formatted for the web by Jonah Winters 08/02
Encyclopedia of Global Environmental Change volume 5:
Social and Economic Dimensions of Global Environmental Change
Volume ed. Peter Timmerman, series ed. R.E. Munn
John Wiley and Sons, 2002
table of contents online at www.wiley.co.uk/wileychi/egec/vol5a.html
Abstract: This article explores the basic principles and beliefs of the members of the
Bahá'í Faith and then examines how these can and are being applied to
environmental and development challenges worldwide. Starting with a brief
exploration of the basic spiritual tenets enunciated by Bahá'u'lláh, the
prophet-founder of the Bahá'í Faith, this article examines the Bahá'í
"prescription" for resolving the difficult challenges before humanity. The
Bahá'í Faith began in the nineteenth century in Persia and today numbers over
six million adherents worldwide. Bahá'ís believe that all world religions
originate from a common divine source and that Bahá'u'lláh was the messenger
from God for this era. Contained in His teachings are specific measures to
usher in a new world order based on spiritual principles.
The article concludes with an exploration of the participation of the Bahá'í
International Community in UN-sponsored initiatives as well as a range of
development and environmental projects undertaken by national and local Bahá'í
communities.
The author has been a member of the Bahá'í Faith in Canada since 1973 and is
a graduate of Carleton University and the University of Ottawa. A leader in
interfaith dialogue, Mr. Landau is author of "The Willing Suspension of Belief:
How the World's Religions Can Work Together".
The Bahá'í Faith, which was founded in 1863, is the world's second
most geographically widespread religion with more than 6 million adherents
living throughout the world's nations, territories, islands and outposts.
Following the example and teachings of their prophet-founder Bahá'u'lláh (AD
1817-1892), the world's Bahá'ís consider themselves to be the citizens of one
country. Bahá'ís regard the world as one organic unity.
The Bahá'í Faith considers the monotheistic world religions part of an
ever-advancing continuum that has a design. Each religion, they assert, has its
origins in a common source or Godhead. A covenant exists between God and
humanity whereby God reveals His plan gradually through His messengers. This
is the fountainhead of human progress. Thus, from time to time, God sends forth
prophets with revelations appropriate for a specific people at a specific
period of human development. In keeping with the idea of this "progressive
revelation", often the laws and customs of preceding revelations are abrogated
with the advent of each succeeding religion. For Bahá'ís, Bahá'u'lláh has
revealed God's message to humanity for the current age; an age which will be
characterized by world unity.
Bahá'u'lláh (tr. "
The Glory of God"), who was born in Persia, revealed
numerous volumes of scriptures and laws upon which the Bahá'í Faith is founded.
He lays claim to being the most recent in a line of chosen messengers from God
that includes his immediate precursor known as The Bab (tr.
"The Gate"),
Mohammed, Jesus, Moses and Abraham as well as Zoroaster, Buddha and Krishna.
The Bab (1819-1850) who was born in Shiraz, Persia revealed in 1844 that he was
the "gate" for One greater than himself who would begin His mission to humanity
in 1863. Ecclesiastical and civil authorities in Persia, alarmed by the rapid
growth of the Babi Movement and The Bab's claim to a revelation from God,
persecuted His adherents and martyred The Bab on July 9, 1850. Likewise,
because of His teachings, Bahá'u'lláh spent His adult life in prison and exile
in various outposts of the Ottoman Empire, finally living out His last days
under house arrest in the port city of Akka, near Haifa, Israel.
While the Bahá'í Faith has its origins in Islamic Persia, it is a discrete and
independent faith that claims to represent the fulfillment of prophecies in the
sacred texts of the preceding world religions. Bahá'ís hold all revealed
scriptures in highest regard as the `word of God', believing that the teachings
of Bahá'u'lláh, by virtue of the fact that they are the most recent revelation
from God, are the most relevant for today.
The many teachings revealed by Bahá'u'lláh cover every aspect of life and
relations between humanity and creation. Among the most basic tenets is a
belief in the unity and interconnectedness of all things: the singularity of
God; the equality of the races, sexes and all humanity; and that the chief task
facing humanity is the construction of a just and merciful world-embracing
civilization.
The pursuit of unity is reflected in the Faith's administrative order which
includes elected local, regional, national and international administrative
bodies. The worldwide headquarters of the Faith is located on Mount Carmel in
Haifa, Israel - the final resting place of the remains of The Bab.
Bahá'ís believe unity should also characterize the relationship between
humanity and the natural environment created by an all-powerful God. In the
words of Bahá'u'lláh , "Ye are all the fruits of one tree, the leaves of one
branch."
[1] From the Bahá'í perspective, humanity is both physically and metaphorically linked to the world. In a
letter written in 1933, Shoghi Effendi, a direct descendant of Bahá'u'lláh and
known as the Guardian of the Bahá'í Faith wrote:
We cannot
segregate the human heart from the environment outside us and say that once one
of these is reformed everything will be improved. Man is organic with the
world. His inner life moulds the environment and is itself also deeply
affected by it. The one acts upon the other and every abiding change in the
life of man is the result of these mutual reactions.[2]
Bahá'ís recognize that the world is undergoing rapid socio-economic transitions
that make the protection of the environment and sustainable development both
critical and challenging. Bahá'ís believe that only an integrated, balanced
and comprehensive world view with a belief in a divine creator and unity of
purpose will resolve environmental and development challenges. For example,
when science and technology don't serve a divinely ordained purpose, they will
actually contribute to the erosion of the planet's biodiversity. Materialistic
civilization that replaces the idea of the `citizen' with the `consumer' cannot
concern itself with the long-term viability of life on earth.
The Interconnectedness of Humanity and the Earth
The Bahá'í view on environmental conservation and sustainable development holds
that: a) because the natural universe is a reflection of the majestic qualities
and attributes of the Supreme Being, it inspires and should be accorded the
utmost respect; b) all of creation is interconnected; c) that the unity of
humanity is the essential truth and compelling force in this age. Of this,
Bahá'u'lláh wrote: "The earth is but one county, and mankind its citizens."
[3] The concepts of world citizenship, prudent
stewardship of the earth, and the interconnectedness of all things is the
essence of the Bahá'í Faith.
Abdu'l Bahá (tr.
Servant of the Glory), the son of Bahá'u'lláh
amplified this point:
For every part of the universe is
connected with every other part by ties that are very powerful and admit of no
imbalance, nor any slackening whatever. . .[4]
In another reference, he remarked:
Cooperation and
reciprocity are essential properties which are inherent in the unified system
of the world of existence, and without which the entire creation would be
reduced to nothingness.[5]
At the very heart of the Bahá'í view of the relationship between humanity and
the natural universe is the belief that all of creation is an expression of the
many names and attributes of an all-powerful God. Like the many different
attributes of God, the natural realm has diverse "causes" or ideal environments
in which it flourishes and expresses itself. Life is tenacious and can adapt
itself to such diverse climates as polar, temperate, tropical and
desert.
Nature in its essence is the embodiment of My Name,
the Maker, the Creator. Its manifestations are diversified by varying causes,
and in this diversity there are signs for men of discernment. Nature is God's
Will and is its expression in and through the contingent world.[6]
Every man of discernment, while walking upon the earth, feeleth indeed abashed,
inasmuch as he is fully aware that the thing which is the source of his
prosperity, his wealth, his might, his exaltation, his advancement and power
is, as ordained by God, the very earth which is trodden beneath the feet of all
men. There can be no doubt that whoever is cognisant of this truth, is
cleansed and sanctified from all pride, arrogance, and vainglory. . .[7]
Yet, while nature is seen as the repository of the many attributes of God,
Bahá'ís are not pantheists. They do not worship nature or hold it in high
esteem for its own sake. The natural realm exists to serve a humanity that has
as its task the carrying forward of an ever-evolving divinely ordained world
order that will usher in universal peace and harmony. As such, Bahá'ís believe
that humanity must act as a wise steward of the natural realm, though neither
nature nor humanity is at the core of the universal design. Rather, it is
God.
The Environmental Challenge & Solutions
Just as humanity, the environment and spirituality are all inter-connected, so
too are the factors that have led to the environmental challenges. Speaking on
behalf of the worldwide community of Bahá'ís, the Bahá'í International
Community (BIC) office at the United Nations issued a statement making this
point in 1998:
None of these problems -- the debilitating
inequities of development, the apocalyptic threats of atmospheric warming and
ozone depletion, the oppression of women, the neglect of children and
marginalized peoples, to name but a few -- can be realistically addressed
without considering all the others. None can be fully addressed without a
magnitude of cooperation and coordination at all levels that far surpasses
anything in humanity's collective experience.[8]
According to the Bahá'í International Community, the unfettered exploitation of
planetary natural resources is one symptom of a "sickness of the human spirit".
Thus, any lasting solution to the environmental and developmental challenges
will need to recognize the spiritual nature of each human, the interdependency
of all humans, and their relationship with the environment. In other words,
development will need to be more than simply for short-term economic advantage;
it must also further and benefit the minds and spirits of all humanity.
Clearly, cooperation between all peoples, governments and agencies will be
required to effect lasting solutions to the environmental challenges. However,
the Bahá'í International Community points to certain trends in the world which
tend to undermine the very foundations of collaboration. Among these it
includes:
. . .the widespread lack of moral discipline, the
glorification of greed and material accumulation, the increasing breakdown of
family and community, the rise of lawlessness and disorder, the ascendancy of
racism and bigotry, and the priority given to national interests over the
welfare of humanity -- all of which destroy confidence and trust, the
foundations of collaboration.[9]
It is the Bahá'í position that only the abandonment of these destructive trends
will create the necessary setting in which the spiritualization of humanity can
be realized and the consequent unity and cooperation between humans can develop
solutions to meet the environmental challenges.
Such
qualities include love, compassion, forbearance, trustworthiness, courage,
humility, co-operation and willingness to sacrifice for the common good --
qualities of an enlightened citizenry, able to construct a unified world
civilization.[10]
The Nature of Sustainable Development
Development, in the Bahá'í view, is an organic process in which "the
spiritual is expressed and carried out in the material."
[11] As with the environmental challenge, the
Bahá'í view calls for ground-up organic answers that are consistent with the
development of the spirituality of all people.
For example, community growth and development will need to respond to the
genuine need of all people to have close contact with the natural world. This
will influence all aspects of development - from design and engineering to
community and land-use planning. Primary among these will be the need for
carefully planned maintenance of agricultural lands.
Bahá'ís believe that science and technology can only provide the answers to
sustainable development when they take into account the needs of the human
soul. For example, there is little value in building high-efficiency vast
networks of concrete roads if the style of architecture blocks sunlight,
prevents people from walking and generally leaves the human being dwarfed.
The vast forces of science and technology must be harnessed
to serve the material, intellectual, emotional and spiritual needs of the
entire human family. This will require that all peoples be involved in
generating scientific knowledge and determining its applications. As
participation increases, technologies which have tended to desensitize and
alienate, to make satisfying work and crafts redundant, to destroy the
environment, and to cause sickness, infirmity or death, will, no doubt, be
reconsidered, redesigned or abandoned.[12]
Stewardship, from a Bahá'í point of view means that the value of nature and its
preservation cannot be expressed in sheer economic terms. A more balanced
approach to sustainable development can only result when planners have a deep
understanding of the significance of the natural realm in the material and
spiritual development of all humanity.
Consequently, good stewardship and prudent management of the earth's resources
is not merely an "add-on" that is developed in response to a paucity of the
resources, but rather an essential and fundamental responsibility that must be
given fullest consideration at all times. Good stewardship doesn't involve
"rescuing" nature from environmental disasters: it involves long-term planning
that minimizes any possibilities of such emergencies occurring.
Material development which serves solely an economic master is not a model
favored by the Bahá'ís. They believe the diverse peoples of the world will be
more inclined to support development policies and programs based on spiritual
principles and the inherent dignity of the human being. As such, they have
proposed that spiritual indicators be applied to measure the value of
development in terms of its impact on the spiritual, cultural and social
advancement of humanity.
These indicators are drawn from the essential teachings of Bahá'u'lláh. For
example, one of the main tenets of the Bahá'í Faith is that men and women are
equal. Bahá'ís believe that just and sustainable development will only be
possible when women worldwide are welcomed as equal co-partners in every field
of endeavor.
For Bahá'ís, the commitment to the
emancipation of women is not a recent development nor is equality of the sexes
a vague ideal. It is our conviction that the unification of the human race
depends on the establishment of the equality of men and women.[13]
Another of the Bahá'í development indicators concerns the equitable
distribution of wealth. One of the basic tenets of the Bahá'í Faith is the
need to redress the extremes of wealth and poverty whereby absolute
impoverishment and lavish luxury are virtually side by side. Experts tell us
that there are enough resources in the world to meet the needs of all humanity.
Therefore, to eliminate poverty, we will need to find more equitable methods of
distribution and we will need to moderate excessive and sometimes wasteful
consumption and the accumulation of wealth for its own sake. At the same time,
nations will need to develop fair and equitable trade relations built on the
principle that the trading partners are true equals.
If development is to be sustainable, the Bahá'ís suggest the following:
Wealth is most commendable, provided the entire population
is wealthy. If, however, a few have inordinate riches while the rest are
impoverished, and no fruit or benefit accrues from that wealth, then it is only
a liability to its possessor. If, on the other hand, it is expended for the
promotion of knowledge, the founding of elementary and other schools, the
encouragement of art and industry, the training of orphans and the poor - in
brief, if it is dedicated to the welfare of society - its possessor will stand
out before God and man as the most excellent of all who live on earth and will
be accounted as one of the people of paradise.[14]
Universal education is one of the requirements that will speed the
advent of a world united to promote common cause. Education that promotes a
`world consciousness' and the understanding that there is an integral
connection between every human being will create the conditions in which
humanity is united to meet the environmental and developmental challenges.
Unity is a prerequisite for any effort to safeguard the earth's habitat. The
type of unity envisioned by the Bahá'ís encompasses much more than just
geography, climatology or biology. Rather, it is the outgrowth of an undying
belief that humanity is one world community. In such a community, it seems
only logical that matters of economic relations and sustainable development
must be addressed with a balanced universal perspective that takes into account
the world's many cultures and resources.
Proposed Courses of Action
Calling on principles enunciated in the revelation of Bahá'u'lláh, whom Bahá'ís
regard as the messenger and prophet from God for this age of humanity, the
Bahá'ís of the world have proposed specific courses of action that will protect
the environment and define the parameters of sustainable development. Over one
hundred years ago, Bahá'u'lláh called for an international legal system,
sharing of the world's resources, a re-alignment of the world's economic and
governmental relations, and reform in the behavior and patterns of human
consumption.
Drawing on these teachings, the Bahá'í International Community prepared a
statement for the proposed "Earth Charter" for the United Nations Conference on
Environment and Development in 1992. In the document, the Bahá'ís outlined the
process for achieving universally acceptable standards:
It
is our conviction that any call to global action for environment and
development must be rooted in universally accepted values and principles.
Similarly, the search for solutions to the world's grave environmental and
developmental problems must go beyond technical-utilitarian proposals and
address the underlying causes of the crisis. Genuine solutions, in the Bahá'í
view, will require a globally accepted vision for the future, based on unity
and willing cooperation among the nations, races, creeds, and classes of the
human family. Commitment to a higher moral standard, equality between the
sexes, and the development of consultative skills for the effective functioning
of groups at all levels of society will be essential.[15]
They proposed that representatives of the world's religions be assembled,
possibly under the auspices of the World Bank or the United Nations Development
Program, to consult about spiritual principles and their impact on both the
individual and the progress of society.
[16] Such an assemblage, the Bahá'ís believe,
could reach common agreement on a limited number of spiritual principles and
how these would provide a basis for developing policy priorities. Based on this
agreement, goals and benchmarks for progress would be established and monitored
by the organization under whose auspices the assemblage is convened.
The Bahá'ís believe that the world religions can take the initiative and
collaborate because of the common thread that unites all of the world's major
religious traditions.
The changes required to reorient the
world toward a sustainable future imply degrees of sacrifice, social
integration, selfless action, and unity of purpose rarely achieved in human
history. These qualities have reached their highest degree of development
through the power of religion. Therefore, the world's religious communities
have a major role to play in inspiring these qualities in their members,
releasing latent capacities of the human spirit and empowering individuals to
act on behalf of the planet, its peoples, and future generations.[17]
Furthermore, the cooperation of an international development agency would
signal their recognition of the significance of the spiritual dimension of
human nature. Already the internationally accepted
Agenda 21 and
The
Habitat Agenda have acknowledged that the spiritual needs of the individual
and of society are significant factors in human progress and are inseparable
from ecological, economic, social, and cultural development.
The next step would involve the development of consultative processes on both
the national and local levels whereby communities would be encouraged to
utilize and develop their own independent spiritual measures for action,
derived from the larger plan. Such plans and policies would likely have the
backing of many and would receive the formalized support of religious
authorities and institutions.
In a reflection of the Bahá'í administrative order which has no clergy but
devolves responsibility on each individual right down to the local community,
the Faith stresses the importance of local action in any initiatives.
Development must be decentralized in order to involve
communities in formulating and implementing the decisions and programs that
affect their lives. Such a decentralization need not conflict with a global
system and strategy, but would in fact ensure that developmental processes are
adapted to the planet's rich cultural, geographic, and ecological diversity.[18]
Bahá'ís believe that the individual has a key role in the unfolding of a
planetary system of sustainable development. Therefore, acknowledging the
spiritual dimension of humanity and providing for the moral, emotional,
physical and intellectual development and education of each person will be a
building block toward a new vision of planetary society.
To meet the environmental and development challenges, Bahá'ís affirm that the
top-down model of community development will need to give way to a more
participatory, knowledge-based and values-driven process of governance. When
people view the decision-making process as something they own - not as a remote
and Byzantine system of laws - they will accept their responsibility for
shaping a new world.
At the very core of the environmental and developmental crises facing humanity,
Bahá'ís believe, there is a lack of moral leadership that pervades every level
of decision making - from the highest levels of government to the family unit
itself. This is evidenced by the constant discovery of political scandals that
reveal a bankruptcy of real ethical leadership. Humanity may have even lost
its ability to define and identify morality in leadership because of the
barrage of messages that obfuscate and confuse the issue.
While the world's religions, development organizations, governments and
individuals are all called upon to play a role in sustainable development,
long-term solutions will require a new and integrated vision of global society.
This vision, will have as its underpinnings and its charter, a new set of
values based on the belief that all of humanity is one. For Bahá'ís, the very
bedrock and hope for a sustainable new world order is the acceptance of the
oneness of humanity. This principle will cause the restructuring of the
world's administration to reflect the fact that the world is one nation. This
does not mean that any culture or nation must abandon its distinctive identity.
In fact, the entire principle of unity in diversity, which the Bahá'í Faith
champions, supports and actively encourages each people's right to maintain,
protect and uphold their distinctiveness in the face of the homogenizing
influences of international capital.
In the Bahá'í view, world unity is not mutually exclusive of cultural diversity
and national autonomy. Each person can legitimately have a balanced sense of
pride in his or her culture and national identity. However, every person is
called to a broader notion of loyalty: the uplifting and progress of the human
soul, of every human being and the entire world civilization. The Bahá'í
approach emphasizes that the world is one nation and it calls for a universal
auxiliary language, which may in the future prove to be English. The
yet-to-be-determined auxiliary language will facilitate inter-cultural
communication and will not replace peoples' own mother tongues. Each
individual maintains the right to preserve his or her cultural identity and
mother tongue.
In the view of the Bahá'í International
Community, acceptance of the oneness of humanity is the first fundamental
prerequisite for this reorganization and administration of the world as one
country, the home of humankind. Recognition of this principle does not imply
abandonment of legitimate loyalties, the suppression of cultural diversity, or
the abolition of national autonomy. It calls for a wider loyalty, for a far
higher aspiration than has so far animated human efforts. It clearly requires
the subordination of national impulses and interests to the imperative claims
of a unified world. It is inconsistent not only with any attempt to impose
uniformity, but with any tendency towards excessive centralization. Its goal is
well captured in the concept of "unity in diversity."[19]
The Bahá'í International Community believes that the change in consciousness
that would be represented by the adoption of the term "world citizenship" is a
prerequisite before the peoples of the planet can accept and promote a
coordinated and reasonable approach to global sustainable development. The
entire idea of world citizenship can only take hold when one accepts the
inter-relatedness of all human beings, of the impact of their actions upon each
other. It means that the world is no longer constituted of billions of
discrete beings and scores of disconnected governments and trans-national
corporations. With the advent of world citizenship, each accepts that his or
her actions in any part of the globe is likely to have impacts well beyond the
local or regional spheres of influence.
The Bahá'í understanding of the implications of world citizenship extend beyond
simply a new passport or slogans:
World citizenship
encompasses the principles of social and economic justice, both within and
between nations; non-adversarial decision making at all levels of society;
equality of the sexes; racial, ethnic, national and religious harmony; and the
willingness to sacrifice for the common good.[20]
The Bahá'í International Community says that the most effective method for
promoting sustainable development is logically through adoption of world
citizenship. They reason that the full meaning and import of world citizenship
will have an impact on the way nations conduct themselves with each other.
When humanity and its economic, social, and political orders are preoccupied
with disunity, antagonism and rigid provincialism, the Bahá'ís submit there is
no room for a concerted worldwide strategy on sustainable development. In
other words, any effort to realize sustainable development can only be
marginally successful without the animating principles of world citizenship and
one world homeland. The prerequisites clearly call for harmony and unity
amongst all the peoples and nations of the world.
In a paper entitled
World citizenship: A Global Ethic for Sustainable
Development, presented to the 1
st session of the United Nations
Commission on Sustainable Development, 14-25 June 1993, the Bahá'í
International Community reflected at length on the necessary first step of
establishing the concept of world citizenship. They went so far as to lay out
a plan for its introduction and the requisite actions of the world leaders.
They should foster an ethic of service to the common good
and convey an understanding of both the rights and the responsibilities of
world citizenship.
Using the concept of world citizenship as an integrating theme, the United
Nations should publicize its ideals, activities and goals, so that people come
to understand the unique and vital role the UN plays in the world and,
therefore, in their lives. Similarly, the UN should promote world citizenship
in all its public activities, including celebrations of its historical
milestones and tours of UN headquarters. Every UN document that deals with
sustainable development should also include this principle -- beginning with
the preamble of the proposed Earth Charter. World citizenship must become the
single most important point of ethical reference in all UN activities.
The services of the advertising industry should be enlisted to promote world
citizenship.[21]
The Promise of a Better Future
The Bahá'ís believe that there are dual processes at work in the world:
the one best characterized as spiritualizing, embryonic, and beneficial to
humanity; the other is the decaying and destruction of institutions and ways of
thinking that no longer serve an evolving worldwide civilization.
The Bahá'ís are optimistic that humanity will survive the serious environment
challenges and development issues facing it. They believe that the covenant
God made with Abraham and Noah and has renewed with every Messenger sent to
humanity is evidence of the long-term viability of humanity. This does not,
however, allow humanity to abdicate its stewardship responsibilities nor the
huge commitment to persevere and make sacrifices and changes that will
transform the world. Shoghi Effendi looked forward to this renewal of
civilization:
In such a world society... [t]he economic
resources of the world will be organized, its sources of raw materials will be
tapped and fully utilized, its markets will be coordinated and developed, and
the distribution of its products will be equitably regulated ...The enormous
energy dissipated and wasted on war, whether economic or political, will be
consecrated to such ends as will extend the range of human inventions and
technical development, to the increase of the productivity of mankind, to the
extermination of disease, to the extension of scientific research, to the
raising of the standard of physical health, to the sharpening and refinement of
the human brain, to the exploitation of the unused and unsuspected resources of
the planet, to the prolongation of human life and to the furtherance of any
other agency that can stimulate the intellectual, the moral and spiritual life
of the entire human race.[22]
According to the Bahá'í International Community, it is the actions of
governments, non-governmental organizations, the forces of capital, society in
general, and significant individuals that will determine how quickly humanity
arrives at a universal consensus for sustainable development. The onus is on
every party to consciously and deliberately give a thorough evaluation to the
meaning of the goals toward which they are working. This will ensure that all
parties can be effective partners in progress. The Bahá'í International
Community says that "clear goals, meaningful policies and standards, identified
programs, and agreed upon indicators of progress are necessary if advancement
toward humanity's common future is to be charted and regular corrections to
that course determined and carried out."
[23]
Bahá'í Action on Sustainable Development
Representing the world's Bahá'ís, the Bahá'í International Community office at
the United Nations has played a prominent role in the various UN-sponsored
summits on the environment and sustainable development. Exemplary among these,
was the participation of The Bahá'í International Community in the Earth Summit
- the Rio de Janeiro Conference in June 1992.
The Bahá'ís focused on the Earth Charter which they felt was potentially the
most significant document under consideration at Rio de Janeiro. In numerous
languages they circulated nearly one million copies of the environmental and
development statements of the Bahá'í International Community. In the opening
paragraph of its presentation to a preparatory working group of the United
Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED), the Bahá'í
International Community wrote of the Charter:
It could
offer a unifying vision for the future and articulate the values upon which a
peaceful, prosperous and harmonious world society could practically be
constructed. In so doing, the Earth Charter could lift the context of
deliberations on humanity's future to a new level -- to the level of principle.
Only discourse at the level of principle has the power to invoke a moral
commitment, which will, in turn, make possible the discovery of enduring
solutions to the many challenges confronting a rapidly integrating human
society. . . . the Earth Charter can tap a powerful source of individual and
collective motivation, which will be essential for the reorientation of the
world toward a sustainable future.[24]
The Bahá'í presentation to UNCED urged that the idea of the "oneness of
humanity" should be proclaimed in the preamble to the Charter, which should
then be taught in the world's schools and communicated worldwide in preparation
for "the organic change in the structure of society which it implies."
[25]
In fact, the landmark Peace Monument unveiled at the conclusion of the 1992
Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro was an initiative of the Bahá'í International
Community. At the Summit's closing ceremony, soil from some 40 nations was
deposited into the striking five-meter high monument by children. Each year
since the Summit, World Environment Day in Rio includes a ceremony at the
monument during which soil from other nations is added. The inscription on the
monument are the words of Bahá'u'lláh: "The earth is but one country, and
mankind its citizens."
Both Bahá'í communities and individual Bahá'ís are in the forefront of
activities aimed at furthering preservation and sustainable development. Here
is a small sample of projects Bahá'ís are involved with worldwide:
- The establishment of a Bahá'í Office of the Environment as an
adjunct of the Bahá'í International Community office at the United Nations.
- Issuing a 1989 compilation of Bahá'í writings - Conservation of
the Earth's Resources. The text has been studied by Bahá'í communities
worldwide.
- Numerous national and local Bahá'í communities have established
their own environmental offices and committees, often in cooperation with
like-minded organizations. In Japan, Canada, Brazil, Taiwan, Colombia,
Philippines and other nations, Bahá'í communities have established curricula
for education about the environment.
- Nur University in Santa Cruz, Bolivia, an institution of higher
learning established on Bahá'í principles, offers a Masters degree in
Development.
- A range of publications dealing with environmental and developmental
issues is now published by Bahá'ís. This includes: One Country, a
quarterly newsletter of the Bahá'í International Community; Ecologia Y
Unidad Mundial, an Argentine Bahá'í newspaper; and others.
- The Bahá'í Vocational Institute for Rural Women, located in India
and the Clean and Beautiful Swaziland campaign founded by a Bahá'í - Dr.Irma
Allen - both received Global 500 Awards from the United Nations Environment
Program.
- An organic farming project by the Bahá'í community of Japan teaches
how to grow food without artificial fertilizers or pesticides.
- In rural Kenya, a Bahá'í-sponsored development project encourages
and empowers village women to develop their own entrepreneurial weaving
businesses.
- In Bolivia and Malaysia, Bahá'í communities have launched fish
farming projects.
- Bahá'ís in the United Kingdom, the Philippines, Singapore and Taiwan
have all organized and/or sponsored arts and educational activities geared to
creating awareness of the fragile environment and conservation.
- Local Bahá'í communities in the UK have become active proponents of
Local Agenda 21 , working with partner groups and with local authorities.
- Working in collaboration with other organizations, the Bahá'í
International Community hosted two World Forestry Charter Gatherings (1989
& 1994).
- The Bahá'í International Community made a formal presentation to the
"World Faiths and Development Dialogue" hosted by the President of the World
Bank and the Archbishop of Canterbury at Lambeth Palace during the Lambeth
Conference, February 1998.
Finally, as if to address directly the very issue of environmental biodiversity
and sustainable growth, the architecture and landscaping of each of the Bahá'í
Holy Sites around the world is a model of the blending of natural and
architectural beauty, efficiency and diversity. Each of these sites features a
diverse range of flora to reflect the Faith's teachings about diversity and the
buildings are designed to complement and augment their surroundings.
For more information, visit:
www.bahai.org - the official
website of the worldwide Bahá'í community;
www.bic-un.bahai.org/i-e-env.htm
- a page of the website of the Bahá'í International Community (BIC) office at
the United Nations, which lists and links to environmental papers released by
the BIC.
Notes:
[1] Bahá'u'lláh. Gleanings from the Writings
of Bahá'u'lláh. Wilmette: Bahá'í Publishing Trust, 1976,
Section CXXXII, page 288.
[2] Shoghi Effendi, Letter to an individual
Bahá'í, through his secretary, 17 February 1933
[3] Bahá'u'lláh. Gleanings from the Writings
of Bahá'u'lláh. Wilmette: Bahá'í Publishing Trust, 1976, section CXVII,
page 250.
[4] Abdu'l Bahá (1982) Selections from the
Writings of Abdu'l Bahá. Haifa: Bahá'í World Centre, section 137, page
157.
[5] Abdu'l Bahá. From a hitherto untranslated
tablet.
[6] Bahá'u'lláh (1982) Tablets of
Bahá'u'lláh. Haifa: Bahá'í World Centre, page 142.
[7] Bahá'u'lláh (1979) Epistle to the Son
of the Wolf. Wilmette: Bahá'í Publishing Trust, page 44.
[8] Bahá'í International Community (1998)
Valuing Spirituality in Development. UN.
[9] Bahá'í International Community (1997)
Sustainable Development and the Human Spirit. UN.
[10] Bahá'í International Community.
Sustainable Development and the Human Spirit. UN, 1997.
[11] Abdu'l-Bahá (1995) Paris Talks
(twelfth edition). London: Bahá'í Publishing Trust, page 9.
[12] Bahá'í International Community (1997)
Sustainable Communities in an Integrating World. UN.
[13] Bahá'í International Community (1998)
Women and Men: Partnership for a Healthy Planet. UN.
[14] Abdu'l Bahá (1990) The Secret of
Divine Civilization. Wilmette, Bahá'í Publishing Trust, pages 24-25.
[15] Bahá'í International Community (1997)
Earth Charter. UN.
[16] Bahá'í International Community (1998)
Valuing Spirituality in Development. UN.
[17] Bahá'í International Community (1997)
Earth Charter. UN.
[18] Bahá'í International Community (1997)
Earth Charter. UN.
[19] Bahá'í International Community (1997)
International Legislation for Environment and Development. UN.
[20] Bahá'í International Community (1997)
World citizenship: A Global Ethic for Sustainable Development. UN.
[21] Bahá'í International Community (1997)
World citizenship: A Global Ethic for Sustainable Development. UN.
[22] Shoghi Effendi (1980) The World
Order of Bahá'u'lláh. Wilmette, Bahá'í Publishing Trust, pages 203-204.
[23] Bahá'í International Community (1998)
Valuing Spirituality in Development. UN.
[24] Bahá'í International Community (1997)
The Earth Charter/Rio De Janeiro Declaration and the Oneness of
Humanity. UN.
[25] Bahá'í International Community (1997) The Earth Charter/Rio
De Janeiro Declaration and the Oneness of Humanity. UN.
