‘Cultivating a vibrant community’: Collaboration with local leaders key to enhancing understanding 

The Lane Cove Baha’i community has been collaborating with local civic leaders and institutions in a bid to enhance understanding of the Baha’i Faith’s capacity-building efforts. 

Collaborating with local leaders, the community has witnessed how mutual support has not only provided opportunities for the Baha’is to engage in social discourse and various advisory groups, but has allowed local leaders to enrich their understanding of the Faith’s expansive impact on society. 

Lane Cove Baha’i, Immy McDonald, said it was through the collaboration of individuals, the community and institutions that the fruits of the community-building process were made evident. 

“Collaborating with the local leaders was only one part of this process that has allowed us to also be further seen in the community,” she said. “We see the influence, trust and knowledge of the community’s needs that the local leaders and institutions have. This would assist with the empowerment of Lane Cove community and an opportunity to allow them to start to think about nurturing the spiritual growth of the community as well.”

Local Baha’i, Shaida Ataii, said the Lane Cove Baha’i local governing body, the Local Spiritual Assembly, has been making a concerted effort to collaborate with government officials over the last few years to share how the Baha’is are contributing to community life in a positive way.  

“Every time a new Mayor [is elected], we write a letter and introduce ourselves as the Local Assembly and what we do as a Baha’i community and what our aims and ideals are, and invite them to a holy day celebration,” Shaida said. 

“We’ve also engaged with our MP and helped build that relationship particularly around the persecution of the Baha’is in Iran and advocating around the rights of the Baha’is there.” 

Just recently, council waived the community hall’s cleaning fee, making it more accessible for the Baha’i community to use on a weekly basis rather than only during family festivals. Shaida said this was in response to ongoing efforts to strengthen the community’s relationship with local council. 

“Our relationship with council has allowed us to demonstrate the impact the Baha’i community was having by being engaged in these educational processes,” she said. “And the trust that’s been built after hiring these spaces for years and always leaving it in great condition.” 

Lane Cove’s recent family festival attracted more than 100 people. Based on the theme of humility, it featured games, storytelling, drama, arts and crafts and was opened by newly-elected Lane Cove Mayor Councillor Merri Southwood. Councillor David Roenfeldt also attended the event.

During her speech, Cr Southwood said members of the Australian Baha’i community have been actively involved in Lane Cove for many years, “cultivating a vibrant community by developing capacity for service and fostering friendships with all people founded on mutual support and cooperation.” 

She said the hosting of the children’s festival was just one example of the Baha’i community’s commitment to a better future. 

“Mutual respect is so important, especially at the moment there’s a lot of challenges. And for this we thank you for all you’ve done to contribute to the life of Lane Cove,” she said. 

“We know that activities like today will give the children a sense of love and security and optimism and the skills to face what could be a challenging future. But we can still hope it’s a wonderful future. 

“The activities today are a very practical example of how the Baha’i community ensures the younger children of the whole community are prepared for the future.”

The Lane Cove Baha’is have been nurturing relationships with local council and leaders for more than two decades. The community also participates in the annual Lane Cove Festival, taking residents on a bus tour to visit the Baha’i House of Worship in Ingleside. 

“That’s an initiative of council and the Baha’is have had input into that since its inception,” Shaida said. “That long-term engagement with the community has been there and those relationships are starting to deepen and take more root.”