Mark Scheffer

Baha'i International Community

The Baha'i International Community represents the worldwide Baha'i community, whose members come from every national, ethnic, religious, cultural, and socio-economic background, representing a cross-section of humanity. Active in various global fora, the Baha'i International Community maintains United Nations offices in New York and Geneva, as well as regional offices in Addis Ababa, Brussels, and Jakarta. The Baha'i International Community registered with the UN as an NGO in 1948 and currently has consultative status with the United Nations Economic and Social council (ECOSOC) and the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), as well as accreditation with the United Nations Environmental Program (UNEP) and the United Nations Department of Public Information (DPI). The Baha'i International Community collaborates with the UN and its specialized agencies, as well as member states, inter- and non-governmental organizations, academia, and practitioners. Viewing global advancement primarily through the lens of capacity building, we seek the empowerment of increasingly larger segments of humanity to work effectively toward the spiritual and material betterment of all. Toward this end, we offer insights from the Baha'i teachings and the experience of the worldwide Baha'i community in trying to put those insights into practice in support of efforts to address global challenges.