Baha’i Studies Conference Attracts 1,400 People from 23 Countries

October 1, 2008

Author: Staff Writer

Source: Bahá’í World News Service

http://www.bahaiworldnews.org/story/655

The 32nd annual conference of the North American Association for Baha’i Studies drew some 1,400 people from 23 countries - the largest-ever representation from outside the United States and Canada.

The gathering, held this year in San Diego, had as its theme “Religion and Social Cohesion.” The four-day conference concluded on 1 September.

The presenter of the 26th Hasan M. Balyuzi Memorial Lecture was Hushmand Fatheazam, former member of the Universal House of Justice, who offered “Some Observations on the Scope and Value of Baha’i Scholarship.”

The speaker for the opening plenary was Paul Lample, member of the Universal House of Justice, who spoke on “Learning and the Unfoldment of the Baha’i Community.”

In the past decade, Baha’is around the world have focused on how to develop a “culture of learning,” a concept that was central to Mr. Lample’s talk.