2022 CONFERENCE Social Transformation: A Path to Universal Peace “Let your vision be world embracing.” We are pleased to invite you to a meeting of all those who want to contribute to the betterment of of the world we live in. The teachings of Baha’u’llah present a vision of the peaceful global civilization based on the recognition of the oneness of humanity. If this idea touches your heart and you would like to join or learn more, be sure to come! Similar gatherings will be held around the world and “will give the participants an opportunity to gain greater insight into the nature of the spir ..read more

The following content is from news.bahai.org. © 2022 Bahá’í International Community BAHÁ’Í WORLD CENTRE — A rising wave of conferences is sweeping across the globe, bringing together the well-wishers of humanity to consult about how they can channel their energies and desire to promote unity and serve their fellow citizens into addressing the needs of their societies. Gatherings at the local, national, and international levels are enabling participants to gain insights from experiences in Bahá’í community-building activities, initiatives undertaken for social action, and efforts to contribute ..read more

The following excerpted article is from bahaiworld.bahai.org. Content ©2022 Bahá’í International Community. Photo: Panelists of a three-day online symposium held by the U.S. Bahá’í Office of Public Affairs titled Advancing Together: Forging a Path Toward a Just, Inclusive and Unified Society. Credit: https://news.bahai.org/story/1514/ BY EMILY LAMPLE & RICHARD THOMAS This is the second of two articles focusing on the American Bahá’í community’s efforts to contribute to racial unity and justice in the United States. Part 2 explores how developments in the Bahá’í world from 1996 to 2021 have ..read more

The following article is sourced from bahai.org. Commissioned by the Universal House of Justice, two films have recently been released in commemoration of the centenary of the Ascension of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá. Exemplar Exemplar follows the life of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá and the profound effect He had on people both past and present. A sense of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá’s unique function as a shelter, a shield, a stronghold for all humanity is captured in vignettes of some of the souls whose lives were transformed for the betterment of society through their association with Him. The film reflects a few of the universal prin ..read more

Produced by a group of Bahá’ís in 2012 for the centenary commemoration of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá’s travels westward, The Journey West is a 27-episode podcast that explores ‘Abdu’l-Bahá’s journey to Europe and North America in 1911-1913: a mission not only to spread the teachings of His Father, Bahá’u’lláh, but also to exemplify what it means to be a Bahá’í. Each episode is about half an hour long and is divided into three parts. The first part features a story about ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, often in the artfully re-enacted accounts of those who personally met Him as they describe their impressions of their encount ..read more

The following article is from bahai.us. Image: Graphic rendering of the Shrine of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, Copyright © Bahá’í International Community Ridvan 178-179 BE (April 20, 2021 to 2022) is the Centenary year of remembering ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, a year described by the Universal House of Justice as one of “profound reflection on the life of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá and the strength of the Covenant of which He was the Centre, as the community prepares to commemorate the centenary of His Ascension”. Life of ‘Abdu’l‑Baha Through stories of the life of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, a careful study of His actions and frequent meditation o ..read more

The following article, authored by Matthew Brand, is from Baha’i Blog. Photo: ‘Abdu’l-Bahá addressing a large gathering at the Plymouth Congregational Church, Chicago, Illinois, 5 May 1912 © Bahá’í International Community On April 11, 1912 in New York City, Abdu’l-Baha commenced 239 unforgettable days traversing the North American continent with this warm greeting: “How are you? Welcome! Welcome!” How typical it was of His generosity of spirit that He should be welcoming His devotees as His own guests! After arriving today, although weary with travel, I had the utmost longing and yearning to ..read more

The following is a partial transcript from an 11-part lecture series given by Professor Nader Saiedi called “Text and Context in the Baha’i Heroic Age”. From Talk 1, it begins at 3:31. See bottom of post for audio of the full lecture series. Now, the Bahá’í Faith begins with a particular event, as you all know, that was May 23, 1844. A young scholar of the Shaykhí school called Mullá Husayn… meets the Báb in Shiraz and he’s invited to the house of the Báb, and they have conversation and interactions. And through this interaction, of course, the first major work of the Báb after the Declaration ..read more

June Thomas, a member of the Baha’i community here in Washtenaw County, was recently featured in an article published on the University of Michigan’s Taubman College of Architecture and Urban Planning website. From the article: A Baha’i since age 21, Thomas’s faith is integral to her academic work. “My work in my faith community is as important as my work in my profession because of my faith’s race unity agenda. Through that vehicle, I work in an interracial environment with people who are constantly promoting the idea of overcoming racial prejudice.” By connecting spirituality and planning ..read more

The following content is from Baha’i Blog. IN THIS SERIES OF EIGHT TALKS, historian Douglas Martin discusses the evolution of religion in the context of our capacity to respond to the requirements of the Divine Plan. Douglas Martin was born in 1927 in Ontario, Canada. He held a Bachelor’s degree in business administration from the University of Western Ontario and a Master’s degree in history from the University of Waterloo, Ontario. He was a member of the National Spiritual Assembly of the Baha’is of Canada from 1960-85, serving as its general secretary from 1965-85. From 1985-93 he was direc ..read more