Image: a homemade card containing the Bahá’í quote below, courtesy of Christine Muller
Let your vision be world-embracing, rather than confined to your own self.
(Gleanings from the Writings of Bahá’u’lláh)
Upcoming online Conference of the Bahá’í-inspired International Environment Forum
You are invited to download and share this conference invitation.
by Christine Muller
The Universal House of Justice encouraged the worldwide Bahá’í community to engage in three areas of action: Community building, public discourse, and social action. The four online events of the upcoming 28th Annual Conference of the International Environment Forum (IEF) aim to contribute knowledge, experiences, spiritual insight, and vision to all three areas.
On Tuesday, 17 September, the speakers on the panel Developing a vision for global collaboration will discuss transforming global governance toward a system that enables genuine global cooperation for human well-being and environmental sustainability, offering insights from a Bahá’í perspective. One of the highly competent panelists is Payam Akhavan, an international human rights lawyer, who will talk about The Quest for Climate Justice.
This event aims to contribute to the public discourse about humanity’s future at the international level – the IEF conference is taking place alongside the UN Summit of the Future.
While the main mission of the International Environment Forum is to infuse public discourse with spiritual principles on the international level, it also serves as a platform for its members, for Bahá’ís, and the wider community to share their knowledge and experiences. That is the goal of the event taking place on Sunday, 22 September:
Speakers in the panel Building Futures in Communities will reflect on Bahá’í-inspired approaches to community-building based on experiences with a reforestation project in Iceland, community gardening in Singapore and the United Arab Emirates, coral reef rescue in Samoa, agricultural and environmental education in Colombia, and relief work following recent flooding in Brazil.
While in our age of a planetary emergency with the climate crisis, the severe loss of wild plants and animals, and pollution of all kinds, environmental considerations must play a role in all three areas of action, these stories promise to show how focusing on the environment in social action can also lead to strong community-building.
Speaking about the future, the voice of youth is essential. The conference will begin with a forum showcasing the perspectives and ideas of our youth: A vision for a Sustainable Future – a Conversation with Youth on Saturday, 14 September. In this interactive event, youth from different cultures around the world will share their viewpoints on a sustainable future, and you can engage with them on the issues they raise, including:
– Their priorities for sustainability
– Their role in developing a globally interconnected society
– The UN Pact for the Future, Section on Youth and Future Generations
The fourth and last event Where Do We Go from Here? – Deeds not Words will consist of a reflection about the Summit of the Future and a discussion how we can apply Baha’i principles to the Summit outcomes and support any projects or initiatives launched. One of the panelists, Liliane Nkunzimana, representative of the Baha’i International Community’s UN Office in New York, is planning to relate some key outcomes of the Summit to Bahá’í perspectives on the intersection of the triple planetary crisis, gender equality and peace. It will take place on Saturday, 28 September.
The overall conference theme is a World-embracing Vision for a Sustainable Future which is at the heart of all three areas of action.
The IEF conference is co-sponsored by the Wilmette Institute, the US Bahá’í Office of Public Affairs, and ebbf-Ethical Business Building the Future.
For more information about the conference and to register, visit this Webinar page:
International Environment Forum 28th Annual Conference
