National Youth Day, celebrated on 16 June, is a reminder of the potentialities of our youth, their energy, their strength and vigour; and that it is in our youth that we have to place our hope for a brighter future.
Youth are full of energy and enthusiasm, they are flexible and can easily change their ways to adapt to changing times. They have the potential to channel their energy, capacities and talents towards the advancement of civilization and building of a better world.
We must have confidence in the great capacities and potential that our youth have, and help them develop and enhance these God-given capacities. Bahá’u’lláh, the founder of the Bahá’í Faith, compares human beings to a mine containing many hidden jewels, waiting to be discovered. He says: “Regard man as a mine rich in gems of inestimable value. Education can, alone, cause it to reveal its treasures, and enable mankind to benefit therefrom”.
According to this quotation, the purpose of education should be not just to instruct our youth, as if we are trying to fill an empty vessel, but rather to try and extract the gems, the potential, they inherently possess.
While education is the most effective way to shape their values, attitudes, behaviours and skills towards creating a better world, it is important that education – whether at home or at school – leads our youth in their moral empowerment, as well as to their intellectual development.
In an inter-dependent world, we need to nurture in our children and youth an appreciation for the richness and importance of the world’s diverse cultural, religious and social systems, as they contribute to social integration, justice and peace.
The Universal House of Justice, the governing council of the Bahá’í international community states that “the transformation which is to occur in the functioning of society will certainly depend to a great extent on the effectiveness of the preparations the youth make for the world they will inherit”.
Preparing our youth for the future will require new directions in education. It requires nurturing in youth the consciousness of the oneness of humanity and a sense of world citizenship which can effect changes in the structure of our societies, currently confronted with prejudices that divide us. Encouraging youth to independently search for truth leads them to personal conviction, rather than merely imitating others, and will help free themselves from prejudices and preconceptions.
Our youth are our hope for a brighter future. By encouraging and empowering them to develop their capacities and to be of service to humanity, they can grow personally and contribute to social progress. They have the potential to become the agents of change and instruments for building a peaceful and prosperous world civilization.
For feedback please contact: tshwane@bahai.org.za; or call 083 794 0819
Website: www.bahai.org
READ MORE: A Bahá’í Perspective
Tshwane Bahá’ís celebrate their New Year
