Antigua and Barbuda

Antigua and Barbuda
Loading map...
Location of Antigua and Barbuda
National AssemblyAntigua and Barbuda
Statistics:
Total Population
 -  UN 2021[1] 93,219
Bahá'í pop.
 -  Bahá'í source  
 -  Non-Bahá'í source 1,048
Related media
Categories: Antigua and Barbuda • People

Antigua and Barbuda is a sovereign archipelagic country in the Caribbean composed of Antigua, Barbuda and numerous other small islands. It has a total area of 440 sq km (170 sq mi). It sits between the Caribbean Sea on the west and the Atlantic Ocean on the east. It is part of the Leeward Islands. In 2022, the islands had a population of 100,772. In 2020, the Bahá’í Faith represented 1.1% of the population. Antigua and Barbuda became an independent state on November 1, 1981.[2]

History[edit]

The National Spiritual Assembly of Jamaica was formed at Ridván 1961. It was given the responsibility of developing the Bahá’í communities in the Bahamas, Bermuda, Antigua and Barbuda and Saint Lucia.[3]

At the beginning of the Nine Year Plan (1964-1973), the United States was given the responsibility to develop Antigua and Barbuda. At that time there were no open localities in either Antigua or Barbuda. The goal was to create at least one open locality in each Antigua and Barbuda.[4]

a pre-requisite for the establishment of a National Spiritual Assembly of the Leeward, Windward and Virgin Islands, was dependent on opening several aggressive goals including the opening of Barbuda and the resettlement of Antigua which along with 9 other islands yet to be achieved in 1965.[5] By May of that year, Antigua, French Guiana and Martinique had been opened or resettled.

In only three years from the beginning of the Seven Year Plan at Ridván 1967, the National Spiritual Assembly of the Leeward, Windward and Virgin Islands]] was formed with Antigua and Barbuda being members. The National Assembly covered 16 islands over an ark 1,700 miles long and 700 miles wide. The islands were the territories of the United States, the Netherlands, France, and Great Britain providing a union of vastly different cultures and economic patterns. An intensified teaching program was being planned to bring about a closer relationship between the islands[6]

In 1971, Hand of the Cause [[Amatu'l-Bahá Rúhíyyih Khánum visited many of the islands in the West Indies including Antigua leading up to the Youth Conference held in the United States that year. The pioneers from Antigua and Barbuda gave a reception in her honor where she met the local Bahá’ís and friends. She was also able to address a Teachers Training College where the students were interested in learning more.[7]

In 1972, the National Assembly of the Leeward, Windward and Virgin Islands was split and Antigua and Barbuda was assigned the the new National Spiritual Assembly of the Leeward and Virgin Islands.[8]

In August 16 and 16 of 1975, a Counsellors Conference was held the island of Antigua to discuss the needs of Central America and the Caribbean. Since travel in the Caribbean is expensive, they expected 40 to 50 believers, but there were 115 from as far away as Canada and England. Four members of the Continental Board were present: Carmen de Burafato of Mexico; Rowland Estall of Haiti, Artemus Lamb of El Salvador; and Alfred Osborne of Panama. Topics covered the Five Year Plan goals, Bahá’í life, expansion of the Bahá’í community, and the roll of the Institutions of the Faith. The conference closed with a presentation by two youth from Saint Thomas and Saba, and resulted in two new enrollments. The first Bahá’í Summer School followed in the Leeward and Virgin Islands followed the conference at which 13 additional enrollments occurred including the wife of the chief education officer in Saint John's and a respected Caribbean broadcaster.[9]

From October 6 to 17 of 1980, Chris Cholas of New Mexico and Mell Allen of Puerto Rico made a teaching trip to Antigua and Montserrat at the request of the National Spiritual Assembly of the Leeward and Virgin Islands. Fifteen people enrolled in the village of Piggotts, Antigua. Counsellor Rowland Estall was on hand the assist with the election of their first Local Spiritual Assembly. The election was held by candlelight since there was a short circuit in the building's electrical system. The meeting by candlelight attracted the attention of some of the villagers and several stayed to observe the election.[10]

At Ridván 1981, the National Spiritual Assembly of the Leeward Islands was formed. Hand of the Cause [[Amatu'l-Bahá Rúhíyyih Khánum attended the first National Convention of the new National Assembly.[11][12]

In November of 1985, the Peace message was presented to the Governor General of Antigua and Barbuda, Sir Wilfred Jacobs by a Bahá’í delegation.[13]

The Bahá’ís of the Leeward Islands sponsored a Women's Conference September 9 to 11 of 1988 on Antigua. The participants came from 12 countries and half of them were not Bahá’ís.[14]

The Mona Teaching Project ran from August 12 to 14 of 1989 sponsored by the Bahá’ís of the Leeward Islands. It began with a week long institute in Antigua.[15]

References[edit]

  1. ↑ "World Population Prospects 2022". population.un.org. United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division. Retrieved July 17, 2022.
  2. ↑ "Antigua and Barbuda". Wikipedia.
  3. ↑ Baha'i News (1961). National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of the United States. No 362, Pg(s) 4. View as PDF.
  4. ↑ The Bahá’í World, An International Record. (1974). Bahá’í World Centre. Haifa. Volume 14 (1963-1968), Pg(s) 154. View as PDF.
  5. ↑ Baha'i News (1965). National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of the United States. No 407, Pg(s) 1. View as PDF.
  6. ↑ Baha'i News (1966). National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of the United States. No 427, Pg(s) 10. View as PDF.
  7. ↑ Baha'i News (1971). National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of the United States. No 483, Pg(s) 17. View as PDF.
  8. ↑ The Bahá’í World, An International Record. (1976). Bahá’í World Centre. Haifa. Volume 15 (1968-1973), Pg(s) 218. View as PDF.
  9. ↑ Baha'i News (1975). National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of the United States. No 535, Pg(s) 18. View as PDF.
  10. ↑ Baha'i News (1981). National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of the United States. No 600, Pg(s) 13. View as PDF.
  11. ↑ Baha'i News (1981). National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of the United States. No 605, Pg(s) 2. View as PDF.
  12. ↑ Baha'i News (1987). National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of the United States. No 676, Pg(s) 3. View as PDF.
  13. ↑ Baha'i News (1988). National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of the United States. No 683, Pg(s) 2. View as PDF.
  14. ↑ Baha'i News (1989). National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of the United States. No 696, Pg(s) 13. View as PDF.
  15. ↑ Baha'i News (1989). National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of the United States. No 696, Pg(s) 12. View as PDF.

See also[edit]

Retrieved from "https://bahaipedia.org/index.php?title=Antigua_and_Barbuda&oldid=147995"

Table Of Contents