50th ABS Annual Conference: Full Schedule

You will be able to validate your attendance (Check-In to sessions) using your personal schedule.

9:00am EDT

Mind-Body Interaction in Developmental Psychology

Saturday August 8, 2026 9:00am - 10:15am EDT

Limited Capacity seats available

Developmental psychology lacks clear definitions of mind, spirit, and soul, leaving their relation to the body fragmented. While secular psychology examines cognition, meaning‑making, and moral development, materialist frameworks focus on measurable processes and offer little account of subjective or spiritual experience. This project traces the historical evolution of mind–body constructs in developmental theories, comparing with Bahá’í dual‑aspect teachings, and models how mind and spirit interact with the body. It proposes a framework in which the mind is both embodied and spiritually oriented, strengthening conceptual and measurement clarity

Speakers

Nadia Khalili

Nadia Khalili is a postdoctoral researcher at the Institute for Studies in Global Prosperity. She holds a PhD in Educational Psychology from McGill University, where her work examined Theory of Mind, empathy, spirituality, and prosocial development. She has taught widely, led cross‑cultural... Read More →

Saturday August 8, 2026 9:00am - 10:15am EDT
210

Psychology, Breakout

10:30am EDT

Justice and Reciprocity as key principles of Parenting in a Baha’i Family: Integrating Psychological Science and Moral Education with Baha’i Teachings

LIMITED

Saturday August 8, 2026 10:30am - 11:45am EDT

210

Limited Capacity seats available

The message dated 19 March 2025 from the Universal House of Justice offers a vital framework for understanding the Baha’i perspective of family life. Notably, the House highlighted that “sound relationships that are to bind members of a Baha’i family are based on justice and reciprocity.” This session explores how these principles frame parenting and family dynamics, bridging Baha’i teaching with psychological science and moral education. We will discuss how this informs our conception of the “family” and parenting practices. Together, we will discuss how these insights can enrich our conversations with others about spiritual education.

Speakers

Hoda Ghadirian

Hoda Ghadirian is a high school educator with over 20 years of experience teaching science, math and ethics. Throughout her career, she has been involved in the collaborative development of curricula focused on social justice, ethics, and global citizenship, as well as in enhancing... Read More →

Victoria Talwar

Dr. Victoria Talwar is a Professor, Canada Research Chair (I), and Director of the Gold Centre for Early Childhood Development at McGill University. Her research is in the area of developmental psychology with an emphasis on social-cognitive development and moral development.

Saturday August 8, 2026 10:30am - 11:45am EDT
210

Psychology, Breakout

2:00pm EDT

The Forbidden University: Film screening and discussion

LIMITED

Saturday August 8, 2026 2:00pm - 4:45pm EDT

210

Limited Capacity seats available

The Forbidden University is a feature documentary exploring the constructive resilience of the Bahá’í Institute for Higher Education (BIHE) in Iran. Produced by 1844 Studios with Companion Arts and Interdimensional VFX, and developed in consultation with Bahá’í Institutions at every phase, the film weaves interviews with BIHE alumni and scholars with dramatic recreations to illuminate a community-run response to systemic exclusion from higher education. The screening is followed by a moderated discussion on education access, human rights, collective action, and BIHE’s enduring model of constructive resilience.

Speakers

Nauzanin Knight

Producer, 1844 Studios Inc.

Nauzanin Knight is a Canadian writer, director, and producer of Afro-Caribbean and Middle Eastern descent whose work bridges social justice and cinematic storytelling. A former academic with an MSc from University College London, she transitioned from publishing State Terrorism i... Read More →

Mitra Knight

Producer, 1844 Studios

Mitra is an Iranian-Canadian Bahá’í and an international film producer with over 20 years of leadership experience across the Caribbean, Africa, and Canada. She brings strategic vision and operational execution to her work as Co-Director of 1844 Studios alongside Nauzanin Knight... Read More →

Saturday August 8, 2026 2:00pm - 4:45pm EDT
210

Media, Breakout

50th ABS Annual Conference

9:00am EDT

Nadia Khalili

10:30am EDT

Hoda Ghadirian

Victoria Talwar

2:00pm EDT

Nauzanin Knight

Mitra Knight

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