News

NEW DELHI — Justice necessitates that women should have equal rights as men. However, achieving true equality is difficult and will require the removal of obstacles that block women’s participation as equals of men in all areas of human endeavor. 

The Bahá’í Community of Sri Lanka, together with their neighbors and friends are working together to achieve social transformation, which brings spiritual and material requirements of life into dynamic coherence

BIC NEW YORK — The New York Office of the Bahá’í International Community (BIC) recently brought together representatives of member states, agencies of the United Nations (UN), civil society actors, and Bahá’í Offices of External Affairs from around the world to explore how women are uniquely situated to lead responses to the climate crisis.

BAHÁ’Í WORLD CENTRE — 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.

TUNIS, Tunisia — At a recent press conference in Tunis, Tunisia, the faith communities of that country signed a jointly prepared “National Pact for Coexistence,” expressing their commitment to nurturing a more peaceful society.

SANTIAGO, Chile — How can spiritual principles such as justice and oneness guide the development of cities, and how can large urban centers promote the participation of their citizens in decision-making processes?

BAHÁ’Í WORLD CENTRE — A reception held in Haifa last week brought together government officials, diplomats, civil society leaders and leaders of Faith communities—Jewish, Muslim, Christian, and Druze—to mark the centenary of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá’s passing and to honor His enduring legacy in the Holy Land and beyond.

BAHÁ’Í WORLD CENTRE — The consultations of the Boards of Counsellors that had begun immediately after their conference have today concluded, marking the beginning of a new chapter in the development of the global Bahá’í community.

BAHÁ’Í WORLD CENTRE — Glimpses of a Hundred Years of Endeavour, a film commissioned by the Universal House of Justice, was released today on Bahai.org.

BAHÁ’Í WORLD CENTRE — The conference of the Continental Boards of Counsellors, which commenced on Thursday, came to a conclusion today with the reading of a message of the Universal House of Justice addressed to the Bahá’ís of the world.

BAHÁ’Í WORLD CENTRE — The Conference of the Continental Boards of Counsellors commenced this morning.

OTTAWA, Canada — The 45th annual conference of the Association for Bahá’í Studies (ABS), held last week, brought together over 2,500 people to reflect on their efforts to contribute to a wide variety of areas of thought and discourse.

BANGUI, Central African Republic — A years-long armed conflict in the Central African Republic (CAR) has disrupted life across the country and displaced hundreds of thousands of people.

Baha’is everywhere work for the betterment of society. In Iran, too, Baha’is strive to contribute where possible to the peaceful development of their country. Unfortunately, the Iranian government has blocked them at every turn, solely because of their religious beliefs.

DILI, Timor-leste — Crisis and victory go hand in hand, says a member of the newly established National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of Timor-Leste referring to the historic elections that took place last Friday amid tireless efforts to respond to the devastating floods in the country.

OKCHEAY, Cambodia — In 2019, a group of young adolescents in the Cambodian village of Okcheay set out to plant trees along a patch of road to improve air quality and provide shelter from the heat. 

BIC NEW YORK — As the world undergoes profound change, the pandemic has clearly revealed the indispensable role of women leaders and the need for models of leadership to be reconceptualized. 

SANTIAGO, Chile — An audience of some 50,000 across Chile tuned in last week to watch a program that offered perspectives of the country’s Bahá’í community on how people can remain hopeful and respond constructively to the health crisis.

“South East Asia…[has] produced in all ages civilizations and cultures representative of the highest accomplishments of the human race…”—BAHA’I WRITINGS

BRATISLAVA, Slovakia — A small but growing conversation about human nature and capacity is taking root in Slovakia, challenging common notions about migration and minorities, as well as fostering greater participation and mutual support.

The constitution of the Universal House of Justice was drafted soon after the first election of the body in 1963, and was completed and signed in 1972.

The family unit is the nucleus of human society. It provides a vital setting for the development of praiseworthy qualities and capacities.

SANTIAGO, Chile — An audience of some 50,000 across Chile tuned in last week to watch a program that offered perspectives of the country’s Bahá’í community on how people can remain hopeful and respond constructively to the health crisis.

SINGAPORE — Singapore’s National Heritage Board (NHB) has added the Bahá’í Nineteen Day Feast to its intangible cultural heritage list following a national mandate to document and preserve the diverse cultural expressions of the island nation.

HARGAWAN, India — Ground was broken today for the first local Bahá’í House of Worship in India—an edifice from which will emanate the spirit of worship and service that has been fostered over decades in the local area, known as Bihar Sharif. 

BIC GENEVA — Leading Muslims, government officials, and parliamentarians around the world have joined a growing outcry at the unjust confiscation of properties owned by Bahá’ís in the Iranian farming village of Ivel. 

BIC New York — A feature-length film on gender equality produced by the Bahá’í International Community (BIC) premiered today at a virtual screening before a gathering of UN officials, ambassadors of member states, non-governmental organizations, and other civil society actors.

​BARO, Chad — In the Guéra region of Chad, some 30 traditional chiefs from the area gathered in the village of Baro to discuss the future of their people.

BAHÁ’Í WORLD CENTRE — The concrete bases that will support the two garden berms on either side of the central plaza for the Shrine of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá are now complete. The structural reinforcement and formwork for one of the walls enclosing the south plaza are also taking shape.

BAHÁ’Í WORLD CENTRE — The release of new essays today on The Baha’i World online publication is complemented by recent developments on the website.