The home page of the new, official, international Baha'i Web site, "The Baha'is".

HAIFA, Israel, 20 April 2005 (BWNS) -- A new official Web site has been launched by the Baha'i International Community to provide an introduction to the Baha'i Faith for general inquirers, researchers, and journalists.

The Web site, titled "The Baha'is," is also a portal to the family of official Web sites of the Baha'i International Community.

This site at http://bahai.org replaces the previous site at the same address, "The Baha'i World," as the main official site of the Baha'i Faith on the Internet.

The content of "The Baha'i World" will continue to be available as the "Baha'i Topics: An Information Resource," http://info.bahai.org.

The new site gives visitors concise initial summaries of aspects of the Baha'i Faith, said Douglas Moore, director of the Baha'i International Community's Office of Public Information at the Baha'i World Centre in Haifa, Israel.

"The visitors then have the option of obtaining more comprehensive and better integrated information on those topics," Mr. Moore said.

It also provides access to the latest Baha'i news and feature stories, he said.

"The inclusive feel of the site demonstrates the Baha'i belief that the teachings of Baha'u'llah are for everyone and not just those who have joined the Faith," Mr. Moore said.

"Those who read about the current main activities of Baha'is will see that all are welcome to participate in them, whether they be study circles, children's classes, or devotional meetings," he said.

A map assists visitors to find the official Baha'i Web sites of their respective countries.

The site acts as a portal to the family of official sites of the Baha'i International Community including:

• Baha'i Topics: An Information Resource (http://info.bahai.org); a comprehensive collection of articles about the Baha'i Faith, its teachings, history, and community.
• Baha'i World News Service (http://news.bahai.org); the latest Baha'i news and feature stories.
• One Country (http://www.onecountry.org); a news and features magazine.
• Baha'i Reference Library (http://reference.bahai.org); the authoritative online source of the Baha'i sacred writings.
• Baha'i Statement Library (http://statements.bahai.org); an archive of statements by the Baha'i International Community.

The Baha'i International Community will launch two more official sites in the near future: a media library that includes a collection of Baha'i images for use in publications and Web sites, and a glossary, which will offer definitions and a pronunciation guide to key Baha'i terms.