“All must surge, but the youth must soar.”
With gratitude to ~350 youth participants and volunteers for an uplifting conference held June 20-22, 2025 in Seattle !
Videos & Photos
Conference Recap: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=eqXyvu6fd2g
Tacoma Salishan Video: Salishan – Havens Of Hope Youth Conference
Photo Gallery: See bottom of this page.
Purpose
“One of the most striking and inspiring features of this twenty-five-year period (1996-2021) has been the service rendered by Bahá’í youth, who with faith and valour have assumed their rightful place in the forefront of the community’s efforts.” (The Universal House of Justice, Riḍván 2021)
Youth are not alone in this mighty enterprise and are buttressed by the community and the institutions. To aid in this collective effort, the National Spiritual Assembly of the United States in its September 30, 2024 message has called for “special gatherings for youth” among others, to strengthen the efforts of our communities. In response to that call, the Regional Bahá’í Council is making arrangements for this youth conference to be held in our region.
“The purpose of this conference is to infuse into efforts a surge of energy and inspiration, and to foster greater commitment and clarity of thought among all the friends, institutions, and, most notably, the youth.” (National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of the United States)
Overview
This conference is projected to draw hundreds of youth ages 15-25 , to include both Bahá’í youth and their friends, who are concerned about the welfare of humanity and eager to arise and serve. It promises to serve as a pivotal moment for the youth to assume “their rightful place in the forefront of the community’s efforts”. Onsite check-in will begin on Friday, June 20 at 12:30 p.m. followed by the conference plenary at 3 p.m. The conference will conclude on Sunday June 22 at 3:00 p.m. This will be a closed campus conference with housing and meals provided. Security and escorts will be present on site at all times to ensure a safe environment for all participants.
For a taste of what this youth conference may look like, please see the video of a recent similar youth conference held in Ontario, Canada:
Registration
A two-stage registration process is planned to facilitate the above objectives:
- Stage 1 (April 9 – June 1): Pre-registration to indicate interest as participant or volunteer
- Stage 2 (May 10 – June 1): Registration code provided to invited participants to complete registration
Participants are encouraged to register as early as possible to secure a spot, as the conference has capacity limitations.
Participant Pre-Registration Link: Participant-NW Regional Youth Conference Interest Form – Google Forms
NOTE: The volunteer application window is now closed. Many thanks to all who have already offered to assist.
Conference Fee
The Regional Council is committed to ensuring that finances are not an obstacle to attendance, as all who wish to attend will be accommodated. The participants are free to choose any of the fee options below:
- No Fee ($0) – in case of financial constraints
- Base Fee ($95)
- Full Conference Cost ($427)
- Contribution of any amount toward conference expenses or deputization
Request
Institutions and communities are requested to make every effort to encourage the youth and their network of friends from the wider community to register and attend this conference. Institutions are asked to promote the conference via Feast and newsletters, reach out to all the youth in their communities and make arrangements to enable the youth to travel and attend the conference, including addressing transportation and other needs. Contributions by Bahá’í institutions and individuals to defray the significant cost of this conference will be gratefully accepted by the Regional Bahá’í Council via check or Online Contribution System.
Ways to Contribute
- Check: Payable to National Bahá’í Fund with “RBC NW” noted in the memo line and mail to: National Bahá’í Fund, PO Box 541, Wilmette, IL 60091-0541
- Online: Online Contribution System at ocs.bahai.org. Select from fund menu: “Regional Bahá’í Council – Northwest”
Questions
Please feel free to reach out to the conference organizing task force with any questions at: YouthConferenceRegistration@nwbahais.org.
We are heartened by the words of the Universal House of Justice in their Riḍván 2024 message: “All must surge, but the youth must soar.” Ours is the collective duty to ensure that our precious youth have every opportunity to rise to this lofty call and are encouraged and supported in every way possible to contribute meaningfully to the transformation of communities and the betterment of the world with “faith and valour”, — Regional Bahá’í Council of the Northwestern States
Photo Gallery
