8/6/2019 NSA letter to Dawn Breakers IFF Honoring William Sears

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November22,2010

ToallthosegatheredinSanDiegoforthe2010DawnBreakersInternationalFilmFestivalDearFriends,TheNationalSpiritualAssemblyoftheBahsoftheUnitedStatessendsyouitswarmestgreetingsasyoucometogetheratthisfestivaltoshareideas,synthesizefuturecollaborations,andviewanimpressiveselectionoffilmswhichmanifestarichdiversityofcreativevisionsfromeverycontinentoftheglobe.Wearealsodelightedthatthisgathering,nowinits4thyear,haschosentohonorthelifeofWilliamSears,whousedhisoutstandingtalentasastoryteller,throughavarietyofmedia,forthemostnobleofpurposestoadvancethecauseofunityandbrotherhood,tobreakdown,inwordanddeed,barriersbetweenthediversepeoplesoftheworld,andtodemandjusticeforthevoiceless

and

oppressed.

WilliamSearsfirstachievedprofessionalsuccessasaradiosportsbroadcasterandlaterstarredasthehostofabelovedfamilytelevisionshowonCBS.AfterembracingtheBahFaith,hefocusedonusinghisprofessionalexperiencetosharetheFaithsessentialmessagethatTheearthisbutonecountryandmankinditscitizens.EmbodyingthisyearsconferencethemeLetyourvisionbeworldembracingWilliamSearsspentmuchofhislifecirclingtheglobeinvariouscapacitiesfortheFaith.Heauthoredmorethanadozenbooks,pennedpoetry,andinspiredcountlesssoulsbytellingstories.OnesuchbookisACryfromtheHeart,whichdescribesthepersecutionoftheBahcommunityinIranfollowingtheIranianRevolutionin1979,thatWilliamSearswrotesothattheharassmentofhisbrethreninthatcountrywouldnotgounseenbytheworldatlarge. Asthoseofyouattendingthisfilmfestivalwellknow,tellingastorycanbeapowerfulact.Whenlookingattheimmensechallengesfacingourplanetatthistime,onemaybecomedisillusionedordiscouragedandfeelasthoughourindividualeffortscannotaffectchange.This,ofcourse,isnottrue.Weareallwitnessestoandparticipantsinthisageoftransitionwhentheworldistruly,inexorably,meldingintoonecommunity.Humanityneedsartists,writersandfilmmakers,employingeveryformoftechnology,tofollowinthefootstepsofWilliamSearsandtoeachcontributeasharetotheeducationandupliftmentofmankind,thatasaresultofourendeavors,contentionandconflictamidstpeoples,kindreds,nationsandgovernmentsmaydisappear,thatallthedwellersonearthmay

becomeonepeopleandrace,thattheworldmaybecomeevenasonehome.Sincerely,KennethE.BowersSecretary