ryone 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.

Among the favourable signs are the steadily growing strength of the steps
towards world order taken initially near the beginning of this century in
the creation of the League of Nations, succeeded by the more broadly based
United Nations Organization; the achievement since the Second World War of
independence by the majority of all the nations on earth, indicating the
completion of the process of nation building, and the involvement of these
fledgling nations with older ones in matters of mutual concern; the
consequent vast increase in co-operation among hitherto isolated and
antagonistic peoples and groups in international undertakings in the
scientific, educational, legal, economic and cultural fields; the rise in
recent decades of an unprecedented number of international humanitarian
organizations; the spread of women's and youth movements calling for an
end to war; and the spontaneous spawning of widening networks of ordinary
people seeking understanding through personal communication.

The scientific and technological advances occurring in this unusually
blessed century portend a great surge forward in the social evolution of
the planet, and indicate the means by which the practical problems of
humanity may be solved. They provide, indeed, the very means for the
administration of the complex life of a united world. Yet barriers
persist. Doubts, misconceptions, prejudices, suspicions and narrow
self-interest beset nations and peoples in their relations one to another.

It is out of a deep sense of spiritual and moral duty that we are impelled
at this opportune moment to invite your attention to the penetrating
insights first communicated to the rulers of mankind more than a century
ago by Baha