Yael R. Wurmfeld

It is with deep sadness that we note the passing of Yael R. Wurmfeld, longtime member of the Board of Trustees of the Council for a Parliament of the World’s Religions.

Yael served as Director of the international office (Office of Pioneering) of the National Spiritual Assembly of the Baha’is of the United States for over 20 years. She was a member of the Board of Trustees of the Council for Higher Education and of the North Shore Choral Society. She was a talented singer, and she was passionate, optimistic and deeply committed to the interreligious movement.

Yael was crucial to the hands on organizing efforts for the 1993 Parliament and served for many years on CPWR’s Board of Trustees.

“Yael was one of the inaugural members of the Council, going back nearly to 1988,” said Dirk Ficca, Excecutive Director of CPWR. “She was one of a few Trustees who literally became like staff members in the preparation for the 1993 Parliament in Chicago. For months on end she came down to the office to put in long hours on the program and do outreach to religious and spiritual communities internationally. Yael was a key voice in calling the Council to continue on past the 1993 centennial.”

“We will all miss Yael,” said Rev. William Lesher, Board Chair Emeritus. “She was truly a interreligious pioneer who embodied the kind of passion that gave the Parliament movement its rebirth in our time, and for that we are exceedingly grateful. May perpetual light shine upon her.”

from Baha’i World News Service

The Luxembourg Baha’i community’s involvement in society has been praised by a high-ranking government minister on a special visit to the national Baha’i centre.

Minister of Finance Luc Frieden made his remarks at a celebration marking National Day, the official birthday of His Royal Highness Henri, Grand-Duke of Luxembourg.

Citing the importance of the values of tolerance and unity, the minister expressed the government’s gratitude to the Baha’is for their commitment to the life of the country.

“The value of a religious community, or any other organization, should be a reflection of the contribution it makes towards the development of society,” said Mr. Frieden.

Click here to read the full artilce

From Asian American Press

By David N. Sterling

For those who understand the sacredness of humanity as one universal and united family, or even of just basic human rights, it is not a burden to be aware of the numerous injustices and atrocities abounding in the world today but it is rather an opportunity to pray and speak out for peace and justice throughout the world for all people no matter what their ethnic or national origin, no matter what their cultural, racial or religious background.

Of both long past and recent concern is the plight of the Baha’is in Iran, the historic birthplace of their faith in 1844. From that time forward the persecution of Baha’is has been both severe and wide spread with some 20,000 martyred during its earliest years. More recently seven Baha’is have each been given 20 year prison sentences.

These seven have been falsely charged by the Islamic Republic of Iran of “espionage for Israel, insulting religious sanctities and of propaganda against the Islamic republic.” Their only offense to the Iranian government is of their being members of the Baha’i Faith which contradicts Iran’s agreement to abide by the U.N. Declaration of Human Rights and Religious Freedom. Considering the present ages of these seven the 20 year terms amount to life sentences.

…

Thanks to the Imax film, “Arabia” currently showing at the Science Museum of Minnesota we can learn a few things about true Islam and by doing computer word searches on interfaith efforts like the Pluralism Project, the Parliament of the World’s Religions, United Religions Initiative and Religion & Ethics Newsweekly, to name only a few, we can learn the truths of both Islam and the Baha’i Faith as well as any and all other world religions.

In today’s world this has become extremely important to avoid any of us or our neighbors becoming extremists ourselves. Understanding, respect and cooperation between peoples of all faiths is the only way peace, justice, unity and the well being of us all will ever come about.

Click here to read the entire article.

Left: Member of Parliament Steven Fletcher; Right: Faith Acts Fellow Nicholas Pang

The 2010 World Religions Summit drafted a statement urging leaders to curb poverty, end violent conflict, and protect the environment. Over 80 representatives from the world’s major faiths convened in Winnipeg, Canada from June 21-24 including, for the first time, representatives of the Baha’i faith. The summit convened in the days leading up to the G8 and G20 summits in Toronto with the conviction that the leaders of the G8 nations have the ability to enact these changes.

The conference was attended by both senior faith leaders and youth delegates, including former Faith Acts Fellows from the Tony Blair Foundation. Over 20 countries were in attendance representing Aboriginal, Buddhist, Baha’i, Christian, Jewish, Muslim, Hindu, Sikh, and Shinto religious traditions.

The statement called on leaders to take “inspired leadership and action”:

Acknowledging our common humanity and embracing the imperative to treat all persons with dignity, we affirm that no one person is more or less valuable than another. We urge the political leaders to consider first the vulnerable among us, particularly our children, and to work together to address the dehumanizing scourge of poverty and injustice, and practice and promote care for our common environment, the Earth.

In our diverse faith traditions we have rich histories and powerful dreams for ending poverty, caring for the Earth and being peace-builders. We acknowledge our own shortcomings and inadequacies, we commit to continuing these life-giving actions in the service of the common good. While recognizing efforts already made to address many of these challenges, we expect government representatives to set aside short-term agendas and work together for a future that allows all people on this planet to thrive.

Click here to read more about the 2010 World Religions Summit.

Click here to read more about the Summit and a copy of the report.

This video is part of the series of interviews conducted by Patheos during the 2009 Parliament of the World’s Religions, Melbourne, featuring people of many different religious and spiritual traditions.

In this interview, Parliament participant Natalie Mobini discusses her own understanding of her tradition and her experience at the Parliament.