Chronology of the Bahá'í Faith

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Date 1985-0, descending sort earliest first

date event tags firsts
1985 Sep The first Bahá'í Studies conference in Hawaii took place at the national Bahá'í centre. [BW19:360] Bahá'í studies; Conferences, Bahá'í; Conferences, Other; - First conferences; Hawaii, USA first Bahá’í Studies conference in Hawaii
1985 28 or 31 Aug Mr Rahmatu'lláh Vujdani, a 57 year old teacher, was executed by firing squad in Bandar 'Abbas. He was an elected member of the Local Spiritual Assembly. [Iranian.com] Persecution, Iran; - Persecution, Deaths; - Persecution; Bandar Abbas, Iran; Iran
1985 9 Aug The publication of the compilation entitled "Peace" prepared from the Bahá'í writings and the letters of the House of Justice by the Research Department. [Messages63-86p679-680, Compilation of CompilationsVol 2 p151]
  • Available online from the Bahá'í Library.
  • Peace; World peace; - Compilations; * Publications; - Bahá'í World Centre
    1985 8 – 11 Aug An International Youth Conference to support the United Nations International Youth Year was held in Kauai, Hawaii, attended by 300 youth from nine Pacific countries. [BW19:301]
  • For picture see BW19:321.
  • Conferences, Bahá'í; Conferences, Youth; - Conferences, International; - Conferences, International; Youth; International Youth Year; Kauai; Hawaii, USA; Oceania
    1985 2 – 5 Aug An International Youth Conference to support the United Nations International Youth Year was held in Lima, Peru, attended by 500 youth from 18 countries and representing four native tribes. [BW19:300]<
  • For picture see BW19:322.
  • Conferences, Bahá'í; Conferences, Youth; - Conferences, International; - Conferences, International; - Conferences, International; Youth; International Youth Year; Lima, Peru; Peru; Latin America
    1985 1 – 4 Aug An International Youth Conference to support the United Nations International Youth Year was held in Port Dickson, Malaysia, attended by 1,300 youth from 15 countries, the largest gathering of Bahá'ís ever held in Malaysia. [BW19:301] Conferences, Bahá'í; Conferences, Youth; - Conferences, International; Youth; International Youth Year; Port Dickson, Malaysia; Malaysia; - Asia
    1985 Aug An International Youth Conference to support the United Nations International Youth Year was held in New Delhi, India, attended by more than 550 youth from 24 countries. [BW19:300] Conferences, Bahá'í; Conferences, Youth; - Conferences, International; Youth; International Youth Year; New Delhi, India; India; - Asia
    1985 Aug An International Youth Conference to support the United Nations International Youth Year was held in Molepolole, Botswana, attended by 119 youth from six countries. [BW19:300]
  • For picture see BW19:320.
  • Conferences, Bahá'í; Conferences, Youth; - Conferences, International; Youth; International Youth Year; Molepolole, Botswana; Botswana; - Africa
    1985 6 – 9 Jul The European Bahá'í Youth Conference was held in Antwerp, Belgium, in July 1985, and was attended by some 1,450 youth from 45 nations. The youth addressed the European Parliament and the Council of Europe in letters which told of their resolve to put into action the International Youth Year themes of 'Participation, Development and Peace'. The youth spoke of programs in which Bahá'ís were supporting the themes, including human rights education and social and economic development projects. [BW19:301]
  • For picture see BW19:315.
  • Conferences, Bahá'í; Conferences, Youth; - Conferences, International; Youth; International Youth Year; European Union; Antwerp, Belgium; Belgium; - Europe
    1985 21 Jul Prior to this time, some national communities elected their delegates to the National Conventions on the basis of areas that had Local Spiritual Assemblies, while in other larger national communities, delegates were elected on the basis of electoral units in which all adult believers had the vote. From this time forward, all were to use the Electoral Unit system. There would be no change in the number of delegates elected to attend the National Convention.

    When establishing the electoral unit basis for the election of delegates, a National Spiritual Assembly should divide the territory under its jurisdiction into electoral units, based on the number of adult Bahá'ís in each area, in such a way that each unit will be responsible for electing preferably one delegate only.

    Given the wide variety of geography in the Bahá'í world, each National Spiritual Assembly was directed to establish the most effective means for the election of the delegates to its National Convention and for providing for an opportunity for consultation among the electors.

    "It is the hope of the Universal House of Justice that the implementation of [the electoral unit method of electing delegates to the National Convention] will promote Bahá'í solidarity, broaden the basis of representation at National Conventions and that thereby the work of the Faith in each country will be characterized by greater efficiency and enhanced harmony." [21 July 1985]

    Conventions, National; Elections; - Administration; Electoral unit system; - Bahá'í World Centre
    1985 15 – 26 Jul Ten representatives of the Bahá'í International Community attended the third World Conference on Women to Review and Appraise the Achievements of the United Nations Decade for Women and Forum '85 in Nairobi. [BW19:147–8, 412; VV28–9]
  • For a report of the Bahá'í participation see BW19:4.12–15.
  • For pictures see BW19:413, 415.
  • See UN Women.
  • Bahá'í International Community; United Nations; Women; Nairobi, Kenya; Kenya
    1985 4 Jul The publication of the compilation entitled "The Law of Huququ'lláh". [Messages63-86p670, Compilation of CompilationsVol 1 p489] Huququllah, Basic timeline; Huququllah; - Compilations; * Publications; - Bahá'í World Centre
    1985 3 – 7 Jul An International Youth Conference to support the United Nations International Youth Year was held in Columbus, Ohio, United States attended by more than 3,200 youth from 42 nations. [BW19:300] Conferences, Bahá'í; Conferences, Youth; - Conferences, International; Youth; International Youth Year; Columbus, OH; Ohio, USA; USA; North America
    1985 2 Jul In his report to the UN Human Rights Commission, the special rapporteur on the prevention and punishment of the crime of genocide Benjamin Whitaker, used the term genocide in connection with the treatment of Bahá'ís by the Islamic Republic. It is believed that it was the first time the word had been applied to this situation in an official context. This assertion, although it was in an official UN report, was not pursued by the United Nations.

    Resolution 96 of the UN General Assembly, of December 11, 1946, titled "The Crime of Genocide," describes genocide as the "denial of the right of existence of entire human groups, as homicide is the denial of the right to live of individual human beings."

    In an article in IranWire of 15 November 2023, author Faramaz Dakar asks, "Is the Islamic Republic Committing a Silent Genocide Against the Bahá'ís?".

    Q. What groups are the victims of genocide? A. Victims of the crime of genocide fall into four specific groups: ethnic, national, religious and racial. This means that, for example, a political group cannot be considered a victim of genocide based on its legal definition. What is relevant in genocide is the annihilation of a group or a community as a unit and even as a whole.

    Q. What specific actions constitute genocide? A. Behaviors that constitute the crime of genocide fall into five groups: (1) killing the members of the group; (2) inflicting physical harm that can gradually lead to the loss of life or impose permanent and extensive suffering on a person's life; (3) imposing conditions with the intent of annihilating the target group, such as starvation or cutting access to water, or depriving the members of the group of the means of survival such as seizing and confiscating their residences and businesses which ultimately makes it impossible for them to live that an environment; (4) creating conditions that prevent birth and childbearing or lead to the sterilization of people, and make the birth of a new generation of that religious, ethnic, racial or national group impossible; (5) the forced removal of the children of the target group.

    Iran is a signatory to the Convention Against Genocide therefore the the Islamic Republic must be held accountable for the systematic persecution of the Baha'is. There is no sign that this government has ever had any intention of doing so and Iranian laws do not address the crime of genocide in any form. [IranWire 15 November 2023

    Genocide
    1985 Jul Three Bahá'í youths in Mentawai were imprisoned for having married according to Bahá'í law. [BW19:42] Persecution, Indonesia; - Persecution, Other; - Persecution; Human Rights; Mentawai Islands; Indonesia
    1985 7 May The court hearings open on the cases of the Bahá'ís arrested in Egypt in February on charges of disregarding the 1960 ban on Bahá'í activity. [BW,9:285]
  • The cases were adjourned until 7 October to allow time for the defence lawyer to study the files numbering about a thousand pages. [BW19:285]
  • Persecution, Egypt; - Persecution, Arrests; - Persecution, Bans; - Persecution, Court cases; - Persecution; Court cases; Egypt
    1985 May The Office of Public Information was established at the Bahá'í World Centre. [BBD38; BW19:58–9; VV54]
  • It was created as a specialized agency of the Bahá'í International Community to systematize the handling of information on the Cause at the international level. [BW20p131]
  • The Office disseminated information, produced resource materials, corrected inaccuracies and misperceptions, developed collaborative relationships with like minded groups, and provided assistance and advice to National Spiritual Assemblies and their information agencies. [BW20p537]
  • Office of Public Information; Haifa, Israel; - Bahá'í World Centre
    1985 30 Apr - 1 May The first annual conference of the Association for Bahá'í Studies, Brazil, took place in Saõ Paulo. [BW19:358] Bahá'í Studies, Associations for; Conferences, Bahá'í; Conferences, Bahá'í studies; - First conferences; Sao Paulo, Brazil; Brazil; Latin America first annual conference of the Association for Bahá’í Studies, Brazil
    1985 Number of countries and territories where the Faith has been established: 355

    Number of National Spiritual Assemblies: 148

    Number of Local Spiritual Assemblies: 29,664

    Indigenous tribes, races and ethnic groups represented in the Faith: 2,112 [from a pamphlet, The Bahá'í Faith and its World Community published by the NSA of Canada]

    Statistics
    1985 Ridván The National Spiritual Assembly of Mozambique was formed with its seat in Maputo. [BW19:62, 147]
  • See BW19:526 for picture.
  • The war of independence in Mozambique lasted from 1964 to 1975.
  • National Spiritual Assembly, formation; Maputo, Mozambique; Mozambique first NSA Mozambique
    1985 Ridván The National Spiritual Assembly of the Eastern Caroline Islands was formed with its seat in Pohnpei. [BW19:168] National Spiritual Assembly, formation; Pohnpei, Caroline Islands first NSA Eastern Caroline Islands
    1985 Ridván The National Spiritual Assembly of the Western Caroline Islands was formed with its seat in Colonia, Yap. [BW19:62, 168]
  • See BW19:526 for picture.
  • National Spiritual Assembly, formation; Colonia, Caroline Islands first NSA Western Caroline Islands
    1985 Ridván The National Spiritual Assembly of the Ivory Coast and Mali was formed in 1977 when Upper Volta formed an independent assembly. Now that Mali had formed its own assembly led the way for the formation of the independent National Spiritual Assembly of the Ivory Coast. [BW19:62, 147]
  • In 1986 the name of the country was changed to Côte d'Ivoire.
  • National Spiritual Assembly, formation; Abidjan, Ivory Coast; Cote d'Ivoire
    1985 Ridván The National Spiritual Assembly of Mali was formed with its seat in Bamako. [BW19:62, 147]
  • See BW19:525 for picture.
  • National Spiritual Assembly, formation; Bamako, Mali; Mali first NSA Mali
    1985 Ridván The National Spiritual Assembly of the Cook Islands was formed with its seat in Rarotonga. It was formerly in a union with Tonga and so this left the formation of the National Spiritual Assembly of Tonga with its seat in The National Spiritual Assembly of Tonga and the Cook Islands was formed with its seat in Nuku'alofa. [BW15:275]. [BW19:62, 168]
  • French Polynesia, which had been under the direction of the National Spiritual Assembly of New Caledonia was transferred to the newly-elected National Assembly of the Cook Islands.
  • National Spiritual Assembly, formation; Rarotonga, Cook Islands; Cook Islands; Nukualofa, Tonga; Tonga first NSA Cook Islands; first NSA Tonga
    1985 Ridván The National Spiritual Assembly of Ciskei was formed with its seat in Mdantsane. [BW19:62]
  • BW19:147 says the seat is in Bisho. However, it was not possible to obtain a site in Bisho, the capital, and so the offices of the National Spiritual Assembly were built in Mdantsane in 1990.
  • See BW19:524 for picture.
  • It was a Bantustan or nominally independent state established within South Africa. The South African government abolished Bantustans in 1994 and the Assembly of Ciskei was disbanded in 1995 with the community falling under the administration of the National Spiritual Assembly of South Africa. [National Spiritual Assemblies: Lists and years of formation by Graham Hassall]
  • National Spiritual Assembly, formation; Mdantsane, South Africa first NSA Ciskei
    1985 5 – 8 Apr An International Youth Conference to support the United Nations International Youth Year was held in Bophuthatswana, attended by 198 people. [BW19:300] Conferences, Bahá'í; Conferences, Youth; - Conferences, International; Youth; International Youth Year; Bophuthatswana, South Africa; South Africa; - Africa
    1985 7 March The passing of Continental Board of Counsellor Lloyd Gardner. [Mess63-68p660]
  • See BW19p663-665
  • In Memoriam
    1985 23 Feb Forty–one Bahá'ís from various parts of Egypt were arrested, charged with offences against laws introduced in 1960 banning activities of Bahá'í institutions. [BW19:41, 283]
  • For an account of the event, its aftermath and the press campaign surrounding it see BW19:283–7.
  • Persecution, Egypt; - Persecution, Arrests; - Persecution, Bans; - Persecution; Egypt
    1985 6 Feb The passing of Claire Gung (b. 3 November, 1904, Gladbeck, Ruhrgebeit, Germany, d. Kampala, Uganda). She was buried in The National Bahá'í Cemetery of Uganda. [BW19p653-657]
  • She had worked as a children's nurse or housekeeper in Germany, switzerland, Austria, the Italian tyrol, Belgium, Holland and finally settled in England in 1930. She became a Bahá'í in Torquay and after a time in Eastleigh, Dovon, later joined the small Bahá'í group in Cheltenham in 1940. She moved to the Manchester area and later pioneered to Northampton in November 1946 to become member of the first Spiritual Assembly there. In 1948 she again pioneered to help form the first Spiritual Assembly in the "Pivotal Centre" of Cardiff then to Brighton and to Belfast. In 1947 she became a naturalized British subject. In 1950, during the "Year of Respite", Claire became the first pioneer to actually move from the British community to settle in Africa when Shoghi Effendi called for Bahá'ís to open Africa. She sailed on the "Warwick Castle" on 4 (or 25) January, 1951 and landed in Tanzania where she obtained a post as assistant matron in a school in Lushoto,150 miles from Dar-es-Salaam. [CG158-159]
  • She became a "Knight" for Rhodesia. Mr. Zahrai was actually the first Bahá'í to come to Rhodesia (Zimbabwe) during a Ten Year Crusade. He was followed soon after by Claire Gung, Eyneddin and Tahirih Ala'i, Kenneth and Roberta Christian and Joan Powis. All seven received the accolade of Knight of Baha'u'llah from Shoghi Effendi. Subsequently the Guardian gave her the title, "Mother of Africa".
  • Later she moved to Uganda where she started a Kindergarten school. She was affectionately known as "Auntie Claire".
  • After being in the country since 1957 Auntie Claire was granted he certificate of residence for life from the Republic of Uganda date the 11th of May, 1978. [CG118] [BWNS275; Wikipedia; Wikipedia; Historical Dictionary of the Bahá'í Faith p.209; UD211, 482]
  • Also see Claire Gung Mother of Africa by Adrienne Morgan and published by the National Spiritual Assembly of Baha'is of South Africa; (1997).
  • In Memoriam; - Knights of Bahá'u'lláh; Claire Gung; Auntie Claire; Eyneddin Alai; Tahirih Alai; Ken Christian; Roberta Christian; Rhodesia; Zimbabwe; Uganda; Tanzania
    1985 23 Jan The plans of the Universal House of Justice for the International Year of Peace were outlined to national spiritual assemblies. [AHW31–4; VV86; Messs63-86p420] International Year of Peace; Universal House of Justice; Peace; - Worldwide
    1985 (In the year) The publication of Bahá'í Focus on Human Rights by Philp Hainsworth. It has been described as the first attempt at an analytic approach by an individual believer to the question of human rights. It was published in London by the Bahá'í Publishing Trust. [Collins p86, 7.1117] Bahá'í Focus on Human Rights; Philip Hainsworth; London, England; United Kingdom
    1985 (In the year) Annemarie Krüger, who began travelling to Moldavia to teach the Bahá'í Faith in 1974, was named a Knight of Bahá'u'lláh by the Universal House of Justice, although she never lived in the country. [Candle9 28 July, 2008] - Knights of Bahá'u'lláh; Travel Teaching; Moldavia (Moldova), Romania
    1985 (In the year) To support the United Nations International Youth Year Bahá'í communities undertook a variety of activities. [BW19:301–10] United Nations; International Youth Year; - Worldwide
    1985 (In the year) A regional office of the Bahá'í International Community affiliated with the Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP) was established in Bangkok. [BW19:161–2] Bahá'í International Community; Social and economic development; Bangkok, Thailand; Thailand
    1985 (In the year) The persecution of the Bahá'ís of Iran continued throughout the year. [BW19:177–226]
  • Seven Bahá'ís were executed or otherwise killed. [BW19:234]
  • For pictures of the martyrs see BW18:295–305 and BW19:236–46.
  • For the actions taken by the Bahá'í International Community see BW19:39.
  • Persecution, Iran; - Persecution, Deaths; - Persecution; Bahá'í International Community; Human Rights; Iran

    Try also a shorter date like or 1985 or 198

    try also the Chronology Canada — 1985-0 or 1985 or 198

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