FIVE WOMEN and four men were elected at the weekend to the national administrative body for Baha’is in Ireland. It will oversee management of the religion’s affairs on the island for the coming year.Their election took place at a national convention in Rathfarnham, Dublin, at the weekend.
How to address social problems in Ireland was also discussed.
In attendance were 38 delegates from 20 local Baha’i communities throughout the Republic where there are about 600 members, with another 400 in Northern Ireland.
Last Friday evening, on the eve of the national convention, President Mary McAleese visited the Baha’i Centre on Dublin’s Burlington Road where she addressed delegates in words of encouragement.
She also spoke sympathetically about the persecution of their co-religionists in other countries and commented on how fortunate all Irish people are to live in a State where followers of all religions or none are free to practise.
Last month seven imprisoned Iranian Baha’i leaders appeared before a court in Tehran on charges of espionage and propaganda activities against the Islamic order.
The Baha’i leaders declined to be party to the proceedings due to the presence of non-judicial personnel.
The trial was then adjourned with no date set for the next hearing.
SIC: IT