21/08/2023
Beloved Friends,��In its message to the Bahá’ís of the world at Riḍván 2021, the Universal House of Justice invited the followers of Bahá’u’lláh to ponder the remarkable advances that had been made over the course of the prior twenty-five years, as well as to contemplate their implications for the further progress of the Cause of God in the epoch to come. The House of Justice described in memorable terms the challenges faced by the community as a new series of Plans began in 1996, whose overarching aim was to advance the process of entry by troops. Various notable developments were then described—among them, the rising involvement of youth in the vanguard of our efforts. The message states:
One of the most striking and inspiring features of this twenty-five-year period has been the service rendered by Bahá’í youth, who with faith and valour have assumed their rightful place in the forefront of the community’s efforts. As teachers of the Cause and educators of the young, as mobile tutors and homefront pioneers, as cluster coordinators and members of Bahá’í agencies, youth on five continents have arisen to serve their communities with devotion and sacrifice.
The House of Justice then made this highly significant announcement:
The maturity they have demonstrated, in the discharge of duties upon which depends the advancement of the Divine Plan, is expressive of their spiritual vitality and their commitment to safeguarding humanity’s future. In recognition of this increasingly evident maturity, we have decided that, immediately following this Riḍván, while the age at which a believer becomes eligible to serve on a Spiritual Assembly shall remain twenty-one, the age at which a believer may vote in Bahá’í elections shall be lowered to eighteen. We have no doubt that Bahá’í youth everywhere who are of age will vindicate our confidence in their ability to fulfil "conscientiously and diligently" the "sacred duty" to which every Bahá’í elector is called.
As we now approach the time of the Unit Conventions, when believers across the country will gather to elect the delegates to the 116th Bahá’í National Convention, we hope that special efforts will be made to encourage the youth who are eighteen and over to take part in this sacred process. Such efforts should go beyond general encouragement—there could be special gatherings and conversations about Bahá’í administration and how it is distinctive from any other form of governance. Appropriate selections from Book 8 of the Ruhi Institute sequence will surely serve as a valuable resource.��The House of Justice noted the importance of participation in the Bahá’í electoral process in a recent letter to this National Spiritual Assembly, in the context of Local Assembly elections:
…you will no doubt wish to give thought as to how [the friends] can be helped to develop a deeper appreciation for those spiritual imperatives that characterize Bahá’í elections. It is, of course, true that your community is generally familiar with such imperatives. Yet, for many new believers, and even some long-standing Bahá’ís who have not actively participated in the life of the community, their understanding of the word "election" may largely derive from the political elections that take place in the country, and the various ideas and practices associated with them, most of which are, in profound ways, at variance with the Bahá’í approach. Bahá’u’lláh’s vision of a New World Order demands a major shift in how the believers view authority within the community and how those who will exercise this authority are chosen.
With this in mind, we also hope that conversations in your communities will be sustained over the coming months so that more young people also participate in the annual elections of their Local Spiritual Assemblies.��At a time when people’s trust in the institutions of government is rapidly deteriorating, when polarization and paralysis increasingly characterize governance at every level, it is especially critical for the rising generation of Bahá’ís to appreciate and support the System ordained by the Blessed Beauty Himself as the indispensable means for the realization of His vision for the transformation of the world.��Be assured of our deepest love and ardent prayers for each and every one of you.��With warmest Bahá’í love,��NATIONAL SPIRITUAL ASSEMBLY�OF THE BAHÁ’ÍS OF THE UNITED STATES���Kenneth E. Bowers�Secretary
