Celebrating 30 Years of Nonviolence International -Founding NVI

Dear Friends,

The Middle East (West Asia), and the world, are facing deeply dangerous moments. 

The recent war by the United States and Israel on Iran has pushed an already fragile region closer to a wider and potentially devastating war. In moments like this, it can feel as though the machinery of violence moves unchecked, while ordinary people and civil society are left watching helplessly.

But history reminds us that this is precisely when our voices matter most.

Civil society has always carried a sacred responsibility in times of crisis: to speak when others are silent, to insist on humanity when violence dominates the headlines, and to remind the world that another path, embedded in nonviolence, is still possible.

A coalition of organizations is therefore launching an urgent international petition calling for immediate de-escalation, restraint, ceasefire and diplomacy instead of further militarization.

In the midst of despair, this is our moment to act together.

We invite NGOs, human rights organizations, faith communities, peace networks, and civil society groups to add their voices, to affirm that the expansion of the war is not inevitable.

Please sign your organization’s name to the appeal here by Tuesday, 10 March 2026.

This petition recognizes and encourages governments that have shown restraint, while urging all parties to step back from the brink and pursue diplomacy, accountability, and international law. But signing the petition is only the beginning.

At this critical time, we also encourage you to:

• Contact your government representatives and urge them to support immediate de-escalation and ceasefire efforts.
  • Share this appeal with partner organizations and networks so that more civil society groups can join.
  • Speak publicly for peace and for the protection of civilians across the region.

There are moments in history when the future feels uncertain and dark. Yet those same moments have often become the turning points when ordinary people and courageous organizations refused to accept that violence was inevitable.

We cannot control the decisions of governments or armies. But we can ensure that the voice of humanity, justice, and nonviolence is heard clearly across the world. Hope is not passive. It is something we practice together.

Let us take up that responsibility now.
Feel free to reach us at [email protected] or +1-202-244-0951.

In solidarity,

Nonviolence International

Nonviolence International is proud to announce our sponsorship of From Here Forward, a new initiative dedicated to strengthening leadership, advancing strategic documentation, and mobilizing moral and political pressure to end apartheid, occupation, and ethnic cleansing in Palestine.

Founded by Mattan Berner-Kadish, whose life has unfolded between the United States and Israel/Palestine, From Here Forward emerges at a moment of profound urgency.

From Grief to Responsibility

In the days following the murder of Awdah Hathaleen, Mattan found himself in conversations with activists and organizations asking a painful but necessary question: What comes next? One answer kept coming up repeatedly - that this horrific reality was not going to change without meaningful pressure from the United States and the international community.

Having witnessed firsthand how U.S. political decisions shape conditions on the ground, and having watched mainstream Israeli society grow increasingly apathetic, and in some cases even openly supportive, toward Palestinian suffering, Mattan concluded that inaction was no longer an option. Out of concern for the future of both Palestinians and Jews, and in response to rapidly deteriorating conditions, From Here Forward was born. 

Witnessing and Documenting Reality on the Ground

Central to the project is the role of firsthand documentation.

“It is far easier to convince someone to change their mind when your story starts with ‘I saw’ than when it starts with ‘I think,’” Mattan explains.

Over the past several years, documentation from the ground has profoundly shifted international understanding of what is happening in the occupied West Bank and Gaza. Images, testimony, and direct witness have made it harder to deny reality.

But Mattan recognizes that documentation alone is not enough - it is necessary that those telling those stories are sharing them strategically, not simply to inform, but to influence. Documentation must reach the rooms where decisions are made, pushing those in power to act differently. It must contribute to creating conditions in which what is documented no longer continues. 

From Here Forward seeks to build that bridge between witness and impact.

Understanding the System Behind Settler Violence

One of the largest gaps in international and U.S. understanding, Mattan notes, concerns the role of Israeli settler violence. “It does not require spending much time on the ground to see the extent to which settler terrorists are an arm of the state,” he says. “They work hand in hand with the army, Civil Administration, and police to ethnically cleanse Palestinians from their land.”

“While global awareness is growing, there is still a lingering belief that settler violence is chaotic, spontaneous, or disconnected from state policy. In reality, it is well-funded, organized, strategic, and methodical.”

Recognizing this structure changes how movements must respond. If dispossession is coordinated and systematic, resistance must be equally strategic, organized, and intentional.

Leadership That Reaches the Right Rooms

Another central goal of From Here Forward is leadership development.

“It is so important to develop as many powerful leaders and speakers as possible who can spread the truth about the reality on the ground as far as possible,” Mattan emphasizes.

Just as settler groups strategically target specific villages and communities, advocacy must strategically target institutions and political leaders that sustain the status quo.

The project seeks to equip grassroots leaders with:

• Strategic communication skills
• Political analysis and power mapping
• Institutional engagement strategies
• Relationship-building tools
• The ability to translate lived experience into policy impact

Some emerging leaders already have relationships and access to influential spaces, and this project aims to support them in bringing truth into those rooms, where shifts in perception can become shifts in policy.

Looking ahead, Mattan envisions From Here Forward seen as a impactful force in creating a Jewish community that stands proudly against apartheid, genocide, ethnic cleansing, and occupation, stands in solidarity with Palestinians, and has trained leaders and provided important linkage between the many amazing organizations doing the work to create a better future for all of us.

Consider supporting this project with a one time donation or by becoming a monthly donor here. 

Colonial empires feed on fear and trauma. But most of all, they feed on the indifference of their citizens, the quiet acceptance of violence as inevitable, necessary or beyond our responsibility. As long as we normalize, excuse, defend, or ignore state violence, these systems continue. They thrive not only through bombs and weapons, but through the collective silence and moral disengagement of societies that benefit from or turn a blind eye to war.

Watch NVI’s Co-Director Sami Awad’s video on this matter here.

Nonviolence International condemns the accelerating global escalation of militarization and the devastating consequences it continues to impose on civilian populations across the world. The recent attacks carried out by Israel and the United States in the West Bank, Gaza, Lebanon, and Iran represent not isolated eruptions of violence, they are part of a systemic escalation of militarized policy that has become a defining feature of global power politics.

The expansion of militarization does not create safety. It entrenches cycles of retaliation, fuels authoritarianism, diverts resources away from social needs, and undermines international law and multilateral norms designed to protect human life. As weapons stockpiles grow and military budgets swell, investments in diplomacy, climate resilience, healthcare, education, and conflict prevention are sidelined, despite being far more effective pathways to lasting peace.

Nonviolence International rejects the false premise that security can be achieved through domination, preemptive strikes, or collective punishment. History has repeatedly shown that militarized responses deepen grievances and prolong conflict rather than resolve it. True security is built through justice, accountability, and the protection of human dignity, not through the expansion of war.

It is not only the immediate loss of life that should concern us, it is the long-term destabilization, trauma, displacement, and erosion of human dignity that follow. We must withdraw our consent from the old model of war and invest our collective energy in alternatives that reflect our stated commitments to peace. As voices for peace have long asked:

• What would a peace economy look like, one that prioritizes human needs over military spending?
• What is a peace community, anchored in mutual respect rather than fear?
• What does it mean to live in peace, not just imagine it?

To answer these questions requires courage. It demands that we challenge comfortable narratives, confront inconvenient truths, stop outsourcing responsibility and reclaim our agency to refuse that indifference continues to be the engine of harm.

At this critical moment, we call on governments, institutions, civil society organizations and citizens to:

• • Halt further military escalation and attacks on civilian populations.
  • Uphold international humanitarian and human rights law without exception.
  • Center collective security and welfare, not warfare, as the foundation of global security
  • Support diplomatic solutions rooted in accountability, justice, and self-determination

Colonial empires feed on fear. Their greatest weapon is our indifference. By refusing to accept violence as necessary, by actively choosing peace and accountability, we weaken their grip and move closer to a world where all lives are protected and valued.

We stand in solidarity with all communities affected by military violence and reaffirm our commitment to nonviolent action as both a moral imperative and a practical strategy.

Nonviolent movements around the world have demonstrated that sustainable change is possible through organized, people-powered resistance, dialogue, and international cooperation.

Nonviolence International is proud to announce our fiscal sponsorship partnership with Green Foster Action Uganda (GreFA), a youth-led organization working at the intersection of democracy, human rights, climate justice, and environmental protection. This partnership reflects a shared commitment to nonviolent action as a strategic and essential tool for social change in contexts marked by political repression, environmental harm, and structural inequality.

Nonviolent Action in Practice

GreFA emerged from lived experience and collective resistance, bringing together young activists dedicated to protecting democracy, human rights, and the environment. The organization challenges corporate and political practices that exacerbate climate injustice, food insecurity, energy poverty, and economic vulnerability. Their approach is practical, locally grounded, and community-led, empowering people to confront social, economic, and environmental challenges in their own contexts. Key strategies include:

• Mobilizing, educating, and organizing youth and grassroots communities
• Conducting nonviolent campaigns, demonstrations, petitions, and protests
• Strengthening community capacity in civic engagement and nonviolent resistance
• Supporting peaceful advocacy campaigns and movement-building initiatives

GreFA’s work gained national visibility through the Stop EACOP campaign, opposing the East African Crude Oil Pipeline. Communities along the pipeline route faced displacement, environmental degradation, and food insecurity, yet their voices were marginalized in decision-making processes.

Through peaceful demonstrations, petitions, community dialogues, and coordinated public actions, GreFA enabled young people and rural communities to safely participate and demand accountability. These disciplined, people-led actions generated media attention, national awareness, and meaningful public pressure, demonstrating that nonviolent strategies can influence both local and international decision-makers.

Nonviolent action strengthens solidarity, exposes power imbalances, and allows communities to confront extractive systems while safeguarding dignity and safety. GreFA believes that lasting climate justice and systemic change require organized, people-powered action.

Climate and Democracy Work in Uganda

Uganda is a challenging environment for activists. Strict laws limit assembly and protest, while dissenters face harassment, politically motivated arrests, torture, surveillance, and intimidation. Large-scale extractive projects, including EACOP, cause environmental destruction and threaten livelihoods, while silencing those who expose harm. For GreFA, defending democratic space is inseparable from advancing climate justice. They equip youth and grassroots communities to speak truth to power, build collective power, and demand accountability, transparency, and sustainable practices.

Training Young Activists

GreFA sees young people as leaders in climate justice and democratic renewal, so part of their work includes training young people to engage safely and effectively in nonviolent resistance. Programs include:

• First Exposure Trainings (FETs): Introduce principles of civil resistance, strategic leverage, and risk assessment
• Training of Trainers (ToT): Deep skills in campaign design, facilitation, coalition-building, and safety protocols
• Ongoing mentorship and coaching to sustain leadership and campaign effectiveness

To date, GreFA has trained over 300 youth activists and community groups across Uganda, fostering civic engagement and accountable governance alongside climate action. 

To find out more about the organization you can access their website here.
Also, please consider supporting them with a one time donation, or becoming a monthly donor here. Together, we are committed to strengthening nonviolent movements that defend human dignity, protect the environment, and imagine a more just and democratic future.