Campaign Nonviolence is an 11-year-old movement dedicated to ending violence in all its many forms, including direct or physical violence (fighting, bullying, war, gun violence) and systemic violence (homelessness, hunger, mass incarceration, the climate crisis, etc.). In addition, the initiative also works to change cultural violence, the beliefs, attitudes, and values that lead to harm and destruction, such as militarism, racism, sexism, xenophobia, homophobia, and more.
Instead, Campaign Nonviolence brings together hundreds of groups and organizations that take nonviolent action and promote nonviolent solutions. Sandy Hook Promise trains thousands of schoolchildren on how to address social isolation—a factor in mass shootings—as part of Start With Hello Week. The Nobel Prize-winning International Campaign Against Nuclear Weapons (ICAN) coordinates hundreds of actions to extract money from the nuclear industry. The Global Silent Minute brings thousands of people together for a moment of reverent silence for peace on International Day of Peace (September 21). Nonviolent Peaceforce and Cure Violence use de-escalation techniques in conflict zones around the world to prevent attacks.
Local civic groups are taking forceful action in their neighborhoods. Nonviolent Opelika, Alabama (part of the nationwide Nonviolent Cities Project) is providing training and lectures on their neighborhood patrols to prevent gun violence. Groups in Honolulu, Hawaii are affirming their Zone of Peace and Nonviolence in a low-income public housing complex. An elementary school in Little Rock, Arkansas is holding a peace march with all the children. In Detroit, Michigan, the Meta Peace Team is training an entire high school in de-escalation techniques.
There are street theater protests in front of military bases and teach-ins about nonviolent history, such as that of MK Gandhi or Cesar Chavez and the United Farm Workers. There are peace art competitions and concerts in public parks. There are demonstrations for ceasefires in Gaza and Ukraine. There are actions to stop environmental destruction and the climate crisis.
The Nonviolence Campaign is gearing up for its biggest days of action yet, running from International Day of Peace (September 21) to International Day of Nonviolence (October 2). More than 5,000 actions took place in 2023. In the next few weeks, 4,438 actions are already planned for 2024, and hundreds more are expected. The campaign is calling for a range of nonviolent actions over the 12 days, including solidarity strikes, divestment from fossil fuels and weapons, racial healing circles, nonviolence teach-ins, peace demonstrations, and violence de-escalation trainings.
