Pan-Arctic conference focuses on building vibrant communities

A gathering in Nuuk, Greenland served to revitalize the spirits of those present, as they made plans to increase the pace of the community-building work in their regions.

On September 12, over 30 friends from Greenland, Iqaluit, and Ontario gathered for an intensive four-day conference focused on unfolding the vision of Bahá’u’lláh across the Arctic. The aim of the conference, held in Nuuk, Greenland in a beautiful centre recently constructed by longtime pioneer Jim Milne and his son Intalik Milne, was to explore how to engage an ever-widening circle of families and individuals in building vibrant communities across the north.

The participants consulted in large and small group sessions on themes stemming from the materials of the Global Conferences called for by the Universal House of Justice at the outset of the Nine Year Plan. They drew inspiration from the Tablets of the Divine Plan addressed to both Canada and Greenland, messages of welcome from the National Spiritual Assemblies of both countries, and a film produced by Intalik Milne about the early development of the Faith in Greenland. As noted by Auxiliary Board member Louis Chemnitz, a major objective of the conference was to enhance the participants’ understanding of the power of the institute process to further release the potential of every person to engage more actively in the life of society and contribute practically to its transformation.

The conference took place in a building, pictured here, constructed by Bahá’ís Jim and Intalik Milne.

The conference was viewed as part of an ongoing process of learning, adding energy and giving additional impetus to the efforts of the participants. It has led growing groups of friends to develop more regular patterns of planning and reflecting on experience in light of guidance, including among the youth; to an increase in the number of study circles, devotional gatherings, and firesides; and to more concerted efforts to have conversations with friends about strengthening and multiplying the educational activities for junior youth and children. Such conversations also took place at the conference when 15 or so friends from the local community joined the conference participants for a devotional gathering on the Saturday evening and a unity gathering on the Sunday afternoon.

The participants from Canada and Greenland felt rejuvenated in this special environment, continuing a long history of collaboration between these two countries, first nurtured by ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, Who instructed the Bahá’ís to diffuse the Teachings throughout northern territories, particularly reaching the Inuit. As such, the friends hope that it will be the first in a series of pan-Arctic conferences that may be held during the course of the Nine Year Plan.

Finally, the heartfelt devotional spirit that infused the conference at regular points throughout the four days left a lasting impression. For those present, it felt as if the ardor and earnestness with which the prayers were intoned and melodiously sung burned away the veils and gladdened and uplifted everyone’s heart, “transmuting earthly inclinations into heavenly attributes and inspiring selfless service to humankind.”[1] Indeed, it felt as if the spirit of the Mashriqu’l-Adhkár, “the Dawning-place of the Praise of God”,[2] was being continually evoked in that beautiful setting.

—Todd Smith

[1] From the Universal House of Justice to the Bahá’ís in Iran, 18 December 2014.
[2] The Kitáb-i-Aqdas: The Most Holy Book (Wilmette: Bahá’í Publishing Trust, 1993, 2009 printing), note 53.