Learning how everyone’s participation makes for a more vibrant community

The Baha’i community of Armadale, Perth has witnessed how seeking participation from all members of its community in decision-making processes can lead to a richer experience where diversity is valued and each individual feels a sense of ownership. 

The Baha’is of Armadale are learning how engaging all members of their community in consultation and planning does not only lead to more vibrant outcomes but showcases the diversity that exists in the community. 

Prior to a recent local conference, held in July, those involved in the local community-building process were encouraged to attend a local reflection gathering to decide how the event could come to fruition. 

“The task was to make this space one for universal participation, where children, youth and adults, Baha’is and friends, felt a belonging,” says Armadale’s Padma Wong. 

The theme of the conference was Families Contributing to a Vibrant Armadale, inspired by a recent message from the international governing body of the Baha’i Faith, the Universal House of Justice. 

The message, released on 19 March 2025, looks at the family unit as “the basic building block of community, and beyond, of the entire social order”.

While main aspects of the program had already been considered, such as food, prayers,  workshops and children’s sessions, Padma says the organising space allowed for further consultation where people of all ages and skillsets could take ownership. 

She said it was especially heartening to see young people often taking the lead. 

“The program for the conference had come together with ease and universal participation. There was a sense of accomplishment and anticipation,” she says. 

The conference attracted more than 60 registrants, including some from the local family festival recently held in the area. 

Many were residents not previously involved in the community-building process – an educational process based on the Ruhi curriculum which aims to nurture the spiritual and moral development of every individual in the locality, and subsequently empowers them to contribute to the advancement of their neighbourhood through tailored acts of service. 

The program featured a welcome by one of the youth, a musical devotional, collaborative art projects and afternoon reflections. Participants also reflected on the notion that ‘it takes a village to raise a child’ and were asked to think of everyone in the room as their village.

“The main speaker extended the concept of family in the same way that the Universal House of Justice had done. She challenged us to think about whose job it was to raise a family,” Padma says. 

One friend shared the conference was so meaningful, and emanated a strong sense of community and togetherness 

“It truly felt like a family gathering full of love, inspiration, and shared purpose,” she said. The sessions, especially ‘It Takes a Village to Raise a Child’ really touched my heart and reminded me how important our roles are in supporting one another.” 

Padma says the entire process – from organisation through to execution – was about building deeper friendships and learning what family really meant in the context of building a better world.