A Doctor’s Remedy for Peace: Follow the Path of Nonviolence
By Connor Paul
Most people never fully experience life and death during their existence even though we all live, and eventually die. Dr. Izzeldin Abuelaish has certainly encountered his fair share of both states of being. An internationally renowned doctor in obstetrics and gynecology, Dr. Abuelaish works to help conceive and deliver life on a daily basis. As an infertility expert, his work, research, speaking appearances, conferences, and counseling regarding the conception of life are all part of his effort to provide humanity the greatest gift we receive. “Using my skills to save a life or help a patient in distress or bring a newborn into the world was what I became most excited about,” he recalls of his preliminary studies at the University of Cairo in his memoir, I Shall Not Hate. But he has also grappled with death on a personal level that few of us have ever experienced.
Born and raised in Jabalia Camp, located within the Gaza Strip of the occupied-Palestinian territories (oPt), Dr. Abuelaish witnessed the death and destruction caused by the Israeli occupation throughout most of his life. From the Six-Day War of 1967 at age twelve through the Gaza War of 2008-2009 at age fifty-three, Dr. Abuelaish saw how a path to peace based on mistrust, hostility, revenge, and political maneuvering produces cycle after cycle of violence instead of lasting results. “It seems humanity has still not learned their lesson,” he told me in our recent conversation. “Even though we are in the twenty-first century, we continue to try to solve our conflicts with wars and violence instead of working to find out their root causes.” This path of darkness taken up by both sides replaces nonviolence with coercion; coercion which directly impacts and destroys the lives of ordinary civilians.
On January 16, 2009, the violence finally touched Dr. Abuelaish and his family more tangibly than they could ever imagine. Two days before the parties signed a truce ending the Gaza War of 2008-2009, an Israeli tank fired multiple rockets at his house. Three of his daughters, Bessan (twenty-one), Mayar (fifteen), and Aya (thirteen) died instantly, as did his niece Noor (seventeen). The shelling also left his daughter, Shatha, his niece, Ghaida, and his brother, Nasser, critically injured. Innocent lives lost. A father in despair. A family overcome with grief. But just like the title of his memoir indicates, he refuses to hate.
After enduring such heartbreak, how does one prevent hate from seeping into their heart and filling them with a desire for revenge and violence? The answer lies in the emotion's corrosive abilities. Just like a cancer, it spreads throughout the body and ingrains itself deeply within, blinding those afflicted from being able to positively engage in conflict resolution. Dr. Abuelaish described the emotion of hatred to me in our recent conversation as, “a destructive, contagious, disease. It is most harmful to the one impacted by it as it is like a poison that weighs us down and prevents us from moving the dialogue forward.” Hate confines people to approach the reconciliation process from the path of darkness where ignorance, arrogance, and greed dictate the terms of negotiations. But there is a more humanistic path to achieving peace, a nonviolent path, a better path--the path of light.
Dr. Abuelaish embraced the path of light long ago which seeks to counter hate and violence by building upon commonalities that we share across humanity. From his endless hours in the maternity ward and intimate work with human life, he notices our commonalities as early as birth. “No one can discriminate or differentiate between the cry of a newborn baby. American, Palestinian, Israeli, male, or female, their cries cannot be distinguished from one another. But even more importantly, humanity has the same reaction to a newborn’s cry. Once we hear the cry of a newborn baby, we all smile because it is the cry of new life.” But even before beginning his medical career, Dr. Abuelaish learned very early on from his own life experiences how similar we all are across our different societies, including Israelis and Palestinians. At fifteen years old, he spent the summer in Israeli working on a Jewish family farm. In his memoir, he talks about the powerful impression the family left on him by not only how kindly they treated him, but also how similar they were to his own family. While working to resolve conflicts, the path of light helps illuminate all of our shared similarities that get obscured when we fixate on our differences. When we are able to see the experiences, emotions, and values that so many of us have in common; we are able to come together to make lasting change that will better all of our societies. Dr. Abuelaish chose to construct his path of light and nonviolence on the strengthening of the solidarity that societies exhibit within the fields of healthcare, education, and the role women maintain. By building upon the shared values of these societal spheres, we will all be able to follow this path of pacifism to achieve a deeper understanding of one another’s situations, making peaceful resolutions much more obtainable in the future.
As a practitioner of medicine his whole professional career, Dr. Abuelaish sees how humanity’s shared worldview regarding the importance of healthcare can serve as a great starting point to begin constructive dialogue. Dr. Abuelaish rightfully pointed out to me that health is one of the few indiscriminatory “human equalizers” among our distinct societies. “When you go to any hospital and treat any patient there, all of them are treated equally. Treatment is not based on ethnicity, religion, skin color, gender, or name; it is based on the patient’s need and the physician’s diagnosis.” Just as doctors treat all their patients equally and humanely, we all need to learn to apply the same approach to our day-to-day interactions with each other. One of the most important aspects of good health is learning to coexist with one another in stable, peaceful, nonviolent environments. Dr. Abuelaish goes on to note, “Health is peace and peace is health. My health and my peace are linked to your health and your peace. I am not in an environment of good health and peace as long as you are not and vice versa.” More often than not though, the politics we implement on the ground, instead of the healthcare we provide, dictate and create the environments of our societies. These politics so frequently neglect the humanistic aspects of our cultures. We must learn to act based on the needs of the people, not the needs of our governments, as our fundamental needs cross borders and created shared experiences through which we can establish dialogue. “If I come to someone who is in labor and ask what is health, she would tell me a successful delivery; if I come to someone who is thirsty and ask what is health, they would tell me a drink of water; if I come to someone who is oppressed and ask what is health, they would tell me freedom.” Just like how we provide healthcare by listening to the needs of the people we strive to help; we must learn to reconcile our differences through the same measures. Once we actually listen to and acknowledge the realities of our concerns through dialogue, will we then be able to follow the path of light in our efforts to achieve peace through humanity.
Education is just as important of a tool in Dr. Abuelaish’s humanistic approach to peace as it helps eradicate the hatred and discrimination that lead us down the path of darkness. “Education enlightens the people, it gives wisdom to the people, it allows us to see things outside of the box.” He then went on to wisely point out what happened regarding the public education campaign to quit smoking. “When people began to learn that smoking was harmful, what did they do, nothing? But once they began to educate themselves as public awareness of the dangers increased, they began to stop.” The same concept can be applied to hatred as we need to understand the dangers of the emotion. It is our responsibility, as Dr. Abuelaish practices himself so often, to increase the awareness of how hatred and violence spread and to educate ourselves on their root causes. But one of the most important aspects of education is that it not only brings people together, it allows us to learn from a diversity of perspectives. “Education is the passport that enables us to travel and cross this small world, it brings people together.” When we learn together, we share knowledge and experiences that help us reconcile our differences in a proactive, nonviolent way.
But to fully embrace a humanistic approach to peace, our governments and societies need to operate at their full capacities. By this notion, Dr. Abuelaish means we must involve women to participate in the resolution of conflicts to a much greater degree as their perspective provides invaluable input which is so often missing from the discussion. “Women symbolize the humanity, the passion, the love, and life itself; yet more often than not, they are not the ones involved in the decision-making, they are not the ones who wage the war…They do not wage war yet they bear most of the consequences from it.” When we fixate on statistics and numbers from violent conflicts, we so often overlook the wife left without a husband, the mother left without a son, sisters left without brothers. Females are so often the guardians of the house, where they defend what is theirs just as staunchly as men do in wars, but by projecting the values of love and compassion. It is exactly this approach that is so often lacking in the decision making of executive offices, congresses, parliaments, and military headquarters. Dr. Abuelaish sees a quick fix to this problem. “the more we see women sitting at the table, being part of the decision-making, the world will be a better place.” As the keepers of the family unit, females are so much more in touch with humanity than men and can use their perspective and experiences to overpower the hate and vitriol that so often cloud male-led reconciliation. Women are emblematic of following the path of light and serve as an example of how we should embrace nonviolence and humanity when we attempt to foster peace.
Dr. Abuelaish has delivered so many lives into this world, endured death so close to his heart, and yet he never deviates from the path of light. The hope that radiated from his tone when we spoke shows his unique ability to find the positive in bad situations. “We always have to see the positive, and during the bad we must maximize the positive and give hope.” Even in the tragic deaths of his daughters and niece, he managed to find the light and salvage life through the establishment of his ensuing foundation, Daughters for Life. The foundation provides scholarships and awards to young girls from the Middle East who seek to empower themselves and improve their lives through education. Dr. Abuelaish keeps the positivity of his daughters alive through his foundation, just like his tireless work in the maternity ward keeps alive the many babies he delivers or his embodiment of nonviolence and dialogue keeps alive the aspirations for peace in the Israel-Palestine conflict. By following the path of Dr. Abuelaish, we shed light on the path of darkness and make the road to peace much more visible and achievable.
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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.
