Letter from the delegates of the 74th National Convention to the Universal House of Justice

From the delegates to the 74th  National Convention to the Universal House of Justice.

To our cherished Universal House of Justice,

Your Riḍván message has revivified our community—drawing us beyond ourselves and into a new perspective. Friends across our country testified that this message has resonated with the experience of all who are blessed to interact with it. The consultations at this 74^th National Convention formed humble footnotes to each word and phrase of the Riḍván message. Our words, our vision, our very imagination were recast in its logic and imagery. Our deliberations were encouraged and guided by the loving preparation of the National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of Canada; broadened and refined by the framing remarks, stories, and insights of members of the Continental Board of Counsellors for the Americas, Mr. Ayafor Temengye Ayafor and Dr. Borna Noureddin; enriched by a message from the Board of Trustees of Ḥuqúqu’lláh and by the presence of two members of that Board; edified by the presence of two special guests, Dr. Firaydoun Javaheri and Mrs. Vida Javaheri; surrounded by the loving presence of many members of the Auxiliary Board and a record number of observers, a large proportion of whom were youth.

We were eager to share insights from victories and challenges, large and small, occurring across our nation. As the consultation progressed, we gained a sense of the nature of the processes of integration and disintegration presently unfolding in our country. For every advance in community building in a neighbourhood, a wider perspective of the state of families and communities emerged; for every challenge observed, a ready recognition followed of the evident and potential power of the “methods and instruments of the Plan” in urgently seeking a remedy. Our consultations, raised to ever higher heights by the contributions of our Counsellors, assisted us in gaining a deeper appreciation of the oneness of humankind and offered practical examples of how this understanding can reshape our actions. Above all, reflecting on our vigorous efforts to prosecute the Plan in Canada in light of the Riḍván message inspired in us a heightened sense of hope and enthusiasm.

The Canadian Bahá’í National Convention was further blessed by taking place in the vicinity of the future National Mashriq’ul-Adhkár, an edifice which has already been spiritually erected, and to which we are now exerting every effort to give physical form. We were delighted to view two short films, commissioned by our beloved National Spiritual Assembly, which speak to the physical and spiritual impact of this temple—exemplified in the principle of environmental stewardship, resonating with cultures across our country. We were stirred by the news that the funds for the construction of the central edifice were raised or pledged in one year, and we are learning to see ourselves as a community of strength, recognizing that this divine edifice will stand as “…evidence of the penetration of the Faith of God into the soil of society” (Riḍván 2012). Alongside this, we also see the need for more funds to support the current increase in community-building activities, as well as to support, “a sustained, rapid rise in the number of those committing their time, their energy, their concentration to the success of this work” (Riḍván 2024).

Foremost amongst our deliberations were numerous accounts of the feats of the youth of our nation who, from coast to coast to coast are learning to find within the institute the tools to address their challenges and aspirations. We were acutely aware that it is the spark of joy that quickens one’s step on the path of service, for in the words of the Master, “Joy gives us wings!” An ardent desire to learn what additional conditions will enable youth to “soar” and all to “surge” was palpable throughout the Convention.

An unprecedented number of delegates rose to share their insights and experiences as participants in a unified conversation shaped by a deepening understanding of the objectives of the Plan. The arts infused the consultative spirit of the Convention, and these “spiritual brothers and sisters” were inspired to share their poetry, songs and stories. This convention, this “sweetest moment” was crowned by a powerful, rarified atmosphere wherein we were honoured to elect, with universal participation, this beloved institution of the National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of Canada.

Our gratitude for His Universal House of Justice knows no bounds; may each day bring fresh opportunities to demonstrate in deeds what words cannot contain.

The delegates of the 74^th Canadian Bahá’í National Convention