The substance of this momentous Statement. addressed by the Universal House of Justice, the supreme governing body of the Baha'i Faith, to the peoples of the world and primarily to be presented to Heads of State on 24th October 1985 or afterwards, was recorded in the Revelation of Bahaullah over 100 years ago.
Much of its content was embodied in letters addressed by Bahaullah to the principal monarchs and religious leaders of the time. He asserted that the time must come when the rulers of the earth must gather together and "consider such ways and means as will lay the foundation of the world's Great Peace among men."
The awful consequences of their disregard of this injunction are recorded in the history of the most violent, destructive and indeed catastrophic period ever experienced by mankind.
Through the efforts of 179 elected national Baha'i institutions throughout the world and many thousands of local bodies, the Statement is being presented to officials and notables in every land. Haply it may influence and accelerate the impulse towards peace and unity and help to fulfil the longing in the hearts of countless millions.
The only editorial changes which have been made are the addition of this preface and of an index, and the insertion in the text of titles and subtitles.
The Great Peace towards which people of good will throughout the centuries have inclined their hearts, of which seers and poets for countless generations have expressed their vision, and for which from age to age the sacred scriptures of mankind have constantly held the promise, is now at long last within the reach of the nations. For the first time in history it is possible for everyone to view the entire planet, with all its myriad diversified peoples, in one perspective. World peace is not only possible but inevitable. It is the next stage in the evolution of this planet-in the words of one great thinker, "the planetization of mankind".
Whether peace is to be reached only after unimaginable horrors precipitated by humanity's stubborn clinging to old patterns of behaviour, or is to be embraced now by an act of consultative will, is the choice before all who inhabit the earth. At this critical juncture when the intractable problems confronting nations have been fused into one common concern for the whole world, failure to stem the tide of conflict and disorder would be unconscionably irresponsible.
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