The members of the Baha’i Faith living in Northshore are presenting the documentary film “To Light a Candle” at the Northshore Performing Arts Center in Bothell on Feb. 28 from 1-3 p.m. The showing is free to the public.

This film chronicles the persecution of Iran’s Baha’is, and the development of their underground university The Baha’i Institute of Higher Education (BIHE).

Iranian Baha’i students have been barred from attending universities since Iran’s revolution in 1979, and Iranian Baha’i professors have been barred from teaching. Through personal stories, interviews and archive footage, the film documents the history of persecution of Baha’is in Iran, the establishment of BIHE, and shows how Baha’i college students and teachers adapt to the persecution by meeting secretly in homes, with the threat of arrest part of everyday life.

The film is a testament not only to the spirit and determination of the Baha’i community in Iran, but also illustrates the critical importance higher education plays in supporting communities and sustaining hope.

There will be a panel of guest speakers who will speak to these issues and shed more light on stories from people affected by this locally.