What do people remember from Summer School 2007? The speakers, the venue, meeting old friends, making new friends, the entertainments, the happy atmosphere, interesting sessions, the Owl Man? Everybody will have taken something different away with them – but all of these stay in my mind as I think back to these few days in the year when you can forget normal everyday lif, with all it entails and enjoy time with fellow Bahá'ís. This year’s theme was “Learning from the Past, Looking to the Future” and was based on the fact that this year 2007 marks the fiftieth anniversary of the passing of the Irish Hand of the Cause George Townshend. Our interesting speakers from Northern Ireland and further afield included Wendi Momen, Kay Hughes, Brendan McNamara, Tina Honarmandan and Maureen Sier (whom I met over 30 years ago when she came, as an enquiring schoolgirl, to a Bahá'í exhibition in Elgin). We also had return visits from Dan Wheatley and Jennifer Chapman.
Lorne House, scene of the Northern Ireland Summer School 2007; the painting does not show the new conference centre.
Subjects covered included Shoghi Effendi, George Townshend and other Hands of the Cause, the World Centre of our Faith, how we work with people of other religions, and how we can increase the standing of the Faith and its importance in the eyes of others. We were lucky to have Jennifer Chapman talk about her grandfather Hand of the Cause Leroy Ioas and we also had the privilege to have Lesley Taherzadeh O’Mara speak on the life and services of her late husband Adib Taherzadeh - that was especially moving. Several well-kent faces from home also gave interesting sessions, Patrick O’Mara, Soha Graham, Nooshin Proudman and Iain Palin, while Paddy also delivered a special talk on behalf of our National Spiritual Assembly on the vitally important subject of pioneering.
The School programme reflected the fact that this is the fiftieth anniversary of the passing of George Townshend, and gave special attention to him, the Guardian, and the Hands of the Cause.
Kay Hughes opened the School with a presentation on Shoghi Effendi. Like other speakers she took youth as well as adult sessions—and a late-night “stories in the sitting room” session with a lively account of her pioneering experiences in Papua New Guinea.
Patrick O’Mara spoke on behalf of the National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of the United Kingdom.
Another session to mention – the best attended of the whole week -was Mike, the Owl Man, who came to see the children last year and returned for all of us. One of the owls flying round the room had appeared in the first Harry Potter film. He also had a snake and exotic hissing cockroaches with him to the great delight of some of the audience! It wasn’t just for our interest and entertainment, we learned about respect for animals and how sometimes people fall short in this.
Mike, the Owl Man, and friend.
Entertainments in the evening included two table quizzes, one general and one Bahá'í, music and our usual end of school talent show, and we also had one of Sarah Munro’s fascinating Baha’i playlets on some of the life of George Townsend. DVD sessions on the Hands of the Cause of the God brought us closer to these special souls. Arts sessions included music, dance, tai-chi, and craftwork. In lighter vein there was a film show that has convinced at least some of the viewers that there is more than a little connection between Iranian and Greek family life! There was the welcome return of the late “stories in the sitting room” where several of our guest speakers held more informal sessions. These were very well attended and the questions and discussions tended to flow until the adults were reminded that it was past their bed time.
Speakers included, clockwise from tope left, Maureen Sier, Tina Honarmandan , and Wendi Momen.
This year we welcomed various attendees from across the water from both Scotland and England, and from the South and from the USA. Some were new this year, but we hope they will join those who have returned because they enjoyed our Summer School so much. There were various types of morning devotional: children’s, musical and audio visual. Well done all who were involved. Some of the speakers from the main sessions also took sessions with the youth, and junior youth were not forgotten, and the children’s classes were organized by Mary and Julie with help from Inge. Special thanks to Julie and Karen here.
Sound recording, microphones and projection were ably handled by John and Colin.. John provided most of the PA and electronic equipment but thanks also to Keith, for providing the data projector without which we would not have been able to see the presentations and DVDs. Clare Greenberg, as always kept us topped up with food, drinks etc. making sure that she will go down in the history of the NI Bahá'í community as “Tuck Shop Clare”. What would Summer School be without Clare and of course Houshang who topped up supplies when they got low?
Friends of all ages enjoyed the School - including the weather and the fellowship.
The committee were there to make sure everything went smoothly thanks go to Negin, Pat, Mary, Iain and John. Finally thanks to Mahan Hashemi-Zadeh who was school chairman and kept things going smoothly, at least most of the time – no mean accomplishment when trying to get a crowd of Bahá'ís all to do the same thing in the same place at the same time has been described as “herding cats”!
ECP
PS: Was this the single most importantant person at the School?
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