Third International Convention

The Third International Convention held to elect the Universal House of Justice was held from April 29th to May 2nd in 1973. It was the first International Convention to begin on April 29th. The Convention theme was "What are the major challenges to the Bahá’í World during the next decade and how are they to be met?". The Centenary of the Revelation of the Kitáb-i-Aqdas was observed on the final day of the Convention.

Summary[edit]

Four hundred and twelve delegates from ninety-nine out of one hundred and thirteen National Spiritual Assemblies of the world were able to attend the Convention, and thirty-eight Counsellors and sixteen Hands of the Cause also attended. The delegates were able to arrive up to three days prior to the Convention and visit the Shrines and International Archives. The Universal House of Justice consulted with the Hands of the Cause during these three days.

The Convention was opened at Beit Harofe on April 29 with Rúhíyyih Khánum presiding. Prayers were recited in several languages and then the voting took place, with mail ballots also being submitted. The ballots were taken to the House of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá where nineteen tellers counted them overnight. In the afternoon the Feast of the Ninth Day of Ridvan was held in front of the Pilgrim House at which Rúhíyyih Khánum spoke on the declaration of His Highness Malietoa Tanumafili II of Samoa and read his letter to the Convention. An official reply was drafted and entrusted to the delegates from the National Spiritual Assembly of Samoa to deliver. In the evening the delegates returned to Beit Harofe and Enoch Olinga read the Universal House of Justice's Ridvan message and a slideshow on entry by troops prepared at the World Centre was shown. Copies of the newly published Synopsis and Codification of the Laws and Ordinances of the Kitáb-i-Aqdas were provided to the delegates on the evening of the first day.

On the morning of the second day the delegates visited the site at which the seat of the Universal House of Justice was to be constructed, with prayers being recited, Rúhíyyih Khánum giving a talk on the significance of the Arc, and the Tablet of Carmel being read. The official Convention photograph was taken and the delegates then returned to Beit Harofe where Rúhíyyih Khánum gave a talk on the challenges facing the Faith in the coming decade, stressing the importance of unity in promotion of the growth of the Faith, and using examples from her recent tour of Africa. After her talk the results of the election of the Universal House of Justice were announced. In the afternoon and evening the delegates split into groups to consult, with reports of each consultation being prepared.

On the third day of the Convention two plenary sessions were held for consultation. The final session was opened by Dr. Ugo Giachery who noted that the Centenary of the Revelation of the Kitáb-i-Aqdas was to be observed the next day. William Sears gave a closing address in which he noted the need for cooperative effort to advance the Cause.

The final day of the Convention was devoted to celebrating the Centenary of the Kitáb-i-Aqdas, with the attendees visiting the room in the House of Abbud where it was revealed. There was then a Feast at Bahji and a visitation to the Shrine of Bahá’u’lláh.

Election Results[edit]

References[edit]

Bahá’í World, Volume 16, pp 392-395
Bahá’í News, No. 508, pp 5-7