The Six Year Plan -- Major Objectives and Setting National Goals

25 February 1986

To all National Spiritual Assemblies

Dear Baha'i friends,

On 2 January 1986, on the closing day of the Counsellors' Conference, the Universal House of Justice announced certain features of the Six Year Plan and the methods by which the national goals were to be worked out in consultation between the Counsellors and National Spiritual Assemblies. Before Ridvan you will receive a message from the Universal House of Justice to the entire Baha'i world and also one addressed specifically to the Baha'is within the jurisdiction of each National Spiritual Assembly.

In the meantime the House of Justice wishes you to begin your consultations on the goals of the Six Year Plan for your country. The preliminary steps in goal-setting have already been taken, namely the assessment of each country's strengths and weaknesses which the National Spiritual Assemblies recently made at the request of the Universal House of Justice, and which will undoubtedly be of great assistance to each one of you as you enter the next stage of the process. 

The House of Justice has instructed us to send you the following additional guidelines together with the enclosed statement of the major objectives of the plan at the national level, which includes some suggestions for specific goals to provide a basis for your consultations. You should not, however, confine yourselves to those suggestions.

A special characteristic of the Six Year Plan is that the conceiving of the detailed national goals is itself to be one of the tasks of the Plan, but this fact should not hold up in any way the activities of your communities. With this letter you are being acquainted with the major objectives of the plan, and every believer, every Local Spiritual Assembly, and all the national committees can pursue immediately, with increasing vigour, many projects towards their attainment, both projects already in process and others which will be newly conceived, so that when the specific national goals for each community are announced they will be received by a united company of devoted followers of Baha'u'llah already in the full flood of activity.

24 February 1986: To all National Spiritual Assemblies

JOYFULLY ANNOUNCE DEDICATION MOTHER TEMPLE INDIAN SUBCONTINENT WILL BE HELD NEW DELHI 23-27 DECEMBER 1986. AMATU'L-BAHA RUHIYYIH KHANUM WILL REPRESENT UNIVERSAL HOUSE OF JUSTICE THIS HISTORIC OCCASION AND DEDICATE TEMPLE. TEMPLE DEDICATION COMMITTEE FORMED UNDER AEGIS NATIONAL ASSEMBLY INDIA WILL CONVEY NECESSARY INFORMATION.

UNIVERSAL HOUSE OF JUSTICE

(‘Messages from the Universal House of Justice, 1963-1986’)

5 February 1986: To all National Spiritual Assemblies

Dear Baha'i friends,

In the letter dated 2 January 1986 written by the Universal House of Justice to the Baha'is of the world, reference was made to the inception of the fourth epoch of the Formative Age. In response to questions subsequently put to the House of Justice about the periods related to the earlier epochs of that Age, the Research Department was requested to prepare a statement on the subject. This has now been presented, and a copy is enclosed.

Kindly share this material of topical interest with the friends, as you deem fit, so that it may be studied in their deepening classes, summer schools, conferences and similar gatherings.

With loving Baha'i greetings, 

Department of the Secretariat  

The Epochs of the Formative Age

Prepared by the Research Department of the Universal House of Justice

Introduction

In disclosing the panoramic vision of the unfoldment of the Dispensation of Baha'u'llah, Shoghi Effendi refers to three major evolutionary stages through which the Faith must pass -- the Apostolic or Heroic Age (1844-1921) associated with the Central Figures of the Faith; the Formative or Transitional Age (1921-), the "hallmark" of which is the rise and establishment of the Administrative Order, based on the execution of the provisions of 'Abdu'l-Baha's Will and Testament; and, the Golden Age which will represent the "consummation of this glorious Dispensation."  Close examination of the details of Baha'i history reveals that the individual Ages are comprised of a number of periods-inseparable parts of one integrated whole.

31 January 1986: To the National Spiritual Assembly of the Baha'is of Panama

DEEPLY GRATIFIED FIRST TRANSMISSION RADIO BAHA'I PANAMA CULMINATION LONG PERIOD TRAINING DEVOTED LABOURS BAHA'I COMMUNITY GUAYMIES MANY INDIVIDUALS. SUGGEST NATIONAL ASSEMBLY SEEK EXTENSION GRADUATED PROGRAMMING PERIOD AT LEAST 6 MONTHS ENABLE NON PROFESSIONAL STAFF ORGANIZE PROCURE MATERIALS GAIN NEEDED TECHNICAL PROFICIENCIES DEVELOP CULTURAL CENTRE. CONGRATULATIONS GREAT ACHIEVEMENT.

UNIVERSAL HOUSE OF JUSTICE

(‘Messages from the Universal House of Justice, 1963-1986’)

1 January 1986: To all National Spiritual Assemblies

Dear Baha'i friends,

The Universal House of Justice requested the Research Department to prepare a compilation on the subject of women, taking into consideration the Baha'i concepts of the equality of the sexes, the role of education in the development of women, family life, fostering the development of women, etc.  The compilation has now been completed and a copy is attached.

It is left to your discretion to determine how best the contents of this compilation can be shared with the believers in your community.

With loving Baha'i greetings,

Department of the Secretariat

(‘Messages from the Universal House of Justice, 1963-1986’)