sarawakbahai.org

19 April 2001 No Comment

The following report was shared by the National Spiritual Assembly of the Baha’is of India.

We are very pleased to share with you the report that H.E. Mr. Jens Stoltenberg, the Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Norway, and his wife, Mrs. Ingrid Schulerud, visited the Bahá’í House of Worship in India on April 19, 2001. The report was prepared by the Public Relation Officer of our Baha’i House of Worship.

Mrs. Zena Sorabjee, Chairperson of the Bahá’í House of Worship, Mr. Ramnik Shah, Secretary General of the National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of India, and Mr. Shaheen Javid, General Manager of the Bahá’í House of Worship, greeted the Delegation as they arrived by car. While they were walking toward the House of Worship, Mrs. Sorabjee explained the House of Worship’s function, design concept, and construction and the prestigious awards it has received. They seemed to be very impressed.

The Public Relations Manager of the Bahá’í House of Worship welcomed them at the entrance of the library and ushered them to be seated in the lounge area of the library. Coincidently, Miss. Silje Austfvol, a Norwegian volunteer, was serving at the House of Worship at the time of the Prime Minister’s visit. She was introduced to the Prime Minister and his wife. She welcomed them in the Norwegian language and they seemed thrilled to meet a fellow Norwegian citizen at the Bahá’í House of Worship.

Mrs. Sorabjee formally briefed the Prime Minister and his wife at the lounge area of the library regarding the collaboration between NORAD, the Norwegian Bahá’í Community, and the New Era Development Institute (NEDI) of the Indian Bahá’í community. They were briefed on Bahá’í history when they asked about the picture of Abdu’l-Baha, which was hanging on a wall near the seating area.   Mrs.Sorabjee then briefly described the principles of the Bahá’í Faith, including the promotion of an international auxiliary language.

The Prime Minister and his wife were very cordial and friendly throughout the visit. As they were coming out of the House of Worship, the Public Relations Manager of the House of Worship explained to Mrs. Schulerud, the Prime Minister’s wife, that one of the unique features of the Bahá’í House of Worship that they could not observe during their visit, due to the necessary security measures taken for the Delegation, was the scene of people of all different religious backgrounds sitting in the same Prayer Hall, praying and meditating, and feeling at home as if it is their own Place of Worship. She responded with excitement saying, “Do they really? That is wonderful, that is very good”.

Two days after their visit to the House of Worship, the good sentiments felt by the Prime Minister were confirmed at the Norwegian Seafood Promotion Dinner hosted by the Prime Minister where Dr. and Mrs. Kim-Farley were present.   Mr. Shashank P. Warty, Chief Operating Officer and Vice President of the TAJ group was seated with the Prime Minister at the dinner table. Mr. Warty told the Kim-Farleys that the Prime Minister had told him “We have visited the Bahá’í Temple and thoroughly enjoyed it.   When I was inside of the Temple, I felt something very special. I never have seen in my life an artifact that gives me such a feeling of eternal peace.”

The General Manager and the entire Temple staff, including public relations officer and library staff, security officer and the volunteers, made great efforts to ensure that the visit of H.E. Mr. Jens Stoltenberg, the Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Norway, was a successful event for our beloved Cause.   The Public Relations Manager is in the process of documenting the detailed steps taken from the moment of receiving the letter from the Ministry of the External Affairs of India until the departure of the Prime Minister and his delegation from the House of Worship. It is anticipated that this document will function as a basis for setting procedures and work plans for preparing for future visits by the Heads of Government or Heads of State to the Bahá’í House of Worship in India.

As we bade farewell to the Prime Minister and his delegation, our hearts were filled with over whelming gratitude to the Blessed Beauty.