Efforts to participate in the discourses of society
constitute a third area of action in which the friends are engaged. Such
participation can occur at all levels of society, from the local to the international,
through various types of interactions—from informal discussions on Internet
forums and attendance at seminars, to the dissemination of statements and
contact with government officials. What is important is for Bahá’ís to be
present in the many social spaces in which thinking and policies evolve on any
one of a number of issues — on governance, the environment, climate change, the
equality of men and women, human rights, to mention a few — so that they can,
as occasions permit, offer generously, unconditionally and with utmost humility
the teachings of the Faith and their experience in applying them as a
contribution to the betterment of society. Of course, care should be exercised
that the friends involved in this area of activity avoid overstating the Bahá’í
experience and drawing attention to fledging efforts of the Bahá’í community
which are best left to come to maturity without interference, such as the
junior youth spiritual empowerment program. The development of instruments,
methods and approaches for this area of activity is a chief concern of the
Institute for Studies in Global Prosperity, based here at the Bahá’í World
Centre.
(From a letter dated 4
January 2009 written on behalf of the Universal House of Justice to NSA of
Australia)
