- 1950-04-21 —
Shoghi Effendi announced the Africa Campaign (1951-1953) in a cable to the British National Convention. [BW12:52; UD245–6]
- The British community was to lead the campaign supported by the Bahá'ís of the United States and Egypt. Shoghi Effendi expanded the plan to include the
cooperation of the National Spiritual Assemblies of Persia and of India, who were to provide additional pioneers. The Plan was not scheduled to start until Ridván 1950 but the British Bahá'í community as soon as possible after the Plan was announced. [UD245]
- The object was to open the Faith to three countries, Gold Coast, Tanganyika and Uganda. Shoghi Effendi termed it "the first International collaboration plan in Bahá'í history. (CG157, 159]
- For the objectives of the campaign see UD245–6.
- For the importance of the enterprise see UD260–3.
- The plan was to be launched after a year's respite but the British Bahá'ís begin to implement the plan immediately. [CB317]
- At the time of the Campaign there was "...since the days of the Blessed Beauty and up to the early 1950s, the activities of the friends in Africa had produced the formation of one National Spiritual Assembly with its seat in Cairo, Egypt, the opening of 12 countries to the light of the Faith, and some 50 localities established throughout its vast lands. It was at such a time that the beloved Guardian ushered in the first African Teaching Plan" [Message from the Universal House of Justice To the Friends gathered at the Bahá'í International Conference at Lagos dated
19 August, 1982
; The UK Bahá'í Journal/History]
- The first to arise for the Campaign was Claire Gung who departed from England on the Warwick Castle on the 3rd of January, 1951 bound for Tanganyika. [CG13, 26]
- Others who pioneered were: Philip Hainsworth, Uganda, June 1951;
Hasan and Isobel Sabri, Tanganyika, July 1951; and
Ted Cardell, Kenya, October 1951.
- For additional information see The Baha'i Faith in Africa: Establishing a New Religious Movement, 1952–1962 by Anthony Lee.
- 1951-01-25 —
Claire Gung arrived in Tanganyika aboard the Warwick Castle and obtained employment as a matron in a boys' boarding school in Lushoto. She was the second Bahá'í pioneer to the country. [CG160; CBN No 18 Mar 1951 p10]
- She later pioneered to Uganda and Southern Rhodesia during the Ten Year Crusade.
- An additional group of early arrivals in East Africa settled in Tanganyika in 1951. They
included Hassan and Isobel Sabri who came from Egypt, and Jalal Nakhjavání and his family
from Iran. By 1954, a Local Spiritual Assembly had been elected in Dar es Salaam including
three native believers. Among them was Denis Dudley-Smith Kutendele, the first to accept the
Faith in Tanzania. [A Brief Account of the Bahá'í Faith in Africa Since 1953 by Nance Ororo-Robarts and Selam Ahderrom p2]
History of the Bahá'í Faith in Tanzania said that the first local spiritual assembly was elected in Dar es Salaam in 1952 and that it received civic registration later under Tanganyika's Trustee's Incorporation Ordinance. - 1983-05-19 —
The Universal House of Justice announced a number of changes to the membership of the International Teaching Centre raising the number of members to nine. [BW19:27]
- For reasons of health Counsellor Florence Mayberry took her retirement from the ITC. [Mess63-86p577]
- Four new Counsellors were appointed: Mr Magdalene Carney, Mr Mas'úd Khamsí, Dr Peter Khan and Mrs Isobel Sabri. [Mess63-86p578]
- The Hands of the Cause serving in the International Teaching Centre were: Amatu'l-Baha Ruhiyyih Khanum and 'Ali-Akbar Furutan. [Mess63-86p578]
- 1988-05-19 —
The Universal House of Justice announced changes in the membership of the International Teaching Centre.
- Those appointed were: Dr Farzam Arbab, Hartmut Grossmann, Lauretta King, Donald Rogers, Joy Stevenson, and Peter Vuyiya to join Dr Magdalene Carney, Mas'úd Khamsí, and Isobel Sabri.
- Those taking their retirement were; 'Azíz Yazdí (1973) and Anneliese Bopp (1979).
[Mess86-01p86]
- 1992-06-18 —
The passing of Counsellor Isobel Sabri, (b. 19 July, 1924) member of the International Teaching Centre, in England. She was born in California in 1924. Letter from the National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of Canada to all Local Spiritual Assemblies dated the 16th of October 1992. [VV124]
- She was buried at the New Southgate Cemetery
- Find a grave
- See Bahaipedia for the message of condolence from the Universal House of Justice.
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