Here’s a fact: unarmed civilians can stop and transform violent conflict without laying down their lives and without killing others. Tiffany Easthom and Gilda Bettencourt join us in the studio to give us an insider’s view of the incredible work of one of our favorite organizations in the world, the Nonviolent Peaceforce, drawing from their own… read more
Michael talks about one of the most important institutions around for replacing the war system: unarmed protection work, or “Shanti Sena.” How does using nonviolent energy for conflict help us to end cycles of domination? Find out more. About Daily Metta Stephanie Van Hook, the Metta Center’s executive director, launched Daily Metta in 2015 as… read more
“If even one nation were unconditionally to perform the supreme act of renunciation, many of us would see in our lifetime visible peace established on earth.” ~ Gandhi, Harijan, Harijan, May 16, 1936 Instead of vying for who can have the most access to the finite resources of our planet, I couldn’t imagine a more… read more
December 1: “The need for the peace brigades was never more urgent than now.” –Gandhi (Mahatma, vol. 6, p.53) When Gandhi pronounced these words in the 1940s, it was in response to someone inquiring what could be done by the Indian Congress in the face of “raids and scares and possible disturbances.” His response, however,… read more
April 30 “The Congress should be able to put forth a non-violent army of volunteers who would be equal to every occasion where the police and military are required.” –Gandhi (Harijan, 3-26-1938) If we can train people in violence to serve in fighting and war, does it seem so impossible that we can train them… read more
February 16: “I believe that true democracy can only be an outcome of nonviolence.” –Gandhi (Gandhi’s Correspondence with the Government 1942-1944, p. 143) While violence is often considered the prerogative of democracies, and even a way of spreading the principle, if you think about it, violence and democracy are actually incompatible. In violence, you must… read more
Response to Ferguson from the Shanti Sena Network: Whether or not you believe that Darren Wilson is guilty, no one can deny that trust in the American police force is really low. This trust is especially low in communities of color and low income communities. A list of demands from Ferguson protestors included: a plan… read more
Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan came to be known, over his objections, as the “Frontier Gandhi.” (Wikimedia) If you watched Malala Yousafzai’s much discussed and inspiring speech to the United Nations last week, you may have heard this courageous teenager — who was shot by the Taliban for promoting girls’ education — refer to Badshah Khan as a… read more
This short PBS video explores the work of the Nonviolent Peaceforce in Mindanao. It is an interesting look into new institutions emerging with a mission of building a nonviolent culture. As you watch this video, listen to how security, strength and possibility are discussed. NP co-founder Mel Duncan suggests that these teams will not do… read more
The first 10 minutes of this PBS broadcast are dedicated to sharing the work of the Nonviolence Peaceforce’s work in South Sudan. Tiffany Easthom, country director of NP’s work in SS, discusses the challenges facing the South Sudanese since independence last year and how NP works with local communities as well as the limitations of… read more
