The expansion of the plaza was inspired by drawings prepared by William Sutherland Maxwell—Hand of the Cause and distinguished Canadian architect—who designed the Shrine’s superstructure in the early 1940s. The building’s harmonious blend of Eastern and Western architectural styles has made it a familiar and well-loved landmark. [BWNS1764]

See some "before" images.

In its letter of 26 July 2024 it was stated that "the opportunity will be taken to carry out some preparatory work inside the Shrine so that, in due course, all rooms can be dedicated to prayer and worship as part of the single Shrine of the Báb."

The new report was prepared by the Abdorrahman Boroumand Center for Human Rights in Iran, in partnership with Eleos Justice at Monash University, a think tank created and directed by Mai Sato, the new UN Special Rapporteur on the human rights situation in Iran. The report focuses on violence perpetrated against the Bahá'í community since the Baha’i Faith emerged in 1844, by documenting three forms of violence as described by sociologist Johan Galtung; direct, structural and cultural, showing them to be part of the Iranian government’s systematic effort to eliminate the Bahá'í religious minority from society.

One major finding of the report, however, is that the Iranian population has increasingly “resisted” the policy of discrimination against the Bahá'í community. There appears to have been a shift in public attitudes toward Bahá'ís from contempt and avoidance around the time of the Revolution to increasing indifference, acceptance and even support of the Bahá'í community. [BIC News 11NOV24]

In September 2021, the Secretary-General responded with his report, Our Common Agenda, a wake-up call to speed up the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals and propel the commitments contained in the UN75 Declaration. In some cases, the proposals addressed gaps that had emerged since 2015, requiring new intergovernmental agreements. The report, therefore, called for a Summit of the Future to forge a new global consensus on readying for a future that is rife with risks but also opportunities. The General Assembly welcomed the submission of the "rich and substantive" report and agreed to hold the Summit on 22-23 September 2024, preceded by a ministerial meeting in 2023. An action-oriented Pact for the Future is expected to be agreed by Member States through intergovernmental negotiations on issues they decide to take forward. [Road to the Summit of the Future]

Jimmy Seals and Dash Crofts were pop-rock troubadours in the ‘70s famous for songs such as “Summer Breeze,” “Diamond Girl,” “We May Never Pass This Way (Again),” and “Get Closer.” Their deep connection to the Baha’i Faith made them the only American musicians who caused thousands to join an organized religion, and their lyrics frequently explored mystical concepts. Their exquisite vocal blend and their guitar and mandolin counterpoint generated a huge following and the respect of peer musicians, as they went from small town roots in Texas to filling stadiums in their heyday. Seals & Crofts had an extended family of musicians who contributed road stories, songwriting insight and personal reflections over decades of struggles, setbacks and ultimately the breakthrough success of “Summer Breeze.” Jimmy and Dash were polar opposites but their shared values and unlikely mesh of talents forged a unique sound, aided by their legendary Wrecking Crew producer, Louie Shelton. Seals & Crofts: Chronicles of a Summer Breeze is not a typical expose’ of sex, drugs, or even hard core rock and roll. It is a story of two musicians who shared a lifetime of another sort of adventures. The book details their incredible happenstance to join a Top 40 instrumental band as teenagers, years of paying dues, finding their calling, surviving the controversy of a politically charged hit single, trying their hand at disco, and fading into the background of an 80’s music scene, only to re-emerge as vanguards of the Baha’i Faith. This is their story.

The Bahá'í International Community release a statement titled Embracing Interdependence: Foundations for a World in Transition, which highlighte the imperative for the international community to place humanity’s interdependence at the heart of the systems of global governance.

The BIC statement can be viewed here.

The raid last year prompted repeated calls by the international community for the release of the detained Bahá'ís. In August 2023 six members of the United Nations Security Council “deplored” the detentions and more recently, in May, a powerful coalition of United Nations Special Rapporteurs, European parliamentarians, ambassadors, international human rights organizations, and a Nobel laureate addressed the matter alongside the #FreeYemeniBahá'ís campaign online. Several Yemeni tribal leaders and religious figures also played a major role in the release of the Bahá'í detainees. [BIC News 20 August 2024; BSNS1746]

The presentations were:

The message contained details of the treatment of 47 women. They pointed out that over the last year that two-thirds of all Bahá'í prisoners in Iran have been women and that a significant number were being held without due process and their whereabouts were unknown. Many of the victims have been mothers of young children and that they have had to endure the harsh conditions of solitary confinement, frequent interrogations, inadequate medical attention, and restricted family contact.

They called on the government of Iran to provide additional information of the 47 cases mentioned, as well as legal grounds for the steps taken against them and updates on their individual health. They also called for an end to the discrimination against Bahá'í citizens in Iran.