Index for Volume 8, Issue 1 April-June 1996

In Turkey, Habitat II forges a new partnership

PERSPECTIVE -- NGOs, along with business groups, local authorities, academics, youth and others, enjoy the highest level of participation yet at a UN Conference; some say a new era for civil society has been entered.

Sustainable Communities in an Integrating World

PERSPECTIVE -- With the approaching dawn of the 21st century, governments, organizations and peoples are expending enormous energies to develop communities that are socially vibrant, united and prosperous.

UN Commission condemns religious intolerance in Iran

GENEVA -- In a strongly worded resolution expressing grave concern over continuing human rights violations in Iran, the United Nations Commission on Human Rights called on the Government of Iran to "implement fully" the recommendations of a recent UN report on religious intolerance which urged an end to the ban against Bahá'í institutions here.

Focusing on the principle of service, more than 150 Bahá'ís gather at Habitat II

INSTANBUL, Turkey -- Believing that the success of Habitat II would hinge largely on its stated goal of building new partnerships among all sectors of society worldwide, some 150 Bahá'ís from more than 25 countries came to Istanbul for the United Nations Conference on Human Settlements and its parallel Forums.

Women from China and the West find common challenges

WEINACHT, Switzerland -- Trying to explain that families must move away from the authoritarian, patriarchial model if they are to be healthy, Dr. Hossain Danesh used the word "macho" -- causing much perplexity among the large number of Chinese women in the audience at a recent international conference here.

In Columbia, a microcredit project aims to re-awaken community solidarity

LA ARROBLEDA, Cauca, Colombia -- Nine years ago, Nubia Viafara's house was a simple one-room affair -- just a small bedroom, really. The cooking, sociallizing and day-to-day living were done mostly outdoors.

Will a history of conflict lead to a future of harmony?

Beyond the clash of religions: The emergence of a New Paradigm.
REVIEW -- One of the most puzzling theological questions of our age -- how to account for the grat number and diversity of world religions and at the same time to acknowledge their similarities -- is also one of the most challenging social issues confronting humanity.