Baha’is gear up for October’s annual Unit Convention

When Baha’is from across an electoral unit gather at their Unit Convention each year, they have a unique opportunity to contribute to the Convention’s two purposes: to elect the delegate(s) for the unit, who will travel to the following year’s National Convention to elect the National Spiritual Assembly, and to participate in consultation about the efforts in their unit to further release “the society-building power of the Faith.” For Baha’is, consultation is a form of discussion described by Baha’u’llah as “a shining light which, in a dark world, leadeth the way and guideth.”

A unit is composed of clusters. A cluster refers to a geographic area, often encompassing a group of villages or a city and its surrounding suburbs, designed to facilitate the planning and implementation of activities related to community life. Some units consist of a single cluster or locality, while others span broader regions. In either case, Convention offers an excellent opportunity to share insights and learning with Bahá’ís beyond one’s immediate nucleus, community, or cluster.

Across the world, Bahá’ís are engaged in a learning process described by the Universal House of Justice in its November 28, 2023, letter as “a mode of operation characterized by study, consultation, action, and reflection.” Just as delegates to the National Convention “bring to the Convention insights gleaned from the conversation unfolding within [their] region,” those attending Unit Conventions bring to the consultation at the level of the unit understandings and experiences gained in their own households, neighborhoods, localities and clusters. Their thoughtful consultation helps the Convention space itself play a role in the learning cycle, and friends can return home with new insights contributing to their “capacity to apply the Teachings in a variety of social spaces and to collaborate with those in the wider society who share a yearning to revitalize the material and spiritual foundations of the social order.”

 When preparing to attend Unit Convention, participants can reflect on the kinds of insights they hope to share and gain from other friends. Questions may include, “How are we contributing to the advancement of our families, groups of families, neighborhoods, and communities? What is moving the principles of the Faith – including oneness of humanity and elimination of prejudice – forward within our region and country? Over the last year, what have we learned contributes to forward movement?”

If work, health, or other circumstances make being in person at Convention difficult, Baha’is unable to attend can ask friends who will be going to share on their behalf and report back what they learned during the consultation. Everyone can, of course, participate in the election of the delegate, whether they are at Convention or not. Options for voting absentee include by post using the ballot and envelopes received in the mail a short time ago and using the Online Balloting System (OBS), a secure platform specifically developed for Bahá’í elections. OBS is easy to use, via mobile phone, tablet, laptop, or desktop. Users are required to have a Bahá’í Online Services Account (https://www.bahai.us/community/createboswizard). Video and written guides for using OBS are available at the new help center: https://helpcenter.obsbahai.org/.