Jan Sijsling
Jan Sijsling | |
|---|---|
| Born | February 13, 1919 Amsterdam, Netherlands |
| Died | December 12, 2004 Groesbeek, Netherlands |
| NSA member | Benelux Countries 1957 - 1962 Netherlands 1962 - ???? ???? - 1990 |
| ABM | 1961 - 1964 |
Jan Sijsling (February 13, 1919 - December 12, 2004) was a Dutch Bahá’í who helped develop the Bahá’í community of the Netherlands and served as a National Spiritual Assembly and Auxiliary Board member.
Biography[edit]
Sijsling was born in Amsterdam in 1919. He married Gieny Smits in 1949 and they had two children. He pursued a business career working as an export manager and a property developer eventually becoming president of Eurotel.[1]
Sijsling became a Bahá’í in 1952,[1] and he was elected to the Local Spiritual Assembly of Amsterdam the same year serving on the body until 1962. He was also elected to the National Spiritual Assembly of the Benelux Countries in 1957 serving until it was disbanded in 1962.[2]
In 1962 the independent National Spiritual Assembly of the Netherlands was established and Sijsling was elected to the body serving on it intermittently until 1990. He was appointed to the Auxiliary Board for Europe in 1961 and serving until 1964. He was elected to the Local Spiritual Assembly of Delft in 1964 serving on the body until 1972. In addition to his administrative service he also served the Bahá’í community in securing and developing properties, helping secure the National Ḥaẓíratu’l-Quds of the Netherlands, the De Poort Bahá’í Conference Centre, and a Temple site in Zoetermeer. He also establish Bahá’í inspired foundations and institutes in the Netherlands including the Tahirih Institute.[2]
Sijsling passed in 2004. The Universal House of Justice conveyed the following message after his passing:
"His many services to the Cause of Bahé’u’llah in both the administrative and teaching fields, including membership on two nascent National Spiritual Assemblies, those of the Benelux Countries and the Netherlands, and his dedicated services as an Auxiliary Board member, are lovingly remembered."[2]
References[edit]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 The Bahá’í World, An International Record. (2006). Bahá’í World Centre. Haifa. Volume 33 (2004-2005), Pg(s) 291. View as PDF.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 The Bahá’í World, An International Record. (2006). Bahá’í World Centre. Haifa. Volume 33 (2004-2005), Pg(s) 292. View as PDF.
