November 9. On this date in 1969, Amatu'l-Bahá Rúhíyyih Khánum arrived in Addis Ababa where she gave a lecture at the Rotary Club and "a dinner in her honor was given by His Excellency the Israeli Ambassador, to which members of diplomatic corps and other distinguished guests were invited."

 

November 9. On this date in 1969, Amatu'l-Bahá Rúhíyyih Khánum arrived in Addis Ababa where she gave a lecture at the Rotary Club and "a dinner in her honor was given by His Excellency the Israeli Ambassador, to which members of diplomatic corps and other distinguished guests were invited."

From Shoghi Effendi's death in 1957 until her own death in 2000, Amatu'l-Bahá Rúhíyyih Khánum traveled to over 185 countries and territories.

As documented in Violette Nakhjavani's The Great Safari of Hand of the Cause Rúhíyyih Khánum...

Our precious experiences in Ethiopia were drawing to a close. We flew off, on a brilliant sunny morning, from the high plateau on which Asmara nestles, and leaving the white city amidst its green trees proceeded with Dr. Neiderreiter and his wife to the ancient capital of Axum, where we parted reluctantly. It was Rúḥíyyih Khánum’s intention to see at least a few of the historic places in so historic a land, and after half a day in Axum and two days in Lalibela we joined the Bahá’ís once again; this time in Gondar, another historic city, but one that now has special connotations for the Faith, as it is here that not long ago ten of the believers were severely beaten by a pack of drunkards and mistakenly hauled off to jail in the belief they were disturbing the peace. The misunderstanding and false accusations were soon straightened out on strict orders being received from the Capital to free the Bahá’ís; but the priest-inspired persecution served a useful purpose, for one of the priesthood went and inquired about the Faith and promptly accepted it. He was not the only new believer as a result of this local uproar.

Upon our return to Addis Ababa on November 9, we were again caught up in a whirl of activity. A lecture was given by Rúḥíyyih Khánum at the regular weekly Rotary Club luncheon; a dinner in her honor was given by His Excellency the Israeli Ambassador, to which members of diplomatic corps and other distinguished guests were invited.

She spoke three nights running at the Ḥaẓíratu’l-Quds to the Bahá’í ladies, the Bahá’í youth, and on the occasion of the anniversary of Bahá’u’lláh’s Birthday, November 12, as well as the Addis Ababa Community banquet at the airport restaurant. A long, last, happy day with many of the Addis Ababa believers and friends was spent visiting the Bahá’ís in Sabeta and lunching on the way back to Addis Ababa in the hospitable home of one of the friends. A last reception was given in her honor, before the departure next day for Nairobi, at which some cabinet ministers and other prominent people were present.