Australian Baha'i Sites

From Brisbane to Albania: Four youth take the leap to pioneer overseas

In its 30 December, 2021 Message to the Conference of the Continental Board of Counsellors, the Universal House of Justice spoke about the urgent need for international pioneers to be deployed in regions around the world to help accelerate the work of building vibrant communities.

In response to this call, two young couples from Brisbane recently arose and pioneered to Albania to help establish the first advanced cluster in the country.

“One pattern of service that developed during the last two Plans and brought us great joy concerned the movement of youth who, taking advantage of their relative freedom, would spend several months in a nascent community, making a valuable contribution to its development.”

The Universal House of Justice

In its Message dated 24 May, 2022, the Universal House of Justice wrote:

“…the experience that a pioneer is able to bring to the community are potent catalysts for progress.

“One pattern of service that developed during the last two Plans and brought us great joy concerned the movement of youth who, taking advantage of their relative freedom, would spend several months in a nascent community, making a valuable contribution to its development.

“Confident of the community’s appreciation of the significance of this historical juncture and in its capacity to respond to the demands of the hour, we now call on the friends to consider how they can contribute to the pioneering imperatives of the Nine Year Plan—both on the home front and in the international field.” 1

In the below video recorded before their departure, these dedicated souls explain how they were able to make the decision to serve the Faith of Baha’u’llah as international pioneers, shedding abroad “ever more widely the divine fragrances”.1

  1. The Universal House of Justice, To the Baha’is of the World, 24 May, 2022[][]

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Pioneering Taskforce

The International Pioneering Taskforce is a national agency that collaborates with the regional institutions to identify and prepare individuals and families with rich experience in the work of community building, and support them as they move overseas to continue their efforts in clusters and regions across the world.

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Published in March, 2024, in Baha'i Institutions > News & Announcements

Available online at: horizons.bahai.org.au/bahai-institutions/from-brisbane-to-albania-four-youth-take-the-leap-to-pioneer-overseas/

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