Two new members join Universal House of Justice


	The Seat of the Universal House of Justice, Mount Carmel, Haifa, Israel.

HAIFA, Israel, 7 May 2003 (BWNS) --Two new members, Mr. Hartmut Grossmann and Dr. Firaydoun Javaheri, are among the nine recently elected to the Universal House of Justice in a postal ballot for the Baha'i Faith's worldwide administrative body.

Both had been serving at the Baha'i World Centre as Counsellor members of the International Teaching Centre. The ballots for the election were tallied here on 29 April by 19 members of National Spiritual Assemblies brought from all continents to Haifa for that purpose.

Mr. Grossmann, born in Germany, has academic qualifications in the German and English languages. He served on the National Spiritual Assemblies of the Baha'is of Germany (1963 to 1969) and Finland (1977 to 1980). He was a university academic in Finland. Mr. Grossmann was appointed a Continental Counsellor in 1980, advising Baha'i communities throughout Europe in their growth and development.

Dr. Javaheri, who was born in Iran, has a doctorate in agronomy. He lived for 27 years in Africa -- Gambia then Zambia -- where he was Chief Technical Adviser for the Food and Agricultural Organization of the United Nations. He served the Baha'i communities there in the area of social and economic development. He was appointed a Continental Counsellor in 1995 after serving for 19 years as a member of its Auxiliary Board.

Other members of the Universal House of Justice are:

Dr. Farzam Arbab, born in Iran, obtained his doctorate in physics at the University of California, Berkeley. He was the representative for the Rockefeller Foundation in Colombia (1974 to 1983) and the president of the FUNDAEC development foundation there. He was a member of the National Spiritual Assembly of the Baha'is of Colombia and a Continental Counsellor before being appointed to the International Teaching Centre. He was first elected to the Universal House of Justice in 1993.

Mr. Kiser Barnes was born in the United States, and holds degrees in political science and law. He practiced law and held senior positions in human rights organizations and in labor relations in the United States, before moving to Africa where he held senior academic posts at universities in Benin, Togo and Nigeria. He was a member of the National Spiritual Assembly of the Baha'is of Benin, an Auxiliary Board member and a Continental Counsellor until appointed to the International Teaching Centre in 1993. He was elected to the Universal House of Justice in 2000.

Mr. Hooper Dunbar, born in the United States, was a film actor in Hollywood before moving to Central and South America where he taught arts and English. He is an accomplished painter. He was first elected to the National Spiritual Assembly of the Baha'is of Nicaragua in 1961. He later served as a Continental Counsellor before being appointed to the International Teaching Centre in 1973. He was first elected to the Universal House of Justice in 1988.

Dr. Peter Khan, born in Australia, held professorial posts in electrical engineering at universities in the United States and Australia. He served as an Auxiliary Board member, a member of the National Spiritual Assembly of the Baha'is of Australia, and a Continental Counsellor before being appointed to the International Teaching Centre. He was first elected to the Universal House of Justice in 1987.

Mr. Douglas Martin, born in Canada, holds degrees in business administration and in history, and is an author and editor. He was a member of the National Spiritual Assembly of the Baha'is of Canada, serving as its chief executive officer from 1965 to 1985 when he was appointed director-general of the Office of Public Information at the Baha'i World Centre. He was elected to the Universal House of Justice in 1993.

Mr. Glenford Mitchell, born in Jamaica, holds a Masters degree in journalism from Columbia University. An author, he has worked as a magazine editor and managing editor, and taught English and journalism at Howard University. He served as chief executive officer of the National Spiritual Assembly of the Baha'is of the United States from 1968 until elected to the Universal House of Justice in 1982.

Mr. Ian Semple, born in England, holds a Master of Arts degree in the German and French languages and literature from Oxford University. A chartered accountant, he served on the National Spiritual Assembly of the Baha'is of the British Isles. He was an Auxiliary Board member in Europe and was elected to the International Baha'i Council in 1961. He was first elected to the Universal House of Justice in 1963.

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