CommuNIqué - Newsletter of the
Bahá'í Community in Northern Ireland
Issue 110 - 5 Mashiyyat 162 BE - 1 October 2005 CE
VALUES HIGHLIGHTED
ON ANNIVERSARYOF UNITED NATIONS
New Statement from
Bahá'í International Community
UNITED NATIONS, 7 October 2005 (BWNS)
-- In observance of the 60th anniversary of the
United Nations, the Bahá'í International Community has issued a
major statement that focuses on the importance of the oneness of humanity and
religious freedom as critical values in the process of UN reform.
"The blurring of national boundaries in the face of global crises has
shown, beyond a doubt, that the body of humankind represents one organic
whole," says the statement, which is titled "The Search for Values in
an Age of Transition."
Accordingly, the oneness of humanity must become the overriding focus as
humanity searches for solutions to global challenges such as poverty, AIDS,
environmental degradation, terrorism, and the proliferation of weapons.
"It is clear that none of the problems facing humanity can be
adequately addressed in isolation from one another," the statement says.
"The increasingly apparent interconnectedness of development, security
and human rights on a global scale confirms that peace and prosperity are
indivisible -- that no sustainable benefit can be conferred on a nation or
community if the welfare of the nations as a whole is ignored or
neglected."
Moreover, the statement asserts that the issues surrounding religion and
freedom of belief have now risen to a level of "consuming global
importance, which the United Nations cannot afford to ignore."
"While the General Assembly has passed a number of resolutions
addressing the role of religion in the promotion of peace and calling for the
elimination of religious intolerance, it struggles to grasp fully both the
constructive role that religion can play in creating a peaceful global order
and the destructive impact that religious fanaticism can have on the stability
and progress of the world," the statement says.
"A growing number of leaders and deliberative bodies acknowledge that
such considerations must move from the periphery to the center of debate --
recognizing that the full impact of religion-related variables on governance,
diplomacy, human rights, development, notions of justice, and collective
security must be better understood."
Within the framework of these two main themes, the statement offers a number
of concrete recommendations to the United Nations. These recommendations fall
in four broad areas: human rights, development, democracy, and collective
security.
Among the recommendations are:
-- A call for "the United Nations to affirm unequivocally an
individual's right to change his or her religion under international law."
-- The establishment of a timeline for the universal ratification of
international human rights treaties.
-- That the Office of the High Commissioner of Human Rights should become
"the standard-bearer in the field of human rights and an effective tool in
alleviating the suffering of individuals and groups whose rights are
denied."
-- An emphasis on education in UN development programs, since the
"capacity of people to participate in the generation and application of
knowledge is an essential component of human development." Special
attention should be given to the education of girls, which "may well yield
the highest return of all investments available in developing countries."
-- That the rich countries of the world have a moral obligation to remove
export and trade measures that bar the entry of countries struggling to
participate in the global market.
-- That the UN should develop modes for the "constructive and
systematic engagement with organizations of civil society (including businesses
and religious organizations)."
-- That "healthy democracy must be founded on the principle of the
equality of men and women" and efforts by member states to promote
democracy must therefore "vigilantly work for the inclusion of women in
all facets of governance in their respective countries."
-- That "in our interconnected world, a threat to one is a threat to
all," and the principle of collective security ultimately means that
"the United Nations must in due course move towards adopting a procedure
for eventually eliminating permanent membership and veto power" in the
Security Council.
The Bahá'í International Community has previously issued major
statements on the important anniversaries of the founding of the United
Nations. On the 10th anniversary, in 1955, the Community issued a statement
offering "Proposals to the United Nations for Charter Revision." And
in 1995, on the 50th anniversary of the UN, it issued "Turning Point for
All Nations."
The full text of "The Search for Values in an Age of Transition"
can be read at:
www.onecountry.org/e172/BIC_UN_60th.htm
Copyright 2005, Bahá'í International
Community
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