1000 Actions + Great Ideas You Should Do, Too!
Each year in September, thousands of people in all 50 states and around the world take action with Campaign Nonviolence for a culture of peace and active nonviolence, free from war, poverty, racism, and environmental destruction. This year’s Action Week, Sept 18-26, already has over 1000 actions and events in the works—and the numbers are growing weekly. Here are a few of the ways people like you are preparing to take action:
Anneli in India is planning clean-up actions as part of World Clean-Up Day on September 18th. Every Campaign Nonviolence group could join in this. Pick an area, organize a small (or huge) team, and clean-up the garbage in your local park, roadside, or neighborhood.
Colin in Quebec will be organizing a march from the four directions to protect biodiversity, including trees, moss, mammals, fish, reptiles, insects, fungi, and more. Organize a similar march in your area and invite people of all ages to take a stand for people and planet.
Kit in Iowa is planning a vigil along the Mississippi River for women who have died from domestic violence in Davenport, Iowa. Honor the people in your community who have died from violence this year with a vigil calling for an end to violence and its root causes.
United Church of Christ will be focusing its sermons on September 19th on Just Peace Sunday—all 117 local churches will participate. Can your faith center do the same? Invite them to dedicate a weekly teaching focus to Just Peace, or active nonviolence in your faith. If you are part of a faith institution, see if you can encourage all of your local chapters/churches/sanghas/etc. to participate.
Sue G. is launching an Engaging Nonviolence Study Group using one of our training manuals. Gather 8-15 friends and dive into how you can deepen your understanding of nonviolence. This is a practical and effective way to build the culture of active nonviolence right where you are!
Sue C. is planning worldwide Moments of Mass Mindfulness. Wherever you are, you can do this! Even if you don’t have a local group to work with, you can take individual action in this way. Each year, we speak with people who are housebound, unable to leave work, or struggling to find time to participate. This small action gives you one way to part in the Campaign Nonviolence Action Week. You may choose to use this time to pray for peace, meditate for the well-being of the planet, or contemplate how we can replace violence with active nonviolence in our world.
There are so many ways to participate. In past years, we’ve seen peace marches and giant puppets, teach-ins and rallies, nuclear weapons lab blockades, story circles to end discrimination and racism, climate protests and racial justice sit-ins, and so much more.
If you’re looking for more action ideas, check out this amazing list! You can also watch the recording of our Get Creative! Skillbuilding Webinar that explores using creative actions during Action Week. Let’s make this year’s Action Week, September 18-26th, powerful, deep, creative, and beautiful.
Let us know you’ll take action this year here. We don’t need to know all the details now—we’ll follow-up as you know more, and you get a free pass to the monthly Campaign Nonviolence Skillbuilding Webinars!
Special thanks to our amazing Action Outreach Assistant Shaina Jones for reaching out to all the organizers of those 1000+ actions!