{"id":1212,"date":"2010-11-25T00:00:00","date_gmt":"2010-11-25T00:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/bahai.org.au\/index.php\/news\/tributes-paid-to-important-historical-figure\/"},"modified":"2017-10-14T04:54:13","modified_gmt":"2017-10-14T04:54:13","slug":"tributes-paid-to-important-historical-figure","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/bahai.org.au\/index.php\/tributes-paid-to-important-historical-figure\/","title":{"rendered":"Tributes paid to important historical figure"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"Tributes
From left: Peter Khan, Janet Khan, Kaye Waterman and Stanley Bolton were the speakers at the commemorative event held at the University of New South Wales on 13 November<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Eloquent tributes were paid at events marking the 50th<\/sup> anniversary of the passing of Clara Dunn, who brought the Baha\u2019i Faith to Australia in 1920 with her husband, Hyde Dunn.<\/p>\n

Among those who spoke at \u201can evening of inspiration and thanksgiving\u201d at the University of New South Wales on 13 November was Dr Peter Khan, a former member of the international governing body of the Faith, the Universal House of Justice.<\/p>\n

Dr Khan, who had known Clara Dunn (1869-1960) when he was a young man, said the Dunns made \u201ca unique contribution to the history of the Baha\u2019i Faith in being the originators of a process which resulted in the spiritual illumination of an entire continental area\u201d.<\/p>\n

Dr Khan described Mrs Dunn\u2019s life and recounted how she had dealt with the many personal difficulties she faced.<\/p>\n

\u201cIn a very real sense, she conquered herself,\u201d Dr Khan said.<\/p>\n

\u201cShe overcame these great, formidable obstacles in her life and they were the vehicle for her spiritual development,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

\u201cI think if there is one thing one can say about Clara Dunn\u2019s life as a follower of Baha\u2019u’llah it is that of perseverance, year after year, decade after decade,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

Dr Janet Khan, a Baha\u2019i historian, said Clara Dunn was an example of the initiative of an individual who responded to the call of the then head of the Faith, Abdu\u2019l-Baha (1844-1921), to take the religion to the four corners of the earth.<\/p>\n

Stanley Bolton, who knew Mrs Dunn when he was a young boy, said she was positive in words and deeds and spoke out and acted strongly whenever the occasion arose.<\/p>\n

\u201cEven to me as a youngster she had a radiant and commanding presence,\u201d recalled Mr Bolton, who said Mrs Dunn had been treated with great love and abiding affection by Australian Baha\u2019is.<\/p>\n

Kaye Waterman recalled Mrs Dunn as being \u201cregal and fearless\u201d when she spoke at public functions, yet she lived very simply and was detached from material life.<\/p>\n

\u201cShe was always encouraging, positive and talking with such enthusiasm about the spirit of love and joy among the Baha\u2019is, urging us to rise above difficulties,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

Fun and joy<\/b><\/p>\n

Mariette Leong told a graveside commemoration event on 18 November at Woronora Cemetery in Sydney that Mrs Dunn was \u201cno stuffy pious old lady\u201d.<\/p>\n

\u201cShe loved fun and joy,\u201d Mrs Leong said.<\/p>\n

Once Mrs Dunn posed the question about what improved with old age, Mrs Leong recalled.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s your forgettory!\u201d Mrs Dunn joked.<\/p>\n

A veteran Baha\u2019i, Mrs Viva Rodwell, said that everything to do with Mrs Dunn was fun: \u201cShe had a wonderful sense of humour\u201d.<\/p>\n

Mrs Rodwell also described the deep spirituality of Mrs Dunn, whose attributes were recognised by her appointment by the then head of the Faith, Shoghi Effendi (1899-1957) as \u201ca Hand of the Cause of God\u201d.<\/p>\n

\u201cTo hear Mother Dunn say a prayer was something you never forgot. She said prayers so dramatically and sincerely.\u201d<\/p>\n

An audio recording of Mrs Dunn reciting a prayer was played at the service and it confirmed Mrs Rodwell\u2019s recollection.<\/p>\n

A special commemorative service for Clara Dunn was held at the Baha\u2019i House of Worship in Sydney on 14 November.<\/p>\n

Baha\u2019i communities in every State and Territory of Australia are commemorating the anniversary with a variety of functions and by dedicating to her the services they provide to the wider community<\/p>\n

Video<\/strong><\/p>\n

Fiftieth anniversary of the passing of Clara Dunn<\/a> from Australian Baha’is<\/a> on Vimeo<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Eloquent tributes were paid at events marking the 50th anniversary of the passing of Clara Dunn, who brought the Baha\u2019i Faith to Australia in 1920 with her husband, Hyde Dunn.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":13,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[13,1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1212","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-media-releases","category-uncategorised"],"yoast_head":"\nTributes paid to important historical figure - Australian Baha'i Community<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/bahai.org.au\/index.php\/tributes-paid-to-important-historical-figure\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Tributes paid to important historical figure - 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