Podcast: In conversation: Counsellors on youth and social transformation

Counsellors explore the ways youth engaged in Bahá’í educational initiatives are contributing to social transformation in their communities.

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BAHÁ’Í WORLD CENTRE — During a conference of the Continental Boards of Counsellors at the Bahá’í World Centre, several Counsellors joined in conversations that were recorded by the Bahá’í World News Service for a series of podcasts on youth and social transformation, the advancement of women, and on Bahá’í moral and spiritual education initiatives.

In this first episode, we hear insights from Counsellors Musonda Kapusa-Linsel from Zambia, Shirin Youssefian Maanian from Greece, Raffaella Capozzi from Italy, Bob Ale from Samoa, Gulnara Eyvazova from Azerbaijan, and Ayafor Ayafor from Canada as they explore how youth engaged in community-building activities around the world are contributing to social transformation.

In the discussion, Mrs. Youssefian Maanian sets the stage with a compelling vision of youth, emphasizing the importance of recognizing the inherent nobility of every human being. She challenges prevalent views that cast youth in a negative light, labelling them as rebellious or apathetic. She says: “Yet I think we’ve all seen… how [youth] have this thirst for knowledge and learning. They want to contribute to a better world. And they also have this passion for justice.” She adds that when young people are given the opportunity to contribute to the development of their neighborhoods and villages, the outcomes are simply astounding.

Counsellors work to support elected Bahá’í Spiritual Assemblies by promoting learning within the Bahá’í community and stimulating the development of a vibrant pattern of community life. Through the institution of the Counsellors, lessons learned from even the remotest spots on the globe can inform and enrich worldwide efforts to apply the teachings of Bahá’u’lláh toward the progress of their society.