Chronology: Date 1982

date	event	tags	firsts	refs
1982 29 Dec	The passing of Stanwood Cobb, (b. November 6 Newton, Massachusetts, 1881 – d. December 29, 1982) noted Bahá'í lecturer, educator and author at his home in Chevy Chase, Maryland at the age of 101 after 75 years of service to the Cause. His first exposure to the Faith was in 1906 at Green Acre where he attended a conference during his studies at Harvard Divinity School where he was preparing for the Unitarian ministry. [Wikipedia] While serving as a college instructor in Constantinople, disguised as a Turk, he made a visit to 'Abdu'l-Bahá in Akka while He was still a prisoner. He met Him again in 1910 and while He was in Paris and the United States during His Western travels. He was the author of some 30 books and numerous articles. Some of his publications can be found on Bahá'í Library. He served as an editor of Star of the West until 1939 and was a co-editor of World Order. He founded Avalon Press in 1935 through which he published his works. [Wikipedia] One of his essays entitled The Continuity of Religion was first published in The Bahá'í World Volume VI, 1934-1936. Bahá'í Chronicles.	Stanwood Cobb; In Memoriam; Births and deaths; Chevy Chase; United States
1982 3 Dec	Paul Haney, Hand of the Cause of God, died in Haifa in an automobile accident. [BW18:617; VV52] Paul Haney was born to Mary (Merriam) Ida Parkhurst and Charles Freeborn Haney on August 20, 1909. His parents were active Bahá'is since 1900 and had been married for seventeen years at the time of Paul's birth. His mother accredited a portion of his spiritual development to being in the presence of 'Abdu'l-Bahá while a fetus....In letters between his mother, Merriam, and Rúhíyyih Khánum it was indicated that the Master gave him his own name; it was 'Abdu'l-Bahá. He was also given the name Paul by the Master to be used in the outside world. In 1919, Corinne True was able to also confirm that the master gave Paul his name. [Bahá'í Chronicles] He had been appointed a Hand of the Cause of God on the 19th of March,1954 following the death of Hand of the Cause of God Dorothy Baker. [MoCxxiv} For his obituary see BW18:613–18.	Paul Haney; Hands of the Cause; Hands of the Cause, Births and deaths; Births and deaths; In Memoriam; Hands of the Cause, Appointments; Haifa, Israel
1982 18 Nov	Publication by the Universal House of Justice of the compilation on "Family Life". [BW18p41; CoC1p385]	Marriage; Family (general); Compilations; * Publications; - Bahá'í World Centre
1982 Nov	The West African Centre for Bahá'í Studies was established in Nigeria. [BW18:167; BW19:366] For a report of its activities see BW19:366–7.	Bahá'í studies; Nigeria; Africa
1982 23 Oct	Akhtar Sabet was born into a Baha'i family. Her father owned a small shop and she assisted him while also acquiring an education at school. At the age of 18, on 8 December 1978, her family home and shop were looted, as were the properties of the other Baha'is living in the area. They were forced to leave Sarvestan and moved to Shiraz where she continued her studies and later graduated as a nurse. She worked at a hospital and taught Bahá'í children's classes. She was arrested and first held at the Sepah Detention Centre for 38 days. She was then transferred to Adilabad prison and executed on 18 June 1983, together with 9 other women. [Tweet from @BahaiBIC 18 July 2023]	Persecution, Iran; Shiraz, Iran; Iran; Sarvestan, Iran; Iran
1982 23 Oct	Authorities arrested 45 Bahá'ís in Shiraz on the order of the prosecutor. On October 30th another 40 Baha'is were arrested. In all cases, they were arrested simply because of their religious beliefs. Some were later released but many of those arrested were subjected to interrogation and excruciating torture. The interrogations and torture were carried out to extract information about Bahá'í organizations and to force prisoners to renounce their faith and convert to Islam. The Revolutionary Court of Shiraz sent 22 of those arrested to the gallows. The executions began on January 1, 1983, with the killing of Hedayatollah Siavoshi. The last of the group to die was Soheil Houshmand on June 28, 1983. The oldest among the executed Bahá'ís was Abdolhossein Azadi, 66, and the youngest was Mona Mahmoudinejad, a high school student of 17. The entire Eshraghi family — father, mother and daughter — were executed. Also executed were a mother and son, Nosrat and Bahram Yaldaie, and a young couple, Jamshid and Tahereh Siavoshi. Yadollah, the father of 17-year-old Mona Mahmoudinejad, was also killed. Ahmad Sabet Sarvestani was the only one among them who died in prison as a result of torture before he could be hanged. [Iran Press Watch 19466]	Persecution, Arrests; Persecution; Deaths; Persecution, Iran; Persecution; Mona Mahmudnizhad; Youth; Shiraz, Iran; Iran
1982 22 or 23 Oct	The murder of Daniel Jordon in New York. The crime was unsolved. Mr. Jordon was on the National Spiritual Assembly and was a co-founder of The Anisa Model. [New York Times Archives]	Daniel Jordan (Dan Jordan); In Memoriam; Stamford; Connecticut; United States
1982 7 Sep	The Revolutionary Prosecutor General, Seyyed Hossein Mousavi Tabrizi, banned all Bahá'í community activities in Iran. "Others" In Their Own Land 5min36sec]	Persecution, Iran; Tehran, Iran; Iran
1982 2 – 5 Sep	A Bahá'í International Conference to mark the fiftieth anniversary of the passing of the Greatest Holy Leaf was held in Canberra, Australia, attended by some 2,400 Bahá'ís, twice as many as were expected, from 45 countries. [BW18:100; VV61] This conference was originally scheduled to be held in Manila, in the Philippines. [Message from the Universal House of Justice dated March 1981] For the message of the Universal House of Justice see BW18:159–60. For a pictorial report see BW18:147–50.	Conferences, Bahá'í; - Conferences, International; Bahiyyih Khanum (Greatest Holy Leaf); Canberra; Australia
1982 2 – 5 Sep	A Bahá'í International Conference to mark the fiftieth anniversary of the passing of the Greatest Holy Leaf was held in Montreal, Canada, attended by 9,400 Bahá'ís from 101 countries. [BW18:100; VV61] For the message of the Universal House of Justice see BW18:161–2. For a pictorial report see BW18:151–4.	Conferences, Bahá'í; - Conferences, International; Bahiyyih Khanum (Greatest Holy Leaf); Montreal, QC; Canada
1982 19 – 22 Aug	A Bahá'í International Conference to mark the fiftieth anniversary of the passing of the Greatest Holy Leaf was held in Lagos, Nigeria, attended by some 1,110 Bahá'ís from 46 countries representing some 90 ethnic groups. [BW18:100; VV61] For the message of the Universal House of Justice see BW18:158–9 In the message the Universal House of Justice reported that in a little more than three decades there were 37 National Spiritual Assemblies, 4,490 Local Assemblies, 29,000 localities with believers drawn from 1,152 tribes. For a pictorial report see BW18:144–6.	Conferences, Bahá'í; - Conferences, International; Bahiyyih Khanum (Greatest Holy Leaf); Statistics; Lagos; Nigeria
1982 6 – 8 Aug	A Bahá'í International Conference to mark the fiftieth anniversary of the passing of the Greatest Holy Leaf was held in Quito, Ecuador, attended by some 1,450 Bahá'ís from 43 countries. [BW18:100; VV61] For the message of the Universal House of Justice see BW18:157–8. For a pictorial report see BW18:141–3.	Conferences, Bahá'í; - Conferences, International; Bahiyyih Khanum (Greatest Holy Leaf); Quito, Ecuado; Ecuador
1982 Aug	Shakontala ('Shaku') Aswani, the first Gibraltarian to become a Bahá'í, enrolled in Northern Ireland, shortly afterwards returning to Gibraltar.	First Bahá'ís by country or area; Northern Ireland; Gibraltar	first Gibraltarian Bahá’í
1982 17 Jul	A seminar on the life of Bahíyyih Khánum, the Greatest Holy Leaf, was conducted at the Seat of the Universal House of Justice, the first gathering held in the building. [BW18:53–4; VV62] For excerpts from the talk by 'Alí Nakhjavání on this occasion see BW18:59–66.	Bahiyyih Khanum (Greatest Holy Leaf); Universal House of Justice, Seat of; - Bahá'í World Centre	first gathering held in Seat of the Universal House of Justice
1982 15 Jul	In commemoration of the fiftieth anniversary of the passing of Bahíyyih Khánum, the Greatest Holy Leaf, Bahá'ís at the World Centre prayed at midnight at the Shrine of the Báb and at the tomb of the Greatest Holy Leaf, commemoration services were held in many parts of the world. [BW18:53, 102] For a list of references to the Greatest Holy Leaf found in English-language works see BW18:55–6. For a list of works published to commemorate this anniversary see BW18:57–8. For an article about her life and service see BW18:68–73. Five international conferences and their satellites, held in June, August and September, are dedicated to her memory. [BW18:102] "The five international conferences of the Seven Year Plan were called to commemorate the fiftieth anniversary of the passing of the Greatest Holy Leaf, to discuss anew the present condition of the Faith in a turbulent world society, to examine the great opportunities for its future growth and development, and to focus attention on the unfulfilled goals of the Plan. We are certain that the contemplation of the gathered friends on the sterling qualities which distinguished the heroic life of the Greatest Holy Leaf will help them to persevere in their noble endeavours." [The Universal House of Justice, from a message to the International Conference in Canberra, Australia, 2, September 1982 para 3]	Bahiyyih Khanum (Greatest Holy Leaf); Báb, Shrine of; Haifa, Israel
1982 27 Jun	The Bahá'í Youth Academy was established in Panchgani, India. [BW18:230–2]	Bahá'í Youth Academy, India; Bahá'í Academy, India; Youth; Bahá'í study centers; Panchgani, India; Maharashtra; India
1982 25 – 27 Jun	A Bahá'í International Conference to mark the fiftieth anniversary of the passing of the Greatest Holy Leaf was held in Dublin, Ireland, attended by some 1,900 Bahá'ís from 60 countries. [BW18:100; VV61] For the message of the Universal House of Justice see BW18:156–7. For a pictorial report see BW18:138–40.	Conferences, Bahá'í; - Conferences, International; Bahiyyih Khanum (Greatest Holy Leaf); Dublin, Ireland; Ireland
1982 19 – 20 Jun	The teaching project Camino Del Sol (Trail of Light), comprising indigenous believers from North America, was formed on the Navajo Reservation in Arizona, United States. [BW18:239] The team traveled through Central and South America in a programme of cultural exchange. [BW18:172] For a report of the project and pictures see BW18:239–45 and BW19:74–6.	Indigenous people; Native Americans; Navajo (Dine); Arizona, USA; United States
1982 9 Jun	The passing of Richard Edward St. Barbe Baker (b. 9 October, 1889 West End, Hampshire, England d. Saskatoon, Saskatchewan) He was one of the foremost world famous environmentalists of the twentieth century, an ecologist, conservationist, forester, vegetarian, horseman, apiarist, author of some thirty books and numerous articles and a committed Bahá'í who rendered service to the Bahá'í Faith for more than fifty years. Shoghi Effendi referred to Baker as "the first member of the English gentry to join the Bahá'í Faith." [Bahá'í Encyclopedia Project. He formally founded the Men of the Trees organization in England in 1924 and it soon spread to many other countries. (Shoghi Effendi enrolled as the first life member of the Men of the Trees.) Now known as the International Tree Foundation, it has a large membership of women and men from all walks of life. In 1978 Charles, Prince of Wales, became the society's patron. A history of the organization is on their website. [Bahá'í Chronicles; BW18p802-805] See BWNS1292. He was buried in the Woodlawn Cemetery in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. See photo.	Richard St. Barbe Baker; Men of the Trees; International Tree Foundation; Environment; In Memoriam; Births and deaths; Cemeteries and graves; Hampshire; United Kingdom; Saskatoon, SK; Saskatchewan, Canada; Canada	the first member of the English gentry to join the Bahá’í Faith.
1982 Jun	The first edition of the Bahá'í Studies Bulletin was published under editor Stephen Lambden with the permission of the National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of the United Kingdom. Its stated purpose was to facilitate communication among those engaged in the academic study of the Babi and Bahã'i religions. The periodical ran unit June 1993 when Volume 7 Issue 3-4, was published. Reprints of the articles in pdf format can be found on the Hurqalya Publications: Center for Shaykhī and Bābī-Bahā’ī Studies website. An incomplete index of the publications up to October 1992 can be found at Bahá'í Library Online.	Bahá'í Studies Bulletin; Newcastle-upon-Tyne, UK; United Kingdom
1982 25 May	The Subcommittee on Human Rights and International Organizations of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the United States House of Representatives heard the testimony of six witnesses concerning the persecution of the Bahá'ís in Iran. [BW18:172] See A Congressional resolution: Protesting Iran's Bigotry. [World Order, Series 2, Volume_17 Issue 1 p9-14] See as well [World Order, Series 2, Volume_16 Issue 3]	Human Rights; Persecution, Iran; Persecution, Other; Persecution; United States government; Washington, DC; United States; Iran
1982 14 May	Amoz Gibson, (b. 3 Aug 1918 Washington), a member of the Universal House of Justice from 1963 until 1982, passed away in Haifa. He was buried in the Bahá'í Cemetery in Haifa. [BW18:669; VV52] His diagnose was acute lymphoblastic leukemia. See Bahá'í Chronicles for a brief biography. For his obituary see BW18:665–9. Find a grave. Elected to the Universal House of Justice to replace him was Mr. Glenford Mitchell. He was born in Jamaica and held a Masters degree in journalism from Columbia University. An author, he had worked as a magazine editor and managing editor and taught English and journalism at Howard University. He served as chief executive officer of the National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of the United States from 1968 until his election to the Universal House of Justice. [BWNS208]	Amoz Gibson; In Memoriam; Births and deaths; Universal House of Justice, Members of; Glenford Mitchell; Bahá'í World News Service (BWNS); - Bahá'í World Centre
1982 Ridván	The formation of the National Spiritual Assembly of Morocco. (Note: No reference can be found to substantiate the formation on this date. In BW18p58 there is a reference to the NSA of Morocco functioning in July of 1982.)	National Spiritual Assembly, formation; Rabat; Morocco
1982 Ridván	The Regional Spiritual Assembly of Liberia and Guinea was dissolved and each formed their own national assembly. The National Spiritual Assembly of Liberia had its seat in Monrovia and the National Spiritual Assembly of Guinea established its seat in Conakry. [BW98-99p54-55] In 1986 the National Spiritual Assembly of Guinea received a receipt of a Declaration of Trust. [Bahaipedia] The Liberian Assembly was dissolved shortly after due to the unrest in the country.	National Spiritual Assembly, formation; Monrovia, Liberia; Conakry, Guinea
1982 Ridván	The National Spiritual Assembly of Nepal was re-formed. [BW18:107, 181, 553(photo)] Due to the conditions in Nepal during the reign of King Birendra and at the suggestion of the Universal House of Justice, the National Assembly and the 40 other Local Assemblies were dissolved in 1975. For a few years, until 1982, there was an Administrative Committee which looked after the affairs of the Cause in Nepal. "In the Himalayan Kingdom of Nepal, the believers have, through the integrity of their character and the excellence of their conduct, overcome in recent years restrictions on the expansion of the Cause. They are now held in high regard and are successfully engaged in presenting the Faith to the people as a unifying force which can contribute to the progress of the nation. As they grow in strength, they can begin to look beyond their own borders and assist in the propagation of the Faith in those areas to which they have such easy access." [Ridván 153]	National Spiritual Assembly, dissolved; National Spiritual Assembly, re-formation; Local Spiritual Assembly, dissolved; Local Spiritual Assembly, re-formed; National Spiritual Assembly, formation; Kathmandu; Nepal
1982 12 Apr	The Universal House of Justice announced the successful achievement of the objective to issue "a compilation of letters to" the Greatest Holy Leaf "and statements about her by Bahá'u'lláh, 'Abdu'l-Bahá, and the beloved Guardian, and her own letters" to mark the 50th anniversary of her passing. [BW18p41] Bahíyyih Khánum, the Greatest Holy Leaf: A Compilation from Bahá'í Sacred Texts and Writings of the Guardian of the Faith and Bahíyyih Khánum's Own Letters	Bahiyyih Khanum (Greatest Holy Leaf); - Bahá'í World Centre
1982 10 – 11 Apr	The Bahá'í International Health Agency was established as an affiliate of the Association for Bahá'í Studies. Dr Ethel Martens, a researcher in social and preventative medicine was asked to serve as the Executive Secretary. The agency was established with a view to co-ordinating and encouraging research and education among Bahá'ís who are health professionals and others who are interested or who have knowledge in this area. Goals of the agency include compiling a world directory of Bahá'ís who work in health-related professions, scientists and resources; organizing an international Bahá'í conference on health to be held every three years; publishing the proceedings of these conferences; and developing and distributing educational health programmes for children and adults in various countries and cultures. These programmes will be made available in written and audiovisual form for use by Bahá'í radio stations, Bahá'í schools, Spiritual Assemblies and non-Bahá'í' entities. [BW18:201; BW12p194; VV25]	Bahá'í Studies, Associations for; Bahá'í International Health Agency; Ottawa, ON; Canada
1982 10 – 11 Apr	The National Spiritual Assembly of Panama petitioned its government to issue a stamp in commemoration of the dedication of the Mother Temple of Latin America. [BW18:172–3]	National Spiritual Assembly, Panama; Mashriqu'l-Adhkár, Panama; Stamps; Panama
1982 9 – 12 Apr	The first Conference on Bahá'í Scholarship to be held in Australia took place at Yerrinbool Bahá'í School in New South Wales. [BW18:202-203]	Conferences, Other; - Conferences; Bahá'í studies; - First conferences; New South Wales; Australia	first conference on Bahá’í scholarship
1982 18 Feb	The publication of the compilation entitled "Family Life" by the Universal House of Justice. [Messages63-86p533, Compilation of CompilationsVol 1 p385]	Marriage; Family (general); Compilations; * Publications; - Bahá'í World Centre
1982 20 Jan	Ayatollah Mohammadi Gilani, who at the time was lead religious judge and head of the Central Islamic Revolutionary Courts, and Assadollah Lajevardi, Tehran's Revolutionary Prosecutor, in a press conference regarding the execution of 15 Bahá'í citizens, members National Assembly Tehran's Local Assembly, said: "These people, who have been executed, had been proven to be spying for Israel and its allies, in the Islamic Republic's Sharia courts, and have been punished for their actions according to the Holy Quran." No evidence was offered to substantiate the accusation that they were spies. Nor did any of the Bahá'ís convert to Islam, if they had, the court would have acquitted them of the charges and commuted the death sentence. Iran Press Watch 7 January 2020]	Persecution, Iran; Tehran, Iran
1982 4 Jan	The martyrdom of Fatollah Ferdowsi. (See above) Interview with the author, Farsheed Ferdowsi on Bahá'í Blog. Under the Staircase: A Martyr's Journey Trailer for the book. An Institute associated with Radio Bahá'í Bolivia was named in his honour.	Persecution, Iran; Iran
1982 4 Jan	Seven members of the Local Spiritual Assembly of the Tehran were executed. They had been arrested on the 13th and tried on the 26th of December. They were: Shidrokh Amirkia, (46), Ataollah Yavari, (35), Khosrow Mohandesi, (52), Shiva Assadollah Zadeh, (36), Kourosh Talaei, (33), Fathollah Ferdowsi, (63) and, Eskandar Aziz (61). On January 2, the seven Baha'i prisoners were taken to the prosecutor's office for trial. The Sharia judge was Hojjatoleslam Fahim Kermani, and the charges against them were exactly the charges of the National Assembly members, such as spying for Israel. They did not accept any of the charges and the court did not provide any evidence. The trial was held in private and the defendants were denied the right to a lawyer. After several hours of trial, all seven were sentenced to death and the confiscation of their properties. Each of the defendants was summoned separately by the representative of the court and the verdicts were communicated to them. 'If you abandon the Bahá'í faith, you will be set free,' they were each told. The proposal was met with a negative response from all seven. An hour later, the court representative collectively offered the defendants a reduction in punishment if they condemned the actions of the Bahá'í National Assembly; again, all seven gave a negative response." The men were shot at Evin Execution Square and the two women were shot in the basement of Evin Prison. The seven were buried in plain clothes, without any religious ceremonies, in Khavaran Cemetery. [Iran Press Watch 7 January 2022]	Persecution, Iran; Tehran, Iran
1982 Jan	After a lapse of six years, the first formal meeting of the National Spiritual Assembly of Laos was held at the Bahá'í Centre. [BW18:96; BW19:49]	National Spiritual Assembly, Laos; Laos
1982 (In the year)	The persecution of the Bahá'ís of Iran continued throughout the year. [BW18:92] Thirty–two Bahá'ís were executed or otherwise killed. [BW19:232] BW18:293–4 shows a slightly different, incorrect list. For pictures of the martyrs see BW18:295–305 and BW19:236–246. For a list of resolutions adopted by the United Nations, regional bodies, national and provincial governments, and other actions taken, see BW18:92–96 and BW19:44–46. For a list of the actions taken by the Bahá'í International Community, Bahá'í institutions and others see BW18:345–352, 369-379,420–424. See the Message from the Universal House of Justice dated 26 January 1982 for a summation of the steps taken by the coordinated Bahá'í community to expose the crimes of the Iranian regime and to bring pressure to have the persecutions stop.	Persecution, Iran; Persecution, Deaths; Persecution; United Nations; Bahá'í International Community; Human Rights; Iran
1982 (In the year)	The Canadian Bahá'í International Development Service was established. [BBRSM154]	Development; Canada
1982 (In the year)	One of the members of the National Spiritual Assembly of Vietnam sent to a 're-education' camp was released owing to ill health; the other remained in detention. [BW18:96]	Persecution, Vietnam; Persecution, Other; Persecution; Vietnam
1982 (In the year)	Soon after the Islamic Revolution's victory in 1979, Baha'i cemeteries in various cities and villages were subjected to attacks by government forces, and were destroyed and seized by the government. The Bahá'í cemetery in Tehran, the Golestan Javid Cemetery, spanning an area of 83,000 square meters, was confiscated in 1982. Subsequently, the government demolished the burial site of over 15,000 Bahá'ís and sold the gravestones. The corpses were exhumed and transported away in trucks. Finally, the land was leveled by a bulldozer before the Khavaran Cultural Center was constructed thus the cultural center currently stands on the grounds of the former Baha'i cemetery. [IranWire 11 July 2023]	Persecution, Iran; Golestan Javid Cemetery; Tehran, Iran; Iran
1982 (In the year)	The first publication of Arohanui: Letters from Shoghi Effendi to New Zealand by the Bahá'í Publishing Trust in Suva, Fiji Islands. [BW18p878]	- Shoghi Effendi, Writings of; * Publications; Shoghi Effendi, Works of; New Zealand; Suva; Fiji
Try also a shorter date like 198 try also the Chronology Canada — 1982 or 198

Home

Site Map

Links