WORLD NEWS

Landegg Celebrates 10 Years of World Order Studies

Commemorating the 10th anniversary of the World Order Studies certificate programme at Landegg Academy, Switzerland, a special gala event was held on the evening of 24th July, in one of Landegg’s beautifully decorated halls overlooking Lake Constance.

The World Order Studies certificate programme was initiated in 1989 by Dr Iraj Ayman and Dr Suheil Bushrui. It aims to assist young students to acquire the vision and tools necessary to create a new world order centred on the spirit of service. Since its establishment, World Order Studies has continued to grow, drawing young people from around the world each year. Graduates of the World Order Studies programme have gone on to offer service in countries around the world.

In addition to the faculty of Landegg Academy and World Order Studies students, official guests of the anniversary gala included Professor Moshe Sharon, occupant of the Chair for Bahá’í Studies at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem; Dr Cai Degui, founder of the Bahá’í Studies Institute at Shandong University in Jinan, China; Dr Liu, Senior Researcher on Confucianism at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences in Jinan, China; and Dr Julie Badiee and Mr Huschmand Sabet, members of the Governing Board of Landegg Academy.

The evening was opened with a piano performance by Dr Kambeze Etemad, and was followed by welcoming remarks by Dr H Danesh, Rector of Landegg Academy. Recounting the early beginnings of his research on the Bahá’í Faith, Dr Cai Degui shared the story of his establishment of the Bahá’í Studies Institute at his respected institution, and offered generous remarks about the research assistance and editorial guidance he has received at Landegg Academy over the past several weeks towards the book he will soon be publishing on the Bahá’í Faith from a Chinese perspective.

Professor Moshe Sharon, first occupant of the Chair for Bahá’í Studies at the Hebrew University, gave the keynote address on the nature and future of Bahá’í Studies. Establishing the Bahá’í Faith as a religion with a unique history, theology, body of literature and applied culture worthy of academic study, Prof Sharon stated:

"It is along this line of thought that we are now defining the meaning and the scope of Bahá’í studies on the academic level. Only a few years after the Faith was born in the middle of the 19th century, and in subsequent years, a few western scholars had the far-reaching vision to understand that the intellectual and spiritual energies which were generated by the calls of the Báb and Bahá’u’lláh were not merely the results of a temporary messianic outburst. Gobineau, Nicolas, Baron Rosen, Tomansky, and Edward Browne looked for texts, collected and studied them, and thus established the sound foundation for the study of ... a religion which they recognised as a new faith growing rapidly right in front of their eyes, and destined to endure the vicissitudes of time."

Following the keynote speech, alumni of the World Order Studies programme were invited to share with the audience their memories and impressions of the course’s effect on their lives. It was noted by one of the alumni that when Amatu’l-Bahá Rúhíyyih Khánum visited Landegg Academy in 1992 on the occasion of the first graduation ceremonies of World Order Studies, she expressed the hope that Landegg Academy would one day become a full university. With the inauguration of Landegg Academy’s Master of Arts degree programme in 1996, and the enrollment of Landegg’s first Bachelor of Arts class in 1998, this vision has now become a reality.

Between the talks, and the exquisite banquet dinner that was served, guests at the 10th Anniversary celebration enjoyed live music, the meeting of old friends and, towards the end of the night, a lively dance party.

Three weeks of teaching in Croatia and Slovenia was a complete experience. Nothing was missing. Daytime activities were our initiative in Zagreb - the evening activities undertaken by the local community. Every night music and singing can be heard ringing out from the Bahá'í Centre; from the Dubliners to Verdi, from The Pogues to Presley. Over the course of three weeks, the dance workshop performed, the Italian choir sang, beach volleyball was played. Lack of translated material in Croatian does not hamper the devotion of these Bahá’ís, but travel teachers are desperately being called to Croatia - a number one goal country of the Universal House of Justice.

The people are not hard to reach. Warhas made many think about important issues such as poverty and wealth, love and hatred, life and death.

Humour is never far away when with the Croatians. I haven’t laughed so much since the Zipopo show at Wetlands. I can’t wait to go back.

Aurelia Walker