Tennessee Baha'is attend annual meeting

Last modified at 8:03 a.m.
on Friday, October 16, 1998

Oak Ridge and Knoxville area Baha'is traveled to Lebanon last Sunday to participate in the annual unit convention for North Central Tennessee.

The primary purpose of the convention was to elect a delegate to represent the unit at the National Baha'i Convention next April. Also on the agenda were communications from Baha'i administrative institutions, consultation, children's classes and a performance by the Nashville Youth Workshop.

The exhibit area featured community displays related to Baha'i activities in their area. Among the most popular displays was the one from the greater Knoxville area that featured numerous articles on the Baha'i published in The Oak Ridger and the Knoxville News-Sentinel over the past year.

Communications from national and regional Baha'i institutions and subsequent consultation focused on "The Power of Race Unity" media campaign, teaching, community development and the recent increase in human rights violations experienced by Baha'is in Iran.

"The Power of Race Unity," a half-hour program featuring four Baha'i projects to promote race unity, is scheduled to air locally at 6 a.m. Thursday over Tennessee Cablevision's Channel 38.

On Tuesday, the Baha'is of Oak Ridge will host a holy day observance for Baha'is and guests from the greater Knoxville area. The event celebrates the birth of the Bab, one of the central figures of the Baha'i faith.

There will be a potluck dinner at 6:30 p.m., followed at about 7:45 with a brief program of prayers, readings and music. Anyone interested can call the Palus family at 220-8975 for details.

David Sperry, a spokesman for Baha'is of Oak Ridge and greater Knoxville, wrote in a press release, "While there is much to celebrate at this time, the Baha'i are deeply concerned about the difficult situation for their fellow-religionists in Iran. Local Baha'is are especially appreciative of individuals and organizations in Oak Ridge which have offered prayers and written letters to officials calling for religious freedom in Iran."

More information about local events and the situation regarding Baha'is in Iran is available on the Internet at http://www.korrnet.org/bahais or by calling 220-8975.