O God! Educate these children

O God! Educate these children.

These children are the plants of Thine orchard,

the flowers of Thy meadow,

the roses of Thy garden.

Let Thy rain fall upon them;

let the Sun of Reality shine upon them with Thy love.

Let Thy breeze refresh them in order that they may be trained,

grow and develop,

and appear in the utmost beauty.

Thou art the Giver. Thou art the Compassionate.

‘Abdu’l-Bahá

International children's painting competition focuses on climate change

Nairobi, 17 July 2008 – Climate Change: Our Challenge is the theme of the 18 th International Children's Painting Competition, which was launched today by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP).

This year, the children's paintings will focus on climate change, from the impact of global warming on our planet to concrete actions everyone can take - - such as using renewable energy and energy saving light bulbs, sharing vehicles and using public transport, planting trees, and many other steps.

Children from around the world aged 5 to 13 are encouraged to take part in this global competition which is gaining momentum every year. An unprecedented 15,550 entries from 90 countries around the world were submitted for last year's award.

The competition is organized every year by UNEP and the Japan-based Foundation for Global Peace and Environment (FGPE), Bayer and Nikon Corporation. Since its creation in 1991, the competition has received more than 190,000 entries from children in over 100 countries.

One global winner and six regional winners will be selected, with a cash prize of US$ 2,000 for the global winner and US$1,000 for the others. All the winners will get a fully paid trip with a chaperone to the 2009 Tunza International Children's Conference.

This year's theme was announced as the twenty winners of the 2008 UNEP Chinese Children's Painting Competition visited Nairobi to receive their awards from UNEP Executive Director Achim Steiner. The twenty children will take part in cultural activities and visit environmental spots in Kenya such as Maasai Mara and Lake Nakuru to learn more about the environment.

They will also create a giant canvas painting entitled "Our Environment" which will be presented to the Executive Director as a mark of their commitment to the environment.

Participants should submit their paintings by 15 January 2009 to the UNEP office in their regions. Aside from the global winners, there will be regional winners for Africa, Asia and the Pacific, West Asia, Europe, Latin America and the Caribbean, and North America .

The regional winners will be announced on 22 April 2009 and the global winners will be announced at the venue of the 2009 Tunza International Children's Conference (venue and dates to be confirmed later).

For more information on the competition, including the full entry rules and conditions, please visit:

Tunza International Children’s Painting Competition on the Environment

اغنية للأطفال: أنا طفل بهائي

أنا أنا طفل بهائي

وأدي أدي أدي أخلاقي

اتلو أيات في صباح ومساء

وأحب الكل حتي أعدائي

وأقبل ما عاتب علي أصحابي

أسال نفسي ايه أخطائي

أنا أنا طفل بهائي

وأدي أدي أدي أحلامي

حلم بسيط أساسه تضحية

بلاد شرقيه بلاد غربية

عالم واحد للبشرية

راياتة ترفرف بالحرية

أنا أنا طفل بهائي

أدي أدي أدي طموحاتي

أشوف الشمس أقول ياسلام

فرصة جديدة للأنسان

سلام وأمان

وحده أديان

يفوق العالم من الأوهام

أنا أنا طفل بهائي

وأدي أدي أدي أدواتي

أدب أخلاق تنور ذاتي

علم يشغل كل طقاتي

أنا أنا طفل بهائي

وأدي أدي أدي أخلاقي

شكرا لمدونة صفاء القلب

What age to Begin Formal Children's Classes ?

"As to the Children: From the age of five their formal education must begin. That is, during the daytime they should be looked after in a place where there are teachers, and should learn good conduct."
Abdu'l Baha, in Baha'i Education: A Compilation, p. 39


"And when the child hath reached the age where he can make distinctions, let him be placed in a Baha'i School, in which at the beginning the Holy Texts are recited and religious concepts are taught. At this school the child is to study reading and writing as well as some fundamentals of the various branches of knowledge, such as can be learned by children."
Abdu'l Baha, in Baha'i Education: A Compliation, p. 40

A FAMILY IS A NATION IN MINIATURE

"Compare the nation of the world to the members of a family. A family is a nation in miniature. Simply enlarge the circle of the household, and you have the nation. Enlarge the circle of nations, and you have all humanity. The conditions surrounding the family surround the nation. The happenings in the family are the happenings in the life of the nation. Would it add to the progress and advancement of a family if dissensions should arise among its members, all fighting, pillaging each other, jealous and revengeful of injury, seeking selfish advantage? Nay, this would be the cause of the effacement of progress and advancement. So it is in the great family of nations, for nations are but an aggregate of families. Therefore, as strife and dissension destroy a family and prevent its progress, so nations are destroyed and advancement hindered."

Abdu'l-Baha, The Promulgation of Universal Peace, p. 157