Sixth International Convention

The Sixth International Convention held to elect the Universal House of Justice was held from April 29th to May 2nd, 1988.

Summary[edit]

The Convention was attended by 663 delegates from 132 out of 148 National Spiritual Assemblies, and also by sixty-one Counsellors; sixteen from Africa, sixteen from the Americas, twelve from Asia, eight from Australasia, and nine from Europe. Delegates who were unable to attend submitted votes by mail. The delegates were able to arrive up to four days before the Convention to visit the Holy sites.

On the first day Rúhíyyih Khánum opened the Convention, and then the voting for the Universal House of Justice took place. The votes were submitted and counted overnight by the tellers, headed by Head Chief Teller Firuz Kazemzadeh.

One the second day the results of the election were announced. After the announcement of the members of the House outgoing members David Hofman and Borrah Kavelin, who were retiring from the body due to their age, were called to the stage and applauded for their service, and tribute was paid to the deceased former members of the House, Luṭfu’lláh Ḥakím, Amoz Gibson, and Charles Wolcott. Ḥakím's granddaughter and Gibson's daughter were serving as delegates at the Convention. Afterwards Rúhíyyih Khánum spoke on the absence of the Persian communities delegates due to the persecution of the Faith there, and a bowl of one hundred and twenty roses was placed on the stage on their behalf. The first consultation session of the Convention was held on the second day and present were Hands of the Cause Rúhíyyih Khánum, ‘Alí-Akbar Furútan, ‘Alí-Muhammad Varqá, William Sears, and Collis Featherstone attended the first consultation session on the second day, and Sears conveyed the greetings of the Hands not present, Ugo Giachery, Jalal Khazeh, and John Robarts.

In total there were five consultative sessions held during the Convention chaired by International Counsellor Magdalene Carney and Continental Counsellors Zena Sorabjee, Wilma Brady, Joy Stevenson, Lucretia Mancho Warren, and Polin Rafat. At one session the Ridvan message of the Universal House of Justice was read and discussed, and at others five subjects chosen by the House were discussed; the development of the Bahá'í community model especially unity and the Covenant, promotion of peace by the Bahá'í community, relating Bahá'í teachings to the needs and concerns of the world through scholarship, growing and consolidating the growth of the Faith, and developing the funds of the Faith, particularly the Arc Projects Fund.

Other sessions of the Convention consisted of talks and presentations, one by Hossein Amanat and Fariborz Sahba on the needs of the construction of the Terraces, one on the upcoming World Congress to be held in New York City in 1992, one on the Faith in the past five years. ‘Alí-Muhammad Varqá gave a talk on Huqúqu'lláh. There were also five special sessions held for consultation between the Continental Boards of Counsellors and delegates from their continents.

The Ninth Day of Ridvan was celebrated during the Convention in the Pilgrim House courtyard, and the Twelfth Day of Ridvan was celebrated on the day after the close of the Convention at Bahji.

For six days after the Convention the Counsellors and Hands of the Cause remained in the Holy Land to attend the Counsellors conference.

Election Results[edit]

Outgoing Members[edit]

References[edit]

Bahá'í World, Vol. 20, pp 618-622
Bahá'í News, No. 687, pp 2-3