June 16, 2008 - 11:35am

U.S. Bahá’í UN representative Jeffery Huffines received a Friendship Award for his work “promoting cultural understanding throughout the world and at the UN Headquarters” and for serving as a “positive, guiding force” to all.

The award was given at the United Cultures Peace Festival & Concert on June 12 and presented by His Excellence Gabor Brodi, the Hungarian Ambassador to the UN. Mr. Huffines has served as the U.S. Bahá'í UN representative since 1996.

Members of the newly elected National Spiritual Assembly of the United States

In prayerful silence, 171 delegates at the 100th U.S. Bahá’í National Convention elected the nine members of the National Spiritual Assembly, which, in lieu of clergy, governs the 160,000 members of the Faith in this country.

The election took place on May 24 at the Bahá’í House of Worship in Wilmette, Ill. Bahá’í delegates in virtually every country of the world gathered on or near that day to elect their own National Spiritual Assemblies.

On the evening of May 22, Baha'is throughout the world commemorate the Declaration of the Bab, which took place in this room (pictured) in the Persian city of Shiraz in 1844.

"His life is one of the most magnificent examples of courage which it has been the privilege of mankind to behold,” French writer A.L.M. Nicolas said of the Báb (“gate” in Arabic).

The Báb—born Siyyid `Alí-Muhammad in Shiraz, Persia (now Iran)—announced on May 22, 1844, that He was the bearer of a Divine Revelation which would prepare humanity for the advent of the Promised One of all religions.

From May 22-25, 171 Baha'i delegates in the United States will gather at the Baha'i House of Worship in Wilmette, Ill., to elect the nine members of the National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of the United States. At the same time, Baha’i delegates in 181 other nations will gather to elect their National Spiritual Assemblies.

This year marks the 100th annual Baha'i national convention in the United States.

Delegates at the first convention, held in Chicago in 1909, established an organization called Baha’i Temple Unity, the first national institution in the Baha’i world.

The choir sings outside of the Baha'i House of Worship

Close to 200 talented voices from throughout the United States, Canada, the Caribbean and Africa will sing works from Baha'i scriptures and those of other religions in the second annual Baha'i choral music concert at 12:30 p.m. Sunday, May 18, at the Baha'i House of Worship for the North American Continent.

After the concert in the auditorium lasting approximately 45 minutes, the choir will assemble outside on the steps of the temple -- weather permitting -- to perform rousing gospel music, traditional songs and other multicultural music. The outdoor portion will last about 20 minutes. Both parts of the concert are sung a cappella, and are free and open to the public.

To enable further restoration of the Baha'i House of Worship and begin construction of the new Visitors Center, the lower level of the temple, which currently houses the Visitors Center and bookstore, will be closed to the public for approximately one year, from May 19, 2008, to May 2009.

For Baha'is, the New Year comes at a perfect time – March 21 --the vernal equinox, which marks the first day of spring and the end of the Baha'i Faith’s annual Nineteen Day Fast.

Called Naw-Ruz – “new day” in Persian, the Baha'i New Year has its roots in Persia, where the Baha'i Faith originated in the mid-1800s.

Calendar designed by Marta Gomez

Marta Gomez, a Baha'i in Irmo, S.C., started out making a simple calendar to put on the refrigerator so her daughters, Alma, 9, and Maya, 5, could keep track of days in Baha'i and Gregorian time. But the project grew in scope and intricacy, and by the time she was done, Ms. Gomez had created an elaborate 30-inch-by-30-inch work of art in watercolor and ink.

Calendar

Throughout the United States Baha’is are inviting spiritual seekers to enrich their spiritual and community life through such activities as prayer gatherings, weekly study of the Baha'i scriptures and classes for the spiritual education and training of children.

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Marty and Wendy Quinn fell in love and married in 1982. The Baha'i couple then fell in love with a work by Baha’u’llah -- The Seven Valleys -- and the idea of turning it into a musical.

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