Nine Year Plan (1964-1973)

Nine Year Plan (1964-1973)
Epoch	Third Epoch
Coordinator	Universal House of Justice
Protagonists	All National Spiritual Assemblies

Divine Plan

Shoghi Effendi

First Epoch (1937-1963)

1st Seven Year Plan (1937-1944) Indian Six Year Plan (1938-1944) British Six Year Plan (1944-1950) 2nd Seven Year Plan (1946-1953) Indian 4½ Year Plan (1946-1950) Persian 45 Month Plan (1946-1950) Persian Women's Four Year Plan (1946-1950) Australian Six Year Plan (1947-1953) Canadian Five Year Plan (1948-1953) Egyptian Five Year Plan (1948-1953) German Five Year Plan (1948-1953) African Campaign (1950-1953) Iraqi Three Year Plan (1950-1953) British Two Year Plan (1951-1953) Indian Nineteen Month Plan (1951-1953) South American Two Year Plan (1951-1953) Central American One Year Plan (1952-1953) Ten Year Crusade (1953-1963) Northeast Asian Six Year Plan (1957-1963)

Universal House of Justice

Second Epoch (1964-2021)

Nine Year Plan (1964-1973) Five Year Plan (1974-1979) Seven Year Plan (1979-1986) Six Year Plan (1986-1992) Three Year Plan (1993-1996) Four Year Plan (1996-2000) Twelve Month Plan (2000-2001) Five Year Plan (2001-2006) Five Year Plan (2006-2011) Five Year Plan (2011-2016) Five Year Plan (2016-2021)

Third Epoch (2021-)

Twelve Month Plan (2021-2022) Nine Year Plan (2022-2031)

The Nine Year Plan (1964-1973) was the first of many international plans to be given to the Bahá’í world by the newly-formed Universal House of Justice within the framework of the Divine Plan first elaborated by ‘Abdu’l-Bahá. This plan, following on the successful conclusion of the Ten Year Crusade initiated by Shoghi Effendi, was first mentioned by the Universal House of Justice in a letter dated May 7, 1963 to the London National Convention.

“ The Universal House of Justice, in close consultation with the Hands of the Cause, is examining the vast range of Bahá’í activity and growth in order to prepare a detailed plan of expansion for the whole Bahá’í community, to be launched at Ridvan 1964. The plan ... will include such projects as the extension and embellishment of the endowments at the World Center; collation of the Writings of Bahá’u’lláh, ‘Abdu’l-Bahá and Shoghi Effendi; continual reinforcement of the ties binding the Bahá’í World to the United Nations;' formation of many more National Spiritual Assemblies, both by division of existing Regional Spiritual Assemblies and the development of new Bahá’í communities, together with the purchase of national Hazíratu'l-Quds, Temple sites and national endowments; the opening of new territories to the Faith; detailed plans for National Spiritual Assemblies involving, in some areas, consolidation goals, in others the multiplication of Bahá’í institutes and schools, in others a great enrichment of Bahá’í literature, and in all a vast increase in the number of Bahá’ís, and the holding of oceanic and intercontinental conferences. ”

(Universal House of Justice)

Goals of the Plan

Main articles: Goals of the Nine Year Plan (1964-1973) and Collaboration Projects of the Nine Year Plan (1964-1973)

World Centre Goals

1. Publication of a synopsis and codification of the Kitáb-i-Aqdas.
2. Formulation of the Constitution of the Universal House of Justice.
3. Development of the Institution of the Hands of the Cause of God, in consultation with the body of the Hands of the Cause, with a view to the extension into the future of its appointed functions of protection and propagation.
4. Continued collation and classification of the Bahá’í Sacred Scriptures as well as of the writings of Shoghi Effendi.
5. Continued efforts directed towards the emancipation of the Faith from the fetters of religious orthodoxy and its recognition as an independent religion.
6. The preparation of a plan for the befitting development and beautification of the entire area of Bahá’í property surrounding the Holy Shrines.
7. Extension of the existing gardens on Mount Carmel.
8. Development of the relationship between the Bahá’í Community and the United Nations.
9. The holding of Oceanic and Intercontinental Conferences.
10. The coordination of worldwide plans to commemorate, in 1967/68, the centenary of Bahá’u’lláh's Proclamation to the kings and rulers which centered round His revelation of the Suriy-i-Muluk in Adrianople.

International Goals

The main focus of the Nine Year Plan's international goals were the expansion and recognition of the Bahá’í Faith. They included the creation and incorporation of National Spiritual Assemblies, the expansion and consolidation of teaching work around the globe, the acquisition of Teaching Institutes, Summer and Winter Schools, and enrichment of Bahá’í literature in to many native languages. Specific general goals named were:

• Opening 70 virgin territories and resettling 24 territories.
• Raising the number of National Spiritual Assemblies to 108.
• Raising the number of Local Spiritual Assemblies to 13,700 and incorporating 700.
• Raising the number of localities with Bahá’í residents to 54,000.
• Building two Houses of Worship, one in Asia and one in Latin America.
• Acquisition of:
  • 32 Teaching Institutes
  • 52 National Ḥaẓíratu’l-Quds
  • 54 National Endowments
  • 62 Temple Sites
• Wide expansion of civil recognition of Bahá’í Holy Days and Marriage Certificates.
• Translation of Bahá’í literature into 133 new languages and enriching Bahá’í literature in languages for which translations already exist.
• Establishing 4 Bahá’í Publishing Trusts.
• Vastly increasing the financial resources of the Faith.

External Links

• Text of the message

References

Bibliography

• The Universal House of Justice. The Bahá’í World - An International Record Vol XIV 1963-1968. Welwyn Garden City, Hertfordshire, England: Broadwater Press Limited.