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The Baháʼí Faith teaches that the world should adopt an international auxiliary language, which people would use in addition to their mother tongue. The aim of this teaching is to improve communication and foster unity among peoples and nations. The Baháʼí teachings state, however, that the international auxiliary language should not suppress existing natural languages, and that the concept of unity in diversity must be applied to preserve cultural distinctions. The Baha'i principle of an International Auxiliary Language represents a paradigm for establishing peaceful and reciprocal relations between the world's primary speech communities – while shielding them from undue linguistic pressures from the dominant speech community/communities.
Baha’u’llah
"Now praise be to God that Dr. Zamenhof has invented the Esperanto language. It has all the potential qualities of becoming the international means of communication. All of us must be grateful and thankful to him for this noble effort; for in this way he has served his fellowmen well. With untiring effort and self-sacrifice on the part of its devotees, Esperanto will become universal. Therefore, every one of us must study this language and spread it as far as possible." – ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, In: Dr. John Esslemont, Bahá’u’lláh and the New Era, p. 182. "Therefore I hope that you will make the utmost effort, so that this language of Esperanto may be widely spread." – Abdu’l-Bahá in Paris, France, in: Bahá’u’lláh and the New Era, p.183.
"Bahá’ís shall consider the study of this language as an incumbent duty upon them and it will be to them a religious duty." – Abdu’l-Bahá, In: The Greatest Instrument,.