Chronology of the Bahá'í Faith

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Date 1989, descending — sort earliest first

date event tags firsts
1989 25 – 29 Dec The first International Bahá'í Summer School of Bophuthatswana was held at the Pilanesberg National Game Reserve, attended by 263 people from 12 countries. [BINS215:1–2] Summer schools; First summer and winter schools; Bophuthatswana, South Africa; South Africa first International Bahá’í Summer School of Bophuthatswana
1989 18 Dec - 1990 2 Jan West Berlin Bahá'í communities were joined by 26 Bahá'ís from six European countries and the United States in proclamation and teaching activities among East Germans. [BINS215:2]
  • More than 50,000 copies of a shortened version of the Peace Statement and other Bahá'í materials were distributed at four major border checkpoints in West Berlin and at the Brandenburg Gate. [BINS215:2]
    		•  Promise of World Peace (statement); Teaching; Berlin, Germany; Germany
    1989 18 Dec - 1990 2 Jan During the Youth Winter School in Traben-Trarback participants from 12 countries including East Germany, Romania, Hungary and the Soviet Union gathered for the first time since the Second World War. [BINS215:2] Conferences, Bahá'í; Conferences, Youth; Youth; - Conferences, International; Winter schools; - First conferences; Traben-Trarback; Germany; Eastern Europe; Soviet Union; Russia first gathering soviet-bloc countries since WW II
    1989 15 Dec A World Forestry Charter Gathering organized by the Offices of Public Information in London and New York took place in London. [AWH75; BINS214:1–2]
  • It commemorated the centenary of the birth of Richard St Barbe Baker, the Bahá'í environmentalist who founded the Gatherings in 1945.
    		• Richard St. Barbe Baker; Environment; London, England; United Kingdom
    1989 (Late in the year) The Local Spiritual Assembly of Budapest was re-elected for the first time since the proscription of 1950. [BINS223:4; Letter of the Universal House of Justice to the National Spiritual Assembly of Austria, 6 December 1989 www.bahai.hu Note 68]
  • The assembly was first elected in 1939 but lapsed during the war. It was re-formed in 1948 only to be dissolved two years later. [BINS223:4]
    		•  Local Spiritual Assembly, re-formed; Budapest, Hungary; Hungary
    1989 28 Nov - 8 Dec In 1988, when 14 young Soviets youth were hosted by the Bahá'ís at a summer camp in Hawaii, they were introduced to the Universal House of Justice's peace statement, found it to be supportive of their mission, and invited the Bahá'ís to come and share it with Soviet youth.
       In return, under the auspices ofYouth Ambassadors International (YAI) and Foundation for Social Innovation (FSI), 62 Bahá'ís from eight Pacific Island nations made a return trip to the Soviet Union. The project was called the "Promise of World Peace Tour". They spent five days in Moscow and four in Kazan, capital of the Tatar ASSR.

    Their activities were:

  • The group was invited to a youth congress held to launch a Moscow branch of the School for Planetary Thought. During that event the peace statement was briefly examined, and Bahá'u'lláh was named as Author of its fundamental principles. The talk received a standing ovation.
  • The young ambassadors visited the Home for Children of Dysfunctional Families near Moscow, and presented a copy of the peace statement to its director.
  • Copies of the statement were also presented during a visit to the Pushkin estate and new Pushkin Museum outside Moscow. In return, the group was invited to develop a summer work-study program whereby western youth could "earn rubles" working side by side with Soviet youth in crafts, archaeological and restoration projects.

    The group was invited to visit Kazan, at that time a "closed city", where they spent four days touring schools and visiting private homes.

  • They were asked to address the problem of youth gangs in Kazan. At a meeting with gang members a documentary on youth gangs was shown, after which copies of the peace statement were given out.
  • At a forum at Kazan University the Student League arranged for the Bahá'ís to speak to 250-300 students. After the talk, the students spontaneously formed 20 small discussion groups, eager to discuss the ideas they had heard. The students accepted hundreds of copies of the peace statement.
  • Media coverage of the nine-day tour included three television interviews with Bahá'ís who introduced the peace statement and spoke freely about the Faith. One newspaper printed an editorial about the peace statement, and another in Moscow printed a brief article about the meeting with the youth congress.
  • Tour T-shirts, which read "Youth Ambassadors Peace Tour" on the front and "World Peace Is Not Only Possible But Inevitable" on the back, in Russian and English, proved quite popular, and 86 were given away along with many Peace Tour and Bahá'í buttons and the contents of nine boxes of Bahá'í literature which included 3,000 copies of the peace statement. [BN Issue 707 March 1990 p12; BW20p200]
    		•
    1989 4 Nov Half a million citizens had gathered in East Berlin's public square Alexanderplatz, calling for change. Five days later, the German Democratic Republic, facing mounting public pressure from its people, relented. They thought they could calm the protests by loosening the border controls, making it easier for East Berliners to travel, without opening the border up completely. A spokesperson for the East German government, Günter Schabowski, held a hastily arranged press conference to announce the changes. But in a moment that would alter the course of history, he mistakenly declared that East Germans would be allowed to cross the border freely, effective immediately.

    The announcement stunned the journalists at the press conference, who greeted it with first disbelief and then elation. The news spread like wildfire and within hours, thousands of East Germans began flocking to the checkpoints along the wall.

    They were met by bewildered border guards, struggling to understand what their instructions were regarding this new policy. At around 22:45, overwhelmed by the sheer number of people arriving and lacking any clear orders, the border guards finally opened the gates and overjoyed East Germans flowed over into West Berlin. [BBC]

    		 Berlin Wall, Germany; Berlin, Germany; East Germany
    1989 4 – 6 Nov The European Bahá'í Youth Council, comprised of seven youth and appointed by the Universal House of Justice to coordinate those European youth activities that have a continental impact, met for the first time, in London. [BINS213:4; BW93–4:121] European Bahá'í Youth Council; Youth; London, England; United Kingdom; Europe first meeting European Bahá’í Youth Council
    1989 26 Oct The Universal House of Justice issued statement on the environment. [AWH144] Universal House of Justice; Environment; - Statements; Nature
    1989 21 – 22 Oct The Southern African Bahá'í Association for the Advancement of Women was formed in Johannesburg. [BINS210:8] Women; Johannesburg, South Africa; South Africa
    1989 10 Oct The Bahá'í World Centre received official approval by the Local Town Planning Committee and City Council of Haifa of the Town Planning Scheme for the initiation of the Projects on Mt Carmel. Arc project; Haifa, Israel
    1989 Oct One Country, the newsletter of the Bahá'í International Community, started publication in five other languages - French, Spanish, Chinese, Russian, and German. The first French language edition of the publication was launched in Paris in October, 1989. Each issue contained two or three in-depth feature stories on the United Nations, noteworthy social and economic development projects, environmental efforts or educational programs, along with an editorial that addresses world problems from a Bahá'í point of view. Bahá'í International Community; One Country (magazine); - First publications; - Newsletters; * Publications First French language edition of One Country
    1989 Oct The National Spiritual Assembly of Bangladesh reported the enrolment of 7,500 people in the year since November 1988. [BINS210:1] Mass conversion; Bangladesh
    1989 Oct - Nov In India, 4,300 people became Bahá'ís in the State of Orissa. [BINS213:3] Mass conversion; Orissa; India
    1989 16 – 17 Sep Bahá'ís in Liechtenstein mounted a display of Bahá'í books and an exhibition at an international festival for peace, justice and the preservation of creation held in Balzers, the first time they have been allowed to have a booth or stand of any kind in public. [BINS209:8] Exhibitions; Firsts, other; Liechtenstein first pubic display booth or stand Liechtenstein
    1989 Sep The Bahá'í Office of the Environment was established as part of the Bahá'í International Community in New York. [AWH75; VV54, 106] Bahá'í Office of the Environment; Environment; Bahá'í International Community; New York, USA; USA
    1989 (Summer) The founding of the Maxwell International Bahá'í School. It was a co-ed Bahá'í school located on Shawnigan Lake, British Columbia, Canada. It offered day students and boarding students from many parts of the world instruction from grades 7-12. Its educational philosophy was based on the principles of the Bahá'í Faith. The school was opened in a ceremony with guest of honour Amatu'l-Bahá Rúhíyyih Khánum (Mary Maxwell, daughter of May and Sutherland) and wife of the Bahá'í Faith's Guardian, Shoghi Effendi). A tree was planted in dedication to the opening of the school. In the early 2006-2007 school year, the school board decided to drop "Bahá'í" from its name, changing it to "Maxwell International School". The school closed on its 20th anniversary in 2008. [Wiki] Maxwell International School, Canada; - Bahá'í inspired schools; Amatul-Bahá Ruhiyyih Khanum; Maxwell International School, Canada; Shawnigan Lake, BC; British Columbia, Canada; Canada
    1989 27 Aug The Universal House of Justice sent a message offering clarification on the subject of the Nineteen Day Feast. [Universal House of Justice 27 August, 1989, AWH192-4] Nineteen Day Feast; - Bahá'í World Centre
    1989 3 Aug The first Latvian resident in Latvia to become a Bahá'í, Lilita Postaza, a renowned tapestry artist, enrolled after visiting the Bahá'í temple in India. Lilita Postaza; Mashriqu'l-Adhkár, Delhi; Lotus temple; First Bahá'ís by country or area; Latvia first Latvian Bahá'í resident in Latvia
    1989 Aug The first Mongolian to become a Bahá'í, Ms Oyundelger, a 22-year-old English-language pupil of Sean Hinton, enrolled in Ulaan Baator. [VV101] First Bahá'ís by country or area; Sean Hinton; Ulaan Baatar; Mongolia first Bahá’í in Mongolia
    1989 Aug Forty Bahá'ís from Réunion, Mauritius, Seychelles and France joined a teaching campaign in Madagascar during which 724 people become Bahá'ís. [BINS217:4] Mass conversion; Madagascar
    1989 23 Jul The first meeting of Bahá'í women in Mauritius took place at the Bahá'í Institute. [BINS215:6] Mauritius first meeting of Bahá’í women in Mauritius
    1989 10 Jul The Universal House of Justice issued statement on literacy. [AWH142-3] Universal House of Justice; Literacy; - Statements
    1989 5 Jul Dr Ugo Giachery (b. 13 May, 1896, Palermo, Sicily), Hand of the Cause of God, passed away while on a visit to Western Samoa. [BINS204:1; VV123]
  • He died while visiting Samoa and was interred on the mountainside at Tiapapata, Apia, in view of the Pacific Ocean. His funeral service was attended by by His Highness Malietoa Tanumafili II, the Prime Minister of Samoa, four Ministers of Cabinet, four Counsellors, five Auxiliary Board members, representatives of six national communities of the Pacific, and over two hundred believers from many parts of the country. [LoF241)
  • For the cable of the Universal House of Justice see BINS204:1.
  • Shoghi Effendi had appointed him among the first contingent on the 24th of December, 1951. [MoCxxiii]
  • Wikipedia
  • For a short biography see LoF223-242.
  • See Bahá'í Chronicles.
    		• Ugo Giachery; - Hands of the Cause; Hands of the Cause, Births and deaths; Births and deaths; In Memoriam; Hands of the Cause, First Contingent; Tiapapata; Apia, Samoa; Samoa
    1989 Jul Sean Hinton, the first Bahá'í to reside in Mongolia, was named a Knight of Bahá'u'lláh by the Universal House of Justice. Sean Hinton; Knights of Bahá'u'lláh; Mongolia first Bahá’í to reside in Mongolia
    1989 3 Jul The passing of Bobbie Cowan in Invermere, BC. [AC297] Bobbie Cowan; In Memoriam; Births and deaths; Invermere, BC; British Columbia, Canada; Canada
    1989 1 – 2 Jul The first European Bahá'í Women's Conference was held at De Poort Conference Centre, the Netherlands. [BINS203:2] Conferences, Bahá'í; Conferences, Women; - Conferences, International; De Poort, Netherlands; - First conferences; Groesbeek; Netherlands; Europe first European Bahá’í Women’s Conference
    1989 Jul - Aug Five European Regional 'Peace Moves' Youth Conferences were held in different parts of the continent. Conferences, Bahá'í; Conferences, Youth; Youth; Peace; Europe
    1989 25 Jun The Universal House of Justice said in a message it was timely for the knowledge of the Bahá'í Faith to be disseminated on the mainland of China as quickly as possible. [PH80]
  • Also see [SWvol13no7pg185; VV104]
    		•  Universal House of Justice; China
    1989 6 May The Bahá'í World Centre received one of six awards given by the Council for a "Beautiful Israel" in a ceremony in Jerusalem. [BINS199:2] - Bahá'í World Centre; Awards; Jerusalem, Israel; - Bahá'í World Centre
    1989 May The Olinga Teaching Project was launched in Fiji, resulting in over a thousand people becoming Bahá'ís. [BINS204:3] Mass conversion; Fiji
    1989 May Nearly 880 people became Bahá'ís in Guyana. [BINS202:8] Mass conversion; Guyana
    1989 Ridván The Universal House of Justice reported that nearly half a million people had became Bahá'ís in the past year. [AWH60] Statistics
    1989 Ridván The Local Spiritual Assembly of 'Ishqábád (now Ashgabat, Turkmenistan) was re-formed after a lapse of 61 years, the first local assembly to be formed in the Soviet Union. [AWH73; VV111] Local Spiritual Assembly; Ashgabat; Turkmenistan; Soviet Union; Russia first Local Spiritual Assembly to in the former Soviet Union.
    1989 Ridván The National Spiritual Assembly of Guinea-Bissau was formed. [PH73; BW20p249; AWH62; BINS199:1, 4]

    In 1975 Senegal had jurisdiction over Mauritania (1978), Cape Verde Islands (1984) and Guinea-Bissau (1989). With the last of its territories gone this left Senegal alone hence the National Spiritual Assembly of Senegal was formed with its seat in Dakar.

    		 National Spiritual Assembly, formation; Guinea Bissau; Dakar; Senegal first NSA Guinea-Bissau
    1989 9 Apr The Bahá'ís of Moscow celebrated the first Feast since the 1930s. The event took place in the Hainsworth home. [BW20p229] Feast; Moscow, Russia first Feast in Moscow since the 1930s
    1989 Apr Some four million persons had visited the House of Worship in New Delhi to this date. [AWH61] Mashriqu'l-Adhkár, Delhi; Lotus temple; * Mashriqu'l-Adhkár (House of Worship); Statistics; New Delhi, India; India
    1989 Apr The Universal House of Justice announced a vast majority of prisoners that had been held by authorities in Irán had been released. [AWH62] Universal House of Justice; Persecution, Iran; - Persecution, Other; - Persecution; Iran
    1989 Ridván The first National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of Macau was formed. [PH73; AWH62] National Spiritual Assembly, formation; Macau first NSA of Macau
    1989 Apr The Association for Bahá'í Studies of Malaysia was established. [BINS206:8] Bahá'í Studies, Associations for; Malaysia; Asia
    1989 Apr Nearly one half million new believers were enrolled since last Ridván. [AWH60] Statistics; Growth; - Worldwide
    1989 24 – 27 Mar The first All-Ireland Youth Spring School was held in Closkelt, Northern Ireland. [BINS197:51] Closkelt, Northern Ireland; Northern Ireland, UK first All-Ireland Youth Spring School
    1989 23 – 26 Mar The First National Women's Conference of Spain was held in Madrid. [BINS201:6] Conferences, Bahá'í; Conferences, Women; - Conferences, National; Women; - First conferences; Madrid, Spain; Spain first National Women’s Conference of Spain
    1989 17 Mar The Bahá'í International Community entered into a 'working relationship' with the World Health Organization (WHO) for the period 1989–91. [AWH61; BINS201:1] Bahá'í International Community; World Health Organization (WHO)
    1989 9 Mar The Commission on Human Rights adopted a resolution expressing grave concern at human rights violations in Iran, mentioning the Bahá'ís three times. [BINS195:1] United Nations; Human Rights; Persecution, Iran; - Persecution, Other; - Persecution; Bahá'í International Community; Iran
    1989 15 Feb The publication of the statement by the Bahá'í International Community, "Creating a Universal Culture of Human Rights", to the fourty-fifth session of the United Nations Commission on Human Rights. Bahá'í International Community; - BIC statements; - Statements; Human Rights; United Nations; Geneva, Switzerland
    1989 9 Feb The publication of the statement by the Bahá'í International Community, "Right to Development", to the forty-fifth session of the United Nations Commission on Human Rights. Human Rights; Bahá'í International Community; - BIC statements; - Statements; United Nations; Geneva, Switzerland; Switzerland
    1989 8 Feb The publication of the statement by the Bahá'í International Community, "Eliminating Racism", to the forty-fifth session of the United Nations Commission on Human Rights. Racism; United Nations; Bahá'í International Community; - BIC statements; Geneva, Switzerland; Switzerland
    1989 Feb The inaugural publication of One Country, the newsletter of the Bahá'í International Community. It was a publication of the Office of Public Information of the Bahá'í International Community in New York. The periodical reported mainly on activities of the worldwide Bahá'í community in relation to issues of sustainable development, peace and world order, human rights, and the advancement of women. [BW'86-'92 p.539] One Country (magazine); - Newsletters; Bahá'í International Community; - First publications; * Publications; - Periodicals; New York, USA; USA
    1989 7 Jan A week-long teaching project was launched in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands resulting in 43 enrolments and the re-formation of two local spiritual assemblies. [BINS191:7] Local Spiritual Assembly, re-formed; Teaching; Andaman and Nicobar Islands, India
    1989 Jan Three per cent of the population of North Tarawa, Kiribati, 70 people, became Bahá'ís. [BINS193:3] North Tarawa; Kiribati
    1989 (In the year) The establishment of the Bahá'í International Community's Office of the Environment in New York. Ridván Message 1992 [AWH75; VV54 106] Bahá'í International Community; Environment; New York, USA; USA
    1989 (In the year) Three International Music Festivals were held in Africa. [BINS215] Festivals, Music; Music; Arts; Africa
    1989 (In the year) A branch of the Bahá'í International Community's Office of Public Information was established in Hong Kong in anticipation of the time when the Bahá'í Faith can be proclaimed on the mainland of China. [AWH61; VV54] Bahá'í International Community; Office of Public Information; Hong Kong; China
    1989 (In the year) The New Era Foundation was formed by the US National Spiritual Assembly to sponsor a wide range of development projects in several continents. [VV81] New Era Foundation; USA
    1989 (In the year) The first travel teachers to visit Albania since World War II arrived from Italy. Albania first travel teachers visit Albania since WW II
    1989 (In the year) During a three-week teaching effort on the island of Tobago, 450 people became Bahá'ís. [BINS201:7] Teaching; Mass conversion; Trinidad and Tobago
    1989 (In the year) More than 250 people became Bahá'ís in Zambia in the first three months of the year. [BINS201:6] Mass conversion; Zambia
    1989 (In the Year) The Bahá'ís of Warwick (U.K.) began producing a series of leaflets known informally as the "Warwick leaflets", and marketed in North America as the "Star Series". They were designed to be given out to seekers and new believers, and cover many introductory aspects of the Bahá'í Faith. For a list of titles see Bahá'i Library.

    For the history of the Warwick Leaflets see Bahaipedia.

    		 * Publications; Publishing; Warwick; United Kingdom

    Try also a shorter date like 198

    try also the Chronology Canada — 1989 or 198

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