Written by Nimesh Wijewardane
Thich Nhat Hanh at the Plum Village monastery in southern France | Credit: Plum Village Community of Engaged Buddhism
On January 22, 2022, the world lost an extraordinary spiritual leader. Thich Nhat Hanh was a world-renowned Vietnamese Buddhist monk, peace activist, and prolific author and poet. He was a beloved teacher and a guiding light, affectionately called Thay by his followers, the Vietnamese word for teacher. I count myself among the many people whose lives have been touched and profoundly transformed by his wisdom and compassion. Thay coined the term “Engaged Buddhism”, arguing that Buddhism, properly understood, is not merely about individual liberation but collective liberation, that Buddhists cannot simply retreat from the world and all its concerns and attain Nirvana in isolation but instead must engage in political and social struggles against oppression and injustice. Thay recognized that a religious community cannot simply stay on the sidelines but must take a stand. He tirelessly promoted nonviolent solutions to conflict and encouraged us to open our eyes to the interdepence of all living beings on Earth, and once aware of this state of “interbeing” to not only avoid harming human life but to also avoid harming nonhuman animals and the natural world. For Thay, nonviolence was a way of life, rooted in this idea of interbeing. He wrote, “Nonviolent action, born of the awareness of suffering and nurtured by love, is the most effective way to confront adversity.”
Thich Nhat Hanh was born Nguyen Xuan Bao in the city of Hue in central Vietnam. At age 16, he joined a Zen monastery. After several years, he took the official vows of monk and became active in the youth-led Buddhist reform movement in Vietnam. Thay taught and wrote about Buddhism, seeking to make Buddhism more relevant to the modern world. Thay’s growing popularity threatened the conservative Buddhist establishment, who discontinued a journal he had been editing and canceled his classes.
In response to this opposition, Thay went to the United States in 1961 to study comparative religion at the Princeton Theological Seminary and later became a lecturer in Buddhism at Columbia. Yet aware of the suffering in his homeland, he returned to South Vietnam in 1963 to engage in peace work alongside fellow monks. Since 1954, Vietnam had been divided between the Communist North and the pro-West South, with ongoing armed struggle between the government of South Vietnam and the communist guerrillas. Thay founded the School of Youth for Social Services, a grassroots relief organization consisting of over 10,000 volunteers which established schools and health care clinics in rural South Vietnam and helped rebuild bombed villages. In 1964, Thay published an anti-war poem titled “Condemnation”, writing "whoever is listening, be my witness: I cannot accept this war...". The poem was denounced as pro-communist propaganda. Thay’s conception of Engaged Buddhism grew from the bloodstained soil of the war in Vietnam. In an interview with the Buddhist magazine Lion’s Roar, Thay said, “When bombs begin to fall on people, you cannot stay in the meditation hall all of the time. Meditation is about the awareness of what is going on—not only in your body and in your feelings, but all around you.”
In February 1966, Thay ordained six leaders who had been part of the School of Youth for Social Services and established a new religious order, the Order of Interbeing, a community of Buddhist monks, nuns, and laypeople based on the Five Mindfulness Trainings and Fourteen Mindfulness Trainings, modern versions of the precepts Buddhists have practiced for centuries. These mindfulness trainings include living with a vocation that harms neither humans nor nature; and living in accord with the ideals of compassion, protection of life, and prevention of war. Since the 1960s, The Order of Interbeing has grown into an international movement.
Thay traveled to the US in May 1966 to enlighten the American public about the Vietnam War’s devastating impact and appeal the US government to cease its bombing campaign. During that visit, Thay met with Martin Luther King Jr. and urged him to publicly denounce the Vietnam War. At a press conference with Thay, King spoke out against the war for the first time. In 1967, King gave a famous speech at Riverside Church boldly articulating his opposition to the Vietnam War. Later that year, King nominated Thich Nhat Hanh for the Nobel Peace Prize, writing “I do not personally know of anyone more worthy of [this prize] than this gentle monk from Vietnam. His ideas for peace, if applied, would build a monument to ecumenism, to world brotherhood, to humanity.”
Thay’s 1996 trip to the US was only meant to last a few weeks, but turned into decades of exile. After he presented a peace plan urging America to stop bombing and to offer reconstruction aid without ideological strings, the government of South Vietnam declared him a traitor and banned him from returning. After the Communists seized control of the South in 1975, he was again refused permission to enter Vietnam. His principled anti-war stance had made him an enemy of both sides.
In exile, Thay settled in the south of France and established the Plum Village Monastery, which would be his new home for decades, and remains the largest Buddhist monastery in Europe and America. Thay became one of the main ambassadors of Buddhism to the West, writing more than 100 books and bringing the concept of mindfulness into the mainstream. Thay spoke out against the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, saying, “We know very well that airplanes, guns and bombs cannot remove wrong perceptions. Only loving speech and compassionate listening can help people correct wrong perceptions. But our leaders are not trained in that discipline, and they rely only on the armed forces to remove terrorism.” He encouraged us to address the root causes of violence and cultivate peace in our hearts. Thay brought together Israelis and Palestinians for peacebuilding retreats at Plum Village, continuing his lifelong commitment to ending conflict. Thay also spoke out about the urgency of addressing climate change, writing, “There’s a revolution that needs to happen and it starts from inside each one of us. We need to wake up and fall in love with Earth. Our personal and collective happiness and survival depends on it.” Throughout his writings, interviews, and speeches he continued to draw connections between the personal and the collective, promoting mindfulness not merely as a tool for self-help but as a necessary precondition for avoiding war and climate catastrophe.
Thay’s teachings have had a significant impact on me. In my Sri Lankan American family, I was raised as a Buddhist, but in my teenage years, I had begun to drift away from Buddhism, questioning whether I truly believed in its precepts, whether it was truly applicable to my life, and unsure of how Buddhism aligned with my political convictions. Buddhism, at least the kind practiced by those in my Sri Lankan American community, seemed to be apolitical, almost entirely detached from and unconcerned with issues of oppression and injustice. But as a high school student on the Internet, I was lucky enough to stumble upon some of Thay’s writings in the online Buddhist magazine Lion’s Roar. I was struck by the beauty and simplicity of Thay’s words, the ease at which he distilled the abstract and somewhat complicated ideas of dharma in a clear and compelling way. Each perfectly crafted sentence seemed intuitively true. Engaged Buddhism gave me a framework with which to reconcile my faith and my political activism. It’s not an exaggeration to say that I am a Buddhist not merely because of my upbringing but because of Thich Nhat Hanh. During my freshman year of college I struggled with loneliness and depression but on one bright February afternoon I found “The Pocket Thich Nhat Hanh”, a small collection of some of his writings, in an independent bookstore in Georgetown and bought it. In spring, I would sit outside in the quad of George Washington University’s Mount Vernon campus and read Thich Nhat Hanh’s words, which brought me comfort, reminded me of the temporality of all things, and encouraged me to bear witness to the miracle of life. Sitting on a wooden bench, watching the world ablaze with sunlight and contemplating Thich Nhat Hanh’s words, I felt pretty close to enlightenment. Thay has a beautiful phrase-“No mud, no lotus”, a reminder that happiness and suffering are deeply intertwined, that you can’t have one without the other. Whenever I find myself dealing with a difficult situation, I chant that phrase to myself, over and over- “No mud, no lotus.”
Thay wrote that birth and death are but illusions, that we are never really born and never really die. I know that Thay will continue to live on in in the hearts and minds of all the people who have been awakened and inspired by his life and his teachings.
Thich Nhat Hanh's calligraphy
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Remember Dr. King's statement that humanity MUST choose between nonviolence or nonexistence? The answer is obvious and we need to build global movements that use the tools and values of nonviolence now more than ever.
Not including NVI, below are 17 leading groups that inspire, train or mobilize nonviolent resistance and social change. All work multi-nationally and across multiple social movements.
Please consider becoming a consistent monthly or annual donor and ask yourself if you can devote 1% of your income to the global nonviolence movement. Can you devote $/€ 5/month to each of them? Please, also, contact them or visit them and see how you can volunteer.
All of these groups are in financial need and have great potential. Those with asterixes are in most need. Please flag/star this email so that you can come back to it repeatedly and try not to skim. (They are listed here in no particular order).
*Africans Rising- “The Movement envisions that Africa-wide activism, solidarity and unity of purpose of the Peoples of Africa will build the future they want – a right to justice, peace, dignity and shared prosperity.”
Acción Noviolenta en las Américas- “Education, Training and Research in the Americas in Spanish, French and Portuguese.’ Please join the webinars that we co-organize with them.
The Institute Novact of Nonviolence “is a non-profit association dedicated to conflict transformation and peacebuilding. It has been working in the Euro-Mediterranean region for more than 20 years."
CANVAS-”From CANVAS' headquarters in Belgrade, Serbia, we operate a network of international trainers and consultants with expertise in building and running successful nonviolent movements. We work to build more just, democratic, and responsible society.” Srda Popovich and Slobodan Djinovic are brilliant people-power coaches.
Commons Library: A world-class open English library of training and organizing materials. Also grassroots-engaged and activist in Australia. Operates on a shoe-string.
Ekta Parishad “is a mass-based peoples’ movement for land rights with an active membership of 250,000 landless poor and is regarded as the biggest peoples’ movement in India with an iconic status globally. Since its inception as a Gandhian organization in 1989, Ekta Parishad is constantly promoting nonviolence as a way of struggle, dialogue, and constructive actions toward building a peaceful and just society.”Ekta Parishad is a mass-based with an iconic status globally." Ramesh Sharma is simply brilliant.
*Kawakibbi Foundation “is an organisation which merges intellectual research with activism. The foundation was born out of the Arab Spring, and we work towards a world free of tyranny and in which society trumps the state, extremism in all its forms have no appeal, and individual rights are sacrosanct.’ NVI met with Ahmed Gatnash this year and was so impressed that we will soon fiscally sponsor them.
NVXXI-Non-Violence XXI “est une association française qui collecte des dons et des legs depuis 2001 dans le but de financer des projets à caractère non-violent et de promouvoir concrètement la culture de la non-violence au 21e siècle en France et dans le monde. Elle regroupe aujourd’hui les principales organisations non-violentes françaises.”
Mouvement pour une Alternative Non-violente. “Founded in 1974, MAN aims to put forward the specific contribution of non-violence in the everyday life, education and social and political fights. MAN wants to promote the principles and methods of nonviolent strategy, to support a positive resolution of the interpersonal, intercommunity or international conflicts. By thinking, acting and training, MAN thus seeks to promote justice and freedom.”
Beautiful Trouble. A great online resource center for creative nonviolent action and training. A leader in support of artistic activism and social change. It's co-led by the extraordinary Nadine Bloch.
Metta Center & Nonviolence Radio. They have wonderful podcasts and many Gandhian inspired resources. Michael Nagler and Stephanie Van Hook are a treasure.
Pace E Bene: “Founded in 1989 by the Franciscan Friars of California, Pace e Bene Nonviolence Service is now an independent, non-denominational 501(c)3 organization spreading the power of nonviolence. “Pace e Bene” (pronounced “pah-chay bay-nay”) is an Italian greeting from St. Francis and St. Clare of Assisi meaning “Peace and all Good.” Pace E Bene coordinates Campaign Nonviolence with the help of the indefatigable Ken Butigan and many others.
Nonviolence News “Each week, Nonviolence News brings 30-50 stories of “nonviolence in action” to readers, illuminating the scale and scope of how nonviolence is actively shaping our world.” This weekly newsletter is the best site for nonviolent action news and movements, thanks to the superstar Rivera Sun.
Waging Nonviolence: “Waging Nonviolence is a nonprofit media organization dedicated to providing original reporting and expert analysis of social movements around the world. With a commitment to accuracy, transparency and editorial independence, we examine today’s most crucial issues by shining a light on those who are organizing for just and peaceful solutions.” They have great in-depth articles about nonviolent movements. NVI fiscally sponsored WN for years before they spun off under the inspired leadership of Eric Stoner and others.
*Solidarity 2020 and Beyond “is one of the broadest international networks composed of grassroots leaders utilizing nonviolent action to work together strategically on key issues at the local and international level including climate crisis, women's rights, anti-authoritarianism, indigenous and land rights, and self-determination. S2020B is active in 100+ countries, mainly in the Global South, where we build people power and impact by providing expert level training and spaces for members to learn and share with each other., trauma healing and self-care, participatory research projects, and emergency and small grants to empower locally led initiatives working for peace with justice and positive change. We provide small grants to locally-led advocacy campaigns and activities such as International Peace Day for youth in Kenya; nonviolent action training workshops in Mekong River countries and Palestine; Social Justice clubs in Uganda, environmentalists in El Salvador, and support for tribal and marketplace women in Cameroon and India. Dr. Stephen Zunes, a S2020B Organizing Committee member describes S2020B as "the most effective and efficient international network of grassroots activists making a real difference in the world that I have had the pleasure to work with". NVI fiscally sponsors S2020B and its Director Katherine Hughes-Fraitekh.
Training For Change: “Training for Change is a training and capacity building organization for activists and organizers. They believe strong training and group facilitation is vital to movement building for social justice and radical change. One of the great training collectives”. Founded by none other than our dear friend George Lakey.
*Nonviolence Education and Research Center in Turkey. This is the primary resource center for the many countries with Turkish language speakers supporting all kinds of marginalized communities. Training, research, activism in a challenging environment. Based in Istanbul. NVI helped found this center.
Sincerely,
Sami Awad & Michael Beer, Co-Directors
P.S. Please let us know of more groups that we could highlight next year. If you are really wanting to focus on Palestine, please look at NVI's remarkable partners who are supporting Israelis and Palestinians who seek to build a shared future together.
Diversity and Equity as an Act of Nonviolent Civil Resistance
In a time when societal and institutional shifts are met with increasing polarization, advocating for diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) is not just a matter of social progress—it is an act of nonviolent resistance. For organizations, companies, and communities, embracing these principles is a powerful statement of defiance against the structures that have historically perpetuated inequality and exclusion.
In the spirit of nonviolence, this article challenges the misguided notion that diversity and equity are mere buzzwords or trends. Instead, it asserts that these principles have always been foundational to thriving organizations and successful business models. Just as nonviolent civil resistance seeks to dismantle systemic oppression without resorting to harm, advocating for diversity, equity, and inclusion disrupts the perpetuation of privilege and opens pathways to fairness, justice, and mutual respect.
The American ideal of meritocracy—the belief that hard work and talent should determine success—has shaped generations. It’s the foundation of the American Dream: if you’re driven and capable, you will succeed, no matter your background. But is that really how it works?
History tells a different story. Deep-rooted inequities in race, class, and systemic privilege have long obstructed true meritocracy. The reality is that talent alone isn’t enough when barriers to opportunity are unevenly distributed. If we want to honor the principle of merit, we must ensure everyone has a fair chance to prove their worth.
This is where Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility (DEIA) come in. Contrary to misconceptions, DEIA isn’t about lowering standards or prioritizing one group over another. It’s about eliminating obstacles that unfairly limit access to opportunity. Done right, DEIA strengthens—not weakens—meritocracy by ensuring that success is based on ability, not privilege.
One of the most persistent myths about meritocracy is that success is always earned. If someone is wealthy or powerful, the assumption is that they must have worked harder, been smarter, or deserved it more than others. But is that the case?
The word “deserve” implies entitlement—something granted, not necessarily earned. A child born into privilege does not inherently deserve better education, healthcare, or career prospects than a child born into poverty. Yet, in practice, society frequently rewards people not for their abilities but for the advantages they were handed at birth.
True merit should be based on talent, effort, and achievement. But when access to education, economic stability, and career opportunities is skewed by race, gender, and class, meritocracy becomes a convenient illusion. Without addressing these structural imbalances, what we call “merit” often turns out to be nothing more than inherited privilege.
Beyond systemic barriers lies an even deeper question: Who determines what is valuable?
Historically, the dominant culture has defined success in ways that benefit those already in power. This is why unpaid labor—such as caregiving and domestic work, disproportionately performed by women and marginalized groups—has been chronically undervalued, despite its vital role in society. It’s why certain career paths, often occupied by privileged groups, are disproportionately rewarded with wealth and status, while others remain underpaid and overlooked.
The same bias applies to education and professional advancement. People from underrepresented backgrounds often have to work twice as hard to have their skills recognized because traditional measures of merit reflect the values of those who have always held power. DEIA seeks to change this by expanding our definition of value, ensuring that different perspectives, talents, and lived experiences are acknowledged and rewarded. Without this shift, meritocracy remains a closed system that excludes countless individuals who could contribute just as much, if not more, given the chance.
DEIA: An Evolution of Merit, Not an Abandonment of It
Critics often argue that these initiatives undermine meritocracy. But that argument misses the point. DEIA is not about giving unqualified people an advantage—it’s about making sure qualified people aren’t excluded due to systemic bias.
The idea isn’t to replace one group with another or push an agenda but to remove barriers that have historically shut out diverse, talented individuals. Done correctly, DEIA hiring ensures that merit remains the primary factor while broadening the pool of candidates to reflect the diversity of our society.
DEIA’s advocates recognize the challenges of implementation. Critics are right to demand clarity and rigor, particularly in fields where technical accuracy is paramount. But this is not an either-or proposition—it is an evolution of merit, not an abandonment of it. Efforts to widen the talent pool and address systemic inequities by fostering inclusion do not dilute excellence; they strengthen it.
The broader question we should be asking is: How do we balance addressing systemic inequities while ensuring that processes remain transparent and fair for everyone?
Like any policy, DEIA initiatives can be poorly executed. Some organizations have implemented it in ways that feel performative, leading to tokenism or hiring practices that prioritize optics over ability. These missteps should be addressed—but they don’t invalidate the core purpose.
Consider corporate diversity programs that hire candidates from underrepresented backgrounds but fail to provide mentorship or support. These efforts may look good on paper but do little to ensure long-term success. The solution isn’t to eliminate these values but to refine them—to ensure that equity efforts are substantive rather than symbolic.
Throwing out these principles due to flawed implementation would be like abandoning democracy because of political corruption. The answer isn’t to dismantle it but to make it work better. One way to do this is to expand the discussion beyond race and immigration because the real impact is much broader. True meritocracy requires removing barriers for all people—regardless of disability, gender, economic background, or any other factor that has historically been used to exclude individuals from opportunity.
A fair society does not measure merit based on how well someone fits into a narrow mold of success. Instead, it recognizes talent, effort, and potential in all their forms. The ultimate goal is to level the playing field so that everyone has an equal shot at success—one that isn’t determined by privilege or systemic disadvantage.
The truth is, DEIA has likely played a role in the life of someone you know and care about, even if you haven’t noticed it. Whether it’s ensuring accessibility for a disabled friend, promoting workplace fairness for women, or creating opportunities for first-generation college students, these initiatives make our society more just and inclusive.
Rather than eliminating it, we should be working to refine and strengthen these policies so they can better serve their purpose. If we truly believe in the promise of meritocracy, we must acknowledge that it can only exist when every individual has the same opportunities to succeed—not just the privileged few.
DEI as Nonviolent Civil Resistance
Implementing these practices—especially at a time when the White House is pushing back on these initiatives—becomes an act of nonviolent civil resistance. By continuing to embrace these practices, CEOs, business leaders, and other decision-makers are standing up for justice and equity despite political pressure to abandon them. This resistance is not about confrontation, but about maintaining a commitment to fairness and inclusion in the face of systemic oppression. As Cesar Chavez said, “We cannot seek achievement for ourselves and forget about progress and prosperity for our community… Our ambitions must be broad enough to include the aspirations and needs of others, for their sakes and for our own.”
Practical Steps for Business Leaders
Even when facing a cultural backlash against DEIA initiatives, CEOs, owners, executives, and Board of Trustees can continue to uphold diversity, equity, and inclusion in meaningful ways. Here are a few practical steps:
- Commit to Long-Term Change Over Short-Term Solutions: True DEI efforts go beyond hiring quotas. Invest in training and programs that support diverse employees’ growth and ensure they have access to mentorship, leadership opportunities, and career advancement. Measure your progress through data but also listen to employees’ feedback and adapt strategies to their needs.
- Cultivate an Inclusive Workplace Culture: Focus on creating a culture of belonging where all employees feel heard, valued, and empowered. This involves breaking down silos, encouraging collaboration across diverse teams, and taking active steps to address microaggressions and biases.
- Foster Equity Through Transparent Decision-Making: Evaluate policies, pay structures, and career development opportunities to ensure they don’t unintentionally exclude marginalized groups. Implement transparent, equitable processes for promotion, compensation, and hiring.
As Bryan Stevenson, founder of the Equal Justice Initiative, has powerfully stated: "The opposite of poverty is not wealth. The opposite of poverty is justice." Similarly, the true measure of these programs is not how many diverse candidates are hired or included but whether these initiatives genuinely contribute to justice by addressing the systemic barriers that have long excluded marginalized groups.
In the face of corporate retreats from these commitments, it’s important to remember that the true goal of such initiatives isn’t merely to increase representation or check boxes. The American Dream should not be a myth. It should be a reality for everyone.
George Cassidy Payne has over 20 years of experience in the nonprofit sector, working across various capacities to empower communities and drive social change. He holds a Master’s degree in the Humanities from Emory University, where he developed a strong foundation in critical thinking, ethics, and human behavior. George’s career has focused on advocacy, organizational leadership, and building inclusive environments that champion diversity, equity, and social justice. Passionate about creating systems that promote fair opportunities for all, he continues to work on initiatives that align with his belief in the power of diversity to drive both organizational success and positive societal impact.
