Bahá’í News/Inserts/Issue 410/The Baha’is and International Cooperation Year/Text

The Baha’is and International Co-operation Year

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THE BAHÁ’ÍS AND INTERNATIONAL CO-OPERATION YEAR

In lieu of sending out United Nations kits to Bahá’í communities this year, we are using this insert in BAHÁ’Í News to reach the entire Bahá’í community in the United States. Keep it within easy reach for the remainder of the year.

This year we urge you to make an especially big effort to celebrate United Nations Day (October 24th) and Human Rights Day (December 10th), bearing in mind that 1965 marks the 20th anniversary of the United Nations and has been designated International Co-operation Year.

The theme for ICY is “Peace and Progress through Co-operation.” We are reminded that Bahá’u’lláh wrote, “Be anxiously concerned with the needs of the age ye live in, and center your deliberations in its exigencies and requirements.” (Gl. p. 213.) “All men have been created to carry forward an ever-advancing civilization.” (Ibid. p. 215.) “The fundamental purpose animating the Faith of God and His Religion is to safeguard the interests and promote the unity of the human race, and to foster the spirit of love and fellowship amongst men.” (Ibid. p. 215.)

“Cleave unto that which draweth you together and uniteth you.” (Ibid. p. 217.) And ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, echoing His Father’s thoughts, said, “. . . man cannot live singly and alone. He is in need of continuous cooperation and mutual help.” (Foundations of World Unity, p. 38.) Small wonder that a high government official states ‎thfat that‎ “International co-operation is a fact of life — indeed it is the most important fact of life in the second half of the 20th Century.”

Over the years Bahá’ís have shown much imagination, creativity and enthusiasm in celebrating both United Nations Day and Human Rights Day. With the emphasis this year on cooperation, our efforts should continue and even double. But we must enter this important task well fortified with what our Divine Teachers have to say on this subject.

SUGGESTIONS FOR BAHÁ’Í-UN-ICY ACTIVITIES

ORGANIZE a local Bahá’í United Nations Committee.

USE OUR THEMES: “Co-operation for Peace and Progress” for UN Day, October 24th.

“Working Together for Human Rights” for Human Rights Day, December 10th.

STUDY: The Bahá’í Writings on peace, human rights, cooperation, including what ‘Abdu’l-Bahá says on cooperation in Foundations of World Unity.

United Nations publications, such as Working Together the United Nations Way and “The United Nations Declaration on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination” (reprinted in BAHÁ’Í News, Dec. 1964).

Leaders Guide and the publications list, which can be ordered from the UN Association of the U.S.A., 345 E. 46th Street, N.Y. 17, N.Y.

Books such as The Story of International Cooperation by James Avery Joyce. (Franklin Watts, Inc., 575 Lexington Ave., N.Y. 22, N.Y.) Told in very simple terms.

Other materials, such as Mind Your World, A Citizen’s Guide to International Understanding by U.S. National Commission for UNESCO, Washington, D.C.

Your geography to know where new countries, islands and remote areas are.

TERMINOLOGY: No longer is it really strange to talk about a world community, a world order, a world court, a world law, a world government, a world language, a world police force, a world family and international assessments.

PLAN MEETINGS: Bahá’ís in larger communities may be able to call together representatives from other organizations in order to plan together the celebration of ICY. Good Bahá’í publicity should result from this activity.

Invite non-Bahá’í guest speakers to share the Bahá’í platform with a Bahá’í. People dealing with international matters are far more prevalent than might be supposed: academicians, government people, weathermen, journalists, economists, lawyers, artists, musicians, people in communications and travel.

COOPERATE with your town’s United Nations Committee, representing the Bahá’ís.

with your local branch of the United Nations Association of the United States of America (UNA).

As ICY continues throughout the year, you may wish to take part in or initiate new activities, such as the celebration of UN Charter Day on June 26th.

APPROACHES TO CONSIDER: religious, racial, economic, scientific, technical, professional, political, academic, artistic, musical, literary, legal, commercial, medical. Stress our interdependence in world commerce, our benefits in sharing the world’s art, music, scientific and medical knowledge.

ENCOURAGE EDUCATORS to give classroom instruction on the role of the UN and on the importance of human rights and international cooperation.

GIVE Bahá’í pamphlets and books to interested people: “A Bahá’í Declaration of Human Rights and Obligations,” The Bahá’í Peace Program, Foundations of World Unity, “Man One Family,” [Page 2] “One Universal Faith,” “The Oneness of Mankind” and “A Pattern for Future Society.”

UN pamphlets, leaflets, such as the “Universal Declaration of Human Rights.”

books on the UN to your library for an up-to-date bookshelf.

an appropriate book review.

a music evening with music from different lands.

an award or medal to the person in your town who is judged by the Bahá’ís to have done the most towards international cooperation.

a Bahá’í-sponsored essay contest on the UN, ICY or Human Rights.

a Bahá’í-sponsored poster contest on the UN, ICY or Human Rights.

USE OF RADIO: get on the air when feasible and when you have a knowledgeable speaker.

TELEVISION: The Xerox programs highlighting little-known humanitarian aspects of the UN will be continued in the fall. Invite friends for a viewing-discussion party, leading into the Faith. Bahá’ís responded well to the NSA request that Xerox be encouraged to go ahead with these plans in spite of the flood of protest letters it received.

DISPLAYS: UN materials, books and pamphlets in store windows, book stores, public libraries.

Foreign objects in vacant store windows. Foreign-made book ends have effectively displayed “the Bibles” of the world’s living religions, including a Bahá’í volume.

Flags of UN member nations. At the UN all flags fly at the same height to symbolize the equality of all nations.

FILMS, FILM STRIPS, SLIDES: rent some good UN materials and combine them with a showing of Bahá’í slides from the World Congress and from Haifa. For renting films contact Contemporary Films, Inc. at either 267 W. 25th St., N.Y. 1, N.Y. or 614 Davis St., Evanston, Illinois. You may also contact William M. Dennis Film Libraries, 2506½ West 7th St., Los Angeles, Calif.

ENTERTAIN at an international dinner using recipes from The Cookbook of the United Nations.

your own family with a UN Day Family Meal.

foreign students.

UN personnel and their families if you live near the UN. Take part in or even initiate a UN week-end in your town in which UN personnel and their families are invited and entertained for a week-end.

BUY UNICEF plain cards and calendars for your personal use and for gifts. This will publicize the work of the UN and it will also help needy children in foreign lands.

HAVE a booth at a local fair. You can display Bahá’í and carefully chosen UN pamphlets and books.

PLANT and dedicate a UN tree in a city park or at a school. A 1945-born young adult could be asked to participate. Get good Bahá’í publicity.

VISIT THE UN. In April 1965 we had our first large interstate Bahá’í group visit the UN.

PRAY for unity in the world.

USE all your resourcefulness, ingenuity, wisdom and love as you plan your activities during this International Co-operation Year. You will be celebrating the 20th birthday of the UN but the 122nd of the Bahá’í Faith. Know that you are first of all a world citizen under Bahá’u’lláh and as such a supporter also of the UN. The UN represents that which is international in human affairs and as such our support of it aids in the establishment of the Lesser Peace.

REMEMBER to report your activities to the Bahá’í United Nations Committee. Not only do the Bahá’ís want to know what you are doing, but your Bahá’í NGO representatives to the UN must report to the UN’s Office of Public Information. Give us a good story. And God bless you.

UNITED NATIONS COMMITTEE

Miss Isabelle Silk, Secretary

430 E. 63rd Street

New York 21, N.Y.

Insert May 1965 BAHÁ’Í NEWS