wfn.org | Bahais stress spiritual values at Johannesburg Summit

["Brad Pokorny" <brad@oc.mv.com>]

Bahai World News Service
23 August 2002

For more information, contact editor@bahaiworldnews.org or visit
http://www.bahaiworldnews.org

Bahai representatives to Johannesburg Summit to stress spiritual values for
sustainable development

JOHANNESBURG -- Baha'i representatives will stress the central importance of
spiritual values at the World Summit on Sustainable Development. Some 30
representatives of six Baha'i and Baha'i-inspired organizations will take
part in the Summit, an effort to assess progress made since the 1992 Earth
Summit in Rio de Janeiro in achieving sustainable development. The
centerpiece of Baha'i efforts at the Summit will be the presentation of a
statement, prepared by the Baha'i International Community, entitled
"Religion and Development at the Crossroads: Convergence or Divergence?"
[INSERT LINK TO STATEMENT HERE, OR HIGHLIGHT THE TITLE AND LINK TO IT]

"The statement raises a bold and challenging call to the UN and to the
leaders of the world's religions," said Peter Adriance, the lead
representative of the Baha'i International Community to the Summit. "It asks
the UN to more fully recognize the key role religion must play in the quest
for sustainable development and it calls on religious leaders to reject all
forms of religious fanaticism as impediments to development and peace."

Scheduled from 26 August to 4 September 2002, the Summit will bring together
thousands of participants, including heads of state and government, national
delegates and leaders from non-governmental organizations (NGOs), businesses
and other major groups. Organized by the United Nations, the Summit's goal
is to inspire action towards creating an environmentally sound world while
addressing humanity's needs for food, water, shelter, sanitation, energy,
health services and economic security.

The gathering has three major venues. The Summit itself, with its focus on
government negotiations, will be held at the Sandton Convention Center just
outside Johannesburg. A Forum for non-governmental organizations (NGOs) will
be held separately at Nasrec, about 25 kilometers from the Summit site. And
a special area, called the Ubuntu Village, open to government leaders, NGOs,
major groups such as businesses, and the public, has been created near the
Sandton Center for exhibits, cultural performances and other events designed
to help facilitate new partnerships for sustainable development.

Baha'is will participate in activities at all three venues. Delegations from
the Baha'i International Community, as well as the official Baha'i
communities of Brazil, Canada, and South Africa, have been accredited to the
Summit. Two Baha'i-inspired organizations, the International Environment
Forum (IEF) and the European Baha'i Business Forum (EBBF), which operate on
Baha'i principles but have no formal connection to Baha'i institutions, have
also been accredited to the Summit and will send delegations. In all, 30
Baha'is have been accredited from these organizations, said Mr. Adriance.

The same delegations will also participate in activities at the NGO Forum
and the Ubuntu Village. In particular, the Baha'i International Community
and the Baha'i Community of South Africa have created two exhibits, one for
the Ubuntu Village and the other for the NGO Forum. The exhibits highlight
the Baha'i approach to development and showcase Baha'i projects that reflect
values and principles at "the heart of development," such as
trustworthiness, the equality of women and men, and justice.

The IEF and EBBF will share an exhibit at the NGO Forum. They have also
planned several workshops on topics that include: Multiple Dimensions of
Globalization; Indicators for Sustainability; Integrating Science in Local
Communities; Values For Sustainable Development; and Value-Based Education
For Sustainable Development.

"In many respects," said Mr. Adriance, "the program of workshops and
activities by these Baha'i-inspired organizations backs up the central theme
of the Baha'is at the Summit -- which is to show that you can't have
sustainable development in a spiritual vacuum."

"Both the IEF and the EBBF have stressed the importance of spiritual values
in their work, with the IEF focusing on values as they relate to the
scientific and technical issues surrounding the environment and the EBBF
focusing on values as they relate to business ethics," Mr. Adriance added.

"We believe that religion has a significant role to play in inculcating the
values necessary to create a sustainable society. And there are many groups
that are now carrying forward this message to the United Nations and other
international organizations," Mr. Adriance said.

In addition, two Baha'i youth performing arts troupes, Beyond Words and
Ablaze, will support selected volunteer initiatives, and there will also be
a display of "Children's Art for the Environment" from an annual competition
run by the Baha'is in the Cape Town area.

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