Building communities from the rubble of a war-ravaged world: Process, principles, and institutions

After the destruction of war, the materialistic approach to rebuilding communities falls short of true development because it does not address the spiritual components that build capacity and unity among the local inhabitants. Imagine an approach that merges Bahá’í principles with urban design and landscape architecture. We present a prototype in the spirit of ‘Adasiyyah using scientific agriculture and networking to regenerate a local economy by following the cycle of action and reflection set forth by the Universal House of Justice.

Deepening questions

1. How do the principles of the Revelation of Bahá’u’lláh merge with the expertise of an urban designer and landscape architect to form a prototype process of community rebuilding?
2. How does the inherent power of modern networking connect people and unite our community centers for worship and education?
3. How does the capacity of active networks form the vibrant hub of a learning community whose material and spiritual growth follow the cycle of action and reflection set forth by our Universal House of Justice?
4. How is the prototype of the Bahá’í-inspired community of the future similar to ‘Abdu'l-Bahá’s exemplary land reclamation project in ‘Adasiyyah, and how is it different?
5. In addition to rebuilding war torn cities, where else can the prototype model be applied?