BIC NEW YORK — Across many societies, efforts towards social progress are revealing a recurring challenge that often goes unexamined: how the relationships that hold societies together are conceived and nurtured. In many contexts, interactions among institutions, communities, and individuals have become marked by tension, falling levels of trust, or transactional expectations—patterns that weaken social cohesion and limit collective capacity.
In this context, the Bahá’í International Community (BIC) released a new statement, “Coordination for the Common Good: Governing Institutions in Partnership with Community Action and Individual Initiative,” ahead of the 64th session of the United Nations Commission for Social Development (CSocD), which began this week at United Nations Headquarters in New York.
The statement addresses the Commission’s priority theme—“Advancing Social Development and Social Justice through Coordinated, Equitable, and Inclusive Policies”—by examining what the BIC describes as three main types of social actors: individuals, the community, and institutions of society.
“Social development advances most effectively when the efforts of local governing institutions, community groups, and individual people complement and reinforce one another, rather than duplicate or detract,” the statement explains. Where these relationships are characterized by reciprocity and mutual assistance, it adds, “possibilities for transformative change are far more readily within reach.”
Drawing on experiences from diverse settings, the statement highlights how constructive patterns of interaction can emerge when the three types of social actors learn to see themselves as collaborators in a shared endeavor.
One such example comes from Spain’s Canary Islands, where years of community-building efforts focused on applying moral principles through acts of service have gradually fostered stronger bonds of trust, a sense of local ownership, and growing cooperation with municipal authorities.
Over time, this has enabled locally led development initiatives in response to neighborhood needs, ranging from women’s empowerment, environmental restoration, and immigrant resettlement to tutorial assistance, community health, and parenting support.
Reflecting on this understanding of collaboration among institutions, communities, and individuals, Cecilia Schirmeister, a representative of the BIC’s New York Office, explained that the statement offers a vision that moves beyond familiar narratives that cast institutions and citizens in opposition.
In many societies, she noted, institutions are viewed as distant or top‑down, while individuals are seen primarily as critics or protestors. “The statement instead explores how strengthened collaboration and coordination among the three types of social actors can help improve the social development of a community when all are animated by a common vision of the future based on the oneness of humanity,” said Ms. Schirmeister.
A central insight of the statement is that community is not simply the sum of individuals, but a distinct social reality with its own role to play. Through spaces for consultation and collective reflection, individuals begin to see themselves as participants in a shared enterprise, rather than isolated actors. As Ms. Schirmeister observed, when people feel a sense of ownership over the well‑being of their surroundings, voluntary initiative flourishes and cooperation with institutions becomes natural rather than adversarial.
During the Commission, the BIC will contribute to discussions through its participation in a high-level panel discussion and by hosting a side event, where two participants from the Canary Islands will share reflections on their experience. Together, these engagements aim to advance thinking about how coordinated action, rooted in trust, consultation, and shared purpose, can strengthen the social fabric and open pathways toward more inclusive and peaceful societies.
The statement of the BIC to the 64th session of the UN Commission for Social Development can be viewed here.
