First Bahá’í World Congress

Interior of the Royal Albert Hall during the Bahá’í World Congress.

The First Bahá’í World Congress, also referred to as the Most Great Jubilee, was an event held in the Royal Albert Hall in London, England, from April 28 to May 2 in 1963. It was a celebration of the completion of the Ten Year Crusade and the Centenary of the Declaration of Bahá’u’lláh attended by Bahá’ís from all over the world.

Background

In his May 4, 1953, message to the All-America Intercontinental Teaching Conference Shoghi Effendi announced that the Ten Year Crusade, launched that year, would end in 1963 coinciding with the Centenary of the Declaration of Bahá’u’lláh and that if circumstances permitted it would be commemorated with a Most Great Jubilee in Baghdád, although towards the end of his life he reportedly expressed doubts that holding the event in Baghdád would be possible due to persecution of the Bahá’í communities of the Middle East.

After the passing of Shoghi Effendi in 1957 the Hands of the Cause assumed responsibility for stewardship of the Faith, electing nine Custodians to head the religion, and in 1961 they made the International Bahá’í Council an elected body and one of the assignments it gave the elected membership on June 25, 1961, was to assist the Hands in making preparations for a World Bahá’í Congress in Baghdád. A few days later the Council made several recommendations to the Hands including; that at least one representative from every territory and ethnic group opened to the Faith be represented at the Congress with funds being provided to any representative who could not afford their own transport, that the Congress last six days, that a moment specifically dedicated to commemorating the Declaration be scheduled, and that a public meeting be held during the event.

At the 1961 Conclave of the Hands which began in October the Hands of the Cause concluded that due to the situation in the Middle East holding the Congress in Baghdád would not be possible and they decided that it would be held in London, England, instead. At the Conclave the dates April 28 to May 2 were set for the event as this period included the ninth and twelfth days of Ridvan. On December 10, 1961, the Hands announced the date and location of the Congress to all National Spiritual Assemblies and also announced that the following Congress Arrangements Committee had been appointed to handle all detailed matters in London while reporting to the International Bahá’í Council.:

• Mildred Mottahedeh, Chairman
• John Long, Vice-Chairman
• Dorothy Ferraby, Secretary
• John Wade, Assistant Secretary
• David Hofman
• Habib Nahai
• Edna True

On March 15, 1963, the Custodians suspended pilgrimage to the Holy Land to allow for the final preparations for the World Congress to be made.

World Congress Programme

Day 1: Sunday, April 28

Rúhíyyih Khánum speaking on the first day of the Congress.

Afternoon Session: The Day of Victory

• Chairman: Enoch Olinga
• Rúhíyyih Khánum - Religion of Love
• ‘Alí-Akbar Furútan - Day of Victories
• Ḥasan Balyúzí - Triumph of the Cause

Day 2: Monday, April 29

Morning Session: The Mission of Bahá’u’lláh

• Chairman: Zikrullah Khadem - Introductory Comments
• Marion Hofman - The Promise of All Ages
• Amoz Gibson - The Blessed Beauty
• Ṭaráẓu’lláh Samandarí (with Marzieh Gail translating) - Recollections of Bahá’u’lláh

Afternoon Session: Celebration of the Ninth Day of Ridvan/Ridvan Feast

• Chairman: Luis de Fretes

Day 3: Tuesday, April 30

Morning Session: The Unfoldment of the Divine Plan

• Chairman: Borrah Kavelin
• Rowland Estall - Spiritual Forces

David Hofman addressing the Congress as the members of the Universal House of Justice are presented.

• Jan Sijsling - The Vision of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá
• Ian Semple (in place of Leroy Ioas who was too ill to deliver his talk) - Achievements Under Guidance of Guardianship
• Knights of Bahá’u’lláh presented to the Congress.
• Dr. Aziz Navidi - Reading of Message from the Bahá’ís imprisoned in Morocco

Afternoon Session: The World Centre of the Faith

• Chairman: Charles Wolcott - Opening Comments
• Ugo Giachery - Its Unique Spiritual Significance
• Paul Haney - Its Supreme Administrative Importance
• Members of the Universal House of Justice presented to the Congress.
• David Hofman - Reading of the First Message of the Universal House of Justice to the Bahá’í World

Evening Session: Public Meeting

• Chairman: John Long
• Philip Hainsworth: The Redemptive Plan of God
• Elsie Austin was scheduled to speak but was unable to attend the Congress.
• William Sears - World Unity with Security

Fu'ad Tahhan, being held by Alí Nakhjavání, reciting a prayer.

Day 4: Wednesday, May 1

Morning Session: The Spiritual Conquest of the Planet

• Chairman: Alí Nakhjavání - Opening Comments
• Ruth Pringle - Mass Conversion
• Mas’ud Khamsi - Opening of New Territories
• Fawziyyih & Fu'ad Tahhan, wife and son of a Bahá’í sentenced to death in Morocco, both recited a prayer.
• Enoch Olinga - Victories of the Pioneers
• Fred Murray - Enrollment of the Masses

Afternoon Session: The Spiritual Conquest of the Planet

• Chairman: Kaushal Kishore Bhargava
• Shirin Boman -Teaching of the Masses in India
• Alvin Blum - Teaching the Masses
• Jamshid Fozdar - The Power of Faith
• Indigenous Bahá’ís from Malaysia, the Mentawei Islands, Indonesia, the Phillippines, and Cameroon spoke on their experiences teaching the Faith. One of them was Vicente Samaniego.
• Raḥmatu’lláh Muhájir - Spiritual Conquest of the Planet

Day 5: Thursday, May 2

Morning Session: Our Sacred Duty, Our Glorious Challenge

• Chairman: Gila Bata
• Anneliese Bopp - Our Sacred Duty
• Hushmand Fatheazam - Our Sacred Duty
• Peter Khan - Our Sacred Duty
• John Robarts - Our Glorious Challenge

Afternoon Session: Shoghi Effendi, the Sign of God

• Chairman: William Masehla
• Rúhíyyih Khánum - The Sign of God on Earth
• Abu’l-Qásim Faizí - Closing Address