est reflection on the part of
serious minds everywhere.

* * * * *

The changes wrought in humanity's social and moral life received powerful
endorsement at a series of international gatherings called under the
United Nations' authority to mark the approaching end of one "millennium"
and the beginning of a new one. On 22-26 May 2000, representatives of over
one thousand non-governmental organizations assembled in New York at the
invitation of Kofi Annan, the United Nations Secretary-General. In the
statement that emerged from this meeting, spokespersons of civil society
committed their organizations to the ideal that: "...we are one human
family, in all our diversity, living on one common homeland and sharing a
just, sustainable and peaceful world, guided by universal principles of
democracy...."(145)

Shortly afterwards, from 28-31 August 2000, a second gathering brought
together leaders of most of the world's religious communities, likewise
assembled at the United Nations Headquarters. The Baha'i International
Community was represented by its Secretary-General, who addressed one of
the plenary sessions. No observer could fail to be struck by the call of
the world's religious leaders, formally, for their communities "to respect
the right to freedom of religion, to seek reconciliation, and to engage in
mutual forgiveness and healing...."(146)

These two preliminary events prepared the way for what had been designated
as the Millennium Summit itself, meeting at the United Nations
Headquarters from 6-8 September 2000. Bringing together 149 heads of state
and government, the consultation sought to give hope and assurance to the
populations of the nations represented. The Summit took the welcome step
of inviting a spokesman for the Forum of non-governmental organizations to
share the concerns that had been identified at that preparatory gathering.
It seemed to Baha'is as significant as it was gratifying that the
individual accorded this high honour was the Baha'i International
Community's Principal Representative to the United Nations, in his
capacity as Co-Chairman of the Forum. Nothing so dramatically illustrates
the difference between the world of 1900 and that of 2000 than the text of
the Summit Resolution, signed by all the participants, and referred by
them to the United Nations General Assembly:

We solemnly reaffirm, on this historic occasion, that the United Nations
is the indis