Thirty participants—including 8 junior youth, 9 youth, 12 adults, and 1 child—gathered on Sunday, July 13, 2025, for a one-day summit at Potato Creek State Park in North Liberty, Indiana, on the theme of One Earth, One Human Family.
The event was designed to strengthen connections among youth and junior youth in a region where the Bahá’í population has historically been sparse. Inspired by the National Spiritual Assembly’s September 2024 message encouraging believers to create spaces where youth could “soar,” it prioritized capacity building and fostering new friendships. In a spirit of empowerment, the decision was made for adults to step back and support the older youth in leading the summit.
The effort was rooted in the vision of four collaborators in Northeast Indiana who had attended a conference held at Louhelen Baha’i School the previous fall. Their initiative blossomed into a gathering that drew participants from across the state and beyond—from Battle Creek in the north to Indianapolis in the south, and from New Haven to Valparaiso. Potato Creek’s natural beauty provided the perfect backdrop for the summit’s theme: One Earth, One Human Family.
The 3 older youth (ages 20-26) developed a program that intertwined the interconnectedness of nature with the oneness of humanity. Throughout the day, quotations from the Bahá’í Writings were shared, enriching the environment with spiritual reflection. Following morning devotions, one youth leader opened the summit with an icebreaker. The schedule was lively and diverse: a drumming workshop with friends from Fort Wayne; a group dance led by a visiting youth leader from Battle Creek; and a science-themed trail hike guided by a South Bend youth.
While the youth participants explored and learned in the park during the hike, adults engaged in meaningful discussions, further strengthening the bonds among believers across Northern Indiana. After the hike, the youth group took part in additional consultation, enriching the day with personal insights gathered throughout. Participants also made personalized, reusable water bottles decorated with pollinator and floral designs—serving as both a creative outlet and a practical tool used throughout the day.
By the close of the summit, the original nucleus of four had grown into a regional nucleus of ten youth and adults, all eager to build on the momentum generated. Plans are already underway for next year’s gathering, with a date set for Sunday, July 12, 2026. The hope is to welcome an even larger group of Bahá’í youth and their friends from across the region.