A plant and pledge swap. An artistic bridge. A listening circle. From Earth Day to May Day 2024, Campaign Nonviolence called for actions that connected peace and planet. Facing dual crises around war and the climate crisis, we asked people to plan events and actions in their communities that highlighted the ways these two issues entwine. People responded with creativity, heart, and community-based events across the United States and around the globe. 

Here are some of the action reports that we have received, highlighting the creativity that infused this effort! 

Peace and Planet Listening Circle

In Corsicana, Texas, six people gathered in a friend’s space to hold a listening circle on the climate crisis. After light refreshments, introductions, and small talk, the circle began. John Blewitt, the coordinator of Nonviolent Navarro (part of our Nonviolent Cities Project) facilitated. He opened by explaining that a listening circle is a simple process where people have a chance to speak openly on a shared topic. There is no crosstalk or commenting. When someone is finished, the next person takes their turn. A simple talking stick decorated with two shades of green cloth was made for this gathering. People shared how they were responding to the climate crisis, as well as following up the initial round of sharings with more strategies and resources. 

The idea for a listening circle began with Campaign Nonviolence’s invitation to groups to hold racial healing listening circles during Action Days from September 21-October 2nd. When John saw that the process had been included on the climate issue, he decided to introduce it to his community. He hopes to hold future listening circles on other issues, including racial justice.

Racial Healing Listening Circles is one the calls-to-action for the Campaign Nonviolence Action Days Sept 21-Oct 2, 2024. Learn more here and find a training video here. 

Plant & Pledge Swap

In Binghamton, NY, 55 people participated in a local Earth Day Festival in a public park. Corey Turnpenny (a member of our Earth Action Team) and friends brought free plants to give away. Other community members added more seedlings and plants to the collection. The group also asked everyone to write down something they are doing for the environment. These examples were posted on a Pledge Swap Board for everyone to see. Then people took a second pledge from the board, an environmental action that they wanted to work on this year. Throughout the day, the pledges on the Pledge Swap Board helped people see the connections between peace and planet. Elders, children, and people of all ages attended the event. 
Curious about Campaign Nonviolence’s Earth Action Team? Find out more here.

Tears of the World Performance Art

Dressed in somber black, with a striking face-painted mask on her face, performance artist Dominique Mazeaud conducted a prayer ritual for peace and planet at the New Mexico State Capitol in Santa Fe. Holding a large glass bowl of water—the Tears of the World—her prayer vigil honored both tears of sorrow and tears of joy, the love and the grief that we feel at the destruction of the Earth and the wars that besiege us. Around 33 people gathered to bear witness and participate in the prayer vigil.

Mazeaud has performed this ritual previously for Iraq and Ukraine, and welcomed the opportunity to link her concern over war to the equally worrying state of the Earth. Mazeaud writes, “My calling has been Pax Gaia. It affirms the principle that a flourishing planet is not possible without a culture of peace.” You can learn more about her work here.

Rise For Peace 

Close to 1,100 students took part in the Rise For Peace trainings in Lilongwe, Malawi, organized by Ishmael Amini and the Center for Enlightenment and Development. The Center is a youth-based organization that trains secondary and college students about nonviolence through capacity building campaigns, and also focuses on interfaith and intercultural dialogues. This year’s major events took place at Chinsapo Secondary School and Iqra International Academy (an Islamic faith college). 

The program explored how the students could address long-standing interfaith conflicts in Malawi between Muslims and Christians and the ways intercultural conflicts impact elections and social cohesion. The students also engaged in a reflection on the kinds of environmental violences and crises the country has faced between 2022-2024. Other issues included racism, foreign nationals taking advantage of poor Malawians, and child trafficking.

The event was also attended by education authorities, religious leaders, and civil society activists. Amini writes, “Our actions in both campuses will build solidarity among students and diverse cultures in the community.”

Peace & Planet in Nairobi, Kenya

Coming together for discussions and presentations on ecological and peace issues, 47 people in their 20s and 30s gathered in Nairobi, Kenya, for a Peace & Planet event. They engaged in activities like a “plastic challenge” and learned more about the 6 R’s of Sustainability: rethink, refuse, reduce, reuse, repair, and recycle. They also explored climate change mitigation and adaptation strategies. The event was organized by Isaac Omondi and New Generation Outreach.

Artistic Bridges: Connecting Youth

Around 100 people participated in San Antonio’s local engagement with the Charter For Compassion’s Artistic Bridges program. Sr. Martha Ann Kirk and Giani Melendez coordinated the effort to invite local children to create art, music, and poetry alongside other youth in Canada, India, Israel, Palestine, Uganda, and Guatemala. The Charter For Compassion featured some of the local artwork in their videos. The project is ongoing and will continue to foster kids’ curiosity about other cultures as a way to nurture a living, peaceful planet. Learn more here.

Collaborating groups include: San Antonio, TX, initial contact with Santa Apolonia, Guatemala; Lakeview School, Uganda; Ukraine through Rotary Medical Mission; Incarnate Word Sisters Schools, Mexico; World Heritage Site-Mission Concepcion, San Antonio, TX.

Militarism & Climate Change Presentation

In Pocatello, ID, members of Veterans For Peace presented on the themes of militarism and climate change to a small, focused group that included people from multiple faiths, representatives of the local mosque, an educator and young student, and a retired Idaho legislator. Lou Engelhardt, the organizer, says, “We would like to continue to have more presentations—this was our ‘drop in the bucket’ beginning!”

Morro Bay Peace Garden

Over 50 people gathered at Centennial Park in Morro Bay, CA, for a special dedication of a peace pole in the newly-established Morro Bay Peace Garden. A long-held vision of Ruth Ann Angus, director of Yes We Can Peacebuilders and the coordinator of the Nonviolent Cities Project, the peace garden overlooks the waterfront and ocean in this coastal California town. It provides a public reminder of peace and a gathering space for future Nonviolent Morro Bay events. The garden was created by a team of local organizations. The mayor and a city council member attended the dedication ceremony. This beautiful project connected peace and planet in a long-lasting, tangible, and visible gift to the community. Read more about it here.

These creative, community-focused actions are a reminder of how many ways there are to foster the understanding of how peace and planet go hand-in-hand. Humanity desperately needs to redirect its focus from endless war and increasing militarism to ensuring peace and working together to rebalance and restore our imperiled ecosystems. 

Campaign Nonviolence will continue to organize around Peace & Planet Solidarity. Take action with us during the Campaign Nonviolence Action Days, September 21-October 2, 2024. Learn more about the tens of thousands of people who take part in 5,000+ actions and events. And explore our Peace & Planet Toolkit for dozens of action ideas.