Messages from the Universal House of Justice

In order to provide convenient access to the major messages of the Five Year Plan 2006-2011, the third edition has combined in chronological order the documents introducing the Plan and the Ridván messages for the years 2006-2010. Also included is the October 20, 2008 message announcing the convocation of 41 regional conferences.

This compilation contains letters of the Universal House of Justice initiating the Five Year Plan 2006-2011. At this time the Bahá’ís of the world enter the midpoint of that series of Plans, beginning in 1996 and continuing for a quarter century until the year 2021, which all focus on a single aim—advancing the process of entry by troops. The compilation includes the Ridván 2006 letter, the Ridván 2005 letter and three letters from December 2005: the letter dated 27 December 2005, to the Conference of the Continental Boards of Counsellors; the letter dated 28 December 2005, to all National Spiritual Assemblies; and the letter dated 31 December 2005, to the Bahá’ís of the World.

This compilation contains the letters of the Universal House of Justice that trace the efforts of the Bahá’í world after the Four Year Plan, through the Twelve Month Plan, and into the Five Year Plan. It also includes an appendix offering the document, “Building Momentum,” prepared by the International Teaching Centre in April 2003 to assess the progress of the Plan’s first two years.

This compilation is divided into four sections. The first section contains the series of messages sent to the Youth Congresses from the Universal House of Justice. The second section contains other critical and supporting messages from the Universal House of Justice which speak to both the needs of the day as well as to the vital role youth are called to play to “move the world.” The third section consists of a small study guide to the congress messages as well as a limited dictionary of some of the words found in the messages. While not intended to be comprehensive, this guide, created by youth, has been found to be very useful in helping the reader to focus on the letters. The last section consists of additional reference materials all of which will lend support to the central theme of this book — the role of youth in championing the cause of justice.