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Bahá’í Activities Update (June 2011)

Having discovered that the Prince Andrew Community High School, needed more information on the Bahá’í Faith, we purchased some books for their Religious Education Department and for the school's Trevor Hearl Library, offering talks and school visits to the Bahá’í Centre. This invitation was also extended to the Junior schools.

We have continued to hold our Devotionals on Thursday evenings at the Centre at 8pm. These are evenings of prayers and readings followed by refreshments, if anyone cares to join us.

Our monthly Public meetings have included talks on The Mission of Bahá’u’lláh; Fair Trade; One World Music; and The Day of the Covenant.

An invitation was sent to all religious groups to join with us in prayer at their meetings on the occasion of Human Rights Day of Global Action last June. We also asked for their prayerful support in remembering those Bahá’ís persecuted for their faith in Iran, and continued our radio Thought for the Day along with other religious groups.

We commemorated the week of prayer for World Peace 17^th- 24^th October, and hosted tea parties for Bahá’í New Year and Bahá’u’lláh’s Birthday

The Information Centre attracted enquiries from a few visitors to the island, and we had pleasant discussions with them.

The St. Helena Bahá’í Community was represented at the "Building Human Rights Capacity in the Overseas Territories" Advocacy Training Workshops held last June by two South African Lawyers, on Human Rights. The Faith was also represented at the meeting of Civil Societies held by the visiting VSO trainer.

As the 4^th anniversary of the imprisonment of the leaders of the Bahá’í Faith in Iran drew near, we were asked to publicise their plight in our local papers. Our letter quoting the UK Prime Minister’s concerns for their welfare, and deploring religious persecution, was printed on 19^th May. The text is reproduced below:

Religious Persecution of Bahá’ís in Iran

The Bahá’í of St. Helena invite all believers of other persuasions in the Island to add their prayers to ours for the safety of the Bahá’ís of Iran.

The persecution of the Bahá’ís in Iran, and the imprisonment of their leaders since 2008 has provoked a worldwide chorus of condemnation from governments, institutions and individuals in Australia, Brazil, Canada, France, Germany, Hungary, India, Ireland, the Netherlands, New Zealand, the United Kingdom and the United States. The European Union and the President of the European Parliament have also joined the protest, along with numerous human rights organizations such as Amnesty International and other groups and religious leaders including from Christian Solidarity Worldwide. Background of the ongoing persecution of Bahá’ís in Iran can be found online at www.bahai.org/dir/worldwide/persecution.

MESSAGE FROM THE PRIME MINISTER,
the Right Honourable David Cameron MP
to the Bahá’ís of the UK,
April 2011:

"It gives me great pleasure to send my warmest regards to the National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of the UK on the occasion of the Festival of Ridván. This is a time to reflect on the past year, to celebrate successes but also to think about those who are suffering within the Bahá’í community. I remain deeply concerned about the ongoing plight of the seven Bahá’í leaders and the continued attacks on the Bahá’í Faith in Iran. Your dignity and patience is admirable in the face of such severe discrimination and intimidation for simply staying true to your faith. I hope the recent appointment of a UN Special Rapporteur and the imposition by the EU of sanctions against human rights violators in Iran will provide encouragement to the Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís here in the UK and to the many Bahá’ís in Iran who bravely continue to speak up for their rights. We hope that these developments convey to Iran the strength of the international concern over its human rights record and demonstrate that continued violations will not go unnoticed. May this year bring both peace and prosperity to you all."

Thank you for your prayerful support.
Barbara B. George
Secretary, St. Helena Bahá’í Community

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