá’í Fund goal, in spite of the prevail-ing economic conditions. Motivating the individual gifts of love that made this achievement possible was an overwhelmingly positive spirit, testifying to the confidence of a stalwart Bahá’í community determined to demonstrate its resilience in the face of immense difficulties.

A special consultation on the future of the National Fund was conducted dur-ing the Convention and an earnest request made that the National Assembly increase its expectation of financial resources necessary to administer the Cause. A plan is now under development to achieve that objective and it will soon be shared with the community.

An exceptional effort will be required

to fulfill the Five Year Plan goal assigned to us by the Universal House of Justice for the placement of international Bahá’í pioneers.

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Conclusion

Beloved friends, we are all well aware that there are many miles yet to be tra-versed on the pathway toward entry by troops. Challenges abound and much remains to be learned. Our struggles do not diminish our successes—on the con-trary, we have earned the challenges of today by virtue of yesterday’s triumphs. It is because of the firm and enduring foundation that has been built through the friends’ assiduous and sacrificial labors in Plan after Plan that we now have the privilege to address the needs of the moment. Let us do so in a spirit of loving encouragement, true consultation, unity of purpose, and prayerful and confident reliance on the guidance and confirmations of the Blessed Beauty.

We take inspiration and example from our beleaguered but unbowed sisters and brothers in the Cradle of the Faith, whose steadfastness in the face of severe persecution is proof enough of the power of this mighty Revelation. We have no doubt that their deeds have provided much of the spiritual impetus that has propelled the achievements of the entire Bahá’í world. We are reminded of our formidable responsibilities as the “spiritual descendants of the Dawn-Breakers” to rise to the same heights of devotion and self-sacrifice.

We are moved to express our particular and profound gratitude to the five members of the Continental Board of Counselors residing in the United States and to their Auxiliaries. Their tireless services, constant warm encouragement, and unswerving commitment to the vision of the Supreme Institution have made a decisive contribution to the winning of the principal goal of this Plan.

In addition, we thank each of the six Regional Bahá’í Councils and all of the Regional Training Institutes, who have contributed their own distinct and

We take inspiration and example

from our beleaguered but unbowed sisters and brothers in the Cradle of the Faith, whose steadfastness in the face of severe persecution is proof enough of the power of this mighty Revelation.

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invaluable share to the American Bahá’í community’s successes in this Plan through their dedicated and energetic efforts.

Lastly, we are moved to express the boundless admiration and love that fills our hearts whenever we pause to observe the steadily growing capacity, confidence, and consecration evident among you, the believers of this nation, and contem-plate the triumphs that this blessed community is bound to achieve in the year to come.

As we serve and accompany one another in service, let us turn for guidance once more to the Universal House of Justice’s letter of October 20, 2008:

It is with these thoughts in mind that we turn our hearts in frequent prayer to Bahá’u’lláh and beseech Him to strengthen His followers through His unfailing grace. In such moments, we implore Him to il-lumine their souls with the light of knowledge and faith. … May they one and all be endowed with constancy and fidelity and be granted the courage to make whatever sacrifices are needed to ensure the resound-ing success of the Plan. By the rectitude of their conduct, the sincer-ity of their love for their fellow human beings, and the ardour of their desire to serve the peoples of the world, may they vindicate the truth proclaimed by Bahá’u’lláh that humanity is one. May they be dili-gent in their efforts to establish ties of friendship that show no regard for prevalent social barriers and ceaselessly endeavour to bind hearts together in the love of God. That they may recognize the profound im-plications of their mission is our fervent hope. That they may not falter in accomplishing their ambitious goals, no matter how severe the crises engulfing the world around them, is our most heartfelt prayer at the Sacred Threshold.

To those of the Supreme Body, we join our own unceasing prayers that each and every one of you may be strengthened by abundant aid from on high in your efforts to achieve the goals of this Plan, as we press on to its victorious conclusion.

With loving Bahá’í greetings,

NATIONAL SPIRITUAL ASSEMBLY OF THE BAHÁ’ÍS OF THE UNITED STATES

We are moved to express the

boundless admiration and love that fills our hearts whenever we pause to observe the steadily growing capacity, confidence, and consecration evident among you, the believers of this nation, and contemplate the triumphs that this blessed community is bound to achieve in the year to come.

Regional Bahá’í Councils

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Regional Bahá’í Councils13 ...Regional Bahá’í Council of the

Central States

16 ...Regional Bahá’í Council of the Northeastern States

20 ...Regional Bahá’í Council of the Northwestern States

24 ...Regional Bahá’í Council of the South Central States

29 ...Regional Bahá’í Council of the Southeastern States

32 ...Regional Bahá’í Council of the Southwestern States

Regional Bahá’í Council of the Central States

Throughout 2009–10, the fourth and penultimate year of the Five Year Plan, the Regional Bahá’í Council of the Central States remained strongly encouraged by developments in the Central States. Instrumental in the progress being seen have been the schemes of coordination given to the Bahá’í world by the Universal House of Justice, coupled with the guidance and support of the Continental Board of Counselors and National Spiritual Assembly. The Council is pleased to report the experiences and learning that follow.

Central States RTI

The newly appointed Central States Regional Training Institute (RTI) Board—con-sisting of four Regional Institute Coordinators and one Auxiliary Board member—has worked closely with Counselor Alison Milston to develop an understanding of the work needed to strengthen the institute training process in the Central States’ clusters. The Council met with the RTI Board in joint session to study guidance and learn the concrete steps the Regional Institute Coordinators are taking in their sub-regions to bring about an increased movement of believers through the entire sequence of courses in the Ruhi curriculum. The Coordinators have been more focused in their accompaniment of Cluster Institute Coordinators and in the tutor trainings designed to ensure that tutors are purposefully weaving the service com-ponent of each Ruhi course into the conduct of each study circle. The RTI Board is pursuing the goal of engaging 10 individuals from the community of interest in each of the Central States’ priority clusters in study circles by October 2010—for a total of 350. During 2009–10, the largest gains in human resources throughout the region were among those that had completed Ruhi Books 5–7 (see tables, p. 15).

Expansion and consolidation

Since Riḍván 2009, eight clusters—Cedar Rapids (IA-14), Rockford (IL-01), Des Plaines (IL-18), Grand Rapids (MI-09), Cincinnati (OH-05), Dayton (OH-06), Appleton (WI-16), and Milwaukee (WI-22)—have launched intensive programs of growth (IPGs). An additional three—Waukegan (IL-02), Champaign-Urbana (IL-11), and North Hennepin County (MN-34)—are similarly expected to launch IPGs before Riḍván 2010. The Central States were originally to have raised 33 clusters to the “A” stage of development—enabling them to launch an IPG—by the close of the Five Year Plan; with 35 IPGs in place by Riḍván 2010, the region will have not only met but surpassed that goal a full year before the Plan’s conclusion.

The year thus far has seen the largest increase in the number of friends engag-ing in teaching activities—an increase of some 34 percent. The number of seekers engaged in core activities at the end of IPG expansion cycles has also increased to a record high of 788, representing a 15 percent increase. Although the number of youth and adults enrolled from May through January has dropped by eight percent from last year, the Council expects to see this number increase again next year.

The Regional Institute Coordinators have

been more focused in their accompaniment of Cluster Institute Coordinators and in the tutor trainings designed to ensure that tutors are purposefully weaving the service component of each Ruhi course into the conduct of each study circle.

Riḍván 2010

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Homefront pioneers

During 2009–10, some 15 homefront pioneers moved to eight different clusters, participating in core activities, serving on cluster agencies, and stimulating growth. Another four have pledged their support and will move to their posts as quickly as possible.

Office of Cluster Advancement

The position of Office of Cluster Advancement Director and Secretary-General were separated during 2009–10, with two Council members sharing responsibility for the development of the Office of Cluster Advancement. Office of Cluster Advance-ment representatives were appointed in January to serve at the four sub-regional levels of Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, and Nebraska; Illinois; Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota, and Wisconsin; and Indiana, Michigan, and Ohio. These geographic areas of service correspond with those of the Regional Institute Coordinators, thus adding strength to the sub-regions. The Office of Cluster Advancement represen-tatives will be working closely with Auxiliary Board members to support the Area Teaching Committees (ATCs). Although this decentralized scheme of coordination is new in the Central States, the Council is already receiving positive comments from the clusters and from Auxiliary Board members alike.

Learning site

Chicago (IL-16) has become the first learning site for the Central States. After careful planning, and with guidance from Miss Milston, the site invited the core teams from Illinois goal clusters yet to launch an intensive program of growth for a weekend visit. One participant shared the following insights:

“I felt that the facilitators provided a renewed vision of our pur-pose as ATC members to offer guidance and support for [Local Spiritual Assemblies] and individuals; to gather information from our cluster’s community activities and teaching efforts; and to

Riḍván 2010

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Stages of advancement in the Central Region as of 3/30/2010

The year thus far has seen the largest

increase in the number of friends engaging in teaching activities—an increase of some 34 percent. The number of seekers engaged in core activities at the end of IPG expansion cycles has also seen a 15 percent increase.

‘A’-stage clusters

‘B’-stage clusters

IL-02 (Waukegan, IL)IL-11 (Champaign, IL)IN-03 (Elkhart, IN)MI-08 (Davison/Flint, MI)MN-02 (Lake of the Woods Co., MN)MN-34 (Hennepin Co. North, MN)WI-17 (Sheboygan, WI)

MN-27 (Minneapolis, MN)MN-28 (St. Paul/Ramsey Co., MN)MN-30 (E & SE Mpls/St. Paul area)MN-33 (Hennepin Co. S., MN)MO-01 (St. Louis Co., MO)MO-03 (Columbia, MO)MO-07 (Kansas City, MO/KS)NE-13 (Omaha, NE/IA)OH-01 (Cleveland area, OH)OH-03 (Columbus/Franklin Co., OH)OH-05 (Cincinnati, OH)OH-06 (Dayton, OH)WI-16 (Appleton, WI)WI-19 (Madison, WI)WI-21 (Waukesha Co., WI)WI-22 (Milwaukee Co., WI)

IA-07 (Ames/Des Moines, IA)IA-14 (Cedar Rapids, IA)IL-01 (Rockford, IL)IL-03 (Aurora area, IL)IL-09 (Springfield, IL)IL-16 (Chicago, IL)IL-17 (Evanston area, IL)IL-18 (Des Plaines, IL)IL-20 (Wilmette area, IL)IN-01 (Indianapolis, IN)KS-13 (Wichita, KS)MI-09 (Grand Rapids, MI)MI-17 (Ann Arbor, MI)MI-11 (Central Lower Peninsula, MI)MI-18 (Oakland Co., MI)MI-28 (Wayne Co., MI)

15Regional Bahá’í Councils

The number of seekers contacting

the Seeker Response System (SRS) is consistently high. The number of online registrants who enrolled in the Central States region increased from 67 percent to 88 percent; the national average is 75 percent.

Engagement of human resources in the practices associated with Ruhi courses

analyze and synthesize this information so as to inform the plan-ning stages of our cluster’s cycles (as well as the constant plan-ning/action/reflection throughout each cycle).”

Seeker Response System

The number of seekers contacting the Seeker Response System (SRS) is consistently high. There was a gain of 11 percent in new seekers this year. Some 33 percent of all seekers in the SRS are from the 35 priority clusters. The number of online registrants who enrolled in the Central States region increased from 67 percent to 88 percent; the national average is 75 percent.

Local Spiritual Assembly development

The Council has, in the past year, worked to strengthen its relationship with Local Spiritual Assemblies through visits to the goal clusters—to study the guidance with the Assemblies and core teams and consult about its application in each cluster. Local Spiritual Assemblies are developing and maintaining the coherent approach to growth needed to satisfy the spiritual needs of the larger community. The As-semblies, realizing the possibilities before them, are eagerly sharing which core activities individual Assembly members are participating in—as well as reporting on the swelling activities taking place within their communities. These same Local Spiritual Assemblies are reordering their agendas to ensure that teaching always receives the highest priority.

Human resource development, 2007–2010

Book 1 Book 2 Book 3 Book 4 Book 5 Book 6 Book 7

January 1, 2007 2429 1684 1259 1092 118 821 769

January 31, 2008 2635 1918 1462 1443 158 1097 908

January 31, 2009 2708 1989 1540 1565 221 1193 953

January 31, 2010 2709 2091 1624 1641 282 1316 1103

Percent change, 2009–2010 0% 5% 5% 5% 22% 22% 14%

2709

2091

221 (8%)

153 (7%)

Book 1

Book 2

Book 3

Book 5

Book 6

Book 7

1624 11031316

282 (total)

35 (12%)

137 (8%)

791 (60%)

279 (25%)

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The Council is pleased to report a

50 percent rise in the region’s community of interest—friends of the Faith who participate in the core activities—as a result of increased outreach to a wider population.

Riḍván 2010

Regional Bahá’í Council of the Northeastern States

During 2009–10, the fourth year of the Five Year Plan, the Northeast saw steady gains in all measures over the previous years of the Plan. There were also chal-lenges. Reflecting on qualitative and quantitative measures of activity and devel-opment, the Regional Bahá’í Council observes that there is a level of commitment and focused action by believers in the region that is increasingly and firmly based on the Plan’s framework for action.

Significant strengths

The Council is pleased to report the following achievements for 2009–10:

• A 50 percent rise (about 1,650 projected for the current year compared to 1,100 at the start of the Plan) in the region’s community of interest—friends of the Faith who participate in the core activities—as a result of increased outreach to a wider population.

• Some 57 homefront pioneers have been settled in 18 clusters to engage in mul-tiplying core activities and direct teaching.

• Some 80 adult/youth enrollments are projected this year through the Seeker Response System, representing 37 percent of our 215 total enrollments.

• Believers are completing institute courses in rising numbers—with more engag-ing in a path of service based on their training.

• A larger number of friends are developing skills in direct teaching through par-ticipation in Ruhi Book 6 active refreshers, “Renewing the Spirit of Teaching” seminars, and learning-site experiences.

• The Council’s collaboration with Counselors, Auxiliary Board members, the in-stitute’s regional coordinators, and the National Spiritual Assembly has ensured effective lines of action and timely implementation.

Particular challenges

Among the challenges facing the region are the following:

• Learning how to more effectively ask people to let us tell them about the fun-damental verities of the Faith and inviting them to join us in building unified communities.

• Acquiring skill in the targeting of receptive populations, which has been dif-ficult for the believers in some clusters.

• Stabilizing the membership of cluster agencies, so that people of capacity are able to accompany believers into action.

• Achieving consistency in the efforts of the core group of teachers of the Faith in each cluster.



Stages of advancement in the Northeast Region as of 3/30/2010

By the end of the Five Year Plan,

37 of the region’s 48 clusters—where 94 percent of the believers in the Northeast reside—will each be engaged in an intensive program of growth.


02 (Hartford/Tolland, CT) 06 (Lower ME/NH) 07 (Upper Maine)08 (New Hampshire)09 (Vermont)11 (Boston area, MA)14 (Franklin/Hampshire, MA)15 (Hampden Co., MA)16 (Northeast Massachusetts)17 (S. Middlesex Co., MA)21 (Central Jersey, NJ)24 (Newark area, NJ)27 (Albany area, NY)28 (Buffalo area, NY)30 (Long Island, NY)31 (New York City, NY)35 (Rochester area, NY)36 (Syracuse area, NY)37 (Westchester Co., NY)38 (Allentown/Reading, PA)41 (Harrisburg/Lancaster, PA)42 (Philadelphia, PA)43 (Philadelphia NW, PA)44 (Philadelphia SW, PA)45 (Pittsburgh area, PA)


01 (Fairfield Co., CT)04 (New Haven Co., CT)05 (New London area, CT)12 (Bristol/Plymouth, MA)18 (Worcester Co., MA)19 (Rhode Island) 20 (Bergen/Passaic, NJ)22 (Cherry Hill area, NJ)23 (Jersey Shore, NJ)32 (Newburgh area, NY)

• Returning enrollments to previous levels in the nine clusters that showed a significant reduction this year—despite the positive growth in seven clusters compared to previous years of the Plan.

• Encouraging all Bahá’í families to register their children and junior youth as early in their lives as possible, as the number of children and junior youth reg-istered declined—from 99 in the third year of the Plan to an estimated 70 this year.

Strengthening the institute process

The Northeast Training Institute Board of Directors is skillfully guiding the devel-opment of the institute training process in the region. Junior youth group ani-mators are emerging throughout the region and learning to form neighborhood junior youth groups. Refresher courses are focusing participants on the practices associated with each of the Ruhi Institute courses and on finding a path of service. Human resources are being mobilized through the practice of accompaniment. The friends are increasingly learning to open neighborhood activities to all the inhabit-ants in their locality.

Intensive programs of growth

Seven years were needed—leading up to Riḍván 2009—for the Northeast to develop 22 clusters with intensive programs of growth in place. This year, the region is expected to see a total of 11 more clusters advanced to the “A” stage of develop-ment, bringing to 33 the number of clusters engaged in intensive programs of growth. At least four more clusters are projected to reach that stage by Riḍván

‘★C’-stage clusters

34 (Poughkeepsie Area, NY)39 (Altoona/State College, PA)46 (Scranton Area, PA)

Riḍván 2010

18

Some 57 individuals have arisen to serve

as homefront pioneers in the Northeast since the December 2008 Stamford Regional Conference.

2011. This means that by the end of the Five Year Plan, 37 of the region’s 48 clusters—where 94 percent of the believers in the Northeast reside—will each be engaged in an intensive program of growth.

Direct teaching

The dramatic enrollment of 387 adults and youth achieved in the third year of the Plan was not sustained in this fourth year, in which 215 adult and youth enrollments have been projected. Nevertheless, this year’s enrollment figure will still be a significant improvement over the 97 in the first year of the Plan and 184 in the second. The Council attributes the decline in 2009–10 to challenges experienced as we learned how to consolidate communities that had enrolled relatively large numbers of new believers. Another factor was the refocusing of the region’s institutions and agencies on assisting 11 less-advanced clusters to prepare to launch intensive programs of growth by Riḍván 2010. The Council sees direct teaching in a variety of methods becoming increasingly understood, engaging the friends and forming a part of their individual and community lives.

Seeker Response System

Most of our growth comes from “believers … entering into closer association with people of many walks of life, engaging them in earnest conversation on themes of spiritual import.” But seekers are also contacting us: As the year 2009–10 comes to a close, some 80 enrollments in the Northeast will have come from the 500 seekers who contacted us through the Seeker Response System. The number of seekers in the Northeast currently being managed by the Seeker Response System has grown fivefold—from 200 two years ago to over 1,000 today.

Homefront pioneers

Some 57 individuals have arisen to serve as homefront pioneers in the Northeast since the December 2008 Stamford Regional Conference. The pioneers have been placed in 18 clusters “to help form the core of believers needed to establish the mutually reinforcing processes of teaching and training.” The Council continues to encourage believers able to do so to undertake service as homefront pioneers, traveling teachers, and mobile tutors.


Whenever we contemplate

the sacrificial services being offered by youth and adults serving in each cluster, the Council feels strongly assured the remaining goals of the Plan can be won.

Reorganization of the Regional Council

The Regional Bahá’í Council has reorganized itself to eliminate work groups and task forces seen as distractions from its primary focus. During 2009–10, the Council entered into a new kind of collaboration with the Training Institute Board of Directors and strengthened its Office of Cluster Advancement with the appointment of a full-time coordinator. To free up time for each of its members to personally serve in the nine remaining goal clusters during the three months leading up to Riḍván 2010, the Council canceled its February and March in-person meetings.

Local Spiritual Assemblies

In clusters where a core group of believers is actively involved in the institute train-ing process and engaged in direct teaching, the Council sees Bahá’í institutions and agencies collaborating closely with Local Spiritual Assemblies. Members of the Regional Council continued to conduct workshops with individual Assemblies on “Local Spiritual Assemblies and the Five Year Plan.”

Youth

Youth in the Northeast region are increasingly focused on completing the entire sequence of Ruhi Institute courses and on choosing a path of service. They are becoming more active in serving in their clusters as teachers of children’s classes and facilitators of junior youth groups and in serving as tutors of study circles. Youths in the region also participated in summer teaching projects, such as Project Mírzá Mihdí; a college student weekend program sponsored and conducted by the Regional Council; and deepening courses, such as those provided at Green Acre Bahá’í School, including the Badasht Academy, Pre-Badasht, and “Turning 15.” They learned about elements of the Five Year Plan at the Northeast Bahá’í Youth (NEBY) conference and served in the region’s goal clusters during their winter and spring breaks.

Cluster agency capacity-building

The Council appointed a full-time coordinator of its Office of Cluster Advancement to collaborate with Area Teaching Committees and cluster development facilitators. Capacity is increasingly being acquired by cluster agencies through inter-cluster collaboration. Training materials developed and circulated by the Office of Cluster Advancement Coordinator guide and educate cluster agencies. Two learning sites are developing to provide expansion and consolidation experiences for members of cluster agencies. Cluster agencies are also supported by the service of individu-als who manage accurate and timely membership data and Cluster Growth Profile reports.

Contributions of all

Whenever we contemplate the sacrificial services being offered by youth and adults serving in each cluster as part of the core group of active teachers, members of cluster agencies, prayer partners, traveling teachers, tutors of study circles, mobile tutors, homefront pioneers, and resource persons, the Council feels strongly as-sured the remaining goals of the Plan can be won.

As the final year of this Plan begins, our accomplishments augur well for its vic-torious conclusion at Riḍván 2011. While there will still be challenges as we strive to achieve sustainable growth in cluster after cluster, the Regional Bahá’í Council is certain that the strength of our commitment to the framework for action will overcome every obstacle.

Riḍván 2010

20

Council members joined forces

with Auxiliary Board members to meet the friends serving on Spiritual Assemblies in Northwest goal clusters. These opportunities were very positive and contributed to local development of the Faith.

Regional Bahá’í Council of the Northwestern States

United collaborative action

As this Bahá’í year began, the Regional Bahá’í Council held a consultative gather-ing with the Board of Directors of the Regional Training Institute, Auxiliary Board members, and representatives of the Council’s Office of Cluster Advancement. The presence of Stephen Birkland, a Counselor member of the International Teaching Center, and Alison Milston and Navid Serrano, members of the Continental Board of Counselors for the Americas, helped focus the deliberations on actions needed to enhance the services of Northwestern believers, communities, and institutions. As a result of this gathering, inter-institutional collaborative efforts grew through-out the year, giving added momentum to the progress of the Five Year Plan in this region.

The most notable advancements during 2009–10 tended to be in clusters iden-tified as having the capacity to launch intensive programs of growth (IPGs) by Riḍván 2010. In these clusters, scores of devoted Bahá’ís, young and older, new and veteran, both as individuals and as members of Local Spiritual Assemblies or Area Teaching Committees (ATCs), or as Cluster Institute Coordinators (CICs), arose with firm determination to advance the Cause of God. In every instance, the individual friends, institutions, and agencies were lovingly encouraged, guided, and accompanied in their exertions by Auxiliary Board members who gave of themselves sacrificially as they strove to make others successful in their services to Bahá’u’lláh.

Responding to a directive from the Universal House of Justice that Regional Councils work for the progress of the Faith in “close collaboration with the Local Spiritual Assemblies” in their regions, Council members joined forces with Auxiliary Board members to meet the friends serving on Spiritual Assemblies in Northwest goal clusters. These opportunities to interact and consult with members of institu-tions working at the grass roots were very positive and contributed to local devel-opment of the Faith, as Assembly members gained greater understanding of their crucial responsibilities and vital role in relation to the advancement of the Cause in their communities.

Northwest Regional Training Institute

The Board of Directors of the Northwest Regional Training Institute (RTI) increased the frequency of its meetings in response to the pace of growth in the region and related needs. Now composed of four Regional Institute Coordinators and two Auxiliary Board members, the RTI Board continues to monitor and serve the training needs of the believers by appointing and closely working with dedicated Cluster Institute Coordinators to ensure that the institute training process serves as an “engine of growth” in the clusters.

The Northwest currently has the national community’s highest percentages of:

21

The Regional Training Institute

continues to encourage more friends to experience the joys of participating in and tutoring Ruhi study circles, and to utilize their skills both in teaching the Cause and in multiplying core activities.


• Adult believers (45 percent) and new Bahá’ís (40 percent) who have completed at least one book in the sequence of Ruhi Institute courses.

• Youth (6 percent) and new Bahá’ís (4 percent) who have completed the entire sequence.

• Youth (9 percent) and new Bahá’ís (7 percent) who can tutor courses.

• Active adult (6 percent) tutors.

Nevertheless, the RTI continues to encourage more friends in the region to experience the joys of participating in and tutoring Ruhi study circles, and to then find ways to utilize their newly

A B ★C C Total

Percentage of youth

and adultsIPG

count

Community of Interest participation in:

Children’s classes

Junior youth groups

Study circles

Devotional meetings

Colorado 192 39 3 234 17.5% 7 48% 24% 12% 30%

Idaho 37 2 9 48 8.8% 1 6% 0% 12% 42%

Montana 14 15 29 10.5%

Oregon 282 62 16 22 382 16.6% 7 61% 70% 26% 37%

Utah 75 1 76 12.1% 2 31% 23% 14% 36%

Washington 335 65 19 419 12.0% 10 59% 50% 17% 21%

Wyoming 7 7 5.6%

Total 921 180 18 76 1195 13.6% 27 52% 48% 18% 29%

Individual completion of the main sequence by cluster type

Human resource development by state

Community of Interest participation in the core activities in “A”-stage clusters

Book 1 Book 2 Book 3 Book 4 Book 6 Book 7

Colorado 765 542 390 423 332 287

Idaho 244 152 84 91 89 87

Montana 159 90 51 67 36 45

Oregon 1354 900 612 750 548 495

Utah 277 199 164 180 118 108

Washington 1724 1192 806 874 719 634

Wyoming 57 26 6 20 4 11

Total 4580 3101 2113 2405 1846 1667

acquired skills both in teaching the Cause and in multiplying core activities in the neighborhoods where they reside.

As part of efforts to further develop the fourth core activity, forming junior youth groups, a number of friends received training organized by the national Junior Youth Desk, and additional RTI initiatives are being developed for junior youth. The RTI recently began work on enhancing institute-related activities involving youth and young adults and is planning summer projects in various parts of the region.

Cluster advancement

Effective Area Teaching Committees (ATCs) and Cluster Development Facilitators (CDFs) have been integral to the progress of the Faith in the Northwest. This year the Council took the step of electing one of its members to serve as an assistant secretary for cluster advancement in order to give greater attention to the requi-sites of this essential movement of the Plan. Working within the Council’s secre-

Riḍván 2010

22

Visitors from goal clusters have been

able to learn firsthand about the dynamics of growth in clusters that have the experience of many cycles of learning and have achieved a sustainable level of expansion and consolidation.

22Riḍván 2010

Stages of advancement in the Northwest Region

CO-08 (Durango, CO)MT-01 (Yellowstone Co., MT)OR-13 (Bend/Deschutes Co., OR)OR-18 (Salem/Woodburn, OR)WA-27 (Tri-Cities, WA)

OR/WA-21 (Pendleton, OR/Walla Walla/Umatilla Res., WA)

OR-28 (Gresham/Multnomah, OR)


CO-09 (Grand Junction / Mesa Co., CO)CO-13 (Colorado Springs, CO)CO-14 (Fort Collins, CO)CO-15 (Boulder, CO)CO-16 (Lakewood, CO)CO-17 (Westminster/Arvada, CO)CO-18 (Arapahoe/Douglas Co., CO)CO-19 (Denver, CO)ID-01 (Boise, ID)OR-08 (Grants Pass, OR)OR-09 (Jackson Co., OR)OR-14 (Eugene/Lane Co., OR)OR-15 (Corvallis/Benton/Linn Cos., OR)OR/WA-20 (The Dalles-Hood River-

Wasco Co., OR/WA) OR-23 (Milwaukie/Gladstone, OR)OR-24 (Tigard/Lake Oswego/West Linn, OR)OR-26 (Beaverton/Washington Co., OR)OR-31 (Portland, OR)UT-06 (North Salt Lake Valley, UT)UT-09 (South Salt Lake Valley, UT)WA-01 (Port Angeles/Olympic

Peninsula, WA)WA-04 (Vancouver/Clark Co., WA)WA-05 (Bremerton/Kitsap Co., WA)WA-06 (Olympia/Mason/Thurston Cos.,

WA)WA-08 (Redmond/N. King Co., WA)WA-09 (Whatcom/Skagit Cos., WA)WA-13 (Snohomish Co., WA)WA-14 (Seattle area, WA)WA-15 (Bellevue/Cent. King Co., WA)WA-17 (Renton/S. King Co., WA)WA-19 (Tacoma/Pierce Co., WA)WA-24 (Yakima, WA)WA/ID-28 (Spokane, WA/Kootenai Co., ID)



as of 3/30/2010

tariat, this member helps coordinate the field services of sub-regional Office of Cluster Advancement (OCA) representatives, and supports the work of every ATC or CDF in the region.

A challenge in some clusters this year was relatively high turnover in ATC mem-bership. Through new training programs coordinated by OCA on a sub-regional basis, it is hoped the believers providing service on these key cluster agencies will be inspired and energized as they learn more about the important role they play in cluster growth, and as they take delight in witnessing how their work helps to advance the Faith in their respective areas.

Another step that proved very helpful for training core teams in goal clusters was inviting these ATC members and CICs to visit more advanced clusters in the Northwest and Southwest (with the collaboration of the Southwest Council) dur-ing an expansion phase of the advanced cluster’s IPG. These opportunities enabled visitors to learn firsthand about the dynamics of growth in clusters that have the experience of many cycles of learning and have achieved a sustainable level of expansion and consolidation. Upon returning to their home clusters, these core team members have been able to apply, as appropriate, learning gained from their participation in these visits.

Engaging young adults and youths in service

In the summer, the Council sponsored long-weekend retreats for college students in the eastern and western parts of the region. The action-oriented “College


P roject Zaynab’s most satisfying

outcome was its effect upon participants. Returning home after the project, almost all began to enthusiastically apply what they learned by accompanying other youths in teaching children or acting as junior youth group animators.

Advance” trainings in Utah and Washington galvanized attendees’ efforts to teach peers and to engage them in core activities both on- and off-campus. Each par-ticipant developed personal actions plans to integrate with local cluster activities.

A Council-sponsored two-week midsummer youth project in Oregon was a success that continues to bear fruit across the Northwest through subsequent activities involving its participants. Collaboratively planned and thoughtfully implemented by a team of cluster agency members, representatives of several Assemblies in the Beaverton and Portland clusters, a state junior youth coordinator, a regional youth development coordinator, and Auxiliary Board members, “Project Zaynab” involved a cadre of 30 devoted youths—mostly from Oregon, but also from Colorado, Idaho, Utah, and Washington. Veteran facilitators ensured that, each day, participants gained intensive spiritual training (using Ruhi Books 3, 3a, and 5) and joy-filled field experiences, building skills that enabled them to serve with local resources to establish or strengthen children’s classes and junior youth groups aligned with each cluster’s plans. Children’s and junior youths’ core activities begun or sup-ported by Project Zaynab last summer continue to flourish, and reports indicate activities related to the project have resulted in significant numbers of new seekers.

Project Zaynab’s most satisfying outcome was its effect upon participants. Return-ing home after the project, almost all began to enthusiastically apply what they learned by accompanying other youths in teaching children or acting as junior youth group animators. The Council still receives reports of new activities initi-ated or supported by Project Zaynab participants. The Northwest RTI is now giving special focus to holding similar institute-related summer training projects sub-regionally.

Summary and prospects

The Regional Council acknowledges, with profound gratitude, the loving contribu-tions of Counselor Navid Serrano who—during numerous trips to the Northwest this year—gave tirelessly of himself as he constantly inspired, shared learning, and offered wise counsel to the Council, the RTI Board, and to all other friends he met in communities as he crisscrossed our region.

Having reviewed 2009–10, the Council is confident that believers and institutions in this region have learned from past efforts, enhanced skills, developed a greater outward-looking orientation, and deepened their commitment to serving our Lord. Relying upon His promised assistance and with hearts filled with His love, Bahá’ís in the Northwest approach the final year of the Five Year Plan with assurance and with a great desire to invite others to join our endeavor to build vibrant spiritual communities, and to play a part in bringing about the new world Bahá’u’lláh came to establish.

24

Many more trained resources are

arising to serve not only in their own clusters but in goal clusters as well.

Regional Bahá’í Council of the South Central States

Significant progress

The South Central region—which includes Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Louisiana, Mississippi, Oklahoma, Tennessee, and Texas—made significant progress during 2009–10 toward winning the goals of the Five Year Plan. The momentum that began with the Regional Bahá’í Conferences in December 2008 has continued to stimulate among the friends an increased and dominating passion for teaching, a greater understanding of the Plan’s wide-ranging vision, and many more trained resources to arise to serve not only in their own clusters but in goal clusters as well.

Cluster advancement

The Regional Bahá’í Council of the South Central States was formed a little over a year ago, serving a region with 16 “A” clusters. By Riḍván 2009, this number had increased to 30. During 2009–10, another 12 clusters were slated to advance to the “A” stage of development, increasing the total of “A” clusters with intensive programs of growth (IPGs) in place to 42. In the following, the Council shares some of the learning garnered and insights and challenges gleaned over the past year.

ATC TrAining. A primary focus of the Cluster Development Office has been to visit every goal cluster and offer systematic training to the Area Teach-ing Committee (ATC) or Cluster Development Facilitator. This has resulted in a unified vision and greater coherence among the members of the Area Teaching Committee and often of the entire core group. Vital to ensuring the effective-ness of the training is the office’s close collaboration with the Auxiliary Board member for each cluster. ATC members from several clusters have visited learn-ing sites in the Phoenix and Atlanta areas, and reports indicate these visits

have been transformative.

MulTipliCATion of Core ACTiviTies. With the exception of study circles, participants in the other core activi-ties—children’s classes, junior youth groups, and devotional gather-ings—have steadily increased in the region’s priority clusters. The study circles draw slightly lower participa-tion because the clusters are focusing more on the other core activities, in addition to direct teaching and con-solidation efforts. Statistics for each of the core activities in the South Central States for the past two years are shown in the chart on page 26.



Stages of advancement in the South Central Region as of 3/30/2010

The more trained and experienced

mobilized resources are and the longer they are able to remain in a goal cluster, the greater their achievements there and the greater the learning they bring back to their own clusters.

Birmingham area, AL Limestone/DeKalb Cos., AL

(Huntsville area)Springdale area, ARBroward Co., FLEmerald Coast, FL (Pensacola

area)First Coast, FL (Jacksonville/St.

Augustine area)Gainesville, FLLee Co., FL Melbourne, FLMiami-Dade, FLOrlando, FLPalm Beach, FLPasco/Hernando Cos., FLPinellas Co., FL

Sarasota/Manatee Cos., FLTallahassee, FLTampa, FLBaton Rouge area, LANorman, OKOklahoma City, OKChattanooga area, TN/GAKnoxville area, TNMemphis area, TN/AR/MSNashville, TN

Rio Grande Valley, TXSan Antonio Area, TXTarrant Co., TX (Fort Worth)


Austin area, TXBryan/College Station, TXCollin Co., TXDallas, TXDallas Co. NE, TXDallas Co. SW, TXDenton Co., TXEl Paso area, TXFort Bend/Brazoria Cos., TXHarris Co., TX (Houston)


Little Rock area, ARDaytona, FL Marion Co., FLNew Orleans area, LAJackson area, MSAmarillo area, TXMontgomery Co., TXTyler area, TX

AnAlysis of ClusTers. Development of the region’s priority clusters was support-ed, encouraged, and empowered through a systematic analysis of Cluster Growth Profiles that ascertained their needs and achievements. From the statistics in the profiles, customized charts were created for each cluster to evaluate its core activities, its growth, and the size of its community of interest, ensuring that the Council’s consultations on each would be more informed and reflect the needs of the framework for action.

Mobilizing resources to arise and serve

In an effort to strengthen the goal clusters and ensure their advancement by Riḍván 2010, the Council made an appeal to young adults in the region, asking them to volunteer as mobile tutors, children’s class teachers, junior youth group animators, and teachers for direct collective teaching during their schools’ winter and spring breaks. Approximately 20 young adults arose to serve with heroic ef-forts that resulted in a much-needed boost to the goal clusters. They accompanied the friends in the clusters—encouraging them to new heights—and inspired others in the cluster to arise and serve as never before.

The Council has learned that the more trained and experienced mobilized re-sources are and the longer they are able to remain in a goal cluster, the greater their achievements there and the greater the learning they bring back to their own clusters. It is also true that the clusters must be prepared and ready to receive the new resources, so their talents and skills are utilized effectively and wisely.

In addition, several resource persons and supporters, including Council members, were assigned to assist and accompany each goal cluster. Skills and capacity-


Lamar/Bibb Cos., ALWashington/Baldwin Cos., ALKeys, FLPolk, FLSt. Lucie, FLLafayette, LABiloxi/Gulfport, MSTulsa, OKEastern TennesseeMarshall/Franklin Cos., TNCorpus Christi, TXLubbock, TXSan Angelo, TXVictoria, TXWaco, TX

26Riḍván 2010

The Seeker Response System has been

one of the region’s remarkable strengths, achieving a 96 percent enrollment rate for online declarations of faith.

building systematically increased for the resource persons as well as for the local cluster agencies and friends engaged in the framework for action. The Council has benefited greatly from the Council members’ firsthand learning at the grass roots.

In the South Central States, 10 homefront pioneers were deployed in the past year across the region. Their services have proved very effective. The Council will en-hance and expand upon this initiative in the coming year to fortify and strengthen the newly advanced clusters, as well as clusters in greatest need.

Growth in the region

The number of enrollments increased dramatically during 2008–09, but declined in 2009–10 by approximately 10 percent. The smallness of the majority of clusters that launched IPGs this year—when compared with those advanced last year—may be one possible reason for the decline. The Council is planning to address the mat-ter of increasing growth more systematically in the final year of the Five Year Plan.

The Seeker Response System has been one of the region’s remarkable strengths, achieving a 96 percent enrollment rate for online declarations of faith. Approxi-mately 500 seekers contacted us for information last year and 80 percent of all South Central inquiries originated through the Web. Of these seekers, after contact from a Seeker Response Representative, over 21 percent declared their belief in Bahá’u’lláh. Following up with seekers as soon as possible (less than 24 hours from their initial expression of interest in the Faith), making efforts to contact them by various methods (email, phone, postal mail), and—once contacted—teaching them in a direct manner via a bold assertion of the fundamental verities of the Faith (most often using Anna’s presentation from Ruhi Book 6) are important les-sons we have learned from this process. Once enrolled, new believers are lovingly transitioned to the relevant core group and Local Spiritual Assembly for systematic

2009 2010


2009 2010

Junior youth groups

2009 2010

Study circles

2009 2010

Devotional gatherings

Core activities participants, 2009–2010

1058

1358

23072370

1242

249346

1360


A major initiative of the Regional

Training Institutes is the continued development of youths and young adults via Project Badi and Project Anis, which have trained over 50 youths and young adults, who were mobilized to serve their own clusters as well as several goal clusters.

consolidation—ultimately, to connect their hearts to Bahá’u’lláh.

Regional Training Institutes

The South Central Region has two Regional Training Institutes: the Mag-dalene Carney Bahá’í Institute serves Alabama, Florida, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Tennessee; the Martha Root Train-ing Institute serves Arkansas, Oklahoma, and Texas. During 2009–10, new direc-tors were appointed to the Boards of Directors for each Institute. In an effort to strengthen the institute training process, each of the Regional Training Institutes held Cluster Institute Coordi-nator (CIC) Gatherings, providing op-

portunities for study of the relevant guidance and for sharing learning, as well as for discussion of the importance of the practices in each of the Ruhi courses and of establishing an increasing number of core activities. Over 60 CICs from through-out the region attended these trainings. Regarding staff, both Training Institutes have appointed Program Coordinators for Children’s Education and the Junior

Ruhi course participation, 2009–2010

Book 1

2009

2010

Book 2

2009

2010

Book 3

2009

2010

Book 4

2009

2010

Book 5

2009

2010

Book 6

2009

2010

Book 7

2009

2010

4463

2948

2136

2434

2041

1656

1685

2144

608

636

2811

2411

3568

5626

Youth Spiritual Empowerment Program. The Regional Coordinators have worked with the CICs in the field, emphasizing accompaniment and building capacity.

Another major initiative of the Training Institutes is the continued development of youths and young adults via Project Badi and Project Anis, which have trained over 50 youths and young adults, who were mobilized to serve their own clusters as well as several goal clusters.

The number of individuals participating—over the past two years—in study of each of the Ruhi courses is shown in the chart above.

Development of Local Spiritual Assemblies

One of the responsibilities of the Regional Bahá’í Council is the training and devel-opment of Local Spiritual Assemblies in the region. The Council held five days of intensive training for Assemblies throughout 2009–10 and over 75 Assemblies par-ticipated, representing 43 percent of the total number of Assemblies in the region. The training involved small group study of the guidance as it relates to the role of Local Spiritual Assemblies and the Five Year Plan, followed by plenary discussions facilitated by a member of the Continental Board of Counselors. The Assembly members were given an “Action Plan” to fill out with ideas they could bring back to their respective Assemblies for consultation and possible implementation. A few months after the training, a follow-up letter was sent to each Assembly in an ef-fort to ascertain what it had learned and how it affected the Assembly’s function-

28

The friends’ ardent prayers, reliance on

Bahá’u’lláh, systematic action, and sacrificial efforts made significant progress a reality.

Riḍván 2010

ing. The results have been very positive and indicate that the training aids an As-sembly to better prioritize its service and more effectively support the cluster plan.

Youth gatherings

The Council held youth gatherings in Florida and Texas, with over 60 youths in attendance, representing several clusters. A special program was prepared for them with a creative devotional and a talk by a member of the Continental Board of Counselors, followed by a breakout session focusing on how youths can arise to serve in their cluster. The youths filled out commitment forms pledging to play their part in the framework for action, and follow-up steps were implemented by the cluster agencies.

Collaboration of institutions

The Cluster Development Office held in-depth conference calls with each Auxiliary Board member early in the year and again toward the end of the year to review the status of the region’s priority clusters, consider their needs and strategies to meet those needs, and identify items requiring action by the Council to assist the core group. The process resulted in closer collaboration between the Council and the Auxiliary Board members.

The Council established an innovative inter-institutional “collaborative group” consisting of a member of the Continental Board of Counselors, the Regional Coordinators, and representatives of the Training Institute Boards, together with representatives from the Council. The primary function of the collaborative group is to build greater unity of thought, share ideas and strategies between the institu-tions represented, and increase the efficiency and effectiveness of each institution’s efforts to carry out the provisions of the Five Year Plan.

Conclusion

The South Central Council is deeply grateful to the Continental Board of Counsel-ors for the Americas and to the National Spiritual Assembly for their wise guid-ance, and to the Auxiliary Board members and the cluster agencies, who were instrumental in winning the goals of the Plan in the region. The friends’ ardent prayers, reliance on Bahá’u’lláh, systematic action, and sacrificial efforts made significant progress a reality. With eager anticipation, the Council looks forward to furthering this great spiritual enterprise in the remaining year of the Five Year Plan.


The Council is delighted to report

that over 700 adults and youths have embraced the Cause in the past year in our region, and 371 children and junior youths have been registered by their families as Bahá’ís.


Stages of advancement in the Southeast Region as of 3/30/2010


Regional Bahá’í Council of the Southeastern States

As the worldwide Bahá’í community continued to bend its energies toward a vic-torious conclusion of the Five Year Plan at Riḍván 2011, the year 2009–10 saw the Southeast region advancing in many areas important to the winning of each and every goal assigned to the Bahá’í community of the United States. The Regional Bahá’í Council is pleased to report the following details of our progress.

Intensive programs of growth

At Riḍván 2006, the Universal House of Justice called upon Bahá’ís throughout the globe “to establish, during the next Plan, intensive programs of growth in no less than 1,500 clusters.” Some 33 such intensive programs of growth (IPGs) are to be established in the Southeast region by the Plan’s close. Toward this goal, 15 clus-ters have each launched an IPG so far during 2009–10, bringing the total number in the Southeast region at present to 31. The region’s commitment to the Supreme Institution is for two more clusters—Salisbury (MD-146) and Northern Mountains (NC-220)—to advance to the point of readiness to launch an IPG by Riḍván 2010. To assist these and other clusters to advance during the past year, the Council, in collaboration with Auxiliary Board members, has facilitated the movement of hu-man resources—traveling teachers, mobile tutors, and others—to these clusters.


Greater Augusta, GASalisbury, MDNorthern Mountains, NC

Pee Dee, SCUpstate Foothills, SCCharlottesville, VAFairfax Co., VALoudoun Co., VANoVA East, VA (Arlington / Alex-

andria)Richmond, VARoanoke, VASouth Hampton Roads, VA

Washington, DCCentral Delaware, DENorthern Delaware, DE/MDMetro Atlanta, GACobb/Douglas Cos., GAGwinnett/North Fulton Cos., GANorth of Atlanta, GAS. Fulton/Fayette/Clayton Cos., GASavannah area, GAKentuckiana, KY/IN (Louisville area)Baltimore, MDHoward Co./Laurel, MDMontgomery Co., MDPrince Georges Co., MDCentral Mountains, NCCharlotte area, NC/SCTriad, NC (Greensboro /

Winston-Salem)Triangle, NC (Raleigh-Durham)Berkeley/Charleston Cos., SCGreater Columbia, SCGeorgetown/Horry Cos., SCGreenville/Spartanburg, SC

Riḍván 2010

30

It is encouraging to note that a signifi-

cant proportion of par-ticipants in the region’s core activities are seek-ers, including almost 20 percent of study circle participants.

Riḍván 2010

Enrollments

The Universal House of Justice has told the Bahá’í world it is clear that “the doors of the community are … widely open for any receptive soul to enter and receive sustenance from Bahá’u’lláh’s Revelation.” The Council is delighted to report that over 700 adults and youths have embraced the Cause in the past year in our re-gion, and 371 children and junior youths have been registered by their families as Bahá’ís. The fruits of effective teaching have been increasingly manifest in cluster after cluster. We look forward to building on these strengths and to extending successes thus far achieved in the field of teaching.

The institute training process

As shown in the chart above, the institute training process is also advancing, with increasing numbers “engaged in systematic study of the Creative Word in an environment that is at once serious and uplifting.” It is encouraging to note that a significant proportion of participants in the region’s core activities are seekers (see chart on page 31). Almost 20 percent of study circle participants are seekers, high-lighting ways in which study of the Ruhi Institute course sequence attracts people to the Faith. The courses have endowed participants—new and veteran believers, as well as those drawing close to the Faith—with abilities they need to carry out acts of service that contribute to building a vibrant community life. Some 265 regular devotional gatherings are taking place in our region, with nearly 30 percent of their participants being seekers. Believers in the region are engaged in conducting approximately 200 children’s classes and 84 junior youth empowerment groups—with more than half the participants in each of these from families who have not yet embraced the Faith. Our spirits are lifted whenever we read and hear about the many imaginative ways in which the activities that grow out of institute training are attracting receptive souls.

Learning sites

The Council is delighted that two clusters in the region have been designated as learning sites in relation to the Five Year Plan. The Atlanta Metro cluster, which has experienced steady growth, was designated as a learning site for expansion and consolidation. The cluster hosted its first training for cluster core groups from both within and outside the region in January. The response of those who partici-pated was inspiring and uplifting. Core group members from one cluster stated, “I would love to tell … Atlanta Bahá’ís … how the weekend in Atlanta acted as a catalyst for us. It literally put us all on the same page.”

2006 2007 2008 2009 2010

Book 1 4,057 4,515 5,044 5,414 5,485

Book 2 2,626 2,948 3,205 3,451 3,474

Book 3 1,785 2,052 2,328 2,553 2,617

Book 4 1,869 2,179 2,401 2,572 2,595

Book 5 70 357 446 538 642

Book 6 1,112 1,605 1,855 1,978 2,019

Book 7 1,030 1,404 1,524 1,635 1,670

Human resource development


By February, the Council

had organized and facilitated training seminars for 76 Local Spiritual Assemblies—representing 47 percent of all Assemblies in the region.

The junior youth program in North Carolina’s Triangle cluster is engaging an increasing number of Bahá’í and non-Bahá’í youth and junior youth in animating or participating in junior youth groups. Its success has resulted in its designation as a learning site for the training of others from clusters around the region and the country who wish to learn about this core activity and experience examples of its vigorous implementation.

Training

By February, the Council had organized and facilitated training seminars for 76 Local Spiritual Assemblies—representing 47 percent of all Assemblies in the region. The Assemblies participated in a daylong seminar entitled “Involvement of the Spiritual Assemblies in the Five Year Plan.” The Council continues to receive re-ports from Auxiliary Board members citing the effectiveness of this training.

One Assembly contacted the Area Teaching Committee and joined the teaching work at the cluster level by supporting a fireside campaign to be held in the com-munity every other night during the cluster’s IPG expansion phase. That Assembly, along with members of its community, also stood ready to assist neighborhood teaching in an adjacent community.

The Regional Council’s Office of Cluster Advancement has undertaken Area Teach-ing Committee and core group training over the past nine months. The training has evolved to include a focus on analysis and planning at the cluster level. Some 17 core teams serving the region’s priority clusters have participated thus far.

Publication

Finally, the Council released the inaugural edition of Learning about Growth in the Southeast, a publication that focuses on disseminating insights and learning related to the Five Year Plan.

Seeker participation in core activities

Devotional gatherings

Children’s classes Junior youth groups

Study circles

1944 total participants




548 seekers

568 seekers

342 seekers 210

seekers

Riḍván 2010

32

Regional Bahá’í Council of the Southwestern States

The year 2009–10—the fourth year of the Five Year Plan—has seen intense learning and remarkable victories in the Southwestern region. The Council and its agencies are working to ensure that intensive programs of growth will have been launched in a total of 59 clusters in the region before Riḍván 2010—a year earlier than fore-cast at the start of the Plan. At this writing, 55 such programs have been estab-lished, and every indication is that four more clusters will establish them.

Movement of clusters during the Plan is summarized on the table with the map on page 33. The total number of clusters has changed, as some “C”-stage clusters have merged and some have moved to “D” stage as Bahá’ís who lived there have moved.

Raising human resources

Over the past year, the Dr. Muhajir Regional Training Institute has grown from strength to strength. The chart on this page indicates the steady development of

Compared with the first year of

the Plan in 2006, the number of new believers was five times as high by the end of 2008, and three times as high by the end of 2009. The size of the community of interest has steadily increased with a current total of over 4,500.

8000

7000

6000

5000

4000

3000

2000

1000

02006 2007 2008 2009 2010

Book 1

Book 3

Book 7

Book 5

Complete sequence

5,748

117

650987 1,552

1,901 2,196

450621

855 966

1,429

1,717 2,2932,710 2,9472,301

3,392

3,9784,311

1,705

6,373

7,9158,281

8,903Figure 1: Development of human resources

human resources in the region. The base of the pyramid is maintain-ing healthy growth, as about 9,000 people have completed the first book of the main sequence of Ruhi Insti-tute courses. As consciousness rises regarding the “aspirations of the children of the world and their need for spiritual education,” the number of graduates of Ruhi Book 3, Teach-ing Children’s Classes Grade 1, has sharply increased. Special attention has been given to raising the number of animators of junior youth groups. About 1,000 people have been trained in Ruhi Book 5, Releasing the Powers of Junior Youth. Already 3,000 indi-viduals have been trained to serve as study circle tutors. About 2,200 have

completed the entire sequence of courses, enabling them to function as effective members of teaching teams.

Proliferation of core activities with an outward orientation

Figure 2 (page 34) indicates accelerated progress in engaging residents of the region in the Plan’s core activities. The number of seekers in study circles has more than doubled since the start of the Plan. Likewise, the participation of seekers in devotional gatherings has increased by 100 percent since the start of the Plan. The

33

With an increasing emphasis on

establishing “spiritual neighborhoods” through a coherent approach, teachers have been focusing on raising new human resources even as they carry out the expansion and consolidation work.



Stages of advancement in the Southwest Region as of 3/30/2010


E., CA)CA-NC18 (Solano Co., CA)CA-NC23 (Monterey Co., CA)CA-NI04 (Fresno, CA)CA-NI07 (Stanislaus County, CA)CA-NI09 (Stockton, CA)CA-NI10 (Sacramento, CA)CA-NI12 (Yolo Co., CA)CA-NI16 (Chico, CA)CA-SE01 (Upland, CA)CA-SE02 (Coachella Valley, CA)CA-SE04 (San Bernardino, CA)CA-SE06 (Riverside, CA) CA-SE07 (Temecula, CA)CA-SE08 (Laguna Niguel, CA)CA-SE09 (Mission Viejo, CA)CA-SE13 (Escondido, CA)CA-SE14 (San Diego Co. E., CA)CA-SE15 (Oceanside, CA)CA-SE18 (San Diego, CA)CA-SE19 (Newport Beach, CA)CA-SE20 (Anaheim, CA)CA-SE22 (Irvine, CA)CA-SE23 (Fullerton, CA)

AI-03 (Fort Defiance, AZ/NM)AZ-02 (Cochise Co., AZ)AZ-07 (East Valley, AZ)AZ-09 (Scottsdale, AZ)AZ-11 (Greater Tuscon, AZ)AZ-13 (Phoenix, AZ)AZ-18 (Pinal Co., AZ)AZ-21 (West Valley, AZ)AZ-27 (Flagstaff, AZ)CA-NC02 (Alameda Co. Central,

CA)CA-NC03 (Alameda Co. S., CA)CA-NC04 (Santa Clara Co. W.,

CA)CA-NC05 (San Jose, CA)CA-NC07 (Marin Co., CA)CA-NC08 (East Bay, CA)CA-NC09 (San Francisco / San

Mateo, CA)CA-NC14 (Sonoma Co., CA)CA-NC15 (Santa Cruz Co., CA)CA-NC16 (Contra Costa Co.

CA-SW01 (Los Angeles, CA)CA-SW02 (Santa Monica, CA)CA-SW06 (San Gabriel Valley,

CA)CA-SW08 (Glendale, CA)CA-SW10 (Claremont, CA)CA-SW17 (Thousand Oaks, CA)CA-SW27 (San Luis Obispo

Co., CA)CA-SW28 (Ventura, CA)CA-SW29 (Santa Clarita, CA)CA-SW30 (Whittier, CA)CA-SW31 (South Bay, CA)CA-SW32 (Long Beach, CA)NM-02 (Las Cruces, NM)

NM-29 (Los Alamos/Santa Fe, NM)

NM-32 (Albuquerque Metro, NM)

NV-01 (Nevada N.)NV-S01 (Nevada S.)

number of friends of the Faith taking part in junior youth groups has increased by 250 percent since the start of the second year of the Plan. Participation by children of seekers in Bahá’í children’s classes has increased most dramatically—300 percent since the start of the Plan.

The number of enrollments and the increase in the size of the community of inter-est in the region since the start of the current Plan is plotted in Figure 3 (page 34). Compared with the first year of the Plan in 2006, the number of new believers—in-cluding adult and youth declarations and child registrations—was five times as high by the end of 2008, and three times as high by the end of 2009. The size of the community of interest has steadily increased with a current total of over 4,500.

Summary of activities and significant lessons learned

This quantitative progress has gone hand in hand with strategies put in place for expansion and consolidation. When core activities are established in receptive

2006 2007 2008 2009 2010

A 6 8 21 33 59

B 16 19 15 11 0

★C 32 31 22 13 0

C 82 60 60 60 58

D 0 2 2 2 3

Movement of clusters

Riḍván 2010

34

neighborhoods, teachers have the opportunity to utilize skills acquired through institute courses. The rise in receptivity among various populations has been em-powering and inspiring. As they take part in collective teaching projects in target neighborhoods, teachers gain confidence, courage, and skills to teach the Faith more effectively among all strata of society.

With an increasing emphasis on establishing “spiritual neighborhoods” through a coherent approach, teachers have been focusing on raising new human resources even as they carry out the expansion and consolidation work. They seek out like-minded people, particularly youth, who have high potential to contribute to the process of sustainable community-building. This strategy naturally resulted in a lower number of enrollments in this fourth year of the Plan as compared with the previous year.

The formation and training of permanent teaching teams has proved to be im-perative in systematizing the teaching work. The efforts of 29 homefront pio-neers—supported and enhanced by the sacrifices of 15 resource persons assigned

Through summer and winter youth

initiatives—another significant area of progress and learning—large numbers of youth have completed the full sequence of courses and arisen to serve as animators, teachers of children’s classes, and tutors of study circles.

2000

1750

1500

1250

1000

750

500

250

0

Figure 2: Seeker participation in core activities

2006 2007 2008 2009 2010

872

404

268

0

872

1,5261,439

1,753

535

1,002

1,408

1,674

380 403

477581

162242

438577

Devotional meetings Children’s classes

Study circles Junior youth groups

by Counselor Farzin Aghdasi to 17 target clusters—have been instrumen-tal in advancing clusters to the point of establishing intensive programs of growth. Seven of these homefront pioneers are young adults who have moved to target neighborhoods within their clusters and have effectively become integrated into a population they love to serve.

Outreach to the larger Persian com-munity, fostered by the tireless efforts of a dedicated resource person, has had significant results. More of the Persian friends are engaged in build-ing a new civilization, enabled to “carry out acts of collective worship in diverse settings, uniting with others in prayer.” In addition, more members of the larger Persian community are participating in study circles.

The participation of about 1,700 children from the larger community in Bahá’í children’s classes demonstrates that the friends are becoming progres-sively “aware of the aspirations of the children of the world and their need

for spiritual education” and are extending “their efforts widely to involve ever-growing contingents of participants in classes that become centres of attraction for the young and strengthen the roots of the Faith in society.” Witnessing the spiritual transformation of neighborhood children participating in the classes, a growing number of people from the larger community are taking institute courses to become children’s class teachers.

The year saw significant progress in the multiplication of junior youth groups in diverse settings. Large numbers of youth from many backgrounds were trained as

2006 2007 2008 2009 2010

Enrollments 248 381 1634 1011 N/A

Community of interest 1,544 2,324 3,086 3,849 4,565

Figure 3: Enrollments and the community of interest


junior youth group animators, studying Ruhi Book 1, Reflections on the Life of the Spirit, and Ruhi Book 5, Releasing the Powers of Junior Youth. The Bahá’í-inspired junior youth program was introduced to charter schools, Boys and Girls Clubs, and colleges and universities over the year, creating a source of intense learning. Currently about 600 junior youths from the larger community are partici-pating.

Through summer and winter youth initiatives—another significant area of progress and learning—large numbers of youth have completed the full sequence of courses and arisen to serve as animators, teachers of children’s classes, and tutors of study circles. Many continued to serve in target clusters over the past several months and were instrumental in helping these clusters advance to the next stage of develop-ment.

The Phoenix and East Valley clusters in Arizona and the San Diego, California, cluster have served as learning sites for expansion and consolidation. These clus-ters serve the country and beyond, giving visitors a glimpse of how an intensive program of growth operates and of how children’s classes can “become centres of attraction for the young and strengthen the roots of the Faith in society.”

Cluster-level inter-institutional gatherings—among Local Spiritual Assemblies, Cluster Institute Coordinators, Area Teaching Committees, and Auxiliary Board members—have proved effective in creating closer collaboration. Five such gather-ings were organized by cluster agencies in “A”-stage clusters that had operated intensive programs of growth for at least two years. The gatherings have signifi-cantly expanded the consciousness of the institutions and have promoted love, unity of vision, and an appreciation of the diverse roles of all the collaborators. An increasing number of Assemblies are realizing their leadership role in mobiliz-ing financial and human resources, and their members are leading by the dynamic force of example.

As the friends labor ceaselessly to serve humanity, they are learning the require-ments for creating stable “spiritual neighborhoods.” They establish strong relation-ships with people they wish to serve, engaging them from the start as partners in building civilization. Such neighborhoods provide ample opportunities to nurture, nourish, and walk on an equal footing with those eager for the healing message of Bahá’u’lláh.

To support established intensive programs of growth, the Council will focus this coming year on strengthening the institute training process, building on lessons learned about sustainability and coherence, further strengthening Local Spiritual Assemblies’ grasp of their evolving role in support of the Plan, and accompanying the Area Teaching Committees.

The Regional Council is ever grateful to members of the Continental Board of Counselors and their Auxiliaries for their unfailing and unwavering accompaniment and support throughout challenges and victories, and for the warm and loving embrace of the National Spiritual Assembly as we work together in one forward movement.

Cluster-level inter-institutional

gatherings—among Local Spiritual Assemblies, Cluster Institute Coordinators, Area Teaching Committees, and Auxiliary Board members—have proved effective in creating closer collaboration.

ContentsExternal Affairs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39Persian Public Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49Treasury . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53

Financial highlights Statement of financial position

Statement of activities Notes to financial statements

Teaching . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63National Teaching Office Office of International Pioneering

Office of Communications WLGI-FM Radio Bahá’í

Social Action . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 75Junior Youth Desk

Community Development . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 79Office of Assembly Development Office of Community Administration

Persian-American Affairs Office

Education . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 85Office of Education and Schools Bosch Bahá’í School

Green Acre Bahá’í School Louhelen Bahá’í School

Native American Bahá’í Institute Wilmette Institute

Bahá’í House of Worship, Wilmette . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 101House of Worship Activities Office House of Worship Music Department

Publishing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 107Bahá’í Publishing Trust and Distribution Service

Bahá’í Media Services The American Bahá’íBrilliant Star World Order

Research Services . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 119National Bahá’í Archives Bahá’í Encyclopedia Project

Office of Review

Logistical Services . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 127Conventions Office Bahá’í Center Assistance

Bahá’í Service for the Blind Human Resources

Information Technology Meetings and Hospitality

Public Safety

Properties . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 137Properties Bahá’í House of Worship Restoration

Affiliated Organizations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 143Association for Bahá’í Studies—North America Association of Friends of Persian Culture

Bahá’í Association for Mental Health Bahá’í International Radio Service

Brighton Creek Conference Center Health for Humanity

Appendices . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 157Annual Report of the Bahá’í Chair for World Peace, University of Maryland

Membership of the National Spiritual Assembly and the Regional Bahá’í Councils

Membership of key consultative and directorial bodies

39ExternalAffairs

External AffairsAs momentous events unfolded in Iran during the past year, they called to mind

these words of Shoghi Effendi:

“Thedarkerthenightwillturn,andthemore intenseanddreadfulitsconvulsionsandcommotionsbecome,thenearerwillbetheap-pointedtimewhenthebrightmornofdeliverancewilldawn,whentheday-staroffelicityandemancipationwillshine,whenthelightoftheglory,powerandindependenceoftheFaithofGodwillradiatewithextraordinarybrilliance,whenthefallandcollapse,thedestructionandruinofthepeopleofmaliceandiniquityinthatlandwillbecomeapparentandconspicuous.

“ThehostsofBahá,theconcourseofthesore-oppressedonesinthatafflictedcountry,shouldallknowwithabsolutecertaintythattheCauseofGodisgreat,anditsstrengtheninggracequickenseverymoulderingbone;itsheavenlyconfirmations areeverpres-ent,anditsadversariesontheoffensive,launchingtheirattacksfromallsides.Ontheonehandtheyareseizedwithperturbationandalarmatthesightofthequakingofthefoundationsoftheirownstructure,anditsbreakdownandcollapse,whileontheotherhandtheyareamazedandbewilderedatthepeopleofBahá,andtheirhighdegreeoftranquillityandfirmness,andtheirlong-sufferingandunshakablepatience.

“Thisisthedayforsteadfastness.Nowisthetimefordefenceandbravery,sothattheeviloneswhoarelyinginwaitmaybediscon-certed,defeatedandputtoflight,andthepropheciesirrevocablydecreedbyGodmaybefulfilledwithoutdelay.”

External affairs activities were dominated by events related to the trial of the Yárán, the “Friends in Iran,” the national ad hoc coordinating group for the Ira-nian Bahá’í community.

Office of External Affairs staff continued to defend the Bahá’ís in Iran with U.S. government officials, including the White House, the State Department, Congress, nongovernmental organizations (NGOs), think tanks, and the media. The staff also worked on other human rights issues, the advancement of women, sustainable de-velopment and climate change, as well as the work of representing the U.S. Bahá’í community at the United Nations.

There were staff changes during the year. In New York, Mr. Jeffery Huffines re-signed as the UN Representative after more than 19 years of external affairs service for the National Spiritual Assembly. Mr. Carl Murrell became the National Assem-bly’s UN Representative. In Washington, D.C., the refugee officer desk was closed down and Ms. Yasmeen Aidinejad completed her service. The media relations officer, Ms. Kathleen Holmlund, was replaced by Ms. Ariel Olson Surowidjojo. Ms. Debra Taylor filled the reinstated position of communications manager. Ms. Gleibys

Externalaffairsactivitiesweredominatedbyevents

relatedtothetrialoftheYárán,the“FriendsinIran,”thenationaladhoccoordi-natinggroupfortheIranianBahá’ícommunity.

Riḍván2010

40

Buchanan, the representative for the advancement of women, and Ms. Kate Fer-nandez Brown, the administrative director, went from full- to half-time in response to the budget needs of the National Spiritual Assembly.

Defense of the Bahá’ís

Diplomatic work in defense of the Bahá’ís in Iran and other countriesThe past year witnessed unprecedented exposure for the Faith due to the publicity surrounding the trial sessions of the Yárán and other acts of persecution against the Bahá’í community. Trial sessions scheduled for July, August, and October 2009 were each postponed, but they were held in January and February 2010 and scheduled for April 2010. Dozens of Bahá’ís were arrested, interrogated, and de-tained throughout the year. These events occurred within the context of dramatic changes to the wider Iranian society after the disputed presidential election on June 12, 2009.

The National Spiritual Assembly’s representatives carried out the directives of the Universal House of Justice in defense of the Bahá’ís in Iran, Egypt, and Uzbekistan. They worked closely with the White House, the Department of State, Congress, and the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom to keep the U.S. govern-ment informed about the situation of the Bahá’ís in countries where they suffered persecution.

The representatives also worked with NGOs, think tank experts, and the media leading to statements, media coverage, and other responses in support of the hu-man rights of the Bahá’ís in Iran as well as all religious minorities in Iran.

Iran

Throughout the year, the Iranian government escalated its activities implementing the official policies outlined in the 1991 Supreme Revolutionary Cultural Council document on “the Bahá’í question” intended to serve as a blueprint for the eradi-cation of the Iranian Bahá’í community. A detailed summary of events of the past year, including governments’ and media responses to the Iranian government’s actions, may be found online (http://iran.bahai.us).

Selected ReSponSeS to the peRSecution by the un, the u.S. GoveRnment and conGReSS. The United Nations General Assembly adopted its 22nd resolution on the human rights situation in the Islamic Republic of Iran in December 2009. In coordination with the government of Canada, which introduced the resolu-tion, the U.S. government played a critical role in insuring successful passage of the resolution. The director of external affairs, Ms. Kit Bigelow, and the human rights officer, Mr. Shastri Purushotma, participated in several meetings at the State Department focused on coordinating strategies to ensure the passage of the UN resolution on Iran.

The State Department released its 2009 International Religious Freedom and Hu-man Rights Reports, which provided a comprehensive overview of the treatment of Bahá’í communities in Iran, Egypt and other countries. Reports may be viewed online (www.state.gov/g/drl/rls/hrrpt/ and www.state.gov/g/drl/rls/irf/2009/index.htm).

u.S. GoveRnment StatementS. The U.S. State Department issued a statement on January 11, 2010, “Persecution of Religious Minorities in Iran,” which “strongly condemns the Iranian government’s decision to commence the espionage trial against seven leaders of the Iranian Bahá’í community.” The statement also said: “We join the international community in urging the Iranian authorities to release

Throughouttheyear,theIraniangov-

ernmentescalateditsactivitiesimplement-ingtheofficialpoliciesoutlinedinthe1991SupremeRevolutionaryCulturalCouncildocu-menton“theBahá’íquestion”intendedtoserveasablueprintfortheeradicationoftheIranianBahá’ícom-munity.

41ExternalAffairs

all religious minorities who are currently in detention for peacefully exercising their human rights and fundamental freedoms.”

u.S. commiSSion on inteRnational ReliGiouS FReedom StatementS. The U.S. Com-mission on International Religious Freedom on January 12, 2010, made a state-ment regarding the trial of the Iranian Bahá’í leaders, calling the trial a “sham” and saying it “should be condemned in the strongest possible terms by the international community.”

On July 11, 2009, the Commission published a letter addressed to it by Ms. Roxana Saberi, an Iranian-American journalist who had shared a prison cell with the female members of the Yárán for a time. In connection with Ms. Saberi’s letter, the Commission issued a statement urging “the President and other leaders in the international community to speak out and call for the release of the seven Bahá’í leaders, as the President did for Miss Saberi. These prisoners are in jail solely because of their religious identity, and have not been afforded any due process or direct access to legal representation.”

conGReSSional ReSolutionS. The U.S. House of Representatives passed H. Res. 175 on October 22, 2009, the 11th congressional resolution since 1982 condemning the persecution of the Bahá’ís in Iran. Representative Mark Kirk introduced the resolution in February 2009, “condemning the Government of Iran for its state-sponsored persecution of its Bahá’í minority and its continued violation of the International Covenants on Human Rights.”

A concurrent Senate resolution, S. Res 71, introduced by Senator Ron Wyden, was passed on December 1, 2009. The Senate version had language similar to H. Res. 175. Bahá’ís around the country wrote to and met with their congressmen and senators asking them to become co-sponsors of the resolutions. At the time of their passages, H. Res. 175 had 75 co-sponsors and S. Res. 71 had 17 co-sponsors.

media RelationS: iRan. The scheduled trial sessions in 2009 and early 2010 of the seven Bahá’í leaders received national media attention. The escalating hu-man rights crisis in post-election Iran, as well as the incarceration of 10 Iranian Bahá’ís on January 3, 2010, along with the allegations by Iranian authorities that the seven Bahá’í leaders had ordered the Ashura Day protests on December 27, 2009, resulted in substantial media coverage on the situation of the Bahá’ís in Iran in January and February 2010. News of the commencement of the trial of the Bahá’í leaders on January 12, 2010, was covered by The Associated Press, CNN International, TheNewYorkTimes, TheWashingtonPost, United Press International, Washington TV, and other national media.

Local media coverage spiked in February 2010, as communities held devotional gatherings dedicated to the Yárán on February 7, the date of the second session of their trial. Ms. Olson Surowidjojo worked with national media outlets, sharing news of developments in Iran with key journalists, editors, and producers who cover Iran and human rights issues. She also maintained the National Spiritual Assembly’s Iran site and the Office of External Affairs’ account on the Public Information Of-ficer Network (www.bahaipio.net), where local public information officers are kept apprised of news from Iran. Media coverage on the persecution of the Bahá’ís in Iran was also available to the public online (http://iran.bahai.us).

nonGoveRnmental oRGanizationS’ SuppoRt FoR iRanian bahá’íS. The National Spiri-tual Assembly’s staff also worked closely with several nongovernmental organi-zations (NGOs) and think tanks, keeping them apprised of the situation of the Bahá’ís in Iran. The following is a partial list of actions taken by NGOs in relation to the trial sessions of the Yárán.

TheU.S.HouseofRepresentatives

passedH.Res.175onOctober22,2009,the11thcongressionalresolutionsince1982condemningtheperse-cutionoftheBahá’ísinIran.A concurrentSenateresolution,S.Res71,introducedbySenatorRonWyden,waspassedonDecem-ber1,2009.

Riḍván2010

42

On October 21, the Institute for Religion and Public Policy issued a statement calling on the members of the House of Representatives to support H. Res. 175 regarding the persecution of the Bahá’ís in Iran.

Amnesty International USA issued a statement in January 2010 expressing con-cern for the human rights situation in Iran generally and mentioned the ongoing imprisonment of the seven Bahá’í leaders.

Human Rights Watch again included the persecution of Iran’s Bahá’í community in its annual report, WorldReport2010, which evaluates human rights in 90 coun-tries and territories throughout 2009.

majoR public eventS in SuppoRt oF the yáRán. At the request of the National Spiri-tual Assembly, the Bahá’í communities in the metropolitan areas of Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Washington, D.C., held major events, attended by hundreds of people in all, to draw public attention to the situation of the imprisoned Yárán. Well-known non-Bahá’í speakers, including Dr. Abbas Milani, Ms. Shohreh Agh-dashloo, and Dr. Azar Nafisi, spoke in support of the Iranian Bahá’ís at these events. Similar large-scale events were being planned in Chicago and New York City.

Egypt

After many years of effort by several National Spiritual Assemblies around the world, which engaged their own governments on the issue of religious persecution in Egypt, the Egyptian Bahá’ís won significant victories during the past year.

In March 2009, Egypt’s Supreme Administrative Court dismissed challenges to a January 29, 2008, lower administrative court ruling in favor of the right of Bahá’í plaintiffs in two cases to receive official identification documents. In August 2009, two young Bahá’ís were the first to receive their computerized identity cards show-ing a dash instead of their religion. More than 60 Bahá’ís to date have received their identification cards and more than 100 have received their birth certificates.

In February 2009, Representative Frank Wolf introduced H. Res. 200, “Calling on the Egyptian Government to respect human rights and freedoms of religion and expression in Egypt.” The National Spiritual Assembly urged the members of the Bahá’í community to support this congressional resolution and maintained a “call to action” on the national Bahá’í website (www.bahai.us).

AttherequestoftheNationalSpiritual

Assembly,theBahá’ícommunitiesinthemetropolitanareasofLosAngeles,SanFran-cisco,andWashington,D.C.,heldmajorevents,attendedbyhundredsofpeopleinall,todrawpublicattentiontothesituationoftheimpris-onedYárán.

43ExternalAffairs

Uzbekistan

The National Spiritual Assembly’s Office of External Affairs acted under the direc-tion of the Universal House of Justice to assist the Bahá’í community in Uzbeki-stan, which faced pressure and some deportations.

Diplomatic seminars and consultationsIn September, Mr. Ken Bowers, secretary-general of the National Spiritual As-sembly, Ms. Bigelow, and Mr. Purushotma attended the 14th annual diplomatic seminar in Europe. Ms. Bigelow conducted a workshop for the more than 70 participants from countries from all five continents.

Mr. Bowers and Ms. Bigelow attended the 14th annual consultations on external affairs at the Bahá’í World Center in January 2010.

General media relationsMs. Olson Surowidjojo attended the Religion Newswriters Association Conference in September and continued to strengthen relationships with national religion reporters throughout the year. In collaboration with the Office of Communications, she assisted local public information officers and Local Spiritual Assemblies in their efforts to gain media coverage on external affairs subjects. She also updated the social action pages the national Bahá’í website (www.bahai.us) with the latest news about the Bahá’ís of Egypt, and the National Assembly’s work in sustainable development, the advancement of women, and other arenas.

CommunicationsThe Office of External Affairs handled numerous inquiries from the U.S. Bahá’í community. As part of the National Spiritual Assembly’s Secretariat, the Office of External Affairs provided guidance to Local Spiritual Assemblies and individuals on matters related to external affairs, such as participation in political activities and voting; interfaith activity participation; Middle East issues; contacting govern-ment officials, national organizations, or the media; involvement with the UN; and responding to the National Spiritual Assembly’s call to support the Bahá’ís in Iran.

Human rightsThe National Spiritual Assembly’s representatives continued to attend events and col-laborate with other organizations on initiatives to promote human rights worldwide.

On December 10, Human Rights Day, representatives attended the annual human rights luncheon on Capitol Hill sponsored by the UN Association’s National Capital chapter.

The American Bar Association invited Ms. Bigelow to the second World Justice Project in Vienna, Austria. It was attended by more than 400 people worldwide from 16 disciplines to discuss the rule of law and to design related projects.

The National Spiritual Assembly worked with several human rights coalitions dur-ing the year, including the National Religious Campaign Against Torture and the Better World Campaign.

Representatives also attended many events in Washington, D.C., throughout the year in support of human rights in Iran.

Religious freedom

Ms. Bigelow and Mr. Purushotma attended events throughout the year on the sub-ject of religious freedom, including a series at the Hudson Institute on defamation

TheNationalSpiri-tualAssembly’s

representativescon-tinuedtoattendeventsandcollaboratewithotherorganizationsoninitiativestopromotehumanrightsworld-wide.

Riḍván2010

44

of religions and freedom of speech. They also attended a reception on Capitol Hill sponsored by the Congressional Religious Freedom Caucus.

The National Spiritual Assembly signed on to letters with other like-minded or-ganizations opposing the “defamation of religions” resolutions introduced by the Organization of Islamic Conference at the United Nations.

International Criminal Court (ICC)

Mr. Purushotma continued to participate in the Washington Working Group for the International Criminal Court. The Obama administration took a major step toward re-engagement with the ICC by having observers at the Assembly of State Parties meeting. The National Spiritual Assembly was one of several organizations that signed a letter thanking President Obama for taking this step.

UN Convention on the Rights of the Child

The Office of External Affairs continued its involvement in the Campaign for U.S. Ratification of the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC), a broad-based coalition of child rights, religious, academic, and legal organizations. The office hosted meetings of the campaign and Ms. Buchanan assisted with the planning of a national symposium aimed at educating the public and lawmakers on the CRC.

InterfaithMs. Jan Saeed continued to represent the National Spiritual Assembly to the North American Interfaith Network, serving on its executive committee.

United NationsMr. Murrell was a member of the NGO Committee on the Status of Women, New York (NGO CSW/NY) and served as co-chair of its Subcommittee on Violence Against Women. The subcommittee held events in commemoration of the 16 Days of Activism against Gender Violence and UNIFEM’s Say NO-UNiTE: End Violence against Women campaign. He also contributed to the planning of the “NGO Glob-al Forum for Women: Beijing +15,” held in preparation for the 54th UN Commis-sion on the Status of Women (CSW) in March 2010. Mr. Murrell, Ms. Bigelow, and Ms. Buchanan were members of the Bahá’í International Community’s delegation to the CSW. They also participated in a consultation on the Bahá’í contribution to the discourse on “Advancing Toward the Equality of Women and Men” prepared by the Institute for Studies on Global Prosperity.

The U.S. UN Representative attended the official launch of the UN Secretary-General’s Network of Men Leaders initiative, focusing primarily on men’s role to end violence against women. He was present at the Security Council’s adoption of Resolution 1888 to strengthen efforts by the international community to combat sexual violence in armed conflict. He also attended a number of informal consul-tations with the Director of the UN Division for the Advancement of Women, the President of the Commission on the Status of Women and the Assistant Secretary-General, Special Adviser on Gender Issues and Advancement of Women.

Mr. Murrell was a member of the UNICEF working group on girls and its task force to protect girls from violence as well as the NGO Committee on UNIFEM.

For the past 16 years, Mr. Murrell has served as co-chair of the UN Values Cau-cus, which hosted monthly meetings that featured authors and other leaders of thought. Among other events, the Values Caucus, in collaboration with UNEP, cosponsored “Earth: the Sequel, the Race to Reinvent Energy & Stop Global Warm-

TheU.S.UNRep-resentativewasa

memberoftheNGOCommitteeontheStatusofWomen,NewYorkandservedasco-chairofitsSubcommit-tee onViolenceAgainstWomen;servedasco-chairoftheUNValuesCaucus;andservedintheInterimCouncilofOrganizationsoftheUnitedNationsAs-sociationoftheUnitedStates(UNA-USA).

45ExternalAffairs

ing” in commemoration of World Environment Day. He also organized off-the-record coffees for UN ambassadors and high-level UN officers who spoke candidly about the role of values in the work of the UN.

Mr. Murrell also served in the Interim Council of Organizations of the United Na-tions Association of the United States (UNA-USA) as an outgoing member. During the year he moderated a panel on “The Changing Nature of Corporate-Civil Society Partnership” at a UNA-USA briefing. He was also elected to the bureau of the Committee of Religious NGOs and served on its Monthly Briefing Task Force.

In October, the U.S. UN Representative spoke at Seton Hall University at the “Vi-sions of a Better World Conference” on “Prerequisites for Universal Peace.” In Feb-ruary, he taught a class on the roots of justice at Thornton High School in Mount Vernon, New York.

During the year, the U.S. UN Office welcomed visiting individuals and college-stu-dent groups, briefing them on the persecution of Bahá’ís in Iran as well as on the work and history of the U.S. UN Representative.

Ms. Carolina Vásquez, the U.S. UN Office administrative assistant, collaborated with the Secretariat in Wilmette to encourage Bahá’í community participation in UNICEF’s Trick-or Treat campaign as a supplementary resource to core activities, particularly children’s classes. She also coordinated Bahá’í support for initiatives in commemoration of the International Day of Peace.

The U.S. UN Representative’s Office continued to benefit from the outstanding services of interns who assisted in research, writing, and attending meetings on women and human rights.

Women’s issuesThe National Spiritual Assembly continued more than two and one-half decades of involvement in promoting U.S. ratification of the UN Convention on the Elimi-nation of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW). Ms. Buchanan served on the CEDAW Working Group Steering Committee. In a new development, the Leadership Conference, the National Women’s Law Center (NWLC), Citizens for Global Solutions (CGS), the YWCA, and the ACLU became leaders of the CEDAW task force. Ms. Buchanan served on the task force as well as on its advocacy and grassroots outreach subcommittees.

The National Spiritual Assembly was part of a coalition of more than 50 organiza-tions that worked on congressional legislation to eliminate international gender-based violence. The International Violence Against Women Act (I-VAWA) was introduced again in Congress in February 2010. Ms. Buchanan was a member of the working group to pass I-VAWA.

She also promoted the full participation of women in international development assistance programs, with particular focus on the Millennium Challenge Corpora-tion (MCC), a U.S. government entity that provided funding to developing coun-tries based on their ability to rule justly, invest in their people, and encourage economic freedom.

The National Spiritual Assembly also continued its involvement with the Women, Faith and Development Alliance (WFDA), launched in April 2008. The WFDA joined international religious women’s networks together with international develop-ment organizations to advocate for women’s empowerment as a key priority for investment in development. This past year, the faith subcommittee of the WFDA, to which Ms. Buchanan was a representative, focused on encouraging the U.S.

TheNationalSpiri-tualAssemblywas

partofacoalitionofmorethan50organiza-tionsthatworkedoncongressionallegisla-tiontoeliminateinter-nationalgender-basedviolence.

Riḍván2010

46

Congress to place gender concerns at the forefront of foreign assistance reform.

The National Spiritual Assembly also continued support for programs that ad-dressed domestic violence. Ms. Buchanan attended meetings of the Interfaith Domestic Violence Coalition, a network of national faith-based organizations sup-porting national legislation to assist domestic violence survivors.

Ms. Bigelow continued serving on the steering committee of the American Society of International Law’s (ASIL) Women in International Law Interest Group (WILIG). ASIL honored Justice Unity Dow of Botswana at its March 2009 annual WILIG luncheon.

Sustainable developmentMr. Peter Adriance, the NGO Liaison, continued to work with other organizations on a broad range of issues related to sustainable development.

In May 2009, he co-led the Bahá’í International Community delegation to the 17th session of the UN Commission on Sustainable Development, where he helped plan and facilitate a three-hour “Learning Center” workshop on Climate Ethics, with members of the Collaborative Program on the Ethical Dimensions of Climate Change.

In June, Mr. Adriance received the “Interfaith Bridge Builder’s Award” from the In-terfaith Conference of Metropolitan Washington, “for his passionate commitment to interreligious care for the earth.”

As a member of the Governing Board of the International Environment Forum (IEF), he led efforts to organize its 13th Annual Conference, held in August in Washington, D.C., in conjunction with the annual conference of the Association for Bahá’í Studies. He gave a keynote address on “The Essential Role of Religion in Fostering a Sustainable World” and helped facilitate a workshop on climate eth-ics. Later in the year, he served as faculty in the IEF-sponsored Wilmette Institute online course “Sustainable Development and the Prosperity of Humankind.”

Continuing to serve as secretary of the U.S. Partnership for Education for Sustain-able Development and co-chair of its Faith Sector team, Mr. Adriance helped to administer the Partnership and to use the Web and social networking tools to advance the discourse on faith and environment.

In December, he co-led the Bahá’í International Community delegation to the 15th Conference of the Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP-15) in Copenhagen, Denmark. He took part in a panel discussion with Dan-ish Jewish and Christian leaders on “The Role of Religion in Combating Climate Change.” He also participated in a seminar and news conference organized by the Collaborative Program on the Ethical Dimensions of Climate Change highlighting key ethical issues of the climate negotiations.

Also in December, he helped organize and facilitate a pre-conference seminar for experienced development practitioners on the relationship between Bahá’í-inspired development and the growth process at the Bahá’í Conference on Social and Eco-nomic Development in Orlando, Florida.

InMay2009,theNationalAssembly’s

NGOLiaisonco-ledtheBahá’íInternationalCommunitydelegationtothe17thsessionoftheUNCommissiononSustainableDevelop-ment,wherehehelpedplanandfacilitateathree-hour“LearningCenter”workshoponClimateEthics.

47ExternalAffairs

49PersianPublicInformation

Persian Public InformationThe Persian Public Information Desk was established in 2009 to advance the pres-

ence and to monitor the coverage of the Faith in the Persian-language media. Some of its specific objectives and activities include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Preparing and disseminating Bahá’í International Community press releases in Persian

• Preparing and disseminating news of the persecution of the Bahá’ís in Iran

• Arranging interviews with the Persian-language media dealing with the persecu-tion of the Bahá’ís in Iran and presenting the principles of the Faith

• Developing materials for use in the mass media, especially in defense of the Ira-nian Bahá’í community and to remove common misconceptions about the Faith among Iranian people

• Responding appropriately to attacks on the Faith, especially on the Internet

• Providing guidance to individuals who seek to present the Faith in the Persian-language media

• Training individuals with the knowledge of the Faith and the aptitude to serve as spokespersons to represent the Faith in the Persian-language media

• Developing initiatives aimed at reaching out to Iranians on such issues as hu-man rights, advancement of women, social justice, and social and economic prosperity

• Engaging with like-minded Iranian organizations to promote the above-men-tioned themes

Coverage of the Faith in the Persian-language media

Radio and televiSion. In 2009, there was unprecedented coverage of the Faith in the Persian-language media, mainly owing to the persecution of the Bahá’ís in Iran. A range of radio and television interviews have been broadcast on BBC Persian, Voice of America (VOA) Persian, Radio Farda, Radio France International (RFI) Persian, Deutsche Welle (DW) Persian, Radio Zamaneh, and Iran VNC. A number of Persian radio and television stations in Southern California have broadcast interviews with Bahá’ís and non-Bahá’ís about the principles of the Faith and the unrelenting persecution of its adherents in Iran. On VOA, the Faith has been covered by various programs including Baamdaadi, News and Views, Tafshir-e-Khabar, Round Table, Farhang, Shabaahang, and Zan-e-Emrooz. On the BBC, the Faith has received coverage in Be-Ebarat-e-Digar (Persian Hard-Talk), 60 Minutes, and other documentaries. The Faith has also been covered in other ethnic media such as the Kurdish media and Al-Jazeera.

WebSiteS. Bahá’í materials on the Internet are proliferating exponentially. Partly because of attacks from Iran and partly owing to the interest generated by Ira-

Arangeofradioandtele-visioninterviewshave

beenbroadcastonBBCPer-sian,VoiceofAmerica(VOA)Persian,RadioFarda,RadioFranceInternational(RFI)Persian,DeutscheWelle(DW)Persian,RadioZamaneh,andIranVNC,aswellasanumberofPersianradioandtelevisionstationsinSouthernCalifor-nia.

Riḍván2010

50

nians, the Faith has received significant coverage in the Persian Internet space. Among the most visible sites, we have observed significant growth of videos on YouTube, articles in Gooya, Rooz-online, Zamaneh, the BBC site, the VOA site, the Radio Farda site, and many others. Parallel to these developments, individual Bahá’ís have launched a number of sites with inspiring degrees of success. More blogs and personal sites are being added covering arts, stories, social issues, discussions, news, and various other contents.

Coverage of the Faith in the English-language media

While the English-language media are not part of the operation of the Persian Public Information Desk, it assists with programs and articles in the English-language media as needed. In the past year, interviews have been conducted in English and persecution of the Bahá’ís in Iran has been covered by National Public Radio (NPR), TheNewYorkTimes, TheWashingtonPost, the LosAngelesTimes, the SacramentoBee, KPFK, and a few others.

News and press releases

The achievements in the Persian- and English-language media have been propelled by a significant number of reports and press releases issued by the Bahá’í Inter-national Community and prepared by the Desk for presentation in the Persian-language media. During 2009–10, in excess of 20 official press releases, along with a number of reports, have been distributed to the Persian-language media. Not all such press releases have been about the persecution of the Bahá’ís in Iran. Involve-ment in various international events such as the Durban Review Conference with the goal of eliminating all forms of discrimination and intolerance, or participation in the United Nations Human Rights Council’s Universal Periodic Review of human

rights records of various countries, have gen-erated stories and interviews for the Persian-language media.

The coverage of the Faith in the Persian-language media has also won extraordinary support for Bahá’ís from many prominent Iranians, who individually and collectively have arisen to defend the rights of the Bahá’ís in Iran. Letters such as “We Are Ashamed,” signed by several hundred prominent Irani-ans, or the statement by Iranian Academics and Researchers calling for an end to the persecution of the Bahá’ís—as well as talks by and interviews with individuals such as Dr. Shirin Ebadi, Dr. Abbas Milani of the Hoover Institute, Mr. Mehdi Khalaji of the Washington Institute, Dr. Karim Sajadpour of the Carn-egie Endowment for International Peace—are examples of such support for the Faith.

Bahá’í media

The Persian Public Information Desk has been assisting Bahá’í-operated media in cover-age of the persecution of the Bahá’ís in Iran. These include Payam-e-Doost, Á’ín-i-Bahá’í, and radio programs in Toronto and Vancou-ver in Canada.

TheachievementsinthePersian-

andEnglish-languagemediahavebeenpro-pelledbyasignificantnumberofreportsandpressreleasesissuedbytheBahá’íInterna-tionalCommunityandpreparedbytheDeskforpresentationinthePersian-languagemedia.

51PersianPublicInformation

53Treasury

Beloved Friends,

As the United States entered the Gregorian year 2009, predictions of economic hard times and dire consequences abounded. The Bahá’í community was not unaffected. The state of the National Bahá’í Fund was far from healthy; prospects seemed grim.

A few short months later, a victory surpassing all expectations was announced to the delegates at the 2009 Bahá’í National Convention! By fiscal year’s end, contributions to the National Fund exceeded $26 million—this at a time when the economic reverses in the world were threatening the collapse of many venerable institutions of long standing.

We, the Bahá’í community of the United States, were determined that our response to the disastrous conditions surrounding us would be markedly different from that of others—that it would be spiritual in nature. The result was a spectacular affir-mation of faith and vision.

In response to the customary message sent to the Universal House of Justice by the assembled Convention delegates, the Supreme Body wrote:

“ThatyourFundgoalwassurpassedinthesetimesofeconomicuncertaintyandtheenrollmentrateintheFaithhasrisensig-nificantlyareclearindicationsofthevibrancyandcapacityofyourcommunity.RestassuredofourardentprayersattheSacredThresholdthatthesacrificialeffortsoftheAmericanbelieversintheserviceofHisCausewillcontinuetoattractdivineblessingsandconfirmations.”

Emboldened by the community’s response, the National Spiritual Assembly out-lined for the year 2009–10 a financial plan that continued budgetary restraint in the operations of the Bahá’í National Center while infusing the work at the regional level with additional resources. The objective was to enable the Regional Bahá’í Councils, Regional Training Institutes, and cluster agencies to achieve the goals of the Five Year Plan without delay. The decision has proven to be a signifi-cant factor in the teaching successes we will realize this year.

A call to the community to address the National Fund goal early met with only meager success. We now face a formidable challenge with only a few weeks sepa-rating us from fiscal year’s end. At this writing, a month before Riḍván and the Bahá’í National Convention, the National Fund has received $19.6 million—some $6.1 million short of our $26 million goal. Yet our hopes remain high that this infinitely blessed, generously endowed community will again arise to fulfill its destiny and close the shortfall in the days ahead.

Evidence of a surge in contributions in response to letters addressed to the com-munity at the Feast of Bahá is already apparent and augurs well for a rapid dimin-ishing of the shortfall and satisfaction of our Fund goal.

Treasury58 ...Financial highlights

59 ...Statement of financial position

60 ...Statement of activities

61 ...Notes to financial statements

We,theBahá’ícommunityoftheUnitedStates,

weredeterminedthatourre-sponsetothedisastrouscondi-tionssurroundinguswouldbemarkedlydifferentfromthatofothers—thatitwouldbespiri-tualinnature.Theresultwasaspectacularaffirmationoffaithandvision.

Riḍván2010

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In addition to essential monetary contributions to meet our financial obligations, we must here acknowledge the significant contributions made in-kind which add to the capacity of the National Assembly and its agencies to refine the services of-fered to the community. These precious offers are deeply appreciated.

New opportunities for advancement are opening to the Faith and we must respond to the call of the Universal House of Justice as it urges us to enter these new are-nas, arising to meet the challenge with ever-higher levels of energy, commitment, and service.

Conscious of our Divine Mission and the unique part we must play in the unfold-ment of world civilization, we, the Bahá’í community of the United States, no matter what sacrifices may be entailed, must confidently step forward when called to action. We have critical assignments to attend to and critical contributions to make. And our unparalleled and ready access to material means must—far from impeding us—serve to facilitate our progress.

Fund education and development“…LocalAssembliesmightbeassistedindevisingmoreinterest-ingandinformativewaysofpresentingtheneedsoftheFund.…The Treasurer’sReportshouldbeanexcitingandstimulatingpartofeach NineteenDayFeast,anditwouldcertainlybehelpfulifthelocalTreasurerhadup-to-dateinformationonthestatusoftheNationalFund.”—Universal House of Justice

tReaSuRe cheSt tRaininGS. This series of one-day seminars have been held in various cities throughout the country, including Las Vegas, Nevada; Denver, Colorado; Riverside, California; Louisville, Kentucky; and Minneapolis, Minneso-ta. The Treasure Chest Trainings are designed to provide basic yet comprehensive training on both the practical and spiritual aspects of stewardship within local communities. Members of Local Spiritual Assemblies and secretaries and treasur-ers of registered groups are warmly invited and encouraged to attend.

The three main areas of focus of these seminars are as follows: Fund Education and Development, Finance and Accounting, and Planned Giving. Participants are trained in the technical skills required to manage a local treasury, as well as pro-vided with educational resources to inspire their communities.

Attendees are shown how our service to the Five Year Plan is sustained by contri-butions to the Fund, both practically and spiritually. Tools are offered in anticipa-tion that they will be used to fulfill the intention of the House of Justice that the treasurer’s report be exciting and stimulating.

the FundcaSt SeRieS. The Treasurer’s Office continues to produce and release videos in the FUNDcast series. Episodes offer a heart-to-heart conversation with believers about how their connection to the Fund has deepened their relation-ship with Bahá’u’lláh. These moving commentaries are designed to inspire us in further consecration to the sacred institution of the Bahá’í Fund and demon-strate the complementary relationship of our service to the Five Year Plan and our contributions. The FUNDcast videos play an especially important role in the education of young Bahá’ís about the Fund, since they are a form of viral media, an appealing medium for young adults. They can be viewed by individual Bahá’ís at their computers or shown at Feast as part of the local treasurer’s report.

the tReaSuReRS caFé. The Treasurers Café, an online networking site for those in

TreasureChestTrainings,one-day

seminarsthathavebeenheldinvari-ouscitiesacrossthecountry,aredesignedtoprovidebasicyetcomprehensivetrainingonboththepracticalandspiritualaspectsofstewardshipwithinlocalcommunities.

55Treasury

service to the Fund, now has well over 500 members. Similar to Facebook in its presentation, The Treasurers Café has become a hub for local treasurers to col-laborate on the conduct of their duties, including both its technical and spiritual elements. Conversations can be found in the “Café Forum” ranging from com-ments and questions about using QuickBooks to creative ways of educating children about the Fund. The site has become a must for local treasurers, as they continue to explore and learn about their vast spiritual responsibilities.

Members of Local Spiritual Assemblies as well as treasurers and secretaries of regis-tered groups are encouraged to become members of the Café. Visit this website to sign up (http://treasurerscafe.bahaitreasurer.us).

the bahá’í tReaSuReRS bulletin. Currently in its eighth year of production, the Bahá’í Treasurers Bulletin (BTB) is rolled out several days in advance of each Nineteen Day Feast. The BTB is a vital communications vehicle from the National Treasurer to local treasurers and is intended to provide information and educa-tion that will be shared with the believers in a dynamic and inspiring manner. Each issue includes a feature article that connects our service to the Cause of Bahá’u’lláh with the Fund, often drawing on guidance from the Universal House of Justice and the National Spiritual Assembly. Also included is a highlighted FUNDcast video and a question-and-answer section. The Treasurer’s Notes section includes a story of giving, a children’s activity with Liang the Lion, and updated information on the status of the National Fund and Chilean Temple Initiative. In an effort to reach out to more souls about the Fund, the Treasurer’s Notes section of the BTB is now translated into Spanish and Persian. You can find the BTB on the Web (www.bahaitreasurer.us).

Young believers programs

“YoumustredoubleyoureffortstoeducateeverymemberoftheBahá’ícommunity—thenewandtheoldbeliever,theyouthandtheadult—onthespiritualsignificanceofcontributingtotheFund.”—Universal House of Justice

The Liang’sAdventures activity booklet continues to connect the hearts of chil-dren ages 4–9 to the Fund and the Five Year Plan. This is done through stories and activities that portray the virtues of sacrifice and generosity, and show the Liang character and his friends engaging in the core activities of the Plan. The Liang character has emerged as foundational for many Bahá’í children in their develop-ing relationship with the Funds of the Faith. This is demonstrated through the numerous letters and drawings that come into the Treasurer’s Office addressed to Liang accompanied by contributions to the Fund.

The Arise ’zine is designed to reach out to junior youth and assist them in con-necting their material and spiritual reality. Articles engage and inspire them to make moral choices in line with their higher nature. Each issue includes a histori-cal story about a hero of the Faith, various games and activities related to the Five Year Plan and the Fund, interviews conducted by junior youths, and an Above and Beyond comic.

The FUNDamentals e-zine has been promoted to a bimonthly publication, now mailed to the community six times a year. FUNDamentals has become more “outwardly-oriented” and is read by both Bahá’ís and friends of the Faith. Young adults from across the country are reading the articles and making comments on the blog site. Some recent topics that have been explored are gender equality in relation to finances, true wealth, and service and sacrifice. This informative e-zine

TheBTBisavitalcommunications

vehiclefromtheNa-tionalTreasurertolocaltreasurersandisintendedtoprovideinformationandeduca-tionthatwillbesharedwiththebelieversinadynamicandinspiringmanner.

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can be found at http://spiritualfinance.typepad.com/fundamentals

New believers and giving trends

In order to reach out to new believers with Fund education, the Treasurer’s Office has begun researching recent trends in the Fund contributions of new believers. With a better understanding of the diversity of contributors, the office hopes to improve Fund education and uncover and provide special encouragement to seg-ments of the population with potential for further growth.

In a recent report studying the contribution habits of new believers who have been enrolled since the beginning of the current Five Year Plan, valuable data has been gathered. At this writing, some 6,548 adults and youth had declared their faith since the beginning of the Five Year Plan. Of these, nearly 500, or almost 8 percent, had made at least one contribution directly to the National Fund. Further analysis showed that the average time between enrollment date and the date of a believer’s first contribution was about ten and a half months.

Reports are also being developed that will allow the Treasurer’s Office to locate clusters that have shown significant growth in the number of new believers as well as the number of new contributors, and Fund participation rates within a given cluster.

Planned Giving

The Planned Giving program continues to encourage and inspire the friends to exercise their privilege of leaving a legacy to the Faith. Through this program, the National Assembly presents the friends with a number of options for leaving a gift to the Faith—such as through bequests, life insurance, charitable gift annuities, securities, real estate, and gifts in kind. Support and guidance in making these decisions are further components of the program. Transforming the perception of writing a will from a legal requirement based in material concerns to a spiri-tual obligation is addressed in the presentations that are offered to communities throughout the country. Participation in this program will assist with the future financial stability of the Fund and will satisfy an individual’s desire to support the Faith through philanthropy.

As we approach the end of the Five Year Plan in 2011, meeting our goal of pre-senting “Writing of a Will/Planned Giving” to several communities in every state is achievable. During 2009–10, some 14 presentations were hosted by Local Spiritual Assemblies in support of members of their communities who expressed an interest in a spiritual as well as practical understanding of planned giving. To date, pre-sentations have been hosted by Assemblies in 41 states. To create a more in-depth understanding of planned giving and its options and benefits to the general Bahá’í population, articles were published in several issues of TheAmericanBahá’í; the national Administrative Website was updated with the most recent publications of literature; and a Planned Giving PowerPoint presentation was made available through the Treasurers Café. Some 14 annuities were opened in the Charitable Gift Annuity Program, increasing our annuity portfolio by $522,420. To date, 179 annuities have been opened totaling $6,938,993 for the future of the Faith. As a result of the office’s efforts to educate communities, an increase in the number of inquiries regarding the program and commitments to it is evident.

As the program continues to expand, we enthusiastically look forward to the par-ticipation in planned giving of every believer who has the capacity to do so. It is our fervent hope to inspire the friends to take an even greater measure of respon-sibility for how they arrange the disposing of their material wealth at the end of

Atthiswriting,some6,548adults

andyouthhaddeclaredtheirfaithsincethebeginningoftheFiveYearPlan.Ofthese,nearly500,oralmost8percent,hadmadeatleastonecontributiondirectlytotheNationalFund.

57Treasury

this life—in preparation for their eternal spiritual journey.

Volunteers

The Treasurer’s Office is very fortunate to have the services of a large number of volunteers to draw upon in its various efforts for Fund development. We wish to extend our deep gratitude to all of these selfless servants of the Faith.

Financial advisorsThe group of talented and experienced individuals who serve the National Assem-bly as financial advisors are invaluable in the counsel they impart and the guidance they offer—especially in these times of economic crisis. We offer our profound thanks to these dear souls for their tireless service.

Kingdom ProjectThe renovation of the Holiest House of Worship continues at a constant rate. The Visitors’ Center was reopened last May, after having been closed for a year due to the requirements of the construction work. We now have two new and beautiful reflecting pools to add to the spiritual atmosphere of the Temple. Contributions are still coming in to support the work on the Mother Temple of the West and are very much welcomed. Building the new Visitors’ Center has been deferred until restoration work on the Temple has been completed.

Chilean Temple InitiativeAs of this writing, the American Bahá’í community has contributed nearly $14 million toward the building of the Temple of Light in Chile. The National Spiri-tual Assembly has asked us to contribute the “lion’s share” to the building of this Temple and, in answer to that call, much-needed contributions continue to arrive in the Treasurer’s Office.

Dearest Friends, you can see by the foregoing description how much of the work of the Treasurer’s Office is aimed at educating the community in the spiritual dimension of support for the Faith’s financial needs. Our dearest wish is to see this essential facet of community life fully integrated with every other facet of our conversation as Bahá’ís.

We invite you to join us in reflecting upon this statement on behalf of the beloved Guardian, Shoghi Effendi:

“Aboveallhewishesthroughyoutoreiteratehiswish,alreadyexpressedinhisrecentcabletotheN.S.A.,thattheNationalFund,whichundoubtedlyconstitutesthebedrockuponwhichalltheactivitiesoftheCauseultimatelyrest,shouldreceivethecon-tinuedandwhole-heartedsupportofallthebelievers.”

With loving Bahá’í greetings,

Dr. William Roberts

Treasurer

Youcanseehowmuchofthework

oftheTreasurer’sOf-ficeisaimedateducat-ingthecommunityinthespiritualdimen-sionofsupportfortheFaith’sfinancialneeds.Ourdearestwishistoseethisessentialfacetofcommunitylifefullyintegratedwitheveryotherfacetofourcon-versationasBahá’ís.

National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of the United StatesFinancial highlights • March 31, 2010 (unaudited) and April 30, 2009

Unrestricted and restricted contributions received by the National Spiritual Assembly

March 31, 2010

unauditedApril 30, 2009

actual

Unrestricted contributions $23,840,232 $29,996,271 Restricted for the Kingdom Project 616,218 702,233 Restricted for the International Funds 244,393 358,201 Restricted for other Funds 2,030,932 586,602

Total contributions received $26,731,775 $31,643,307

Contributions to other funds

International Funds $2,995,050 $3,201,521 Continental Fund 374,441 399,222 Chile Temple 1,242,344 957,527Other Bahá’í Funds and Deputization 232,129 243,586

Total contributions to other Funds $4,843,964 $4,801,856

Kingdom Project, capital expenditures and depreciation

Kingdom Project expenditures $3,105,367 $3,789,267Green Acre expansion $1,636,511 $ 806,955Other capital expenditures $ 885,372 $1,716,877

Total unrestricted revenues $32,056,393 $34,790,248

Total expenses $31,017,335 $35,927,403

Net assets $49,825,158 $47,277,753

National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of the United StatesCombining and combined statements of financial position • March 31, 2010 (unaudited) and April 30, 2009

Combined total

National Bahá’í Fund

Publishing Trust

March 2010 unaudited

April 2009 actualAssets

Current assetsCash and investments $21,167,353 $22,115 $21,189,468 $21,368,348 Due (to)/from other Funds 7,380,728 (7,380,728) 0 0 Accounts and notes receivable 201,057 137,298 338,355 368,632 Inventories 152,910 378,360 531,270 557,857 Other current assets 335,842 17,777 353,619 429,681

Total current assets $29,237,890 ($6,825,178) $22,412,712 $22,724,518

Property and equipment net of accumulated depreciation $45,053,101 $200,947 $45,254,048 $42,769,410

Investments 241,447 0 241,447 226,018Endowed investments and other assets 3,114,514 0 3,114,514 2,794,734

Total assets $77,646,952 ($6,624,231) $71,022,721 $68,514,680

Liabilities and net assetsLiabilities

Current liabilitiesAccounts payable and

accrued liabilities $1,929,264 $138,375 $2,067,639 $2,068,680Demand notes and

current maturities of long term debt 10,822,017 0 10,822,017 12,006,735Deferred revenues and

current portion of gift annuities 545,048 0 545,048 490,683

Total current liabilities $13,296,329 $138,375 $13,434,704 $14,566,098

Long term debt $1,096,825 $0 $1,096,825 $1,120,191Gift annuities long term portion 3,217,654 0 3,217,654 2,952,258Other long term liabilities 3,448,380 0 3,448,380 2,598,380

Total liabilities $21,059,188 $138,375 $21,197,563 $21,236,927

Net assetsUnrestricted $40,020,403 ($6,762,606) $33,257,797 $32,218,739Temporarily restricted 12,546,107 0 12,546,107 11,037,760Permanently restricted 4,021,254 0 4,021,254 4,021,254

Total net assets $56,587,764 ($6,762,606) $49,825,158 $47,277,753

Total liabilities and net assets $77,646,952 ($6,624,231) $71,022,721 $68,514,680

National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of the United StatesCombining and combined statements of activities • March 31, 2010 (unaudited) and April 30, 2009

Combined total

National Bahá’í Fund

Publishing Trust

March 2010 unaudited

April 2009 actualChanges in unrestricted net assets

Unrestricted net assetsContributions $23,840,232 $0 $23,840,232 $29,996,271Contributed property 2,379 0 2,379 148,014Estate bequests 524,169 0 524,169 1,692,174Bahá’í school tuition 774,140 0 774,140 998,174Sale of books and materials 341,065 810,526 1,151,591 1,401,752Investment and other income 201,850 0 201,850 535,679Investment gain (loss) 1,021,272 0 1,021,272 (2,543,747)Assets released from restriction 4,540,760 0 4,540,760 2,561,931

Total unrestricted revenues $31,245,867 $810,526 $32,056,393 $34,790,248

ExpensesContributions to International Funds $4,843,964 $0 $4,843,964 $4,801,856Education and teaching activities 8,176,829 0 8,176,829 8,638,269Properties operations and maintenance 4,130,282 45,558 4,175,840 4,703,535Cost of books and special materials 187,586 439,319 626,905 833,259General administration 11,384,761 959,036 12,343,797 15,676,670Change in defined benefit plan 1 850,000 0 850,000 1,273,814

Total expenses $29,573,422 $1,443,913 $31,017,335 $35,927,403

Increase/(decrease) in unrestricted net assets $1,672,445 ($633,387) $1,039,058 ($1,137,155)

Changes in temporarily restricted net assetsContributions $6,049,107 $0 $6,049,107 $2,466,364Net assets released from restriction (4,540,760) 0 (4,540,760) (2,561,931)

Increase/(decrease) in temporarily restricted net assets $1,508,347 $0 $1,508,347 $(95,567)

Increase/(decrease) in net assets $3,180,792 ($633,387) $2,547,405 ($1,232,722)

Net assets, beginning of year $53,406,972 ($6,129,219) $47,277,753 $48,510,475

Net assets, end of year $56,587,764 ($6,762,606) $49,825,158 $47,277,753

1 Change in defined benefit plan recorded annually based on investment values and acturial assuptions at fiscal year end

Operations and accounting policies

The National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of the United States (the Assembly) was established in 1927 as a voluntary trust and subsequently incorporated in October 1994 as an Illinois not-for-profit corporation to administer, teach, and further the Bahá’í Faith in the United States.

The accounts of the Assembly are maintained on the accrual basis. The financial statements of the Assembly include the assets, liabilities, net assets (deficits), and financial activities of the National Bahá’í Fund and the Bahá’í Publishing Trust.

The principal accounting policies used by the Assembly are as follows:

Contributions

All contributions from members of the Faith, unless specifically restricted by the donor, are considered to be available for unrestricted use and are recorded as received. Contributions in kind are recorded at an amount representing the estimated fair value of goods and services received during the year. Items received of artistic or religious significance for which no value can be readily determined and which are not anticipated to be sold are recorded at nominal value.

Contributions from nonmembers may not be used to support the Faith and, accordingly, such amounts received are distributed for other humanitarian causes. Contributions restricted by the donor for particular programs and projects, or for property and equipment acquisitions, are earned and reported as revenues when the Assembly has incurred expenses for the purpose specified by the donor. Such amounts received, but not yet earned, are reported as restricted deferred amounts. Estate bequests are recorded when the funds are received.

Tax-exempt status

The U.S. Treasury Department has held that the National Spiritual Assembly and all subordinate Local Spiritual Assemblies are exempt from Federal income tax as organizations described in Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code (I.R.C.) of 1986. Accordingly, contributions made to the National Spiritual Assembly and all of its subordinate Local Spiritual Assemblies are deductible by the donors for Federal income tax purposes as provided by I.R.C. Section 170.

Bequests, legacies, devises, transfers, or gifts to the National Spiritual Assembly or its subordinate Local Assem-blies are deductible for Federal estate and gift tax purposes as provided by I.R.C. Sections 2055, 2106, and 2522.

Inventories

Inventories of books and special materials are recorded at the lower of cost, using the average cost method, or market.

Investments

Investments are recorded at market value.

Property and equipment

Property and equipment are stated at cost. The Assembly computes depreciation of fixed assets over their estimated useful lives using the straight line method. The estimated lives used in computing depreciation are as follows:

Asset description Asset life

Furniture/Equipment 3–10 years Buildings/Improvements 5–40 years Bahá’í House of Worship 75 years

Notes to Financial Statements • March 31, 2010, and April 30, 2009

{SectionTitle}

63Teaching

Teaching63 ...National Teaching Office

67 ...Office of International Pioneering

69 ...Office of Communications

72 ...WLGI-FM Radio Bahá’í

National Teaching Office

The National Teaching Office identifies and systematizes lessons related to teach-ing that the friends across the country are learning through action and reflec-tion—especially studying statistics and trends in clusters with intensive programs of growth where the dynamics of the Five Year Plan are operating. The office then offers the resulting knowledge to institutions at all levels, providing particular ser-vice and assistance to the National Spiritual Assembly and to the Regional Bahá’í Councils.

Enrollment trends in the national Bahá’í community

Nearly 3,000 new believers of all ages will have become registered members of the Bahá’í Faith in the year ending at Riḍván 2010. That growth is 30 percent below the enrollment level for the previous year, but exceeds the levels of enrollment reported at Riḍván 2007 and 2008 (see chart below). One in three registrations represent a new junior youth or child.

openinG dooRS to enRollment. Seeker inquiries through the 800-22UNITE phone line and the public websites were higher during 2009–10 than during the

3000

2750

2500

2250

2000

1750

1500

1250

1000

750

500

250

Year ending at Riḍván 2007

1,003

514

Enrollments in the United States, first four years of Plan (estimated as of March 2010)

Adult and youth enrollments

Child and junior youth registrations


1,733

794


2,841

1,488

Year ending at Riḍván 2010 (estimate)

1,975

938

Riḍván2010

64

previous year. Nearly 1,500 live calls were answered and over 3,000 Web inqui-ries were logged into the national Seeker Response System (SRS) database for follow-up at the regional and cluster levels. This year the SRS was expanded to allow new believers to declare their faith online, adding an electronic option to the traditionally paper-driven process of enrolling new Bahá’ís. Usage patterns indicate that in the year ending Riḍván 2010, over 500 people visiting www.bahai.us will have clicked the “I want to be a Bahá’í” icon and registered their belief in Bahá’u’lláh. So far this year, nearly 90 percent of these registrants have been enrolled. Many are participating in Bahá’í community life in their localities by joining study circles, starting devotional groups in their homes, or supporting neighborhood children’s classes.

The National Teaching Office supports and assists the Regional Bahá’í Councils in development of their seeker response networks, which utilize institute-trained Bahá’ís to follow up with seekers or with those who declare their belief online. The Office monitors the lessons those networks are learning, analyzes proven methods, and shares the insights gained about the needs of seekers and new declarants on their journey to becoming integrated into Bahá’í community life. As more people make their first contact with the Faith through these channels, it is becoming clear that greater human resources are required to respond to them. One major area of learning is the emergence of a coherent approach being applied by regional seeker response coordinators and cluster-level agencies together to meet the needs of the seekers and new declarants. Experiences reported from across the country high-light the importance of relying on cluster core team members to meet their needs, as the core team can most effectively tap into the full range of human resources within the cluster to welcome these people. In clusters with core teams that are vibrant and engaged, teaching teams are matched to the needs of these seek-ers or new declarants according to such factors as geographic location, capacities acquired through institute courses, ethnic and cultural background, gender, and interests.

Sharing lessons learned nation- and worldwide

Updates on progress in the teaching and consolidation work in clusters across the country, and insights gained from it, are shared quickly through a Web log (http://teaching.bahai.us). Maintained by the Teaching Office, the site encourages visitors to log comments and questions. Not only is the site visited by people across the United States, it has attracted the interest of readers in over 140 countries. This year over 200 new stories and testimonials were shared on the website.

Examples of stories shared by clusters every day on http://teaching.bahai.us:

• A report from Tacoma-Pierce County, Washington, notes: “We are learning to optimize our teaching by discerning the level of the seeker’s interest or recep-tivity. How to gauge receptivity? The wisdom comes from practice, practice, practice, and the action of experience is the teacher.”

• In Phoenix, Arizona, the “Lean on Me” teaching team was formed entirely of new believers from a receptive neighborhood. They have brought friends and neighbors to core activities and successfully invited some into the Faith.

• A visitor to Rio Grande Valley, Texas, commented: “The members of this cluster seem to have a remarkable ability to very naturally bring up the subject of the Bahá’í Faith with their friends, neighbors, and acquaintances. Most all the people in the community I met shared this trait.”

• In Portland, Oregon, a group of teaching teams visited homes in a receptive

IntheyearendingRiḍván2010,over

500peoplevisitingwww.bahai.uswillhaveclickedthe“IwanttobeaBahá’í”iconandregisteredtheirbeliefinBahá’u’lláh.Sofarthisyear,nearly90percentoftheseregistrantshavebeenenrolled.

65Teaching

TheNationalTeachingOffice

launchedtheUSABahá’íYouthFacebookpagetoengage thelargenumberofBahá’íyouthswhouseFace-book.

neighborhood to engage residents in the vision of building a spiritual com-munity through core activities, as well as to share the Faith directly: “One team met a woman and had a wonderful and loving conversation like Anna with her. As she shared her thoughts and feedback, everything was in line with the teach-ings of the Faith. This lady is excited to serve her neighborhood, and at the end of the conversation, she declared! Plans were made to immediately engage this new believer in a Ruhi [Book] 1 study circle, and she plans to invite her neighbors, family and friends to join in. She wants her daughter to participate in a children’s class. She also offered to be a resource in the neighborhood by offering her home as a base for community activities. This was confirmation of the guidance that states, ‘The House of Justice is confident that … there are in-numerable souls who not only have the capacity to embrace this vision, but are ready, even eager, to work towards its realization.’”

Over several months, a number of clusters in various regions found value in using booklets containing study theme content from Ruhi Book 2 during home visits. However, the time and expense involved in producing their own copies became challenging for clusters. The Teaching Office is facilitating the development of the materials into a published series to be distributed to clusters upon request.

In addition, the National Teaching Office posts a variety of teaching resources, including cluster progress maps, prayer cards, LearningAboutGrowth newslet-ters, and other downloadable materials on the Teaching Office’s Web page (www.usbnc.org/dept/ntc.asp) and the Five Year Plan page (www.usbnc.org/5yrPlan.asp).

Encouraging and engaging youth through online social networks

Many Bahá’í youths are active supporters of the Plan, spirited, on the move, and tech-savvy. The office maintains BahaiYouth.com, an online space for Bahá’í youths and friends around the world to connect with each other and share ques-tions and experiences. It also launched the USA Bahá’í Youth Facebook page (www.facebook.com/pages/USA-Bahai-Youths/353010662948) to engage the large number of Bahá’í youths who use Facebook. The office also oversees registra-tion of Bahá’í Campus Associations and keeps track of the activities of Bahá’ís at colleges and universities.

National Statistics Office

The National Teaching Office also functions as the National Statistics Office. It compiles statistics about progress in the Five Year Plan, including enrollments, the development of human resources through the institute training process, participa-tion in core activities, and more. These cluster- and regional-level statistics are collected in service to the Department of Statistics at the Bahá’í World Center, and for analysis by the National Spiritual Assembly. The office trains and supports a network of regional and cluster statistics officers in the use of the Statistical Report Program (SRP) and maintains a website (http://nso.bahai.us).

Five Year Plan progress update, October 2009

Number heldTotal

localities ParticipantsEstimated number of friends of the Faith

October 2008 2,009 1,291 12,606 3,635

October 2009 1,969 720 13,075 4,102

Change -40 (-2%) -571 (-44%) 469 (+4%) 467 (+13%)

Book 1 Book 2 Book 3 Book 4 Book 5 Book 6 Book 7

October 2008 28,018 19,124 13,677 14,100 2,560 10,516 9,221

October 2009 30,130 20,502 14,878 15,629 3,320 11,928 10,162

Change 2,112 (+8%) 1,378 (+7%) 1,201 (+9%) 1,529 (+11%) 760 (+30%) 1,412 (+13%) 941 (+10%)

Institute courses taken

Number held ParticipantsEstimated number of friends of the Faith

October 2008 2,461 8,102 1,328

October 2009 2,346 7,108 1,569

Change -115 (-5%) -994 (-12%) 241 (+18%)


October 2008 363 2,152 991

October 2009 452 2,637 1,569

Change 89 (+25%) 485 (+23%) 578 (+58%)

Enrollments (adults and youths)

Registrations (Children and junior youths)

1,570 930

1,166 578

-404 (-26%) -352 (-38%)

Study circles

Junior youth groups

Number of clusters in each category

Enrollments, registrations since previous May

Devotional meetings


1,112 6,481 2,951

1,153 7,236 4,119

41 (+4%) 755 (+12%) 1,168 (+40%)


D C B IPG Total

October 2008 55 598 101 96 894

October 2009 49 599 71 168 887

Change -6 (-11%) 1 (0%) -30 (-30%) 72 (+75%) -7 (-1%)

67Teaching

O fthoseservingaspioneers,34

percentwereunder25yearsofage,41percentbetween26and54,and25percentwere55andolder—atestimonytothetruththatallcanserveinthisway.

Office of International Pioneering

During 2009–10, Bahá’í pioneers from isolated locations as well as from estab-lished clusters in the United States left their homes to assist in cluster and commu-nity development in countries near and far. The receiving countries continued to ask for pioneers who had completed the entire Ruhi Institute sequence of courses and were actively offering service in their clusters so that they could be of assis-tance with the work of the Five Year Plan immediately upon their arrival. The most frequent request from other National Spiritual Assemblies was for junior youth group animators who would be able to initiate and help maintain junior youth programs.

At this writing, the goal of placing 1,300 international pioneers—assigned to the U.S. by the Universal House of Justice—still remains to be won. During the first four years of the Plan, more than 824 pioneers have arisen to serve in other coun-tries and been settled in their pioneer posts. Since Riḍván 2009, 185 pioneers have responded to the Supreme Institution’s call to service—which is less than in previ-ous years. (See chart below for goal status.) Of those who were serving as pioneers (offering at least six months of international service), 34 percent were under 25 years of age, 41 percent between 26 and 54, and 25 percent were 55 and older—a testimony to the truth that all can serve in this way.

Also during 2009–10, nearly 175 individuals left the U.S. to complete travel-ing teaching trips—making the total for the Plan thus far close to 1,500. While no longer an international goal, traveling teaching trips can provide assistance

1400

1200

1000

800

600

400

200

0

Pioneers since Riḍván 2006 (as of 2/16/2010)

824

1,300

Pioneers sent since Riḍván 2006

Goal for entire Five Year Plan

in many areas of the teaching work and can afford those seri-ously considering the possibility of pioneering an important opportu-nity for information-gathering and exploration. A few trips this year were made by people who went to secure employment in other lands, returning to them soon afterward as pioneers.

A special consultation attended by returned pioneers was hosted dur-ing the year at the Bahá’í National Center—providing the office staff with strategies which greatly as-sisted in recruitment efforts.

By decentralizing many recruitment tasks, the Pioneer Resource Persons (PRP) network of approximately

Riḍván2010

68

ThePioneerRe-sourcePersons

(PRP)networkofapproximately330volunteersthroughoutthecountryprovidescriticalassistancetotheofficestaffin localrecruitmentefforts.

330 volunteers throughout the country provides critical assistance to the office staff in local recruitment efforts. Beginning in May, six former PRPs were asked to function as Regional PRP Coordinators. These new coordinators have been working hard to coordinate and direct the work of the volunteer network. The PRPs offer presentations about international service at Feasts and other community gather-ings, providing a continuous flow of inspiration, information, and education about the need for international pioneers.

The office has sought to keep the Bahá’í community informed of the needs for international service through articles in TheAmericanBahá’í, mailings to Bahá’í schools, and other channels. During 2009–10, the National Spiritual Assembly voiced a call for pioneers in a letter dated June 15; this was followed by another letter written for the Feast of Sulṭán on January 18, which included an attachment with a list of goal countries and the current pioneer status of each.

Staff members again offered workshops at the Green Lake Bahá’í Conference, the 19th Annual Conference of the Association of Friends of Persian Culture, the Bahá’í Conference on Social and Economic Development, and the annual North-east Bahá’í Youth (NEBY) conference. Volunteer PRPs made presentations at the Grand Canyon Bahá’í Conference and many summer and winter school programs.

The Pioneer Resource Persons were asked to present a two-hour program called “Global Positioning for Programs of Growth” locally and, subsequently, to provide the office with follow-up reports.

Volunteers continued to support the work of the three staff persons in the office. The volunteers not only serve in place of staff at off-site events and in the super-vision of the Pioneer Resource Persons Network; they also regularly serve in the office. Throughout the year 2009–10, they provided almost 1,000 hours of service, not including the loosely calculated 3,500 hours of service provided by the Pioneer Resource Persons and their six coordinators.

69Teaching

Themostsignificantnationalmedia

coverageoftheFaithcameaboutasare-sultofthecontinuingdetentionandrepeatedcourtappearancesoftheYárán.

Office of Communications

The principal tasks of the Office of Communications include producing news and information for a range of audiences—the general public, seekers, the community of interest, and members of the Bahá’í community; developing relationships with the national media; offering training and support for the network of local Public Information Officers; developing and managing the national Bahá’í presence on the Internet; and encouraging and supporting individual, locality, and cluster ini-tiatives on the Internet. Other important areas of work include the development of identity and graphic design standards; digital media asset management; and crisis communications.

National media relations

During 2009–10, the office worked on a variety of initiatives to broaden media exposure to and coverage of the Faith. The most significant national media cover-age of the Faith came about as a result of the continuing detention and repeated court appearances of the Yárán—the seven members of the ad hoc committee overseeing the affairs of the Iranian Bahá’í community (see the External Affairs section of this report for more information). Major public events in defense of the seven were held in several cities—including Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Wash-ington, D.C.—attracting significant media coverage. In addition, the office worked to mobilize the Public Information Officer (PIO) network to generate coverage of prayer gatherings held across the country for the imprisoned Bahá’ís. Dozens of news stories appeared in local media across the country, particularly during Febru-ary and March.

In September, for the sixth consecutive year, the Office of Communications had an information booth at the annual convention of the Religion Newswriters Associa-tion (RNA). The convention continues to be an important avenue for the office to develop relationships with key reporters and expose them to the Faith.

Throughout the year, the office continued to field requests and to respond to misrepresentations, inaccuracies, and omissions about the Faith in the national media. The office responded to general inquiries from national organizations and the general public and maintained the accuracy of entries about the Faith in refer-ence works. The office participated in the Religion Communicators Council (RCC) and served on the planning committee for the Religion Communicators Congress, a once-a-decade event that, at this writing, is set to take place in Chicago in April. During the Congress, the office will welcome several dozen media representatives of various faith communities for a special visit to the Bahá’í House of Worship.

Training and support for the network of local Public Information Officers

The office provided targeted media relations training to Public Information Officers in communities that are part of an “A” cluster (or a cluster that is soon to advance to the “A” stage) and are also located in one of the major U.S. media markets.

Riḍván2010

70

Theofficeprovidedongoingmentoring

andsupporttolocalPublicInformationOfficersthroughanonlinesocialnetwork,helpingcreatea senseofsupportandmutuallearning.

These two factors create new and potentially fruitful opportunities to generate media coverage of the Faith.

One-day intensive workshops were held in the Northwestern and Central regions, and more workshops are planned in other parts of the country during the coming year. The workshops focused on applying the methodology of the Five Year Plan to public information work through focused consultation on the following questions:

• How can our sense of purpose, as builders of a new world civilization, affect our interaction with the media?

• How can the core activities be presented to the media in ways that are news-worthy and intriguing?

• How can we apply cycles of learning, action, and reflection to our public infor-mation work?

• How can we create a culture of learning within the network of Public Informa-tion Officers, so that successes and valuable insights can be disseminated and applied in other areas?

The office provided ongoing mentoring and support to the PIOs through an online social network (www.bahaipio.net). This tool helps create a sense of support and mutual learning among the PIOs by allowing them to create a profile and share news and information with each other and with the office. The office regularly posted sample news releases, talking points, tips, and success stories.

National Internet presence

The office continued during 2009–10 to work with the Information Technology department on the development of a new Web application framework for the Bahá’í National Center. The framework will add a new level of functionality to national Bahá’í websites, including member authentication, role-based delivery of content, and personal customization of Web services. The office continued to explore the use of new online tools—such as Facebook fan pages and Twitter ac-counts—for social networking and the promotion of Bahá’í content. The office also continued to assist the permanent Bahá’í schools, the Wilmette Institute, and the Bahá’í House of Worship in the management of public-facing electronic newslet-ters.

Support for cluster, locality, and individual Web initiatives

As a response to guidance from the Bahá’í Internet Agency, the office continues to encourage individual initiative online to create an accurate reflection on the Inter-net of the vibrant, dynamic, and “outward-looking” culture of the Bahá’í commu-nity. We also support and encourage the creation of high-quality Bahá’í commu-nity and cluster websites across the country. A workshop on “Bahá’í Participation on the Internet” has been offered at Bahá’í centers and at summer schools. The office continues to manage www.bahaiwebdev.net as an online social network for Bahá’ís to encourage and learn from each other about using communications technology to serve the Faith.

Crisis communications

In December, the office hosted the annual meeting of the Bahá’í National Center crisis communications team, which includes representatives from the Secretariat, Office of External Affairs, Office of Communications, Public Safety, Information Technology, and Media Services. The team reviewed crisis communications “lessons learned” over the past year and consulted on the roles of Bahá’í institutions at

71Teaching

Asaresponsetoguidancefromthe

Bahá’íInternetAgency,theofficecontinuestoencourageindividualinitiativeonlinetocre-ateanaccuratereflec-tionontheInternetofthevibrant,dynamic,and“outward-looking”cultureoftheBahá’ícommunity.

various levels in preparing for and responding to natural and man-made crises.

Digital asset management

The office has continued to develop the Bahá’í National Center’s digital media library containing photo, audio, and video assets. An intensive effort is under way to digitize slides, photos, audiotapes, film, and other archival media assets, with priority given to the preservation of older assets that may be deteriorating. The office is working to add a Web interface to the media collection, so that different user groups—including Bahá’ís, media outlets, and the general public—will be able to keyword-search and download selected assets.

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WLGI-FM Radio Bahá’í

Radio Bahá’í operates in a manner consistent with the highest standards of broad-casting excellence in programming, administration, public service, and technical operation in service to the National Spiritual Assembly and the Bahá’í Faith.

Human resources

WLGI operates with two full-time staff members performing all necessary jobs: programming, production, administrative, minor technical and engineering, and on-air duties. Two independent contractors provide additional voice tracking, pro-gramming, and production assistance. To maintain up-to-date understanding of technical, management, and regulatory issues, WLGI-FM and its staff are members of the National Association of Broadcasters and the South Carolina Broadcasters Association and utilize their workshops, seminars, and other information.

Programming

Comments from listeners indicate the station’s programming has been well-received by the Bahá’í community and the general public. Bahá’í programming includes spots and segments featuring selections from Bahá’í writings on various topics, prayers, explanations of Bahá’í principles, discussion of the Central Figures of the Faith, and special Holy Day programming. The station also offers instru-mental jazz and songs that reinforce Bahá’í themes of love, peace, unity, and racial and ethnic understanding and diversity. The station also airs public service announcements from nonprofit organizations and churches and promotes health, literacy, volunteerism, and interracial unity.

pRoGRamS in development. A Program Development Committee has been formed to guide creation of Bahá’í programming consistent with the framework of the Five Year Plan. One member, serving as Media Programs Director, works under the Regional Bahá’í Council of the Southeastern States and in close collaboration with the Regional Training Institute Coordinator and the Auxiliary Board mem-ber serving the listening area. The director strives, through a humble posture of learning, to develop a coherent understanding of the power of utterance, through radio and Internet streaming; the requirements of contributing to and raising the level of a population’s discourse; and ways to empower local resourc-es to act and use their voice.

Among programming being developed as a result of this collaborative effort:

• Devotional material for broadcast throughout the day, to invite listeners to conversation with God

• Spots inviting listeners to walk a path of service in their neighborhoods through such activities as prayer in a friend’s home, reciting the Word of God in the morning and evening, and contributing to the education and empowerment of young people

Bahá’íprogrammingincludesspotsand

segmentsfeaturingselectionsfromBahá’íwritingsonvarioustopics,prayers,expla-nationsofBahá’íprin-ciples,discussionoftheCentralFiguresoftheFaith,andspecialHolyDayprogramming.

73Teaching

• An interview program—“Reflection,” exploring the meaning of passages from courses of the Ruhi Institute—with young believers experienced in collective teaching and core activities

Technical and engineering

Most recent technical and engineering issues have been routine ones for a 24-hour-a-day broadcasting operation that puts considerable stress on equipment.

Amongprogram-mingunderdevel-

opmentisaninterviewprogram—“Reflection,”exploringthemean-ingofpassagesfromcoursesoftheRuhiInstitute—withyoungbelieversexperiencedincollectiveteachingandcoreactivities.

75SocialAction

Social ActionJunior Youth Desk

In its letter of December 27, 2005, the Universal House of Justice noted “the effi-cacy of educational programs aimed at the spiritual empowerment of junior youth” and indicated—“so impressed” was it and “so compelling” was the need—that it would “urge all National Spiritual Assemblies to consider junior youth groups formed through programs implemented by their training institutes as a fourth core activity in its own right and to promote its wide-scale multiplication.”

To this end, at Riḍván last year, the National Spiritual Assembly established a desk to help “systematize and disseminate learning” about the spiritual empower-ment program for junior youth and to “facilitate the work of resource persons and cluster coordinators in each region.” Included in this work was the accompaniment of those contributing to the activities of learning sites that train coordinators of junior youth groups. The first such learning site for the United States is North Carolina’s Triangle cluster (Raleigh, Durham, and Chapel Hill).

During 2009–10, the work of the desk has entailed a number of lines of action, including field visits to each of the six regions, collaboration and consultation with resource persons and training institutes, facilitation of training seminars for coordinators, and regular visits to the learning site.

Beginning in June, the coordinator of the Junior Youth Desk undertook a series of field visits to each of the six regions to become familiar with how the program was developing generally across the country and to identify clusters where the junior youth program had gained a foothold. In addition, the visits helped in identifying individuals who might be able to assist the program to further develop—whether at a cluster or sub-regional level—who were then invited to participate in train-ing seminars. An effort was made to maximize the trips to each region to include visiting as many junior youth groups and meeting with as many animators as pos-sible. In addition, consultations were held with the regional institute coordinators, resource persons or regional junior youth program coordinators where they existed, Auxiliary Board members, and those serving on cluster agencies to help identify strategies and establish goals. During the first six months of the desk’s work, a total of 67 clusters from all six regions received a visit from the coordinator.

Thus far, training seminars organized for junior youth group coordinators have proven to be the most significant means for systematizing and disseminating learning about the junior youth spiritual empowerment program. These training seminars consist of three parts that take place over six months. First, the coordina-tors (or potential coordinators) study and consult on a number of documents pro-duced by the Bahá’í World Center’s Office of Social and Economic Development. These include a review and analysis of ReleasingthePowersofJuniorYouth (Ruhi Book 5), a close examination of several of the junior youth texts that form the backbone of the program, and a document that explores the various functions

75 ... Junior Youth Desk

Trainingseminarsorga-nizedforjunioryouth

groupcoordinatorshaveproventobethemostsignifi-cantmeansforsystematizinganddisseminatinglearningaboutthejunioryouthspiri-tualempowermentprogram.

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of coordinators of junior youth groups—which include, but are not limited to, increasing the pool of animators, forming groups, sustaining groups, and providing for the continuing training of animators. Most importantly, they consult on the skills, attitudes, and spiritual insights of those who accompany others along a path of service.

The second part of the training consists of a visit to the Triangle cluster in North Carolina, where the program serves nearly 200 junior youths. While the learn-ing site is not held up as a model junior youth program, it presents a compelling example of its potential to reach ever larger numbers. During these visits, coor-dinators participate in a number of activities, including observing junior youth groups, attending an animator gathering, assisting with a cluster-wide gathering for junior youth groups, helping to form new groups, and visiting the parents of those participating in the program. It is difficult to overstate how valuable these field visits have been to the participating coordinators. Finally, after approximately six months, the coordinators gather once more to reflect on how they have applied insights gained during the training seminar and the field visit and what they have been learning in their own clusters as they work on expanding the program.

To date, 60 people have participated in these seminars and 30 have completed all three components of the training. Some of the participants have been regional coordinators, regional or sub-regional junior youth program coordinators, resource persons, and Auxiliary Board members. Most, however, are serving at the cluster level as junior youth group coordinators. Altogether they are working with 36 clus-ters, assisting each cluster to advance from one phase to the next in the develop-ment of the program. As an initial goal, every cluster with an intensive program of growth has the goal of forming at least five groups serving approximately 50 junior youths. A handful of clusters have reached this stage.

It is hope of the desk that the last year of this Plan will see a significant increase in the number of junior youth groups across the country, particularly in clusters that have established intensive programs of growth.

Asaninitialgoal,everyclusterwith

anintensiveprogramofgrowthhasthegoalofformingatleastfivegroupsservingap-proximately50junioryouths.Ahandfulofclustershavereachedthisstage.

77SocialAction

79CommunityDevelopment

Community Development

79 ...Office of Assembly Development

81 ...Office of Community Administration

82 ...Persian-American Affairs Office

Office of Assembly Development

The Office of Assembly Development continued throughout the year 2009–10 to sharpen its focus on assisting Local Spiritual Assemblies to develop stronger administrative functioning to complement their vital role in carrying out the work of the Five Year Plan. While maintaining the same broad range of resources for As-semblies, the office concentrated its efforts on those most relevant to the current stage of the Plan and enhanced the ability of remaining resources to address more directly the current needs of the Assemblies. The office’s energies have principally been centered on making its training materials and events more accessible to a wider array of Assemblies.

Developing Distinctive Bahá’í Communities

The most significant development during the year was the decision to make the manual GuidelinesforLocalSpiritualAssemblies:DevelopingDistinctiveBahá’íCommunities available online only. Since it had undergone a major revi-sion in 2009 to reduce its size and cost of production, the manual required fewer updates this year, effectively limiting updates to the manual that will be released at the beginning of the new administrative year.

Looking to the future of the manual, plans are under way to make it an easily-navigable series of Web pages on the national Administrative Website, so a more robust collection of guidance and supplementary documents is available in a single location. The pages would include other materials available from the office, such as the “Domestic Violence” supplement to the manual and elements of the Secre-tary’s Toolbox. The Reflecting Pool: A Forum on Assemblies and the Five Year Plan will be used as a dynamic connection between the guidance manuals, the online workshops, and the related discussion topics in forums, creating a much richer experience for those searching for pragmatic ways of implementing the guidance and what they have learned.

Conferences

This year’s one-day Assembly Skill Building Conference, held in San Diego, Califor-nia, was particularly well attended for being the only one held in the area. Some 82 Assembly members, representing 21 Local Spiritual Assemblies, gathered at a local school for a day of learning. As in previous conferences, the focus was on impart-ing practical information and skills on a variety of topics useful to the day-to-day functioning of Local Spiritual Assemblies. The mainstays of the conference were the participatory workshops, such as “Planning Effective Agendas and Improving Minute Taking” and “Take It Personal: Handling Personal Status Issues.” In addition, a mem-ber of the Regional Bahá’í Council of the Southwestern States offered a workshop, “Your Assembly and the Five Year Plan and a New Vision for Seeker Response,” which was well attended. Presented for the first time was a new workshop, “Consul-tation in Unity and Harmony,” which elicited a positive response from participants.

PlansareunderwaytomaketheAssemblyman-

ualaneasily-navigableseriesofWebpagesonthenationalAdministrativeWebsite,soamorerobustcollectionofguid-anceandsupplementarydocu-mentsisavailableinasinglelocation.

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Over the past few years, the Office of Assembly Development has found the one-day conferences held at venues in close proximity to the home communities of the Assemblies participating to be far more popular than those requiring more time and travel. This can be seen as a testimony to the truth that time is a precious commodity, best employed at this moment in efforts to advance the work of the Five Year Plan.

Special Visit Program

The office has continued its Spiritual Assembly Special Visit program, which invites Local Spiritual Assemblies to Wilmette, enabling members to familiarize themselves with the resources available at the Bahá’í National Center, and affording them an opportunity to share questions, comments, or suggestions directly with the National Assembly and its offices. This year the office concentrated its efforts on assisting local Assemblies to better understand their role in the Plan as well as the role of a vibrant Nineteen Day Feast. To accomplish this, we instituted more time for discussion of the topic after reflecting on recent guidance from the Universal House of Justice and sharing what has been learned locally.

The three visits during 2009–10 enabled 97 members of 15 Assemblies to partici-pate. Assemblies that participated rated the program highly (an average of 4.9 on a 5-point usefulness scale), and they reported greater understanding of their role in the Plan. With the program’s success, we will be expanding the number of partici-pants that can attend each visit this year.

One final note: The year 2009–10 also marked the departure of Ms. Theresa Zing-ery, coordinator of the Office of Assembly Development, who dedicated 14 years to providing excellent and invaluable service to the National Spiritual Assembly and to Local Spiritual Assemblies and their members. She will continue contributing to the education of adult learners as the director for the Adult Academic Program at the Winnetka Learning Center in New Hope, Minnesota.

Theofficehascon-tinueditsSpiritual

AssemblySpecialVisitprogram,whichinvitesLocalSpiritualAs-sembliestoWilmette,enablingmemberstofamiliarizethemselveswiththeresourcesattheBahá’íNationalCenterandtosharequestions,comments,orsuggestionsdirectlywiththeNationalAs-semblyand itsoffices.


Office of Community Administration

The Office of Community Administration provides administrative support to the National Spiritual Assembly by offering guidance to Local Spiritual Assemblies and individual believers concerning issues of community functioning and the appli-cation of Bahá’í laws and principles. In cooperation with the Office of Assembly Development, Community Administration plays a key role in training Assemblies through the continuing program of Assembly visits to the Bahá’í National Center and through skill-building conferences for Assembly members, assisting them to better understand and address issues pertaining to Bahá’í law and Bahá’í adminis-tration.

It is a continuing challenge for the Office of Community Administration to pro-vide timely responses to the many telephone calls, letters, and email messages it receives each year. Over the past year, the office received approximately 804 letters (96 less than the previous year) and 5,929 emails (1,257 more than the previous year). These figures, however, do not include the many additional emails that go directly to the office manager and five administrative consultants.

During 2009–10, the National Spiritual Assembly removed the administrative rights of 25 believers and restored the administrative rights of 20 believers. The majority of cases resulting in deprivation involved knowing violations of the Bahá’í mar-riage laws and immorality (primarily, couples choosing to live together without the benefit of marriage). From January 1 to December 31, 2009, there were 118 Bahá’í divorces reported (55 more than the previous year). The number includes divorces where both parties are Bahá’ís and where only one party is a Bahá’í.

In addition, during 2009–10 there were 324 withdrawals (2 more than in the previous year) and 33 reinstatements to Bahá’í membership (2 fewer than in the previous year). There are a number of reasons why people withdraw their member-ship in the Faith. In many cases, they are believers who have not been active in the Faith for many years and have finally decided to write and say that they never really considered themselves to be Bahá’ís. Many state that they have returned to their former religion. Others express the view that they love Bahá’u’lláh but cannot accept His teachings on such matters as homosexuality or the requirement to have the consent of one’s parents to marry. Still others adamantly decline to give a rea-son, insisting that what they choose to believe or not believe is nobody’s business but their own and rebuffing any efforts at further contact with them.

Overthepastyear,theofficereceived

approximately804letters(96lessthanthepreviousyear)and5,929emails(1,257morethanthepreviousyear).

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82

Persian-American Affairs Office

The principal focus of the Persian-American Affairs Office (PAAO) during 2009–10 has been assisting with the speedy and safe transfer of Iranian Bahá’í refugees—who have been living under much harsher circumstances than in recent years—to the Bahá’í community of the United States. This extremely important and some-times delicate process has been continually facilitated through special guidance and instructions from the Universal House of Justice to this National Spiritual Assembly.

Of the over 167,000 enrolled believers composing the U.S. Bahá’í community, nearly 15 percent are Persian-American (25,000 members). Of these, almost 43 percent are refugees who came to the U.S. since 1980—the majority since 2000. In the period covered in this report, it is noteworthy that, despite an increasing influx of Iranian Bahá’í refugees, Bahá’í institutions at the local level have been success-ful in handling the integration of these friends in their Bahá’í communities. Fewer calls for assistance from Local Spiritual Assemblies that could be characterized as emergencies were received by the PAAO during 2009–10 than in previous years.

The task of integrating Persian-Americans into the U.S. Bahá’í community will remain a significant activity as long as the stream of refugees flows in response to dangers threatening the Iranian Bahá’í community. It is, therefore, critical to enlist the full participation of this human resource pool in pursuing the goals of the Five Year Plan. Through such integration, Bahá’í communities have been and will continue to be enriched—though, to be sure, challenges remain.

To facilitate the integration of newly-arrived Bahá’ís from Iran, the PAAO works with other offices and agencies at the Bahá’í National Center. During 2009–10, the office enjoyed close collaborations with the Offices of the Secretary, Assembly Develop-

Despiteanincreas-inginfluxofIra-

nianBahá’írefugees,Bahá’íinstitutionsatthelocallevelhavebeensuccessfulinhan-dlingtheintegrationofthesefriendsintheirBahá’ícommunities.

Bahá’í Institute for Higher Education documents certifications 30

Number of Persian language pages produced for The American Bahá’í 36

Translations 26

Matters of personal status handled 430

Pieces of correspondence 139

Email communications 2455

Telephone calls 2458

ment, Community Administration, and Information Technology in setting up new arrangements for the integra-tion of Iranian believers in the U.S. in response to the adverse conditions prevailing in the Cradle of the Faith.

In the past year, this office has as-sisted individuals, refugee organiza-tions, and transit countries’ National Spiritual Assemblies by providing documentation of personal status, such as marriage and Bahá’í member-ship confirmations.

Introduction of Iranian believers for marriage and visits or transfers to the

Activities, 2009–2010


United States have continued, as in previous years, through the Office of Persian and Arab Affairs, which operates under the aegis of the Universal House of Justice.

The PAAO continued during 2009–10 to be responsible for translating the National Spiritual Assembly’s Feast messages for their eventual posting on the national Ad-ministrative Website. It also translated various documents and pieces of correspon-dence from, or into, Persian for a variety of offices. This included the text of the Office of the Treasurer’s monthly Treasurer’s Notes and translation of documents for individual Bahá’ís. Other such translations undertaken included instructions for the election of the Regional Bahá’í Councils.

The PAAO continued to certify the transcripts of former Bahá’í Institute for Higher Education (BIHE) graduates. At this writing, this included certifications for 30 BIHE graduates. These graduates are considered valuable assets to the integration process, as they are well versed in Persian language and culture and are active in the universities’ graduate schools and in Bahá’í community life.

The PAAO assists with the review of articles for TheAmericanBahá’í and pre-pares six Persian pages for each issue—together with similar content for the cor-responding online edition of the journal.

This year the PAAO found it necessary—owing to a reduction in staff and its need to be extremely focused on the needs of newly-arrived refugees—to discontinue assisting in the activities of the ‘Irfán Colloquium and the Association of Friends of Persian Culture (AFPC).

Although the PAAO is no longer collecting subscriptions for Payám-i-Bahá’í—a Bahá’í magazine in Persian, published in France and distributed worldwide—it has continued to assist inquirers and former subscribers, as well as the agencies responsible for collecting the subscriptions and for distributing this much appreci-ated Persian publication.

During 2009–10, the task of monitoring the Persian media—which was carried out by the PAAO for a number of years—was transferred to another entity which oper-ates from outside the Bahá’í National Center.

The PAAO has also continued to assist the secretariat of the Persian Reviewing Panel, appointed by the Universal House of Justice to review manuscripts in Per-sian before their publication.

GraduatesoftheBahá’íInstitutefor

HigherEducationareconsideredvaluableas-setstotheintegrationprocess,astheyarewellversedinPersianlanguageandcul-tureandareactiveinuniversities’graduateschoolsandinBahá’ícommunitylife.

85Education

Education85 ...Office of Education and Schools

90 ...Bosch Bahá’í School

92 ...Green Acre Bahá’í School

94 ...Louhelen Bahá’í School

96 ...Native American Bahá’í Institute

98 ...Wilmette Institute

Office of Education And Schools

The Office of Education and Schools (OES) coordinates and supervises the work of the three permanent Bahá’í schools—Bosch, Green Acre, and Louhelen Bahá’í Schools—29 Bahá’í school committees, the Wilmette Institute, and the Native American Bahá’í Institute (NABI). In addition, the OES coordinates recruitment and application processes for the Bahá’í Youth Service Corps at the permanent schools and at NABI.

Direct support in achieving Five Year Plan objectives

During 2009–10, the national Bahá’í schools, ever cognizant of the role assigned to them by the beloved Guardian, Shoghi Effendi, as “a vital and inseparable part of any teaching campaign,” as well as of their mission—conferred by the National Spiritual Assembly—to provide support in achieving the goals of the Five Year Plan, continued to realign and revise their programs of study.

As part of these efforts, the schools collaborated closely with regional Bahá’í agencies and institutions to develop programs meeting the needs of the communi-ties they serve. Curricula built on these practical realities aided the schools to be effective in generating understanding and enthusiasm for the Plan, thus fulfilling their role in “the divine work of bringing forth jewels from the mine of humanity.” In addition, members of these same agencies and institutions provided valuable insights into school committee appointments and supported school sessions with their presence and full participation.

The primary resource used in designing courses at the schools was the compila-tion TurningPoint:SelectedMessagesoftheUniversalHouseofJusticeandSupplementaryMaterial1996–2001, which presents the fundamental concepts of the current Five Year Plan, the annual education theme for the schools. In ad-dition, intensive and refresher Ruhi training courses were organized to meet the vital needs of children’s class teachers and junior youth group animators in various regions.

Encouraging participation of children, junior youth, and youth

Developments over the past year—as seen in the anecdotes that follow—suggest a positive trend in the involvement of youth and junior youth in the programs offered by the national Bahá’í schools, as the numbers of both groups attending continued to rise:

• One school welcomed 15 individuals from the local community of interest, in-cluding 13 children and youths from a cluster’s children’s class and junior youth project.

• At the close of one summer school, a youth who completed Ruhi Book 1 with her Bahá’í high school teacher told her, “I’m going home to write a letter to my mother explaining why I want to be a Bahá’í!”

Theschoolscollaboratedcloselywithregional

Bahá’íagenciesandinstitu-tionstodevelopprogramsmeetingtheneedsofthecom-munitiestheyserve.Curriculabuiltonthesepracticalre-alitiesaidedtheschoolstobeeffectiveingeneratingunder-standingandenthusiasmforthePlan.

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• A parent commented, “I attended the session primarily for my children, who are nine years old. I wanted to strengthen their identities as Bahá’í children and help them see that they are not isolated, that there are other children who be-lieve and feel as they do, and practice some of the same things our family does. This summer school more than helped me to accomplish this. Though one child continues to see herself as both Christian and Bahá’í (because of her grandpar-ents), the other twin firmly declared, ‘I’m a Bahá’í!’”

• One teacher stated she was amazed at the depth of understanding of the 9– to 11-year-olds: that they were able to relate easily to the material presented on the Five Year Plan.

• Two young adults from an “A” cluster facilitated a dynamic six-day course based on TheSpiritofFaith—part of a pre-publication curriculum for junior youth from the Ruhi Institute—and 45 junior youths attended. One participant remarked, “My instructors were fun and my friends, while still keeping us on track. I’m not a Bahá’í, but I am sure to declare, and when I do it will be here!”

• During a Junior Youth Weekend held in October, the program was enhanced when a member of the Continental Board of Counselors took time from a con-current session on the Five Year Plan to address this unique age group.

• One well-received tutorial on junior youth groups addressed the immediate and real concerns of a group of animators-in-training, with practical advice and ideas to assist the trainees in developing their confidence to return home and engage in this fourth core activity.

Parents who wished to enhance the spiritual identity of their children and who themselves attended Bahá’í schools as children were particularly enthusiastic about family sessions.

A still-greater potential exists for launching youth programs in collaboration with the Faith’s various institutions. The schools have responded to requests to host cluster-related activities, like training for junior youth group animators, in order to foster unity and cohesion and spark the youths’ full participation in cluster and core activities. Attendees are continually encouraged to take their acquired knowl-edge and training back to their home communities.

Strategic programs through collaboration and coherent action

The expansion and refinement of institutional collaboration continued to be one of the key areas of development and learning within the schools and institutes during 2009–10. Two additional anecdotes illustrate how this esprit de corps was critical in developing coherent and integrated programs in the institutions and in clusters:

• Assembly members in three clusters located near a school were invited to meet with a member of the Continental Board of Counselors while a school program that had attracted 230 participants was in progress. An Auxiliary Board member commented that the program “helped us all get a greater understanding of how we each participate in the unfolding Divine Plan at this hour.”

• Continuing collaboration with the Regional Bahá’í Council and Auxiliary Board members at one school has resulted in the development of a plan to carry out follow-up to the summer Junior Youth Institute. Goals were set to increase the number of junior youth becoming active participants in their clusters. Important to this goal will be ensuring that each junior youth’s Cluster Institute Coordina-tor knows in advance that she or he will be attending the institute. Encourage-

Theschoolshavere-spondedtorequests

tohostcluster-relatedactivities,liketrainingforjunioryouthgroupanimators,inordertofosterunityandcohe-sionandsparktheyouths’fullparticipa-tioninclusterandcoreactivities.Attendeesarecontinuallyencouragedtotaketheiracquiredknowledgeand train-ingbacktotheirhomecommunities.

87Education

ment will also be needed from both institutions calling on every junior youth to participate in cluster reflection meetings and core activities.

Other sessions have become catalysts to assist regions in better meeting the requirements of the current Five Year Plan, at the same time drawing large numbers of Bahá’ís and seekers—often resulting in several declarations. Programs are focused on sustainable core activities, empowering new believers to become active participants in their maintenance and success. Training at the schools often includes opportunities to practice acts of service, through hosting devotional gatherings, teaching children’s classes, and practicing the sharing of the Faith’s fundamentals. The number of individuals coming forward and pledging support for the Plan continues to grow as “all find a part to play.” Clusters have reported transformation, improved understanding of the Plan, and increased support of the core activities in individuals and families who attend the schools’ programs.

Emphasis on an outward-looking orientation

Highly encouraging during 2009–10 was a notable increase in the number of seekers and new believers attending each of the schools and institutes. By offering courses designed to present a Bahá’í perspective on some of the social issues that are baffling humanity, the schools are responding to an exciting opportunity to speak to the larger community in a manner increasingly capturing their attention.

The number of non-Bahá’ís attending the seasonal schools nearly doubled this year to over 220 (about five percent of total attendees). Many school commit-tees received comments that the session was an especially positive experience for the youth and the community. One mother, who soon afterwards embraced the Faith, said that her family “had been reborn” through their participation. At least 20 declarations of faith were reported at summer schools, including the declara-tion of a Japanese student in Arkansas, who found the Texas Bahá’í school online and, without knowing a soul, drove seven hours to attend, making a declaration of faith the last day of the school session.

Programs at all the schools and institutes, such as “Interfaith Weekends” and an annual race unity session, inspire participation of like-minded individuals and organizations outside the Faith. Their consistent friendship reflects on the schools’ steadfast avoidance of making distinctions between Bahá’ís and non-Bahá’ís. “What stands out to me most is the spirit of inclusiveness,” remarked one woman who, after being asked to organize a program at one of the schools, embraced the Faith.

Non-Bahá’í organizations and groups increasingly seek to use the campuses, citing a mysterious quality of spirituality and service as attractive features of the schools. Once there, guests often ask to learn about the Faith, demonstrating the effective-ness of opening the campuses for outside use as a means of building a community of interest.

Learning to evolve and flourish

The Office of Education and Schools is eager to implement the annual theme for the 2010 school sessions and to utilize the Teacher’sToolbox annual theme les-sons drawn from Universal House of Justice member Paul Lample’s book Revela-tion&SocialReality. The schools will strive to ensure that participants in all sessions learn how to “translate what is written into reality” through their en-gagement in a cycle of learning that revolves around study, consultation, action, reflection on action, and application. Personal experience and practice will be key elements in this new approach to learning.

Thenumberofnon-Bahá’ísattending

theseasonalschoolsnearlydoubledtoover220(aboutfiveper-centoftotalattendees).Manyschoolcommit-teesreceivedcommentsthat thesessionwasanespeciallypositiveex-periencefortheyouthandthecommunity.

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The national Bahá’í schools and institutes are firmly committed to the global vi-sion of the Universal House of Justice and the unifying directives of the National Spiritual Assembly. To become increasingly better explicators and champions of the successive stages of the Divine Plan for the entire American Bahá’í community is the primary goal of all of the schools and institutes under this office’s management.

Bahá’í Youth Service Corps

During 2009–10, the Office of Education and Schools responded to a total of 138 offers from volunteers proposing terms of service ranging from a few weeks to a full year. Once again, valued enhancement of the schools’ activities came from an international contingent of youth representing 16 countries, including: Brazil, Cameroon, Canada, Denmark, England, Ethiopia, France, Germany, Hawaii, Kenya, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Mexico, Portugal, Trinidad, and South Africa.

Despite the difficulties brought on by a world economic downturn that has forced many youths to seek gainful employment—as well as by the denial of visas for international applicants—for the first time in several years all volunteer slots were filled in the critical summer months when school programming is at its height.

Localclustersbenefitedmuchfrom

youthvolunteersup-port.Volunteersactedaschildren’sclassteachersandjunioryouthgroupanimators,participatedinlocalteachingefforts,andtookpartintheinsti-tutetrainingprocess—bothasparticipantsandtutors.

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Beyond their service to the schools, Bahá’í Youth Service Corps volunteers contin-ued to devote time to the support of core activities, while actively pursuing indi-vidually their completion of the full sequence of courses in the Ruhi curriculum.

Local clusters benefited much from youth volunteer support. Volunteers acted as children’s class teachers and junior youth group animators, participated in local teaching efforts, and took part in the institute training process—both as partici-pants and tutors. At Bosch and Louhelen Bahá’í Schools, the number of children attending classes in nearby Bahá’í communities was bolstered by the work of youths who engaged in outreach to parents in local apartment complexes. NABI volunteers initiated efforts to train local Native youths as animators for “sustain-able junior youth groups,” thus increasing the number of active groups and the number of declarations by Native youths. Green Acre youths were involved in one event that provided an opportunity to make presentations on the Faith to 80 local seventh-graders.

One final note: The year 2009–10 also marked the departure of Mrs. Nancy Davis, Coordinator of the Office of Education and Schools, who for over a decade pro-vided excellent and invaluable service to the National Spiritual Assembly and to the families and children attending the schools. She will continue contributing to the education of children as Principal of a Montessori school in Oklahoma.

Tobecomeincreasingly

betterexplicatorsandchampionsofthesuccessivestagesoftheDivinePlanfortheentireAmericanBahá’ícommunityistheprimarygoalofalloftheschoolsandinstitutes.

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Bosch Bahá’í School, Santa Cruz, California

Building on two years’ continuous endeavor to develop programs of study in consonance with the requirements of the Five Year Plan, the year 2009–10 at Bosch Bahá’í School has been marked by advancements in the realization of this aim. From children’s sessions to adult classes, studies of the Writings and history to seminars on health and on marriage, Bosch benefited throughout the year from the concerted efforts of teachers and session coordinators determined to connect their offerings to the needs of the Plan. Moreover, under the leadership of Auxil-iary Board members and regional institutions, there was a noticeable increase in use of Bosch as a venue for the training of individuals and institution members to better serve their clusters.

One outstanding example of this closer relationship between the school and needs at the cluster level came in August, when the secretary of the Regional Bahá’í Council of the Southwestern States approached Bosch with a suggestion that the school host a new type of training directed at “B”-stage clusters facing challenges in retaining new believers. The audience for the training would be members of Local Spiritual Assemblies as well as cluster coordinating bodies. Emerging from these discussions was a class focused on empowering new believers to become active participants in the maintenance and success of core activities. The course was well received and its success is attributable to the support of the Regional Council and Auxiliary Board members, who not only participated in planning and implementing the training, but also in directly promoting the session to cluster agencies. Bosch looks forward to sustaining this precious relationship with these institutions and remains committed to supporting their efforts to mobilize activity in the region.

The desire to shape summer youth programs to better serve the needs of the Plan motivated yet another success. While Youth Institute weeks have always been ex-

WhileYouthInsti-tuteweekshave

alwaysbeenextremelypopular,the“outward-lookingorientation”enjoinedonusbytheUniversalHouseofJusticesuggestedex-tendingtheappealoftheseinspiringweekstothefriendsofBahá’íyouth.

tremely popular, the “outward-looking orientation” enjoined on us by the Universal House of Justice suggested extending the appeal of these inspiring weeks to the friends of Bahá’í youth who have been attending Bosch for years. Youths registering for the Insti-tute were therefore encouraged to bring along a non-Bahá’í friend whom they had been teaching the Faith. In one instance, a young woman was invited to Bosch by her Bahá’í schoolmate. On the final day of the Institute, she stood in front of the entire assemblage of youth, cabin counselors, teachers,

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and staff with tears in her eyes, proclaiming this to have been the most significant week of her life. She then declared that the spirit among the Bahá’ís in attendance was stronger and more authentic than at any of the other religious camps she had attended. We can no longer imagine these institutes without the significant contribution of these friends, and we look forward to improving on this model of youth programming each summer.

Though proud of these successes marked by institutional and individual partici-pation, Bosch maintains a posture of learning. At the request of the National Spiritual Assembly, the school is exploring ways to familiarize attendees of Bosch sessions with the importance and unique nature of the Bahá’í electoral process. In one instance, a brief period during weekend programs was set aside for con-sultation on and study of the March 25, 2007 letter from the Universal House of Justice, resulting in thoughtful discussions and encouraging many of those in attendance to share the materials with their home communities. An April three-day session at Bosch was set for former House of Justice member Glenford E. Mitchell to conduct an intensive study of both this letter and the entire subject of Bahá’í administration. Later in the year, an entire weekend course will be devoted to the Bahá’í electoral process. Seeker education and new believer consolidation is yet an-other area perennially calling for improvement in programming. During 2009–10, 105 seekers attended programs at Bosch. While only two declarations occurred on campus, Bosch is confident that through reflection and consultation with insti-tutions and course facilitators, the school’s programs will increasingly become a magnet for receptive souls.

Midway through 2009–10, Bosch experienced a significant change in staffing due to the retirement of the school’s long-time registrar and the move of its adminis-trator into a new role at the Bahá’í National Center. While coping with a challeng-ing shortage in staff, the new administrative team and dedicated remaining staff are united in their goal to serve the school’s mission. With the recent hire of the new Registrar and the prospect of a soon-to-be-hired Program Coordinator, Bosch looks ahead to a new year, eager to build upon the last year’s many successes. Above all, Bosch looks forward to assisting Bahá’u’lláh’s servants to translate His revelation into practical measures to affect social change.

Therewasanotice-ableincreaseinuse

ofBoschasavenueforthetrainingofindi-vidualsandinstitutionmemberstobetterservetheirclusters.

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Green Acre Bahá’í School, Eliot, Maine

During 2009–10, Green Acre Bahá’í School continued to support the Five Year Plan, with special attention to expanding its outward-looking orientation and to advancing the spiritual education of children, junior youth, and youth.

Highlights of this year’s Latin American weekend were the work of the Planning Committee and the enthusiasm of its non-Bahá’í participants. Through its two fundraisers at the New York City Bahá’í Center, the committee mobilized almost 30 participants from the New York/New Jersey area. Seekers and non-Bahá’ís who were new to the Faith attended a modified Ruhi Book 1 presentation, while the Bahá’ís read and studied recent messages from the Universal House of Justice on the needs of the Five Year Plan. Outgrowths of the weekend were a follow-up pic-nic in Connecticut and—in September—a special one-day workshop at Green Acre.

“People of African Descent” was the theme of a February weekend that attracted 70 participants, including 17 non-Bahá’ís from Ruhi Book 1 study circles situated in New York and New Jersey. Nine children and junior youths participated, a num-ber of them new to the Faith. The adult program included a look at junior youth activities presented by an experienced animator, dynamic devotional gatherings with drumming and music, and an innovative Saturday evening of open-mic poet-ry, the spoken word, and music that attracted a number of non-Bahá’í participants from the University of New Hampshire (UNH), the Seacoast Branch of the NAACP, and the Seacoast African-American Cultural Center. The program also attracted the participation of the Vice-Provost for Diversity at UNH and local author Royaline Edwards. To our delight, an African-American study circle member was moved to declare his faith in Bahá’u’lláh.

Our annual full-scholarship program for children ages 4–14 engaged over 50 children—together with their families—in learning how to teach the Faith. Utiliz-ing the “home visit” themes from Ruhi Book 2, children prepared presentations on these Bahá’í beliefs, made teaching booklets to help them teach others, and even practiced their teaching skills. Junior youths, for example, taught two classes of younger children a passage from the Bahá’í writings and directed them in skits portraying the concept of the equality of women and men. A wonderful spirit of enthusiastic participation obtained. One junior youth said she had not been inter-ested in teaching children before, but had found this such a good experience, she was beginning to think she might really like to enter this field of service!

In January, Green Acre received instructions from the National Spiritual Assembly to “include sessions on the nature and significance of Bahá’í elections, with focus on the March 25, 2007 letter from the Universal House of Justice … at every ses-sion, as well as offering one or more full courses on this subject.” When scheduled, the requested sessions have been offered to all attendees as an optional Saturday-evening activity. On both occasions thus far, a majority of course participants have attended (including one who was not a Bahá’í). Participants are led through

Ourannualfull-scholarshippro-

gramforchildrenages4–14engagedover50children—togetherwiththeirfamilies—inlearninghowtoteachtheFaith.Childrenpreparedpresenta-tionsonBahá’íbeliefs.JunioryouthstaughttwoclassesofyoungerchildrenapassagefromtheBahá’íwritingsanddirectedtheminskits.

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a Ruhi-style examination of the March 25, 2007 letter. Study guide questions prepared in advance are used to check comprehension and as the basis of group discussion. Participants have found the session interesting, and several have asked for copies of the letter and the study guide questions with the intention of deep-ening on the subject in their home communities. On February 26–28, Green Acre offered a course on this and related themes, entitled “Nucleus and Pattern of the New World Order.”

The school offered two youth institutes during 2009–10, as well as the regular Badasht Youth Academy. Following their study of TheDawn-Breakers as part of the Academy experience, about 15 youths offered three weeks of service as travel-ing teachers in the New York City, Westchester County, and Long Island clusters. Using the Summer 2009 Teacher’sToolbox curriculum, youth guests attending Green Acre’s day programs also focused on the Five Year Plan, providing them with remarkable new insights and resulting in their written commitments to be involved in one or more of the core activities of the Plan.

The school’s Youth Service Corps volunteers continued to study and teach together and have completed Ruhi Books 3 and 5. They are about to begin junior youth group activities with local non-Bahá’í junior youths and have been energized in their support of the Five Year Plan core activities by their recent participation in the annual Northeast Bahá’í Youth (NEBY) conference.

Junior youth activities at Green Acre have included two Badasht Prep weekend sessions and a weeklong Junior Youth Institute in the summer. Forty-three youths consulted with the local Cluster Institute Coordinator (CIC) and with their facilita-tors, then made written pledges to participate in junior youth activities in their individual clusters. Pledges from the Northeastern youth were forwarded to each junior youth’s respective CIC. To expand such activities, Green Acre will need to train more youths to serve as counselors and facilitators.

The school’s children’s program continued to flourish—particularly during full-week summer and winter school sessions, when the number of attendees swells, as families come to refresh their spirits in Green Acre’s special atmosphere. Some of the children openly express their preference for a Green Acre experience over Disney World and look forward every year to being a part of a fun-filled, dynamic learning community.

As Green Acre expands its facilities to accommodate more guests, the school is very grateful for the progress that has been made in constructing new buildings—a new staff apartment building (completed in June 2009) and a new guest-housing building with 40 beds (estimated to be complete by July 2010), together with a library-archives building, a new main office, and a youth center.

During the calendar year 2009, 129 seekers and non-Bahá’ís registered for courses at Green Acre, an increase of 38 percent over the previous year. Despite the down-turn in the economy, Green Acre’s attendance grew by five percent during the same period.

Green Acre’s administrators, staff, and volunteers all give humble thanks to Bahá’u’lláh for His many blessings throughout the past year, offering prayers that 2010 will bring even greater confirmations as the worldwide Bahá’í community strives to fulfill each and every goal of the Five Year Plan.

AsGreenAcreex-pandsitsfacilities

toaccommodatemoreguests,theschoolisverygratefulfortheprogressthathasbeenmadeinconstructingnewbuildings.

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Louhelen Bahá’í School, Davison, Michigan

In keeping with its continuing efforts to align the school’s programs with the goals and objectives of the current Five Year Plan, Louhelen Bahá’í School during 2009–10 focused on three key areas of development:

• Fostering increased participation of youth in the school’s programs and in Five Year Plan activities in their home communities and clusters

• Seeking greater collaboration with institutions of the Faith

• Increasing the number of Louhelen programs directly supporting the Plan

After continuous learning and reflection on these goals, Louhelen offers the fol-lowing report.

Youth in the forefront of activity

Collaboration with the Cluster Institute Coordinator (CIC) and local community helped put the Louhelen Bahá’í Youth Service Corps (BYSC) in the forefront of activity both at the school and in the community at large. Participation in the institute training process and advancement of the local cluster were encouraged through the BYSC Education Program. Last year, the cluster doubled its roster of tutors through participation in Study-Circle-Within-A-Study-Circle. Upon reflec-tion with the CIC, the school administration, and the community, it was observed that more youths were coming to Louhelen fully trained in the institute process. Therefore, during 2009–10, the BYSC expanded its activities to include “Core Activities Night.” One evening per week is designated for participation in study circles, preparation for neighborhood children’s classes, junior youth groups, and devotional gatherings to be shared that week. As a result, community members with BYSC support increased teaching activities and established a children’s class and two junior youth groups in Flint, Michigan.

BYSC members continue individually to progress through the full sequence of Ruhi courses and to incorporate the arts into core activities. These activities were featured in articles in TheAmericanBahá’í and through videos on YouTube and in social action projects during the year. The youths return home better equipped to both support and enhance the core activities in their clusters.

Louhelen schedules three junior youth sessions per year. These sessions tradition-ally “assist junior youth to navigate through a crucial stage in their lives.” During 2009–10, Louhelen offered programs supporting efforts in the field to strengthen junior youth groups in clusters and to increase their numbers. “Establishing the Support of Junior Youth Groups”—supported by the coordinator of the national Junior Youth Desk and attended by members of cluster agencies—reflected on the elements required in a community to build confidence in establishing junior youth groups. This program will continue to be offered as a cornerstone in support of cluster activity. Offered simultaneously was a study of Ruhi Book 5, Releasing

Withmoreyouthscomingto

Louhelenfullytrainedintheinstitutepro-cess,theBahá’íYouthServiceCorpsexpandeditsactivitiestoinclude“CoreActivitiesNight.”

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thePowerofJuniorYouth, in which 19 participants from six communities were trained as animators. A second training sponsored by the cluster was held in the winter.

In October, Louhelen launched a new college weekend: “The Five Year Plan on Campus + Bahá’í Scholarship = How to Change the World.” Sponsored by the Regional Bahá’í Council of the Central States and the Association for Bahá’í Stud-ies Committee, this session focused on Bahá’í scholarship and public discourse. Eighteen college students responded through their college clubs to the electronic registration system invitation and social networks. The response to the invitation and to the program was so favorable that the Regional Bahá’í Council requested an opportunity to learn Louhelen’s methods for contacting youth.

In November, Alegria (MI-8), the cluster surrounding Louhelen, was elevated by the Regional Bahá’í Council to the “B” stage of development in consequence of an in-crease in tutors and core activities. This movement was achieved, in part, through the collaboration of community members and the BYSC.

Collaboration with institutions

Continued consultation with members of the Continental Board of Counselors and their Auxiliary Boards and assistants, the Regional Bahá’í Council, the Regional Training Institute, and the Regional Cluster Coordinator resulted in closer and deeper collaboration. Each of these institutions held one or two sessions this year supporting the objectives of the Plan, assisting community members’ understand-ing of junior youth groups, strengthening cluster agency functions, providing for tutor reflection, and training community members in the Seeker Response System.

Programs supporting the Plan

The Bahá’í community surrounding Louhelen is busy with activities centered on expansion and consolidation. In response to community requests, three “Friendship Days” were launched to attract participants within a 100-mile radius of the school. These one-day sessions were designed to introduce family, friends, and co-workers to the Faith, the arts, and Bahá’í community life. The visual arts day brought art-ists and over 40 participants together to learn how to enhance their core activities through the arts and to employ the arts as portals to teaching efforts. Many new faces came for a day of fellowship and unity.

The National Spiritual Assembly instructed the permanent schools to include sessions on the nature and significance of Bahá’í elections, with a focus on the March 25, 2007 letter from the Universal House of Justice. Louhelen provided a mini-lesson at each session on the Bahá’í electoral process. In the first of these mini-lessons, 38 participants from the “Celebrating Marriage” session read and shared insights from the letter. The friends agreed to carry back to their communi-ties a summons to greater participation in Bahá’í elections as a sacred duty. A full weekend session was planned for April.

Family and Friends sessions continue to highlight the key elements of the Plan and to teach the importance of offering additional courses on family life and sto-rytelling. Courses on such topics as marriage, spiritual parenting, the role of grand-parents, and on centering family life on cluster activities are well received and help to strengthen our communities. Storytelling about the history of early believers inspires the friends to fulfill their spiritual destiny. The friends often remark that family sessions at Louhelen give them a spiritual boost and a stronger sense of Bahá’í community life.

FamilyandFriendssessionscontinueto

highlightthekeyele-mentsofthePlanandtoteachtheimportanceofofferingadditionalcoursesonfamilylifeandstorytelling.

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Native American Bahá’í Institute, Houck, Arizona

The year 2009–10 witnessed increased growth in the work in and around the Native American Bahá’í Institute (NABI) to further the two essential movements of the Five Year Plan among our Native populations. To advance elements of the Plan, NABI maintained an undistracted focus on the development of youth, junior youth, and children’s programs.

NABI hosted the Elizabeth Dahe Summer Youth Institute for training in Ruhi sequence skills, storytelling, and cultural coherence. Later, five youths studied Ruhi Book 2, which inspired them to begin a program of outreach to the community through service. They organized Feasts and cluster reflection meetings, raised funds to host youth dances, organized a Halloween party, and helped open the Mexican Springs community playground. Based on bonds built at the playground dedication, these same youths returned to initiate a Ruhi Book 1 study circle with local youths, who will eventually be encouraged take on the role of junior youth group animators. In addition, four other Native youths are now serving as anima-tors.

NABI’scurrentgoalistorebuildthe

Institute’sjunioryouthprogrambyfocusingonasingletownandraisingupanimatorsinthattown.

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In June, 10 youths attended a Book 5 intensive training in Phoenix. Thereafter, two NABI youth volunteers received youth coordinator training in Los Angeles and in the Triangle (Raleigh, Durham, and Chapel Hill, North Carolina) clusters. Upon their return, they offered a Book 5 training for NABI’s Winter Youth Academy through which seven youths were trained. Those who had received the coordina-tor training attended a national coherence seminar in Phoenix in January, which resulted in reevaluation of the junior youth program and the implementation of a new vision for systematizing experimentation and learning. NABI’s current goal is to rebuild the Institute’s junior youth program by focusing on a single town and raising up animators in that town. The junior youth program was presented to a youth group at a local meeting house where youths and adults expressed enthusi-asm and interest in serving as junior youth group animators.

NABI also hosted a summer junior youth camp during 2009–10 with seven junior youths in attendance. One local Native youth came back to take over a previously formed junior youth group. Seven others participated in animator training, and, as a result, the quality of a junior youth group in Sanders increased. It has continued to bring in new members, expanding from two to eight, and recently hosted a community service project to benefit the needy in Haiti.

A number of children’s classes are hosted regularly and consistently in numerous locations throughout the community, with the majority of pupils from non-Bahá’í families. A number of instructors are adult and youth Navajo Bahá’ís. The families involved understand and appreciate that Bahá’ís are providing spiritual and moral education for their children. As a result, trust in Bahá’ís has increased. The children benefit from working in small groups, where their knowledge of the Faith and its Central Figures, artistic expression, and memorization of prayers and writings are supported and encouraged, and the development of their overall education in the area of expression, communication, memorization, and writing are enhanced. Volunteers of all backgrounds are welcomed and appreciated by the children and their families.

The participation of seekers has increased in other Five Year Plan core activities in over 20 communities, especially devotional gatherings and study circles. Seeker involvement averages 150–250 quarterly, and NABI regularly has youth and adult enrollments along with regular children’s or junior youth registrations. Nearly 100 percent of these individuals stay involved in the core activities.

There has been an increase in understanding in the community surrounding NABI about intensive programs of growth and participation in cluster reflection meet-ings, and a growing coherence between the Institute’s participants and social action in the community. Stressing the development of service skills in all core activities has resulted in over 26 different social action projects this year, some ad-dressing such basic needs as water and roads, others supporting families in mourn-ing and those recovering from catastrophes—or helping to celebrate graduations, weddings, and unique cultural events like “Blessingway” or “Baby’s First Laugh.”

NABI’s success this year is due in part to four new and veteran homefront pioneers, as well as several young adult Navajos who “returned home” to serve the institute training process. This represents a shift from the pattern of trained Navajo youth tutors leaving to attend college or seek employment in the city.

NABIregularlyhasyouthandadult

enrollmentsalongwithregularchildren’sorjunioryouthregistra-tions.Nearly100per-centoftheseindividu-alsstayinvolvedinthecoreactivities.

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Wilmette Institute

Mission

The Wilmette Institute was established in 1995 to offer quality courses on the Bahá’í Faith. The Institute is committed to engaging a broad and diverse communi-ty of learners in deep study of the Faith and to fostering love for study of the Faith.

Online courses

During 2009–10, the Wilmette Institute offered 17 online courses, all designed to foster a culture of learning in the Bahá’í community:

• Five of the 17 courses focused on the writings of Bahá’u’lláh, ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, or Shoghi Effendi, strengthening the ability of Bahá’ís to study the authorita-tive texts. “How to Study the Bahá’í Writings” aimed at providing Bahá’ís with specific skills in reading and explaining Bahá’í authoritative texts to others.

• Five courses helped Bahá’ís to study other religions and relate them to the Faith.

• Courses on TheWorldOrderofBahá’u’lláh:SelectedLetters and CenturyofLight reflected recent study priorities of the Universal House of Justice.

• “Sustainable Development and the Prosperity of Humankind” was run in collab-oration with staff at the National Spiritual Assembly’s Office of External Affairs and was designed to provide Bahá’ís with information and skills to participate in social action and in discourse about the needs of society.

• The 17 courses attracted 447 students, 25 percent more than last year’s 19 courses. An average of 26 students participated, the highest number we have ever had, reflecting the impact of the new registration system.

• Students—totaling 125, 12 percent more than last year—came from 31 countries outside the United States.

• A significant number of Institute students are Ruhi tutors or have taken Ruhi courses. Many are using information gained from participation in Wilmette Institute courses in their classes.

Upgrading quality

During 2009–10, we revised the course template to make the course Web pages easier to understand; set new standards for reading assignments; developed new faculty training materials and new standards for mentoring students; wrote a policy for handling conflicts among faculty; and revised the list of faculty respon-sibilities.

On November 11, a new registration system using a commercial software package went live. Its attractive invitations, sent to a much wider audience, doubled course

WilmetteInstitutestudentshave

usedcourseinforma-tiontoenhanceeffortsatsustainabledevelop-mentintheirareas;proclaimtheFaithtoChristians,Muslims,andChinesepeople;explainthewritingsofBahá’u’lláhtofriendsandseekersalike;clarifypointsofBahá’íhistoryinRuhiBook4classes;enrichtheirchildren’sandyouthclasses;readtheBahá’íwritingswithgreaterclarityanddepth;transformthemselvesasaresultofagreaterunderstandingofthehumancondition;andpursuenewavenuesofBahá’íscholarshipandwriting.

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registrations overnight. The need for additional faculty to deal with the larger course sizes resulted in our recruiting five new instructors and reactivating several previous instructors.

Publicity and marketing

The Institute’s e-newsletter continued to improve. Each article and course descrip-tion appears in the newsletter with a short teaser and an invitation to the user to click through to a longer version. We consistently focus on the many ways in which students use Wilmette Institute courses in service to the Five Year Plan.

Service to the Five Year Plan and to the Bahá’í community

The Wilmette Institute continues to provide valuable support for the Five Year Plan and its core activities. Its students have used course information to enhance efforts at sustainable development in their areas; proclaim the Faith to Christians, Mus-lims, and Chinese people; explain the writings of Bahá’u’lláh to friends and seekers alike; clarify points of Bahá’í history in Ruhi Book 4 classes; enrich their children’s and youth classes; read the Bahá’í writings with greater clarity and depth; trans-form themselves as a result of a greater understanding of the human condition;

Anewcourseregistrationand

invitationsystemhelpeddoublecourseregistrationsovernight.

Wilmette Institute online course offerings, 2009–10 Basics Students Groups

The World Order of Bahá’u’lláh: Selected Letters 15 0

Preparing for Interfaith Dialogue 15 1

Bahá’í History, 1863–present 28 1

Christianity and the Bahá’í Faith 30 3

The Bahá’í Faith: A Comprehensive Introduction ✓ 18 2

Qur’án 36 2

Women in the Bahá’í Faith 22 2

The Advent of Divine Justice 10 0

Tablets of Bahá’u’lláh Revealed After the Kitáb-i-Aqdas 11 1

Century of Light 9 0

Mining the Gems: The Development of the Individual 35 2

Sustainable Development and the Prosperity of Humankind

28 2

Chinese Religion for Deepening and Dialogue 31 5

How to Study the Bahá’í Writings ✓ 45 3

Tabernacle of Unity 30 2

Islam for Deepening and Dialogue 51 5

Charters of Faith 33 1

Total 447 34

Basics Students GroupsBasics Students Groups

✓✓

✓✓

and pursue new avenues of Bahá’í scholarship and writing. The Institute con-tinues to explore ways it can create a dynamic coherence of learning, teaching, social action, and dialogue about pressing social problems in order to enhance the Faith’s standing in the world.

101Bahá’íHouseofWorship

Bahá’í House of Worship, Wilmette101 ...House of Worship Activities

Office

103 ...House of Worship MusicDepartment

House of Worship Activities Office

During 2009–10, the Bahá’í House of Worship was again able to open its Visitors’ Center, warmly welcoming a steady stream of guests and inquirers after endur-ing a long year with its doors closed to the public. There was much explaining to do about why the Visitors’ Center had been closed, what had changed, and what else was to come. Visitors were very pleased to again be able to come downstairs, browse in the bookstore, watch videos, gather with friends and family, and con-verse without having to whisper!

The year was full of uplifting devotional services in the Temple Auditorium and remarkable opportunities for teaching the Faith through group tours, one-on-one conversations, and student interviews. The Activities Office continues to strive to ensure its efforts are in consonance with the Five Year Plan, soon to enter its last year, supporting communities in their multiplication of core activities and imple-mentation of the institute training process. Along with daily and special event devotional programs, two Wilmette community members have taken individual ini-tiative in two facets of the core activities. One has begun holding children’s classes in Foundation Hall once a month for children of all ages, and the other will soon start to hold a weekly Ruhi Book 1 study circle in honor of her late husband.

One of the newer features in the Visitors’ Center is the collection of six visual displays on the walls, providing visitors with information about where they are, what the Bahá’í House of Worship is for, and what they can do during their visit. Information is also offered on the meaning of the symbols on the building, on the building’s architect, on the early Bahá’í community, and on Bahá’í administration and community life. A timeline of Bahá’í history is provided. This is information never offered in previous collections of displays and has given visitors who have never before heard of the Faith basic information they can take with them, espe-cially if they are not interested in or comfortable with talking to one of the guides or asking questions. A formal evaluation of these new displays is in progress and is being conducted through visitor observations and interviews and through an online survey which visitors can participate in before they leave.

Renovation of the Cornerstone Room represents another exciting development in progress in the Visitors’ Center. For years, it has served as a quiet place for Bahá’ís to come and find peace, to pray, and to reflect on ‘Abdu’l-Bahá’s visit to the Tem-ple grounds in 1912. It will continue to encourage remembrance of the Master’s visit—but in a completely different way. With a visual history and brief captions, it will teach visitors about the sacredness of this House of Worship, relating the story of the cornerstone and the sacrifices that were made in bringing it to the site, then telling of the many more sacrifices that were made in seeing to it that the Temple was completed. The renovated space will make the story of the Temple accessible to all, as a moving element of Bahá’í history that can be shared with everyone, Bahá’ís and non-Bahá’ís alike.

WithreopeningoftheVisitors’Center,visi-

torswereverypleasedtoagainbeabletocomedownstairs,browseinthebookstore,watchvideos,gatherwithfriendsandfamily,andconversewithouthavingtowhisper!

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In addition to its guiding and teaching efforts and its work in planning and main-taining regular devotions, the Activities Office staff attempts to keep daily, weekly, and monthly statistics of activities, attendance, interest in the Faith, and declara-tions of faith at the Temple.

During 2009–10, there were approximately 180–200,000 visitors to the House of Worship; the figure is not more exact because—owing to the Temple restoration work—the devices normally used to record the number of visitors were unavailable for a portion of the year. Since 1932, it is estimated there have been more than 10 million visitors to the House of Worship.

Some 11 declarations of faith were recorded at the Temple this year, as were 175 group tours involving some 4,465 participants. Interest cards were filled out in English by 150 inquirers and in Spanish by five. Some 73 student requests for interviews were honored and 180 wedding inquiries received a response. Wedding interviews were conducted with 23 couples and 14 weddings took place.

The Activities Office conducted more than 450 devotional services with 13,500 people in attendance.

Finally, volunteers logged more than 7,000 hours of service at the House of Wor-ship this year—generously giving their time to choir performances and rehears-als, guiding, devotions, and to honoring the friends’ requests for prayers in the Temple’s sacred environs.

These statistics are not mere numbers; behind each is a story, interaction, or experience related to teaching the Faith that has, without a doubt, contributed to the growth and development of the Bahá’í community in the vicinity of this sacred spot and throughout the world.

TherenovatedCornerstoneRoom

spacewill make thestoryoftheTempleaccessibletoall,asamovingelementofBahá’íhistorythatcanbesharedwithevery-one,Bahá’ísandnon-Bahá’ísalike.


House of Worship Music Department

The Music Department continues to make great forward strides as it provides increasingly more music in the Bahá’í House of Worship and in the surrounding communities on Chicago’s North Shore. More North Shore residents than ever are becoming aware of the existence of a choir at the House of Worship and are com-ing to understand that the choir is available to sing in other venues.

House of Worship Choir

The House of Worship Choir has, for the past three years, regularly provided sacred a cappella music for the Sunday afternoon devotional services held at the Temple the first three Sundays of each month. Over the past four-and-a-half years, it has gradually grown from approximately 20 singers to 40, with the largest number of new singers joining during 2009. This means that the number of singers for each performance has, on the average, risen from approximately 18 to 30. The choir holds weekly rehearsals at the home of the director and an additional rehearsal at the House of Worship just before the Sunday devotional service. In addition to singing for the regular Sunday afternoon devotionals, the choir sings for Holy Day observances at the House of Worship throughout the year. The choir has also provided music as requested by the National Spiritual Assembly for special obser-vances, memorial services, and programs.

While the choir is principally an a cappella choir, it can also perform with instru-mental accompaniment when it goes out into the community to sing at other ven-ues. Invitations to sing have increasingly come from other churches in the Chicago metropolitan area. While the choir has accepted most of these invitations, it has also been able to send representatives to a few engagements. A few choir members have formed a quartet that has quickly become well known to the local Bahá’í community. The quartet can perform some of the music of the choir but includes secular and popular music in its repertoire. This initiative has provided the choir with greater ability to respond to invitations to perform. Another innovation is the choir’s addition of assistant directors who can fill in when the director of the choir is away.

House of Worship program support

The choir sang for approximately 30 Sunday devotional programs during 2009–10. They also sang for memorial services for Counselors Rebequa Murphy and Eloy Anello and for the special devotionals for the Yárán—the seven wrongfully impris-oned Bahá’í leaders in Iran—and the victims of the catastrophic Haiti earthquake. The choir also performed at the annual conference of the Association of Friends of Persian Culture, held in nearby Schaumburg, Illinois.

Outreach performances

During 2009–10, the choir performed at the following local venues and events:

Overthepastfour-and-a-halfyears,

theHouseofWorshipChoirhasgraduallygrownfromapproxi-mately20singersto40.

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• 115th Anniversary, Mt. Zion Missionary Baptist Church, Evanston, Illinois

• Resurrection Lutheran Church in Franklin Park, Illinois, following a presentation about the Bahá’í Faith to their Teen Group

• Dedication of sculpture “Conversations” in Raymond Park, Evanston, sponsored by Evanston Community Foundation and Friends of the Arts, followed by sing-ing for follow-on program at Lake Street Church

• Opening of West End Market, Evanston, Illinois

• Family Focus Gospel Fest, Evanston, Illinois. The choir Director was also invited to serve on the planning Board for the Annual Gospel Fest

• Christmas Program, Hemingway Methodist Church, Evanston, Illinois

• Interfaith Sunday Service, Glenview Community Church, Glenview, Illinois (per-formance by the quartet Tall Order, primarily composed of choir singers)

The choir or its representatives participated in four Thanksgiving Services during the year:

• Chicago Center for Cultural Connections’ Annual Thanksgiving Observance; second year that the choir Director was asked to sing for this annual service

• Wilmette Interfaith Thanksgiving Service, Trinity United Methodist Church, Wilmette, Illinois

• DuPage Interfaith Resource Network Thanksgiving Service, St. Procopius Abbey, Benedictine University, Lisle, Illinois

TheHouseofWor-ship’sannualCho-

ralFestivalhasbecomeanoteworthyeventonChicago’sNorthShore,attractingthisyeararecordattendanceofover1,000,mostlynon-Bahá’ís.


• Winnetka Interfaith Council Thanksgiving Service, Temple Jeremiah, Northfield, Illinois

The Bahá’í House of Worship Choir was the only non-Unitarian Church choir to be invited for the annual choir festival held at the Unitarian Church of Evanston. This was the fourth year the choir participated and the choir Director was again asked to direct one of the main combined choir songs. The choir’s participation is now expected and welcomed. The church posted the song on YouTube.

Third Annual Bahá’í Choral Festival

The House of Worship’s annual Choral Festival has become a noteworthy event on Chicago’s North Shore, attracting this year a record attendance of over 1,000, mostly non-Bahá’ís. Some 130 singers participated in the four-day Festival, some representing Bahá’í or Bahá’í-inspired choirs—the majority being individual sing-ers gathered from throughout the United States and Canada. For the cluster that includes the Temple and its immediate neighborhood, this year’s Festival also marked the beginning of an expansion phase of its intensive program of growth. Over 10 Chicago publications announced the Festival, and in the pages of the ChicagoTribune the Festival was ranked as the top pick for free concerts in the area. For the first time, the Festival concerts were posted on YouTube and shown four consecutive Mondays in June on 25 suburban cable television outlets. One lo-cal online news outlet designated both the Bahá’í Choral Festival and an interview with the director as Top Stories of the Year, with the largest number of viewings by its audience.

Outside participants

The House of Worship has hosted two choirs in the past year: Shades a cappella choir from Yale University and the choir from Vista Ridge High School in Texas. More groups are contacting the House of Worship Activities Office to request the privilege of singing in the House of Worship.

Participation in programs on a national level

The Music Director participated widely in programs throughout the United States during 2009–10. The primary focus of these visits and the workshops they involved was to encourage music and the arts in local Bahá’í programming. The Director conducted music workshops at the three permanent Bahá’í Schools. In addition, he participated in the Southern Flame Bahá’í School in Florida, the Tennessee Bahá’í School in the Nashville area, and the Blue Bonnet Conference in Austin, Texas. He was asked to conduct the Metropolitan Washington Bahá’í Chorale and friends in song for a program in Washington, D.C., held in honor of the persecuted Bahá’ís in Iran.

TheMusicDirectorparticipatedwidely

inprogramsatper-manentandseasonalBahá’íSchoolsandothereventsthroughouttheUnitedStates.

107

Publishing107 ...Bahá’í Publishing Trust and

Distribution Service

109 ...Bahá’í Media Services

111 ...The AmericanBahá’í

113 ...BrilliantStar

115 ...WorldOrder

Bahá’í Publishing Trust and Distribution Service

The Bahá’í Publishing Trust and Distribution Service remained determined during 2009–10 to improve efficiencies, reduce costs, and to achieve a more balanced output through all three of its publishing imprints. As we near the end of this fiscal year, it is clear that progress is being made on all fronts. Efficiency and cost containment resulted from three areas:

• Changes in how production work is managed and executed

• Improved inventory control

• Utilization of offshore printers when appropriate

Improved balance of the editorial calendar is evidenced by the number of projects coming from each of the three imprints.

A total of 23 new works or new editions were issued by the Publishing Trust under its three imprints. The Bahá’í Publishing Trust (BPT) imprint released nine new works or editions including the Bahá’íWallCalendar, 167 B.E.; Bahá’íDatebook, 167 B.E.; Bahá’íPrayers in new softcover, hardcover, and leather editions; TheBahá’íFaith:AnIntroduction (teaching aid based on Anna’s presentation from Ruhi Book 6) in English-, Spanish-, and Persian-language editions. At this writing, plans are being made to release MessagesfromtheUniversalHouseofJustice,

1986–2001 before the end of this fiscal year.

The Bahá’í Publishing (BP) imprint released 10 new titles: SelectionsfromtheWritingsof‘Abdu’l-Bahá; HeritageofLight:TheSpiritualDestiny

ofAmerica, by Janet A. Khan; IllumineMyWorld:Bahá’íPrayersandMeditationsforPeace, compiled by Bahá’í Publishing;

UnderstandingDeath:TheMostImportantEventofYourLife, by John S. Hatcher; Mind,Heart,&Spirit:Educators

Speak, by Heather Cardin; Marriage:AFortressforWell-Being, by Bahá’í Publishing; Longing:Stories

ofRacialHealing, by Phyllis and Eugene Unter-schuetz; TheFaceofGodAmongUs:How

theCreatorEducatesHumanity, by John S. Hatcher; ChildrenoftheKingdom:A

Bahá’íApproachtoSpiritualPar-enting, by Daun E. Miller; Illumine

MyBeing:Bahá’íPrayersandMeditationsforHealth, by

Bahá’í Publishing.

The Publishing Trust is also pleased to

announce the

Atotalof23newworksorneweditionswereissued

bythePublishingTrustunderitsthreeimprints:Bahá’íPub-lishingTrust,Bahá’íPublish-ing,andBellwoodPress.

is also pleased to is also pleased to announce the announce the

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release of four new publications under the Bellwood Press imprint for children, junior youth, and youth. They are: MemaSaysGood-bye, by Cynthia Jaskwhich and illustrated by Luthando Mazibuko; SomethingImportant, by Patti Tomarelli and illustrated by Wendy Cowper-Thomas; KyleJeffries,Pilgrim, by Gail Radley and illustrated by Taurus Burns; and DiamondsintheRough, by Jenina Lepard.

The Publishing Trust also completed work on 10 reprints that included The Kitáb-i-Íqán; TheSevenValleysandtheFourValleys; GleaningsfromtheWritingsofBahá’u’lláh; SomeAnsweredQuestions; GodPassesBy; Bahá’u’lláhandtheNewEra; IllumineMyHeart; IllumineMySpirit; and PenofGlory.

The Publishing Trust has 21 new projects in development under the Bahá’í Publishing Trust and Bahá’í Publishing imprints and four new projects under the Bellwood Press imprint. Some 12 reprint projects will be under way over the next few months.

The Publishing Trust will continue to focus its acquisitions activities on develop-ing materials that support the goals of the Five Year Plan and on materials that directly support the teaching work.

The Bahá’í Distribution Service (BDS) continues to serve as the distribution arm of the Publishing Trust and the primary distributor for Bahá’í World Center Publica-tions. BDS also provides the majority of product fulfillment to the national Bahá’í schools and provides subscriber services for BrilliantStar, WorldOrder, OneCountry, U.S.Bahá’íNewsreel, and for international subscriptions to TheAmeri-canBahá’í.

During the past year, the Distribution Service provided bookstores to the following three conferences: the Association for Bahá’í Studies Conference held in Washing-ton, D.C.; the Association of Friends of Persian Culture Conference held in Scha-umburg, Illinois; and the Bahá’í Conference on Social and Economic Development held in Orlando, Florida. The Distribution Service processed nearly 10,000 orders this past fiscal year.

The Publishing Trust and Distribution Service will continue to improve efficiencies and reduce costs. During the coming year, particular attention will be focused on increasing sales. To this end, the Publishing Trust has received permission from the National Spiritual Assembly to hire a Marketing Manager whose duties will include the development of customer contact programs, website development and optimi-zation, and market research.

A final note: During 2009–10, Ms. Terry Cassiday, Editorial Manager, passed from this life after a long battle with cancer. Terry served the Publishing Trust for over 20 years. Her rare combination of professional expertise, devotion to the Cause of God, and spiritual radiance are deeply missed by all.

Duringthecomingyear,particularat-

tentionwillbefocusedonincreasingsales.Ac-tivitieswillincludethedevelopmentofcustom-ercontactprograms,websitedevelopmentandoptimization,andmarketresearch.

109Publishing

Bahá’í Media Services

Mission

The primary mission of Bahá’í Media Services in recent years has been to produce the U.S.Bahá’íNewsreel DVD and other special video and audio projects. During 2009–10, the Newsreel was reduced from three annual releases to two.

To more effectively serve new and emerging needs of the National Spiritual As-sembly, Media Services (MS) has launched a number of initiatives and has begun to redefine its mission. Central to these initiatives is a closer collaboration with the National Assembly’s Office of Communications (OOC) and with TheAmericanBahá’í (TAB). The agency has begun to reposition itself to be a primary content provider for TheAmericanBahá’í and for the Assembly’s public website.

Unified agency model

This year, Media Services began to rethink its current operations. Beyond its requirements for occasional collaborations, it has considered what administrative adjustments might be necessary to create a more unified agency model where the human, technical, and financial resources of the two agencies (MS, TAB) and National Assembly office (OOC) can be more effectively used to meet a unified communications goal. The three have already begun to make collaborative pur-chases of software and have conducted regular interagency meetings, participated in interagency training programs on Web-based interactive media production and design, and discussed unified editorial plans.

U.S. Bahá’í Video Library

One of Media Services’ chief accomplishments during 2009–10 was the launching of the U.S. Bahá’í Video Library, an online collection of stories from past editions of the U.S.Bahá’íNewsreel, accessible through the online edition of TheAmeri-canBahá’í.

Visitors to the site can browse through dozens of inspirational video stories on these topics and more:

• Bahá’í basics and history

• Teaching the Faith

• Music and the arts

• Community development

• Family and marriage

• Children, junior youth, and youth

• Equality, unity, and social development

Theagencyhasbeguntoreposition

itselftobeaprimarycontentproviderforThe American Bahá’íandfortheNationalSpiritualAssembly’spublicwebsite.

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• Tributes to people of distinction

The site contains tools for emailing links or social bookmarking links to friends.

It also offers a “comments” section enabling users to share what they think and to post thoughts, comments—even story ideas.

Media Services product output

Activities of Media Services during 2009–10 included:

• Creating an audiovisual tribute to the late Counselor Rebequa Murphy

• Creating two U.S.Bahá’íNewsreels in the fall and spring

• Providing audiovisual support to the Bahá’í National Convention in April

• Producing and posting the new U.S. Bahá’í Video Library

• Creating a marketing component to promote the U.S. Bahá’í Video Library

• Creation of seven special projects designed specifically for the Web

Collaboration with other offices and agencies

During 2009–10, Media Services’ activities also included collaborations with:

• Office of the Treasurer—training developers of the FUNDcast in production techniques

• Office of Assembly Development—development of an interactive, online training program

• Heritage Project asset management—hosting the project and lending it techni-cal and management support

• Bahá’í House of Worship—assisting the Activities Office to help staff become more self-sufficient in fulfilling audiovisual needs, while Media Services contin-ues to provide technical support

Looking ahead

Media Services has begun the process of developing new human resources that can be called on to produce media products as the Bahá’í community moves toward the launching of the next Plan. The agency’s goal is to establish a social network of media peer-producers.

OneofMediaSer-vices’chiefac-

complishmentsdur-ing2009–10wasthelaunchingoftheU.S.Bahá’íVideoLibrary,anonlinecollectionofstoriesfrompastedi-tionsoftheU .S . Bahá’í Newsreel .

Growing usage of the U.S. Bahá’í Video Library August 2009–February 2010

August 2009734 page views Just a few galleries and topics

September 20091,424 page views Minimal site promotion

October 200917,295 page views Promoted site in U.S. Bahá’í Newsreel

February 201018,347 page views Added new features about ‘Abdu’l-Bahá

December 200913,163 page views

January 201010,687 page views Added video from 2008 Regional Conferences

November 200927,176 page views Added new features

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The AmericanBahá’íCloser collaboration with Bahá’í Media Services and with the National Spiritual Assembly’s Office of Communications was an overarching effort for TheAmericanBahá’í in 2009–10, even as work progressed toward an upgrade of the publica-tion’s Web presence and as staff continued developing the bimonthly magazine format that was launched in 2008.

Early fruits of this recent interagency collaboration included a collection of reports on the theme of “Arts in the Five Year Plan.” Various features in that collection were presented in November in TheAmerican Bahá’í printed and online editions (http://tab.usbnc.org), U.S.Bahá’íNewsreel, the new U.S. Bahá’í Video Library and the U.S. Bahá’í public website (www.bahai.us).

At this writing, The AmericanBahá’í continues to work with its sister agency and office on two alterations to previous practices:

• Tightening coordination of newsgathering and publication to ensure mes-sages are consistent among the agencies’ information outlets.

• Building an integrated Web portal that will serve Bahá’í institutions, individuals, seekers, the general public, and media alike. This portal will incorporate an improved Web presence for articles produced by TheAmericanBahá’í, which often will be enriched by video, multimedia, and interactive content.

Discussions related to this work are guided by principles—put forward by the Universal House of Justice—of coherence among the Faith’s efforts in expanding and consolidating its membership, social action, and contributing to the advancement of public discourse on a host of themes addressed by the Bahá’í teachings.

Each issue of the magazine in the past year was organized around a theme centered on the Five Year Plan. In addition to the issue on the arts, those themes dealt with: Bahá’í administration; international and homefront pioneering; building of community and capacity; and junior youth spiritual empower-ment. In addition to major story packages on these themes, both the printed and online editions of TheAmericanBahá’í regularly

Early fruits of this recent interagency collaboration included a collection of reports on the theme of “Arts in the Five Year Plan.” Various features in that collection

printed and online editions , the new U.S. Bahá’í Video Library

continues to work with its sister agency and

dination of newsgathering and publication to ensure mes-

ated Web portal that will serve Bahá’í institutions, individuals, seekers, the general public, and media alike. This portal

dination of newsgathering and publication to ensure mes-

, which often will be enriched by video,

advancement of public discourse on a host of themes

on the arts, those themes dealt with: Bahá’í administration; international and homefront pioneering; building

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contain news and updates of cluster-level activity and learning as well as general news of the national Bahá’í community.

Thus the publication continues to carry out its crucial missions: to disseminate guidance from the Faith’s senior institutions providing focus and direction for our activities, to inspire and encourage the national community to advance the Divine Plan, and to share news of how the friends are acting to further the Cause and to benefit humanity.

The staff of TheAmericanBahá’í cherishes its continuing collaboration with such offices of the National Assembly as the National Teaching Office, Office of the Treasurer, Office of Education and Schools, Office of International Pioneering, and Persian-American Affairs Office; such agencies as the Bahá’í Publishing Trust and Distribution Service and BrilliantStar magazine; and such Bahá’í institutions as the Board of Trustees of Ḥuqúqu’lláh and the Bahá’í World News Service. We are also grateful for regular Spanish translations supplied by the journal’s generous and gifted volunteers.

AplannedintegratedWebportalwillin-

corporateanimprovedWebpresenceforar-ticlesproducedbyThe American Bahá’í, whichoftenwillbeenrichedbyvideo,multimedia,andinteractivecontent.

113Publishing

BrilliantStar

Throughout 2009–10, BrilliantStar continued to support the Five Year Plan and to advance its mission to engage and educate children and junior youth and to nurture their spiritual and moral development. As a creative teaching tool for fami-lies, communities, and classrooms, the magazine’s goals include empowering read-ers and providing them with practical ways to navigate the challenging “tween” years from ages 8–12, a time of significant physical and emotional growth.

BrilliantStar is inspired by the positive response it continually receives from its readers. One parent wrote, “My son and I look forward to every new issue of Bril-liantStar. Each story, game, feature, and cartoon helps us connect and talk about life’s big questions in a fun and lively way.”

After reading BrilliantStar with her granddaughter, another Bahá’í reported, “The stories and the interviews with children across the globe captivated her! She asked me to read … [them] over and over again. … She also provided her own responses to the questions. The awareness that there are Bahá’í children all over the world with noble virtues and love for service will be important in solidifying her identity as a Bahá’í child. I remain ever so thankful to your dedicated staff.”

Our popular “Radiant Stars” feature interviews readers around the world. A mother wrote, “Our son … and all of us were so happy to see him in the BrilliantStar. The finished product was abso-lutely fantastic, and it was such an honor for him to be pub-lished in such a well known and uplifting magazine along with other brilliant children. We can’t thank you enough for all of your service.”

We also receive insights from our international youth advisory group, the Trailblazers. One said, “I like learning about other Bahá’ís like me, and great Bahá’ís that have done great things. … It’s a fun and interesting magazine that … [we] enjoy, and can easily relate to … the many stories.”

This is the fifth year of the Nation-al Spiritual Assembly’s compli-mentary subscription program for registered Bahá’í children in the United States. The National Spiritual As-sembly of the Bahá’ís of the United Arab

. Each story, game, feature, and cartoon helps us connect and talk about

with her granddaughter, another Bahá’í reported, “The stories and the interviews with children across the globe captivated her! She asked me to read … [them] over and over again. … She also provided her own responses

world with noble virtues and love for service will be important in solidifying her identity as a Bahá’í child. I remain ever so thankful to your dedicated

[we] enjoy, and can easily relate to … the

PublishingPublishing

mentary subscription program for registered Bahá’í children in the United States. The

PublishingPublishing

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Emirates has also provided subscriptions for the Bahá’í children in their country for the last few years, noting that parents and kids are “very happy with the content and the quality” of the magazine.

Six issues were released during 2009–10: “Unity in Diversity” (May/June 2009), “Changing the World” (July/August 2009), “Light of Leadership” (September/October 2009), “Exploring the Wonders of Creation” (November/December 2009), “Charting Your Future” (January/February 2010), and “The Heart of Justice” (March/April 2010). Every issue of TheAmericanBahá’í included “BrilliantStar’s Treasure Box,” providing materials supporting the core activities in Bahá’í commu-nities.

Through a dynamic mix of engaging art, stories, activities, history, interviews, and comics, BrilliantStar’s continuing and special features are carefully researched and developed to address a wide range of educational interests and learning styles. The magazine’s consistently excellent quality of graphics, combined with compel-ling editorial content and high production values, garners approval from readers, as well as peers in the publishing industry.

In 2009, the Religion Communicators Council recognized BrilliantStar for the fourth time, this year with a DeRose-Hinkhouse Certificate of Merit for the maga-zine’s November/December 2008 issue, “Seekers of the Light,” which focused on interfaith unity. In the secular arena, BrilliantStar received its third APEX Award of Excellence for achievement in graphic design, editorial content, and overall ef-fectiveness of communication.

The most promising avenue for advancing BrilliantStar’s contributions to the Five Year Plan is the magazine’s interactive website—under construction (at www.brilliantstarmagazine.org). As a result of the national Fund deficit, only minor updates to the site were possible this year. The magazine’s staff remains eager to implement it as a valuable resource for children, parents, and teachers. When com-plete, it will be an educational and visually dynamic resource that complements BrilliantStar’s print publication by offering content suited to online learning.

While BrilliantStar has built a solid editorial and visual foundation, its editors have been seeking to significantly improve the magazine’s diluted capacity for marketing and distribution. In past years, BrilliantStar was distributed in over 80 countries. Recently, the magazine has suffered a loss of subscribers, reaching fewer than 40 countries due to challenges with its subscription fulfillment system, including subscription renewals and bulk ordering. In its advanced stages, BrilliantStar Online would dramatically improve the magazine’s marketing and distribution reach, helping to realize BrilliantStar’s potential as a teaching tool.

When the magazine’s staff reflects on its mission, it is filled with gratitude for the privilege of devoting its skills to sharing Bahá’u’lláh’s inspiring vision for humanity. We look forward to further supporting the Five Year Plan and, in the words of the Universal House of Justice, helping young people “to navigate through a crucial stage of their lives and to become empowered to direct their energies toward the advancement of civilization.”

Throughadynamicmixofengaging

art,stories,activities,history,interviews,andcomics,Brilliant Star’scontinuingandspecialfeaturesarecarefullyresearchedanddevel-opedtoaddressawiderangeofeducationalinterestsandlearningstyles.

115

WorldOrderFrom its first issue in 1966 (Vol. 1, No. 1) through its last print issue (Vol. 38, No. 3), WorldOrder has published on “issues of broad social concern from a Bahá’í perspective,” thereby fulfilling its mandate from the National Spiritual Assembly and providing a vehicle for participating in the discourses of society. The sig-nificant body of literature it has accumulated over some 40 years has supported national teaching plans and external affairs activities; fostered the development of spiritually distinctive communities; provided materials for individual and group deepening; developed and enhanced the intellectual and cultural life of the com-munity; and sought to correlate (as Shoghi Effendi has encouraged Bahá’í scholars to do) the beliefs of the Bahá’í Faith “with the current thoughts and problems of the world” in the areas of religion, society, polity, and the arts.

To effect the evolution of WorldOrder from a subscription print magazine to a more accessible free online magazine, in March 2009 the National Assembly dissolved the Editorial Board. It then appointed a Task Force charged with recom-mending how the future Editorial Board should function; identifying potential Board members and other human resources; thinking through the nature of the website for the online magazine; recommending goals for the first year of the online magazine’s functioning; recommending how the online magazine should be promoted; and preparing budgets.

The Task Force ceased accepting subscriptions on March 31, 2009, and worked with Bahá’í Subscriber Service to refund prorated monies to all subscribers and to inform those receiving complimentary copies about the new direction the maga-zine is taking.

To maintain a presence for WorldOrder during its transition to an online publica-tion, the Task Force has taken a number of steps. On a bimonthly basis, it places informational ads about the magazine’s transition on the periodicals page in TheAmericanBahá’í. It prepared a flier for the delegates’ packets for the 2009 and 2010 Bahá’í National Conventions, and it is building a list of individuals and insti-tutions interested in listserv updates on the transition. It is also considering how social networks can provide a Web pres-ence for the future Editorial Board and the online WorldOrder.

To focus its thinking about the struc-ture of a new Editorial Board, the Task Force has discussed what worked and what did not work on the dissolved Editorial Board. It has also had lengthy discussions with present and past editors of TheBahá’íWorld and the

TheTaskForce’sdiscussionabout

thenatureofawebsitefortheonlineWorld Order hasentailedreviewingdozensofmagazineandjournalsitesanddiscussingissueswithanumberofWebdesignersandindividualsworkingininformationtechnology.

115115

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JournalofBahá’íStudies about the same topic and has studied the mandate and evolution of the Bahá’í Chair for World Peace at the University of Maryland.

The Task Force’s discussion about the nature of a website for the online WorldOrder has entailed reviewing dozens of magazine and journal sites and discuss-ing issues with a number of Web designers and individuals working in information technology. An evolving content model is now being shared with several Web de-signers. The website will highlight the current issue of the magazine and will have links to all past issues; links to past issues still available for sale from the Bahá’í Distribution Service; search functions; author and submissions guidelines; infor-mation about the magazine; links to relevant sites; details about permissions; and answers to frequently asked questions. A launch date has not been set.

The Task Force is also building a bank of individuals on whom it might draw in various capacities (freelance, short-term, and volunteer) as it moves to online publication: editors, graphic artists, Web designers, beta testers, marketing and promotional people, and others.

When the Editorial Board was dissolved, it had a number of manuscripts (articles, poems, and reviews) in various stages of consideration, review, and acceptance. The Task Force has consulted at length and is in the final stages of determining what to do with these manuscripts, considering the length of time that will have elapsed between submission and resumption of publication.

WhentheEdito-rialBoardwas

dissolved,ithadanumberofmanuscripts(articles,poems,andreviews)invariousstagesofconsideration,review,andacceptance.TheTaskForcehasconsultedatlengthandisinthefinalstagesofdeterminingwhattodowiththesemanuscripts.

117Publishing

119ResearchServices

Research Services

119 ...National Bahá’í Archives

121 ...Bahá’í Encyclopedia Project

123 ...Office of Review

National Bahá’í Archives

Normally, the work of the National Bahá’í Archives is outside of and does not directly support the Five Year Plan core activities and the institute training pro-cess. However, this past year, through the Internet, the Archives supplied a Bahá’í in Brazil with information on an early American Bahá’í, Helen Goodall, which he needed for a Ruhi course presentation. It is possible that the Archives will be able to provide more services like this in the future once the Archives website is functioning, as it will include biographical information about and photographs of a number of noteworthy Bahá’ís.

An important task of the Archives staff is answering reference requests from Bahá’í National Center offices, other Bahá’í institutions, and individuals. During 2009–10, the staff handled 556 reference requests, a 23 percent increase from last year. The Archives sent to the Bahá’í World Center Archives photocopies of two Tablets of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá and 39 letters, 22 cables, and two contribution receipts from the Guardian. National Center staff checked out 2,517 photographs from the Archives Photograph Collection and 185 books from the National Bahá’í Library. Most of the photographs were for a Media Services project aimed at digitizing much of the Archives Photograph Collection. During the year, the Archives supplied a total of 8,932 photocopies of archival and library material, 328 digital copies of photo-graphs, and 158 digital copies of documents or library material. The Archives staff provided technical advice on questions of archival preservation and arrangement to 21 local communities in 14 states.

Some 13 researchers visited the Archives in person. Two books published in 2009 used collections from the Archives: TakeMyLovetotheFriends:TheStoryofLauraR.Davis by Marline Macke, and TheForgottenSchool:TheBahá’ísandModernEducationinIran,1899–1934 by Soli Shahvar. The American Historical Association has an Archives Wiki, which serves as a clearing house of information about archival resources throughout the world. The Archives staff placed informa-tion about the National Bahá’í Archives on the Archives Wiki. Even though the Bahá’í House of Worship Visitors’ Center is again open, the number of visitors touring the Archives during 2009–10 was a small 335, due to an unusually low number of visitors during the Bahá’í National Convention. The archivist continued to develop content for the planned Archives public website.

Last summer, the Archives had its first student intern, a Bahá’í studying to be an archivist from the University of Michigan School of Information. During her three- month internship, she processed several collections and hundreds of photographs, assisted in reference and preservation work, and identified a number of letters in Persian. Arranging such internships will help increase the number of trained Bahá’í archivists.

The services provided by the Archives are made possible by the work of the Ar-chives staff in acquiring, processing, and preserving archival and library material.

ItispossiblethattheAr-chiveswillbeabletopro-

videmoreservicesdirectlysupportingtheFiveYearPlancoreactivitiesandtheinstitutetrainingprocessinthefutureoncetheArchiveswebsiteisfunctioning.

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The Archives staff processed 130 new accessions, totaling 275 linear feet, includ-ing three original letters from the Guardian, four works of art, one artifact, and 165 boxes of Bahá’í National Center records. The Archives received seven new collections of personal papers, including the David Ruhe Papers, McCleary Bunch Washington Papers, and Douglass Thorne Papers. It also received additional mate-rial for 12 existing collections, including the Barbara West Papers, Mountfort Mills Papers, Marjory Morten Papers, and Thelma Jackson Papers. The high volume of new acquisitions continues to challenge the Archives staff to find sufficient work-ing space.

The Archives staff processed 105 boxes of Bahá’í National Center files, including records of the Office of the Secretary, Office of the Treasurer, Office of Education and Schools, Office of Communications, Properties Office, and Bahá’í Encyclopedia Project. The Archives also processed 11 collections of personal papers, including the Marion West Papers, Sam and Mildred McClellan Papers, Laurence and Ruth LaRocque Papers, Louise Groger Papers, and Florence Reeb Papers. Other mate-rial processed by the Archives staff were one relic, four works of art, seven arti-facts, 1,221 photographs, 85 CDs, seven DVDs, 71 audiotapes, 13 videotapes, two proclamations, four posters, and nine architectural drawings. The Archives had 27 audiotapes digitized and transferred to CDs. The staff added 934 items to the National Bahá’í Library, including local bulletins from 39 communities in 23 states, and cataloged 1,747 periodicals.

TheArchivesstaffplacedinforma-

tionabouttheNationalBahá’íArchivesontheArchivesWikimain-tainedbytheAmericanHistoricalAssociation.

121ResearchServices

Bahá’í Encyclopedia Project

The Bahá’í Encyclopedia Project took a major step forward in April 2009. After many years of effort to produce a comprehensive and authoritative reference work on the Bahá’í Faith, it launched a website offering an interim selection of in-depth articles.

The immediate response was resoundingly positive. Scores of individuals in the United States and around the world emailed their congratulations, describing the website as “warm, accessible, easy to use,” “absolutely gorgeous,” “impressive,” “beautifully designed,” and “a tremendous asset to the community.”

As readers have had the opportunity to delve into the contents of the site, their comments have focused increasingly on the quality of particular articles and on the ways in which some articles are already being found useful by the commu-nity. “Kudos to Mr. Glenford Mitchell and a heart full of thanks,” a Bahá’í from the United States wrote in May 2009. “This article [Administration, Bahá’í] is a wonderful gift to the friends for both their own deepening and [as an] outline for a talk on the subject. We have three relatively new believers recently elected to the LSA and their understanding of the vastness of this subject is being enhanced since we presented each with a copy of this item as a ‘welcome to the administra-tive aspect of our beloved Faith.’ They were most grateful.” In July 2009, another reader explained how an article has become a helpful complement to study of the institute courses in her cluster in California: “I want to express my thanks for the article on the meaning of the title ‘Letters of the Living’. This had come up in dis-cussions during Ruhi classes several times, so now I have been able to print it and share with the Friends in our Cluster.”

Such responses demonstrate how, as the Universal House of Justice made clear in a letter written on its behalf on April 24, 2008, “[f]ar from being a diversion from the worldwide effort to advance the process of entry by troops, Bahá’í scholarship can be a powerful reinforcement to that endeavour and a valuable source of new enquirers.”

Traffic on the website during its first year has remained brisk, with thousands having viewed articles and the image gallery. Among the most-read articles are “‘Abdu’l-Bahá ‘Abbás” by Firuz Kazemzadeh, “Hands of the Cause of God” by Eunice Braun and the editors, “Tehran” by Moojan Momen, “Mashriqu’l-Adhkár” by Julie Badiee and the editors, and “Keith Bean Ransom-Kehler” by Janet Ruhe-Schoen.

During the past year, new material has been added to the site, including a biog-raphy of the notable conservationist “Richard St. Barbe Baker.” Enhancements have been made, as well as various small corrections (of both technical glitches and content). In January 2010, repairs and an upgrade to increase security were needed after a hacker vandalized the site, causing it to be taken down briefly.

Scoresofindividu-alsintheUnited

Statesandaroundtheworlddescribedthewebsiteas“warm,ac-cessible,easytouse,”“absolutelygorgeous,”“impressive,”“beauti-fullydesigned,”and“atremendousassettothecommunity.”

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Correspondence—at times, large in volume—has been handled. Information on the Encyclopedia Project has been disseminated to visitors to the Bahá’í National Center and to participants at three annual conferences: the Association for Bahá’í Studies Conference, the Association of Friends of Persian Culture Conference, and the Green Lake Bahá’í Conference.

Yet the Encyclopedia Project, having been downsized by the National Spiritual As-sembly in late 2008 as a cost-saving measure during the world economic crisis, has neither an office nor a full-time staff. At present, work is continuing on the basis of volunteer service and part-time editorial work supported wholly by earmarked contributions, thus the pace at which this valuable resource can grow depends on direct support by the Bahá’í community.

The Encyclopedia Project welcomes inquiries at [email protected] and encourages exploration of its website (www.bahai-encyclopedia-project.org).

Duringthepastyear,newmaterial

hasbeenaddedtothesite,includingabiog-raphyofthenotableconservationist“Rich-ardSt.BarbeBaker.”

123ResearchServices

Office of Review

The literature review process was initiated by ‘Abdu’l-Bahá as a temporary measure to protect the Bahá’í Faith while in its early stages of development. This require-ment has been continued to date by the Guardian and by the Universal House of Justice, which, in a letter dated December 29, 1988, wrote: “[F]ar from adopting a carefree attitude, the community must be conscious of the necessity to present a correct view of itself and an accurate understanding of its purpose to a largely skeptical public.”

While still a temporary measure, pre-publication review continues to ensure that works produced by Bahá’í authors and artists represent the Bahá’í Faith accurately and with dignity. A third criterion is timeliness—for example, whether there is anything about the publication of the work at this time that might increase the danger to which the Bahá’í community is exposed in certain parts of the world.

The review of literature and audiovisual materials (including music) is carried out by the Office of Review, in collaboration with a Review Task Force appointed by the National Spiritual Assembly and with a growing network of reviewers around the country. Local Assemblies are responsible for reviewing literature that is for local use only, as well as all “special materials” (such as artwork and graphic creations, greeting cards, jewelry, and T-shirts) produced by individuals in their jurisdiction, whether intended for local or national distribution.

Anything that is published or disseminated only electronically via the Internet is not subject to the literature review process. Questions regarding use of the Web may be directed to the Office of Communications or to the Bahá’í Internet Agency.

A learning process

Among the aims of the office are to instill a consultative approach to review, to educate authors and artists new to the process about review standards and purposes, and to foster a spirit of collaboration among all involved. As the Univer-sal House of Justice has remarked, in a letter dated December 10, 1992, Bahá’ís should look upon review “in this early stage in the development of the Faith … [as] a species of peer review which they welcome, since it is primarily among their fellow Bahá’ís that they would find at this time those who would have sufficiently wide and deep understanding of the Faith and its Teachings to raise issues of importance which they would want to consider before publication.”

The expanding, open-ended network of reviewers consists primarily of authors and artists who have themselves submitted materials for review, thus continually building our collective capacity as a community to uphold the review standards for accuracy and dignity across a wide diversity of fields. The Review Office fosters this learning process as it carries out its daily work and continues to encounter new questions, in consultation with authors, artists, reviewers, and the Review Task Force, and in accordance with the guidance of the National Assembly.

Pre-publicationreviewensures

thatworksproducedbyBahá’íauthorsandartistsrepresenttheBahá’íFaithaccu-ratelyandwithdignity.Athirdcriterionistimeliness—forexam-ple,whetheranythingaboutthepublicationoftheworkatthistimemightincreasethedangertotheBahá’ícommunityincertainpartsoftheworld.

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Systems and statistics

Nearly all submissions are received in electronic form, enhancing efficiency and allowing for electronic filing, archiving, and searching. The Review Office received approximately 180 submissions this past year, a figure similar to the previous year and up from a previous annual average of about 160. Roughly three-quarters of submissions are literature; one-quarter are audiovisual materials. The wide variety of items reviewed includes articles, chapters, nonfiction books, novels, encyclopedia entries, songs, deepening materials, DVDs, CDs, children’s materials, study guides, magazines, scripts, pamphlets, sheet music, and PowerPoint presentations.

Authors and artists are generally asked to allow about 12 weeks for review of a book, eight weeks for an article, and four weeks for a CD. Many reviews are com-pleted more quickly than this, though a handful require an extended process of consultation. The average time required for review of all submissions has gradually been decreasing. At any one time, there are approximately 25 new review cases pending, in addition to a steady stream of correspondence, inquiries, and resub-missions.

In the diversity, range, and depth of materials being created by Bahá’í authors and artists may be seen not only work that can contribute directly to the expansion, consolidation, and spiritual transformation of the Bahá’í community, but early ef-forts to stimulate a new public discourse on issues of our day and to inform new approaches to social action. It is a privilege to witness the creativity and devotion inspired by the message of Bahá’u’lláh, as expressed by the talented individuals with which the Bahá’í community of the United States is blessed.

TheReviewOfficereceivedapproxi-

mately180submis-sionsthispastyear.Roughlythree-quartersofsubmissionsarelit-erature;one-quarterareaudiovisualmaterials.

125ResearchServices

127LogisticalServices

Conventions Office

The mandate for the Conventions Office, a part of the Secretariat, during 2009–10, was to plan, coordinate, and direct the implementation of national and electoral unit conventions and to plan and coordinate any necessary boundary changes for electoral units.

Boundary changes approved in 2007 have been implemented, and the Conven-tions Office continues to offer support to Assemblies affected by the changes. The changes altered to some degree the majority of the 161 electoral units throughout the 48 contiguous states of the United States, particularly South Carolina, a state with a large number of electoral units that historically experienced low participa-tion in Bahá’í elections.

Also completed within the first year of the current Five Year Plan was an extensive reorganization of electoral unit boundaries in California necessitated by the state’s decision to eliminate judicial district boundaries.

With the assistance of the Membership and Records Office, the Conventions Of-fice gave notification in writing to each community in the United States that was affected by these boundary changes. Each letter provided a brief explanation of the reason for the changes and included information on where individuals could search online to find the localities included in their redrawn electoral units. The Unit Convention website (http://unitconvention.usbnc.org) continues to be a helpful resource throughout the year for Local Assemblies and individuals needing information about the unit conventions in their area or to learn about the Bahá’í electoral process.

Since 2002, when the National Spiritual Assembly took the decision to relieve the Regional Bahá’í Councils of responsibility for coordinating unit conventions, the Conventions Office has taken on the task of coordinating all 161 unit conven-tion elections. Regional Bahá’í Councils now provide the Conventions Office with guidance and recommendations regarding Local Spiritual Assemblies that would be suitable choices to serve as unit convention hosts.

In 2006, the National Assembly requested that a task force be coordinated by the Conventions Office to help to increase participation at unit conventions, held every October in all 161 electoral units. To this end, the task force implemented a number of exciting “firsts” including: creation of the first stand-alone Unit Convention website, where the friends can find valuable resources all year long pertaining to unit convention; production of three “viral videos,” 30-second to one-minute video shorts about the nature and purpose of the unit convention; and the publishing of a special brochure sent to all adult believers in the United States, encouraging them to attend unit convention, to invite their Bahá’í friends, and to partake in the sacred nature of the electoral process. Lastly, as a follow-up to the unit conventions held in October 2006, the National Assembly requested

Logistical Services

127 ...Conventions Office

129 ...Bahá’í Center Assistance

131 ...Bahá’í Service for the Blind

132 ...Human Resources

133 ...Information Technology

135 ...Meetings and Hospitality

135 ...Public Safety

TheUnitConventionweb-siteisahelpfulresource

throughouttheyearforLocalAssembliesandindividualsneedinginformationabouttheunitconventionsintheirareaortolearnabouttheBahá’íelectoralprocess.

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that a summary of recommendations and suggestions from unit conventions be shared with the rest of the Bahá’í community. These summaries appeared in the March 2007 issue of TheAmericanBahá’í and in the journal’s online edition. The office hopes to maintain this special focus on the sacredness of the Bahá’í electoral process every year prior to unit convention and to reinforce the message through-out the remainder of the year.

In 2007, a secure online program for registration was made available to delegates to Bahá’í National Convention. This newly created program has the potential for many more uses, including registration of agencies and committees. The Conven-tions Office continues to use the online registration form for delegates and, in conjunction with the Information Technology office, hopes to improve it each year.

In the years ahead, the Conventions Office hopes to make more multimedia op-tions available, enabling delegates and all participants to experience Bahá’í Na-tional Convention on a multitude of levels.

The Conventions Office now sends many of its communications to Bahá’í National Convention delegates—as well as to electoral unit convention host Assemblies—by email. In 2010, the Conventions Office sent the first delegate mailing by email rather than by surface mail, as had formerly been the practice. Also, all delegate confirmation attendance forms were sent by email in 2010, which also provided savings to the Bahá’í National Fund. As advances are made in keeping electronic communications secure, the office hopes to make further strides in minimizing the use of paper.

In2010,theConven-tionsOfficesentthe

firstdelegatemailingbyemailratherthanbysurfacemail,andalldelegateconfirmationattendanceformsweresentbyemailin2010,providingsavingstotheBahá’íNationalFund.


Bahá’í Center AssistanceBahá’í Center Assistance (BCA) was created to support the growth and develop-ment of the Faith by providing a systematic program of education, training, and technical assistance to communities whose goal is to lease, purchase, and maintain Bahá’í Center properties and by using its resources to provide targeted loans and financial assistance to such communities when needed. BCA is a financially self-supporting agency of the National Spiritual Assembly.

During 2009–10, BCA continued to emphasize the use of Centers and other Bahá’í facilities to support the goals of the Five Year Plan and advance the process of entry by troops. It also carried on programs begun in previous years.

The organization made available to communities three new types of loans for Bahá’í Center properties: for energy-related improvements, renovations, and construction shortfalls due to unforeseen conditions. It continues to offer loans for first center ac-quisitions—loans to help convince a bank to extend a first mortgage to the community.

Improvements to BCA’s website www.bahaicenterassistance.org during the year included a revised “Lessons Learned/Naming a Center” and a statement on “Rental Use of Centers.” The “Local Bahá’í Centers Technical Assistance Manual,” also available on the website, continued to be a popular source of information about the acquisition and operation of Centers.

During 2009–10, BCA’s activities included:

• Holding five in-person Board meetings at different localities throughout the country and five telephone conference call meetings

• Touring—at this writing, 14—Bahá’í Centers to increase the organization’s un-derstanding of opportunities and challenges communities have encountered in acquiring and operating a Center

• Consulting with nine Bahá’í communities, either in person or through telephone conferencing

• Responding to inquiries from four Bahá’í communities

• Providing sample documents as examples of approaches used by various Bahá’í communities around the country. The documents include mandates for Center committees, operations policies, employment/contractor issues, endowment funds, and rental/use agreements

• Revising its “Center Tour Questionnaire” and developing the “Decentralization Questionnaire,” both of which were mailed to all Bahá’í Centers previously visited

Projects still in progress include:

• Development of a database with information on all Bahá’í Centers, facilities, or properties

Theorganizationmadeavailable

tocommunitiesthreenew typesofloansforBahá’íCenterproper-ties:forenergy-relatedimprovements,renova-tions,andconstructionshortfallsduetoun-foreseenconditions.

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• Development of a “Start-Up Bahá’í Facility Kit”

• Updating information in current Bahá’í listings, including iPhone applications

More information is available on BCA’s website (www.bahaicenterassistance.org). BCA can also be contacted via email ([email protected]), telephone (847-425-7940), fax (847-425-7941), or surface mail: Bahá’í Center Assistance, 1233 Central St., Evanston, IL 60201-1611.

Projectsinprogressincludedevelop-

mentofadatabasewithinformationonBahá’íproperties,de-velopmentofa“Start-UpBahá’íFacilityKit,”andupdatestoinformationincurrentBahá’ílistings.


Bahá’í Service for the BlindThe Bahá’í Service for the Blind continued during 2009–10 to fulfill its mission to provide the literature of the Faith in various media to those who are unable to use normal print due to a disability. The three media currently available are Braille, cas-sette tape recordings, and Large Print. The Service makes a lending library of these materials available to Bahá’ís and non-Bahá’ís alike. The Service also ensures that TheAmericanBahá’í is regularly available on cassette tape, free of charge.

Through the efforts of the Service’s all-volunteer staff, the number of titles avail-able in the three media has been steadily increasing. This year, 10 new items in Braille were added, as were nine new titles on cassette tape, and six new titles in Large Print.

Digital recording and the use of flash drive cards is now the standard for audio recordings by the Library of Congress. As the Service has generally conformed to the practices of the Library of Congress, the possibility of changing to this format from the audiocassette tapes currently in use is being considered. A change to digital format would require new equipment and software. Though the Service’s present collection of audio materials would have to be converted to digital format, audiotapes would continue to be maintained for some time.

Demand for the Service’s materials has been steady, despite the prevailing econom-ic downturn. During 2009–10, 94 books were sold: 27 books in Braille, 24 books on tape, and 43 books in Large Print. The Service continues to supply Bahá’í com-munities around the world with its materials, as most other countries lack a Bahá’í Service for the Blind. The Service’s website (www.BahaiServiceForTheBlind.org) provides information about its work and an up-to-date listing of all its materials.

ThroughtheeffortsoftheService’s

all-volunteerstaff,thenumberoftitlesavail-able inBraille, cassettetaperecordings,andLargePrinthasbeensteadilyincreasing.

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Human Resources

The Office of Human Resources (HR) continued during 2009–10 to receive hundreds of applications for service at the Bahá’í National Center, at the three permanent Bahá’í schools, at the satellite offices of the National Center in New York City and Washing-ton, D.C., and elsewhere. While the National Spiritual Assembly hired 34 new staff members, the Regional Bahá’í Councils added another 13 to their respective staffs.

The National Center was pleased to welcome several volunteers to service on behalf of the National Assembly. One of the volunteers includes an 84-year-old believer who serves four to five days per week.

In an effort to attract larger numbers to the pool of applicants for service, nu-merous mailings were sent out during the year and several recruitment trips were made to targeted communities and to the permanent schools.

The HR Benefits Administrator arranged two seminars with Bahá’í National Center staff to discuss retirement benefits. The National Center’s insurance carrier also offered, in May and November, to address questions from off-site staff through its Webinar programs. Af-ter updating the Benefits Booklet, a visit was made to Louhelen Bahá’í School to address in person any questions staff might have regarding their health and retirement benefits.

The Office of Human Resources was pleased to add to its staff this year a part-time administrative assistant who, while possessing the full complement of administrative skills needed for the position, brings the added talents of a graphic artist, which have been put to work in the redesigning of various forms and directories, and in other print projects.

The Bahá’í National Center’s Reception Desk and Switchboard comes under the supervi-sion of the Office of Human Resources. Visitors will notice a significant improvement in the appearance of the reception area, which was recently refurbished to make it more aesthetically pleasing. The project was carried out by the National Center’s Properties De-partment expeditiously to avoid a serious interruption in the service provided by the re-ceptionist. The welcoming atmosphere created by the area’s atrium was nicely enhanced.

The Bahá’í National Center’s Mail Services Department welcomed a new supervi-sor this year. During 2009–10, the Mailroom processed 670,710 pieces of mail. The acquisition of new machinery makes possible the processing of 7,000 pieces of mail per hour, a vast improvement over past years. The department’s outstanding staff of three includes a regular volunteer who has served for more than 21 years. Occasion-ally, when a project involves more volume and complexity or requires more speed than the Mailroom can itself provide, a request for assistance is made throughout the Bahá’í National Center and many staff members put their own work aside for a time to ensure the project is completed efficiently and in timely fashion.

The Coordinator of Human Resources continues to work closely with the Secre-tary-General of the National Spiritual Assembly to address HR policy matters and assists the Personnel Office at the Bahá’í World Center with its recruiting needs.

Inanefforttoattractlargernumbersto

thepoolofapplicantsforservice,numerousmailingsweresentoutduringtheyearandseveralrecruitmenttripsweremadetotargetedcommunitiesandtothepermanentschools.


Information TechnologyInformation Technology (IT) provides email, file and print services, local and long- distance telephone services, help desk support, enterprise applications, and report-ing services for the offices and agencies of the National Spiritual Assembly.

Membership and Records, also part of the IT organization, maintains the national membership database—processing enrollments, international transfers, address changes, Local Assembly and registered group elections; and responding to email and phone requests from among the 1,100 Assemblies and 1,700 registered groups in the Bahá’í community of the United States. In addition, the office maintains archival records for individuals and institutions.

While IT does not perform tasks directly related to the goals of the Five Year Plan, enterprise applications, such as those listed below, provide electronic services and timely information to assist those serving at the national, regional, cluster, or community level in their efforts to achieve the goals of the Five Year Plan:

• Cluster Assignment Tool (CAT) is used by the Regional Councils to define the Bahá’í localities included in each cluster and to record each cluster’s stage of advancement.

• eMembership is used by Local Assemblies to report new enrollments and child registrations and by both Assemblies and registered groups to maintain their community membership list in the national membership database and report election results.

• My Page provides individual Bahá’ís with access to their personal membership information.

• Online Registration is used by new believers to affirm their belief in Bahá’u’lláh over the Internet. Since its launch in mid-April 2009, online registrations have accounted for 10 percent of adult and youth enrollments.

• RTI Tracker is used by the Regional Training Institutes and cluster agencies to record and report participation in study circles and junior youth groups.

• Seeker Response System (SRS) is used by regional specialists and the National Teaching Office to manage contact with seekers and online registrants.

• Statistical Report Program (SRP) is used by Area Teaching Committees, Regional Statistics Officers, and the National Teaching Office to report core activity sta-tistics to the World Center.

• UnityWeb is used by Bahá’í National Center offices and agencies to maintain the national membership database and track the status of Local Spiritual As-semblies and registered Bahá’í groups.

Enterpriseapplica-tionsdevelopedand

maintainedbyITpro-videelectronicservicesandtimelyinformationtoassistthoseservingatthenational,re-gional,cluster,orcom-munitylevelintheireffortstoachievethegoalsoftheFiveYearPlan.

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Bahá’í locality corrections

One of IT’s largest and most complex projects during 2009–10 has been correct-ing Bahá’í locality assignments. Over the years, many believers were inadvertently assigned to an incorrect Bahá’í locality. Newer technologies allow IT to more ac-curately determine the correct Bahá’í locality for any given address. Review of the national membership data revealed thousands of individual addresses assigned to the wrong Bahá’í locality. Thus far, over 5,300 locality corrections have been made; approximately 2,000 are still to be made. Some of the remaining corrections will involve those currently serving on Local Assemblies or as group officers. Those As-semblies and groups being affected will be notified in early summer to provide the individuals and their communities time to adjust prior to Riḍván 2011.

Technology adoption

The National Spiritual Assembly has significantly increased its use of electronic technology to disseminate its communications to the community—sending by email and posting on its Administrative Website and in the pages of the online edition of TheAmericanBahá’í—thus less often incurring the expense and delays associated with surface mail. Over the past two years, IT has encouraged Local Spiritual Assemblies and registered groups who have not already done so to obtain Internet access and to establish an email account for their Assembly or group to receive email communications from the National Spiritual Assembly and other na-tional and regional offices and agencies. The adoption rate for both has increased steadily.

Today, 100 percent of Local Spiritual Assemblies and 61 percent of all registered groups are receiving email communications, up from 88 percent and 46 percent, respectively, a year ago. In addition, Assemblies and groups have been encouraged to utilize the eMembership application. At Riḍván 2009, 78 percent of Assembly formations were reported using eMembership, which allowed for the immediate recognition of many Assemblies and completion of the election processing earlier than ever before. Thus far this year, 91 percent of Assemblies and 16 percent of groups have utilized eMembership to make updates to their contact information or their community list, or to report a by-election.

Since the launch of My Page Personal Online Services last year, over 2,100 indi-viduals have registered for My Page, which is still in embryonic form. An Online Contributions application being developed by a third party should be available later this year, allowing individuals, Assemblies, groups, and other Bahá’í entities to make pledges and contributions to the Fund over the Internet. Future additions to My Page will include the ability to purchase replacement identification (ID) cards and marriage and birth certificates.

Today,100percentofLocalSpiri-

tualAssembliesand61percentofallregisteredgroupsarereceivingemailcommunica-tionsfromtheNationalSpiritualAssembly,upfrom88percentand46percent,respectively,ayearago.


Meetings And Hospitality

The Meetings and Hospitality Office provides on-site and off-site meeting plan-ning services for the National Spiritual Assembly and its offices and agencies, at-tending to meals and the provision of hospitality for all regular and special meet-ings of the National Spiritual Assembly, special programs at the Bahá’í House of Worship, meetings at the Bahá’í National Center with members of the Continental Board of Counselors, Auxiliary Board members, the Regional Bahá’í Councils, and other special guests—including those participating in the Special Visitors’ program. The office also assists with arrangements for Bahá’í National Convention. In all these efforts, the office strives to provide high-quality, loving, and caring support while managing in an efficient and cost-effective manner to protect the interests of the National Fund.

Public Safety

The Department of Public Safety provides safety and security services to the National Spiritual Assembly, the staff of the Bahá’í National Center, and Bahá’í and non-Bahá’í guests who visit National Center facilities throughout the year. These services are provided by 10 public safety officers who patrol on foot and in vehicles, and through physical and electronic security systems. Public Safety also provides hundreds of assists and transports during the year to members of the National Assembly and their guests.

Officers provide a wide variety of services to the many thousands of visitors to the Bahá’í House of Worship, frequently being called upon to act as on-the-spot guides as they make their rounds within the Temple gardens and grounds. To ensure that they can provide accurate information to visitors, officers study aspects of the history and meaning of the House of Worship and its gardens. As they are often the first contact visitors have at the House of Worship, the department is continually striving to present a professional demeanor and a good first impres-sion. In an effort to present a softer, warmer image, the officers’ uniforms were changed this year to feature a white shirt.

Public Safety meets routinely with the Village of Wilmette police and fire depart-ments and maintains a close working relationship with both.

PublicSafetyof-ficersprovidea

widevarietyofservicestothemanythou-sandsofvisitorstotheBahá’íHouseofWor-ship,frequentlybeingcalledupontoactason-the-spotguidesastheymaketheirroundswithintheTemplegar-densandgrounds.

137Properties

Properties Office

Bahá’í National Center facilities

The Properties Office is responsible for oversight of all Bahá’í National Center facilities in Evanston and Wilmette, Illinois, including routine and special mainte-nance, repairs and alterations, custodial services, grounds and gardening, purchas-ing and budgeting for facilities, remodeling and new construction. The following are highlights of projects the office completed during 2009–10.

bahá’í houSe oF WoRShip. At the direction of the National Spiritual Assembly, the Properties Office remodeled the Cornerstone Room, located in the current Visi-tors’ Center. Remodeling included removal of walls to permit visitors full visual access from the display area, painting, carpeting, and adding new displays.

The 30-year-old drapes in the Temple Auditorium were replaced with new drapes on the first and second levels.

The Properties Office is also responsible for the Temple Concrete Studio in Wheel-ing, Illinois, which supports work on the Kingdom Project. The Concrete Studio painstakingly molds the necessary ornamental concrete replacements for the House of Worship Restoration Project and the new Visitors’ Center. A two-month hiatus in the studio’s operations provided time to complete much-needed repairs, clean-ing, and painting.

ḤaẓíRatu’l-QudS. Sealing and caulking of the Ḥaẓíra’s exterior and stabilization of the roof parapet were completed. New balustrades were installed during sum-mer 2009.

bahá’í national centeR buildinG. A much-needed remodeling of the building’s lunchroom was completed.

bahá’í publiShinG tRuSt. One of the building’s HVAC systems was replaced and its parking lot was rebuilt.

As with every year, thousands of man-hours were devoted to routine maintenance and cleaning of National Center facilities.

National properties

In addition to facilities located at the Bahá’í National Center, the Properties Of-fice provides oversight, assistance, and contract management for maintenance, repair, and capital improvements for the three permanent Bahá’í schools, training institutes, and historic properties managed by the National Spiritual Assembly. All this work is coordinated with the administrators and facilities coordinators at the individual properties. Accomplishments during 2009–10 included the following.

boSch bahá’í School, Santa cRuz, caliFoRnia. Significant paving replacement was completed.

Properties137 ...Properties Office

139 ...Bahá’í House of Worship Restoration

AtthedirectionoftheNa-tionalSpiritualAssembly,

thePropertiesOfficeremod-eledtheCornerstoneRoom,locatedinthecurrentVisitors’CenterattheBahá’íHouseofWorship.

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GReen acRe bahá’í School, eliot, maine. Major carpentry and window replace-ment, painting, roofing replacement, and equipment purchases were carried out. New construction included a four-unit staff apartment building that was completed and is now occupied, and a new guest housing unit nearly completed, with occupancy expected during summer 2010. Construction has begun on three new cottages, which are expected to be complete by winter 2010.

louhelen bahá’í School, daviSon, michiGan. Major asphalt paving, renovations to the food service and kitchen areas, and remodeling of a staff house to provide additional capacity were carried out.

native ameRican bahá’í inStitute (nabi), houck, aRizona. Bunkhouse renova-tion, classroom painting, and rebuilding of a deck were completed.

louiS G. GReGoRy bahá’í inStitute, heminGWay, South caRolina. Dormitory re-modeling, major painting work around the campus, purchase of new playground equipment, and removal of several dangerous diseased trees were carried out.

dublin inn, dublin, neW hampShiRe. Renovations to a third-floor sitting room and a first-floor restroom were completed.

Wilhelm pRopeRtieS, teaneck, neW jeRSey. Replacement of the badly broken-up front entry sidewalk at the Wilhelm House and removal of several large diseased trees that were a threat to the buildings were carried out.

NewconstructionatGreenAcre

Bahá’íSchoolincludedafour-unitstaffapart-mentbuildingthatwascompletedandisnowoccupied,andanewguesthousingunitnearlycompleted,withoccupancyexpectedduringsummer2010.

139Properties

Bahá’í House of Worship Restoration

During 2009–10, the Bahá’í House of Worship restoration focused on two objec-tives: finishing the terrace, stairs, and garden reconstruction and preparing the land adjacent to the House of Worship for a new Visitors’ Center building. Tasks were sequenced so the projects could be completed at the earliest possible date.

InNovember2009,themainentrance

intotheHouseofWor-shipAuditoriumwasreopenedtovisitors.

The familiar entrance into the Temple gardens from Linden Avenue reopened for the April 2009 Bahá’í National Convention. Shortly thereafter, finishing touches were applied to the vestibule into the lower-level Foundation Hall entry.

New precast concrete steps and stain-less steel railings lead straight down into the vestibule. The new vestibule is larger because the former interior steps that divided the space are no longer there. The new vestibule is brighter because each vestibule doorway has glass sidelights. New ceramic tile floor-ing, lighting, fire sprinklers, alarms, and architectural bronze-colored doors give the vestibule a fresh appearance.

Outside, new trees and shrubs were planted adjacent to the vestibule stairs. The remaining approach steps were installed leading up to the terrace deck and pavers, and monumental steps and stainless steel railings were installed. LED lights were installed inside the main entrance railings to light the stairway for evening visitors. In Novem-ber, the main entrance into the House of Worship Auditorium was reopened to visitors.

The last three sectors of the terrace vault structure have also been com-pleted. All sections of the vault have complete systems for plumbing, electri-cal, lighting, heating, ventilation, sump pumps, garden fountains’ electrical

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and control panels, garden fountains’ pump skids, fire sprinklers, overhead garage doors, and personnel doors. A double-wide door was installed between the vault and the mechanical room of the Temple.

As each section of the vault was built, the upper lip of the original 1920s founda-tion wall was repaired. Now the entire, original foundation wall is repaired. Repairs were also made to the original electrical and ventilation shafts. New steel grates for the terrace were fabricated to cover the shaft openings.

The House of Worship is now completely watertight for the first time in its history. The landings outside the Auditorium doors, which, until now, had never had any waterproofing system, were rebuilt at the two remaining doorways. A new wa-terproofing membrane was installed on the remaining sectors of structural deck before the new monumental stairs were installed. Waterproofing was applied to the new terrace wall in garden 5 before the terrace cladding was installed.

During the winter, tents were set up over garden stairways and fountains so that construction work could continue without interruption. Approach stairs in gardens 6 and 9 were built. The garden 7 circular fountain was completed.

During its reconstruction of Sheridan Road, the Village of Wilmette relocated trees, shrubs, and pavers on the Temple property. Last fall, the pavers were replaced on the circular walkway. The nine bark hedge and junipers were replanted along the walkway and a new landscape retaining wall was installed with additional plants between Sheridan Road and the walkway into garden 8.

In November 2009, the familiar old structures at 110 and 112 Linden Avenue were at long last demolished to make way for the new Visitors’ Center building. The existing retaining wall between the old structures and the Temple gardens was temporarily left in place to provide a construction staging area for the remaining work on the terrace, stairs, and gardens. A construction fence was installed around the entire area and temporary lights were installed on top of the fence for parking lot illumination.

TheHouseofWor-shipisnow

completelywatertightforthefirsttimeinitshistory.

141Properties

143AffiliatedOrganizations

Affiliated Organizations

143 ...Association for Bahá’í Studies—North America

146 ...Bahá’í Association for Mental Health

148 ...Bahá’í International Radio Service

150 ...Brighton Creek ConferenceCenter

152 ...Association of Friends of Persian Culture

154 ...Health for Humanity

Association for Bahá’í Studies—North America

The Association for Bahá’í Studies-North America (ABS) is a membership organiza-tion serving Alaska, Canada, and the United States. Its Executive Committee, cur-rently composed of members from Canada and the United States, is appointed by and operates under the jurisdiction of the National Spiritual Assembly of Canada. Committee membership includes the ABS Academic Director, appointed in 2007. The ABS office in Ottawa, Ontario, is staffed by two full-time employees. The Association currently has 1,745 individual members and 55 institutional members worldwide. There are 18 affiliates in other parts of the world functioning under the jurisdiction of their respective National Assemblies.

The mission of the Association for Bahá’í Studies is “to stimulate scholarly study of the Faith and its teachings, to promote a sound understanding of the Cause in academic circles and to demonstrate its relevance to the study of social issues,” as well as “to stimulate an appetite for learning within the Bahá’í community generally.” Aspects of this mission are pursued within the context of the global plans of the Uni-versal House of Justice for the expansion and development of the Bahá’í community.

To advance its mission, the Association is focusing on the following lines of ac-tion:

• Developing capacity for Bahá’í scholarship among students and young adults

• Creating opportunities for the publication and circulation of diverse forms of Bahá’í scholarship including, but not limited to, TheJournalofBahá’íStudies

• Promoting extension activities that stimulate Bahá’í scholarship locally and at Bahá’í schools

• Encouraging university courses across disciplines on diverse aspects of the Bahá’í Faith

• Aiming to engage diverse leaders of thought through symposia and other op-portunities for dialogue and collaboration

• Refining the annual conference so that it serves the broad mission of the As-sociation and advances its other major initiatives

Highlights of ABS development in the past year include:

ABS Annual Conference

The 33rd Annual Association for Bahá’í Studies Conference, held August 13–16 in Washington, D.C., included the first conference-level collaboration with another agency, the International Environment Forum (IEF), which organized a plenary discussion between Bahá’í ecologist Arthur Dahl and geographer Peter Brown of McGill University. Other plenary contributions included a fresh perspective on the history of the Iranian Bahá’í schools by Professor Soli Shahvar of the University of

Thethemeofthe33rdAn-nualConferenceoftheAs-

sociation,“Environments,”en-compassednatural,built,andsocial/culturalenvironments,fosteringastrongemphasisoncurrentandpotentialBahá’íengagementinsocialactionandpublicdiscourse.

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Haifa, and a panel on cultural environments that included a challenge from McGill professor Payam Akhavan that Bahá’ís re-examine their history of persecution and reconsider their role as social activists rather than as victims. Don Rogers, as Hasan M. Balyuzi Memorial Lecturer, instilled a new appreciation for the creative process and the intellectual depth of visual art. The conference theme, “Environments,” encompassed natural, built, and social/cultural environments, fostering a strong emphasis on current and potential Bahá’í engagement in social action and public discourse. Other notable breakout presentations included a panel on Bahá’í apolo-getics and continuing explorations of how Bahá’ís can address the “new atheism.” Audio links are available for some conference presentations on the ABS website (www.bahai-studies.ca).

Students and young adults

Four initiatives during 2009–10 focused on young people.

A special program at the annual conference for university faculty and students addressed:

• The role and place of scholarship in the global plans of the Faith.

• Engaging in discourse and practice in academic fields.

• Best practices in mentoring students and young adults.

• Creating dynamic campus organizations.

Dr. Ann Boyles, a member of the Continental Board of Counselors for the Ameri-cas, was a keynote speaker and also one of four facilitators.

A College Student Weekend sponsored jointly by ABS and the Regional Bahá’í Council for the Central States at Louhelen Bahá’í School in October focused on:

Initiativesfocusedonyoungpeopleinclud-

edaspecialprogramattheannualconfer-ence,aCollegeStudentWeekendatLouhelen,aconferenceforCampusAssociationsforBahá’íStudiesinToronto,andaseriesofYoungScholarsGatherings.


• Applying the Five Year Plan framework for action on campus.

• Participating in the discourses of society by being present in social spaces where thinking and policies evolve.

• Achieving coherence and mutual reinforcement in these two arenas, as students study and practice in their academic field and in the Faith.

A January 2010 regional conference for Campus Associations for Bahá’í Stud-ies (CABS) in Toronto also explored the complementary nature of Bahá’í studies and Five Year Plan activities, using the Association’s draft workbook DevelopingScholarlyDiscourseintheContextofthePlans. Participants examined the need to develop cogent analytical, writing, and speaking skills to participate effectively in social discourse, as informed by both their disciplines and the teachings of the Faith. Students were encouraged to hold small symposia involving both Bahá’ís and non-Bahá’í students and faculty.

John Hatcher, Professor Emeritus of the University of South Florida, initiated in October small, monthly Young Scholars Gatherings. These include practical and foundational activities, such as studying Bahá’í texts on scholarship; exploring research techniques and terminology for applying Bahá’í teachings in scholarly writing; confronting materialist and relativistic attitudes; and learning collabora-tive skills. Participants are creating and sharing presentations on various topics, which are also designed to strengthen their capacity as teachers of the Faith.

The Journal of Bahá’í Studies

One issue of the Journal was published (Volume 18, Number 1–4), including articles by Will van den Hoonaard (2007 Balyuzi Lecture, “Emergence from Obscu-rity”), Arash Abizadeh (“How Bahá’í Voters Should Vote”), Hoda Mahmoudi (“The Permanence of Change: Contemporary Sociological and Bahá’í Perspectives on Modernity”), and Ismael Velasco (“Achieving Reconciliation in a Conflicting World”). The editorial structure for the Journal is undergoing revision. Older Journal articles continue to be posted to the website as they are converted to electronic format.

Special Interest Groups (SIGs)

The SIGs are in the process of developing their websites, accessible from the ABS site, with the support of the ABS office. In addition to contributing to annual con-ference sessions, some SIGs are strengthening their capacity to create networking opportunities among members to support each other in their Bahá’í scholarship activities throughout the year.

University courses

The Executive Committee created a working document, “Teaching Courses with Bahá’í Content in Universities and Other Institutions of Higher Learning: Opportu-nities and Issues to Consider” based on previous reflection by friends engaged in this service. Further review and reflection took place at the annual conference.

Awards for distinguished scholarship

An endowment fund was established in 2007 by anonymous donors to recognize and encourage contributions to Bahá’í scholarship. Awards were presented to John Hatcher and Amrollah Hemmat for their book Adam’sWish:UnknownPoetryofTahirih and Donna Hakimian for her master’s thesis “Resistance, Resilience, and the Role of Narrative: Lessons from the Experiences of Iranian Bahá’í Women Prisoners.”

The 2010 Annual Conference will be held August 12–15 in Vancouver, B.C., on the theme of “Rethinking Human Nature.” Further information is posted on the ABS website.

Inadditiontocontrib-utingtoannualcon-

ferencesessions,someSpecialInterestGroupsarestrengtheningtheircapacitytocreatenetworkingopportuni-tiesamongmemberstosupporteachotherintheirBahá’íscholar-shipactivitiesthrough-outtheyear.

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Bahá’í Association for Mental HealthThe Bahá’í Association for Mental Health (BAMH) has emerged from a period of transition in 2009–10 with a re-energized organization, a re-formed Board of Directors, new volunteers, and additional resources and support.

Board of Directors

During the year, three out of six members of the Board of Directors were unable to continue serving. This made it challenging to carry out plans, and the 2009 Annual Conference was postponed to September 2010. Once its full membership was restored, the Board succeeded in garnering pledges of assistance, service, and commitment from BAMH members and supporters.

At its annual retreat in January 2010, the Board fully endorsed the comprehensive outreach orientation of the Association, which is committed to opening a space for the emergence of an enriched understanding of mental health, one that recog-nizes and studies systematically the intersection between spirituality and authentic mental health. BAMH seeks new ways to reach out and be of service to the Bahá’í and greater communities, as each struggles to address the unique challenges of a global age.

Objectives and activities

The Association’s plan for 2010 and beyond entails these areas of action:

• Increasing the capacity of BAMH to attract a larger, more sustainable, and more active membership that can be mobilized to address, from an informed spiritual perspective, mental health issues in the current global crisis

• Developing more specific and effective ways to support local Bahá’í communi-ties in their work on meeting the challenges of the Five Year Plan

• More successful outreach to the larger professional community, as well as engaging non-Bahá’í groups that may be interested in the issues addressed at BAMH forums

BAMH has renewed its right to confer Continuing Education credits, sponsored by the American Psychological Association, for its annual and regional conferences and other educational and training events. This is intended to attract a wider range of professionals who seek new insights into the dynamics of authentic men-tal health and ways to apply such an enriched understanding to clinical practice and everyday human interactions.

A regional workshop is planned at Bosch Bahá’í School in May 2010 (post-poned from summer 2009). It is designed to offer insights gleaned and pro-cesses developed at a 2008 conference at Louhelen Bahá’í School, with added emphasis on relationship-building skills that are integral to intensive programs of growth.

TheAssociationiscommittedto

openingaspacefortheemergenceofanen-richedunderstandingofmentalhealth,onethatrecognizesandstud-iessystematicallytheintersectionbetweenspiritualityandau-thenticmentalhealth.


The Association continues to update and enrich a list of references to publica-tions on a Bahá’í-inspired approach to mental health—to be made available to its membership, the wider Bahá’í community, and the professional community. In ad-dition, the Association is revising its website to offer a richer body of more specific information to benefit members and interested professionals.

BAMHhasreneweditsrighttoconfer

ContinuingEducationcredits,sponsoredbytheAmericanPsycho-logicalAssociation,foritsannualandregionalconferencesandothereducationalandtrain-ingevents.

148

Bahá’í International Radio ServicePayam-e-DoostRadio, Á’ín-i-Bahá’í, and NoveenTV operate under the man-agement of the Bahá’í International Radio Service, an agency affiliated with the National Spiritual Assembly.

Payam-e-DoostRadio, in Persian, started as a weekly AM radio program in the Washington, D.C., area on March 21, 1994, and commenced broadcasting world-wide on April 21, 2001. Daily 45-minute programs have been broadcast on short-wave radio to Iran and the Middle East and on two satellite systems to the Middle East, Americas, and Europe. They are also offered through GLWIZ, a popular Web-based application that gives subscribers access to Persian channels through their television sets and computers. Payam-e-DoostRadio can also be accessed on the Internet (www.bahairadio.org).

Weekly Bahá’í television programs in Persian, under the titles Á’ín-i-Bahá’í and NoveenTV, are broadcast via the AFN, Pars, and Andisheh channels, which are view-able in Iran. Both programs may also be viewed on the Internet (www.bahaiview.org and www.noveentv.org). Á’ín-i-Bahá’í initiated its programs in July 2005 while NoveenTV, catering to a younger audience, was first broadcast in May 2009.

Programs are created to remove misconceptions about the Faith in Iran, its birth-place, and to support the efforts of the friends in Iran by encouraging the engage-ment of Iranian Bahá’ís with others in initiatives that serve the common good.

In addition to the launching of NoveenTV and the addition of the Andisheh satellite service to those broadcasting Bahá’í TV programs into Iran, noteworthy developments during the year 2009–10 include the following:

Payam-e-Doost Ra-dio,Á’ín-i-Bahá’í,

andNoveen TVoperateunderthemanagementoftheBahá’íInterna-tionalRadioService.

• Payam-e-DoostRadio continued with its shift to a magazine format with more youth appeal through shorter segments and relevant pro-grams. Sunday, Tuesday, and Thurs-day programs, with different hosts, were dedicated to issues of interest to youth and young adults.

• New radio and TV segments were aligned with the Five Year Plan and focused on introducing and reporting on the four core activi-ties around the world, while inviting listeners and viewers to explore these activities.


• The new focus of the TV programs has been to introduce the writings of Bahá’u’lláh as well as to report on social and economic development projects around the world.

• In the continuing effort to create alliances with like-minded Iranian organiza-tions and individuals, radio and video interviews and roundtables were conduct-ed with friends of the Faith on topics such as human rights in Iran, prosperity of Iranians and their culture, and building the Iran of the future with the col-laboration of many friends from around the world.

• Collaboration with a number of task forces has increased the production of various segments for all programs.

• Updated websites for Payam-e-DoostRadio and Á’ín-i-Bahá’í were launched on October 23, 2009. These sites offer many new features and are accessible in Iran, as is the NoveenTV website. In addition, NoveenTV videos are made available on YouTube and Facebook and Payam-e-DoostRadio programs are available on Facebook.

• The agency changed the management of its computer operations to be more efficient and up-to-date.

• Á’ín-i-Bahá’í programs are provided to the Bahá’í community of New Zealand for weekly broadcast.

• The ninth anniversary of Payam-e-DoostRadio and the launch of NoveenTV were celebrated at the Northern Virginia Bahá’í Center, the Association of Friends of Persian Culture Conference in Chicago, and the Grand Canyon Bahá’í Conference. These events were an opportunity to share the exciting program-ming developments and highlights of reactions from listeners and viewers, as well as to unveil fundraising opportunities.

• The agency continues to be responsive to inquiries from all over the world, es-pecially from non-Bahá’ís from Iran, as a result of its daily radio programs and two weekly TV programs. Inquirers are provided information about the Faith through various forms of Bahá’í literature, phone calls, and emails.

• The agency enjoyed the services of an increased numbers of volunteers and interns.

Samples of two emails the office received from Iran (translated):

• Hello to you dear ones and hard workers, The government of … Iran wishes to block the truth and prevent freedom of thought using any accusations possible—therefore accusing the open-minded leaders of the Bahá’í Faith with baseless charges of spying and slander against Islam, which they (government) don’t seem to believe in themselves because they don’t show it in action. But they have to know that the people of Iran have awakened from their slumber and they cannot inhibit their progressive thinking. We will always support you dear ones. … We seek their freedom with-out any conditions. Wishing you success,

• They say telling of a joy is half of that joy (Persian proverb) Please tell me of freedom and independence. Please explain to me liberty. I want to know what color is freedom. What about independence? What is the joy of having liberty? Please explain them to me so I can somewhat taste them while still imprisoned.

Inthecontinuingefforttocreatealli-

anceswithlike-mindedIranianorganizationsandindividuals,radioandvideointerviewsandroundtableswerecon-ductedwithfriendsoftheFaithontopicssuchashumanrightsinIran,prosperityofIraniansandtheirculture,andbuildingtheIranofthefuture.

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Brighton Creek Conference CenterIn 2009 the National Spiritual Assembly acquired a remarkable resource in sup-port of the communities of the Northwest: the Brighton Creek Conference Center (BCCC) in McKenna, Washington. This forested 24-acre retreat was under the stewardship of Local Spiritual Assemblies or in private operation by Bahá’ís for nearly two decades. Countless individuals, groups, and communities, Bahá’í and other, from across the United States have utilized Brighton Creek for a variety of teaching, training, consultation, art, and social events.

The National Spiritual Assembly has taken the Brighton Creek Conference Center under its auspices, appointing a Board of Directors to safeguard the property and fulfill its mission of serving as “a regional center for the spiritual, educational and cultural advancement of humanity.” Within this mission are three main objectives:

• To serve the Native American community

• To develop significantly expanded youth activities

• To support the work of clusters and the institute training process in the region

Brighton Creek Conference Center is unique among Bahá’í-owned facilities in its status as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit corporation, wholly supported by grant monies, program and rental fees, and generous contributions from Bahá’ís in five North-western states. Dedicated funds are available for facility expansion and upgrades, but the Conference Center does not receive any operating money from the Na-tional Bahá’í Fund. Plans are on track to make BCCC available for wider public use in April 2010.

Though rustic, Brighton Creek Conference Center has tremendous potential. Facili-ties include 16 simple cabins, a meeting hall, a dining hall, and a bookshop. This year saw installation of a new well, plus kitchen improvements needed to support public events.

With improvement funds available through the National Spiritual Assembly, plans are being developed for a new classroom and seminar building, additional lodging, and a public greeting center. Planned site upgrades include extensive landscap-ing including a commons and courtyard, a new entranceway and road signage, a parking lot and drop-off circle, and a facelift for current structures. Development is intended to reflect a Northwestern Native American influence.

Events held in the year 2009–10 included the annual Labor Day Arts Festival, which garnered about 250 visitors including many seekers; two Clara Dunn Acad-emy sessions, bringing in more than 60 youths for a week of deepening; a number of Native American-sponsored events including monthly Unity Works, Healing Drum Circle, and a statewide Story Tellers event; the annual Alaska Cruise (a week-long deepening aboard ship) and Alaska Friends Dinner; Electoral Unit Conven-tion; Ruhi Institute and tutor-training weekends; and a plethora of other week-

TheNationalSpiri-tualAssemblyhas

takentheBrightonCreekConferenceCen-terunderitsauspices,appointingaBoardofDirectorstosafeguardthepropertyandfulfillitsmissionofservingas“aregionalcenterforthespiritual,edu-cationalandculturaladvancementofhu-manity.”


end events revolving around the Five Year Plan. An expanded website provides a calendar of events and other services.

A “Balanced Scorecard” has been developed by the BCCC Board to serve as the strategic plan for Brighton Creek’s future. It sets priorities for the Center’s atten-tion to four key areas of its operation: customers (those served by BCCC programs), staff and volunteers, financial stability and strength, and internal business pro-cesses—all supporting the Center’s mission and vision.

BrightonCreekCon-ferenceCenteris

uniqueamongBahá’í-ownedfacilitiesinitsstatusasa501(c)(3)nonprofitcorporation,whollysupportedbygrantmonies,programandrentalfees,andgenerouscontributionsfromBahá’ísinfiveNorthwesternstates.

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Association of Friends of Persian Culture

Background

In 1991, the Persian-American Affairs Office received permission from the Na-tional Spiritual Assembly to establish an organization devoted to the promotion of Persian arts and culture. Later, the name of the organization was changed to the Association of Friends of Persian Culture. The Association is a nonprofit organiza-tion operating under the auspices of the National Spiritual Assembly.

Objectives

The main objectives of the Association are to:

• Assist individuals of Iranian descent to remain in contact with and gain a deeper understanding of the cultural, artistic, and literary heritage of Iran.

• Encourage children, youth, and young adults of Iranian descent living abroad to familiarize themselves with and gain a deeper appreciation of Persian arts, literature, and culture.

• Involve ever-increasing numbers of friends of the Faith, particularly Iranian scholars and artists, in the Association’s activities.

• Help English-speaking relatives and friends of Iranians as well as the general public gain an appreciation of Persian culture.

• Promote systematic and comprehensive study of Persian arts and culture.

Activities

annual conFeRence. The Association organized and conducted its 19th Annual Conference on Labor Day weekend 2009, in the Chicago suburb of Schaumburg, Illinois. The conference program included a message from the National Spiritual Assembly, presented by its Secretary-General, conveying the Assembly’s enthu-siastic support for these conferences. During the conference, different aspects of Persian culture—particularly as they relate to the Bahá’í Faith—were discussed, artistic programs were presented, and participants were informed of the results and conclusions of recent studies about Persian culture. The conference was attended by many individuals (1,938 adults, 267 college students, 135 youths, 50 junior youths, and 91 children), the majority of whom were of Persian origin. Although most attendees were from North America, many from across Europe, Australia, Asia, and Central and South America were also in attendance.

The Association’s Board of Directors was assisted in conducting the conference by Task Forces for Arts, Children–Junior Youth, Youth, and Young Professionals Net-working programs. The conference included sessions in Persian with simultaneous translation enjoyed by the English-speaking attendees via headphones. Sessions were also held for young professionals, youth, junior youth and classes for children ages 3–5, 6–8, and 9–10. Workshops on poetry recitation and family issues related

Sevenwell-knownfriendsoftheFaith

acceptedtheinvitationoftheAssociationandaddressedtheaudienceandmanymoremadeartisticpresentations.ThenumberofIranianfriendsoftheFaithinattendancewaslargerthanthoseatanyofthepastconferences.


to pre-youth were offered. Present at the conference were former Universal House of Justice member Mr. Hushmand Fatheazam and Dr. Ehsan Yarshater, author of EncyclopediaIranica.

A special feature of the conference was recognition of Dr. Heshmat Moayyad for his academic contributions to Persian culture and literature. In addition, Dr. Iraj Ayman and Mrs. Lily Ayman were recognized for their role in inaugurating activi-ties that culminated in the current annual Association conferences and for their years of service to the Association. In recognition of their services, a lectureship at the annual conferences has been established by the Association in their names.

Seven well-known friends of the Faith accepted the invitation of the Association and addressed the audience and many more made artistic presentations. These included four prominent personalities in Persian media known across the globe. The number of Iranian friends of the Faith in attendance was larger than those at any of the past conferences.

One of the media personalities in attendance presented a report of the conference in his television program, in which he praised the high quality of the conference and the behavior of the Bahá’ís in attendance.

Plans for the 20th conference are well under way. Many prominent guests have accepted the invitation of the Board of Directors to speak or make artistic presen-tations in what promises to be another successful annual conference.

publicationS. Efforts at publishing the proceedings of the conferences and other pertinent materials continue. Five titles are currently available and more will be published shortly. In addition, CDs and DVDs of talks and music by performing artists are available for purchase. More materials will be produced as this process gathers momentum.

WebSite. Efforts to improve the Association website, launched in 2008, continue. Features of the website include information about the Association and its activi-ties, online registration for the annual conferences, and access to conference presentations and other materials.

Finances

Consistent with its status as a nonprofit corporation, the Association has oper-ated completely independent of the National Bahá’í Fund for the past four years. Sources of income include registration fees and other income from the annual conferences, sales of materials, and contributions from individuals.

Effortsatpublish-ingtheproceedings

oftheconferencesandotherpertinentmateri-alscontinue.Fivetitlesarecurrentlyavailableandmorewillbepub-lishedshortly.

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Health for Humanity

Mission

Health for Humanity (HH) seeks to inspire and mobilize both local communities and global resources to improve health through medical training and leadership education.

Increased focus and strategic programming

During 2009–10, Health for Humanity’s Board of Directors committed the organi-zation to strengthening proven projects and strategically developing new oppor-tunities to complement existing programs. Refining HH’s scope of interest, future programming will center on blindness prevention—including international technical training in optometry and ophthalmology and local eye-screening activities—dia-betes prevention, nutrition promotion, and other non-surgical areas of concern. This new refined focus will give the organization the ability to develop sustain-able and quantifiable programs that will clearly articulate its mission to potential funders and volunteers, allowing Health for Humanity to grow into a stronger, more sustainable organization.

Organizational leadership

In July 2009, the Board of Directors engaged Corinne Pierog as Interim Executive Director of Health for Humanity through January 2011.

Global health activities

china blindneSS pRevention pRoject.

• Initiated in 2007, in Tianjin, China, to reduce the prevalence of blindness from cataracts in China in remote, rural areas.

• Funds were distributed to support rural outreach for blindness prevention in China.

monGolia blindneSS pRevention.

• Initiated in 2002, in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, to reduce avoidable blindness in Mongolia by developing capacity for modern cataract surgery and vitreo-retinal surgery.

• Started in 2007 with the goal of improving outcomes for blindness prevention patients in Mongolia, HH continued its work in Values-Based Leadership to im-prove communication, knowledge-sharing, and collaboration among physicians, hospital administrators, and patients.

• Two fellowships in ophthalmology were sponsored for advanced training in India for glaucoma treatment and in retinal disease treatment.

• Technical training was provided by HH volunteers in the following areas: oculo-plastics surgery and treatment, vitreo-retinal surgery and treatment.

RefiningHH’sscopeofinterest,fu-

tureprogrammingwillcenteronblindnessprevention—includinginternationaltechnicaltraininginoptometryandophthalmologyandlocaleye-screeningactivities—diabetesprevention,nutritionpromotion,andothernon-surgicalareasofconcern.


• Three Health for Humanity volunteers visited current projects in Mongolia.

valueS-baSed leadeRShip tRaininG.

• Training was provided to aid health care professionals in Mongolia to assist in implementing technical training and consultation skills.

• Entitled “Enhancing the Effects of Technical Training in Building Medical Capacity,” a grant proposal submitted to the University of Chicago on Values-Based Leadership Training and Virtues Development was selected from 700 competitors to be entered in a Symposium on the New Science of Virtues.

• Health for Humanity was selected by Northwestern University for a grant for a pro-bono management engagement to develop a business model for the Values-Based Leadership program.

multi-Specialty medical volunteeR activitieS.

• A committee was formed and will be responsible for the coordination of volun-teer program activities with hospitals in Chengdu (China), Yueyang (China), and the Kumudini Welfare Trust (Bangladesh).

• Yueyang, China: Continuing Medical Training, initiated in 1999, to support the Chinese government’s commitment to continuing medical education through lectures and clinical training experiences.

• Chengdu, China: Pediatric Rehabilitation, initiated in 1999, to improve the quality of life for children with disabilities by developing capacity for pediatric rehabilitation services.

• Dhaka, Bangladesh: Continued Medical Training, initiated in 2009, to support the Kumudini Welfare Trust’s Medical, Nursing, and Dental Schools by sending multiple specialty volunteers to offer lectures and clinical training experiences. In 2010 training was offered by two Health for Humanity volunteers in endocri-nology and diabetes prevention.

domeStic pRojectS.

• Illinois Migrant Worker Blindness Prevention project exploration began in 2009, considering a potential partnership with Illinois College of Optometry to develop a program to reduce eye injuries and offer vision screening for the migrant worker population in the greater Chicago area.

• Ohio Senior Wellness Lecture Series, initiated in 1997 in Youngstown, Ohio, to improve the quality of life and health of seniors by providing health education seminars and to offer nutrition programs to young adults.

• Three representatives of Health for Humanity attended the Global Health Coun-cil’s Annual Meeting in Washington, D.C.

Agrantproposalsubmittedtothe

UniversityofChicagoonValues-BasedLead-ershipTrainingandVirtuesDevelopmentwasselectedfrom700competitorstobeen-teredinaSymposiumontheNewScienceofVirtues.

157Appendices

Appendices157 ...Annual Report of the Bahá’í

Chair for World Peace, University of Maryland

159 ...Membership of the National Spiritual Assembly and the Regional Bahá’í Councils

160 ...Membership of key consultative and directorial bodies

Annual Report of the Bahá’í Chair for World Peace, University of Maryland

Mission statement

The Bahá’í Chair for World Peace at the University of Maryland is an academic institution that works in the pursuit of global peace, social and economic justice, human security, and the recognition of the critical role of principles, values, and spirituality. “The Promise of World Peace” stimulated its establishment at the Uni-versity of Maryland and is reflected in the Chair’s emphasis on understanding that principles, as well as pragmatics, are indispensable in achieving world peace.

The Bahá’í community and the National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of the United States have been bedrocks of support for the Chair. Though it is not an official institution of the Faith, to many outsiders the Chair’s statements are reflective of Bahá’í principles and practices and it makes serious efforts to maintain an appropriate equilibrium between its activities and the general objectives and teachings of the Faith as it shares learning and reflections with both non-Bahá’ís and the Bahá’í community.

Activity areas

The Chair’s efforts are principally focused on:

• Participation in activities that spotlight the Chair, its purpose and foundational principles

• Exchanges and actions that promote ideas of peace commensurate with Bahá’í insights and experience

• Nurturing of new forums and opportunities for consultation for the promotion of a peaceful world

• Research, presentation, and application of knowledge relevant to its mission

Semester on Peace

For Fall 2009, the Chair and collaborators organized a Semester on Peace at the University of Maryland (see www.peace.umd.edu). Interest in this semester was felt throughout the fall, as event after event became aligned with the theme, and faculty, students, departments, and offices on campus participated in its many op-portunities to practice peace. Inspired by the semester, a new student organization devoted to the promotion of peace is being created with the assistance of the Chair.

Interactive Dialogue: “Human Security in an Insecure World”

Before an audience of hundreds, including university students, faculty, adminis-trators, the general public, and Bahá’ís from surrounding communities, College of Behavioral and Social Sciences Dean John Townshend and National Spiritual Assembly Secretary-General Kenneth E. Bowers opened the Bahá’í Chair for World

InterestintheSemesteronPeacewasfeltthroughout

thefall,aseventaftereventbecamealignedwiththetheme,andfaculty,students,departments,andofficesoncampusparticipatedinitsmanyopportunitiestopracticepeace.

Riḍván2010

158

Peace’s Second Interactive Dialogue, entitled “Human Security in an Insecure World,” on November 19, 2009.

Moderated by Chair-holder Professor John Grayzel, the panelists, including Kishan Manocha, Secretary-General of the National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of the United Kingdom, offered diverse perspectives on definitions and concepts of human security, stressed humanity’s need to develop new institutional architecture for collaborative approaches to achieving security beyond merely the “absence of violent conflict,” and emphasized that sovereignty needed significant rethinking.

The Dialogue may be viewed online (www.youtube.com/user/BahaiPeaceChair).

Teaching

Dr. John Grayzel teaches two classes:

• Peacebuilding, Post-Conflict Reconstruction, and International Development. This is required for students in the International Development Minor program.

• Creating Alternative Futures. This Honors seminar puts aside utopian ideals, focusing on humanity’s historical and real-world experience in crafting a better, more peaceful world.

The Chair sponsors a third course given by Professor Suheil Bushrui:

• Spiritual Heritage of the Human Race. This Honors seminar studies religious ex-perience from a multicultural, global perspective and emphasizes humanity’s shared search to know “the unknowable.” Course materials serve as the basis of the recent book TheSpiritualHeritageoftheHumanRace:AnIntroductiontotheWorld’sReligions (Oneworld, 2009) by Dr. Bushrui and a team of contributing authors.

theSiS ReSeaRch and independent Study. Graduate and undergraduate students are increasingly taking Thesis Research and Independent Study under the guid-ance of the Bahá’í Chair. Topics include: African immigrant communities in the Washington, D.C., area; the relationship between human rights and “human security” in Central Africa; “lessons learned” from the Semester on Peace; devel-opment strategies and ethnic conflict in Sri Lanka; Iran as a cauldron of West-ern and Eastern reactions to modernization; the role of women in development projects; and anthropological approaches to the study of tribal conflicts.

Outreach

Dr. Grayzel was the keynote speaker at the United Nations Day celebration in Gainesville, Florida, and guest lecturer at the University of Florida. Dr. Grayzel stressed that a major source of failure in socioeconomic development is the fact that explanation and implementation are too often based on partial rather than whole truths and, therefore, fundamentally impede the ability to act consistently with full knowledge and understanding.

The Chair hosted a gathering of Bahá’í and non-Bahá’í students who exchanged ideas and experiences around the Semester on Peace for a Payam-e-DoostRadio broadcast.

Dr. Grayzel presented at a conference sponsored by the U.S. Department of State’s Office of International Visitors on the challenges of interfaith learning and collab-oration, and moderated a USAID presentation on education and conflict situations.

Publications

The First Interactive Dialogue is available as TheHumanityofDiplomacy:PeopleandDiplomacyintheTwenty-firstCentury on Amazon.com. Work has begun on publication of the Second Interactive Dialogue.

TheChair’sSecondInteractiveDia-

logue,entitled“HumanSecurityinanInsecureWorld,”offereddiverseperspectivesondefini-tionsandconceptsofhumansecurity.

Appendix: Membership of the National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of the United States, 2009–2010

Muin AfnaniKenneth E. Bowers, Secretary-GeneralJuana C. Conrad, DeputySecretary-GeneralValerie DanaRobert C. Henderson

Jacqueline Left Hand Bull, ChairWilliam L.H. Roberts, TreasurerErica ToussaintDavid F. Young, Vice-Chair

Membership of the Regional Bahá’í Councils in the United States

Central States

Yvonne Billingsley, Vice-ChairDana FarrarMarianne Geula, TreasurerJena Khadem KhodadadPatricia Kubala, RecordingSecretaryBehrad MajidiBecky Smith, Secretary-GeneralLynn Wieties, ChairBreeana Woods

Northeastern States

Nina Dini, Vice-ChairBrett Gamboa, ChairChester Makoski, SecretaryMary K. MakoskiJoel NizinVickie Nizin, AssistantSecretaryforAdministrationHarriet Pasca-OrtgiesKatherine Penn, ClusterAdvancementCoordinatorGreg Wooster, Treasurer

Northwestern States

Doug Allen, Vice-ChairCarol Brooks, RecordingSecretaryDerek CockshutHenri CrossFrederick Delgado, TreasurerDale Eng, SecretaryRandie GottliebShannon Javid,

AssistantSecretaryforClusterAdvancementOmid Meshkin, Chair

South Central States

Lupita Ahangarzadeh, ChairAniela Costello, ClusterDevelopmentCoordinatorRuth de VargasAram Ferdowsi, RecordingSecretaryJohn HatcherHoda HosseiniSohrab Kourosh, Vice-ChairKaren Pritchard, TreasurerRegina Rafraf, Secretary

Southeastern States

Ford Bowers, TreasurerNavid Haghighi, Vice-ChairRobert James, ChairAhmad MahboubiCarole MillerCorinne Mills,

AssistantSecretaryforClusterAdvancementMahyar Mofidi, SecretaryJanice Sadeghian, AssistantSecretaryJames Sturdivant

Southwestern States

Payam AdlparvarShad Afsahi, TreasurerFariba Aghdasi,

DeputySecretaryforClusterAdvancementJerry Bathke, ChairGary BulkinRandolph Dobbs, Vice-ChairMarsha Gilpatrick, Secretary-GeneralCharleen Maghzi, AssistantandRecordingSecretaryFarhad Sabetan

Appendix: Membership of key consultative and directorial bodies

National committees and task forces

Office of Review Task Force

Shahin BorhanianCharles CarnegieGary MatthewsRichard SchickeleMartha SchweitzMatthew Weinberg

Bahá’í Center Assistance Board

Beverly Azizi Carl Dean ClingenpeelSharon Dixon PeayFarzad Ferdowsi, SecretaryRon Lillejord, TreasurerFarshad Monfared,

RecordingSecretaryLee Ratcliff,

Vice-ChairpersonMahdad Saniee,

Chairperson

Institute advisory committees

Native American Bahá’í Institute

Alice BathkeJerry BathkeAlvin BitsillyNanabah FoguthRahan KhozeinElizabeth LouisBrad RishelRobert Turner

Wilmette Institute

Roger DahlNancy Davis

(untilJuly2009) Betty J. Fisher Missy Martin

(sinceNovember2009)Keyvan Nazerian Mark RossmanRobert H. StockmanGeoff Wilson

Editorial boards

World Order Task Force

Betty J. FisherArash AbizadehMonireh KazemzadehKevin A. Morrison

Other advisory boards

Bahá’í Service for the Blind

Robert DicksonBill PearyLynne PearyJohn SimpsonLaurie Simpson

Financial Advisory Group

Shad AfsahiNava AshrafBadi AzadGregory BelzerFord BowersRay CameronFred DelgadoFaran FerdowsiMarianne GeulaDouglas HenckSam JonesBadi KlemGrant KvalheimRon LillejordBehnam Malek KhosraviMarcus (Mark) McKerleyAida Shahid McNamaraTom NowakSharon Dixon PeayKaren PritchardMehrdad RassekhStephen Vaccaro

Affiliates’ boards and executive committeesAssociation for Bahá’í Studies–North America Executive Committee

Lisa Dufraimont, Vice-ChairandConferenceProgramCo-Chair

Mehran Kiai, TreasurerPierre-Yves Mocquais,

ChairandAcademicDirector

Kim Naqvi, ConferenceProgramCo-Chair

Parvin Rowhani, RecordingSecretaryandOfficeManager

Martha Schweitz, Secretary

Association of Friends of Persian Culture Board of Directors

Goli AtaiiGuitty EjtemaiChangiz GeulaHermien HoveydaiJaleh Joubine-KhademManuchehr KhodadadFuad Ziai

Bahá’í Association for Mental Health Board

Leslie AsplundSheri DresslerDulamdary EnkhtorJack GuillebeauxJoan HaskellMary K. Radpour

Brighton Creek Conference Center Board of Directors

Laura Baerwolf,SecretaryKay Dallal,Vice-ChairChris Gilbert,ChairShelley de Maintenon,

AssistantSecretaryMajid Mohajer–Jasbi,

TreasurerKarl SeehornCarri SmithRoy SteinerRich Young

Health for Humanity Board of Directors

Gity Banan-EtemadJennifer ChapmanRichard Czerniejewski,

Vice-ChairStephen Jackson, ChairWilliam McMillerRobert PhillipsS. John Safapour,

SecretaryGeoffrey Wilson, TreasurerCorinne Pierog, Interim

ExecutiveDirector

US NSA 2010 Annual Report

Documents

Transcript of US NSA 2010 Annual Report