Action Reports from West Coast Region, Gambia; London and Liverpool, UK; Seaford, DE; Orange, CA; and Grand Junction, CO.
From hunger relief to nonviolence teach-ins, the Campaign Nonviolence Action Days, September 21-October 2, 2024, brought people together in acts of courage and creativity to build a culture of peace and active nonviolence, free from war, poverty, racism, and environmental destruction. Over 5,238+ actions and events were held around the world. Here are six action reports with everything from peace pilgrimages to nonviolent history coloring pages to peace art crawls and more.
West Coast Region, Gambia: On October 1, 2024, to honor the International Day of Nonviolence (Oct 2), the Nonviolence Advocates Association in Gambia held an outreach session with students at the Kuloro Upper and Senior Secondary School, West Coast Region. On Oct 2nd, another outreach session was held with the Kabafita Upper and Senior Secondary School, Brikama.
Nonviolence Advocates Association wrote, “As part of our celebration of the International Day of Nonviolence and in our drive to promote social cohesion and inclusion, thus creating beloved communities, we yesterday had an outreach session with the students. . . . This is in line with our objectives to create awareness about the harmful effects of violence by providing acceptable alternatives through our series of training programs in schools and communities. While conflict is natural, violence is human behaviour. Therefore, the ability to understand this principle as early as possible helps address the many forms of violence we are faced with today.”
The motto of the events was: Restoring Relationships and Building Beloved Communities.
London, United Kingdom: On Oct 2, 2024, the International Day of Nonviolence, Pax Christi England and Wales coordinated a pilgrimage for peace from one political office to the next in London. Around 17 people carried banners and signs as their walking pilgrimage took them around the city. Organizer Pat Gaffney wrote, “We began our peace-prayer pilgrimage for International Day of Nonviolence in the rain, at (the Edith Cavell statue). Stopped at the Ministry of Defence, Downing Street (the prime minister’s home and office), FCO (Foreign, Commonwealth, and Development Office) and statue of Gandhi, ending at Westminster Cathedral. At each, we prayed that each Ministry be guided by values of the Gospel and #nonviolence.” At each, letters were handed in and prayers offered to urge each institution to invest in nonviolent peacemaking. When they visited the Mahatma Gandhi statue, they laid flowers at his feet in honor of his 155th birthday. At Westminster Cathedral pilgrims also re-committed to the Vow of Nonviolence. The walk was inspired in part by Pope Francis's words to young people "Walk together with others, color the world with your creativity, and paint the streets of life with the Gospel.” This action was also part of the Catholic Nonviolence Days of Action.
Liverpool, United Kingdom: Pax Christi Liverpool rallied faith-based peace activists for a peace walk through Liverpool City Centre on October 2, 2024. Part of the Catholic Nonviolence Days of Action, the group carried posters, signs, banners, and peace prayers.
Orange, California: The St. Joseph Justice Center held its 9th annual Week of Service from Sept 27-Oct 5, 2024. Ten events were held, one per day, that engaged the sisters and broader community in support and service with others in their area. Volunteers worked in community kitchens, did yard work for people with disabilities, learned and practiced organic regenerative farming, and even knit items for people in the hospital and shelters. Some events emphasized social connection, like Bingo Night at the Crittenton Services for Children & Families. Others offered healing and assistance in accessing social services. Organizer Damaris Molina wrote, “Like our founding sisters did over 350 years ago in LePuy, France, we go into our neighborhoods and work together to address the needs we have found there.”
Seaford, Delaware: Creativity abounds in Seaford, Delaware. Beth Kopicki, coordinator for Nonviolent Seaford (part of the Nonviolent Cities Project) lined up a set of engaging and artistic community events to foster peace and nonviolence in the local area. Building on last year’s successful Visionary Peace Youth Art Exhibition, she organized a Peace Art Crawl through downtown locations on September 30. Hanging children’s peace art and putting up guiding signs to the locations, people had the opportunity to see the displays. In addition, an art making event was held in which youth and other participants could create peace sign collages, paint peace rocks, and more.
A Campaign Nonviolence Jeopardy Game was also handcrafted for the event. Questions included nonviolence heroines like Greta Thunberg, Malala Yousafzai, Ruby Bridges, and more. It was inspired by the Franciscan Peace Center's digital version. Beth Kopicki wrote about the two young women who won the most points, “Claire and Sophia have been making peace art for years through our partner, the Seaford District Library. These girls were honored for their fifth year of participation in the Visionary Peace Youth Art exhibition at the morning's breakfast. Then they came to make more art AND answer so many Nonviolence Jeopardy questions! SO proud of them and their mama who homeschools them. They knew more nonviolent heroes and history than any of the adults."
The event was supported by the City of Seaford. Council member Stephanie Grassett and Vice Mayor Dan Henderson attended.
Grand Junction, Colorado: On September 22, 2024, the Unitarian Universalist Congregation of the Grand Valley Children's Programming offered a training for young people focused on nonviolence. The program started off with a “Two Hands of Nonviolence” demo, followed by a lesson on Cesar Chavez's nonviolent leadership in the Delano Grape Strike & Boycott. Children were given Campaign Nonviolence’s Nonviolent History Coloring Page on the campaign to color. The UUCGV also held a peace pole dedication ceremony and International Day of Peace Celebration.