European
VISION Conference in Acuto, Italy, 14-17.10.2004
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We
are delighted to announce that the first European Vision Conference was
held in Acuto, Italy from October 14th to 17th 2004. Over 55
participants, women and men from 18 countries, participated in this The Conference was held at the Centre for Baha’i Studies, Hotel "La Panoramica, 30 minutes from Rome, this wonderful group of highly motivated ladies and gentlemen met to participate in the VISION Conference. which was mainly offered in the beautiful with flowers and candle-lights decorated separate hall of the hotel. The program consisted of the following topics: Moral Leadership leading to Self-Refinement - a Power-Point-Program The Girl-Child: Raising our consciousness and understanding on a topic introduced at the Beijing Conference. The Art and Technique of networking. Establishing VISION's
membership in your country. The Pathway to Unity through the Art of Consultation - a Power-Point-Program. Support for the girl-child in India through the first annual candle light dinner which will take place on the second Saturday of May 2005. The program was offered by members of the Governing Board of VISION and participants from the first Seminar on Moral Leadership - Self-Education", which was held last year in Wels/Austria. In addition we had the great honour and joy, to invite speakers, who contributed to the high standard of this Conference: Mrs. Sona Arbab, Haifa, Mrs. Christine Samandari, Paris, Mrs. Lucia Ricco, Italy, and Mr. Beppe Robiati, Italy. Many positive contributions were made by the participants, and we are sure, that one or more of the Conference programme's points will be taken into consideration for offering it to a group of people as a Seminar, perhaps as a special event, or as a celebration in their home-countries. Besides
the serious topics and the high standard of the programme, which was fully
accepted by the participants, the evening was full of laughter, joy and
music. Highlight was a wonderful concert by the well-known singer Ranzie
Mensah and her excellent pianist, Signor Alfredo. They offered such a
beautiful program, that the whole audience at the end of the concert
joined them in singing and dancing! After four days of full concentration filled with many beautiful ideas and plans, much love, prayers, laughter, but also with tears of joy and sadness, we left this place of warmth and hospitality. New plans filled our minds, as we decided how we would bring parts of the programme back to our home countries and environment, to our children, our family and friends in as many countries in Europe as possible! With loving greetings, Elisabeth Mühlschlegel VISION - a non Profit Women's Organisation Here below is one of the letters recently received from one of the participants Dearest
VISION Board, Thank
you for keeping us update concerning Vision. Beyond all accept my sincere
appreciation and gratitude for such a wonderful initiative; indeed a
vanguard step in the history of this Continent. Since
the last Vision Seminar I have contacted several women and many have shown
great interest to the ideas and to the materials. A
director of the most influential NGO in Hungary whose major service is to
"educate", guide and direct all the other NGO's has been
contacted (she is my personal friend) and we have spoken about the
possibilities of using this materials with several other like minded
NGO's. Other friends, women, mothers, etc have also shown great interest
and we will be stating our meetings in January. I have also sent the
materials to the States, England and Croatia to some "key" women
that are very much involved with the development of Women. The National Spiritual Assembly of the Baha'is of Hungary have also shown great interest towards Vision. They have asked me to send a report to our National news magazine. Please find it below. A
Conference was held in October, in Acuto Italy, from October 14 to October
17 on the subject of
Women. The organizers are a not-for-profit-association called Vision.
Vision was founded in Florence, Italy on May 23,2003. This young
organization has in its Board of Directors experienced members of the
Baha'i Community who have been working with the subject of women for
decades in Europe. It
is a Baha'i inspired organization, our Beloved House of Justice sheds
light on the subject: "A
question that often arises in relation to private organizations dedicated
to social and economic development is whether they are "Bahá'í"
or not. Such a question cannot be answered by a simple "yes" or
"no". Clearly, the fact that they have their own management
structures puts them in a different category from projects and
organizations administered by Bahá'í institutions. In that sense they
are not "Bahá'í" enterprises. In another sense, to the extent
that they are owned and directed by Bahá'ís and strive to apply the
Teachings and serve the purposes of the Cause, they may indeed be regarded
as "Bahá'í". It is important to avoid the impression that
participating in the projects of these organizations does not constitute
legitimate service to the Cause. Otherwise sincere and devoted believers
will be discouraged from engaging in activities that are "Bahá'í"
in nature." Their
vision is to facilitate women, in all arenas of life, to develop, harness
and release their spiritual, moral and intellectual capacities and
capabilities in order to play their crucial role in the transformation of
humankind and become an agent of change for promoting an ever advancing
civilization. Their
plan of action is to gather as many like-minded women as possible and
engage them in seminars which will enable them to understand their role
and inspire them to influence their own personal lives and their societies
positively. During
the Seminar, several topics were addressed and workshops held. Two
distinguishing ones were about Consultation and the other Moral Education
for Self Refinement (both workshop materials are available). This
materials can be used by the Vision members with any group of interested
people in their surroundings, Be it friends, women's associations,
non-governmental organizations, businesses, etc. In
the meantime, as the Board develops its own specific programmes, Vision is
supporting schooling for several girls in India. Their clothing and full
educational costs are estimated to be 50 Euro's per year. Vision and its
members are supporting it. Anyone can become a member. If anyone would be interested in such a social economic development project they can contact the Board directly lsy@frida.it or the Vision member in Hungary on katayoun@vnet.hu Yours, Katayoun "Among
the consequences of providing girls with basic education are improvements
in material circumstances. Research has shown that whatever the content of
the curriculum, girls benefit from going to school, from problem-solving,
from expanding their world and from sharing the knowledge base generally
afforded to boys and men. Contributions of women to the sciences and the
arts, albeit fledgling, provide evidence that, given opportunity, girls
and women have the intellectual capacity to improve substantively the
human condition. Work ye for the guidance of the women in that land, teach
the young girls and the children, so that the mothers may educate their
little ones from their earliest days, thoroughly train them, rear them to
have a goodly character and good morals, guide them to all the virtues of
humankind, prevent the development of any behaviour that would be worthy
of blame, and foster them in the embrace of … (spiritual) education." "… it is incumbent upon the girls of this glorious era to be fully versed in the various branches of knowledge, in sciences and the arts and all the wonders of this pre-eminent time, that they may then educate their children and train them from their earliest days in the ways of perfection." |
Conference, with some of the participants being friends of the
Baha'is.
