Dr Samandari with his future wife Ursula and George Townshend, Dublin 1950
From the National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of the United Kingdom
8 May 2008
Dearly loved Friends,
The National Spiritual Assembly is saddened to inform you of the passing of Mihdi Samandari, Knight of Baha'u'llah to Somalia and stalwart pioneer from these islands.
Dr Samandari first met British Bahá'í and former National Spiritual Assembly member Ursula Newman while pioneering in Belfast. They married in 1951 at the Baha'i Centre in London. In 1953, the couple pioneered to Nairobi, Kenya, and later went to live in Mogadishu, Somalia. In 1971, they moved to Cameroon at the request of the Universal House of Justice. Mrs Samandari passed away in 2003.
On hearing of Dr Samandari's passing, the Universal House of Justice wrote to the National Assembly of Cameroon:
“We were deeply saddened to learn of the passing of Mihdi Samandari, an outstanding, intrepid champion of the Faith of God. His long years of tireless devotion to the Cause, distinguished by pioneering for over 50 years to Kenya and to Somalia, where he earned the accolade of Knight of Bahá'u'lláh when he arose with his wife, Ursula, to take the Message of Bahá'u'lláh to that land, and finally to Cameroon, are remembered with appreciation and admiration. As a member of the Continental Board of Counsellors in Africa for over two decades, with a staunchness of faith and a radiance of spirit that illumined his services, he promoted the spread of the Divine Message to peoples from all strata of society throughout the continent. His high example of servitude inspired believers in many parts of the world and will remain a shining example for future generations.”
With loving Baha'i greetings, National Spiritual Assembly, Kishan Manocha, Secretary.
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