Many thanks to @IrishMissionUN and @dfatirl for this comprehensive statement @UN #ThirdCommittee about #HumanRightsViolations in #Iran including persecution of #Bahais.

Ringraziamo la Rappresentanza Permanente d'Italia presso le Nazioni Unite @ItalyUN_NY e la Farnesina @MinisteroEstri per aver richiamato l’attenzione sull’intensificarsi delle persecuzioni nei confronti dei #bahai in #Iran. L'Italia ha sollevato la questione della situazione dei bahá’í in Iran nel corso della 32ª riunione plenaria della Terza Commissione dell’Assemblea Generale delle Nazioni Unite, durante il dialogo con Mai Sato, Relatrice Speciale sulla situazione dei diritti umani in Iran, e Viviana Krsticevica, membro della Missione internazionale indipendente di accertamento dei fatti sull’Iran. Mentre l’Iran affronta una crisi economica sempre più profonda, i bahá’í, la più grande minoranza religiosa non musulmana del Paese, subiscono un ulteriore e sempre più grave peso di persecuzioni. Da quasi cinque decenni, le autorità iraniane perseguitano sistematicamente i bahá’í, individuandoli ripetutamente come capro espiatorio nei momenti di crisi nazionale. Oggi, nel contesto delle turbolenze che attraversano l’Iran quest’anno, questo schema di lunga data si sta intensificando, con un aumento degli arresti e delle incarcerazioni, episodi di tortura e confessioni estorte, violente incursioni nelle abitazioni, confische di proprietà e mezzi di sostentamento, nonché il persistente diniego del diritto all'istruzione e alla sepoltura. In un momento in cui tutti gli iraniani sono chiamati ad affrontare profonde difficoltà e incertezze, le autorità stanno destinando ulteriori risorse alla persecuzione di una comunità che ha sempre e soltanto cercato di vivere in pace e contribuire al benessere del proprio Paese.

Thank you to the Permanent Missions of the United Kingdom (@UKUN_NewYork), Italy (@ItalyUN_NY), Ireland (@irishmissionun), and Canada (@CanadaUN) to the United Nations for drawing attention to the escalating persecution of #Bahais in #Iran. These Member States raised the situation of the Bahá’ís in Iran during the UN General Assembly Third Committee’s 32nd Plenary Meeting, in the dialogue with Mai Sato (@drmaisato), the Special Rapporteur on the Situation of Human Rights in Iran, and Viviana Krsticevica (@ViviKrsticevi), a member of the Independent International Fact-Finding Mission on Iran to whom we extend our gratitude for their continued attention to minorities, and in particular the Bahá'ís, and for the work they and their mandates carry out to document and bring to light the human rights situation in Iran. For nearly five decades, the Iranian authorities have systematically persecuted Bahá’ís, repeatedly scapegoating them in times of national crisis. Today, amid this year’s turmoil in Iran, this longstanding pattern is intensifying, with mounting arrests and imprisonment, torture and forced confessions, violent raids on homes, confiscation of properties and livelihoods, and continued denial of education and burial rights. At a time when all Iranians face profound hardship and uncertainty, the authorities are directing further resources towards the persecution of a community that has sought only to live in peace and contribute to the well-being of its country. @BahaiBIC_Rights

We thank @FCDOGovUK and @UKUN_NewYork for highlighting Iranian authorities’ scapegoating and repression of religious and ethnic minorities, including the Bahá’ís, who face relentless & intensifying persecution and are denied meaningful access to justice in Iran. @FCDO_FoRB_Envoy #FoRB #FreedomOfReligionOrBelief #Bahai #Iran

The Permanent Mission of Canada to the United Nations @CanadaONU hosted a screening of Mary Darling’s directorial feature debut of Cast Aside the Clouds, in collaboration with the Baháʼí International Community. The film follows the story of Layla, a young Bahá’i woman and Sasan, a secular Muslim doctor, as they fall in love in Iran. As their relationship unfolds through the film, the story explores the systematic persecution faced by Bahá’ís in Iran at every juncture. In a State that does not recognize the Bahá’i faith and existence as legitimate, Layla is not granted the rights guaranteed by the Iranian Constitution, including the right to an education or to practice her faith safely. This narrative, based on a true story, examines the ways in which prejudice shapes societies, but also how love and courage have the power to bridge divides in favor of social cohesion and unity. As stated by Ambassador Gort @MichaelCGort , “The Baha’i International Community has long been a respected voice at the United Nations, fostering principles of unity, justice, and shared progress that enriches global dialogue and cooperation.” Darling’s film encapsulates these principles with one of the most heart-wrenching lines in her film, spoken by the protagonist to her jailer, “My faith gives me the power to forgive you.” We thank Mary Darling for her incredibly thoughtful research, execution and deeply intentional messaging about the Baháʼí faith and the systematic mistreatment faced by the community. We are grateful to the Permanent Mission of Canada and to @drmaisato Mai Sato, UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the Islamic Republic of Iran, who joined director Mary Darling and @siminfa, BIC Representative Simin Fahandej, for a panel discussion that followed the screening. #CastAsideTheClouds #FoRB #BahaiRights @BahaiBIC_Rights

UN Special Rapporteur on freedom of religion or belief, Nazila Ghanea, highlights how the persecution of Baha’is in Iran extends even beyond death in the context of her interim report A/81/376 on Freedom of religion or belief and funeral rights in exceptional circumstances, presented to the Third Committee of the United Nations General Assembly, during the 25th Plenary Meeting. Bahá’ís are denied the right to bury their loved ones in accordance with their religious beliefs, while their cemeteries are confiscated, desecrated, and bulldozed, denying families the dignity of mourning their loved ones and honoring their memory. These violations are yet another manifestation of the Iranian government’s relentless efforts to persecute the Bahá’í community in every aspect of life. As a former UN Special Rapporteur observed, the persecution of Bahá’ís in Iran extends “from cradle to grave.” #FoRB #HumanRights #ThirdCommittee #BahaiRights

Thank you to the Permanent Mission of Ireland to the United Nations for highlighting the continued discrimination of Bahá'ís in Iran. During the 25th Plenary Meeting of the Third Committee of the United Nations General Assembly, Ireland condemned the persecution of Bahá'ís alongside other religious communities, in the context of the interim report A/81/376 on freedom of religion or belief and funeral rights in exceptional circumstances by the Special Rapporteur on freedom of religion or belief. In Iran, Bahá’ís are systematically denied the right to bury their loved ones according to Bahá’í burial rites, while entire Bahá’í cemeteries are confiscated, desecrated and bulldozed to the ground. The former Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Religion or Belief described the persecution of the Baha’is in Iran as one extending “from cradle to grave”. In #Egypt, the only Bahá’í cemetery allocated to the Bahá’í community is overcrowded, and in a country spanning over one million square kilometers, families living outside Cairo are compelled to undertake long journeys just to bury their loved ones. #FoRB #HumanRights #ThirdCommittee #BahaiRights

Last week in Nadi, Fiji, the global community gathered for the Pacific Pre-COP to prepare for COP31 in Türkiye in November. Daniel Perell, Representative to the Bahá’í International Community, attended alongside seven colleagues from Fiji and Australia, working in close partnership with participants and stakeholders joining from all over the world. Throughout the week, grassroots communities most affected by climate change showed that when human experience shapes decision-making, climate solutions become not only more effective, but further rooted in stewardship and trust. As former President of Kiribati, Anote Tong stated, “It has never been an environmental issue, nor an economic issue, but it is an ethical issue of survival.” Interdependence is a lived reality, and every voice has a part in shaping the climate response. Realizing this at scale depends on forums like the Pacific Pre-COP where the international community can learn from experience and articulate a path forward—grounded in justice and the collective well-being of all. The warmth shown by communities across the Pacific Islands embodied our shared aspirations of fostering collaboration and understanding between all peoples. We are deeply grateful for their commitment and hospitality. #PreCOP31 #COP31 #Bahai @DanielPerell @austbahai @AnoteTong

Peace is often thought of as the destination—a conclusion to be reached once conflicts are resolved and treaties are signed. But what if peace was also understood as a continuous practice? Following #UNGA81, @UPEACE NY hosted a discussion asking exactly that as part of the “Putting Diverse Knowledge Systems into Practice: The Art of Peacebuilding” series. The event drew together participants from across sectors to reconsider how current peacemaking practices can be reconstituted to build momentum toward global peace, prosperity, and justice. Society too often fragments into narrow, competing group identity permutations of  "us versus them". To move beyond this mindset, peace actors can contribute to everyday acts of consultation, cooperation, and service. When diverse knowledge systems work to strengthen one another, peace ceases to be merely something negotiated between parties in conflict—it evolves into a shared, daily practice that continuously expands the circle of "us." #PeaceIsAPractice #PeaceBuilding #UPeace #Bahai

The Bahá’í International Community’s UN Representatives were pleased to recently welcome Mr. David Rupa, Principal Advisor for International Relations at the National Youth Development Authority of Papua New Guinea, to our office for a discussion on how to foster the social conditions that can best release the immense potential of young people towards the betterment of society. Mr. Rupa shared several examples and insights from the rich experience of the government of Papua New Guinea in how its development models respond to local realities and how youth shape that process. Among them, he articulated that development is an iterative learning process of continuous action, reflection and consultation to evaluate what worked and what could be improved. A local population must own its developmental process – the vision and path it takes must emerge from its own aspirations. Mr. Rupa also highlighted that at the heart of these approaches is the understanding that young people have agency, and play a significant and distinct role in ensuring the well-being of their entire community. Their contribution, like that of every member of society, is indispensable if a whole population is to move towards collective prosperity. #UNGA81 #Baha’i @NYDA @CeciliaSchirmei @BayaniRachel @DanielPerell @LNkunzimana

“Love in Action”: Advancing Human Flourishing as a Cross‑Cutting Accelerator for the SDGs Love may be one of the most familiar notions in our everyday lives, but you do not often find it in the language of international policy. But halfway through the United Nations General Assembly High-level Week, Harvard University’s Institute for Quantitative Social Science partnered with the Bahá'í International Community to host an event titled “Love in Action: Advancing Human Flourishing as a Cross‑Cutting Accelerator for the SDGs.” Harvard’s research explores a question rarely asked in development spaces: how love can be utilized as a driver of growth and human flourishing. And findings highlighted in the event offered a timely insight: love is not peripheral to development, but a measurable factor within it. By fostering unity and creating conditions for sustained hope, communities could harness the qualities of love as a practical grassroots mechanism for advancing the Sustainable Development Goals. The event highlighted trust, belonging, care, and love to be an indispensable foundation for community life and a critical aspect of the progress of humanity. The BIC thanks Harvard for pushing the boundaries of this conversation and bringing academic research and rigor to the human capacity for love, opening the way for policy to be re-examined through consultation and evidence-based research. #UNGA81 #LoveInAction #Love #Bahai

We were so pleased to have H.E. @Laura_Ch Laura Chinchilla, President of @ClubdeMadrid , María Elena Agüero, Secretary General of Club de Madrid, and Agustina Briano, Director of Outreach and Development, meet and exchange ideas with Bahá’í International Community Representatives, @BayaniRachel and @DanielPerell, ahead of Club de Madrid's event at the BIC Offices: "New York Policy Lab, Democracy 2050 – Building the Democracy to Come". Club de Madrid is the world's largest forum of democratic former Presidents and Prime Ministers, working to strengthen inclusive democratic practices and global leadership. Club de Madrid advances a clear vision of progress on the international stage, grounded in the conviction that meaningful change is built through sustained trust and continued engagement. Their willingness to remain in conversation across different contexts demonstrates the value of relationships that deepen over time and create space for shared learning and understanding. Consulting with them, as well as with other members of the Club de Madrid, demonstrated the importance of hearing perspectives of leaders who have borne the weight of responsibility and who now choose to place the insights and experience gained through that responsibility in service to humanity’s future. #UNGA81 #Democracy2050 #Bahai

40 Years of the Declaration on the Right to Development in a Key Moment for Multilateralism: 2030 and Beyond The Baha’i International Community was pleased to participate in a High-level dialogue marking the 40th anniversary of the Declaration on the Right to Development, where a range of policy-makers and other stakeholders explored how a broader understanding of development could strengthen multilateral cooperation. We extend our sincere gratitude to the Group of Advocates for the Right to Development, the United Nations University for Peace, and The Millennials Movement for organizing the event. We also thank Under-Secretary-General for Policy Guy Ryder, UN Special Rapporteur on the Right to Development Surya Deva, and all the featured speakers for their thoughtful contributions to this important conversation. In reflections closing the event, Rachel Bayani, Principal Representative of the BIC, highlighted the importance of communities collectively shaping their own futures, including how they choose to develop. "Development is a daily exercise….It requires numerous spaces of reflection, where people come together to read their reality, where they build a common vision as to what the challenges are that need to be addressed, and where they together devise solutions," she said. As action is taken and decisions implemented, she continued, strategies and approaches can and must be regularly adjusted. “You need a process of action and reflection for a process of development to be meaningful in the long run… Initiatives need to be refined continuously. And the local population needs to lead that process.” #UNGA81 #RightToDevelopment #BuildingCapacity #Bahai @TmmMillennials @UPEACE @GuyRyder @ProfSuryaDeva @pkoundouri @juany_ibanez @RGARAVITO @UNSRdevelopment

As @UN High-Level Week continues in New York, BIC Representative Cecilia Schirmeister reflects on power, a theme discussed widely throughout the week and the focus of the UN Secretary-General's address at the opening of the General Debate. What if power were reframed as a constructive capacity, latent within every person? How might that change the way we think about who can contribute to a better future for humanity? #UNGA81 #Bahai

We warmly thank Ambassador Antonio de Almeida-Ribeiro of the International Dialogue Centre @KAICIID for meeting with the Bahá'í International Community's Secretary-General of the Bahá'í International Community, David Rutstein and Principal Representative @BayaniRachel. Together we reflected on the importance of bringing together diverse groups and building consensus among people of different backgrounds and belief systems, both through dialogue and cooperation. #UNGA81 #DialogueForPeace

As world leaders gather for the 81st @UN General Assembly under the theme “Restoring #trust, managing transformation: a United Nations that delivers for all,” the Principal Representative of the Bahá’í International Community, @BayaniRachel, is emphasizing that trust emerges only when nations are confident that other nations are genuinely concerned for their wellbeing. #UNGA81 #UNGA81 #trust

The Bahá’í International Community was pleased to participate in the "Global Conference on Promoting Interreligious and Intercultural Dialogue and Tolerance in Countering Hate Speech," convened by the @UN Secretary-General on September 17. In her remarks, Principal Representative @BayaniRachel Bayani highlighted that countering hate speech requires us to widen the circle of those we consider members of our community, embracing people of different beliefs, cultures, and backgrounds. We are grateful to the Kingdom of Morocco (@Morocco_UN), the United Nations Office on Genocide Prevention and the Responsibility to Protect (@UNOSAPG), and the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations (@UNAOC), for hosting the event. #UNGA81 #InterreligiousDialogue

We extend our sincere gratitude to Vice Rector Juan Carlos Sainz-Borgo of the University for Peace (UPEACE), Ramu Damodaran, UPEACE’s Permanent Observer to the UN, and Melissa Wild, Founding Executive Director of UPeace NY, Inc. for taking the time to visit the Bahá'í International Community. Our conversation on the complexity of peace efforts, the needs of humanity today, and the future of the United Nations were inspiring and thought provoking. We particularly appreciated the Vice Rector’s reflections on the impact the oneness of humanity would have on global affairs.