About the Bahá'í Principles
About the Bahá'í Principles

The Oneness of MankindUniversal PeaceIndependent Investigation of TruthThe Common Foundation of All ReligionsThe Essential Harmony of Science and ReligionThe Equality of Women and MenElimination of Prejudice of All KindsUniversal Compulsory EducationA Spiritual Solution to Economic ProblemsA Universal Auxiliary LanguageAbout the Bahá'í PrinciplesVideo Content

A Prayer from the Baha'i Writings A Meditation from the Baha'i Writings
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Principles of the Teaching of Bahá'u'lláh:
Universal Peace Upheld by a World Government

A Supreme Tribunal shall be established by the peoples and Governments of every nation, composed of members elected from each country and Government. The members of this Great Council shall assemble in unity. All disputes of an international character shall be submitted to this Court, its work being to arrange by arbitration everything which otherwise would be a cause of war. The mission of this Tribunal would be to prevent war.

One of the great steps towards universal peace would be the establishment of a universal language. Bahá'u'lláh commands that the servants of humanity should meet together, and either choose a language which now exists, or form a new one. This was revealed in the Kitáb-i-Aqdas forty years ago. It is there pointed out that the question of diversity of tongues is a very difficult one. There are more than eight hundred languages in the world, and no person could acquire them all.

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The races of mankind are not isolated as in former days. Now, in order to be in close relationship with all countries it is necessary to be able to speak their tongues.

A universal language would make intercourse possible with every nation. Thus it would be needful to know two languages only, the mother tongue and the universal speech. The latter would enable a man to communicate with any and every man in the world!

A third language would not be needed. To be able to talk with a member of any race and country without requiring an interpreter, how helpful and restful to all!

Esperanto has been drawn up with this end in view: it is a fine invention and a splendid piece of work, but it needs perfecting. Esperanto as it stands is very difficult for some people.

An international Congress should be formed, consisting of delegates from every nation in the world, Eastern as well as Western. This Congress should form a language that could be acquired by all, and every country would thereby reap great benefit.

New Baha'i representative to open office in Brussels
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Sarah Vader is a new representative of the Baha'i International Community for work with the U.N. in Geneva and the European Union in Brussels.
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Until such a language is in use, the world will continue to feel the vast need of this means of intercourse. Difference of speech is one of the most fruitful causes of dislike and distrust that exists between nations, which are kept apart by their inability to understand each other's language more than by any other reason.

If everybody could speak one language, how much more easy would it be to serve humanity!

Therefore appreciate 'Esperanto', for it is the beginning of the carrying out of one of the most important of the Laws of Bahá'u'lláh, and it must continue to be improved and perfected.

('Abdu'l-Bahá: Paris Talks, Pages: 155-157)

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Baha'i Principles HomeContact Us
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View a larger picture. 24 April 2009, BUENOS AIRES, Argentina — This week, for the 70th year, the Baha'is of Buenos Aires gathered to elect their local Spiritual Assembly – one of the two oldest of what are now 600 such Baha'i governing councils throughout South America.

A special program featuring historical photographs was presented at the annual meeting of the Buenos Aires' Baha'is on 20 April, said Behrooz Khomassi, who has researched local Baha'i history and helped prepare the program.

"The first assembly of Buenos Aires was elected on the 10th of May in 1940," he said.

Published documents from the period list Buenos Aires and Bahia, Brazil, as being the first two Baha'i assemblies in South America.

Both cities were visited in 1919 by the famed Baha'i travel teacher Martha Root, known for her journeys around the world to present the Baha'i message to royalty, government officials, civic leaders, newspaper editors, and the public at large.

In 1940, another prominent Baha'i, May Maxwell, also came to Buenos Aires, but she died within three days of her arrival on 27 February. Mr. Khomassi said her passing served as a catalyst for Baha'i activity in the city – two months later its first Spiritual Assembly was formed.

Worldwide, elections for local Baha'i assemblies are held annually at the beginning of the Festival of Ridvan, which goes from 21 April to 2 May and marks the anniversary of Baha'u'llah's declaration in 1863 that He was a new messenger of God. There are thousands of localities around the globe that hold such elections.

Also during Ridvan, virtually every national Baha'i community holds a convention where delegates elect their National Spiritual Assembly. Some 180 such elections will be held this year.

Assemblies at both the national and local level have nine members, and all Baha'is aged 21 or over who live in the jurisdiction are eligible for election.

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