2025 continued to be a year of learning, growth and strengthening connections with the zones, countries and our affiliate organizations and subcommittees. A blessing in my life as chair is the support and wisdom of our dear ISC Chair, Arifin Konrad. The executive team including my supportive Deputy Chair, Hanna deRoo and Arifin’s Vice Chair, Farah Czwiertnia, along with our International Helper liaisons, meet by zoom every other week.
The zone representatives continue to demonstrate devotion to their responsibilities. I appreciate attending some zone zoom meetings to hear from the countries. I was able to attend the Zone 3 meeting in Lisbon. It was so enjoyable being at the Subud Australia and Subud Indonesia national congresses, meeting the leadership and members. These experiences always reinforce that we are all connected through the latihan.
The WSA board met monthly and the Council met quarterly. We jointly looked at advice from Bapak to Varindra when WSA was incorporating and after discussion, decided that the Council would meet monthly. Our understanding became clear that the Council should consider points of policies and procedures for WSA, even if there is a subset of legal voting members.
A real honor for the WSA chair is to be a member of the boards of Mhd Subuh Foundation, Subud International Cultural Association and Susila dharma International, our affiliate organizations. These are real powerhouses bringing the evidence of our latihan into the world.
One of our Aims is preserving Bapak and Ibu Rayahu’s talks and the history of Subud. The archives in Cilandak, Indonesia, Canberra, Australia and at the Amani Center in Beltsville USA shared so openly with me on my visits their activities and challenges. WSA is a strong supporter of these archives, and the Archives Subcommittee is quite active and dedicated.
A highlight of 2025 was the first in person Council meeting in Fatima, Portugal where we experienced the benefits of latihan and testing together. Discussion items included visioning the future of Subud, a starter list of what members would like to see at the 2028 World Congress and addressing the establishment of a physically and mentally safe environment for Subud members. The Safeguarding Work Group formed for this topic and has presented procedures to the council.
Council members visited the sites of the 2028 World Congress at this meeting. A November meeting in Fatima was specific to the formation of the World Congress Organizing Team (WCOT) under the masterful leadership of Hamid DaSilva. The absolute “right people” with an array of skills has come together as leads in different areas of responsibility. I send my personal thanks to them for dedicating their talents to this enterprise and look forward to collaborating with them all.
One decision that has become clear was that key business of the Congress (delegate meetings, plenary sessions, and workshops) will happen at the Fatima Sanctuary Congress Center. A modular structure set charmingly in the forest area behind the Fatima SDivine Hotel will hold simultaneous latihans, plenary testing and personal testing. Hotels and guest houses are being contracted. The World Congress website will open in 2026, and registration is scheduled for 2027.
From a 2024 World Congress resolution, the ISC added the position of WSA Communications Coordinator, filled superbly by Amanda Rivera. Amanda and her team have established a bimonthly e-newsletter, WSA CONNECT, which is distributed to the zones in four languages. You can also request it delivered into your own computer in box. Efforts to update the WSA website still need more attention, needing volunteers to assist. And thanks to the attention of the Council and the willingness of members to join working groups, all the 2024 Delegate Resolutions have been enacted. An ongoing Bylaws and Constitution review group is chaired by WSA Corporate Secretary Lucian Parshall.
It would be difficult to cover all the WSA Chair activities and impossible to thank all those who support the work of Subud. If you think of the future of Subud and have some concerns… well, I no longer do. Our practice of the latihan worldwide is strong, we try to seek harmony and excellence in our Subud work, and there is quite a sense of camaraderie we share.
I wish everyone a year ahead of blessings and growth, and that we can continue our collective work and prayers supporting the aims of WSA, what Bapak and Ibu received for us and what we receive for ourselves going forward to 2026.
With my love, Rifka
Rifka Several, WSA chair
