Baha’i International Community statement at the 2023 Warsaw Human Dimension conference plenary

Intervention to the 3rd plenary session of the 2023 Warsaw Human Dimension Conference on Fundamental Freedoms: “Addressing Racism, xenophobia, discrimination and intolerance”. A conference organised by the 2023 OSCE Chairpersonship, with the support of the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR), which focuses on human rights and fundamental freedoms within the OSCE region.

WARSAW—5 October 2023—
Thank you Mr Moderator. Your Excellencies, distinguished guests, my name is Sina Varaei from the Brussels Office of the Baha’i International Community, which represents the worldwide Bahá’í community to the European Institutions.

Racism and prejudice are indeed one of the biggest challenges humanity is facing today, and represents a major obstacle to the flourishing of individuals and communities, depriving society of valuable contributions and talents.

Racism and discrimination especially thrives and is perpetuated where people of different backgrounds merely live side by side and do not have meaningful interactions. So one of the overarching questions is: how can such meaningful interactions be fostered between people and where can they take place? Interactions which allow for joint thinking, for joint reflection, but also for joint action and work towards a common goal.

How can joint projects be fostered at all levels between different people: mothers, fathers, neighbours, youth, teachers, religious leaders, policy-makers, of all social, ethnic, religious backgrounds, age groups and identities?

One of the places where such interactions can take place on a daily basis and where bigger numbers of diverse people can be involved, is in communities on the ground.

For instance, the transformation of a neighborhood is something everyone can participate in and work towards. And it is then, when cooperating, contributing to a common goal and becoming a protagonist alongside others, that one encounters diverse worldviews and perspectives. Meaningful bonds are forged, a deeper understanding of the lived experience of the other person is developed and it is in that context that people can start working on their prejudices.

This means that beyond adopting legislation and broader strategies, as important as they are, we need to give thought to how to foster interactions at the local level. And many questions arise. For instance, what is the role of a municipality? How does a municipality allow for an atmosphere where such work can take place? How can policy-makers not just impose projects, but learn from the population and co-create endeavors jointly with them? and how, thus, can national strategies and policies encourage such meaningful interactions?