 The Universal House of Justice
Ridvan 2004 


<p class=Left> To the Baha'is of the World 
<p class=Left> Dearly loved Friends, </p>

 <p id=1>  Three years of the Five Year Plan have passed.  The processes set in 
motion in the Four Year Plan, strengthened through special attention to the 
Baha'i education of children during the Twelve Month Plan, and followed up 
unflaggingly during these past years, are now fulfilling the high hopes with 
which they were launched.  In every part of the world the three participants in 
the Plan--the individual, the community and the institutions--each playing a 
distinctive role, are reinforcing one another's actions.  The core activities 
of study circles, children's classes and devotional meetings have become 
essential aspects and mutually enhancing achievements lending greater vigour 
and success to all the other elements of Baha'i community life.  Human 
resources are being augmented, and the Local Spiritual Assemblies are 
responding to the fresh demands of this rising vitality. 

 <p id=2>  The capacity built for the Baha'i education of children throughout the 
world is extraordinarily impressive.  Initial efforts for the spiritual 
empowerment of junior youth are meeting with success.  The movement of clusters 
from each level of activity to a higher one is well in hand and, as it 
proceeds, the kernel of avowed believers is being joined by a larger circle of 
people, still not Baha'is but enthusiastically involved in core activities of 
the Plan.  Structures for administering intensive growth are already appearing 
in certain advanced clusters.  National Assemblies, while attending to the 
needs of all the clusters in their countries, have learned the value of 
concentrating special attention on certain priority clusters that show high 
promise, encouraging and developing them until the human resources they have 
raised up through the training institutes enable them to become centres of 
rapid, sustained growth. 

 <p id=3>  As foreseen, the training institute is proving to be an engine of growth.  
On assessing the opportunities and needs of their respective communities, the 
great majority of National Spiritual Assemblies have chosen to adopt the course 
materials devised by the Ruhi Institute, finding them most responsive to the 
Plan's needs.  This has had the collateral benefit that the same materials have 
been translated into many languages and, wherever Baha'is travel, they find 
other friends following the same path and familiar with the same books and 
methods. 

 <p id=4>  A chaotic international society, torn by conflicting perceptions and 
interests, is assailed by rising terrorism, lawlessness and corruption, and 
eroded by economic failure, poverty and disease.  In its midst the Baha'i 
community is becoming increasingly visible, inspired by a divinely revealed 
vision, building on solid foundations, growing in strength through the 
processes that are now in place, and undaunted by seeming setbacks.  An example 
of the capacity of the Baha'i world to respond to unexpected conditions 
occurred a year ago, when multiple dangers required the cancellation of the 
International Baha'i Convention; the election of the Universal House of Justice was duly held and the Plan went forward 
without a missed step.  Concurrently, despite the disruption and chaos of life 
in Iraq, it was possible to contact the Baha'is in that land and reconstitute 
their Local Spiritual Assemblies.  Now we announce with great joy the election, 
this Ridvan, of the National Spiritual Assembly of the Baha'is of Iraq, 
restored after more than thirty years of stifling oppression, to take its 
rightful place in the international Baha'i community. 

 <p id=5>  What the Divine Plan requires at this stage is for us to continue 
confidently and dynamically in the present direction, undeterred by storms 
battering the world of humanity.  Be sure that the Blessed Beauty will guide 
your steps and the Hosts of the Supreme Concourse will reinforce your every 
effort for the progress of His Faith. 

<p class=Signed>   [signed:  The Universal House of Justice]
 
