New Baha'i International Community Statements

Submitted by admin on 18. October 2015 - 21:02

The Baha'i International Community (BIC) United Nations Office has issued two new statements on the United Nations 2030 Agenda and the Sustainable Development Goals. Although they are addressed to two different audiences, some sections are common to the two statements.

On 8-9 September 2015, the BIC participated with other religious groups in the Faith in the Future event organized by the Alliance of Religions and Conservation (ARC) and UNDP to launch Faith Plans for a Sustainable Future in Bristol, UK. The Baha'i statement presented there is "Baha'i International Community Engagement with the Sustainable Development Goals". These Bristol Commitments have been published by ARC in a book, Faith in the Future: The Bristol Commitments, Faith Plans for a Sustainable Future, launched 8th September 2015 in response to the Sustainable Development Goals to be adopted in New York, September 2015. (Bath, UK: Alliance of Religions and Conservation). See more information from the Baha'i World News Service at http://news.bahai.org/story/1067.

On 13 October, the BIC issued "Summoning Our Common Will: A Baha’i Contribution to the United Nations Global Development Agenda" addressed more generally to the United Nations and the international community. Both statements reflect the approach of the Baha'is as a learning community trying to build more just and sustainable communities at the grass roots. They emphasize that people are the real protagonists of development, so it is essential to address the roots of motivation and to build communities of practice in which continuous learning can take place from the local to the global levels. See also the Baha'i World News Service story at http://news.bahai.org/story/1074.

These statements are now available on the IEF web site:
Baha'i International Community Engagement with the Sustainable Development Goals
Summoning Our Common Will: A Baha’i Contribution to the United Nations Global Development Agenda