A conference on Intellectual Othering and the Baha’i Question in Iran was held in Toronto on 1-3 July 2011 (see here and here). Details including conference booklet, list and biography of speakers, and topics can be found in the following sites:
Editor
July 9, 2011 10:30 am
Unfortunately, the talk given by Kamran Ekbal is a gross misrepresentation of Baha’i teachings and of the attitude of ‘Abdu’l-Baha. He is apparently full of bigotry and antagonism towards Israelis and Jews, but freedom from all prejudices, especially including freedom from religious prejudice, are among the most fundamental teachings and central themes of the Baha’i Faith.
Most of the other talks that I looked at seemed to be very good, though.
July 9, 2011 10:32 am
The official Baha’i position on the Arab-Israeli conflict:
1.Shoghi Effendi’s statement to the “United Nations Special Committee on Palestine”, 14th July 1947, which is still the official position of the Baha’i community today (The Priceless Pearl, p. 286):
“The Bahá’í Faith is entirely non-political and we neither take sides
in the present tragic dispute going on over the future of the Holy Land
and its peoples nor have we any statement to make or advice to give
as to what the nature of the political future of this country should be.
Our aim is the establishment of universal peace in this world and our
desire to see justice prevail in every domain of human society, including
the domain of politics. As many of the adherents of our Faith
are of Jewish and Moslem extraction we have no prejudice towards
either of these groups and are most anxious to reconcile them for their
mutual benefit and for the good of the country.”
July 9, 2011 10:48 am
Here is the talk of ‘Abdu’l-Baha which Kamran Ekbal cites, but he rather distorted the spirit of it:
http://reference.bahai.org/en/t/ab/PUP/pup-121.html
“My advice is that in order to become honorable, protected and secure among the nations of the world, in order that the Christians may love and safeguard the Israelitish people, you should be willing to announce your belief in Christ, the Word of God. … The rabbi thoughtfully said, “I believe that what you have said is perfectly true, but I must ask one thing of you. Will you not tell the Christians to love us a little more?”
We replied, “We have advised them and will continue to do so.”
July 9, 2011 10:55 am
And here is ‘Abdu’l-Baha’s talk from the previous night, delivered in a Washington, D.C. synagogue, which is a beautiful and peace-promoting message against religious prejudice:
http://reference.bahai.org/en/t/ab/PUP/pup-120.html