The format of the Association for Bahá’í Studies Conference

Dear Friends,

Given the current public health crisis, the Association for Bahá’í Studies has reached the decision that this year it will not be possible to hold the Annual ABS Conference that was scheduled to take place in August in Dallas, TX.

Alongside the disappointment that we feel at not being able to proceed with the much anticipated new conference format, we also feel hopeful and eager to realize the many opportunities that this situation presents. In lieu of the in-person Annual Conference, the Association has started planning for a robust alternative, with the aim of providing various opportunities for online engagement to serve a range of interests and areas of study. We will communicate plans as soon as they are finalized. We also welcome suggestions you may wish to offer in the meantime.

In its recent Naw-Rúz message, the Universal House of Justice urged our community to focus its attention on the “needs of the communities to which you belong, the condition of the societies in which you live, and the welfare of the entire family of humanity, to whom you are all brothers and sisters.” Within this context, the Association’s role in  nurturing the intellectual life of the Baha’i community and fostering participation in academic, professional and scholarly discourses is as essential as ever. The need for bringing the insights of the Revelation to bear on the pressing questions of the day has never been more timely. We hope to see you online this summer.

We wish you and your families health, well-being, and stamina, as we all find newly opened doors for service in these challenging times.

Loving Bahá’í greetings,

Julia Berger, Secretary
Association for Bahá’í Studies – North-America
Executive Committee