On Saturday, April 26, 2025, following the election of the National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of the United States, a special one-hour broadcast was shared with the American Bahá’í community. Before announcing the newly elected members, the Assembly took this opportunity to highlight the urgent realities facing the nation and to offer a vision of hope rooted in spiritual principles.
To experience the full message firsthand, you can watch the broadcast here.
In a world marked by division, turbulence, and disillusionment, the broadcast acknowledged the weight of our times with clarity and compassion. Yet it did not dwell on despair. Instead, it radiated a profound hope in humanity’s collective maturity and capacity for transformation. Central to the message was the urgent need for individuals and communities to cast away outdated habits and to cultivate new ways of thinking, being, and relating to one another.
America’s founding ideals of equality, justice, and the recognition of the inalienable rights of every individual were placed in sharp focus. The Assembly pointed out that while these ideals remain luminous, the struggle to realize them continues. The Bahá’í Faith, with its emphasis on spiritual and material progress going hand in hand, holds that the United States carries a special destiny: to lead not through domination, but through moral leadership, fostering the establishment of global peace.
To learn more about the Bahá’í Faith and how its teachings challenge traditional religious structures, you can read our article ‘The Bahá’í Faith: Not a Traditional Religion.‘”
The broadcast offered a brief yet poignant history of the National Spiritual Assembly itself, recalling early challenges, including misunderstandings about the role of women and the community’s unwavering commitment to racial integration, even during times of severe racial conflict. These historical touchpoints served as powerful reminders of the enduring Bahá’í principles of the oneness of humanity and the moral order of the universe.
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Stories from youth camps, where young people learned to overcome racial divisions and build bonds of unity, were shared to illustrate the practical application of these teachings. Such examples brought to life the principle that social change begins at the grassroots level, through genuine relationships built on love, fellowship, and service.
The Assembly emphasized that true religion is a force for unity, not division, and that every individual must be treated with dignity and provided opportunities to develop their inherent talents. Justice, they reminded the audience, is the lens through which all efforts toward unity and progress must be viewed.
The role of youth was given special attention. At a time when young people often find themselves navigating a confusing and fractured world, the broadcast emphasized the importance of nurturing their potential and empowering them to be protagonists in building a new society. Examples from youth conferences demonstrated how reflection, consultation, and planning can ignite lasting social transformation.
Throughout the broadcast, the power of truth, love, and unity was uplifted as the essential means to create a better world. The Assembly encouraged viewers to meet others with good faith and confidence in humanity’s ability to find common cause.
The broadcast concluded with a moving “Prayer for America,” beseeching that the American democracy may become “glorious in spiritual degrees” and a beacon of peace and unity for the world.
This message from the National Spiritual Assembly was not merely a reflection, but an invitation to each individual to participate in the ongoing process of building a more just, unified, and spiritually grounded society.
In the coming days, we will explore the key themes of this historic broadcast in greater depth. Our next article will examine the pressing challenges facing American society today and the vital call for justice. Future installments will delve into the enduring principle of the oneness of humanity, and the dynamic role of youth and grassroots action in shaping a brighter future. Together, these explorations will shed light on the pathways available to all of us who seek to contribute to the advancement of our communities and our world.
