Welcome to the Second International IFIP Entertainment Computing Symposium on st Cultural Computing (ECS 2010), which was part of the 21 IFIP World Computer Congress, held in Brisbane, Australia during September 21-23, 2010. On behalf of the people who made this conference happen, we wish to welcome you to this inter- tional event. The IFIP World Computer Congress has offered an opportunity for researchers and practitioners to present their findings and research results in several prominent areas of computer science and engineering. In the last World Computer Congress, WCC 2008, held in Milan, Italy in September 2008, IFIP launched a new initiative focused on all the relevant issues concerning computing and entertainment. As a - sult, the two-day technical program of the First Entertainment Computing Symposium (ECS 2008) provided a forum to address, explore and exchange information on the state of the art of computer-based entertainment and allied technologies, their design and use, and their impact on society. Based on the success of ECS 2008, at this Second IFIP Entertainment Computing Symposium (ECS 2010), our challenge was to focus on a new area in entertainment computing: cultural computing.

Welcome to the Second International IFIP Entertainment Computing Symposium on st Cultural Computing (ECS 2010), which was part of the 21 IFIP World Computer Congress, held in Brisbane, Australia during September 21-23, 2010. On behalf of the people who made this conference happen, we wish to welcome you to this inter- tional event. The IFIP World Computer Congress has offered an opportunity for researchers and practitioners to present their findings and research results in several prominent areas of computer science and engineering. In the last World Computer Congress, WCC 2008, held in Milan, Italy in September 2008, IFIP launched a new initiative focused on all the relevant issues concerning computing and entertainment. As a - sult, the two-day technical program of the First Entertainment Computing Symposium (ECS 2008) provided a forum to address, explore and exchange information on the state of the art of computer-based entertainment and allied technologies, their design and use, and their impact on society. Based on the success of ECS 2008, at this Second IFIP Entertainment Computing Symposium (ECS 2010), our challenge was to focus on a new area in entertainment computing: cultural computing.

Shoghi Effendi stated that the first duty, and the focus of sustained efforts, of every faithful follower of the Baha'i Faith is to strive to acquire a more adequate understanding of the Revelation of Baha'u'llah. Although a full comprehension of such a Revelation is beyond the limits of our understanding, a clearer understanding of its basic truths will empower us to derive fresh inspiration and to gain further spiritual nourishment, which in turn will support and maintain our services to the Cause (Shoghi Effendi, The World Order of Baha'u'llah, p. 100). Shoghi Effendi wrote "The Dispensation of Baha'u'llah" in 1934 in the form of a letter addressed to the Baha'is of the West to assist them to fulfil the obligation of deepening their understanding. The letter was published together with a selection of his other letters in 1938 in the book entitled The World Order of Baha'u'llah. "The Dispensation of Baha'u'llah" provides an accurate and clear description of the fundamental verities of the Baha'i Faith concerning the station of its Central Figures as well as the twin crowning institutions of the Guardianship and the Universal House of Justice. Grasping and upholding these verities will enrich the spiritual life of the individual. This tutorial is designed to assist you in studying and assimilating the content of "The Dispensation of Baha'u'llah." It is called a tutorial to emphasize the concept underlying its development. In a tutorial, a tutor facilitates learning for an individual or a small group. This book has been designed and developed to simulate, as much as possible, the tutor-tutored relationship in a self-paced personal study. The tutorial identifies the main themes covered in Shoghi Effendi's letter and splits related paragraphs into chapters. Hence, the 130 paragraphs of "The Dispensation of Baha'u'llah" are apportioned for study across 27 chapters. The size and complexity of each chapter reflects the content and intricacy of the issues addressed in the paragraphs included therein. The title chosen for each chapter reflects the main theme covered in the paragraphs. In addition, two extra chapters address those questions that arose following the sudden passing of Shoghi Effendi and the lack of any lineal descendant to succeed him as the next Guardian. The first chapter explores the possible reasons that Shoghi Effendi did not leave a will nor appoint a successor. The second chapter examines the defection of Charles Mason Remey after the passing of Shoghi Effendi, and his unsubstantiated claim to the Guardianship.

Knowing my inner self is written for teenagers to assist them in their journey to discover inner self and to cultivate their hidden capacities as they blossom from childhood to maturity. It explores answers to the fundamental questions that often occupy the mind of adolescents at some stage of their growth: What am I? Who am I? What is the purpose of my life? The concepts and issues associated with these questions are examined, and their implications for teenagers are highlighted. The content of the book is inspired by universal spiritual principles, particularly the concepts taught by Baha'u'llah, the Prophet Founder of the Baha'i Faith. The approach and pedagogy is the result of nearly twenty years of sharing these concepts with teenagers of different age groups in the Education for Peace Program offered by the Yerrinbool Baha'i Centre of Learning in Australia. The style of writing is simple but logical, and conclusions are reached through observation and reasoning. It simulates, as much as possible, a tutor-tutored relationship in which the tutor facilitates learning for an individual or a small group. In summary, the book represents a manual on practical spirituality for teenagers and a workbook of activities to assist the reader to assimilate the concepts and apply them to personal situations. The book consists of four major parts: a) The emergence of human beings: This section has its focus on the evolution of life on the earth. Efforts are made in this section to distinguish between the facts and theories surrounding the concept of evolution. b) The nature of human beings: Through observation and reasoning it is demonstrated that a pure materialistic view is far from adequate to explain all the characteristics of man. c) Cultivating inner capacities: The cultivation of inner capacities, identified as a major objective of human life, is emphasised and practical steps to accomplish this are explored. d) A mystical journey: The final part of the book looks into the mystical aspects of spiritual growth, which is the process of drawing closer to God through knowledge and recognition of His Manifestation, growing love of Him, and serving His Cause. The book consists of 24 chapters. Each chapter starts with an introduction that highlights the key concepts addressed. The topic covered in the chapter is then explored in sections of relatively short length. The chapter then ends with a series of activities aimed at assisting the reader to assimilate the concepts. The activities are designed to stimulate thought and reflection at three levels: acquisition of knowledge provided in each chapter, analysis of this knowledge and the application of this knowledge particularly to personal situations.

A journey through the Book of Certitude The Kitab-i-Iqan is one of the most important Writings of Baha'u'llah, the Founder of the Baha'i Faith. Baha'u'llah revealed this book within the space of two days and two nights, in the last years of His stay in Baghdad (AH 1278-AD 1862). According to Shoghi Effendi, the Guardian of the Baha'i Faith, The Kitab-i-Iqan sets "forth in outline the Grand Redemptive Scheme of God" and it "occupies a position unparalleled by any work in the entire range of the Baha'i literature, except The Kitab-i-Aqdas Baha'u'llah's Most Holy Book." This current book is a record of the journey that the author has taken through The Kitab-i-Iqan over a period of 12 years. It is not an interpretation or a critical analysis of the content of the book. Neither does it provide any personal opinion. It primarily guides reader through a systematic study of the Iqan while providing some background information on topics raised by Baha'u'llah in each paragraph. It is called a tutorial as it attempts to simulate, as much as possible, the tutor-tutored relationship in a self-paced personal study. All the references in the tutorial are sourced either from authoritative Baha'i materials or obtained from other reliable sources. The 290 paragraphs of The Kitab-i-Iqan are apportioned for study to 58 chapters. The size and complexity of each chapter reflects the content and intricacy of the issues addressed in the paragraphs included therein. Each chapter starts with an introduction that highlights the key ideas. Then in a coherent manner, background information on the terminologies, references and mystical concepts inherent in each paragraph is provided. The tutorial covers the 266 topics embedded in The Kitab-i-Iqan.