Progress of the Mount Carmel Projects

23 January 1990

To all National Spiritual Assemblies

KINDLY CONVEY ALL BELIEVERS NEWS PROGRESS HISTORIC MOUNT CARMEL PROJECTS.

FOLLOWING STRENUOUS DETAILED NEGOTIATIONS. TOWN PLANNING SCHEME ESSENTIAL FOR INITIATION OF PROJECTS WAS OFFICIALLY APPROVED BY LOCAL TOWN PLANNING COMMITTEE AND CITY COUNCIL OF HAIFA ON 11 OCTOBER 1989, CONFIRMING GOODWILL TOWARDS PROJECTS EXPRESSED BY CITY COUNCIL AT TIME INTERNATIONAL CONVENTION. SCHEME IS NOW BEFORE DISTRICT TOWN PLANNING COMMISSION FOR FINAL APPROVAL THIS PLAN INCLUDES CANCELLATION TWO ROADS PREVIOUSLY APPROVED TO CROSS BAHÁ’I LANDS, AND LOWERING LEVEL MAIN THOROUGHFARE THUS PERMITTING CONSTRUCTION TERRACES LINKING GARDENS SURROUNDING SHRINE BÁB WITH THOSE ADJACENT ARCHIVES BUILDING. GRANTING OF APPROVALS INVOLVES OUR COMMITMENT IMMEDIATELY START WORK.

GEOLOGICAL INVESTIGATIONS ANNOUNCED RIDVÁN MESSAGE, REQUIRED FOR DESIGN FOUNDATIONS BUILDINGS ARC, NOW COMPLETED.

BUILDING PERMIT DRAWINGS FOR ARCHIVES BUILDING EXTENSION AND CENTER FOR THE STUDY OF THE TEXTS SUBMITTED, ENABLING CONSIDERATION APPLICATION BUILDING PERMIT RUN CONCURRENTLY LAST STAGE APPROVAL TOWN PLANNING SCHEME.

OF $50,000,000 CALLED FOR AS ESSENTIAL RESERVE FOR INITIATION CONSTRUCTION, APPROXIMATELY $26,000,000 SO FAR CONTRIBUTED. REMAINING SUM NOW URGENTLY NEEDED.

EXECUTION STUPENDOUS COLLECTIVE UNDERTAKING GATHERING MOMENTUM, PARALLELING EXTRAORDINARY DEVELOPMENTS WORLD SCENE, ACCELERATION CONVERSION PEOPLES CAUSE GOD, WIDER DIFFUSION MESSAGE BAHÁULLÁH REMAINING AREAS GLOBE. SUPPLICATING BLESSINGS ALMIGHTY REINFORCE EVERY EFFORT HIS DEVOTED FOLLOWERS ACCOMPLISHMENT VITAL TASKS.

The Universal House of Justice

(Messages from the Universal House of Justice 1986-2001)

Release of a Compilation on the Sanctity and Nature of Bahá’í Elections

10 December 1989

To all National Spiritual Assemblies

Dear Bahá’í Friends,

The Universal House of Justice feels it is timely to release a compilation on Bahá’í elections as a useful tool to help National Spiritual Assemblies to increase the understanding of the believers regarding the nature and sanctity of these elections, and to prepare themselves for the expected rapid increase in the number of believers. A compilation entitled The Sanctity and Nature of Bahá’i Elections has been prepared by the Research Department, and a copy is attached.

The study of this compilation will require careful and sustained planning by the National Spiritual Assemblies and Local Spiritual Assemblies, and it should become part of the ongoing program for the deepening of the friends in the fundamentals of Bahá’í administration. The House of Justice urges all National Spiritual Assemblies to discuss the implementation of such a program with the Counselors, so that the rank and file of the believers, with the wholehearted support of the Auxiliary Board members and their assistants, will appreciate the importance of adhering to Bahá’í principles in this regard, and carry out all Bahá’í elections, on the national as well as the unit and local levels, in an exemplary manner, in full harmony with the spirit of purity and sanctity which must characterize them.

The Universal House of Justice wishes to stress at this point how important it is for all delegates allocated to the National Convention to be elected and the desirability of having all the elected delegates attend this vital national event. It has been noticed that, although attendance at most National Conventions is gradually improving, in several countries every year not all delegates are being elected, and in numerous instances, even when elected, they do not participate either in person or by sending in their ballots.

Be assured of ardent prayers in the Holy Shrines that your resolute efforts to improve the record of devoted and enthusiastic participation in delegate elections. National Conventions and Local Assembly elections will attract the assistance and blessings of the divine Concourse.

With loving Bahá’í greetings,

Department of the Secretariat

(Messages from the Universal House of Justice 1986-2001)