“Every community in the world findeth in these Divine Teachings the realization of its highest aspirations. These teachings are even as the tree that beareth the best fruits of all trees.”
-‘Abdu’l-Baha
People from many backgrounds, cultures, religions and ages participate in building community for all.
As the wave of global conferences continues to move across the world, more and more people are awakening to the possibilities for fostering unity and serving their society alongside their neighbors and other fellow citizens.
Participants of these conferences—the majority of which are taking place at the grassroots level—are seeing, in tangible form, the expression of Baha’u’llah’s vision of the world of humanity, which He has described as being a single unit—as one family—in the following quote: “Ye are all leaves of one tree and the drops of one sea.”
Purpose of the Conferences:
Transcending differences – What is the commonality needed to rebuild our communities together?
Harmonizing perspectives – How do we build a unified vision among diverse beliefs and backgrounds?
Developing qualities for service – What human characteristics and values are building blocks for a stable social order?
Promoting consultation – How do we navigate a pathway to decision making through inclusivity, understanding and detachment?
Recognizing our oneness as a single human family – How is our understanding of the inherent oneness of humanity a means for social progress?
FURTHER READING
Friends, families, colleagues, and neighbors, in urban and rural settings across the United States, explore a unified vision for the betterment of the world.
Some topics that may be discussed:
Baha’u’llah’s vision for humanity
How is your community learning to better apply spiritual qualities and attitudes
that are needed to contribute to the betterment of society?
Contributing to social transformation
In what ways are the community-building endeavors helping to raise consciousness and overcome the social, economic and cultural barriers impeding spiritual and material progress?
Understanding the distance traversed
What has been the progress in your local area by people from all walks of life striving to apply Baha’u’llah’s vision for the oneness of humanity?
Building vibrant communities
How is a growing culture of prayer linked with service contributing to a transformation in the lives of the people in your local area?
Educational endeavors and the Training Institute
What steps can be taken in your local area to ensure opportunities for spiritual education that adequately serve the needs of the whole community from childhood to adulthood?
The current Plan of Action
The Global Baha’i Community has been working systematically to advance a process of community building. The latest letter 30 December 2021 – To the Conference of the Continental Boards of Counsellors, outlines a framework of action for the next nine years.
FURTHER READING
A many-faceted approach to transforming society
This growing community is unified in vision to uplift all of humanity but diverse in the approaches it takes to advance the varied realities of each community.
Two recently released films, illustrate the worldwide efforts of thousands of local communities in both urban and rural settings to translate Baha’u’llah’s vision for humanity into action.
Exemplar
This film follows the life of ‘Abdu’l-Baha, the son of Baha’u’llah and the perfect example of His teachings, and the profound effect He had on people both past and present. The film reflects a few of the universal principles He embodied, both in word and deed—principles that animate a global movement of individuals, communities and institutions striving to emulate His example in service to humanity.
Glimpses of a Hundred Years of Endeavour
This film provides insight into a hundred years of endeavor and learning, carried out by a burgeoning Baha’i community, and outlines the journey that has led to the community’s current efforts to contribute to the emergence of a world organized around the principle of the oneness of humanity.
FURTHER READING
A framework for action for building a global community
The Universal House of Justice
