The essential message of the Bahá'í Faith is unity -- a unity based on the understanding that there is one God, one human race, and that all the world's religions have been revealed successively in accordance with the needs of humanity at each stage of its development.
The crucial need today is to find a unifying vision of the nature of man and society that will enable every human being to participate in the creation of a just, peaceful and ever-advancing global civilization.
Founded 177 years ago, the Bahá'í Faith is an independent world religion with over five million followers in more than 200 countries and territories.. The global scope of the Faith is mirrored in the composition of its membership, representing a cross-section of humanity from virtually every national, ethnic, social and religious background.
The Faith's Founder, Bahá'u'lláh, was a Persian nobleman who Bahá'ís believe is the latest of God's Messengers to humanity. He announced that the age of global peace promised in all of the world's religions must be based on a number of fundamental principles. These include the full equality between women and men; the elimination of all forms of racism and prejudice; the unfettered pursuit of knowledge; elimination of the extremes of poverty and of wealth; universal education; harmony between the spiritual and material dimensions of civilization; a commitment of serving the wider community; and the establishment of a world commonwealth, bound by the principle of collective security.
Around the world today, Bahá'ís are working alongside like-minded people, dedicating themselves to learning how to apply these spiritual and social teachings for the betterment of the world.
Meeting held at the Baha'i International Community office in New York on the subject of Spirituality, Environmental Justice and Human Rights. Sponsored by the Sub-Committee for the Elimination of Racism of the NGO Committee on Human Rights
The Baháí International Community (BIC) is an international non-governmental organization with affiliates in over 180 countries and territories, which together represent over 5 million members of the Baháí Faith. As an international NGO, the BIC interacts and cooperates with the United Nations, its specialized agencies, with governments, as well as with inter-governmental and non-governmental organizations. The BIC seeks to promote and apply principles — derived from the teachings of the Baháí Faith — which contribute to the resolution of current day challenges facing humanity and the development of a united, peaceful, just, and sustainable civilization. At this time, the work of the BIC focuses on the promotion of a universal standard for human rights, the advancement of women, and the promotion of just and equitable means of global prosperity.
The BIC has offices at the United Nations in New York, Geneva, and Brussels; representations to the European Union and UN Regional Commissions based in Addis Ababa, Bangkok, Nairobi, Rome, Santiago, and Vienna.
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