Chronology: Date 2011-0

date	event	tags	firsts	refs
2011 (In the year)	Hundreds were killed in a crackdown on mass protests that called for fall of President Saleh and an end to corruption and repression and accountability for human rights violations. The longtime authoritarian president, Ali Abdullah Saleh was forced to resign and signed a power-transfer deal to hand over power to his deputy Abdrabbuh Mansour Hadi. The new president Hadi struggled to deal with a variety of problems, including attacks by al-Qaeda, a separatist movement in the south, the continuing loyalty of many military officers to Mr Saleh, as well as corruption, unemployment and food insecurity.	Yemen, Recent history; Yemen
2011 1 Jan	The publication of Abraham One God Three Wives Five Religions by Frances Worthington. It was published by the US Bahá'í Publishing Trust. A groundbreaking examination of Abraham, one of the most beloved and significant religious figures in history. Author Frances Worthington researches the three wives/concubines (Sarah, Hagar, and Keturah) of Abraham, and traces their lineage to five different religions - Christianity, Judaism, Islam, the Bábi Faith, and the Bahá'í Faith. Examining the scripture and traditions of these five "Abrahamic" faiths, this complex story also draws heavily from a rich variety of historical sources that provide a fascinating backdrop.
2011 25 Jan	January 25th marked the beginning of the revolution in Egypt where millions of protesters from all socio-economic and religious backgrounds demanded the overthrow of Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak. The security of the Bahá'ís during this period of unrest remained an issue. In February 2011, Bahá'í homes in Shouraneya were again set on fire, with some reports alleging the involvement of state security officers in the attack. Salafi leaders (an ultra-conservative reform branch within Sunni Islam) also continued to agitate against Bahá'ís as a threat to national stability.	Persecution, Egypt; Persecution, Other; Persecution; Shouraneya; Egypt
2011 22 Feb - 4 Mar	The 55th session of the Commission on the Status of Women took place at United Nations Headquarters in New York. [UN Women; One Country]. The Bahá'í International Community contributed the statement Education and training for the Betterment of Society ]	Bahá'í International Community; United Nations; Commission on the Status of Women; - BIC statements; New York, USA; United States
2011 12 Feb	Mahvash Sabet and Fariba Kamalabadi were transferred to the notorious Section 200 of Gohardasht Prison. The circumstances of the move raised concerns that it may have been orchestrated as a means of creating an insecure environment that threatens their lives. Since their arrival at Gohardasht, the Bahá'í women – despite their own extremely challenging situation – had nonetheless been a constant source of comfort and hope to other inmates. The prison authorities apparently became alarmed that the two women began to receive signs of respect from a growing number of prisoners. As a justification for the increased harsh treatment, the authorities accused the two of teaching the Bahá'í Faith. While Gohardasht was infamous for its harsh and unsanitary conditions, the Bahá'í prisoners were at first kept segregated from some of the more violent elements at the complex. They also had relatively frequent access to outdoor exercise areas. [BWNS807; BWNS821]	Fariba Kamalabadi; Mahvash Sabet; Gohardasht prison; Bahá'í World News Service (BWNS); Yaran; Mashhad, Iran; Iran
2011 Mar	In March 2011, the UN Human Rights Council re-established the mandate of Special Rapporteur to Iran, which they had terminated in 2002, under the title "Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the Islamic Republic of Iran". The Commission had stopped appointing investigators for Iran in an effort to encourage a dialogue with the country on human rights. Then, in 2005, the Commission was disbanded in favour of a new entity, the Human Rights Council, which, for a variety of reasons, was considerably more reluctant to criticize individual countries. Human rights activists believed the moral authority behind having such a UN-appointed special rapporteur was a critical step in bringing to light the severity of rights violations in Iran. [One Country] Ahmed Shaheed was appointed and his mandate lasted from 2011 to 2016 when he went on to become the UN Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Religion or Belief. An Iranian parliamentarian referred to the United Nations Human Rights Rapporteur Ahmed Shaheed as a Zionist and CIA agent. [Islamic Republic News Agency 29 March 2014]	Special Rapporteur on Human Rights in Iran; Ahmed Shaheed; United Nations; United Nations; Bahá'í International Community; New York, NY
2011 10 Mar	The passing of Mrs. Ashraf Khanjani, wife of imprisoned Jamaloddin Khanjani at the age of 81 In Tehran. The couple had been married for more than 50 years. Mr. Khanjani, 77, who was serving a ten-year jail term at Iran's notorious Gohardasht prison, was not granted leave to attend his wife's funeral which was held the next day in Tehran. It attracted between 8,000 and 10,000 mourners from all walks of life. Ministry of Intelligence officers were also reportedly present, filming the proceedings. Prior to the 1979 Iranian revolution, Mr. Khanjani was a successful factory owner. His brick-making factory – the first automated such facility in Iran – employed several hundred people before he was forced to shut it down and abandon it, because of the persecution he faced as a Bahá'í. The factory was later confiscated by the government. Mr. Khanjani was able to establish a mechanized farm but the authorities made it difficult for him to operate. Their restrictions extended to his children and relatives and included refusing loans, closing their facilities, limiting business dealings, and banning travel outside Iran. Mr. Khanjani had been arrested and imprisoned at least three times before his latest incarceration in May 2008. [BWNS811; Iran Press Watch 7454]	Yaran; Ashraf Khanjani; Jamaloddin Khanjani; In Memoriam; Bahá'í World News Service (BWNS); Tehran, Iran; Iran
2011 21 Mar	The launch of "Half Light Media". The mandate of this not-for-profit entity was to serve the Bahá'í Faith through the arts and various avenues of media. Founder Naysan Naraqi was assisted by fellow board members Collis Ta'eed and Fuad Ta'eed and scores of collaborators. Their flagship project was called "Bahá'í Blog" but it was more than a blog. It was a knowledge repository with almost 1,500 articles by more than 100 contributors. It was also a Video Bank with its own YouTube Channel. Through "Studio Sessions", they invited Bahá'ís and their friends to film and record themselves singing/playing something based on the Bahá'í Writings. Baha'i Blogcast with host Rainn Wilson was a collection of interviews with Bahá'ís and their friends. They established a presence on Sound Cloud where one could listen or download talks and music that appeared on the site. There was a page where they showcased photography, design and imagery from around the web that focused on the Bahá'í Faith and Spirituality themes and another called Personal Reflections, a project that captured portraits of people coupled with excerpts from interviews with them about how the Bahá'í Faith had touched their lives. There was a calendar page and and another for quizzes where one could challenge oneself on a variety of topics. Another service they provided was a directory with links to Official Bahá'í Sites, Non-Government Organizations, Education and Training sites, Blogs, Publications and Communities as well as other Bahá'í resources.	Internet; Social media; Naysan Naraqi; Collis Taeed; Fuad Taeed; Rainn Wilson
2011 24 Mar	The UN Human Rights Council voted to create a Special Rapporteur on the human rights situation in Iran. [Iran Press Watch 7657]	Yaran; Persecution, Iran; Persecution, Human rights; United Nations; UNHCR; Special Rapporteur; Iran
2011 30 Mar	Six months after Iran's Appeal Court reduced their sentences from 20 to 10 years, the seven Bahá'í leaders were told that the Appeals Court sentence was recognized as being in contrast with the law and that their original 20-year sentences had been reinstated. [BWNS814]	Yaran; Court cases; Persecution, Iran; Persecution, Court cases; Persecution; Bahá'í World News Service (BWNS); Tehran, Iran; Iran
2011 Apr	In an open letter to their fellow citizens, the Bahá'ís of Egypt offered some advice regarding the future of their nation. [BWNS817] Blogspot.	Open letters; Bahá'í World News Service (BWNS); Egypt
2011 9 Apr	The debut of the film A Deeper Calling: Reflections on the transformative power of Prayer. This film was created for the 2022 World Conference in Brisbane, Australia (8-10 April, 2022), and was one of hundreds of global conferences taking place after being called for by the Universal House of Justice. It is is a short film which shares the stories of five youth from Inala, a small neighbourhood in Brisbane, Australia. It explores what each of these young people have learnt about the power of prayer through their involvement in the Ruhi Institute Process and Baha'i community life.	Film; A Deeper Calling; Brisbane; Australia
2011 Apr	After more than two years of extensive restoration work the Shrine of the Báb was complete. The project required the restoration and conservation of the interior and exterior of the original 1909 structure, as well as measures to strengthen the Shrine against seismic forces. An entirely new retrofit design – combining concrete, steel and carbon fibre wrap technology was needed for the whole building, from its foundation and original masonry to its octagon, drum and dome. More than 120 rock anchors were fixed into the mountain behind newly fortified retaining walls. [BWNS816; 12 April 2011]	Báb, Shrine of; Restoration; Bahá'í World News Service (BWNS); World Centre; Bahá'í World Centre buildings, monuments and gardens; Bahá'í World Centre; Haifa, Israel; Mount Carmel, Israel
2011 - 2016	The launch of the Third Five Year Plan (2011-2016). The main goals of the Plan were: - To raise the number of clusters with a Programme of Growth from 1,500 to 5,000 -The institutions will mature their own dynamic process. -The individuals will spare no effort to increase participation. Habits of thought will evolve to reduce dichotomies and learn process. -With the maturity of the institutions, cooperation and reciprocity will increase among the three protagonists. - will be continued expansion of the programs of intensive growth as well as material development. - centennial of the writing of the Tablets of the Divine Plan will be commemorated. - National Mashriqu'l-Adhkárs to be constructed in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Papua New Guinea - Local Mashriqu'l-Adhkárs planned for clusters. The first five were to be in Battambang, Cambodia; Matunda Soy, in Kenya; in Bihar Sharif, India; Norte del Cauca, in Colombia; and in Tanna, Vanuatu. See the message from the Universal House of Justice dated 28 December, 2010 addressed to the Conference of the Continental Boards of Counsellors. Other message are: Ridván 2010 29 August 2010 1 January 2011 Ridván 2011	Five Year Plan (2011-2016); - Teaching Plans; Institute process; Programmes of growth; Bahá'í World Centre
2011 Ridván	Burundi elected its first National Spiritual Assembly in 17 years. Civil war and unrest during recent decades made it difficult for the Bahá'í community to administer its affairs. [BWNS816, BWNS822]	National Spiritual Assembly, formation; Re-election; Bahá'í World News Service (BWNS); Burundi
2011 Ridván	The Preparation for Social Action programme was implemented under the Five Year Plan. The programme drew on the learning of three decades of experience of FUNDAEC (Fundación para la Aplicación y Enseñanza de las Ciencias), in Columbia. It was an approach to social and economic development that addressed both the material and the spiritual dimensions of human existence. The programme aimed at assisting youth to understand certain concepts, learn a range of relevant facts, and acquire certain qualities, attitudes and skills that would enable them to promote the well-being of their people in fields as diverse as health, education, the environment, secondary production and community organization. At the beginning of the Plan, the programme was being implemented in nine countries, Cameroon, Colombia, Costa Rica, India, Kenya, Papua New Guinea, Uganda and Zambia and involved some 1,500 to 3,000 participants. [5YPSumPage94-95] For further information see video entitled 2017 Teach For All Global Conference - Grassroots Stirrings in the Preparation for Social Action Program, Colombia See the thesis Knowledge Sharing for Community Developement: Educational Benefits at the Community Level through Networks of Knowledge Flow and Communities of Practice by Emily Lample. For further information please see Uplifting Words.	Five Year Plan (2011-2016); - Teaching Plans; Preparation for Social Action; Bahá'í World Centre; Cameroon; Colombia; Costa Rica; India; Kenya; Papua New Guinea; Uganda; Zambia
2011 May	Some 39 homes of Bahá'ís associated with the Bahá'í Institute for Higher Education (BIHE) were raided in a coordinated attack. Educator Kamran Mortezaie served a five-year jail term. Mahmoud Badavam, Noushin Khadem, Farhad Sedghi, Riaz Sobhani and Ramin Zibaie were each sentenced to four year prison terms. The judgments against them cast their activities in support of BIHE as crimes and as "evidence" of their purported aim to subvert the state. Two psychology teachers, Faran Hesami and her husband Kamran Rahimian, were also sentenced to four years in prison. Another BIHE administrator Vahid Mahmoudi was released on 8 January 2012 after his five-year sentence was reportedly suspended. [BWNS910]	Persecution, Iran; Bahá'í Institute for Higher Education (BIHE); Persecution, Education; Iran
2011 3 May	After conviction, the two women of the Yaran were transferred from Evin Prison to the even more notorious Rajaei Shahr Prison in Karaj, near Tehran. In that prison, Fariba Kamalabadi, Mahvash Sabet, and a number of political prisoners were locked up in the communal ward with hundreds of ordinary female prisoners — inmates incarcerated for crimes not linked to politics. When authorities closed the women's ward of that prison, the prisoners were all transferred to Gharchak Prison in Varamin near Tehran, where the conditions were even worse than those at Rajaei Shahr Prison. [IranWire4985; BWNS821]	Varan; Mahvash Sabet; Fariba Kamalabadi; Rajai Shahr prison; Bahá'í World News Service (BWNS); Karaj; Varamin
2011 20 May	Fariba Kamalabadi and Mahvash Sabet were returned to Evin Prison in Tehran. They had spent a brief time in the appalling conditions at Qarchak prison, (from 3 May) some 45 kilometers from Tehran. [BIC Evin; BWNS826] The five men were still being held under close scrutiny in a wing of Gohardasht prison, reserved for political prisoners. [BIC Report]	Yaran; Evin Prison; Gohardasht prison; Qarchak prison; Persecution, Iran; Persecution, Other; Persecution; Prisons; Bahá'í World News Service (BWNS); Tehran, Iran; Iran
2011 29 May	The inauguration of the UNESCO Square for Tolerance and Peace, situated at the point where Haifa's historic German Templar colony met the terraced gardens of the Shrine of the Báb. [BWNS828] Photo. Over the next year the Square was developed through the addition of upgraded stonework and decorative floral plantings in the centre of the traffic circle. [The Five Year Plan 2011-2016: Summary of Achievements and Learning pg113]	UNESCO for Tolerance and Peace Square; UNESCO; Tolerance; Peace; Bahá'í World News Service (BWNS); Haifa, Israel; Israel
2011 30 May	The passing of Knight of Bahá'u'lláh Gayle Wollson (b. 2 June 1913 Crookston MN) in Wilmette, IL. She was buried in Memorial Park Cemetery and Crematorium, Skokie, Illinois [Find a grave] Born in the USA to Muslim, Arab-speaking parents of Syrian origin she learned of the Faith through her father. Mr Abas had been introduced to the Bahá'í Faith by a Syrian friend. As a youth she taught children's classes and was one of the very first youth travelling teachers in the US accompanying Marguerite Reimer (later Sears) and Mable Ives. She had already been pioneering in Latin America for fourteen years when in early 1954 she opened the Galápagos Islands to the Bahá'í Faith, thus earning the title 'Knight of Bahá'u'lláh'. Although her time there was brief, the story of her rich and varied life, dedicated to building up Bahá'í communities throughout Latin America, serving and empowering others, makes fascinating and inspiring reading. Her work with children's education, particularly through the Children's Public Speaking Project where she taught children to memorize passages from the Bahá'í Writings, to present them in public, and to express what they learned in service, was a precursor of the process of learning and practice now finding systematized expression in the worldwide Bahá'í community. She was appointed to the Auxillary Board and served for 14 years in Ecuador. In 1961 sh was elected to the National Assembly. From 1970 she served for five years at the World Centre where she did translation work. 'Future generations will extol your labours, follow in your footsteps, and derive inspiration from your pioneer activities.' Shoghi Effendi to Gayle Woolson in Costa Rica, 1942 [KoG224-225] In 1971 her book, Divine Symphony was published by the Bahá'í Publishing Trust of New Delhi. The book was reprinted in 1976 and 1977. [Collins7.2771; p156] For her biography see The Art of Empowering Others – A Biography of Knight of Baha'u'llah Gayle Woolson by Juliet Gentzkow and published by George Ronald.	In Memoriam; Gayle Woolson; Knight of Bahá'u'lláh; Crookston; Minnesota, USA; USA; Wilmette, IL; Illinois, USA; USA
2011 18 Jun	Representatives from government, religious communities and civil society organizations were among the 800 human rights supporters who gathered to call upon Iran to cease its persecution of Bahá'ís and other religious minorities. Almost 8,000 images depicting the faces of Iran's seven imprisoned Baha'i leaders (Yaran) were on display on the Copacabana beach, corresponding to the number of days of detention the seven had suffered after three years in prison. [BWNS834] Photo 1, Photo 2, and Photo 3.	Yaran; Rio de Janeiro; Brazil
2011 6 Jul	Mahvash Sabet and human rights lawyer Nasrin Sotoudeh as well as other victims of human right abuses in Iran were featured on a series of special postage stamps issued in the Netherlands. Nasrin Sotoudeh was a prominent lawyer who has represented numerous victims of human rights abuses, including prisoners sentenced to death for crimes committed when they were minors. In January of 2011, authorities sentenced her to 11 years in prison for charges that include "activities against national security" and "propaganda against the regime." Additionally, she has been barred from practicing law and from leaving Iran for 20 years. [BWNS838]	Mahvash Sabet; Nasrin Sotoudeh; Yaran; Hilversum; Netherlands
2011 15 Jul	The passing of former Universal House of Justice member Dr. Peter J. Khan (b. 2 November, 1936 in New South Wales) in Brisbane, Australia. He was buried in the Toowong Cemetery in Brisbane. Dr Khan served as a member of the Universal House of Justice from 1987 until April 2010. [BWNS840, BWNS841] See Dr Peter J. Khan Memorial video. See the tribute on Bahá'í Blog. See Wikipedia. See Bahaipedia. Find a grave. He was buried in the Toowong Cemetery in Brisbane.	Peter Khan; Universal House of Justice; In Memoriam; Births and deaths; Bahá'í World News Service (BWNS); Bahá'í World Centre
2011 Aug	As of this time the Bahá'í community of Tabriz had been prohibited from burying their dead in that city and the bodies were being transferred by intelligence officers to the city of Miandoab, in West Azerbaijan province some 175km away. [Iran Press Watch 19720]	Persecution, denial of burial; Tabriz, Iran; Miandoab, Iran; Iran
2011 27 – 28 Aug	The Bahá'ís of Geneva commemorated the 100th anniversary of the start of 'Abdu'l-Baha's journeys to the West. [BWNS854]	`Abdu'l-Bahá, Travels of; Centenaries; Bahá'í World News Service (BWNS); Geneva, Switzerland; Switzerland
2011 11 Sep	A follow-up conference dubbed "Durban III" took place in New York City. It was boycotted by Australia, Canada, Germany, Israel, Italy, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Poland, United States and the Czech Republic, along with Austria, Bulgaria, France, and the United Kingdom. UN website Wikimilli.	United Nations; Racism; Discrimination; Bahá'í International Community; UNESCO; New York, USA; New York, USA
2011 24 Sep	The arrest of Abdolfattah Soltani, a senior member of the legal team (4 lawyers) representing a number of Bahá'ís in Iran awaiting trial for providing higher education to youth barred from university. Soltani is a co-founder of the Defenders of Human Rights Center, along with Nobel Peace Prize Laureate Shirin Ebadi and others. The Tehran-based Centre was shut down in a police raid in December 2008. [BWNS849] In 2008 when Shirin Ebadi took the defense of seven Bahá'ís she was accused of changing her religion and her law office was attacked and faced other problems. [Iran Press Watch] U.S Bahá'í Office of Public Affairs Press Release. See interview with Mr Soltani by Iran Press Watch.	Abdolfattah Soltani; Lawyers; Bahá'í Institute for Higher Education (BIHE); Persecution; Human Rights; Education; Bahá'í World News Service (BWNS); Yaran; Persecution, Education; Iran
Try also a shorter date like or 2011 or 201 try also the Chronology Canada — 2011-0 or 2011 or 201

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