Junior Youth

Young people between the ages of 12 and 15, or junior youth, are a special segment of society. With their idealism and energy, they can be accompanied to deal with the complexities of life, combat the forces of moral decay gaining strength everywhere, and become active agents of social change. They need spiritual empowerment to help them release their intellectual and spiritual powers and direct them towards service to humanity.

The materials shared here, in a language adapted to junior youth, may help to introduce positive approaches to the challenges of nature and the environment, climate change, and a more sustainable future, issues to which they are particularly sensitive. They can show that there is hope for a better future.

One Planet - One Habitation

One Planet - One Habitation, the Bahá'í International Community statement released on 1 June 2022 for the Stockholm+50 International Meeting, gives a Bahá'í perspective on recasting our relationship with the natural world, that helps to address a range of problems behind the climate, biodiversity and sustainability crises. We have simplified the language of the main text to be more accessible, and prepared seven classes to be studied by this age group. These are available both with pictures of the beauties of nature (large files) and as text alone where size is a problem, in both pdf formats readable online and as powerpoint presentations for downloading.

The natural world

Illustrated (7.3 mb) pdf and ppt
Plain text pdf and ppt

One people in one global homeland

Illustrated (7.6 mb) pdf and ppt
Plain text pdf and ppt

Consensus in action

Illustrated (2.9 mb) pdf and ppt
Plain text pdf and ppt

Redefining progress

Illustrated (4.6mb) pdf and ppt
Plain text pdf and ppt

Aligning with higher principles

Illustrated (2.5 mb) pdf and ppt
Plain text pdf and ppt

Justice as process and outcome

Illustrated (6.9 mb) pdf and ppt
Plain text pdf and ppt

The world that calls us

Illustrated (3.6 mb) pdf and ppt
Plain text pdf and ppt

All photographs by Arthur Lyon Dahl

The Prosperity of Humankind

In 1995, for the United Nations Social Summit, the Bahá'í International Community's Office of Public Information issued a beautiful statement "The Prosperity of Humankind" to explain how Bahá'í principles provided a whole new way to look at issues of social and economic development. It showed the importance of the oneness of humankind, justice, redefining human relationships, access to knowledge, science and religion, economic issues, power and authority, and reshaping institutions. These eight classes with a simplified text can help junior youth to acquire a Bahá'í approach to social and economic development in order to eliminate poverty.

Introduction - Rethinking development pdf and ppt

I - Oneness of humankind pdf and ppt

II - Justice pdf and ppt

III - Redefining human relationships pdf and ppt

IV - Knowledge, science and religion pdf and ppt

V - Economic issues pdf and ppt

VI - Power and authority pdf and ppt

VII - Reshaping institutions pdf and ppt

Climate Change Conference - COP28 describes Bahá'í participation at the 2023 Climate Change Conference of the Parties in Dubai with values-based public discourse, and what the conference achieved, pdf and ppt

Social Action

One of the most constructive activities for groups of junior youth is to engage in projects of social action that they design and implement themselves, learning in the process the pleasure that comes from altruistic actions in service to others. The following presentations provide an introduction to social action, with both presentations that provide some basic Bahá'í texts, and simplified versions that junior youth themselves can understand and implement.

Bahá'í texts on Contributing to Social Action as pdf, also as ppt
 

Junior Youth Contributing to Social Action as pdf, also as ppt
 

Text document with both versions of Social Action as pdf

Public Discourse

Junior youth can already have meaningful conversations with their friends and family, and even give talks in class or to groups they belong to sharing Bahá'í-inspired perspectives, including on the environment, perhaps even using a few quotations from Bahá'í sources. The following presentations explain the basics of public discourse for junior youth, and provide some relevant environmental quotations. There is also a presentation on how the Bahá'í International Community has contributed over many years to discourse on the environment.

Bahá'í texts on Participating in Public Discourse as pdf, also as ppt
 

Junior Youth Participating in Public Discourse as pdf, also as ppt
 

Text document with both versions Participating in Public Discourse as pdf
 

The Environment - Bahá'í Sources for Discourse on Nature and Spirituality as pdf, also as ppt
Bahá'í Participation in Environmental Discourse as pdf, also as ppt
The Environment - Bahá'í Sources for Discourse on Ecology and Climate Change as pdf, also as ppt

The Story of Stuff: A Baha'i-inspired Program for Youth
Six units on responsible consumption to accompany the famous video, materials updated in 2023

The Environmental Example of 'Abdu'l-Bahá as pdf, also ppt