UN Commission for Social Development: BIC highlights spiritual foundations necessary for social prosperity
Facebook
X
WhatsApp
Telegram
Linkedin
Baidu
Balatarin
Odnoklassniki
Reddit
Weibo
VK
Pinterest
Copy LinkBIC NEW YORK — A society’s social bonds and spiritual foundations are as vital to its true prosperity as economic growth, emphasized the Bahá’í International Community (BIC) in its contributions to the 63rd session of the UN Commission for Social Development at the United Nations headquarters.
“The deteriorating state of the world today has deepened the gap between extreme wealth and poverty, has left growing numbers without a livelihood that can allow them to live a dignified existence and contribute to the upliftment of their societies, and has fueled greater degrees of mistrust and conflict,” said Cecilia Schirmeister, a member of the 11-person BIC delegation to the Commission.
“Yet the moment is one not only of tremendous crisis, but also of significant opportunity as humanity increasingly recognizes its interdependence,” Ms. Schirmeister continued.
At this session of the Commission, discussions focused on “strengthening solidarity, social inclusion, and social cohesion” as part of advancing the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. The forum brought together representatives of governments, UN agencies, and civil society organizations.
The perspectives shared by BIC representatives throughout the forum were grounded in principles also articulated in its statement to the Commission, which examines how the roots of numerous global challenges lie in how human beings view, value, respond to, and relate to one another; central to this understanding is the recognition of humanity’s shared identity and essential oneness.
To explore how these principles have found expression in practice, the BIC hosted a side event in which two of its delegates shared experiences from community-building endeavors.
Neda Badiee Soto, a BIC delegate from the Canary Islands, described community-building processes based on Bahá’í principles that have engaged thousands of participants across several neighborhoods since 2006. “The community-building efforts in the Canary Islands promote training and consultation where people’s skills and talents are developed and placed at the service of the community,” she explained.
Ms. Badiee Soto drew parallels between family dynamics and societal harmony, noting that communities, like families, require more than material resources to thrive—they need respect, patience, mutual support, and love as spiritual foundations for unity. This understanding has enabled diverse populations in neighborhoods to work together across cultural, generational, and socioeconomic divides, growing from a handful of participants thirteen years ago to a network of over 2,000 people actively engaged in collective action across the Canary Islands.
Zéphyrin Maniratanga, Ambassador of Burundi to the UN, reinforced this perspective in his remarks at the BIC-hosted side event, stating that “social cohesion… is not merely an economic objective, but a moral and human imperative. ... Economic growth alone is not enough to create a just and equitable society.”
Reflecting on the forum, Ms. Schirmeister emphasized the essential foundations of genuine social cohesion. “Social cohesion begins with strengthening bonds of unity and trust among diverse populations.
“It is about finding points of consensus based on shared values and learning to relate to people of different perspectives and backgrounds.”
Ms. Schirmeister noted that in communities where spiritual principles are cultivated, new patterns of interaction emerge, including greater collaboration between youth and older generations, more pronounced expressions of gender equality, and an enhanced capacity for constructive dialogue and consultation.
