Over 10,000 conferences are taking place from February on to August 2022 around the world to highlight diverse global efforts to create the conditions for vibrant communities and peaceful neighborhoods. These conferences are springboards for a nine-year plan to engage the world’s populations, one neighborhood at a time in a positive and conscious effort towards a world where all can be safe, happy and realize individual and collective potential.
Based on the principles and experiences of Baháʼí communities and their many partners to date, these conferences intend to widen the circle of protagonists in a drama to join material and spiritual development for a better world. They are an invitation to think systematically about building connections between people based on spiritual and moral principles which lead to grassroots actions, pertinent to each neighborhood.
Baháʼu’lláh wrote:
The remedy the world needeth in its present-day afflictions can never be the same as that which a subsequent age may require. Be anxiously concerned with the needs of the age ye live in, and centre your deliberations on its exigencies and requirements.1
Baháʼís have been working on this project for almost 100 years, most systematically over the past 40 years, using a process of informal education, collaboration, social action and artistic expression. The community focus has been on children, junior youth, neighborhood study circles and creative devotional spaces. Out of these spaces have emerged interesting opportunities to work together and to jointly meet community needs.
During these interactive and participatory conferences, we are excited to share what has been learned so far, to build on your ideas and to discuss the material and spiritual advancement of our communities. Conferences are taking place now and over the next few months in every community in the world. This is the first grassroots initiative for world peace that has ever taken place at such a worldwide scale; it is a very exciting – although daunting – project!
In Edmonton, there will be two Conferences for the Betterment of the World. You can join them on:
June 11 & 12 for a two-day experience
AND/OR
June 25 for a one day experience
Both will be held at Thelma Chalifoux school. The Conference dates and times are: Edmonton North Conference on June 11, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and June 12 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., and for the Edmonton South Conference on June 25, from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.
Themes covered will be:
- Baha’u’llah’s vision for humanity – a vision that has inspired people from every country and corner of the world to work towards unity, justice and peace
- Distance traversed – what has already been accomplished in thousands of neighborhoods around the world and specifically in Edmonton’s neighborhoods
- Building vibrant communities – characteristics of a spiritually and materially prosperous community based on spiritual principles and reading the realities of the communities in which we live to apply them practically
- Educational endeavors – informal community education of children and youth, adult study circles and social action, developing collective devotional spaces, building an orientation towards service
- Contributing to social transformation – finding and working together to respond to local issues and needs using the grassroots ideas and resources of the community
These themes will be explored in large and small facilitated groups, assisted by audio visual and arts presentations and activities. In discussion and with hands-on activities, we will explore concepts and consider ways to move this project of vibrant communities forward. A children’s program and a program for younger and older youth are provided for both conferences. Lunch and dinner are provided. There is no cost to attend. Please register if possible as it will allow the organizing committee to plan appropriately.
We can certainly see that there is no lack of systematic destruction and hatred in the world. Let’s balance this with a positive and systematic effort to build harmony, mutual understanding and healthy, vibrant communities where joy and inclusion are the norm.
Registration details for Edmonton Vibrant Communities conferences are:
