Summer schools offer riches of learning
“The world is undoubtedly facing a great crisis and the social, economic and political conditions are daily becoming more complex. Should the friends desire to take the lead in informing the world, they should start by educating themselves and understand what the troubles and problems really are which baffle the minds of men. It is in these Summer Schools that this training should be provided for the friends.”
Letter written on behalf of the Guardian to an individual believer, 27 January 1932
This year’s summer school programme is shaping up to provide another festival of learning and togetherness. A highlight will be the sessions given by Dr Firaydoun Javaheri, a former member of the Universal House of Justice, on the theme “Towards an ever-advancing civilisation”, sharing insights on the Bahá’í approach to social transformation.
Now is the time to register for the North Island or South Island school, if you haven’t already. You can register online at summerschool.bahai.org.nz
The North Island Summer School will run from 26–31 December 2019, in Hamilton. The South Island Summer School will run from 3–8 January 2020 in Glasnevin, North Canterbury. The first day of each school is arrival day, with an official welcome in the evening. The last day of each school is a farewell day. Talks and workshops will happen over the four days in the middle. The programme will provide for the needs of adults, youth, junior youth, and children.
Keynote speaker Dr Firaydoun Javaheri. Photo: Bahá'í World News Service, copyright © Bahá'í International Community.
Dr Javaheri, the keynote speaker, will explore the theme in four morning plenary sessions. There will be associated workshops afterwards. Dr Javaheri’s four talks will be on:
Promoting the Well-being of Humankind: Purpose of Revelation, how well-being will be achieved, our attitudes towards service, teaching the Cause, role of the individual.
Constructive Resilience: Our attitude to service when we encounter negative forces of society.
Non-Involvement in Partisan Politics: Bahá’í approach to social transformation. Avoiding partisan politics.
Our Love for the Universal House of Justice: What is the House of Justice and how our love for it can shape our lives.
Besides Dr Javaheri’s sessions, there will be other insightful talks and various dynamic workshops.
Mrs Vida Javaheri will give a session on pilgrimage and service to the Faith. In the North Island, Dr Augusto Lopez-Claros, an economist, will give a plenary talk on global governance and another on the elimination of extremes of wealth and poverty. Also in the North Island, Mr Paul Hanley, author of an environmental book, “Eleven”, will speak on humanity’s relationship with nature. In the South Island, Mr Marc Rivers will give two plenary talks on spiritual and material prosperity, and Ms Allie Zohoori-Dossa will explain the milestones of cluster growth in the context of Aotearoa.
In the evenings there will be artistic and dramatic presentations, and storytelling. Regional Bahá’í Councils will also share insights on implementing the Faith’s framework for action.
View the North Island programme (PDF).
View the South Island programme (PDF).
For more details and to register, see https://summerschool.bahai.org.nz/
Photos below show last year’s happy summer school participants in North Island (left hand side) and South Island (right). Click to enlarge.
