Gene Sharp, an icon of non-violent resistance brought back hope that peace is achievable by using exclusively non-violent means. To celebrate his life, we look at the practical and theoretical contributions he made to the peacebuilding field.
Words can make a difference – both for good and evil. Words have the power to restore hope and heal divides. Dialogue and mediation can halt outbreaks of violence and sitting down and talking with your enemy can prevent tensions from spiralling into conflict. But words also have the power to divide. Hate speech can … Continued
Sahra dreamed of an education and a peaceful life from a very young age. But when her father wanted her to marry a militant fighter her dreams were shattered. Faced with no other option, she ran away to a new city. But there her life changed. Now Sahra runs her a small tailoring business with three girls she met on a skills training course. And she is free to plan her own future, away from violence and fighting.
As we celebrate Martin Luther King Jr., Peace Direct and the Alliance for Peacebuilding are launching a new effort to lift up and support local peacebuilding in the United States. Our new U.S. section of Peace Direct’s global online website, Peace Insight, is an interactive map that includes information about groups working for peace across the U.S.
These seven stories are just seven of the many reasons we continue to strive for peace – built brick by brick from the ground up. As 2017 draws to a close, we thank you for your continued support to all those fighting for peace in the most fragile places in the world.
On Human Rights Day, a day commemorating the brave and inspiring activists that stand for a better world, we are announcing the winners of our 2017 Tomorrow’s Peacebuilders Awards. Over the last few months, the Peace Direct team has reviewed 268 applications from 57 countries and elected three of the most exciting and innovative peacebuilding organisations as winners.
The war in Yemen has left thousands dead and caused the world’s largest humanitarian crisis, according to the UN. Conflict has been going on for years but became especially violent in March 2017. Now, Over 7 million people face starvation and an outbreak of cholera is claiming more lives.
“Despite all the news, all the headlines about the crisis and violence in Nigeria, we will build peace. Peace is possible if all hands are on deck.”
“Their hearts are broken because of the war. It is my job to heal them.”
– Buddhist religious leader who works to rebuild trust between Hindus, Christians, Muslims and Buddhists following years of civil war and violence in Sri Lanka.
Badar* stopped a 15-year-old boy from carrying out a suicide attack after attending training run by our local partner in Pakistan. It saved the boy’s life, and countless others.
