Among the many religious groups that were active in nineteenth-century Palestine, the Baha'i community was one of the smallest. Since 1868, this religious community has established its presence around the bay of Haifa. The Baha'i' Holy Places in Haifa and the western Galilee were announced as "world heritage sites", by UNESCO, in 2008. Unlike many of the Baha'i properties in Palestine, the story of the Baha'i settlements in the Jordan valley is almost unknown. During the 1880 three settlements were established at the eastern and southern shores of Lake Tiberias: Umm-Jūna, Es-Samrā and Nuqeib. A fourth settlement, El-Adasiye, was established, at the first years of the twenty century, near the Yarmuk River. Since the beginning of the twentieth century, portions of the Baha'i's land in the Jordan valley were sold to the Zionist organizations and the kibbutzim of Deganya aleph, Deganya beth, Ein Gev et cetera were built on these lands. During the 1948 war, the Baha'i settlers of Nuqeib were ordered by the local HaHagana commander to evacuate. Since they weren’t allowed to return to these lands after the war ended, they were compensated by land near Acre. The Baha'i lands of Es-Samrā, that were part of the demilitarized zones, were bought by the Israeli government and their owners left the state. The inhabitants of El-Adasiye, the last Baha'i settlement in the area, left the village in 1960 and spread all over Jordan and the Baha'i settlements in the Jordan valley become an unknown part of both local and Israeli history. I received my PhD from the University of Haifa. My research field for both M.A & PhD is the Baha'i community and its presence in the land of Israel between 1868-1968. In recent years, I've presented papers at international conferences (Association for Israel Studies, Irfan Colloquium for Study of the Baha'i Faith, International Society for Iranian Studies, Association for Baha'i Studies, Royal Geographical Society, Conference of Historical Geographers et cetera) all over the world and published articles on different topics related to my research field.

Bahá’is will recognize, in 2021, the centenary of the passing of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá (son of the Faith’s founder). Starting in the springtime, many will commemorate the significance of this year by more consciously striving to emulate His exemplary life. ‘Abdu’l-Bahá’s call to arise and serve as “stars in the eyes of God’s Compassion” distills its own meaning for each reader who views it from their vantage point in history. Now, more than a century after He wrote the passage, our discussion will examine three aspects of this call to serve: · A century of work that served the best interests of humankind; · Current contexts for work as worship; and · Tailoring personal communications and acts of compassion to the exigencies of our time. Dr. Teresa Henkle Langness is an author in multiple genres, an educational development specialist, and founder of the Full-Circle Learning model. She serves on boards concerned with education, human relations, the arts, the environment and has met wonderful friends and collaborators along the way. She claims as a source of matchless inspiration the fact that this year, she has been a Baha’i for exactly half a lifetime.

Working with Fidelma Meehan, supported by a team of wonderful Bahá'í friends in Swindon, a programme was developed to help disaffected/vulnerable young people in the wider society. Aware that many young people are beset by a host of fears, worries, anxieties and insecurities along with superficial and discouraging relationships the team developed two special environments/experiences - the Tranquillity Zone and the Discovery Zone - to help them engage in rewarding personal and social behaviour - A host of aberrant, anti-social and various disorders experienced by youngsters were addressed in these two Zones with a programme that revolved around two passages from Bahá'í texts - that 'man is a mine rich in gems of inestimable value' and that all children are 'potentially the light of the world and at the same time its darkness.' In brief, the programme aimed at empowering individuals to transcend their disaffection with spiritual understandings. The programme was welcomed by 27 schools in Swindon, primary and secondary, with their most disaffected youngers identified as needing a novel intervention. A cohort of teachers and learning mentors were trained to deliver the programme. Viv Bartlett's book, Nurturing a Healthy Human Spirit in the Young, outlines this experience. Born in Cardiff, Viv Bartlett began searching for answers to life’s problems after a tragedy struck, when his 14-year-old younger brother accidently electrocuted himself. Finding answers in religion he became a member of the Bahá’i Faith in 1966. After serving an engineering apprenticeship in ‘Tiger Bay’ Cardiff, he later travelled the world as an engineer in the merchant navy. Returning home, he married (Rita Bridge) in 1970 and gained a B. Ed Honours degree in Education as a mature student. He then taught in secondary education in S Wales. Viv Bartlett, whilst pioneering in S Wales, served on several national Bahá’i committees until 1976, when he was appointed an Auxiliary Board Member in the UK serving for over 20 years with a special interest in the empowerment of young people. Since then, he has served on the Bahá’i Training Institute for Wales and then on the first elected Bahá’i Council for Wales. He was a Bahá’i representative on the first Interfaith Council for Wales established in 2003 serving until recently. He is a founder member of the Swindon Young People’s Empowerment Programme (SYEP), a programme inspired by Bahá’í Teachings to help vulnerable, disaffected young people. A total of 27 primary and secondary schools have employed this programme. Viv has authored three books, with a fourth in process. His beloved wife, Rita, died of cancer 7 years ago, prior to which they parented three children and were foster carers.

In this talk, Kelly Snook will provide a guided tour through the exquisite beauty of the Badí Calendar, which is followed by Baha'is around the world. She will explain in simple terms the daily, monthly, yearly, and even less frequent astronomical events that anchor the calendar to the physics of our local solar system. This Calendar, believed to be the first to be revealed by a Divine Messenger, was laid out by The Báb in the mid-19th Century and adopted fully by Baha'is worldwide in 2015. It is uniquely tied to both solar and lunar movements, such as the northern vernal equinox and new moon conjunction. Have you ever felt a little fuzzy on why the dates of the Gregorian calendar shift with respect to the dates of Baha'i Holy Days and other days of interest? Or what the equinox is and why it is a good marker of time? Or why the Lunar Calendar is so different from solar calendars like our modern standard calendar, which has leap years to stay aligned with the sun? Kelly hopes to make it all not just a little less confusing, but hopefully generate genuine appreciation for its beauty and perfection by bringing in the music of the spheres and demonstrating how the Calendar directly manifests God's principles of Oneness and Harmony. Dr Kelly Snook was trained in Aeronautics and Astronautics, as well as in music. She is now creating a new field of research, called "Investigative Music" that is partially a return to Johannes Kepler's time, when music was used as one of the four tools for exploring the world. Arithmetic, geometry, astronomy and music comprised the Quadrivium, the four modes of scientific inquiry. Before science as we knew it existed, these were the ways that the physical world was investigated. Arithmetic, the study of number; geometry, the study of number in space; music, the study of number in time; and astronomy, the study of number in space and time. When Johannes Kepler discovered his three laws of planetary motion, it was through the application of musical principles of harmony and spiritual principles of oneness that emerged the mathematical equations he will forever be famous for. Calendars are essentially the application of our astronomical understanding of space and time to the collective patterns of human activity. Kelly seeks to make audible and explorable these fundamental patterns in Nature.

It is the general understanding of people that religion deals with the moral and spiritual aspects of life, and economics with the material aspect. If the role of economics is to accomplish a good life and religion, on the other hand, show us how to live a good life, then religion and economics should work together as partners. This presentation will maintain the view that a partnership between material and spiritual aspects of life are potent forces to solve economic problems and improve well-being and prosperity. Hooshmand Badee is an academic economist with a Doctoral degree in Bahá’í economics. His Doctoral research title is "The Bahá’í teachings on economics and their implications for the Bahá’í community and the wider society." Hooshmand’s two recent books are Economics and the Bahá’í Faith; and Principles of Spiritual Economics – A Compilation from the Baha’i writings with an overview of Baha’i economics. Hooshmand has worked as a lecturer of economics for more than 25 years in several universities, mainly in the West Indies and the UK. He was one of the founders of Carmel High School, a Bahá’í inspired school in St. Vincent and the Grenadines. He is currently a faculty member at the Wilmette Institute in US and an academic member of the Baha’i Institute for Higher Education (BIHE) in Iran. He also offers an enterprise training program for the Baha’is in Iran and also for the refugees coming to Scotland, all on a voluntary basis. He married and left Iran in 1975 and lived in Bangladesh, Canada and the Island of St. Vincent and the Grenadines before moving to the UK in 2001. Currently, he lives in Glasgow, Scotland.

A conversation with Payam Zamani. He will share his personal journey growing up in Iran, escaping Iran as a teenage refugee, settling in the U.S. and his entrepreneurial experiences. The business world is in a dire need of a new framework, one that is based not solely on the maximization of wealth and profits but rather a framework that considers the positive impact businesses can have on communities and the betterment of the world. Is there a framework offered by the Baha'i Faith? Are there elements of a spiritual approach shared in the Writings that can be our guide? Payam Zamani is the founder, chairman, and CEO of One Planet Group, a hybrid tech firm that owns and operates a suite of online technology and media businesses. He is also the co-founder and Editor-in-Chief of BahaiTeachings.org, and is an early-stage investor. Payam came to the United States as a 16-year-old Baha’i refugee. He’s built One Planet on a model not focused solely on financial success, but with an ethos of sacrificial giving and universal philanthropy, believing that businesses should consider the betterment of the world and be a source of good.

Following the unprecedented horrors of the Second World War, the United Nations adopted the Universal Declaration of Human Rights in 1948. What is the historical and moral significance of this Declaration in the Global Age? What does it mean to say that dignity is "inherent" to human nature, and how can this assertion be reconciled with the greed and aggression that characterizes politics? How can humankind transcend divisive ideologies and religious conflicts in order to build a just and unified world order? In the shadow of catastrophic climate change, do we need to go beyond human rights to save our civilization from collapse? These and other themes will be explored in this talk by Payam Akhavan. Payam Akhavan is an UN prosecutor, human rights scholar, international lawyer, professor at University of Toronto, Member of the Permanent Court of Arbitration at The Hague, 2017 CBC Massey Lecturer, author of the bestselling "In Search of a Better World".

Hugh and Paul will share stories from the life of an extraordinary pioneer of the environmentalist movement, Richard St. Barbe Baker. One hundred years ago, Baker foresaw and warned the world about the emerging environmental crisis—and offered solutions that are only now being appreciated and applied. Baker’s work as a forester and conservationist paralleled his activities as an early member of the Baha’i Faith, a faith that provided inspiration for his ceaseless efforts to conserve and restore the world’s forests. Paul Hanley has published five books and 1600 articles on the environment, sustainable development, agriculture, and other topics. Paul’s biography, Man of the Trees: Richard St. Barbe Baker, the First Global Conservationist (University of Regina Press 2018), features a foreword by HRH Prince Charles and introduction by Jane Goodall. A biography for middle school children, Richard St. Barbe Baker: Child of the Trees, was published in 2020. Paul has received a number of awards, most recently the Food System 2050 Vision Prize from the Rockefeller Foundation. Hugh Locke is president and co-founder of the Smallholder Farmers Alliance (SFA), a non-profit working with small-scale family farmers to help feed and reforest a renewed Haiti. Earlier in his career Hugh was director of the Office of Public Information at the Baha’i International Community in New York. While still a student, he was mentored by Richard St. Barbe Baker (1889 – 1982). Hugh subsequently established the Baker archives at the University of Saskatchewan and continues to serve as St. Barbe’s literary trustee.

Philomena Clifford will continue exploring the extraordinary life of Martha Root, one of the first Western Bahai’s during the early 1900s. Her story reads like an adventure and affirms the observation that history well written is as interesting and fascinating as fiction. Her life is so full and so rich – it cannot be contained in one session! She circled the Globe four times in her ardent desire to convey the beauty of the Baha’i Faith with its timeless message of international peace and unity. For Martha it was like a priceless gem which she spent her life sharing with Kings, Queens , Presidents; students; the general public and the many employees and passengers on board ships and trains she took around the world. Philomena’s career began as a linguist, teaching French, Spanish and English as a foreign language. Then followed a short career in the airline industry. She had a childhood interest in profound deafness and eventually undertook a BPhil Degree in Audiological Studies, leading to a career of teaching young profoundly deaf students. Here she realised the power of biographical stories to inspire, uplift and to convey confidence in the power of the human spirit. She then went on to complete a Masters Degree in Virtue and Character Education which inspired her work with students and particularly the transformative effect of story.

In this talk some of the events from the life of Jesus will be explored and explained. The insights they give into the mission of Jesus will be articulated, additionally, how he was received and understood by those around him will be discussed. Moving on two thousand years some ideas will be presented on what it should mean to be a follower of Christ today. Bernadette Morton taught Religious Education in Catholic Comprehensive schools for 36 years. She taught in three different schools all in the West Midlands area of England where she has always lived. Along this journey she took on responsibility for various aspects of school life including Head of Religious Education, Head of Pastoral Care and was Deputy Headteacher in two of the schools where one of her responsibilities was the Catholic life of the school. On her retirement from teaching she worked as a lay chaplain in a Catholic Comprehensive where the main focus of her work was the spiritual development of both staff and students. At this time she also did some work for the Birmingham Archdiocese as an inspector of Catholic Secondary schools. The music chosen by Bernadette can be view by selecting the link below: Be Still https://youtu.be/ZugvUQ4m90U St Theresa's Prayer by John Michael Talbot https://youtu.be/eqVbLQh-lT0 Sister Act - I Will Follow Him https://youtu.be/VPpd-6X3tEo

Part 1/2 - Philomena Clifford will be exploring the extraordinary life of Martha Root, one of the first Western Bahai’s during the early 1900s. Her story reads like an adventure and affirms the observation that history well written is as interesting and fascinating as fiction. Her life is so full and so rich – it cannot be contained in one session! She circled the Globe four times in her ardent desire to convey the beauty of the Baha’i Faith with its timeless message of international peace and unity. For Martha it was like a priceless gem which she spent her life sharing with Kings, Queens , Presidents; students; the general public and the many employees and passengers on board ships and trains she took around the world. Philomena’s career began as a linguist, teaching French, Spanish and English as a foreign language. Then followed a short career in the airline industry. She had a childhood interest in profound deafness and eventually undertook a BPhil Degree in Audiological Studies, leading to a career of teaching young profoundly deaf students. Here she realised the power of biographical stories to inspire, uplift and to convey confidence in the power of the human spirit. She then went on to complete a Masters Degree in Virtue and Character Education which inspired her work with students and particularly the transformative effect of story.

Queen Marie of Romania (1875-1938), one of the most admired Queens of her time, was the granddaughter of Queen Victoria and Czar Alexander II, both recipients of personal Tablets from Bahá'u'lláh. She learned of the Bahá'í Faith at the beginning of 1926 from Martha Root, an American Bahá'í journalist who traveled around the world to share the Message of Bahá'u'lláh. This is the story of the relationship Queen Marie had with the most recent of divine Revelations, then less than a century old. Della L. Marcus is considered an authority on Queen Marie of Romania, having spent about a decade researching her life, both in the Holy Land and in Romania, specifically the last years when the Queen became acquainted with and enthusiastically embraced the newest world religion, the Bahá'í Faith. Della has two published books, "Her Eternal Crown: Queen Marie and the Bahá'í Faith," and an abridged version of this story published in Romanian, soon to be available in English, entitled "Queen Marie: An Instrument in Greater Hands

In the last 200 years, the human race has experienced an explosion of change and progress in every sphere of human endeavour, be it science, technology, arts, politics, individual action and social consciousness. These are historic times in which we have the privilege of living, and that according to the Baha'i writings must provide us with the realisation of the oneness of the human race and a wish to act with hope and enthusiasm to contribute to our communities and society at large. Baha'i writings point to spiritual dynamics which propel humanity to experience these unparalleled and historic changes, foretold by philosophers and religions of the past. Semira will explore some of the dynamics of our time with particular reference to the Baha'i writings Semira Manaseki-Holland is a Paediatrician and Public Health Physician with 30 years experience of living and working as a doctor, health service manager, policy adviser and researcher in the UK, Geneva (WHO Headquarters), Mongolia, Afghanistan, and Tajikistan. Currently Semira lives with her family in the West Midlands, conducting research in health systems and community development projects in low and middle-income countries, including in Africa and Asia, and teaches at the University of Birmingham. To view the video visit the YouTube channel https://youtu.be/k2-SxVEDL-o

The presentation will focus on the guidance in Baha'i teachings to engage in social action; efforts in Northern Ireland to put that guidance in practice in the context of escalating violence (and some of the direct interventions of the Universal House of Justice that pointed us in the right direction); and how the development by Baha'is and friends of junior youth groups and other activities in Belfast has demonstrated the transformative potential of such actions. Tara and Erfan Fadaei were both born into Baha'i families. Tara grew up in NI in one of the most contested spaces during the conflict - the Garvaghy Road in Portadown - the scene of massive riots that brought all of NI to a standstill. She worked for a period in London before returning to Belfast. Erfan grew up in England and lived for a year in Tanzania before moving to Belfast. They have both been instrumental in developing a programme of activities to support young people in the neighbourhood where they are living. Edwin grew up in the small market town of Enniskillen, Co Fermanagh and, with friends, was involved in community initiatives from an early age. In 1987 life changed fundamentally when 12 friends and neighbours were killed as a result of the Remembrance Day bomb in the town. To view the video visit our YouTube channel https://youtu.be/hUINtfqjq7s

During the rule of the Ottoman Empire, some of the early Baha’is made the long pilgrimage from Persia to Akka to attain the presence of Baha’u’llah, the Founder of the Baha’i Faith. Haji Mulla Mehdi of Yazd was one such pilgrim, who in the company of his two sons, took the arduous journey on foot to pay homage to his Beloved. This journey of love enflamed the spirit of sacrifice and service in the hearts of Haji Mulla Mehdi’s descendants, giving rise to three Hands of the Cause of God, and two Trustees of Huquq’u’llah across three generations. This is the story of their journeys. Faraneh Vargha-Khadem is one of the 22 great, great, grandchildren of Haji Mulla Mehdi Yazdi, and one of the three daughters of the late Hand of the Cause of God, and Trustee of Huquq’u’llah, Dr Ali Muhammad Varqa. Professionally, Faraneh is Professor of Cognitive Neuroscience at the UCL Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health in London, UK. She is also the Clinical Academic Lead for the Department of Neuropsychology at Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children. Her research is focused on early brain injury and the development of brain circuits that underpin human attributes, such as episodic memory, and speech and language. She was part of the team that identified the FOXP2 gene, the so-called “speech gene” that may explain why humans talk and chimps do not! She is also credited with the discovery of the amnesic syndrome in children. To view the video visit our YouTube channel https://youtu.be/wy0TJyMlChs

In this presentation of artworks, Lindsay John will attempt to convey, not only some methods used in their making but more importantly, the concepts behind them, inspired by the all-embracing Baha’i teaching of Unity and a mysterious ancient Chinese Jade Disc both of which influenced and shaped their evolution. Lindsay John, originally form the Caribbean, came to Britain to study both Fine Art Painting and Sculpture over a period of ten years before moving to Scotland in 1980. There he began a self study in experimental dance combining aspects of sculpture costume and site specific instillation into unique performance works taking him as far as Japan to study Butoh, from which he derived courage and direction. Works include the thematic solo performances ‘Before Form’ presented in Britain, Japan, Singapore, Spain and Italy among other National and International choreographic and costume collaborations. He also worked as Lecturer in Art & Design at Ayr College, Scotland (1998-2006) before finally retiring from predominantly Performance based art works in 2009 to return to the Fine Arts. Lindsay is presently practicing as an Artist in both Sculpture and 2D Mixed Media at WASPS Artists Studios, Glasgow where he is now settled. To view the video visit our YouTube channel https://youtu.be/lOh3Osf8PDY

The furniture designer and master craftsperson Philip Koomen takes you on his creative journey that began in 1975 when he was inspired by Baha’u’llah’s vision of the role of the arts and crafts in an unfolding global civilisation. Following his presentation Philip will welcome a discussion on the nature of creative practice. “The source of the arts, crafts and sciences is the power of reflection…” Baha’i Writings Philip’s creative practice explores the relationship between craft, design and art in balance with an ethical and sustainable practice; a meditation on beauty and truth. He has completed over 1800 commissions including in the UK, USA, France, Germany, The Netherlands and Japan. He designed and made the meeting table for the National Spiritual Assembly of the Baháʼís of the UK. To view the video visit our YouTube channel https://youtu.be/xi1eDXP4mPI In 2006 he was awarded a doctorate in Sustainable Furniture Design from Brunel University for developing his practice from Forest to Furniture. In 2013 Philip was awarded an Arts Council grant to develop his creative process “Ideas in the Making,” which explores how ideas can evolve through the playful manipulation of materials. As a Visiting Senior Fellow at the Open University, he researches how craft workshops train the next generation of entrepreneurial craftspeople. He has trained over twenty aspiring designer-makers, ten of whom have established their own workshops. He holds a Life Fellowship from the Royal Society of Arts and Fellowships from the Institute of Wood Science and Chartered Society of Designers. He has received numerous citations including: The organic vitality of his designs reveals the oneness and humanity of his creative approach’ -- Professor Simon Olding, Director of the Crafts Study Centre, U.K. Absolutely beautiful -- Channel 4 Organic and wildly eccentric--The Independent …one of the finest craftsmen in wood in Britain today. -- BBC Homes & Antiques

During the 19th century a massive movement took the religious world by storm. Inspired by prophecies in the Bible and the Quran, people from all countries, cultures and religious backgrounds were convinced that the ‘return', as mentioned in their Holy scriptures, was imminent. Did anything happen, and if it did, why has this extraordinary history been forgotten? Carolyn Sparey Fox is a professional viola player, having worked extensively in London and Scotland as a soloist on BBC radio and TV, toured and recorded with many British orchestras and chamber groups, and performed in the first London production of Jesus Christ Superstar. But for the purpose of this Fireside talk, Carolyn’s interest in the subject of 19th century Adventism came about shortly after becoming a Baha’i in 1992. Years of research initially resulted in a play, “Threads”, with several performances in the UK, followed several years later two books which were published by George Ronald, and which resulted in an invitation to appear in “The Gate”, a film on the history and background of the Bab and the importance of His role in the history of the Baha’i Faith. To view the video visit our YouTube channel https://youtu.be/HxIX6vpNXpo

This talk will explore how the Junior Youth Spiritual Empowerment Program was developed by the worldwide Baha’i community as a gift to be used by all, whether Baha'i or not. We will reflect on this in relation to Baha’u’llah’s vision of a spiritually and materially prosperous world. We will then end by outlining some of the Program’s characteristics and principles and how they connect to the broader vision and aims of the Baha’i Faith, which are centred on contributing to the material and spiritual progress of local communities around the world. Everyone participating in the program, from the junior youth themselves to the animator (the facilitator of the junior youth group), the parents, as well as other members of the community who contribute to expanding and strengthening the program, are part of a process of learning about the implementation of the program in their community. Throughout this process, we all draw on experiences from around the world which enhance our ability to implement the program in our locality. While no one can be seen to be an expert, we all have varying levels of experience and at times it is helpful for someone who has been serving in this capacity for a while to support those who are just beginning. This kind of support is one that helps each learn and advance. I have been an animator for 10 years, in several different communities across the UK and so have been part of this process during that time. To view the video visit the YouTube channel https://youtu.be/_XYRspwNcrc

"The Tablets of Baha'u'llah to the Kings and Rulers of the World" by Stephen Vickers Baha’u’llah, the Prophet-Founder of the Baha’i Faith, wrote from His cell in the Ottoman Prison-city to the principal rulers of the world. This talk looks at His letter to the most powerful monarchs in Europe. This message is also positive, respectful, and includes invaluable insights to all of us. Stephen Vickers was for fifteen years in charge of the University of Oxford’s suite of GCE and GCSE school examinations in History, Political Science, and Religious Studies. Please feel free to share this invitation with your friends and family. To view the video please visit our YouTube channel https://youtu.be/sy5_M71dmVY