The Institute for Studies in Global Prosperity

According to its website, "The Institute for Studies in Global Prosperity (ISGP) is a non-profit organization that is dedicated to building capacity in individuals, groups and institutions to contribute to contemporary discourses concerned with the betterment of society within a conceptual framework that draws on both science and religion as two complementary systems of knowledge and practice. The Institute does this by creating learning environments in which participants can come together to study, reflect and consult. It further explores principles, concepts, and approaches that are relevant to the advancement of civilization, and facilitates the generation and systematization of knowledge that is instrumental to effecting positive transformation in society."

History
"The Institute for Studies in Global Prosperity was founded in 1999. It emerged out of two broad areas of activity. The first of these pertains to the Bahá’í community’s world wide efforts to put into practice spiritual principles brought to light by religion and knowledge and methodologies generated by science for the advancement of society. The second area, which draws upon the first, consists of the Bahá’í international community’s experience of participating in the discourses of society, especially those initiated and sustained by the United Nations and its agencies."

In December 2000, One Country, the official online newsletter of the Baha'i International Community (see Baha'i Faith) announced the launch of its then newest agency, stating that "The Institute joins a family of agencies of the Bahá'í International Community. These agencies include a United Nations Office, an Office of Public Information, an Office for the Environment, and an Office for the Advancement of Women. All are guided by the Faith's international governing body, the Universal House of Justice, and they draw on the resources of some 182 national-level affiliates, known as National Spiritual Assemblies, which are the freely elected governing bodies representing Bahá'í communities at the national level."

Recent Activities
"Based on the experience gained in India, the Institute decided to extend the discourse on science, religion, and development to other parts of the world. In Uganda, with the collaboration of a Task force, it organized a series of seminars in different regions of the country in which groups of academicians, government officials, and representatives from nongovernmental organizations came together and discussed the issues raised in the Institute’s seminal document within the context of Ugandan society.  Participants later formed working groups to explore how the discourse can affect concrete areas of human activity such as education, economic activity and environmental resources, technology, and governance, and prepared a series of documents to be presented to the government. In the year 2006 the Institute produced a video entitled “Opening a Space: The Discourse on Science, Religion, and Development”, which documents the Ugandan experience.

In Brazil, eleven leaders of thought were invited to study and comment on the initial concept paper developed by the Institute. These comments were gathered in a book which was published and disseminated around the country and used to stimulate discussions in seminars with small groups of participants. In Malaysia, Social & Economic Development Services (SEDS) together with the Centre for Civilisational Dialogue organized two nation-wide colloquia on Science, Religion and Development in 2005 and 2006 and published the results in a book. Activities of this nature are continuing in the two countries, as well as in several others in Latin America and Asia."

Directors

 * Haleh Arbab (June 2005 - Present)
 * 2000-??Matt Weinberg

Contact

 * Institute for Studies in Global Prosperity
 * 866 United Nations Plaza, Suite 120, New York, NY 10017-1822, USA.
 * Telephone: 1-212-803-2547
 * Fax: 1-212-803-2566
 * Email: isgp@bic.org
 * Website address: Http://www.globalprosperity.org

Related Sourcewatch articles

 * Baha'i Faith