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Search for tag "Public discourse"

from the chronology

date event locations tags see also
1991 (In the year) The first major public statement of the National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of the United States, The Vision of Race Unity: America's Most challenging Issue, was published and disseminated widely throughout the country. United States Vision of Race Unity (statement); Race (general); Unity; Publications; Statements; National Spiritual Assembly, statements; Public discourse Find ref
1994. 24 Oct The Supreme Court of India, in judgment to settle a religious dispute between Hindus and Muslims, cited the Bahá’í Faith as an example and the Teachings of the Faith as guidelines for resolving such disputes. [BW94-95p130-131; One Country]

Background: On the 6th of December, 1992, the Babri mosque in the northern town of Ayodhya was razed by a group of Hindus because the mosque, built in 1528, had been erected on the spot where the Hindu deity Rama is said to have been born thousands of years earlier. The destruction enraged Muslims and ignited a grave crisis in India. Muslim and Hindu mobs attacked each other's houses of worship, homes and people in a number of cities, resulting in the death of hundreds and the destruction of property not only in India but in Pakistan, Bangladesh, and even in Britain. [Mess86-01p440]

  The Bahá'í community had issued a statement in English that highlighted a central theme: “Communal Harmony—India’s Greatest Challenge.” The issue of religious conflict and the importance of harmony and peacebuilding were emphasized. This statement was later translated into most of the official languages of India and distributed to Ministers, bureaucrats, district county workers, the superintendent of police, NGOS, and faith communities.

The judges, in their ruling, quoted from the statement from the National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of India Communal Harmony: India's Greatest Challenge. [Mess86-01p441]

  • A timeline for the case.
    		• New Delhi; India; Ayodhya Communal harmony; Communalism; Ethnic divisions; Conflict resolution; Statements; National Spiritual Assembly, statements; Public discourse
    1999 (in the year) The founding of the Institute for Studies in Global Prosperity (ISGP) as a non-profit organization to work in collaboration with the Bahá’í International Community and dedicated to building capacity in individuals, groups and institutions to contribute to prevalent discourses concerned with the betterment of society. One of the purposes of the Institute was to explore, with others, the complementary roles that science and religion – as co-evolving systems of knowledge and practice – must play in the advancement of civilization. Principles, concepts and approaches that are relevant to the advancement of civilization are to be explored through a process of study, reflection and consultation. [ISPG Web site; Bahaipedia; BWNS1266] New York; United States Institute for Studies in Global Prosperity (ISGP); Bahai International Community; Science; Public discourse
    2013 Ridván The announcement by the Universal House of Justice in the Ridván Message of the creation of the Office of Public Discourse. [Ridván 2013]
  • As an example of their work here are a few lines of action that were identified by the Office of Public Discourse at the Bahá'í World Center as being particularly helpful capacities to build at the national level in the United States:
    • Reading the reality of society and its discourses on race. This includes not only visiting cities as described above to learn about current programs, but also discovering how people in various parts of society are talking about race.
    • Entering established social spaces, such as conferences and workshops. A wide variety of opportunities are open for Baha’i participation, Andrews notes — not just groups that study the dynamic between white and African-American communities, but also institutes for studies concerning Native Americans, Asian Americans and Latin Americans.
    • Developing sincere friendships with people active in social justice work. Working with others over a number of years, OPA has found a nucleus of groups “with whom we can build relationships and who are interested in engaging with us,” Lample says. Those collaborations help the office participate effectively in high levels of discourse.
    • Convening spaces for a variety of people and agencies and creating content to stimulate sharing of thoughts. Right now the most active Baha’i-sponsored space is the Dialogue on Faith and Race, which OPA hosts every three months. While that attracts about 20 participants in an average session, “about 50 organizations are loosely part of the community that we bring together,” Andrews says. Usually the content that starts conversations at those gatherings is in the form of a document or white paper, but the team is looking at learning to create podcasts and videos for a wider audience.
    • Learning how to engage small, knowledgeable groups of Bahá’ís. The race discourse team has started conversations with Baha’is across the country who have expertise and experience taking part in the national discourse on race. “This aspect of our work will likely grow and develop as the American Baha’i community continues to gain more experience in translating the writings of Baha’u’llah into action and the power to articulate what it is learning,” Lample says. [NSA USA website]
    		•  BWC; Haifa Office of Public Discourse; Public discourse
    2020. 19 Jun The National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of the United States issued a statement entitled Forging a Path to Racial Justice in response to the death of George Floyd and the subsequent demonstrations for racial unity that followed.
  • See as well their website Race Unity Action.
  • See also The Bahá’í Response to Racial Injustice and Pursuit of Racial Unity Part 1 (1912-1996) and Part 2 (1996-2021). [BWNS1514]
    		• Wilmette; United States Racial amity; Race (general); Race unity; Racism; Statements; Public discourse
    2020. 29 Jun The National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of Papua New Guinea issued a statement through its External Affairs department entitled Forging a Path to Gender Equality in response to a series of tragic events and a situation that intensified during the pandemic. [BWNS1439]
  • Statement on the External Affairs website.
    		• Port Moresby; Papua New Guinea Equality; Women; Statements; Public discourse
    2020. 5 Dec The Austrian Bahá’í Office of External Affairs launched a new vlog that will explore issues of national concern in Austria. It was titled “Themes that move Austria,” and such topics as environmental protection, migration, social cohesion, and the role of youth in social transformation will be the subject of discussion. See the video featuring Dr Leyla Tavernaro of the Office of External Affairs in the referenced link. [BWNS1471] Austria Public discourse; Internet; BWNS
    2021. 31 Jan Some 30 traditional chiefs from the area gathered in the village of Baro to discuss the future of their people. This was one of a continuing series of gatherings that were initiated by the Bahá'í community in collaboration with traditional leaders about two years ago.
    The consultations at the conference allowed the chiefs to examine many different societal issues, while drawing in part from the experience of the Bahá’ís of Chad in their community-building efforts. The moral education of children and youth, educational programs, the evolution of culture, and solving disagreements among people were some of the issues they addressed in their consultation. [BWNS1484]    		 Baro; Chad Public discourse

    from the main catalogue

    1. Begin with the Village: The Bahá'í Approach to Rural Development, by Paul Hanley, in Bahá'í World (2019). About the focus on rural areas, the role of farmers and villages in achieving sustainable development, establishing community institutions, social action and public discourse. [about]
    2. Climate Change: Policies and Political Discourse, by Universal House of Justice (2017). Letter "to three individuals" on the science behind anthropogenic (human-caused) global warming, and how Bahá'ís might participate in activism and raising awareness of the issue while avoiding political divisiveness. [about]
    3. Communal Harmony: India's Greatest Challenge, by National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of India (1993). A formal statement from the NSA of the Bahá'ís of India on the need to overcome religious, linguistic and caste-based tensions. [about]
    4. Creating an Inclusive Narrative, by Australian Bahá'í Community (2020). Culmination of a series of nationwide round tables, conveying the vision of Australians to foster a socially cohesive society. [about]
    5. Discussion with Farida Vahedi, Executive Director of the Department of External Affairs, National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of India, A, by Michael Bodakowski and Katherine Marshall (2011). Overview of Vahedi's life and work, history of the Faith in India and development projects, the Institute for Studies in Global Prosperity, and issues regarding migration and protection of women and girls. [about]
    6. "Double Crusade" and the American Baha'i Community, The, by Universal House of Justice (2018). Comments on what the double crusade means, how it relates to the current series of Plans of the Faith, what should be done to carry it out, and the Advent of Divine Justice. [about]
    7. Five Year Plan, The: 2006-2011: Messages of the Universal House of Justice, by Universal House of Justice (2006). Five Ridvan messages, one message to the Counsellors, and three other letters. [about]
    8. For the Betterment of the World: The Worldwide Bahá'í Community's Approach to Social and Economic Development, by Office of Social and Economic Development (2018). Essays, photographs, and overviews of local projects around the world, illustrating how Bahá'í principles are being carried out in practice, prepared by the Office of Social and Economic Development of the Bahá'í International Community. [about]
    9. Grand Narratives and the Bahá'í Writings, by Ian Kluge, in Lights of Irfan, 18 (2017). Exploration of Bahá'í teachings, inspired by the Guardian's call to "analyse the principles of the Faith and to correlate them with the modern aspects of philosophy and science," and on the thought of Oswald Spengler, Arnold Toynbee and Pitirim Sorokin. [about]
    10. Human Knowledge and the Advancement of Society, by Hoda Mahmoudi, in Journal of Bahá'í Studies, 22:1-4 (2012). Knowledge is the means toward realizing a global civilization. The current Five Year Plan focuses the Bahá'í community’s consultation, reflection, and global growth, and the individual’s applying spiritual and secular knowledge to help this process. [about]
    11. Humanity's Coming Encounter with Baha'u'llah, by Douglas Martin, in American Bahá'í (1992). Retrospective look at the previous 100 years of Bahá'í history, current shifts of focus and teaching plans, and the prospects for the future which the new Message can bring. [about]
    12. Identity, Discourse, and Policy: Reconstructing the Public Sphere, by Matthew Weinberg, in Journal of Bahá'í Studies, 21:1-4 (2011). Through interchange, individuals and their communities define their identities and goals. Life has a fundamentally dialogical character. Giving consideration to the multiple dimensions of human experience leads to new, greater social meanings. [about]
    13. Individual Rights and Freedoms, by Universal House of Justice (1988). An important and often-quoted letter about rights and freedom of expression in the Bahá'í community, as contrasted with those in American civil society. [about]
    14. Laura Barney's Discipleship to 'Abdu'l-Bahá: Tracing a Theological Flow from the Middle East to the United States, 1900-1916, by Layli Maria Miron, in Journal of Bahá'í Studies, 28:1-2 (2018). How Laura Barney employed ‘Abdu’l-Bahá’s teachings to influence social discourse as she taught the Bahá'í Faith in Europe and the United States. [about]
    15. Learning to Read Social Reality in the Light of the Revelation: Twenty-Five Years of Contributing to the Discourse of Ethics in Business, by Haleh Arbab, in Journal of Bahá'í Studies, 25:3 (2015). The Institute for Studies in Global Prosperity works to learn how to advance the capacity of individuals and groups to participate in some of the prevalent discourses of society, for the betterment of the world and the growth of civilization. [about]
    16. Message to the Conference of the Continental Boards of Counsellors on the Nine Year Plan, by Universal House of Justice (2021). Features of the new 9-Year Plan, "the first major undertaking in a sacred twenty-five-year venture, generational in its scope and significance," to be implemented Ridvan 2022. [about]
    17. Next Stage, The, by Douglas Martin, in Journal of Bahá'í Studies, 23:1-4 (2013). Bahá'í scholars find themselves at a stage in the Faith’s development where they must construct a discourse that is free of "haughty intellectualism." The Association for Bahá’í Studies can help promote the Bahá'í cause to institutions of higher learning. [about]
    18. On the Calamitous State of World Affairs and the Material Sustainability of Communities, by Universal House of Justice (2020). On concerns about the affairs of the world and catastrophic events, and whether the global Bahá’í community should undertake projects to address the material sustainability of communities. [about]
    19. One Year Plan, The: 2021-2022, by Universal House of Justice (2021). Letter "To the Bahá’ís of the World" (5 November 2020), Ridvan message (20 April 2021), and a chart "Unfoldment of the Divine Plan" (2021). Link to free download of book (offsite). [about]
    20. Orientation of Hope and Lessons in World Crisis, The, by Alain Locke, in Bahá'í World, vols. 5 and 9 (1936). Two essays meditating on the relevance of Bahá'í principles to the period preceding and during the Second World War. [about]
    21. Political Activity, Social Change, and Public Policy, by Universal House of Justice (2008). Letter to an individual Bahá’í regarding political activity, social change, and public policy. [about]
    22. Politics and Engagement in the Life of Society, by Universal House of Justice (2010). On which principles should guide Iranian believers in their participation in the life of society, and other themes related to political activism and social justice. [about]
    23. Reading Reality in Times of Crisis: 'Abdu'l-Bahá and the Great War, by Amin Egea, in Bahá'í World (2021). How ‘Abdu’l-Bahá’s analysis of the crises of His time was profoundly distinct from contemporaneous “progressive” movements and thinkers. [about]
    24. Reframing Public Discourse for Peace and Justice, by Michael Karlberg, in Forming a Culture of Peace: Reframing Narratives of Intergroup Relations, Equity, and Justice, ed. Karina Korostelina (2012). At this critical juncture in human history, struggles for peace and justice should be understood, in part, as struggles to reframe public discourses according to the recognition of humanity’s increasing global interdependence. [about]
    25. Relating the Faith to Current Issues, by Peter J. Khan (1986). Short essay outlining an approach to relate the teachings to current thoughts and problems of humanity. [about]
    26. Ridván 2021: Bahá'í Era 178 (2021). Annual message to the Bahá'ís of the world. [about]
    27. Social Action, Public Discourse, and Non-involvement in Political Affairs, by Universal House of Justice (2017). Alternative courses of action to civil disobedience, circumscribed roles for protest, and the freedom that Bahá’ís have to engage in social action and public discourse, particularly in relation to the principle of non-involvement in political affairs. [about]
    28. The Pursuit of Social Justice, by Michael Karlberg, in Bahá'í World (2022). An interdisciplinary examination of prevailing conceptions of human nature, power, social organization, and social change, and their implications for the pursuit of peace and justice. [about]
    29. Verge of the New, The: A Series of Talks, by Steven Phelps (2017). Introducing a way of looking at the past and future of religion in the context of the scientific revolution and the Enlightenment. Includes compilation of Writings on spiritual dislocation, science, language, spiritual evolution, nature, and revelation. [about]
    30. Vision of Race Unity: America's Most Challenging Issue, by National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of the United States (1991). A formal statement from the US NSA on "the most challenging issue confronting America." [about]
    31. Об изменении климата и доверии к науке, by Universal House of Justice (2017). Всемирный Дом Справедливости обсуждает вопрос изменения климата и затрагивает более общие темы доверия к науке, важности избегания крайностей в дискуссиях, совещания бахаи и действий в связи с глобальными проблемами, стоящими перед человечеством. [about]
     
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