Message from the Universal House of Justice regarding new volume of “The Bahá’í World”

19 December 2024 / 9 Questions 181

All Local Spiritual Assemblies
All Regional Bahá’í Councils
All Registered Groups

Dear Bahá’í Friends,

In a letter written on its behalf to all National Spiritual Assemblies, the Universal House of Justice recently shared the joyful news of the resumption of the publication of volumes of The Bahá’í World.  The letter conveyed the following about this publication:

“The forthcoming volume of The Bahá’í World is the 35th in its history and covers the period between 2006 and 2021. As originally envisioned by the Guardian, the volume addresses the general public as well as students and scholars in a language that is welcoming and engaging, and invites the interest, in his words, of the ‘critical and intelligent enquirer, of whatever class, creed or colour’. To that audience, this new volume presents the growing experience of the Bahá’í community as an example of the potentialities within the human race to overcome conflict and division, to create new patterns of thought and human interaction, and to lay the foundations of a world that embodies the principle of the oneness of humankind. The articles in the volume seek to draw out the insights from Bahá’í experience that demonstrate aspects of ‘the high purpose, the moving history, the enduring achievements, the resistless march and infinite prospects of the Revelation of Bahá’u’lláh’.

“As you may know, between 1926 and 2006, the Bahá’í World volumes provided a unique record of worldwide Bahá’í activity. Whilst the House of Justice continued to consider the release of future volumes, in 2019 it established The Bahá’í World as a website with the purpose of publishing essays and articles that reflect advances at the levels of thought and of action and the Faith’s purpose and mission in the world. Today, in addition to that website, certain functions of the original conception of the Bahá’í World volumes are being fulfilled by other publications such as Summary of Achievements and Learning, which is prepared at the end of each of the global Plans, For the Betterment of the World, and The Bahá’ís magazine, and also by the family of sites associated with Bahai.org, including the Bahá’í World News Service, and official national Bahá’í websites. Nevertheless, the House of Justice felt that, due to the distinctive role of The Bahá’í World as a public record of the development of the Faith of Bahá’u’lláh, its publication in book form should now resume.

“The new volume is richly illustrated with photographs, and a special feature is the inclusion of works of art by Bahá’ís from around the world. The book also includes an “In Memoriam” section, offering accounts of the lives of individuals who rendered distinguished service at the international level….”

This volume will be available for purchase through the Bahá’í Distribution Service in the United States (https://www.bahaibookstore.com/) sometime next month.  It will also be available through our own Bahá’í Distribution Service (https://distribution.bahai.ca/).

With loving Bahá’í greetings,
Karen McKye, Secretary