A presentation on Social Action at the Baha'i Centre, Saint Petersburg on 30th October 2023

1. For the Betterment of the World
Baha’i Communities efforts in Socio Economic Development (Social
Action)

2. Areas of
Action
S
A
M
P
L
E
F
O
O
T
E
R
T
E
X
T
 Education
 Releasing the Potential
of Youth
 Agriculture
 Health
 Environment
 Economic Life
 Advancement of Women
 Arts and Media
 Humanitarian Relief
2
/
1
/
2
0
X
X
2

3. Guidance in Baha’i Writings
P
R
A
Y
E
R
S
I
N
A
C
T
I
O
N
“ Take ye counsel together, and let your concern be
only for that which profiteth mankind and bettereth
the condition thereof...”-Baha’u’llah
“ Be anxiously concerned with the needs of the age
ye live in, and center your deliberations on its
exigencies and requirements.” –Baha’u’llah
Let deeds, not words, be your adorning. – Baha’u’llah
Prayer need not be in words, but rather in thought
and attitude. But if this love and this desire are
lacking, it is useless to try to force them. Words
without love mean nothing. – Abdu’l-Baha
A
R
I
S
E
T
O
S
E
R
V
E
3

4. TIMELINE
A
B
R
I
E
F
O
V
E
R
V
I
E
W
19th Century
Tahirih’s endeavours to
teach children and
women in villages
Abdu’l=Baha helping
the poor and educating
children even in Paris
Tarbiyat Girls' School of
Tehran schools in Iran
for the education of
women
.
1983
The 1983 message
emphasized that progress
in the development field
would depend largely on
natural stirrings at the
grassroots of the
community. It also
announced the
establishment of the
Office of Social and
Economic Development
(OSED)
1993
In September 1993, the
document “Bahá’í Social
and Economic
Development: Prospects
for the Future”, prepared
at the World Centre, was
approved by the
Universal House of
Justice for use by OSED
in orienting and guiding
the work in this area.
2001
In 2001, the Universal
House of Justice introduced
to the Bahá’í world the
concept of a cluster—a
geographic construct,
generally defined as a group
of villages or as a city with
its surrounding suburbs,
intended to assist in
planning and implementing
activities associated with
community life.
2020
The Universal House of
Justice calls for social
transformation and
encourages the
communities to engage in
discourses on various
topics and launch social
action programmes even
in collaboration with other
similar organizations.
A
N
D
T
H
E
F
U
T
U
R
E
4

5. Baha’i
Educational
Programme
s
Baha’i Children/Junior Youth
Classes
Helping with the School
curriculum

6. TYPE TRANSFORMATIONAL STAGE
PHYSICAL CATERPILLAR PUPA BUTTERFLY
HUMAN INFANT CHILD ADULT
INTELLECTUAL HOME
NEIGHBOUR
HOOD/
STATE/
NATION
WORLD
SPIRITUAL ANIMAL HUMAN DIVINE
EMOTIONS
NATURE
LOWER
( GREED/ANGER/
JEALOUSY, ETC.)
HIGHER
(SACRIFICE,
MERCY,
DEVELPMENTAL APPROACH TO TEACHING

7. THREE TYPES OF EDUCATION
MATERIAL
Progress and development of the body,
through gaining its sustenance, its material
comfort and ease
HUMAN
Signifies civilization and progress—that is
to say, government, administration,
charitable works, trades, arts and
handicrafts, sciences, great inventions and
discoveries and elaborate institutions,
which are the activities essential to man as
distinguished from the animal.
DIVINE
That of the Kingdom of God: it consists in
acquiring divine perfections, and this is true
education; for in this state man becomes the

8. Various
Initiatives
in
Agricultur
e

9. THE WAY TO
GET STARTED
IS TO QUIT
TALKING AND
BEGIN DOING.
Walt Disney
C
O
H
E
R
E
N
C
E
B
E
T
W
E
E
N
T
H
E
S
P
I
R
I
T
U
A
L
A
N
D
T
H
E
M
AT
E
R
I
A
L
9

10. Some more examples
Vocational
Training
Health and
Scientic
Development
1 0

11. Prayer inspired
service
T
H
E
C
H
A
N
D
I
G
A
R
H
C
O
M
M
U
N
I
T
Y
’
S
E
X
P
E
R
I
E
N
C
E
B
A
H
A
’
I
G
U
L
I
S
T
A
N
1 1

12. AN EVOLVING FRAMEWORKFOR COLLECTIVE
LEARNING
S
A
M
P
L
E
F
O
O
T
E
R
T
E
X
T
• Humanity’s movement
toward its collective
maturity
• Oneness and justice
• Coherence between the
spiritual and the
material
• Universal participation
• Capacity building
• Organic growth
• Learning as a mode of
operation
“ We must now highly resolve to arise and lay hold of all those instrumentalities that promote the
peace and well-being and happiness, the knowledge, culture and industry, the dignity, value and
station, of the entire human race.” — ‘ABDU’L-BAHÁ
2
/
1
/
2
0
X
X
1 2

13. THANK
YOU
S
A
M
P
L
E
F
O
O
T
E
R
T
E
X
T
Anil Sarwal
sarwalanil@gmail.co
m
www.sarwal.org
2
/
1
/
2
0
X
X
1 3