Chronology: Date 2021-02

date	event	tags	firsts
2021 3 Feb	To mark the 25th anniversary of the landmark Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action that resulted from the Fourth World Conference on Women in 1995, the Bahá'í International Community released a film that reflected on the advances made toward the goals for gender equality articulated in the declaration. The feature-length film called Glimpses into the Spirit of Gender Equality premiered at a virtual screening before a gathering of UN officials, ambassadors of member states, non-governmental organizations, and other civil society actors. "The film examines advances in the area of equality of women and men at the level of the grassroots and their connection with the conversations that have been unfolding at the UN, drawing on examples inspired by Bahá'í community-building efforts in different countries around the world," said Saphira Rameshfar, Representative of the BIC. The film available on YouTube. [BWNS1485] For the response to this film see BIC News.	Bahá'í International Community; - Film; Gender; Equality; Saphira Rameshfar; Glimpses into the Spirit of Gender Equality; New York, USA
2021 5 Feb	More than 40 prominent members of Canada's legal community, including former Supreme Court judges and justice ministers, have penned an open letter to the Chief Justice of Iran, Ebrahim Raisi, in order to draw attention to what they call "an alarming new chapter" in Iran's state-sanctioned persecution of its Bahá'í religious minority. Their letter came in response to a series of court rulings in 2020 that sanctioned the confiscation of the properties of dozens Bahá'ís in the village of Ivel in northern Iran justifying the seizure and sale of land on the grounds their religion denies them the right to own property. [Globe & Mail 8Feb21] For a complete report see Land confiscation and mass displacement of Bahá'ís in Iran. For the letter and the list of signatories see Open Letter to the Chief Justice of the Islamic Republic of Iran. Former Canadian Prime Minister Brian Mulroney included his signature on this open letter. [BWNS1488] Letter from the American Islamic Congress. Iran Press Watch. Open letter by Nobel Laureate Torsten Wiesel. Statement by Shaykh Ibrahim Mogra Chair of the Virtues Ethics Foundation and one of the leading Islamic scholars in the United Kingdom. A "Twitter Storm" was organized using #ItsTheirLand on the 22nd and 23rd of February. The Canadian Foreign Minister, Marc Garneau, said his government was "concerned" by the ruling, urging Iran to "eliminate all forms of discrimination based on religion or belief." The call was echoed by officials in Germany, Netherlands, Sweden, United Kingdom, Brazil, the United States, the European Parliament and the United Nations. Support also came from the All India Tanzeem Faiahul Muslimeen and the all India Safi Association. [BWNS1480] See the letter of support from South Africa's Legal Resources Centre. The LRC was established in 1979 to use the law as an instrument of justice, challenging the legal structures of apartheid. Since its inception, the LRC has always engaged in strategic legal interventions aimed at ensuring that all persons regardless of the race, religion, nationality, ethnicity, gender or sexual orientation realise and enjoy their fundamental human rights. Ahmed Shaheed, the UN's Special Rapporteur for Freedom of Religion or Belief, said he stood in solidarity with the Bahá'ís in Iran "who are facing systemic persecution [and] egregious rights violations." [BWNS1495] A webinar was held at the European Parliament on the situation in Ivel with participation from European Union officials and a former UN Special Rapporteur, Miloon Kothari. Additionally, the Chair of the European Parliament delegation for relations with Iran, Cornelia Ernst, called the Bahá'ís a "particularly vulnerable community" and condemned the Iranian government's "disastrous policies towards the Bahá'ís." [BWNS1495] The Raoul Wallenberg Centre for Human Rights strongly condemned the continued persecution of the Bahá'í community in Iran. [Iran Press Watch] Canadian MPs from all five political parties recorded a video calling on the Iranian authorities: "Enough is enough". [Iran Press Watch]	Persecution, Iran; Ivel; Mazandaran, Iran; Iran
2021 8 - 17 Feb	The 59th session of the Commission for Social Development (CSocD59) took place from 8 to 17 February 2021 at the United Nations Headquarters in New York. The Commission is the advisory body responsible for the social development pillar of global development. At the conclusion of the session four draft resolutions, all without a vote, were forwarded to the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) for consideration, including one that addressed this year's priority theme for the 46-member subsidiary body — the role of digital technologies on social development and the well-being of all. [59th Session] The Bahá'í International Community presented a statement and a video entitled Reflections of Our Values: Digital Technologies and a Just Transition. The Bahá'í International Community partnered with the United Arab Emirates and the NGO Committee on Social Development to host an online event entitled "Artificial Intelligence: Ethical Dimensions of the Virtual World". Drawing more than 100 diplomats, policy makers, and civil society actors, the panel discussion was organized under the auspices of the United Nations's 59th session of the Commission for Social Development. It responded to the Commission's focus on the role of digital technologies in providing for the well-being of all. [BWNS1487]	United Nations; Bahá'í International Community; New York, USA; New York, USA
2021 11 Feb	In a message to an individual the Universal House of Justice responded to the question as to what a Bahá'í is to do in face of the misinformation that is so common in the world today. They quoted Bahá'u'lláh: In these days truthfulness and sincerity are sorely afflicted in the clutches of falsehood, and justice is tormented by the scourge of injustice. as well as: ...thou shalt see with thine own eyes and not through the eyes of others, and shalt know of thine own knowledge and not through the knowledge of thy neighbour. They encouraged us to rely on science and the independent investigation of truth but not to let differing opinions among the believers lead to division. [11 February 2021]	Covid-19 (Corona virus); Misinformation; Science; Independent investigation of truth
2021 14 Feb	A compilation on transsexuality was released by the Bahá'í World Centre titled Extracts from Letters Written on Behalf of the Universal House of Justice on Transsexuality. It was written by / on behalf of Universal House of Justice.	Transgender (transsexuality); - Bahá'í World Centre
2021 15 Feb	In an update on the construction of the Shrine of 'Abdu'l-Bahá it was reported that the first steps had been taken to raise the walls of the central plaza. [BWNS1489] YouTube.	`Abdu'l-Bahá, Shrine of; Akka, Israel
2021 21 Feb	The ground breaking ceremony for the first local Mashriqul-Adhkar in India was held in Bihar Sharif. The ceremony marking the start of construction of the local House of Worship brought together local dignitaries, representatives of the Bahá'í community and residents of the area. The groundbreaking ceremony culminated with the placing of soil collected from villages across the state of Bihar at the temple site. This gesture was evocative of the connection between the thousands of residents of these villages and the House of Worship. [BWNS1491]	Mashriqu'l-Adhkár, Bihar Sharif, India; * Mashriqu'l-Adhkár (House of Worship); - Mashriqu'l-Adhkár, Local; - Basic timeline, Expanded; Bihar Sharif, India; India
2021 21 Feb	In a message to all National Assemblies the Universal House of Justice advised that about half of the $75m for the construction of the Shrine of 'Abdu'l-Bahá had been secured and they estimated that it would take an additional two years to finish the project. [Letter from the National Spiritual Assembly of Canada 26 February 2021]	`Abdu'l-Bahá, Shrine of; - Bahá'í World Centre
2021 21 Feb	UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs released a report on Yemen stating that the country remained the world's largest humanitarian crisis and aid operation. The crisis was the result of a brutal armed conflict that escalated six years prior. It has killed and injured tens of thousands of civilians, causing immense suffering for the Yemeni people. In 2020, the conflict intensified, the number of frontlines increased from 33 to 49, and 172,000 people were displaced, bringing the number of Internally Displaced People (IDPs) to at least 4 million. Yemen was reliant on import for 90% of its food. The situation was exacerbated by the global COVID-19 turndown which led to a sharp drop in remittances – the largest source of foreign currency and a lifeline for many families where 80 per cent of people live below the poverty line. As a result, millions more people could not afford to meet their basic needs. A fuel crisis in the north led to fuel shortages and price hikes. Government capacity to regularly pay salaries and pensions to public employees has been hindered and public services have been degraded. Between April and August 2020, heavy rains and flooding devastated communities, causing deaths and injuries, destroying infrastructure and livelihoods, and increasing the spread of deadly diseases. Tens of thousands of families were affected, many of them already displaced. Other natural hazards posed a threat, including desert locust infestations. The impact of the drivers of the crisis is most visible in the growing risk of famine and severe acute malnutrition, disease outbreaks, conflict casualties, forced displacement and reversal of past development gains. In addition, the conduct of the parties to the conflict had had a profound impact on the aid operation – particularly humanitarian access, aid delivery and data collection. [OCHA Report] In July it was reported that a large part of the population had been affected by heavy rainfall and subsequent flooding. Covid-19 continued to ravage the population. (No sports were available form the north of the country where the pandemic was not recognized. 11.3 million children were in need of humanitarian assistance and 20.7 million people were in need. [Reliefweb]	United Nations; Yemen
2021 26 Feb	In a letter to a National Spiritual Assembly the Universal House of Justice addressed the question of vaccination calling it a "social responsibility" and concluded that ultimately it it an individual decision whether to take it or not. [26 February 2021]	Covid-19 (Corona virus)
2021 28 Feb	The Bahá'í World News Service provided an update on the construction of the National Temple in Kinshasa. [BWNS1493] The reinforced concrete slab that will form the floor of the central edifice has been finished and the moisture barrier has been laid. Work on additional buildings on the site was steadily advancing. Earthworks were being prepared for the grounds outside the central area. A visitors' center was being built near the entrance to the site. Elsewhere on the site, several existing buildings were being renovated. One building was being used as a construction office. In the future, these buildings will be used as educational facilities and as offices for the National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of the Democratic Republic of the Congo.	Bahá'í World News Service (BWNS); * Mashriqu'l-Adhkár (House of Worship); - Mashriqu'l-Adhkár, National; Mashriqu'l-Adhkár, Kinshasa; Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo; Congo, Democratic Republic of (Zaire)
2021 28 Feb	The Bahá'í World News Service provided an update on the construction of the Local Temple in Matunda Soy. [BWNS1493] The project was entering the final stages of construction. The exterior of the temple was nearly complete, as were auxiliary structures on the grounds. Skylights have been installed on all nine sides of the roof of the temple, and roof tiles are being placed, creating a diamond motif familiar to Kenyan culture. The interior and exterior of the temple's nine doorways were being decorated with wood and paster. Construction of the reception center and other facilities on the site are nearly complete, Residents of the area were assisting to prepare the gardens around the temple, carrying out tasks with reverence as they regularly gather on the grounds for prayers.	Bahá'í World News Service (BWNS); * Mashriqu'l-Adhkár (House of Worship); - Mashriqu'l-Adhkár, Local; Mashriqu'l-Adhkár, Matunda Soy, Kenya; Matunda Soy, Kenya; Kenya
Try also a shorter date like 2021-0 or 2021 try also the Chronology Canada — 2021-02 or 2021-0 or 2021

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