What to Say "Yes" To After Saying "No" To Violence or War
OVERVIEW
Nonviolent Peaceforce (based on Gandhi's dream of a Shanti Sena, or Peace Army) is an international nonpartisan unarmed largescale peaceforce of trained civilians. In partnership with local groups, Nonviolent Peaceforce members apply proven nonviolent strategies to protect human rights, deter violence, and help create space for local peacemakers to carry out their work.
Nonviolent Peaceforce of Greater Boston is a local group that supports the international work of Nonviolent Peaceforce as well as expanding it to include prevention and de-escalation of violence here at home. Locally, we educate ourselves and others about alternatives to violence and offer nonviolent conflict intervention trainings, speaking engagements and workshops on peace-related skills and issues. It is our hope that nonviolence skills will become as common as reading and writing skills, so all of us can become literate together in ways to build bridges and create more harmony with our local and world neighbors.
The mission of the Nonviolent Peaceforce of Greater Boston (NP-GB) is to educate NP-GB members, NP-GB friends, and the community at large about various aspects and methods of nonviolence. The community at large will generally consist of the greater Boston area, but work may be done in other parts of New England and beyond. The second purpose of NP-GB is to inform the greater community about the work of the Nonviolent Peaceforce internationally and locally, and to gain support for its work.
NP-GB will assist NP International in its mission to build a large-scale trained, international civilian nonviolent peaceforce. Nonviolent Peaceforce will be sent to conflict areas to prevent death and destruction and protect human rights, thus creating the space for local groups to struggle nonviolently, enter into dialogue, and seek peaceful resolution. (See Page of NP International) This support will come through providing monetary support, helping NP International in its Training of international volunteers, in its setting up the NP domestic programs, and in providing audiences and forums for dialoguing with NP International representatives.
NP-GB believes that for a community within our society to promote nonviolence internationally, we must also promote nonviolence locally. So we will promote those organizations which support nonviolence with respect to spousal abuse, gang warfare, child abuse, elder abuse, and any other types of abuses which have become embedded and prevalent within our society. (See Page of Local NP)
