Chronology of the Bahá'í Faith in Canada

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Date 1983, ascending sort newest first

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1983 (In the year) The film Heritage of the Martyrs, made by Elizabeth Martin, documented the fate of the Bahá'ís in Iran. [HNWE45] - Film; Elizabeth Martin; Heritage of the Martyrs (film); Elizabeth Martin; Toronto, ON
1983 Ridván In 1983 the institution of the National Convention went through another of its periodic bouts of growing pains. Attendance again was limited to the delegates and the members of the two participating Institutions, the Board of Counsellors and the National Spiritual Assembly, although members of the Auxiliary Board were also welcome as guests and observers. Prior to the Convention, the National Spiritual Assembly had sent to all delegates a list of questions on which it felt the incoming membership of the Assembly would most urgently need the delegates' advice. In the same mailing, the delegates received the Annual Report from the National Assembly and reports from each one of the national committees.

Those elected to serve on the National Spiritual Assembly were: Douglas Martin (sec'y), Hossain Danesh [chair), Jane Faily, Ed Muttart (treasurer and ass't sec'y), Ruth Eyford, Michael Rochester (vice), Glen Eyford, Husayn Banani, and William Hatcher. [CBN Vol5 Issue3 July/Aug 1983 p23; CBN Vol5 Issue 2 May/Jun 1983 p20]

National Convention; National Spiritual Assembly, election of; Douglas Martin; Hossain Danesh; Jane Faily; Ed Muttart; Ruth Eyford; Michael Rochester; Glen Eyford; Husayn Banani; William Hatcher; Guelph, ON
1983 May  Seyed Mahmoud arrived in Lethbridge, Alberta — his original assigned city – and where he has resided every since. (Alberta Baha'i Council 2015 "Mohsen and Donna Seyed Mahmoud biography"). Mohsen Seyed Mahmoud; Donna Seyed Mahmoud; Lethbridge, AB
1983 1 Sep In a message addressed to the National Spiritual Assembly of Norway the Universal House of Justice included a six-point summary of 'the essential requisites for our spiritual growth'. Written on behalf of the House of Justice, this significant letter expressed its confidence that if the believers practised the suggested disciplines they would penetrate the 'miasma of materialism' impeding the growth of the Faith in Europe. The suggestions have been gleaned from the Writings of Bahá'u'lláh and were stressed again and again in the talks and Tablets of 'Abdu'l-Bahá. The points were:
  1. The recital each day of one of the Obligatory Prayers with pure-hearted devotion.
  2. The regular reading of the Sacred Scriptures, specifically at least each morning and evening, with reverence, attention and thought.
  3. Prayerful meditation on the Teachings, so that we may understand them more deeply, fulfill them more faithfully, and convey them more accurately to others.
  4. Striving every day to bring our behavior more into accordance with the high standards that are set forth in the Teachings.
  5. Teaching the Cause of God.
  6. Selfless service in the work of the Cause and in the carrying on of our trade or profession.

They also suggested that in their private meditation the believers use the repetition of the Greatest Name, Alláh-u-Abhá, ninety-five times a day which, although at that time it was not yet applied in the West, it was among the Laws, Ordinances and Exhortations of the Kitáb-i-Aqdas.

  • See Personal Pathway for Spiritual Growth : A Personal Commentary on the Universal House of Justice's Six Requisites for Spiritual Growth by David and Carol Bowie.
  • Meditation; Spiritual Growth; Materialism; - Bahá'í World Centre
    1983 4 - 7 Nov The eight annual conference for the Association for Bahá'í Studies was held in Palmer House in Chicago. The Executive Committee for the ABS was Bill Hatcher; Jane Goldstone; Christine Zerbinis; Douglas Martin; Peter Morgan; Glen Eyford; Nasser Sabet; Richard Gagnon; Hossain Danesh with Firuz Kazemzadeh and Dorothy Nelson as United States representatives. The 8th annual conference of the Association for Baha' Studies was held in Chicago with over 500 participants came from all parts of North America, Europe, the Middle East, Latin America, the Caribbean Islands, Australia, India and several African countries. Hand of the Cause of God Mr. Khadem attended as well as a number of representatives of the Institution of the Continental Board of Counsellors, members of many National Spiritual Assemblies, and a host of internationally reknowned scholars. A unique event at the conference was a special session held at the House of Worship, focussing on the situation of the Bahá'ís of Iran.

    The first plenary session of the conference focussed on the theme "New Dimensions in Development", and comprised of three presentations: Dr. Glen Eyford, Professor of International Development, spoke on "Strategies-for Social Change", Dr. Joanna Macy, "A Spiritual Approach to Social Change" and Gustavo Correa's presentation was "FUNDAEC: Case Study of an Alternative for Rural Development".

    The second session: "Integrating Personal and Social Change —The Baha'i Paradigm" hosted the following speakers: Dr. Ervin Laszlo, "The Coming Transformation of Global Society and Today's Action Imperative", Shelia Banani, "Unity: The Ultimate Paradigm Shift" and Dr. Hossain Danesh, "Integrating Personal and Social Change".

    Hand of the Cause of God, Mr. Khadem, presented the awards to the winners of the best papers: John and Helen Danesh, High School Category; Shirin Sabri, General Category; Susan Stiles, University Category.

    The theme for the third session was: "Elimination of Violence as a Prerequisite for World Peace". Dr. Udo Schaefer, spoke on "Justitia Fundamentum Regnorum: On the Future of Penal Law", followed by Mr. Brad Pokorny who spoke on "Disarmament and the Baha'i Faith".

    The advances made by the Association during the year were highlighted; the establishment of branches of the Association for Bahá'í Studies in India, Colombia, Ireland, Austria and Switzerland and the finalization of plans for opening chapters of the Association at universities to take the place gradually of the existing Bahá'í Clubs. A proposed draft of the constitution for the campus charters has been prepared and is now under review by the World Centre. [CBN Vol 5 No 6 November/December 1983 p14]

    Bill Hatcher; Jane Goldstone; Christine Zerbinis; Douglas Martin; Peter Morgan; Glen Eyford; Nasser Sabet; Richard Gagnon; Hossain Danesh; Firuz Kazemzadeh; Dorothy Nelson; Mr Khadem; Joanna Macy; Gustavo Correa; Ervin Laszlo; Ervin Laszlo; Shelia Banani; John Danesh; Helen Danesh; Shirin Sabri; Susan Stiles; Udo Schaefer; Brad Pokorny; Chicago, IL
    1983 21 - 23 Nov A brief entitled The Future of Canada: A Bahá'í Perspective was presented to The Royal Commission on the Economic Union and Development Prospects of Canada on behalf of the Canadian Bahá'í Community through the National Spiritual Assembly in Saskatoon. [The Future of Canada: A Bahá'í Perspective]
  • Photographs in this publication were contributed by Elizabeth Martin. [HNWE44]
  • Social action; Ethics; Economics; Consultation; Agriculture; Women; Indigenous people; Elderly; Education; Presentations; Saskatoon, SK
    1983 28 Nov National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of Canada presented a brief to The Special Parliamentary Committee on the Participation of the Visible Minorities in Canada.

    They considered "remarkable" the recently enacted of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms (also known as the Constitution Act of 1982), and the Multiculturalism Policy of 1971, as well as Canada's contribution to human rights accords on the international level and steps towards the creation of single global society.

    The National Assembly shared the measures taken in its own community for the advancement of the rights of women, for more understanding between the Anglophone and Francophone populations, to assist the settlement of immigrants and measures taken to increase participation of the indigenous friends in society at large by establishing a variety of events. Some of there were "unity gatherings" , "native councils", "summer and winter schools", "Unity feasts", and conferences, all of which have served to bring together in social and administrative activity anglophone, francophone, and native Canadians.

    They included with the brief a copy of A Violence Free Society by Dr Hossain Danesh and several submissions made by the Bahá'í International Community to various United Nation agency on the question of human rights and minorities as well as an article taken from the publication "Refuge" describing the Iranian Bahá'í refugee program.

    In this submission, they emphasized the necessity of educational programs. They asked that careful consideration be given to the idea of holding a national conference on education focussed on this question of minority participation in Canadian society.

    Presentations; Social action

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