Social and Sustainable Development

While poverty eradication is widely acknowledged as a priority by the international community, the related challenge of extreme wealth is rarely discussed. The Baha'i International Community organized a panel to address the need for the elimination of the extremes of both wealth and poverty in the context of the green economy and sustainable development. Panelists included: Ms. Daniela Hiche, Representative of the Baha’i Community of Brazil, Mr. Farooq Ullah, Head of Policy and Advocacy at the Stakeholder Forum, Dr. Steven Stone, Chief of UNEP’s Economics and Trade Branch, and Prof. Michael Dorsey, Assistant Professor of Environmental Studies at Dartmouth College. Participants discussed the relationship between extreme wealth and extreme poverty as well as the social, economic and moral dimensions of growing income inequality. Read the Baha'i International Community’s statement to Rio+20 (Portuguese version).

Thirteen delegates of the Baha'i International Community, representing Brazil, Cameroon, Canada, Colombia, France, Singapore, USA, and including Representatives, Daniel Perell, May Akale, and Ming Chong will take part in the UN Conference on Sustainable Development (Rio+20) to be held 20-22 June in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. In its statement to the Conference, the Baha'i International Community focuses on the concept of a world-embracing trusteeship, the elimination of the extremes of wealth and poverty, and approaches to strengthening collective decision-making.

The 45^th Session of the UN Commission on Population and Development (23-27 April) focused on the priority theme of “Adolescents and Youth.” Baha'i delegates to the Commission shared the perspectives and experiences of the Baha'i community in promotion approaches to education that help young people to become protagonists of their development and agents of positive change in their communities. The Baha'i International Community’s statement to the Commission addressed the concepts of education in service of community, access to knowledge and meaningful participation, with a particular focus on the importance of educating girls.

What is spirituality? How can religious education encourage it? And what role do both religion and spirituality play in fostering human well-being?

Those were among the questions considered by educators, academics and theologians from the world's religions – including the Baha'i Faith – at the "International Symposium on Religion, Spirituality, and Education for Human Flourishing," held here 24-26 February.