Brisbane gatherings launch second phase of Nine-Year Plan

BRISBANE, QLD – About 300 participants have gathered across Brisbane throughout July and August for three conferences designed to launch the second phase of the Nine-Year Plan. 

Launched in 2022, the Nine Year Plan is one of the first in a series of ambitious plans for the worldwide Baha’i community, spanning the next quarter-century, which focuses on “a single aim: the release of the society-building power of the Faith in ever-greater measures.” Each Plan provides a framework for action, empowering the Baha’i community to strengthen its community-building efforts in towns, villages and cities across the globe in a bid to advance the material, spiritual and economic life of society. 

Bringing together long-standing members from the Baha’i community, families, and new friends from diverse backgrounds, the Brisbane gatherings were held across the North, West, and South zones of the city. 

The conferences provided a vibrant space to reflect on the insights, learning, and accomplishments of the Plan’s first four years while generating renewed enthusiasm for the road ahead.

Reflections on a shared vision 

Each conference unfolded as an immersive day-long gathering focused on practical experience, fellowship, and collective action.  

Consultations drew on grassroots stories with the program featuring panels where individuals shared personal experiences as well as workshops delving into select themes. 

Key themes explored included Baha’u’llah’s Vision for Humanity and an exploration of how the core spiritual principles of the Faith could foster unified and vibrant communities; Learning from the First Phase which looked at the growth and experience generated over the past four years; The Educational Pathway, highlighting the central role of the Ruhi Training Institute in building capacity for service; and Youth as Protagonists which explored the involvement of young people as integral to the community’s transformation. 

Participants reflected on guidance from the international governing body of the Baha’i Faith, the Universal House of Justice, particularly the call to extend conversations about community-building to “ever-widening circles of friends, neighbours, and other like-minded souls”.

The gatherings emphasised inclusive, welcoming environments, enriched by music, games, and arts alongside dedicated children’s programs. 

One participant remarked that “the combination of meaningful conversations, practical experiences, and inspiring examples of service made this conference both enriching and motivating.”  

Another said that “hearing about community-building activities with strong service components that demonstrate Bahá’u’lláh’s vision for humanity was both inspiring and thought-provoking.” 

By connecting educational endeavors directly to community wellbeing, the three Brisbane conferences set an inspiring tone for the next phase of the Nine-Year Plan, empowering individuals to act as conscious protagonists in a broader process of spiritual and social transformation.