49th ABS Annual Conference: Full Schedule

9:00am MDT

The Climate Crisis and Attraction to Beauty: A Bahá’í Perspective on Fashion

Saturday August 2, 2025 9:00am - 10:15am MDT

Fashion is a major contributor to climate change, reflecting a deep misalignment with nature. This presentation examines how the Bahá’í concept of attraction to beauty—as a tool to foster harmony, justice, and unity—can address this challenge. Drawing on my work at Ambercycle, a pioneer in circular fashion, I will share insights into aligning the industry with principles of stewardship, interconnectedness, and sustainability. Participants will explore redefining beauty beyond materialism, embracing values that promote spiritual and material progress, and collaborating to advance climate action and justice in their fields.

Speakers

Nava Esmailizadeh

Nava Esmailizadeh is the Head of Brand at Ambercycle, a material science company pioneering circularity in fashion with the world’s leading brands. Passionate about sustainability, innovation, and storytelling, she bridges the technical and artistic realms of fashion to drive impact... Read More →

Saturday August 2, 2025 9:00am - 10:15am MDT
Glen 204 South building - 2nd level

Environment & Development, Breakout

10:30am MDT

Reaching Development Goals through Empowerment of Prosocial Protagonists

Saturday August 2, 2025 10:30am - 11:45am MDT

Glen 204

This recently-published paper addressed the need for transformational approaches to releasing the potential of stakeholders to achieve development goals, to build on and extend beyond current best practices in participation and capacity strengthening. A balanced assessment will recognize the noble or prosocial potential of people to harmonize the pursuit of personal interests with a willingness to contribute to social and collective development goals. We need to empower individuals, communities and institutions to be active protagonists of development, which requires approaches that consider their antecedent knowledge, values and culture, stance, agency, roles, relationships, and learning.

Speakers

Darren Hedley

Darren Hedley is Adjunct Professor of Global Development Studies at the University of Calgary, Canada, and a consultant to international development agencies in program and policy management and evaluation. He has worked for over 35 years managing and advising programs in the areas... Read More →

Saturday August 2, 2025 10:30am - 11:45am MDT
Glen 204 South building - 2nd level

Environment & Development, Breakout

2:00pm MDT

Ripples from the Rupununi: Dr. Aidun’s Healing Journey

Saturday August 2, 2025 2:00pm - 3:15pm MDT

Glen 204

In 1989, Jamshid Aidun pioneered to Guyana to lead the Bahá'í Community Health Partnership (BCHP), living in a remote Indigenous region. Using Aidun’s diaries and interviews with him and other key participants, this new Biography traces the parallel stories of community health empowerment and Aidun’s personal healing, and the ripple effects of the BCHP a generation later. The panelists discuss the impact of the BCHP on their careers; developing a moral framework for social action; tensions between individual leadership and creating dependence; developing Indigenous partnerships while avoiding paternalism and proselytism; and the interplay between Bahá'í institutions and external funding.

Speakers

Brian Cameron

Brian is a Professor Emeritus of Pediatric Surgery at McMaster University with experience in Global Surgery. Inspired by Dr. Aidun, he visited Guyana for two decades and co-founded their surgical training program, receiving recognition from the Royal College. This is his first bo... Read More →

Jim Ferguson

Aaron JR Ferguson, is a social epidemiologist and interdisciplinary researcher passionate about social impact and critical perspectives on science, society, and population health. His research emphasizes the political-economy of health, the social etiology of illness, and interventions... Read More →

Laureen Pierre

Laureen Pierre, Ed.D. is an educator. An Indigenous person herself, she has been involved in research and socio-economic development among Guyana’s Indigenous Peoples. While serving as Principal of the Bina Hill Institute/Youth Learning Centre, Rupununi, she worked with Guyanese... Read More →

Somava Saha

Somava Saha, MD, MS has worked in global public health for over 25 years. She is President and CEO of Well-Being and Equity in the World, and previously led the 100 Million Healthier Lives initiative. Her Master’s thesis evaluated Guyana’s Bahá’í Community Health Partnership... Read More →

Saturday August 2, 2025 2:00pm - 3:15pm MDT
Glen 204 South building - 2nd level

Environment & Development, Breakout

3:30pm MDT

Peace for Health and Health for Peace

Saturday August 2, 2025 3:30pm - 4:45pm MDT

Glen 204

Informed by the Promise of World Peace and founded in the centrality of peace i Bahá’u’llah’s revelation, the presentation will explore how peace is essential for health and that violence to manage conflict is unhealthy. It will examine the current increasing impact of war preparation on the current polycrisis. It will examine barriers and challenges. It will explore the role of the individual, the community and the institutions with a particular focus on the role of civil society. It will lead to a consultation as to how Baha’is might become more meaningfully involved. It will be of particular interest to those involved in health care but will be of interest to all who are concerned with the well-being of humanity.

Speakers

John Guilfoyle

Recently retired full service family physician with expertise in obstetrics, public health and emergency care; President, International Physicians for the Prevention on Nuclear War Canada; Chair, Baha’i Medical Association of Canada (inactive).

Saturday August 2, 2025 3:30pm - 4:45pm MDT
Glen 204 South building - 2nd level

Environment & Development, Breakout