Chronology: Date 1970-0

date	event	tags	firsts
1970 26 Sep	The passing of Florence Evaline (Lorol) Schopflocher (b.1886 in Montreal. QC) in the Green Acre area. She was buried at the Mount Pleasant Cemetery in Eliot, Maine [Find a grave] Wife of Hand of the Cause of God Siegfried Schopflocher. For his "In Memoriam" see BW7p664. She circled the globe nine times on travel teaching tours and visited some 86 countries, many of them multiple times. She travelled to Iran twice visiting parts not previously visited by Western Bahá'ís. She visited the Guardian 11 times. She had several audiences with King Feisal in Iraq and discussed the question of the House of Bahá'u'lláh in Baghdád with him. Favourite themes for her public talks were the World Order letters of Shoghi Effendi and the emancipation and education of women. A radiant star went from the West to the East. [BW15p488-489] See Bahá'í Chronicles. See her account of her travels in her autobiographical book Sunburst.	Lorol Schopflocher; Siegfried Schopflocher; Births and deaths; In Memoriam; House of Bahá'u'lláh (Baghdad); Montreal, QC; Quebec, Canada; Canada
1970 14 – 16 Aug	The Continental Conference was held in La Paz, Bolivia. [BW15:317; VV5] For pictures see BW15:301–2.	Continental Conference; - Conferences; La Paz, Bolivia; Bolivia
1970 14 – 16 Aug	The Oceanic Conference of the Indian Ocean was held in Rose Hill, Mauritius. [BW15:317; VV5] For pictures see BW15:299–301. For an account of the experience of attending from the point of view of Claire Gung, the "Mother of Africa", see CG84-85.	Oceanic Conference; - Conferences; Beau Bassin-Rose Hill, Mauritius; Mauritius
1970 14 Aug - 1971 5 Sep	Eight Oceanic and Continental Conferences were held. BW15:296–323] For many pictures see BW15:296–316.	Oceanic Conference; Continental Conference; - Conferences
1970 3 Aug	The passing of Haik (Haig) Kevorkian (b.1 October 1916 in Aleppo, Syria) in Lomas de Zamora, Buenos Aires province of Argentina at the age of 54. He was buried in the British Cemetery beside his parents and his infant son. Haik had learned of the Faith from his father who had embraced the Faith in his birthplace, Gaziantep Aintab, Turkey. In 1937 the family emigrated from Aleppo, Syria to Argentina and they stopped on the way to visit the Holy Land where they spoke with the Guardian about pioneering. They arrived in Buenos Aires on the 29th of March after a another stop in Bahia to visit Leonora Holsapple. On February 29th, 1940 May Maxwell, accompanied by her niece Jeanne Bolles arrived in Buenos Aires and it was from Haik that she received the a telephone call to welcome her. The following morning when the Kevorkian family called at the City Hotel they learned that May Maxwell had passed during the night. Haik and Wilfrid Barton searched for a befitting spot for her interment and Haik spent the rest of his life honouring and caring for her resting place. Haik taught the Faith in the interior of Argentina and make international trips to Uruguay, Paraguay, Bolivia, Peru, Chile Brazil and Ecuador. He assisted in the formation of the first spiritual assembly in Guayaquil and won the honour of being named a Knight of Bahá'u'lláh when he settled in the Galapolos Islands in May 1954. A record of his service there can be found in Heroes of God: History of the Bahá'í Faith in Ecuador, 1940-1979 by Helen Bassett Hornby. Upon his return from the Galapolos to Buenos Aires he married Aurora de Eyto and they had one surviving son, Daniel Claudio (b.1960). [BW15p483-485]	Haig Kevorkian; In Memoriam; Knight of Bahá'u'lláh; Buenos Aires, Argentina; Argentina
1970 approx Jul	The release of the film It's Just the Beginning. The documentary film is about the 1970 Bahá'í National Youth Conference and was made by Kiva Films. This film was aired on television and at community events. Distribution was under the Public Information Committee of the National Assembly of the Bahá'ís of the United States. [National Bahá'í Review Issue 47 November 1972 p2] YouTube.	- Film; Its Just the Beginning (documentary film); USA
1970 (Summer)	The first National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of Uganda was elected for the first time. Those elected were: Mr. Enos Epyeru, Assistant Treasurer; Mr. Javan Gutosi, Treasurer; Mr. S. M. Isimai, Secretary; Mr. Moses Senoga, Vice-Chairman and Assistant Secretary, Mr. Julias Nambafu, Augustin Massati, Augustin Naku, and Albert Ocamodek. [Bahá'í News No 479 February 1971 pg15; Wikipedia]	National Spiritual Assembly, formation; Kampala, Uganda; Uganda
1970 23 Jun	The centenary of the death of Mírzá Mihdí was commemorated with a day of prayer by Bahá'ís around the world and in the Holy Land with a pilgrimage to the barracks in 'Akká, Bahjí and to his monument. [BW15:162–3]	Mírzá Mihdi (Purest Branch); Centenaries; Monument Gardens; Akka, Israel; Bahji, Israel
1970 19 – 21 Jun	Rúhíyyih Khánum interrupted her African teaching safari to meet with more than 2,000 youth at the National Youth Conference in the United States. [BW15:331; VV10]	Amatul-Bahá Ruhiyyih Khanum; Amatul-Bahá Ruhiyyih Khanum, Journeys of; Conferences, Bahá'í; Conferences, Youth; Youth; USA; - Africa
1970 15 June	Worldwide Bahá'í Statistics [CBN248,February1971p11] Countries opened to the Faith: Independent countries 134 Significant territories and islands 179 Total 373 Number of localities where Bahá'ís reside 43,341 Number of local spiritual assemblies 10,318	Statistics; Growth; - Worldwide
1970 27 May	The Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) of the United Nations approved the recommendation by the Committee on Non-Governmental Organisations of February 12th 1970, that the Bahá'í International Community be granted consultative status with the United Nations Economic and Social Council.	United Nations Economic and Social Council; Bahá'í International Community; United Nations; New York, USA; New York, USA
1970 27 May	The Bahá'í International Community was granted consultative status, category II, by the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) of the United Nations [BBRSM149; BW15:178, 366; BW16:333; BW19:30; VV54] As a result, the Bahá'í International Community began to be represented at sessions of UN bodies addressing a wide range of issues of particular interest to Bahá'ís, including human rights, social development, status of women, environment, human settlements, agriculture, science and technology, new and renewable resources, population, law of the sea, crime prevention, narcotic drugs, children, youth, the family, disabled persons, the ageing, the United Nations University and disarmament. At such sessions the Bahá'í International Community offers statements on the Bahá'í position on the subject under discussion. Prior to this date individuals were accredited as "observer" representatives of the "Bahá'í International Community" which originally had been established in 1947 under the auspices of the National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of the United States. Individuals who served as observer representatives on a part-time basis were Mildred Mottahedeh, Dr Ugo Giachery, John Ferraby, 'Azíz Navidi and Dr Amin Banáni among others. In 1963 the responsibility for the BIC was transferred to the Universal House of Justice and in 1965 permanent offices were established in New York with a full-time representative appointed. The first representative was Mildred Mottahedeh who soon asked to be replaced. Dr Victor de Arujo served for 23 years until his retirement in January, 1991. [BW15p358-367] Bahá'í International Community Representative, Victor de Araujo, was elected to the Executive Board of the Conference of Non-Governmental Organizations. [BIC History 1970]	Bahá'í International Community; United Nations; Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC); Mildred Mottahedeh; Ugo Giachery; John Ferraby; Aziz Navidi; Amin Banani; Victor de Araujo; New York, USA; USA
1970 May	One thousand Guajiro Indians became Bahá'ís in Venezuela. [BW15:241]	Native Americans; Mass conversion; Venezuela
1970 May	In Iraq the Baathist Revolutionary Command Council issued Decree No. 105 to ban Bahá'í activities and disbanding all Bahá'í institutions. [BBRSM174; BW15:173; BW16:137]	Persecution, Iraq; - Persecution, Other; - Persecution, Bans; - Persecution; National Spiritual Assembly, formation; Iraq
1970 22 Apr	The first Earth Day mobilized 20 million Americans to call for increased protections for our planet. The organization of this event was inspired in part but the Santa Barbara Oil Spill of the 28th of January 1969 when an off-shore oil well owned by Union Oil blew out and spilled more than three million gallons of oil and killing thousands of seabirds, dolphins, seals, and sea lions and fouling the California coastline. As a reaction to this disaster, activists were mobilized to create environmental regulation, environmental education, and Earth Day. [Earth Day website]	Earth Day; Environment; California, USA; USA
1970 Ridván	The National Spiritual Assembly of the Near East was formed with its seat in Beirut, Lebanon with jurisdiction over Lebanon, Jordon and Syria. [BW15:146; BW16:264] For picture see BW15:146.	National Spiritual Assembly, formation; Beirut, Lebanon; Lebanon	first NSA Near East
1970 Ridván	The National Spiritual Assembly of Guyana, Surinam and French Guiana was formed with its seat in Georgetown, Guyana. [BW15:238] For picture see BW15:144.	National Spiritual Assembly, formation; Georgetown, Guyana; Guyana	first NSA Guyana, Surinam and French Guiana
1970 Ridván	The National Spiritual Assembly of Southern Rhodesia was formed with its seat in Salisbury. [BW15:200] The name of the country was changed to Zimbabwe on the 18 April 1980. The name of the capital was change to Harare in the second anniversary of the country's independence from the UK.	National Spiritual Assembly, formation; Salisbury (Harare), Zimbabwe; Rhodesia	first NSA Rhodesia
1970 Ridván	The National Spiritual Assembly of Zaire was formed with its seat in Kinshasa. (Formerly Belgian Congo until 1960; then Republic of Congo (Kinshasa) until the name changed to Zaire in 1971. (Kinshasa was formerly called Leopoldville.) [BW15:205] At this time there was a large concentration of believers in South Kivu, there were Bahá'ís in Western Kasai, in Kinshasa and in Lubumbashi. The election took place in the home of Belgian pioneers Jean-Pierre and Anne-Marie Laperches. Hand of the Cause Mr Faizi was in attendance to represent the Universal House of Justice. [A Remarkable Response Film 26:55 For picture see BW15:147. It has been reported that President Mobutu's personal physician was a Baháí, a Dr Jazab, and it was he who had Mobutu sign a document giving the Bahá'ís permission to practice their faith in the country. [Servants of the Glory page 60]	National Spiritual Assembly, formation; Congo, Democratic Republic of (Zaire)	first NSA Zaire
1970 Ridván	The National Spiritual Assembly of Central Africa was formed with its seat in Bangui. [BW15:206] Territories under its jurisdiction were: Chad, Gabon, Congo (Brazzaville) and Central African Republic. Since 1964 they had been part of the National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of Uganda and Central Africa along with Burundi and Rwanda who had formed a regional assembly in 1969.	National Spiritual Assembly, formation; Bangui, Central African Republic	first NSA Central Africa
1970 Ridván	The National Spiritual Assembly of Samoa was formed with its seat in Apia. [BW15:274] For picture see BW15:146.	National Spiritual Assembly, formation; Apia, Samoa; Samoa	first NSA Samoa
1970 Ridván	The National Spiritual Assembly of Upper West Africa was formed with its seat in Banjul, The Gambia. Jurisdiction for this Assembly extended over Senegal and Mauritania. [BW15p193] For picture see BW15:147.	National Spiritual Assembly, formation; Banjul (Bathurst), The Gambia; Gambia, The	first NSA Upper West Africa
1970 Ridván	The National Spiritual Assembly of West Central Africa with its seat in Lagos was dissolved and three new National Assemblies were established. [BW15p192] The National Spiritual Assembly of Nigeria was formed with its seat in Lagos. [BW15:192]	National Spiritual Assembly, formation; Nigeria	first NSA Nigeria
1970 Ridván	The National Spiritual Assembly of West Central Africa with its seat in Lagos was dissolved and three new National Assemblies were established. [BW15p189 Note 1] The National Spiritual Assembly of Dahomey, Togo and Niger was formed with its seat in Cotonou, Dahomey (now Togo). [BW15p189] For picture see BW15:144.	National Spiritual Assembly, formation; Cotonou, Benin; Togo	first NSA Dahomey, Togo and Niger
1970 Ridván	The National Spiritual Assembly of West Central Africa with its seat in Lagos was dissolved and three new National Assemblies were established. [BW15p189 Note 1] The National Spiritual Assembly of Ghana was formed with its seat in Accra. [BW15p192] For picture see BW15:144.	National Spiritual Assembly, formation; Accra, Ghana; Ghana	first NSA Ghana
1970 Ridván	The National Spiritual Assembly of Tonga and the Cook Islands was formed with its seat in Nuku'alofa. [BW15:275] For picture see BW15:146.	National Spiritual Assembly, formation; Nukualofa, Tonga; Cook Islands; Pacific	first NSA Tonga and the Cook Islands
1970 Ridván	The first Local Spiritual Assembly of Nouakchott, Mauritania was formed.	Local Spiritual Assembly; Nouakchott; Mauritania	first Local Spiritual Assembly Nouakchott, Mauritania
1970 Ridván	The National Spiritual Assembly of Fiji was formed with its seat in Suva. [BW15:271]	National Spiritual Assembly, formation; Suva, Fiji; Fiji	first NSA Fiji
1970 Ridván	The National Spiritual Assembly of Malawi (formerly Nyasaland, until 1964.) was formed with its seat in Limbe. [BW15:200] For picture see BW15:146.	National Spiritual Assembly, formation; Limbe, Malawi; Malawi	first NSA Malawi
1970 Ridván	The National Spiritual Assembly of Botswana (Formerly Bechuanaland, until 1966.) was formed with its seat in Gaborone. [BW15:199] For picture see BW15:144.	National Spiritual Assembly, formation; Gaborone, Botswana; Botswana	first NSA Botswana
1970 Ridván	In its Ridván Message the Universal House of Justice announced the appointment of three additional Councillors, Iraj Ayman in Western Asia, Anneliese Bopp and Betty Reed in Europe and some 45 additional Auxiliary Board Members, 9 in Africa, 16 in Asia, 2 in Australasia and 18 in the Western Hemisphere. [Ridván 1970]	Counsellors; Auxiliary board members and assistants; Assistants; - Bahá'í World Centre
1970 Apr - Aug	More than 6,000 people became Bahá'ís in Bolivia. [BW15:232]	Mass conversion; Bolivia
1970 18 or 20 Mar	The passing of Hilda Yank Sing Yen Male (b. 29 Nov or 29 Nov 1902, 1904 or 1906 in China, d. Riverdale, Bronx County, New York, USA). She was buried at the Ferncliff Cemetery and Mausoleum, Hartsdale, New York, USA. In Memoriam. [BW15p476-478; PH54-56] A note from Mrs. Mildred Mottahedeh. read, in part: "This noble lady played an important role in the development of the Bahá'í Faith in the international field, and it was through her efforts that the Bahá'ís began their work with the United Nations." [BN No 472 July 1970 p2] For a biography see Wikipedia. She asked to attend the 1944 Baháʼí Annual convention as an observer and was moved by the spontaneous gestures of welcome and care shown between individuals society normally kept apart. She requested to enroll as a Baháʼí. She then asked to address the convention as a Baháʼí: "Fellow Baha'is, this is more than a pleasure. It is a miracle that I am participating with you in discussing such important matters. I contacted two denominations and a parliament of religions before I met Julia Goldman, Baha'i, who sowed this seed in my heart. While convalescent from a flying crash, my life was given me for service to God. Julia took me under her wing. I saw God vaguely; then more clearly, through the Baha'i Faith. Then came the battle of Hongkong(sic) where all shared in a common danger and hunger - forced to live the oneness of mankind. At length I secured a priority to fly to America and how do I rejoice to be in this free country! Conferring with Americans I have found this country the best to execute the message of peace. I have been blessed in meeting other Baha'is. I have been deeply impressed by the love and affection among Baha'is. China is well prepared by its sages for the Baha'i Faith. …" [BN No 170 September 1944 p6] Find a grave.	Hilda Yen; United Nations; Bahá'í International Community; In Memoriam; Riverdale, NY; China
1970 20 - 22 Feb	First American National Baha'i Education Conference in America was held in Wilmette. [USBN April 1970]	- Conferences; Conferences, Bahá'í; Wilmette, IL; USA	First American National Baha'i Education Conference
1970 20 Feb	The passing of Curtis Demude Kelsey (b. 6 March, 1894 in Salt Lake City, UT) in Bradenton, FL. He became a Bahá'í in 1917 through the influence of his mother, a talented poetess and writer who learned of the Faith in 1909. Roy Wilhelm had sent three generators to the Holy Land and had asked permission from 'Abdu'l-Bahá to have Curtis come and install them. His request was granted and Curtis spent from September, 1921 until April, 1922 in the Holy Land. The units were installed at the Shrine of the Báb, (See SETPE1p38) at Bahjí (See SETPE1p55) and at the home of 'Abdu'l-Bahá at #7 Haparsin Street and the work was completed at all three locations on the last day of Ridván, 1922. On the 6th of August, 1928 he married Harriet Morgan Kelsey (d. 18 March, 1971), a gifted musician and a teacher. They raised four children. In 1953 while on pilgrimage Shoghi Effendi asked him to extend his stay to install a pump and watering system for the grounds at Bahjí. He served on the Spiritual Assembly of West Englewood (now Teaneck) for some 30 years. Curtis spent some time serving as an Auxiliary Board Member and gave talks at summer schools. He passed away while serving at his place of retirement in Bradenton Florida. [BW15p468-473]	Curtis Kelsey; Harriet Kelsey; In Memoriam; Births and deaths; Auxiliary board members and assistants; Bradenton, FL; Florida, USA; USA
1970 25 Jan	Valde Nyman, the first full Gypsy in Finland to become a Bahá'í, enrolled in Helsinki.	First Bahá'ís by country or area; Gypsies; Finland	first full Gypsy Bahá’í in Finland
1970 Jan	Claire Gung opened Auntie Claire's Kindergarten in new facilities in Kampala with an enrollment of 146 children. [CG81]	- Bahá'í inspired schools; Auntie Claires Kindergarten, Uganda; Kampala, Uganda; Uganda
1970 Jan	The inaugural publication of The American Bahá'í. The intention was that this new publication would contain news items, editorials, letters to the editors, feature articles, and various departments to inform, edify and entertain the friends at large. The Bahá'í National Review would continue publication but it would no longer publish news items but would become a gazette for the announcement of official policies and information that the National Spiritual Assembly wished to share with the friends. The Bahá'í National Review continued publication until November of 1970. [Bahá'í National Review Issue 24 December 1969 p15]	American Bahá'í (newsletter); Bahá'í National Review; - Newsletters; - Periodicals; Wilmette, IL
1970 - early 1971	Over 20,000 Afro-Americans from the rural areas of the south-eastern United States became Bahá'ís. [BBRSM187]	Mass conversion; USA
1970 (In the Year)	Botswana held its first National Youth School. [BW15:329]	Conferences, Bahá'í; Conferences, Youth; - Conferences, National; Conferences, First; Botswana	first National Youth School in Botswana
1970 (In the Year)	A Bahá'í International Youth Conference was held in Abidjan, Ivory Coast.	Conferences, Bahá'í; Conferences, Youth; - Conferences, International; Conferences, First; Abidjan, Ivory Coast; Ivory Coast
1970 (In the Year)	The first native of Mauritania to become a Bahá'í enrolled.	First believers by background; Mauritania	first native Bahá’í of Mauritania
1970 (In the Year)	The first Gypsy in Spain to become a Bahá'í, Maria Camacho Martinez, enrolled in Sabadell.	Maria Camacho Martinez; First believers by background; Sabadell; Spain	first Gypsy Bahá’í in Spain
1970 (In the Year)	The House of Bahá'u'lláh in Tihrán underwent major repair and a fundamental restoration of both exterior and interior parts.	House of Bahá'u'lláh (Tihran); Restoration; Tehran, Iran; Iran
Try also a shorter date like or 1970 or 197 try also the Chronology Canada — 1970-0 or 1970 or 197

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