February 17

…there is nothing in the authoritative Bahá’í Writings to indicate that the Lesser Peace would be established before the end of the twentieth century. However, there are clear statements affirming that the unity of nations would be, in the words of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, “securely established” during the twentieth century.

… the evolution of the World Order of Bahá’u’lláh is an organic process proceeding in accordance with the Divine Will and animated by a spiritual reality. In response to a question, ‘Abdu’l-Bahá wrote: “The kingdom of peace, salvation, uprightness, and reconciliation is founded in the invisible world, and it will by degrees become manifest and apparent through the power of the Word of God!” As a result of consecrated human endeavor over decades, and indeed centuries, this spiritual reality is gradually expressed in physical form. 

- The Universal House of Justice  (From a letter dated 19 April 2001, written on behalf of the Universal House of Justice to an individual believer; Online Baha’i Reference Library of the Baha’i World center)