“The earth is but one country, and mankind its citizens” – Bahá’u’lláh INSIDE In Russia, teachers embrace new ideas Newsletter of the Bahá’í International Community about moral education July-September 2003 Volume 15, Issue 2 Authors Maria Skrebtsova and Alesia Lopatina, drawing on Bahá’í principles, develop a series of primary school workbooks that are filling a critical need for moral education in former Soviet states.

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Perspective: The Family and Development – Observing the 10th anniversary of the IYF.

4 Suheil Bushrui, holder of the Bahá’í Chair for World Peace, is honored for his global vision.

Alesia Lopatina leads a workshop on moral education, attended by some 50 teachers, in Penza.

11 ENZA, Russian Federation — In United States dollars, the books don’t cost very much: Pabout $2 each. But on a teacher’s salary in contemporary Russia, it is a considerable sum, In Africa, four Bahá’í and the decision to buy requires a bit of sacrifice. communities celebrate “I had the choice to buy some clothing or the books,” said Irina Melnikova, a 35-year- their golden jubilees. old pre-school teacher at Public School No. 48 in this medium-sized industrial city on the Sura River. “But I decided that to grow as a professional, I need the books more than other material things.” Ms. Melnikova is not alone. Since the first edition of The World of Love and Unity was published in 1996, it and subsequent titles in a series of books by Maria Skrebtsova and Alesia Lopatina have sold more than 120,000 copies in Russia and other CIS-member states. 16 The books, which offer step-by-step classroom lessons in moral education and other topics, have been purchased mostly by primary school teachers, who nearly always pay for Review: Critical them out of their own pockets. Consciousness — Elena Teachers and school officials who have begun to use the books say nothing else com- Mustakova-Possardt pares to them in Russia. “These books are very much needed by Russian society,” said takes our understand- Tamara Tkatchova, director of the Ozarenie School (Reflections School), a public school in ing to the next level. Kazan, Russia, with about 250 students in grades 1 through 11. “They stand in contrast to everything else like them.” Russia, continued on page 8 PERSPECTIVE is published quarterly by the Office of Public Information of the Bahá’í International Community, an international non-governmental organiza- tion which encompasses and The Family and Development represents the worldwide membership of the Bahá’í Faith. hroughout recorded history, in every cul- made specific references to family-sensitive For more information on the Tture, the family has been the fundamen- policies and family support systems, such as stories in this newsletter, or tal building block of society. And through- flexible working hours, part-time employ- any aspect of the Bahá’í out history, the main factor in the cohesion ment, work sharing, public or publicly sub- International Community and its work, please contact: of the family has been religion. sidized child care, parental leave, social se- Today, by many yardsticks, the family is curity, disability benefits and assistance to ONE COUNTRY in crisis. families to care for dependents, and family Bahá’í International In industrialized countries, changing welfare. Community - Suite 120 economic conditions and new patterns of Strong families are indeed central to the 866 United Nations Plaza New York, New York 10017 consumption have increased the number of overall effort to improve social and economic U.S.A. families where both parents work, leaving development, create sustainable communi- less time for children and family life. High ties, and increase global prosperity. E-mail: [email protected] divorce rates have created a culture of mari- For the individual, of course, strong http://www.onecountry.org tal insecurity. Other social forces have served families have many benefits. The family is a Executive Editor: to decrease support for families from ex- bulwark against hard times, the most basic Ann Boyles tended kin, the workplace, neighbors, and of support systems for its members. People society at large. in strong families are healthier, happier, and Editor: In the developing world, such trends are better adjusted. Brad Pokorny compounded by overarching problems of pov- In terms of social development in gen- Associate Editors: erty, environmental degradation, inequalities eral and the overall advancement of civili- Galina Tumurova (Moscow) between women and men, and the rise of glo- zation, the family is likewise of primary im- Christine Samandari-Hakim bal pandemics, in particular HIV/AIDS. portance. For it is in the family that basic (Paris) During 2004, the United Nations will com- values and morality are formed. It is in the Kong Siew Huat (Macau) memorate the 10th anniversary of the 1994 In- family that the essential capacities for learn- Guilda Walker (London) ternational Year of the Family (IYF). The UN, ing, self-confidence, and positive social in- Editorial Assistant: its specialized agencies, governments, and non- teraction are acquired. And it is from the base Veronica Shoffstall governmental organizations will hold confer- of a strong family that individuals are best ences, promote activities, and undertake stud- able to contribute to society as a whole. Design: ies in an effort to strengthen planning and poli- As noted, religion has historically been Mann & Mann cies in support of strong families. among the most important factors in family Subscription inquiries During the great global conferences of cohesion. Laws about marriage, divorce, the should be directed to the the 1990s, the family emerged as a major rearing of children, the values to be trans- above address. All material theme — even though it was not central to mitted — all have traditionally come from is copyrighted by the Bahá’í any one of those conferences in particular. religion. International Community and subject to all applicable While each conference had a distinct focus, Today, however, the connection between international copyright laws. such as sustainable development, human religion and the family is under assault. First Stories from this newsletter rights, women, social development, or hab- and foremost, the male-dominated, authori- may be republished by any itable cities, all emphasized the importance tarian model for the family structure has be- organization provided that of the human person as the agent and ben- come widely discredited — and rightly so. they are attributed as follows: “Reprinted from eficiary of development, stressing the impor- Associated with the oppression of women, ONE COUNTRY, the tance of empowerment, participation, and inflexible child-rearing practices, and the newsletter of the Bahá’í inclusiveness. preservation of masculine power, this model International Community.” Central to this new concept of develop- of family life is now seen as unhealthy and ment is an understanding that the family is unjust. © 2003 by The Bahá’í International Community the basic unit of society — and that its Yet many religious traditionalists believe strength is integral to development. that the male-dominated, authoritarian fam- ISSN 1018-9300 All of these conferences, for example, ily model is mandated by their sacred scrip- stressed the need for intra-familial as well as ture. And, indeed, some feminists see reli- Printed on recycled paper public family support systems. They also gion as against the family, inasmuch as men

2 ONE COUNTRY / July-September 2003 in many cultures and places have used reli- combines a progressive social outlook with a gious arguments to maintain a status quo that strong sense of individual morality. The Bahá’í is based on the subordination of women. teachings, for example, stress the equality of The failure of the male-dominated, au- all races and ethnic groups and the importance thoritarian model has given rise to an alter- of justice in the distribution of wealth. They native in many Western countries. More lib- also firmly uphold the need for absolute hon- eral — and secular — in its orientation, it esty, complete trustworthiness, and the high- wisely gives women a more equal role in fam- est standards of personal conduct. ily decisions. At the same time, however, this Of overwhelming importance in this dis- model has largely discarded the firm sense cussion is the principle of equality between of morality offered by religious teachings, women and men. Alone among the inde- opening the door to a kind of permissive- pendent world religions, the Bahá’í Faith ness in child-rearing that all too often leaves explicitly calls for the equality of women and The male- children with no firm sense of values or ethi- men in its sacred scripture — a fact that ne- dominated, cal construct — other than self-gratification. gates any claim to exclusive or superior power authoritarian Psychiatrist Hossain Danesh has de- for men within the family structure (and scribed the consequences in a book entitled society at large). model for the The Violence-Free Family: Building Block of “And among the teachings of Bahá’u’lláh family structure a Peaceful Civilization. Such permissive fami- is the equality of women and men,” wrote has become lies “give primacy to gratification of personal ‘Abdu’l-Bahá. “The world of humanity has widely discredited needs and desires over all other issues,” he two wings — one is women and the other — and rightly so. writes. “In such families pursuit of knowl- men. Not until both wings are equally de- Associated with edge and truth do not have relevance except veloped can the bird fly. Should one wing for personal gain. Love in indulgence-based remain weak, flight is impossible. Not until the oppression of families is viewed as identical to gratifica- the world of women becomes equal to the women, inflexible tion; the powers of human will are expressed world of men in the acquisition of virtues child-rearing in promiscuous and anarchic ways. Children and perfections, can success and prosperity practices, and the in these families grow up to be immensely be attained as they ought to be.” preservation of self-centered, intolerant, and undisciplined. More significantly in terms of the con- masculine power, They demand instant gratification of their nection between the family and develop- desires from their parents and society, and ment, the unity-based family paradigm of- this model of when their demands are not met, they often fers a matrix from which can emerge human family life is now resort to violence and crime. These individu- beings who are truly empowered as poten- seen as unhealthy als are highly prone to develop addictions tial contributors to the advancement of soci- and unjust. and to relate to others as though they have ety as a whole. automatic and unlimited privileges.” In the unity-based family, writes Dr. It is hard to imagine building a success- Danesh, children become aware of their es- ful world civilization on such values. sential unity with all other people and at- So what is the alternative? There is a tain the courage to be truthful and truth seek- new model for family relationships, one ing. They also learn that the highest level of that has emerged from the teachings of the human freedom is obtained when one en- Bahá’í Faith. gages in acts of service to others. That model, says Dr. Danesh, is built “Humanity is now in the final stages of around the principle of unity and human its collective adolescence,” continues Dr. oneness. It seeks to establish equality and Danesh. “As we mature, we leave behind the mutuality in the relationships between hus- mindsets based on power and pleasure be- band and wife, while at the same time out- cause evolution and transition from one stage lining a well-defined understanding of the of development to another is an inevitable rights and responsibilities between parents aspect of life. The most important dimen- and children. sion of this transition is the development of “In these families, the power- and indul- a new mindset. The nature of this new gence-based practices of control, competi- mindset is directly related to the oneness of tion, and excessive individualism and inde- humanity, which attains its highest expres- pendence give way to those of equality, co- sion in the all-important state of unity. It will operation, universality, and interdepen- be impossible for humanity to advance on dence,” writes Dr. Danesh. its path of growth unless humankind estab- At the same time, the unity-based family lishes a life of unity — inner, interpersonal, has a firm grounding in ethics and values. It and international unity.”

ONE COUNTRY / July-September 2003 3 INTERFAITH

From literature to peace: a scholar who strives to be a bridge between cultures

Professor Suheil Bushrui in his office at the University of Maryland.

OLLEGE PARK, Maryland, USA — On “exceptional service to interfaith understand- Cone level, life for Suheil Bushrui would ing,” the Hollister award has been bestowed seem to be a jumble of contradictions. on international luminaries such as South Selected for the An Arab by birth and affirmation, he is African President Nelson Mandela, former 2003 Juliet nevertheless one of the world’s foremost ex- UN High Commissioner for Human Rights perts on Anglo-Irish literature. Mary Robinson, Queen Noor of Jordan, the Hollister Award in A man of deep religious faith, he never- Dalai Lama, Kenyan activist Wangari recognition of theless makes his base at a state-run, secular Maathai, and theologian Thomas Berry. “exceptional university, the University of Maryland. Underlying the award to Prof. Bushrui is a service to And, with the self-professed heart of a long record of work spent promoting inter- interfaith poet, he has nevertheless chosen a life of the cultural and interreligious understanding. understanding,” mind — and won high regard for his And in large part, this work has been built on thoughtful scholarship and insights as a two main themes — the commonality of all Suheil Bushrui world-class lecturer. religions and the essential oneness of the hu- joins the ranks of Yet those who know Prof. Bushrui say man family — themes which have given Prof. Nelson Mandela, his diverse experiences and wide-ranging Bushrui’s message a substance and practicality Queen Noor, and preoccupations — far from being antitheti- that has won wide acceptance. Mary Robinson, cal — are in part what has made him so ef- “He has a global vision for all of man- among other fective as a teacher, as a scholar, and, most kind,” said David Cadman, the former recently, as an advocate for peace and inter- Chairman of The Prince of Wales’ Founda- recipients. faith understanding. tion and a trustee of the Temenos Academy. In September, Prof. Bushrui received “And in particular what I like about Profes- word that he would be the recipient of the sor Bushrui’s writings is that he not only has 2003 Juliet Hollister Award. Given by the a global vision but he proposes structures Temple of Understanding in recognition of and mechanisms that would make this com-

4 ONE COUNTRY / July-September 2003 mon community come together. the age of 12, entering St. George’s College. “There are many people who profess this “I had a foundation in Qu’ranic, Arabic as a good idea, but not so many who point studies, but then I moved to an English to a practical path,” added Prof. Cadman. school, and the literature fascinated me,” For the last ten years, Prof. Bushrui’s plat- said Prof. Bushrui in an interview here. “In form for the promotion of such ideas has been particular, I was fascinated by the romantic “He has a global the Bahá’í Chair for World Peace here at the poets, Keats, Shelley, and Byron. They ap- vision for all of University of Maryland. In 1992, Prof. Bushrui pealed to my Arab imagination, I think.” became the first incumbent of the Chair, which After receiving a university education in mankind... and he is located in the University’s Center for Inter- Alexandria, he went on to teach English in not only has a national Development and Conflict Manage- the Sudan for five years. In 1959, he ap- global vision but ment (CIDCM) and was endowed largely with plied to and won the chance to study En- he proposes contributions from members of the worldwide glish literature at the University of structures and Bahá’í community. Southampton with Prof. Frank T. Prince. mechanisms that Prof. Bushrui has used the Chair to great “It was very difficult for anyone other effect. Drawing on the Chair’s resources, he than an Englishman or an American to get would make this has organized a number of conferences aimed to study English there,” said Prof. Bushrui. common at promoting international and interfaith “And until Prof. Prince was convinced I was community come dialogue. He has traveled widely, lecturing able to cope with the work, he was very re- together.” in the United States and Europe on topics luctant. So I was admitted on probation.” ranging from globalization to human rights. But Prof. Bushrui proved quite capable – David Cadman, And he has sponsored prominent guest lec- — to the extent that he completed his doc- Temenos Academy tures at the University here. torate six months early and was offered a tem- “His contributions to the cause of world porary teaching position to fill the time. “I peace are profound and significant,” said Dor- was stunned,” he said. “Here was an Arab othy Nelson, a senior judge on the Ninth U.S. boy who found himself teaching English stu- Circuit Court of Appeals and the liaison be- dents their literature, something that was un- tween the Chair and the National Spiritual believable for the time.” HRH The Prince of Wales, Assembly of the Bahá’ís of the United States. It was in the junction of those two worlds left, with Suheil Bushrui, “His commitment to the concept of the — of his Arab childhood and of his English foreground, right, at a oneness of humanity and his belief in the education — that Bushrui found a great re- special Temenos Academy emergence of a world civilization which tran- source for intercultural harmony. function at Highgrove, the scends all racial, religious, and social barri- “The link between the two cultures is Prince’s estate, in July 2002. ers are the energizing foundations of his that tremendous area — where I think many In the background are work,” said Judge Nelson. “I know of no cultures meet — that is commonly referred Nicholas Parson, left, and other scholar who has contributed more to to as the ‘perennial philosophy,’” said Prof. David Cadman, right, both the debate on values and the need for moral Bushrui. “My whole work on Yeats has al- of the Temenos Academy. transformation and spiritual regeneration.” Prof. Bushrui is also known for the qual- ity of his teaching — which was another fac- tor in the Hollister Award. “Many teachers are good,” said Maynard Mack, director of the Honors Program at the University of Maryland. “But Suheil is life- changing. We hear this over and over again, that students’ whole attitude towards educa- tion, their whole attitude towards life, changes in his class.” “Just a camel driver” For his part, Prof. Bushrui projects a deep sense of humility. “I’m just a camel driver,” he often says, with a twinkle in his eye, al- most as if to remind himself as much as oth- ers of his origins. He was born 74 years ago in Nazareth. His primary education was in Arab schools, but he went on to secondary school in Jerusalem at Photo courtesy Suheil Bushrui

ONE COUNTRY / July-September 2003 5 believed could be a great source of healing in the world. “Gibran was perhaps one of the foremost promoters of world unity and the unity of religions,” said Prof. Bushrui. “And he has been unfortunately neglected by academia.” Prof. Bushrui sought to remedy schol- arly neglect of Gibran with publication of several books on the Lebanese poet, includ- ing, most recently, Kahlil Gibran: Man and Poet, which Prof. Bushrui coauthored with Joe Jenkins and published in 1998. “He was one of those rare writers who ac- tually transcend the barrier between East and West, and could justifiably call himself — though a Lebanese and a patriot — a citizen of the world,” wrote Bushrui and Jenkins. “His Photo by Courosh Mehanian words went beyond the mere evocation of the Professor Suheil Bushrui ways been about the perennial philosophy, mysterious East but endeavored to communi- addressing the Association about his search for a universal religion.” cate the necessity of reconciliation between for Bahá’í Studies at its Popularized by Aldous Huxley, the term Christianity and Islam, spirituality and mate- annual conference in 2003. “perennial philosophy” encompasses the rialism, East and West…” idea that there is one Divine reality under- In many respects, those same comments lying all religions and cultures, even though could be applied to the life and work of Prof. it has been revealed to humanity at different Bushrui himself, who, through efforts to times and in different forms. translate English poetry into Arabic and Ara- bic poetry in English — and through schol- “For me, the Vistas of acceptance arship and commentary on poets in both Bahá’í religion — The other main influence on Prof. cultures — has likewise sought to bring East which does not Bushrui’s thinking has been his practice of and West closer together. the Bahá’í Faith. Born into a Bahá’í family, One of his recent projects, a book en- emphasize a he has lived by the Bahá’í teachings since titled The Wisdom of the Arabs, which com- narrow religious childhood, and its themes of religious and piles traditional sayings and aphorisms from perspective — human oneness are clearly found through- throughout Arab culture, takes a popular opened up out his writings and lectures as the holder approach to promoting cross cultural under- tremendous vistas of the Bahá’í Chair. standing. of acceptance of “For me,” said Prof. Bushrui, “the Bahá’í “It’s a critically important book,” said religion — which does not emphasize a nar- Mounzer Sleiman, a specialist in Arab cul- other traditions in row religious perspective — opened up tre- tural and security affairs and frequent broad- such a way that it mendous vistas of acceptance of other tradi- cast commentator, who calls Prof. Bushrui a emphasized the tions in such a way that it emphasized the “super ambassador” for Arab culture. “He commonalities commonalities between the various cultures really captures the essence of the philoso- between the and religions of the world.” phy of the Arabs for a Western audience. And various cultures After receiving his doctorate, Prof. he shows how the Arab heritage is wholly Bushrui taught first in Nigeria, at the Uni- connected with the human experience.” and religions of versity of Ibadan, and then in Canada at the Although known primarily as a literary the world.” University of Calgary. In 1968, he went to scholar, Prof. Bushrui also has “real world” – Suheil Bushrui Lebanon, taking a position on the English experience at promoting cross-cultural harmony. faculty at the American University of Beirut. In Lebanon, one of his students was Amine “In part, my return to Lebanon stemmed Gemayel, who later became president of the from a tremendous desire to publish in Ara- country. As President, Gemayel appointed Prof. bic and to express myself in the language I Bushrui as his non-partisan cultural advisor. have loved from childhood,” said Prof. It was a position that brought Prof. Bushrui Bushrui. “It was in Lebanon that I began to directly into the field of international politics work assiduously on Gibran.” and conflict resolution. As with Yeats, Prof. Bushrui found in the “In Lebanon at the time, of course, the work and life of Kahlil Gibran a profound main concern was how do you create under- respository of universal thinking that he standing and resolve conflict between the

6 ONE COUNTRY / July-September 2003 various religious groups there, especially a research center like this,” said Jonathan between Christians and Muslims,” said Prof. Wilkenfeld, director of the CIDCM, who is Bushrui. “I believe that it was possible to do himself trained as a political scientist. this through the arts, through the great “But I’ve come to see that there is more works of literature, and particularly through to peace building than moving in United the works of Gibran himself.” Nations peacekeeping forces or signing trea- The point is an important one, for it un- ties,” said Prof. Wilkenfeld. “I’ve come to derpins much of Prof. Bushrui’s work as see that there is also this need for people at holder of the Bahá’í Chair for World Peace. the grassroots level to be communicating and “Literature is a “You see, what most people don’t appre- understanding each other’s cultures and ideas holistic study. It ciate is that literature is a holistic study,” said and religions. And Suheil is really a unique encompasses Prof. Bushrui. “It encompasses psychology, sort of bridge builder in that way.” psychology, history, culture, and politics. And what has Prof. Bushrui also has the ability to con- history, culture, interested me is how culture and religion nect with students. In 1999, he was chosen and politics. And have interacted towards one another. And “teacher of the year” at the University, a sig- how they can be reconciled.” nificant honor on a campus with more than what has “In poetry, for example, whether the poet 2,800 full time faculty. interested me is is aware of it or not, there is a sacred knowl- Elie Teichman, a 21-year-old senior at the how culture and edge, which is transmitted from generation to University, said that Prof. Bushrui’s honors religion have generation,” said Prof. Bushrui. “And that sa- seminar on “The Spiritual Heritage of the interacted cred knowledge, which is the basis of all great Human Race” was “one of my most treasured towards one poetry, is what makes poetry universal.” academic experiences in college.” In speeches, conferences, and classroom “We delved into ancient Egyptian reli- another. And how lectures, Prof. Bushrui has made this insight gions, into African religions, into Christian- they can be central to the work of the Chair. ity and Islam, and we talked bout the com- reconciled.” In one of his most widely reproduced monalities that exist between all of them, and – Suheil Bushrui speeches, “The Spiritual Foundation of Hu- common ethics and morals,” said Mr. man Rights,” Prof. Bushrui argued that since Teichman, who says he is thinking about all religions recognize “the existence of indi- entering rabbinical school after graduation. vidual souls and the relationship between that “It provided a very optimistic vision about soul and its Creator,” every religion in essence the way the future could be.” agrees that “human beings enjoy certain in- It was partly because of the success of Amine Gemayel, former alienable rights that no worldly authority may the Spiritual Heritage course that the Temple president of Lebanon, was a capriciously or systematically abrogate.” of Understanding gave Prof. Bushrui the guest speaker in May 2001 And as is typical, he salted his speech not Hollister award for 2003 — an award which at one of Suheil Bushrui’s only with quotations from the world’s sacred will be presented in ceremonies scheduled classes at the University of scriptures but also with quotations from great for 1 March 2004. Maryland. President poets, from Yeats to Donne to Gibran. “The Temple’s mission is interfaith edu- Gemayel is second from left Over time, Prof. Bushrui has been invited in the first row. Bushrui, to speak to increasingly prominent audi- continued on page 14 ences. In 2000 and 2001, he addressed the House of Lords, and in 2001 he spoke at the US Library of Congress on the topic of “Glo- balization and the Bahá’í Community in the Muslim World.” Skepticism at first Although Prof. Bushrui’s successes are now widely acknowledged at the University, there was some doubt at first among faculty and administrators about placing a literary specialist like Prof. Bushrui into a data-ori- ented research center like the CIDCM when the Bahá’í Chair was first proposed. “My own background is the empirical branches of social science, so quite frankly it took me a while to figure out where a per- son with Suheil’s particular résumé fits into

ONE COUNTRY / July-September 2003 7 EDUCATION

In Russia, teachers embrace new ideas about moral education Students at Ozarenie School, a public school in Kazan, Russia, hold up copies of books by Maria Skrebtsova and Alesia Lopatina, which are used as a regular part of the curriculum. In all, Ms. Skrebtsova and Ms. Lopatina have sold more than 120,000 of their books in Russia and other CIS states.

Russia, continued from page one religious in their orientation, they also draw Relying on donations from parents, Ms. extensively on the moral and spiritual prin- Tkatchova has purchased a full set of books ciples of the Bahá’í Faith. for each classroom. She and her staff have built Those principles, say Ms. Skrebtsova and a major portion of the school’s curriculum Ms. Lopatina, who are both Bahá’ís, suggest Authors around the books, developing a series of “posi- a new direction in education where the child Skrebtsova and tive thinking” lessons from them, which are is viewed not merely as an empty vessel to Lopatina say the used at the start of every school day. be filled up with knowledge and informa- secret behind the “I want my children to be compassion- tion but rather a unique individual with an ate and loving and wise, and these books innate sense of right and wrong, a sense that series’ success is help us to develop those qualities in the chil- must be brought forth and properly devel- the incorporation dren,” said Ms. Tkatchova. oped if true learning is to be achieved. of universal moral Authors Skrebtsova and Lopatina say the “The Bahá’í writings speak of the human and spiritual secret behind the series’ success is the incor- being as a ‘mine rich in gems of inestimable principles drawn poration of universal moral and spiritual prin- value’ that can be revealed only through from the wisdom ciples, principles that they have drawn from education,” said Ms. Lopatina, a 53-year-old the wisdom literature of all cultures, and espe- former pre-school teacher, who also has de- literature of all cially from the world’s great religions. grees in mathematics, physics, and psychol- cultures, and “We start from the premise that what is ogy. “Our books seek to ‘open the soul’ of especially from ‘good’ comes from the prophets of the great the child to bring out the gems that lie hid- the world’s great religions — and also from our common hu- den within.” religions. man heritage,” said Ms. Skrebtsova, a 36- The concept is finding favor among the year-old former teacher of French and now many educators who have discovered the full-time author. books. They say the current educational sys- And while the books are not specifically tem in Russia lacks any overall direction in

8 ONE COUNTRY / July-September 2003 terms of moral education, and the approach questions and lists some suggested activities. offered by Ms. Skrebtsova and Ms. Lopatina These include a game in which children try to is sorely needed. tie a knot first with one hand, and then with “Under Communism, there was a lot of two; a written assignment to list tasks that ideology,” said Larissa Roguleva, 35, another people can’t do by themselves (such as build- pre-school teacher in Penza. “There was the ing a house, steering a ship, etc.); and an as- Party, the Young Pioneers, the Young Com- signment in which children talk about what munist League (Komsomol), all the rituals of kinds of laws might make life better for every- the State. And in all that were moral examples one around the world and then draw a pic- to teach our children, like about wartime he- ture of a new world that shows what would roes and sacrifice. happen if such laws were put into effect. “But now that is all gone and there is In contemporary Russia, where tight nothing to replace it,” Ms. Roguleva contin- budgets for education have left few resources ued. “But, for me, these are the first books for new instructional materials, the books by that fill that gap.” Ms. Skrebtsova and Ms. Lopatina stand out Cover image of The Ms. Melnikova, the teacher in Penza who as highly innovative and appealing. Wisdom Alphabet by bought the books instead of new clothing, “These are very practical books,” said Maria Skrebtsova and Alesia said she has seen a distinct improvement in Galina Gerasimova, a teacher of grades 1-4 Lopatina. the behavior of her students in the classroom in Public School No. 7 in Orsha, Belarus. “I since using them — a change that has been knew everything I should teach the children, confirmed by the childrens’ parents as well. but I didn’t have concrete tools to do it. I “Parents have told me that their children was like a musician who knew how to play, pay more attention to their advice, and that but just didn’t have sheet music.” their children have started thinking and Ms. Gerasimova started using the books analyzing their own behavior more,” said Ms. three years ago and has been so taken by them Melnikova. “The children don’t behave just that she has bought nearly 100 copies and out of obedience, but out of their own re- given most of them to her fellow teachers and flection on what is good.” friends. “Every time there is a holiday, I present The methodology of the books is sophis- one of my friends with one of the books. I In Moscow, a group of ticated but easy to use. Each book is divided think these books are the best gift. So that kind- teachers discusses the results into a series of classroom lessons. Each les- ness would disperse over the world.” they have obtained using the son begins with a preface for the teacher, Another thing that sets the books apart books on moral education by suggesting a goal or purpose for the lesson. from other volumes on moral education in Maria Skrebtsova and Alesia This is followed by a fable or legend, which Russia and, perhaps, around the world, is Lopatina. On the floor is a is read to the class or by the class. That is their extensive use of myths and legends — series of drawings done by followed by discussion questions. Finally, the more commonly known as fairy tales. The students in response to the lesson is reinforced with a list of creative ac- authors have used both traditional tales and books. tivities, such as the playing of a classroom game, an artistic exercise, and/or a short writ- ten assignment. For example, in one of the books, a les- son entitled “Cooperation” begins with a series of questions, such as “What kinds of things does your family do together?” and “What qualities does a person need to be called a good co-worker?” It then offers a short tale, titled “The Forest Singers,” written by Ms. Skrebtsova. The story tells of rehearsals among forest musicians — a fir tree, a cricket, a nightingale, and a bluebell flower plant — that goes poorly because each is “singing his own song.” But the sun urges them to work together. After a successful concert, the sun ob- serves that the best present the forest ever received was when everybody learned to think “about someone else before himself.” The lesson then offers more discussion

ONE COUNTRY / July-September 2003 9 were also very important. If a person has very good logic and very good grades, but no eth- ics, that can be dangerous. “But if you work with the system that is in these books, you can achieve very good results. It is a system that you can use in every subject. If you teach ethics first, you can teach the logical aspects of any science afterwards,” said Ms. Markova. In their effort to promote their method of moral education, Ms. Skrebtsova and Ms. Lopatina have founded the Center for Moral Education and Creative Development of Personality, which is based in Moscow, where they both live. The Center, with them as principals, serves as both a publishing house for the books and an agency for their promotion. Maria Skrebtsova, left, and composed new ones themselves. And to that end, Ms. Skrebtsova and Ms. Alesia Lopatina, in Kazan, “In old times, many people enjoyed fairy Lopatina have crisscrossed Russia and the Russian Federation, on a tales in Russia, and Russian people continue CIS member-states over the last nine years, recent tour. to like them very much,” said Alexandar giving workshops and lectures based on the Tkatchov, a teacher at the Ozarenie School books and their principles. in Kazan, where the books are used exten- So far, they have published 14 books, sively, “because wisdom was given from expanding beyond titles that simply present people to people through fairy tales.” lessons in moral principles to volumes that Ms. Skrebtsova and Ms. Lopatina say that also include elements of biology and lan- the legends and tales not only have univer- guage development. For example, one book, sal appeal but also offer an easy medium for Tales of Words and Letters, includes more than moral instruction, which they see as the heart 100 stories, games, and activities about let- of their project. ters and words. They are currently working “We believe it is not possible truly to on a book using the same methodology to educate children unless there is a moral ba- present mathematical concepts. “We believe it is sis underlying the process,” said Ms. Nevertheless, the presentation of moral not possible truly Lopatina, adding that attempts merely to concepts remain the lynch pin of their ap- to educate teach “knowledge” — such as science, math- proach. “For example, our stories about let- ematics, and history — become a fruitless ters and words not only help children to learn children unless exercise in memorization unless the students reading and writing quickly, but also teach there is a moral see a purpose for learning. them to be friendly and kind,” said Ms. basis underlying “Teachers spend years of their lives get- Lopatina. Other moral principles stressed in the process.” ting children to assimilate knowledge, while the books include the equality of women and the children make every effort to repulse that men, the importance of service, and the con- – Alesia Lopatina knowledge, to avoid lessons they neither like cept of world citizenship. nor understand,” she said. In 1998, the Russian Association of Book So Ms. Skrebtsova and Ms. Lopatina de- Publishers awarded an honorary diploma for cided to collect legends and tales that re- the books, designating them the “Best Books count humanity’s spiritual accomplishments. of the Year.” The purpose is to “stir the mind and heart But teachers who have discovered the of the pupil from the very beginning, to books — and who use them in their class- impart to him the thirst for knowledge,” said rooms — are in fact the biggest supporters Ms. Lopatina. of Ms. Skrebtsova and Ms. Lopatina. Teachers say that approach works. “When “These books are a mine of wisdom, of I started my teaching, I thought just giving parables and legends, in which all the world’s information — just pure knowledge — was wisdom is concentrated,” said Elena Morozova, the most important point,” said Alla Markova, a 26-year-old primary school teacher at Public 33, vice director at Public School No. 151 in School No. 38 in St. Petersburg. “They pre- Penza. “But after a while, I realized that pare the children for the future, for all prob- moral issues and development of character lems of life that people must deal with.”

10 ONE COUNTRY / July-September 2003 CELEBRATION

In Africa, four communities celebrate 50 years of progress

At golden jubilee celebrations in the Democratic Republic of Congo in September, members of the Dawn of Carmel Choir were among the performers who entertained participants. Photo by Violetta Zein Violetta Photo by ILONGWE, Malawi — Fifty years ago, flourishing community life: a handsome Lthe first two members of the Bahá’í com- national headquarters, 15 local centers, and munity here would meet in the bush at the existence of some 101 local-level gov- night. There they would say prayers to- erning councils, known as Local Spiritual In 1953, Bahá’ís gether, discuss plans, enjoy biscuits, and Assemblies. embarked on a then go their separate ways. There have been similar signs of progress ten-year plan to “This was done because in those days, for Bahá’í communities in the three other spread the blacks and whites could not meet openly,” said African countries where Bahá’ís also cel- principles of their Enayat Sohaili, describing the first Bahá’í gath- ebrated 50th anniversaries in August and erings in Malawi during commemorations of September 2003. Faith to every the community’s 50th anniversary in August. In Cameroon, there are now some 40,000 land. During that Mr. Sohaili, of Persian background, had Bahá’ís. In the Republic of the Congo, some period, the Faith arrived from India in 1953 and was consid- 20 Local Spiritual Assemblies have been es- was established ered white. The first Malawian Bahá’í, tablished. And in the Democratic Republic in some 131 new Dudley Smith Kumtendere, was black. And of Congo, the national Bahá’í governing countries and colonial policy at the time discouraged ra- body, the National Spiritual Assembly, was cially mixed gatherings. recently able to meet in the capital for the territories. Hence, But much has changed in the 50 years since first time in five years, since the outbreak of many Bahá’í the Bahá’í Faith was first established here. Since civil war in 1998. communities are Malawi gained its independence in 1964, All of these accomplishments and more now celebrating Bahá’ís have been able openly to express their were commemorated in gala celebrations held their golden commitment to the basic principles of their in the capital cities of each of the four coun- anniversaries. Faith, such as the oneness of humanity. tries last summer. Today, there are more than 15,000 Bahá’ís It is no coincidence that four African in Malawi — along with other signs of a Bahá’í communities celebrated their 50th

ONE COUNTRY / July-September 2003 11 Bahá’ís from around the southern region of the Republic of the Congo gathered with guests of honor at 50th anniversary commemorations in Brazzaville. In the front row, starting from the left, are: Albert Lincoln, Secretary-General of the Bahá’í International Community; Joan Lincoln, an International Counsellor; Violette Nakhjavani; and Ali Nakhjavani, former member of the Universal House of Justice, the international Bahá’í governing council.

anniversaries this summer. In 1953, Bahá’ís formances by some 15 ensembles from a di- around the world embarked on a ten-year versity of Cameroonian ethnic groups. plan aimed at spreading the principles of Speakers also extolled the contribution of their Faith to every land. During that pe- the Cameroon Bahá’í community in the field riod, Bahá’ís carried the Faith to some 131 of social and economic development. The new countries and territories, raising to 259 Bahá’ís there have founded a national devel- “If the Bahá’í the places where the Faith was established opment agency, which has sponsored or coor- — including many countries and territo- dinated various projects in recent years. model that our ries in Africa. The Cameroon Bahá’í Agency for So- national In all this year, Bahá’í communities in cial and Economic Development has. for community is some 17 countries will observe their golden example, worked with the United Nations striving to build, anniversaries. In addition to the four men- Development Fund for Women on a pro- can in some way tioned here, they include: Cyprus, Guinea- gram in the eastern province aimed at im- contribute to the Bissau, Kiribati, Lesotho, Madagascar, proving family life and the lives of women. Mauritius, Namibia, Senegal, Seychelles, It has also promoted family education renewal and South Africa, Togo, Vanuatu, and Zimbabwe. projects in central and northwestern prov- construction of In the African countries celebrating their inces, and assisted in programs to eradi- the infrastructures jubilees in August and September, the com- cate river blindness. of our country, we memorations were marked by visitors from In Brazzaville, the Republic of the humbly submit it around the world, significant media cover- Congo, the Bahá’í community celebrated th for [the nation’s] age, and ceremonies featuring song, dance, its 50 anniversary 29–31 August 2003. and prayer. The festivities were marked by some 28 the- consideration.” In Cameroon, more than 560 Bahá’í from atrical and musical performances, as well – Nshisu Nsunga, all regions of the country attended the jubi- as the showing of a documentary film on chairman, the Bahá’í lee celebrations, which were held in Yaoundé the progress of the Faith in the Republic community of the on 22–23 August 2003. Guests also came from of the Congo. Democratic Australia, Botswana, Canada, Equatorial The commemoration emphasized the Republic of Congo Guinea, France, Morocco, Rwanda, Uganda, importance of peace and unity — the Re- United Kingdom, and the United States of public of the Congo has been torn by two America. civil wars in the past decade — and partici- In addition to talks by visiting dignitar- pants celebrated the freedom that the Bahá’í ies, the celebrations included cultural per- community has enjoyed since 1992, when a

12 ONE COUNTRY / July-September 2003 new democratically elected government gave of the status of women and the education of it legal recognition. children in Kinshasa and Katanga. In the Democratic The national Bahá’í center, the venue of Currently, there are about 30,000 Bahá’ís Republic of the jubilee festivities, had been seized by the in the DRC, and they have established some former Communist regime and occupied for 541 local governing councils. Congo, 14 years. During that period, the Bahá’í com- In Malawi, Bahá’ís came from all over the development munity was forced to stop its organized ac- country — from Nsanje to Karonga, from activities of the tivities. Bahá’ís supported one another Mchinji to Nkhotakota — for the golden an- Bahá’í community through mutual encouragement and infor- niversary, which was celebrated on 9 August includes adult mal family contacts, but without their elected 2003. They were joined by participants from literacy initiatives administrative bodies. as far away as Bermuda, Australia, and The Bahá’ís of the Republic of the Mauritius, and from nearby African coun- in Kasai and Congo have since reinstated their admin- tries like South Africa, Zambia, and Lesotho. Western and istration, regained use of the national cen- The celebrations were in great contrast Eastern Kivu, ter, and energetically resumed their activi- to the early days. Julius (Robert) Kasakula, community health ties. And despite years of oppression, there one of the first Malawian Bahá’ís, recalled projects in are now more than 3,500 Bahá’ís and some that indoor Bahá’í meetings had been just as Southern Kivu, 20 Local Spiritual Assemblies. secretive as the encounters in the bush. In Kinshasa, the Democratic Republic of “Because the blacks and whites could not and community Congo, the jubilee celebrations were held 6– meet openly, we used to have meetings at farming projects in 7 September 2003. They began with the read- our house at night,” Mr. Kasakula said. Katanga and ing of a message from the National Spiritual Mr. Sohaili, who now lives with his wife, Southern Kivu. Assembly. Iran, in Zimbabwe, recounted the time when “Today our country is entering a crucial he asked a restaurant owner to provide a table phase of its future,” said Nshisu Nsunga, to allow visiting Americans John and Val chairman of the Assembly. “If the Bahá’í Allen (Bahá’ís living in Swaziland), to meet model that our national community is striv- with him and Mr. Kumtendere. At 50th anniversary ing to build, can in some way contribute to “When the owner was approached, he celebrations in Malawi, the the renewal and construction of the infra- asked us to come after 2 p.m. when there group “BABY” (Blantyre structures of our country, we humbly sub- would be few customers. He put us right at Active Bahá’í Youth) was mit it for [the nation’s] consideration.” the back where we had our lunch.” among the many that Attending the jubilee festivities was a se- – Bahá’í World News Service reports performed. nior Government representative, Jean Baptiste Nsa Lobete, Political and Diplomatic Counselor of the Governor of Kinshasa. He linked the jubilee to the rising climate of hope in the nation. “Because the social development and the various economic endeavors of your Faith across the country constitute a point of pride for all its members and leaders,” Mr. Lobete said, “all of these wonderful results justify the respect that the authorities of this coun- try feel towards the Bahá’í community in particular when it comes to answer one or another of your concerns.” Some of the activities Mr. Lobete referred to include social and economic development field projects such as adult literacy initia- tives in Kasai and Western and Eastern Kivu, community health projects in Southern Kivu, and community farming projects in Katanga and Southern Kivu. Mr. Lobete particularly praised the Bahá’í contribution to national education. The Bahá’ís have established primary and sec- ondary schools in Katanga and throughout the country, and centers for the promotion

ONE COUNTRY / July-September 2003 13 BRIEFS

New representative of the Bahá’í International Community to the United Nations joins New York office

EW YORK — Bahiyyih Chaffers, a 33- Nyear-old attorney from Canada, has been appointed as a representative of the Bahá’í In- ternational Community to the United Nations. Appointed on 26 August 2003, Ms. Chaf- fers will focus initially on issues related to global prosperity and sustainable develop- ment. In September, she represented the Community at the World Summit on the Information Society Prepcom in Geneva. Before coming to the Community in August, Ms. Chaffers worked in New York as an associate producer at CNN and, before that, at ABC News. Ms. Chaffers hopes to bring her experi- ence as a corporate attorney and media spe- cialist into the Community’s work at the UN. “As the United Nations becomes more in Paris and a degree in civil law at the Uni- engaged with both the corporate world and versity of Paris. She completed her legal civil society, there are opportunities for new training with an L.L.L. degree from the ideas,” said Ms. Chaffers. “One of my goals University of Montreal and an L.L.B. degree is to bring my knowledge and understand- at the University of Ottawa. ing of the private sector, along with the per- After her education, Ms. Chaffers worked spectives of the Bahá’í International Com- as a corporate attorney at Goodmans, one of munity, into the world of the United Na- Canada’s top law firms. She later came to New tions and the general field of development,” York and worked as a television news producer. said Ms. Chaffers. She will be based in the Community’s Born in Toronto, Ms. Chaffers has an New York office, where she joins Bani Dugal, undergraduate diploma in French literature who is the Community’s Principal Repre- and history from the Sorbonne University sentative to the United Nations.

secular institution and when he came in, a lot A scholar strives to be a of people approached it with skepticism,” said bridge between cultures Dr. Hale, who has worked closely with Prof. Bushrui since he arrived. “But he has devel- Bushrui, continued from page 7 oped relationships all over the campus, and cation and we have always been very focused he has won the respect of many people, first on educators,” said Alison Van Dyk, execu- because he is a scholar in his own right and tive director of the Temple, which is based second because he is a citizen of the world. in New York. “What we are looking for are “So often, academics have a message that people who carry the interfaith message to a is only for each other. But Suheil has the large audience, and Prof. Bushrui has cer- capacity to communicate with everyone, tainly done that.” whether a child, a student, a scholar, or the Cynthia Roberts Hale, assistant dean in House of Lords,” said Dr. Hale. “And Suheil the College of Behavior and Social Sciences, wants you to know that he believes in God, where the Bahá’í Chair resides, said Prof. that there is a world order, and that there is Bushrui has had an “enormous impact” on a code of human behavior — and he is con- the University of Maryland. stantly translating that into a formula for “That’s significant because this is a huge, world peace.”

14 ONE COUNTRY / July-September 2003 Critical Consciousness civilization, able to muster its collective will to solve the economical and ecological problems Review, continued from page 16 facing the planet, on the basis of an under- that underlies and empowers those who have standing of the universal spiritual principles achieved it. “Knowing and being, mind and that govern life,” she writes. heart, center round a caring, increasingly in- In that regard, while drawing on a wide terconnected, justice-and-equity-oriented range of contemporary psychological research, view of life,” she writes. Dr. Mustakova-Possardt also makes clear that And such moral motivation, Dr. she has been inspired by the teachings of the Mustakova-Possardt writes, is essentially Bahá’í Faith in her search for the components spiritual in nature. “The most central find- of and pathways to critical consciousness. ing of this work has been that empowered, She suggests that the Faith’s modern re- resilient moral consciousness is a function articulation of traditional spiritual wis- of the extent to which the individual’s spiri- dom, its concept of progressive revelation, tual capacities to know, to love, and to exer- and its vision of individual and collective cise free will are fully awakened and har- evolution in the context of an ever-advanc- moniously developed.” ing global civilization, offer new perspec- “Empowered, More specifically, in her studies of 26 ordi- tives on the nature and development of resilient moral nary people in the USA and Bulgaria, Dr. critical consciousness. consciousness is Mustakova-Possardt found that those who had “Bahá’í philosophy emphasizes the need a function of the to direct the mirror of consciousness from reached or were about to reach critical con- extent to which sciousness were in large part guided by love. the beginning to the divine center of all life “Love for truth, beauty, and goodness is and to nurture and cultivate transcendent the individual’s the missing link that brings together moral awareness in children,” said Dr. Mustakova- spiritual values, character, sincerity, moral reasoning, Possardt. “Such awareness can become a solid capacities to critical discernment, responsibility, empathy, foundation on which developing brain-based know, to love, and and compassion into a qualitatively differ- consciousness can then erect the edifice of to exercise free knowledge, and ultimately, knowledge and ent consciousness — empowered, resilient, will are fully and authentically moral,” she writes. “Love understanding can become one in the fully is the depth dimension of human existence.” developed and fully awakened mind.” awakened and As well, in developing new theories about Moreover, she establishes the conver- harmoniously critical consciousness, Dr. Mustakova- gence between Bahá’í-inspired psycho-spiri- developed.” tual understandings about the nature of Possardt calls into question a number of cur- – Elena Mustakova- rent directions in society, the social sciences, knowledge, love, and will, as well as au- Possardt and, most acutely, education. thentic morality, and the latest and most pro- “Educational practice is split between gressive strands of contemporary psychologi- behavioristic socialization and an empha- cal thought and research. sis on the development of skills,” she The infusion of spirituality into the dis- writes. “Lacking are significant models of cussion of critical consciousness does not authentic moral authority or any truly in- contradict Dr. Freire’s original concepts. Dr. tegrative spiritual conversation.” Freire himself drew greatly on his own ex- While this approach has spurred tremen- perience as a Christian in developing his dous material development in much of the ideas — ideas that without question have world, she writes, it must also be associated had an enormous impact on thinking around with some of the worst features of modern the world about education, empowerment, civilization, from environmental degradation and development. to widespread social injustice. In extending the concept — and in in- What is missing, Dr. Mustakova-Possardt fusing its underpinnings with insights writes, is the comprehension of humanity’s drawn from the newest independent world spiritual dimension in the fields of educa- religion — Dr. Mustakova-Possardt like- tion and social science — a comprehension wise opens a very wide door to still more that she believes many researchers are com- insights and applications. ing to on their own. She cites the work of In particular, Dr. Mustakova-Possardt’s Ken Wilber, Robert Emmons, and Martin emphasis on the fundamental importance of Seligman, among others, in outlining new possessing a global vision, as one of the mile- directions in psychology and beyond. stones of critical consciousness, suggests a “Many individual thinkers have already new framework for moral empowerment in anticipated the gradual shift to a spiritualized an era of globalization.

ONE COUNTRY / July-September 2003 15 BOOK REVIEW

Is there a roadmap to critical consciousness?

oined by Brazilian educator Paulo Freire that would help greater numbers of people Cin the 1960s, the term “critical conscious- to reach critical consciousness? ness” was at first applied mainly in the field of In seeking answers to these questions, she adult education. Translated from the Portu- follows two paths. First, she surveys the lat- Critical guese word conscientizadora, critical conscious- est developments in modern psychology, Consciousness: A ness was defined by Dr. Freire as a state of in- especially in the emerging area of so-called Study of Morality depth understanding about the world and re- “positive” or “holistic” psychology. sulting freedom from oppression. Second, she draws on a series of field in- in Global, Dr. Freire explored liberating educational terviews with 26 individuals in the United Historical Context methods that he believed could promote the States and in her native Bulgaria and offers development of critical consciousness, espe- a series of moral vignettes that analyze the By Elena cially among poor and illiterate people, a degree to which her subjects are on the path Mustakova- process that would lead to their emancipa- to (or have reached) critical consciousness. Possardt tion and fruitful advancement. His theories This two-track approach gives both a theo- have greatly influenced thinking about par- retical and empirical underpinning to the 218- ticipatory development. page book. The result is a sweeping and Praeger Over time, however, the term has taken thought-provoking work that challenges com- on an expanded meaning, describing a state Westport, of mental and spiritual development that Connecticut / confers upon its subject a morally progres- London sive, engaged, and holistic view of life. It is within this expanded conception of “critical consciousness” that Elena Mustakova-Possardt operates in her wide- ranging and highly original new monograph Critical Consciousness: A Study of Morality in Global, Historical Context. Indeed, Dr. Mustakova-Possardt takes the concept of critical consciousness to the next level, redefining it as a “way of being” that fully integrates the heart and mind and so creates in the individual a sense of highly principled morality, philosophical expan- sion, and historical and global vision that represents the acme of human consciousness. “[E]very chapter of human history has Elena Mustakova-Possardt had its individuals who have exhibited this empowered unity of rational mind and in- mon perceptions about the development of ner vision,” Dr. Mustakova-Possardt writes. morality, the purpose of education, and pre- “The most outstanding among these people vailing directions of thought in social science. have become known as moral and spiritual Starting with Dr. Freire’s definition of criti- leaders, whom the rest of humanity has cal consciousness, Dr. Mustakova-Possardt viewed as people of a different quality. Their carefully dissects and analyzes its components. names and stories fill the world’s treasury of It involves, she writes, elements of critical the human heritage.” thinking, an understanding of causality, a Within that framework, Dr. Mustakova- grasp of the processes of history, and the abil- Possardt then asks a couple of crucial ques- ity to translate thought into action. tions: What are the psychological compo- Ultimately, however, critical conscious- nents of this state of consciousness? And is ness stems from authentic moral motivation it possible to create an educational system Review, continued on page 15

16 ONE COUNTRY / July-September 2003