“For the Betterment of the World”
BAHÁ’Í WORLD CENTRE — A new website presenting For the Betterment of the World, a publication exploring the worldwide Bahá’í community’s approach to social and economic development, has been launched, joining the Bahai.org family of websites as a dedicated resource on efforts in this field.
Drawing on the fourth edition of the publication, released in 2023, the website provides a starting point for anyone wishing to explore Bahá’í thought and experience in the field of social action. Its content spans the full spectrum of development initiatives—from the first stirrings of activity in a community to well-established development organizations—and areas of action ranging from education, agriculture, and health to the environment, economic life, the arts and media, and the advancement of women.
Prepared by the Bahá’í International Development Organization at the Bahá’í World Centre, the publication was first issued in 2003. It casts light on the efforts of the Bahá’í community, together with social actors from all walks of life, to contribute to material and social progress.
The website explores several concepts and principles that guide Bahá’í efforts in social action: oneness and justice, the harmony of science and religion, universal participation, and capacity building at all levels of society which views people, communities, and institutions as protagonists in marking their own path of development.
Another feature of the site is its “Global Process of Learning” section, which describes how arrangements at the local, national, and international levels foster learning about development. Through these arrangements, insights from the grassroots are brought together by regional and national Bahá’í institutions, while the Bahá’í International Development Organization serves as a learning entity dedicated to synthesizing experience from across the world.
Many pages, particularly those under “Areas of Action,” connect readers with relevant news stories from the Bahá’í World News Service and essays from The Bahá’í World online publication through a “Related articles” section. Plans for the development of the website include adding further resources as well as links to the websites of Bahá’í-inspired organizations.
Each article on the site is available in audio format. A map and chart illustrate the spread of Bahá’í development activities worldwide, and a short film, “Bahá’í Development Endeavors,” offers a glimpse of these efforts. The full publication is also available to download on the site in seven languages.
The website can be visited at betterment.bahai.org.
