San Diego Baha'i Website

Events

Calling all Baha’i Youth:

The Southern California Summer Youth Initiative 2010 is on its way! It will take place on July 3-25, 2010. Youth ages 15-23 are eligible to apply. Last year the youth dedicated the initiative to the dearly loved Bahá’í brothers and sisters in the cradle of the Faith. About to embark on its 6th year, the Summer Youth Initiative will engage youth in multiplying childrens’ classes, animating junior youth groups, and raising up additional youth resources in key communities and clusters identified throughout Southern California.

We are projecting that of the 800 plus youth in Southern California that this youth initiative will accommodate up to 70 participants this year. We encourage youth to submit their applications immediately. The registration fee is $100.00. The inspiration for this year’s initiative is a response to guidance from the Universal House of Justice dated January 7, 2010. In that letter, to a youth conference in Australia, the Universal House of Justice identified “two pre-eminent opportunities” as central aims for “the new vigor that youth contribute to the concept of service – acting as teachers of childrens classes and as animators of junior youth groups.” The Summer Youth Initiative 2010 will involve 8 days of intensive training at a private residence in Lake Arrowhead, California combined with 12 days of service to nearby clusters throughout Southern California. The youth will be working in teaching teams and engaged with Cluster Core Teams in the cluster where they are deployed. There will be an increased emphasis on attracting local Bahá’í youth who can dedicate themselves to join their endeavors, and sustain the work in their community and cluster. The youth will come back together for 3 days to reflect on their learning and to devise plans to consolidate the activities in the clusters where they live. Anyone who cannot attend the intensive training may be eligible to participate in the project as a local resource to the Cluster agency in their own cluster.

Please distribute the application widely via every available means. . We ask that all applicants complete, prior to the start of the project (July 3-25, 2010), the following Ruhi studies:

Ruhi 1 “Reflections on the Life of the Spirit”
Ruhi 3 “Teaching Childrens Classes Grade 1”, and
Ruhi 5 “Releasing the Power of Junior Youth”

Cluster institute coordinators are ready arrange intensive study circle and practice opportunities to facilitate making it possible for every potential youth to be eligible to participate. It is possible to complete all 3 books intensively by devoting focused attention during the months of March, April, May and June. The deadline for application is April 30, 2010. You can get more information as well as the application on the website www.swrti.org.

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Sunday Morning Devotions and Information Gathering

Sunday, August 1, 2010

9:30 am - Devotional

Host-Jim Rust

10:30 am – Information Meeting-

Host-Hengameh Motaghed

Topic: “The Journey of the Soul”

Share in a discussion about the Baha’i Faith

Call Martha Hiett for more information 619-697-2636

Come- bring your friends and share in an inspirational morning!

San Diego Bahá’í Center

6545 Alcala Knolls Dr

Linda Vista, 92111

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MONTHLY SOCIAL DINNER/FUND RAISER

SATURDAY, August 14- 6:3o

San Diego Baha’i Center

6545 Alcala Knolls Dr.

San Diego 92111

For information – call 619-697-2636

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Trial of seven Iranian Bahá’í leaders reported to have ended – verdict is due soon!

A recent state-sponsored media campaign falsely accusing Bahá’ís in Iran of inciting the latest wave of protests in that country has raised grave concern about the fate of seven Bahá’í leaders were returned to court on Sunday, February 7. “Over the past few weeks, Iranian state-sponsored media have accused the Bahá’ís of being responsible for the unrest surrounding the holy day of Ashura,” said Diane Alá’í, the Bahá’í International Community representative to the United Nations in Geneva. “This is clearly aimed at rousing public sentiment against the seven Bahá’ís being held in Evin prison. We are particularly concerned that the government, or ultraconservative elements within it, may use the turmoil in Iran as cover for extreme measures against these wrongly imprisoned individuals.”

This concern deepened on Sunday, January 3, when authorities rounded up 13 Bahá’ís from their homes in Tehran, including relatives of two of the imprisoned leaders, took them to a detention center, and tried to get them to sign a document saying that they would not engage in any future demonstrations. Ten of the 13 Bahá’ís remain in prison, making a total of 48 Bahá’ís in prison across Iran.

“Putting two and two together, the situation facing these Bahá’í leaders is extremely ominous. We are deeply concerned for their safety,” Ms. Alá’í said.

The seven — Mrs. Fariba Kamalabadi, Mr. Jamaloddin Khanjani, Mr. Afif Naeimi, Mr. Saeid Rezaie, Mrs. Mahvash Sabet, Mr. Behrouz Tavakkoli, and Mr. Vahid Tizfahm — were arrested in the spring of 2008 and have since been held in Evin prison without formal charges. Trial dates were previously announced for July, August, and October of 2009, with a court appearance finally occuring in January. At that time charges were read, in a closed court. They were then led back to prison to await sentencing at the next scheduled date which appeared to be February 7 at that time. At the hearing on February 7 the same procedure was followed. After they were asked to enter their plea their attorney entered the plea of “not guilty” and the prisoners were returned to their cells. At this time information is that the trial concluded on June 14.

Official Iranian news accounts have said the seven are to be accused of “espionage for Israel, insulting religious sanctities, and propaganda against the Islamic republic.” The Bahá’í International Community categorically denies all the charges and is concerned that the latest media campaign may result in more baseless charges being brought against the seven Bahá’í leaders.

“On April 12 the Yaran returned to court but the hearing was not held in its entirety. They brought the Yaran into the court room at about 12:00 PM. They also brought some government-sponsored reporters and cameras into the court room, but again did not allow the families of Yaran to enter the court. Mr. Khanjani stood up on behalf of the Yaran and protested the double standard of the prosecutor to allow the government-sponsored reporters and cameras, but not the families of the Yaran. He said if the hearing is open, then the families should also be allowed in; and if not, then the reporters and cameras should not be allowed either, as it is not legally proper to have semi-open/closed court session. He said that he and the rest of the Yaran will not answer any questions until this double standard nature is removed. The prosecutor did not comply, and the court hearing did not go forward. The Yaran were returned to their prison cells at around1 PM.

The latest information is that the trial ended on June 14 and a report of the verdict will be forthcoming soon.