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date | event | tags | firsts | |
2003 17 - 19 Dec | The Bahá'i´International Community, with UNICEF, UNESCO, and major international non-governmental organizations, co-sponsored a regional conference in India with the theme, Education: The Right of Every Girl and Boy. An address was delivered by Bani Dugal, the Principal Representative of the Bahá'í International Community to the United Nations. She noted that, according to UNICEF, 121 million children received little or no schooling of which 65 million of these were girls. The text of her speech can be found in the reference. [Education: The Right of Every Girl and Boy] | Bahá'í International Community; UNICEF; UNESCO; United Nations; Bani Dugal; - BIC statements; New Delhi, India; India | ||
2003 16 Dec | Shirin Ebadi, was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize, the first Muslim woman to win the coveted distinction.
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Shirin Ebadi; Nobel Peace Prize; Human Rights; Women; Firsts, other; Bahá'í World News Service (BWNS); Iran | first Muslim woman to be awarded Nobel Peace Prize | |
2003 10 - 12 Dec | The World Summit on the Information Society gave the Bahá'í International Community an opportunity to assemble a delegation of Internet and Communications Specialists out of which one chaired the Ethics and Values caucus. The event was devoted to address the challenges and opportunities presented by the Information and Communication Technologies.
Some 54 heads of state, prime ministers, presidents, and vice presidents, along with 83 ministers, came to the WSIS, which drew official delegations from some 176 countries.
Also attending were several thousand representatives of nongovernmental organizations, business groups, the media, and other organizations of civil society.
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United Nations; Bahá'í International Community; Michael Quinn; Bahiyyih Chaffers; Laina Raveendran Greene; Karanja Gakio; Geneva, Switzerland; Switzerland | ||
2003 26 Nov | The passing of Hand of the Cause of God Ali Akbar Furútan in Haifa at the age of 98. [BWNS261, BW'03-'04pg227]
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- Hands of the Cause; Hands of the Cause, Births and deaths; Births and deaths; `Alí-Akbar Furútan; In Memoriam; Hands of the Cause, First Contingent; Bahá'í World News Service (BWNS); Haifa, Israel; Sabzevár, Iran; Iran; Ashgabat; Turkmenistan; Bandar Anzali, Iran; Moscow, Russia | ||
2003 6 - 7 Sep | The celebration of the Jubilee of the opening of the Faith in the Democratic Republic of the Congo was commemorated in Kinshasa by some 600 participants.
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Anniversaries and jubilees; Bahá'í World News Service (BWNS); Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo; Congo, Democratic Republic of | ||
2003 Autumn | The publication of History of Bahá'ísm in Iran by Abdullah Shahbazi, the then head of the Political Studies and Research Institute, part of the Institute for Iranian Contemporary Historical Studies. In his book he advanced the theory of the alliance between Bahá'ísm and Zionism. [Iran Press Watch 1407] | Conspiracy theories; Zionism; Criticism and apologetics; Iran | ||
2000 29 - 31 Aug | The celebration of the Jubilee of the opening of the Faith in the Republic of the Congo was commemorated in Brazzaville by 200 attendees. It was in 1953 that Ali and Violette Nakhjavani dropped off pioneer Max Kanyerezi in Brazzaville in the Middle Congo as it was then called, subsequently the "French Congo" and now "The Republic of the Congo".
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Max Kanyerezi; Violette Nakhjavani; `Alí Nakhjavání; Bahá'í World News Service (BWNS); Brazzaville, Republic of the Congo; Congo, Democratic Republic of | ||
2003 22 Aug | The passing of Ruth Yancey Pringle in Ciudad, Costa Rica at the age of 83 after 5 decades of service to the Faith, 2 decades as on the Continental Board of Counsellors.
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Ruth Pringle; Counsellors; In Memoriam; Births and deaths; Bahá'í World News Service (BWNS); Ciudad Colon, Costa Rica; Costa Rica | ||
2003 25 Jul | The passing of Elisabeth Charlotte (Lottie) Tobias. She was described by the National Spiritual Assembly as being the "mother" of the Netherlands Bahá'í community. [BW03-04p238] | First Bahá'ís by country or area; Lottie Tobias; Netherlands | ||
2003 18 Jul | The passing of Dr David Kelly. He was buried in Mt Mary's churchyard in Longworth, near Farringdon in Oxfordshire. [BBC News 6 August 2003]
Dr Kelly, an Oxford-educated microbiologist, had spent the majority of his career as a consultant to the MoD and other government departments and agencies, advising them on his area of expertise - arms control. He had been scientific adviser to the Proliferation and Arms Control secretariat for more than three years and, following the first Gulf War, he had worked as a weapons inspector in Iraq between 1991 and 1998. He became the senior adviser on biological warfare for the UN in Iraq in 1994, holding the post until 1999. Dr Kelly apparently committed suicide after being named as the source of a BBC report suggesting that intelligence on Iraq's weapons was "transformed" on the orders of Downing Street shortly before its publication. Such was the conclusion of a controversial inquiry conducted by Lord Hutton. [The Hutton Report] [BBC News 27 January 2004; BBC News 2 September 2003; BBC News 30 October 2003; BBC News 13 May 2004] |
In Memoriam; David Kelly; Suicide; Longworth, England | ||
2003 Jul | His Royal Highness Prince Andrew became the first member of the Royal Family to visit the National Bahá'í Centre in London. [The referenced web site has since ceased operation.] | Prince Andrew; London, England; United Kingdom | ||
2003 20 Jun | The passing of Knight of Bahá'u'lláh Ursula Samandari (b. Ursula Newman 29 December, 1909 in Mitcham, Surrey, England) at her pioneering post in Buea, Cameroon.
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Ursula Samandari; Pioneer; Mihdi Samandari; In Memoriam; Bahá'í World News Service (BWNS); Buea, Cameroon; Cameroon; Nairobi, Kenya; Kenya; Mogadishu, Somalia; Somalia | ||
2003 1 Jun | A fatwa was issued by the Mufti of Sabah State Government that declared that the Bahá'í teachings were deviant teachings and that Muslims were forbidden all involvement including the practice of the Faith and the holding of any literature or other material. [Fatwa] | Fatwa; Persecution, Malaysia; - Persecution, Other; - Persecution; Sabah, Malaysia; Malaysia | ||
2003 Jun | The publication of Minimalism: A Bridge between Classical Philosophy and the Bahá'í Revelation by Dr. William Hatcher. In it he offers a logical proof for the existence of God. He concludes that the application of the principles of relational logic to this question prove that there is a single, universal, and eternal First Cause — something that is very much like God the Creator as named in all of the world's major religions. [BWNS226] | * Philosophy; William Hatcher; Bahá'í World News Service (BWNS) | ||
2003 9 May | The passing of David Hofman (b.1908 in Poona, India) in Oxford, England. [BW03-04p234-235]
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David Hofman; Universal House of Justice, Members of; Bahá'í World Congress, First (1963); In Memoriam; Bahá'í World News Service (BWNS); United Kingdom | ||
2003 May | The announcement by the Universal House of Justice of the appointment of Siamak Hariri of Toronto, Canada, as architect of the Bahá'í Temple to be built near Santiago in Chile. [BWNS223]
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Siamak Hariri; Mashriqu'l-Adhkár, Santiago; - Mashriqu'l-Adhkár, Design; * Mashriqu'l-Adhkár (House of Worship); Architecture; Architects; Bahá'í World News Service (BWNS); Santiago, Chile; Chile; Toronto, ON | ||
2003 29 Apr | The ninth election of the Universal House of Justice by postal ballot by 1,544 electors from 178 countries. Chosen were Hartmut Grossmann and Firaydoun Javaheri to replace retiring members Mr. Nakhjavani, 83, and Mr. Fatheazam, 79 and re-elected were Farzam Arbab, Kiser Barnes, Hooper Dunbar, Peter Khan, Douglas Martin, Glenford Mitchell and Ian Semple. [One Country Vol.15 Issue1, BWNS207]
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Universal House of Justice, Election of; Elections; Universal House of Justice, Members of; Conventions, International; Firsts, other; Hartmut Grossmann; Firaydoun Javaheri; Farzam Arbab; Kiser Barnes; Hooper Dunbar; Peter Khan; Douglas Martin; Glenford Mitchell; Ian Semple; Retirements; `Alí Nakhjavání; Hushmand Fatheazam; Bahá'í World News Service (BWNS); - Bahá'í World Centre; Haifa, Israel | First postal ballot for an International Bahá'í Convention. | |
2003 28 Apr | The retirement of Mr. Ali Nakhjavani and Mr. Hushmand Fatheazam from the Universal House of Justice. Both had served since the inception of the Universal House of Justice in 1963. They are replaced by Mr. Hartmut Grossmann and Dr. Firaydoun Javaheri. [BWNS208] | `Alí Nakhjavání; Hushmand Fatheazam; Retirements; Universal House of Justice, Members of; Hartmut Grossmann; Firaydoun Javaheri; Bahá'í World News Service (BWNS); - Bahá'í World Centre | ||
2003 27 Apr | Bahá'ís from the north and south of Cyprus met when they were permitted to cross the demarcation line that had divided the island for three decades. The event followed the decision by the Turkish Cypriot authorities to lift the ban on travel across the cease-fire line. Some 60 Turkish and Greek Bahá'ís held a devotional meeting together at the Bahá'í centre in Nicosia. [BWNS216] | History (general); Unity; Bahá'í World News Service (BWNS); Nicosia, Cyprus; Cyprus; Turkey; Greece | ||
2003 27 Apr | The publication of Building Momentum: A Coherent Approach to Growth by the International Teaching Centre at the request of the Universal House of Justice. Because of the cancellation of the 9th International Conference this publication had to be sent to all National Spiritual Assemblies rather than giving a copy to the delegates as had been planned. [BW03-04p35] See also TP367.
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- Institute process; Training Institutes; Growth; International Teaching Centre; * Publications; Building Momentum (document); - International Teaching Centre, Publications; - Bahá'í World Centre; Training Institutes, documents | first... | |
2003 Ridván | "In response to the call issued by the National Spiritual Assembly of Chile, 185 design concepts have been received from architects and designers around the world for the Mother Temple of South America to be constructed in Santiago." [Riḍván 2003 To the Bahá'ís of the World]
In view of the critical world situation the Universal House of Justice advised the friends to:'
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Mashriqu'l-Adhkár, Santiago; - Mashriqu'l-Adhkár, Design; Architecture; Santiago, Chile; Chile | ||
2003 4 Apr | Given current conditions in the world at the time, the Ninth International Convention was cancelled. It had been scheduled for 29 April to 2 May. Ballots from the National Spiritual Assembly members were mailed to the World Centre. The 19 delegates that had been chosen as tellers travelled to the World Centre to count the votes. [BW'02-'03pg37-38, BWNS202] | Conventions, International; Firsts, other; Bahá'í World News Service (BWNS); - Bahá'í World Centre; Haifa, Israel | First time an International Bahá'í Convention was cancelled. | |
2003 18 Mar | The President of India, Abdul Kalam, visited the Bahá'í House of Worship in New Delhi, the first official visit there by an Indian Head of State since the Temple was opened in December 1986. [BWNS204] | `Abdu'l Kalam; Mashriqu'l-Adhkár, Delhi; Lotus temple, New Delhi; Prominent visitors; - Presidents; Firsts, other; Bahá'í World News Service (BWNS); New Delhi, India; India | First visit to the Bahá'í House of Worship in New Delhi by an Indian head of state. | |
2003 11 Mar | Bani Dugal Gujral was appointed Principal Representative of the Bahá'í International Community to the United Nations.
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Bani Dugal Gujral; Bahá'í International Community; Women; Techeste Ahderom; United Nations; New York, USA; USA | ||
2003 3 Mar | The passing of Knight of Bahá'u'lláh Una Dean, née Townshend, in Edmonton, Canada. Una lived a full life of Bahá'í service. In 1946 she was the first Bahá'í in Dublin and was later a member of the first spiritual assembly. She also helped to form the first spiritual assembly in Liverpool. In October 1953 she was the first Bahá'i in Malta, a goal of the Ten Year Crusade. In 1954 she returned to Ireland to tend to her ailing father and to assist him in writing Christ and Bahá'u'lláh. After his passing in 1957 she moved to America, met and married her husband, Dick Dean, and moved to Edmonton where she served on the Local Assembly until 1987. [BW02-03p269] | Una Dean; Una Townshend; - Knights of Bahá'u'lláh; Births and deaths; In Memoriam; Edmonton, AB; Alberta, Canada; Canada; Malta; Ireland; Liverpool, England; Dublin, Ireland | First Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of Dublin. | |
2003 7 – 9 Feb | The dedication of the Louis G. Gregory Museum in his birthplace, Charleston, South Carolina. [BWNS188, Wilmette Institute; Bahá'í Encyclopedia]
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Louis Gregory Museum; Louis G. Gregory; Gayle Morrison; Bahá'í World News Service (BWNS); South Carolina, USA; USA | ||
2003 4 Jan | The Bahá'ís of Hungary celebrated the inauguration of a new national centre. In 1990 there were only 70 Bahá'í in Hungary. At the time of the opening of the new national centre there were more than 1,200 spread among some 65 localities. More than two-thirds of the membership are members of the Roma people. [BWNS187] |
Statistics; Roma; Bahá'í World News Service (BWNS); Budapest, Hungary | ||
2003 (In the year) | The Louis G. Gregory Baha'i Museum was opened in the home that Mr Gregory's stepfather built for his family in the mid-1880s in Charleston, South Carolina. The opening was the culmination of a project that began in 1988 with the purchase of the property. The Baha'i community rallied to the cause, raising the money to purchase and eventually renovate the house. It is a memorial to the life and work of its namesake, one of the founding teachers and administrators of the Bahá'í Faith in the United States and a pioneer of interracial reconciliation. [The Louis G. Gregory Baha'i Museum] | Louis G. Gregory; Charleston, SC | ||
2003 (In the year) | A fatwa was issued against the Bahá'í Faith in Egypt by Al-Azhar, the prominent religious institution supporting the continued ban as apostates. | Fatwa; Persecution, Egypt; - Persecution, Bans; - Persecution; Cairo, Egypt; Egypt | ||
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