17 Worldwide Nonviolence Groups to Support

Dear friend,

This year we invite you to re-read Dr. King’s Nobel Peace Prize acceptance speech, (or you can watch it on here).

“I conclude that this award which I receive on behalf of that movement is a profound recognition that nonviolence is the answer to the crucial political and moral question of our time – the need for man to overcome oppression and violence without resorting to violence and oppression…. we will know that we are living in the creative turmoil of a genuine civilization struggling to be born…I refuse to accept the cynical notion that nation after nation must spiral down a militaristic stairway into the hell of thermonuclear destruction. I believe that unarmed truth and unconditional love will have the final word in reality.” 

Despite making much progress in alleviating racism, sexism and reducing global poverty, we see violence and injustice growing in wars and occupations that destroy civilian life, in places like Palestine, Sudan, Western Sahara, Burma, Ukraine, Uganda, and the Congo. The world has surpassed 100 million refugees, as militarism and war have accelerated.

We see governments across the world suppress dissent and weaken human rights in the name of “security.” Racialized police violence continues. Mass incarceration that destroys communities. Economic inequality is growing while basic needs go unmet. Voting rights are under attack. Protest is criminalized. Migrants are treated as threats rather than human beings.

In the United States, the home of Dr. King, the US government is abetting genocide, attacking constitutional and international laws and institutions, and throwing the world over the cliff into climate chaos, all for the sake of transferring vast wealth and power to the few.

Nonviolence International exists because we refuse to accept this as normal.

Nonviolence is harder than violence. We are not going to kill or threaten our way to a just and sustainable future. We must use persuasion, nonviolent coercion, the rule of law, global cooperation and governance in order to survive and thrive. And we must bring on board the huge segments of humanity who succumb to greed and cruelty and elect abusive leaders out of fear or coercion.

Nonviolence is a way of resisting violence without becoming it.
It is organized, courageous, and disciplined. It is about telling the truth, confronting power, and standing with those who are most impacted.

Dr. King understood that nonviolence demands commitment. It demands action. And it demands a willingness to be uncomfortable for the sake of justice.

Following Dr. King’s example, we ask you to write or video record your own speech on nonviolence! You can write for the world, but we ask that you do it to your kids, your community, and/or your country and in your native language.

We will help you publish it on our website or tag / collaborate us on Instagram and Facebook!

The arc of the moral universe does not bend by itself. It bends when people choose to act.

Thank you for walking this path with us, today and every day.

In solidarity,
Michael Beer & Sami Awad, Co-Directors

P.S. Register for our upcoming webinar: Beyond Political Illusions: What This Moment Demands of Us, on Jan 21, at 10AM ET / 5PM Jerusalem time. We will have a powerful panel, including Jonathan Kuttab, Huwaida Arraf, and Jeff Halper.

Dear friends,

I am writing to you from Bethlehem, a place many associate, especially this time of year, with hope, good tidings, and comfort. If you are expecting that kind of message from me today, this is not quite it.

Santa Klaus, often mistaken for me, in a Christmas nonviolent protest against illegal Jewish settlement expansion in 2014.

What Bethlehem offers today is not reassurance, but clarity. People here are celebrating not because the “war in Gaza” is over or we are ignoring our reality but because it is what we have left in our resilience. 

You need to know that from Bethlehem to Gaza, from the West Bank to Palestinian communities everywhere, we continue to witness the steady devaluation of our life. At times it erupts with devastating intensity, as we see now in Gaza. At other times it unfolds more quietly, in ways that are easier to ignore. But it follows the same trajectory.

Let us be honest: If Jesus were alive today, he would likely not be celebrating his birth in the ways we have grown accustomed to. He would not be participating in rituals that allow us to feel at peace while others live under siege, displacement, and violence. He would be standing with those under attack, challenging leaders who use sacred language to avoid moral responsibility, and calling for action that costs something.

Hope, when it is not accompanied by action, has become something Palestinians cannot afford.

What continues to happen in Gaza is not happening in isolation. It is the most extreme expression of long-standing political choices, sustained impunity, and a global willingness to tolerate Palestinian suffering. This will not change simply because we are moved or disturbed. It will change when enough people refuse silence, refuse normalization, and insist on accountability.

At Nonviolence International, we work to apply pressure, support nonviolent resistance, and stand with communities insisting that Palestinian life has value. But nonviolence is not symbolic. It requires participation.

This is where you come in. Act now:

• Demand an immediate and real ceasefire, the complete lifting of the siege, and the right of Palestinians to self-determination (along with all other occupied peoples).
• Pressure decision-makers — call, write, organize, to stop our taxes, governments, and corporations from supporting malign domination here and everywhere.
• Support nonviolent frontline work — protective presence, documentation, and community defense rely on real support, including your donations.
• Refuse normalization — do not accept Israeli occupation, mass displacement, starvation, or mass killing as inevitable or “too complex.” Join the divestment and boycott efforts where you live.

 This is not a message meant to inspire false comfort.

It is a message meant to invite responsibility. To work for that day when we all, no matter how we identify ourselves, celebrate real peace, equality and freedom for all. 

From Bethlehem, we are asking you to give birth to renewed action.

In solidarity,
Sami Awad
Co-Director

P.S. If you want to help and still don’t know where to start, please increase your annual or monthly donation to NVI, and/or donations to support our partners. And as bad as things are in Bethlehem, please don't forget Gaza.

Nonviolence International
https://www.nonviolenceinternational.net/

Dear friends,

We invite you to join us on December 13, at 10AM ET / 3PM Western Sahara, for an important webinar that sheds light on one of the world’s least-known yet longest-standing occupations: Western Sahara.

The event will begin with a clear and concise political–historical overview of the illegal and brutal occupation, providing the essential grounding needed to understand the resistance movement led by the Saharawi people. From there, our speakers will explore how Saharawi communities have nonviolently organized, documented abuses, and sustained resilience in the face of deepening repression.

You’ll hear directly from long-time Saharawi human rights activists Salka Barca, from the Western Sahara Solidarity Committee (WSSC) and Karama Sahara, Nayua Aduh, from the Committee Against the Exploitation of the Saharawi People, and Mulay Sid Ahmed, from the Saharawi Association in the USA (SAUSA). We will also be joined by David Wildman, who will share his experience joining divestment campaigns that combine Palestine and Western Sahara. The conversation will be hosted by Susan Smith, Director of Operations and Community Engagement at the Fellowship of Reconciliation - USA (FOR - USA).

This webinar is a rare opportunity to learn from voices deeply rooted in the struggle.
What we will explore together:

• The political and historical roots of the current occupation
• How Saharawi communities organize and resist through nonviolent means
• Firsthand testimonies from human rights defenders
• How international allies can play a meaningful and ethical role
• Recent developments on the ground, including rising repression and documentation efforts
• Practical advocacy tools and ways to support Saharawi-led initiatives
• Live dialogue and Q&A with speakers

Don’t miss this opportunity to deepen your understanding and stand in solidarity.
Register now to be part of this important conversation.

This webinar is sponsored by the Western Sahara Solidarity Committee, and hosted by the Fellowship of Reconciliation - USA and Nonviolence International.

Please share this webinar invitation with your networks. As with many NVI events, we welcome your active participation. A recording will be shared with all who register and also be posted on our Youtube channel.

Peace,
Michael Beer & Sami Awad
NVI Co-Directors 

P.S. We still have a few slots open in our Nonlinear Leadership Training, beginning January 10th. Join us with participants from all over the world.