Welcome to the Tenth International Baha’i Convention
So this is what has been happening in Haifa for the last week or so. This is also why I haven’t responded much to anyone’s emails, or facebook messages or sms in the last couple of weeks. Tomorrow is already the last day of an event that has been in preparation for a very long time now. I think in some ways it makes a great conclusion to my service here at the Baha’i world centre where I have been serving for the last 11 months. As I am preparing myself to leave Haifa, I can’t help but feel grateful, grateful to have had the bounty to be surrounded by so much beauty, grateful for all the learning living at the Baha’i World Centre brings, grateful to have been allowed to serve a Cause so dear to me.
I’m digressing…Convention was another AMAZING experience:
In a global procession, ballots are cast for the Universal House of Justice
29 April 2008
HAIFA, Israel — In a ceremony that combined spiritual dignity with global diversity, a thousand Bahá’ís from 153 countries cast ballots today in an election to choose the nine members of the Universal House of Justice, the international governing body of the Bahá’í Faith.
For nearly three hours, delegates to the 10th International Bahá’í Convention filed decorously, one by one, onto a majestically adorned stage, each dropping a ballot into a simple wooden box.
The votes will be tallied overnight and the results announced here tomorrow.
The event was a study in globalism, a hallmark of the Bahá’í Faith, which has some five million followers and is established in virtually every nation.
Delegates were called by name, in alphabetical order by country. Many proudly wore traditional or native dress, an acknowledgment of their belief in the concept of unity in diversity.
The result was colorful and joyous, as women in bright ethnic dresses or simple pantsuits mixed with men in Western business suits or gaily decorated tribal costumes.
The balloting process began with prayers, followed by brief remarks from Penny Walker, chairman of the convention.
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Members of 166 National Spiritual Assemblies submitted ballots, with 153 countries represented in person at the convention. Delegates from Canada are pictured… »
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Dr. Penny Walker, an International Counsellor of the Baha’i Faith and chairman of the convention, opens the convention and begins giving instructions for voting.
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At the front of the stage where delegates voted were red roses sent by the Baha’is of Iran, who face persecution in their country because of their religion and… »
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Head chief teller Thelma Khelghati of Guinea reads the names of each delegate as they bring their ballots forward.
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Those casting ballots were the members of the Baha’i National Spiritual Assemblies of the world.
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About a thousand delegates out of the 1,494 members of National Spiritual Assemblies around the world were in attendance for the election. The others had sent… »
“We gather together here with hearts full of excitement at the achievements of the Bahá’í world in the last year, and with hearts full of gratitude to Bahá’u’lláh for making it possible that this extraordinary assembly of His followers, from every corner of the earth, could come together in the Holy Land, to elect the Universal House of Justice, the supreme body of our Faith,” said Dr. Walker.
Dr. Walker, who holds the position of International Counsellor in the Bahá’í Faith, outlined the voting procedure, in which the delegates write down the names of nine men they feel are most qualified to serve on the Universal House of Justice.
“As you know, the Bahá’í electoral process is finally spiritual in character, a unique feature of our divinely ordained administration,” she said. “Let us remember the words of Shoghi Effendi, which urged us to approach this task of election with selflessness and detachment, … ‘with a purity of motive, a freedom of spirit and a sanctity of heart.’”
Sou said,
4 May, 2008 at 7:38 pm
Elo Yo!
You know wat i liked most in this post? the solemnity
Lemme just also add a lil hi to ya. Will mail ya afterwards. Big smooches babe
XOXOXO