First National Convention of the Nine Year Plan

This year’s National Convention will be held from 23-25 April, where delegates will gather to “fulfil the functions of an enlightened, consultative and co-operative body that will enrich the experience, enhance the prestige, support the authority, and assist the deliberations of the National Spiritual Assembly” and will have the great privilege and delicate task “to elect such national representatives as would by their record of service ennoble and enrich the annals of the Cause”. This year’s Convention will have the special privilege of electing the National Assembly members who in turn will participate in the next election of the Universal House of Justice.

A list of delegates is attached. The friends may make suggestions to any delegate regarding ideas to raise during Convention consultation. Delegates are free to use their own judgement on whether to raise the suggestions offered, but they will welcome hearing a variety of thoughts from the friends as this will inform their reading of the reality in the community.

Once again this year, in response to the pandemic situation, the National Assembly has sadly found it necessary to make the Convention a “closed” one. That is, attendance is limited to only the delegates, National Assembly members, Counsellor Tessa Scrine who is the designated representative of the Continental Board of Counsellors, Auxiliary Board members, and one or two others who have been specifically invited by the National Assembly because of their role. Aotearoa’s National Conventions have been open to observers on most of the other 64 occasions when this annual event has been held, and the National Assembly looks forward to a time when this is once again possible.

Despite the unfortunate limitations imposed by the pandemic, the Convention will still be able to achieve its core purposes, in conformity with authoritative guidance which states: “... the principal purpose of a National Convention is to give an opportunity to the delegates to consult on the affairs of the Faith and to elect the members of the National Spiritual Assembly.”

In their consultations, delegates have a duty to look towards the needs of the entire New Zealand Bahá’í community, and beyond. Their deliberations are mainly framed by the current strategies of the Divine Plan, and in this “charged moment”, the Convention will undoubtedly play a significant part in launching Aotearoa into the Nine Year Plan.