Born in Palestine on March 1, 1897, Shoghi Effendi was the eldest grandson of ʿAbdu'l-Bahá and appointed by Him to lead the Bahá'í community after His passing. From the time of the passing of `Abdu'l-Bahá until his own death 36 years later, Shoghi Effendi dedicated his life to systematically guiding the development of the Bahá'í community, deepening its spiritual principles, and strengthening its unity. Under his leadership, the Bahá'í community grew steadily, increasingly reflecting the diversity of the entire human race in its composition.