Striving to remove barriers that prevent us from building Vibrant, Diverse, Inclusive, Accessible Communities!
For Specific Things You can Do Right Now:
https://shininglamp.org/#removing-barriers
Overview:
As the world becomes increasingly interconnected, the need for peace and unity has never been more pressing.
Abdul-Baha, the perfect exemplar and extoller of all of the virtues of what it means to be what we are intended to be as humans, was the host of many gatherings and events. From the many stories of his travels and engagements, we know that his attention, care, and focus, was on Unity and Justice, and always on Inclusion of those who were considered to be historically marginalized populations, including those with disabilities.
Baha’is around the world are working together to remove barriers that keep us from building vibrant communities where everyone can truly belong and thrive. This includes confronting gender inequality, fostering racial unity, and removing barriers that prevent People with Disabilities and other marginalized community members from fully participating in activities and events, accessing programs and services, and receiving materials in accessible formats.
All of these efforts are part of a larger movement to lay the spiritual foundations for lasting peace and security for all humanity. Through our shared action and dedication, Baha’is are encouraging others to join in this noble en
‘Abdu’l-Bahá saw in World War I a harrowing lesson of the human necessity for peace – and of the darkness that can ensue without peace. He knew and wrote extensively that nothing short of the establishment of the spiritual foundations for peace could result in lasting peace and security for humanity. In His written works, ‘Abdu’l-Bahá repeatedly draws our attention to the need for establishing the spiritual prerequisites for peace, requisites which, in turn, remove the barriers to peace, such as racial prejudice, sexism, economic inequalities, sectarianism, and nationalism. - Shahrzad Sabet
In a letter To the Believers in the Cradle of the Faith Abdu’l-Bahá has explained:
There are, of course, many pressing issues that occupy the minds of those striving to promote the prosperity and well-being of Iran. Chief among them is, no doubt, the critical need to remove barriers hindering the progress of women in society. - Messages from the Baha'i World Centre
The Universal House of Justice has written Letters which offer Guidance on learning to transcend traditional barriers that divide people.
In one letter, The Universal House of Justice tells us: In the affairs of the Bahá’í community, Bahá’ís are learning to transcend traditional barriers that divide people in the wider society and exacerbate tensions among people from different religious backgrounds. Shoghi Effendi explained that “every organized community enlisted under the banner of Bahá’u’lláh should feel it to be its first and inescapable obligation to nurture, encourage, and safeguard every minority belonging to any faith, race, class, or nation within it.” One example is the way in which all minorities, including those from a religious minority background, are encouraged in their participation. “If any discrimination is at all to be tolerated”, Shoghi Effendi has for instance stated when discussing the corrosive effects of prejudice, “it should be a discrimination not against, but rather in favour of the minority, be it racial or otherwise.” - Universal House of Justice letter, 27 December, 2017
In another letter, The Universal House of Justice tells us: As the intensity of community-building work in a cluster increases, the friends there inevitably become more conscious of social, economic, or cultural barriers that are impeding people’s spiritual and material progress. Children and junior youth lacking support in their education, pressures on girls resulting from traditional customs related to early marriage, families needing help with navigating unfamiliar systems of healthcare, a village struggling for want of some basic necessity, or long-standing prejudices arising from a legacy of hostility between different groups...
In reflecting on such situations it becomes evident that, within clusters, expansion and consolidation, social action, and contributing to prevalent discourses are dimensions of a single, unified, outward-looking endeavour carried out at the grassroots of society. All these efforts are pursued according to a common framework for action, and this above all else brings coherence to the overall pattern of activity.
Read these letters from the Universal House of Justice in full context.
The need for peace, Unity in Diversity, and justice has never been more pressing than in today’s interconnected world. The lessons of World War I, as seen by ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, are still deeply relevant.
Baha’is around the world are working tirelessly to remove barriers so that marginalized members of our communities are not excluded—whether by confronting gender inequality, promoting racial harmony, or removing barriers that prevent People with Disabilities from participating fully in community life.
These efforts are part of a larger movement to establish the spiritual foundations for lasting peace and security for all humanity. As the Universal House of Justice has explained, transcending traditional barriers that divide people is a vital part of this work. Now is the time for us all to work together within a common framework for action, building communities grounded in justice, unity, and mutual support.
Consistently ensuring equitable participation of People with Disabilities in community gatherings and events by planning ahead for Accessibility transforms exclusion and discrimination into a culture of inclusion, respect, belonging, and value.
